Guanidinoacetate Methyltransferase deficiency is an inborn error of metabolism that results in decreased
creatine and increased
guanidinoacetate (GAA) levels. Patients present neurological symptoms whose mechanisms are unclear. We investigated the effects of an intrastriatal administration of 10 μM of GAA (0.02 nmol/striatum) on energy metabolism, redox state,
inflammation,
glutamate homeostasis, and activities/immunocontents of
acetylcholinesterase and Na+,K+-
ATPase, as well as on memory acquisition. The neuroprotective role of
creatine was also investigated. Male Wistar rats were pretreated with
creatine (50 mg/kg) or saline for 7 days underwenting stereotactic surgery. Forty-eight hours after surgery, the animals (then sixty-days-old) were divided into groups: Control, GAA, GAA + Creatine, and
Creatine. Experiments were performed 30 min after intrastriatal infusion. GAA decreased SDH, complexes II and IV activities, and
ATP levels, but had no effect on mitochondrial mass/membrane potential.
Creatine totally prevented SDH and complex II, and partially prevented COX and
ATP alterations. GAA increased dichlorofluorescein levels and decreased
superoxide dismutase and
catalase activities.
Creatine only prevented
catalase and dichlorofluorescein alterations. GAA increased
cytokines,
nitrites levels and
acetylcholinesterase activity, but not its immunocontent.
Creatine prevented such effects, except
nitrite levels. GAA decreased
glutamate uptake, but had no effect on the immunocontent of its transporters. GAA decreased Na+,K+-
ATPase activity and increased the immunocontent of its α3 subunit. The performance on the novel object recognition task was also impaired.
Creatine partially prevented the changes in
glutamate uptake and Na+,K+-
ATPase activity, and completely prevented the memory impairment. This study helps to elucidate the protective effects of
creatine against the damage caused by GAA.