Astroglial cells: glucocorticoid target cells in the brain.

Glutamine synthetase (GS), an enzyme localized in astroglial cells in the brain, is directly implicated in brain detoxification. An ontogenic study of GS activity was performed in homogenates from four distinct brain areas in comparison with the respective astrocytes obtained in primary cultures. GS was induced by hydrocortisone in the astrocytes of all brain areas studied; only cerebellum and cerebral hemisphere astroglial cells had a higher specific activity when compared with the corresponding homogenates. N6O2-Dibutyryl adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (dBc AMP), insulin, soluble brain factors, and noradrenaline (NA) were also able to modulate GS activity. Brain factors as well as dBc AMP interfered with hydrocortisone induction of GS. Regulation by hydrocortisone paralleled the variation in its concentration in brain during development. We conclude that astroglial cells are target cells for glucocorticoids, which may modulate ammonia detoxification in these cells.