Neuroprotection by glial metabotropic glutamate receptors is mediated by transforming growth factor-beta.

The medium collected from cultured astrocytes transiently exposed to the group-II metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptor agonists (2S,1'R, 2'R,3'R)-2-(2,3-dicarboxycyclopropyl)glycine (DCG-IV) or (S)-4-carboxy-3-hydroxyphenylglycine (4C3HPG) is neuroprotective when transferred to mixed cortical cultures challenged with NMDA (). The following data indicate that this particular form of neuroprotection is mediated by transforming growth factor-beta (TGFbeta). (1) TGFbeta1 and -beta2 were highly neuroprotective against NMDA toxicity, and their action was less than additive with that produced by the medium collected from astrocytes treated with DCG-IV or 4C3HPG (GM/DCG-IV or GM/4C3HPG); (2) antibodies that specifically neutralized the actions of TGFbeta1 or -beta2 prevented the neuroprotective activity of DCG-IV or 4C3HPG, as well as the activity of GM/DCG-IV or GM/4C3HPG; and (3) a transient exposure of cultured astrocytes to either DCG-IV or 4C3HPG led to a delayed increase in both intracellular and extracellular levels of TGFbeta. We therefore conclude that a transient activation of group-II mGlu receptors (presumably mGlu3 receptors) in astrocytes leads to an increased formation and release of TGFbeta, which in turn protects neighbor neurons against excitotoxic death. These results offer a new strategy for increasing the local production of neuroprotective factors in the CNS.