Chronic ethanol exposure attenuates the anti-apoptotic effect of NMDA in cerebellar granule neurons.

Ethanol, added to primary cultures of cerebellar granule neurons simultaneously with NMDA, was previously shown to inhibit the anti-apoptotic effect of NMDA. The in vitro anti-apoptotic effect of NMDA is believed to mimic in vivo protection against apoptosis afforded by innervation of developing cerebellar granule neurons by glutamatergic mossy fibers. Therefore, the results suggested that the presence of ethanol in the brain at a critical period of development would promote apoptosis. In the present studies, we examined the effect of chronic ethanol exposure on the anti-apoptotic action of NMDA in cerebellar granule neurons. The neurons were treated with ethanol in vitro for 1-3 days in the absence of NMDA. Even after ethanol was removed from the culture medium, as ascertained by gas chromatography, the protective effect of added NMDA was significantly attenuated. The decreased anti-apoptotic effect of NMDA was associated with a change in the properties of the NMDA receptor, as indicated by a decrease in ligand binding, decreased expression of NMDA receptor subunit proteins, and decreased functional responses including stimulation of increases in intracellular Ca(2+) and induction of brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression. The latter effect may directly underlie the attenuated protective effect of NMDA in these neurons. The results suggest that ethanol exposure during development can have long-lasting effects on neuronal survival. The change in the NMDA receptor caused by chronic ethanol treatment may contribute to the loss of cerebellar granule neurons that is observed in animals and humans exposed to ethanol during gestation.