Oestrogen effects on kainate-induced toxicity in primary cultures of rat cortical neurons

Oestrogens protect neurons against excitatory amino acid-induced toxicity; however data on their interaction with particular subtype of glutamate receptors are sparse. Therefore in the present study we investigated oestrogen effects on kainate neurotoxicity in primary cortical neurons. The data showed that both oestradiol-17β and oestrone (100 nM and 200 nM) reduced kainite toxicity by ca. 40%. Since tamoxifen only partly inhibited the above effects, we suggest that both genomic and non-genomic mechanisms are involved in the anti-kainate action of oestrogens.