Lactate triggers genes that modify brain activity
14 February 2019
Fluorescently labeled neuronal dendritric ramifications. © KAUST
A genome-wide study led by Pierre Magistretti has shed light on the mechanisms through which lactate, a product of aerobic glycolysis in astrocytes, regulates long-term memory formation and neuroprotection.
Specifically, the team found that lactate exposure triggers the expression of more than 400 genes, some of which crucial for modifying brain structure and function in response to internal and external influences, known as neuroplasticity.
These results strengthen the notion that lactate effectively regulates activity-dependent and synaptic genes, and highlight new signaling effects of lactate in plasticity and neuroprotection.
Author : Anouchka Junod
Reference:
Margineanu MB, Mahmood H, Fiumelli H, Magistretti PJ;
L-Lactate regulates the expression of synaptic plasticity and neuroprotection genes in cortical neurons : A transcriptome analysis.
Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience 11:375, Oct 2018. doi:10.3389/fnmol.2018.00375 >
