Effect of diphenylthiocarbazone (dithizone) on glutamate level in hippocampus preparation in vitro and in vivo.

To assess the functional interaction between Zn2+ and glutamate in hippocampus, diphenylthiocarbazone (dithizone), a Zn2+ chelator, was used to alter the glutamate level in hippocampus in vitro and in vivo. Dithizone at the concentration of 1 microM stimulated high K(+)- and veratrine-induced release of [3H]glutamate both in the presence and absence of Ca2+ from rat hippocampal slices preloaded with [3H]glutamate without affecting the release of [3H]gamma-aminobutyric acid and [3H]acetylcholine. Metal chelators other than dithizone did not evoke the [3H]glutamate release at the concentration of 10 microM. Two weeks after the intrahippocampal injection of 20 micrograms of dithizone, both Zn2+ and glutamate levels of the hippocampus significantly decreased with no change in the levels of other metals, amino acids, monoamines and acetylcholine.