Specific replacements of pyruvate for trophic support of central and peripheral nervous system neurons.

When embryonic central nervous system neurons are seeded at low densities with Eagle's basal medium supplemented with the serum substitute N1, glucose, and glutamine, neuronal survival for even 24 h requires the additional supply of exogenous pyruvate--and so does the survival of many peripheral nervous system neurons. Pyruvate can be replaced by alpha-ketoglutarate or oxaloacetate, but not by Krebs cycle substrates that are not keto acids. Most other alpha-keto acids tested (though not beta- or gamma-keto acids) also mimic pyruvate. The apparent equivalence to pyruvate of all these compounds includes identical ED50 values (300 microM for embryonic avian fore-brain neurons, 30-40 microM for rat hippocampal neurons), and also identical susceptibilities to the pyruvate-sparing effects of other low-molecular-weight agents present in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium or in astroglia conditioned medium. The substitute alpha-keto acids, however--unlike pyruvate, alpha-ketoglutarate, or oxaloacetate--support cell survival only in the presence of alpha-amino acids that transaminate to alpha-ketoglutarate, oxaloacetate, or pyruvate. The alpha-keto acids, therefore, operate as acceptors of amino groups from appropriate donors to generate Krebs cycle-relevant substrates. Consistent with this view, [14C]glutamate did not generate appreciable 14CO2 unless accompanied by a suitable alpha-keto acid.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)