Ammonia-induced release of neurotransmitters from rat brain synaptosomes: differences between the effects on amines and amino acids.

The effect of NH4Cl on release of amine and amino acid transmitters from rat brain synaptosomes was investigated. Ammonia (0.1-10 mM) stimulated the secretion of dopamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine in a dose-dependent manner, in a process which was additive with the effect of 40 mM K+, almost unaffected by withdrawal of Ca2+, and markedly decreased by increasing [H+] in the medium. The NH4Cl-induced dopamine efflux, in contrast to that caused by high [K+]e, was inhibited by benztropine. The release of gamma-aminobutyric acid, aspartate, and glutamate was unaltered by [NH4Cl] less than 5 mM, but somewhat stimulated at higher levels. Transmembrane pH gradient, acid inside, was dissipated by NH4Cl in a concentration-dependent manner and the internal alkalinization correlated with the stimulation of the rate of dopamine efflux. Transmembrane electrical potential was unaffected by [ammonia] less than 5 mM, but a small depolarization was observed at higher levels. It is postulated that ammonia-induced alkalinization of the intrasynaptic storage granules causes extrusion of amines into the cytoplasm and their subsequent leakage into the medium through a reversal of the plasma membrane transporters. A lack of correlation between the release of amino acid neurotransmitters and the dissipation of the delta pH suggests that in rat brain intrasynaptic vesicles, acidic inside, are unlikely to store substantial amounts of gamma-aminobutyric acid, aspartate, or glutamate.