Glutamine synthetase and energy metabolism enzymes in cultured chick glial cells: modulation by dibutyryl cyclic AMP, hydrocortisone, and trypsinization.

Modifications induced by dibutyryl cyclic AMP (diBcAMP) and hydrocortisone in the energy metabolism of chick astroblasts in culture have been investigated. DiBcAMP does not modify the levels of enolase, malate dehydrogenase (MDH), total lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and glutamine synthetase (GS) activities in these cultured glial cells. However, these cells can be sensitized to the nucleotide analog by trypsinization before seeding. The phenomenon affects specifically GS activity and the synthesis, with an inhibitory effect, of the H subunit of LDH. Addition of hydrocortisone to the culture medium stimulates MDH and GS activities of the cells; trypsinization accentuates the stimulatory effect on GS. This hormone also modifies the synthesis of H and M subunits of LDH in a positive and negative way respectively. The phenomenon is increased by trypsin treatment. The present studies indicate clearly that hydrocortisone generates in cultured chick glial cells metabolic modifications qualitatively different from those obtained by diBcAMP. It is suggested that trypsin treatment, by altering some protein constituents of the cell surface, modifies the adhesiveness of different cell types present in the cell suspension after dissociation of the brain and thus leads to select, in culture, a specific astroglial subpopulation.