Xanthine oxidase, nitric oxide synthase and phospholipase A(2) produce reactive oxygen species via mitochondria.

The formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been suggested to be associated with excitotoxicity but the involvement of cytoplasmic enzymes in ROS formation is not clearly known. In the present study, we examined the role of xanthine oxidase (XO), nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)) in glutamate-induced oxidative stress in rat cortical slices. Glutamate-induced ROS formation and mitochondrial depolarization were measured in rat cortical slices in presence of allopurinol, L-NAME and 4-bromophenacylbromide, the specific inhibitors of XO, NOS and PLA(2), respectively. Upon stimulation of slices with glutamate, a significant increase in ROS formation and mitochondrial depolarization was observed. However, pretreatment of slices with allopurinol, L-NAME and 4-bromophenacylbromide inhibited the glutamate-induced ROS formation and mitochondrial depolarization. The glutamate-induced ROS formation was dependent on the concentration of these inhibitors and also on the duration of the treatment. Allopurinol was found to be less effective as compared to L-NAME and 4-bromophenacylbromide. The combined treatment of slices with these enzyme inhibitors showed further inhibition in ROS formation and mitochondrial depolarization. The inhibition in ROS formation as well as mitochondrial depolarization by allopurinol, L-NAME and 4-bromophenacylbromide clearly suggests that the activation of XO, NOS and PLA(2) by calcium during glutamate receptor stimulation may release some chemicals which depolarize mitochondria resulting in ROS formation.