Table 1.

Kainate-induced cortical neuronal death is enhanced at acidic pH

Treatment	% Neuronal death ± SEM
pH 7.4
Kainate	19  ± 5
Kainate + NBQX	1  ± 0.3*
pH 6.6
Kainate	50  ± 4**
Kainate + NBQX	2  ± 0.4*

Reducing extracellular pH from 7.4 to 6.6 enhanced cortical neuron death induced by 20 min exposure to 200 μmkainate. MK-801 (10 μm) was included with each exposure. Coapplication of NBQX (30 μm) prevented death induced by kainate under both conditions. LDH release to the bathing medium was measured 24 hr later (mean ± SEM, n = 8), scaled to the level (100) measured in sister cultures exposed to 300 μM NMDA for 24 hr (a condition that produced near complete neuronal death without astrocyte death). Background LDH release in sister cultures exposed to sham wash alone was subtracted from each condition to yield the signal specific to experimental injury.

*Difference at p < 0.05 from kainate exposure alone at same pH, by Student’s independent t test.

**Difference at p < 0.05 from kainate exposure at pH 7.4.