Prolonged inhibition of glutamate reuptake down-regulates NMDA receptor functions in cultured cerebellar granule cells

In the present study, we have examined the effects of prolonged (up to 72 h) inhibition of high-affinity glutamate reuptake by L-trans-pyrrolidine-2,4-dicarboxylate (PDC; 100 microM) on glutamate receptor functions in primary cultures of rat cerebellar granule neurons. This was done by comparing the effects of various glutamate receptor agonists on neuronal 45Ca2+ uptake, free cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i), and cell viability. We also determined the parameters of[3H]MK-801 binding as well as the expression of the NMDAR1 subunit protein in control and PDC-exposed cultures. The blockade of glutamate reuptake by PDC led to a gradual increase of ambient glutamate to concentrations that are neurotoxic when applied acutely to control cells. In PDC-exposed cells, however, the acute glutamate-induced NMDA receptor-mediated calcium fluxes were strongly diminished and no toxicity was observed. The down-regulation of the functional effects of glutamate was dependent on the duration of PDC exposure and was accompanied by a reduced NMDAR1 subunit expression and decreased [3H]MK-801 binding, indicative of a pronounced structural rearrangement of NMDA receptors. The possibility that the decrease of NMDA glutamate receptor sensitivity can be explained on the basis of a reduced density or altered subunit composition of NMDA receptors is discussed.     

Effect of prenatal and postnatal ethanol exposure on the developmental profile of mRNAs encoding NMDA receptor subunits in rat hippocampus

It has been proposed that assembly of the final NMDA receptor complex may be modified by prenatal ethanol exposure, resulting in long-term alterations of NMDA receptor pharmacology. We investigated the effect of prenatal and postnatal ethanol exposure on the developmental profile of mRNAs encoding NMDA receptor subunits in rat hippocampus. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were chronically intoxicated for 4 weeks with a 10% (v/v) ethanol solution administered throughout pregnancy and lactation. Hippocampus and cerebellum were isolated from pups (postnatal days 1-28) of the ethanol-exposed and ad libitum groups. Our results, using a semiquantitative RT-PCR technique, showed a selective effect of ethanol exposure on the various NMDA receptor subunits. Ethanol exposure significantly increased the levels of NR1(1XX), NR1(X11) and NR2(D) mRNAs on postnatal days 7 and 14 and decreased the level of NR2(C) on postnatal day 1. Immunoblot analyses demonstrated that NR2(D) protein levels were increased on postnatal day 7 after ethanol exposure. However, the developmental profile of mRNAs encoding for NR2(A-B), NR3(L/S), GBP and Gly/TCP-BP subunits were not affected. Moreover, no significant effects of ethanol exposure were observed on the developmental transition from expression of NR1(0XX) to NR(1XX) splice variants occurring in the cerebellum on postnatal day 19. Unexpectedly, [(3) H]MK-801 binding experiments showed that ethanol exposure increased the B (max) values of high-affinity sites on postnatal days 14 and 28, with no change of K (d) values. These findings indicate that prenatal and/or postnatal ethanol exposure alters the hippocampal levels of mRNAs encoding for certain subunits and the density of high-affinity [(3) H]MK-801 binding sites. As these subunits have been shown to modulate the functional properties of NMDA receptors, these results suggest that this altered expression could be involved in the neurodevelopmental disorders associated with fetal ethanol exposure.     

A Possible Role of Glutathione as an Endogenous Agonist at the N-Methyl-d-Aspartate Recognition Domain in Rat Brain

Abstract: Glutathione, both reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG), was effective in displacing binding of l -[³H]-glutamic acid (l -[³H]Glu) and dl -(E)-2-[³H]amino-4-propyl-5-phosphono-3-pentenoic acid ([³H]CGP-39653) in rat brain synaptic membranes, with less potent displacement of binding of dl -α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-[³H]-methylisoxazole-4-propionic and [³H]kainic acids. Liquid chromatographic analysis revealed that both GSH and GSSG were contaminated with l -Glu by <1%. Both GSH and GSSG potentiated (+)-5-[³H]methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten-5,10-imine ([³H]MK-801) binding in a manner similar to that found with l -Glu. Pre-treatment with glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) induced a marked rightward shift of the concentration-response curve for l -Glu in the presence of NAD without affecting that in its absence, whereas GDH was ineffective in affecting the potentiation by both GSH and GSSG even in the presence of NAD. In the presence of GSH at a maximally effective concentration, both glycine (Gly) and spermidine potentiated [³H]MK-801 binding to a somewhat smaller extent than that found in the presence of l -Glu at a maximally effective concentration. The potentiation of [³H]MK-801 binding by GSH was invariably attenuated by addition of CGP-39653, d -2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid (d -AP5), and 5,7-dichlorokynurenic acid (DCKA), whereas GSH was effective in diminishing potencies of CGP-39653, d -AP5, DCKA, and 6,7-dichloroquinoxaline-2,3-dione to inhibit [³H]MK-801 binding when determined in the presence of both l -Glu and Gly. These results suggest that glutathione may be an endogenous agonist selective for the N-methyl-d -aspartate (NMDA) recognition domain on the NMDA receptor ionophore complex.     

Inhibition of [3H]MK-801 Binding by Ferrous (II) but Not Ferric (III) Ions in a Manner Different from That by Sodium Nitroprusside (II) in Rat Brain Synaptic Membranes

Abstract: The addition of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) significantly inhibited binding of (+)-5-[³H]methyl-10,11-dihydro-5 H -dibenzo[ a,d ]cyclohepten-5,10-imine ([³H]MK-801) to an ion channel associated with the N -methyl- d -aspartate (NMDA) receptor in a concentration-dependent manner at concentrations of >1 µ M in rat brain synaptic membranes not extensively washed. However, neither S -nitroso- N -acetylpenicillamine nor S -nitroso- l -glutathione inhibited binding even at 100 µ M . Of the two compounds structurally related to SNP (II), similarly potent inhibition was induced by potassium ferrocyanide (II) but not by potassium ferricyanide (III). In addition, ferrous chloride (II) induced much more potent inhibition of binding than ferric chloride (III), at a similar concentration range. In contrast, iron chelators prevented the inhibition by ferrous chloride (II) without markedly affecting that by SNP (II) and potassium ferrocyanide (II). Pretreatment with ferrous chloride (II) also led to potent inhibition of [³H]MK-801 binding in a manner insensitive to subsequent addition of the iron chelators. Pretreatment with Triton X-100 resulted in significant potentiation of the ability of ferrous chloride (II) to inhibit [³H]MK-801 binding irrespective of the addition of agonists, moreover, although binding of other radioligands to the non-NMDA receptors was unaltered after pretreatment first with Triton X-100 and then with ferrous chloride (II). These results suggest that ferrous ions (II) may interfere selectively with opening processes of the NMDA channel through mechanisms entirely different from those underlying the inhibition by both SNP (II) and potassium ferrocyanide (II) in rat brain.     

Coexpression of postsynaptic density-95 protein with NMDA receptors results in enhanced receptor expression together with a decreased sensitivity to L-glutamate

Coexpression in human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells of the postsynaptic density-95 protein (PSD-95) with NMDA receptor NR2A or NR2B single subunits or NR1-1a/NR2A and NR1-1a/NR2B subunit combinations induced an approximately threefold increase in NR2A and NR2B subunit expression. Deletion of the NR2 C-terminal ESDV motifs resulted in the loss of this increase following coexpression of NR1-1a/NR2A(Trunc) and NR1-1a/NR2B(Trunc) with PSD-95. Characterisation of the radioligand binding properties of [(3)H]MK-801 to NR1-1a/NR2A receptors with or without PSD-95 showed that PSD-95 induced a threefold increase in B:(max) values and an apparent approximately fivefold decrease in affinity in the presence of 10 microM: L-glutamate. In the presence of 1 mM: L-glutamate, the K:(i) for MK-801 binding to NR1-1a/NR2A with PSD-95 was not significantly different from that for NR1-1a/NR2A without PSD-95. The EC(50) value for the enhancement of [(3)H]MK-801 binding by L-glutamate to NR1-1a/NR2A was 1.8 +/- 0.4 (n = 4) and 8.9 (mean of n = 2) microM: in the absence and presence of PSD-95, respectively. Thus, coexpression of PSD-95 with NR1-1a/NR2A results in a decreased sensitivity to L-glutamate and an enhanced expression of NR2A and NR2B subunits. Deletion studies show that this effect is mediated via interaction of the C-terminal ESDV motif of the NR2 subunit with PSD-95.     

Regional Heterogeneity of Polyamine Effects on the N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor in Rat Brain

Abstract: Polyamines have pronounced effects on N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in vitro and may be important modulators of NMDA receptor activity in vivo. There is considerable regional heterogeneity in the effects of polyamines on [³H]MK-801 binding in rat brain sections. For example, spermidine enhances the binding of [³H]MK-801 to a much greater extent in the striatum than in the cortex. To further explore the basis for this regional heterogeneity, the effects of polyamines on [³H]MK-801 binding were measured in well-washed membranes prepared from frontal cortex and striatum. There was no difference in the concentration-response relationship for spermidine or the K_D for [³H]MK-801 in the presence of 75 μM spermidine, suggesting that the regional difference seen in tissue sections is due to an endogenous factor that is either removed or inactivated during the preparation of membranes. Comparison of spermidine concentration-response curves in washed and unwashed tissue sections revealed that washing selectively enhanced the E_max value in the ventromedial caudate putamen without changing the EC₅₀. This is consistent with the possibility that a noncompetitive polyamine antagonist is being removed from this region during washing. There was no regional variability in the effects of the putative inverse agonist 1, 10-diaminodecane, consistent with recent suggestions that this polyamine inhibits the NMDA receptor at a site distinct from the one at which polyamines act to enhance NMDA receptor function. Agents that modulate the redox state of the NMDA receptor did not eliminate the regional heterogeneity of polyamine effects. Furthermore, the stimulatory effect of glycine in these regions did not correlate with that of spermidine. These results suggest the existence of one or more endogenous factors that noncompetitively influence the effects of polyamines in a regionspecific manner.     

Spermine modulation of the glutamate(NMDA) receptor is differentially responsive to conantokins in normal and Alzheimer's disease human cerebral cortex

The pharmacology of the N -methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor site was examined in pathologically affected and relatively spared regions of cerebral cortex tissue obtained at autopsy from Alzheimer's disease cases and matched controls. The affinity and density of the [(3)H]MK-801 binding site were delineated along with the enhancement of [(3)H]MK-801 binding by glutamate and spermine. Maximal enhancement induced by either ligand was regionally variable; glutamate-mediated maximal enhancement was higher in controls than in Alzheimer's cases in pathologically spared regions, whereas spermine-mediated maximal enhancement was higher in controls in areas susceptible to pathological damage. These and other data suggest that the subunit composition of NMDA receptors may be locally variable. Studies with modified conantokin-G (con-G) peptides showed that Ala(7)-con-G had higher affinity than Lys(7)-con-G, and also defined two distinct binding sites in controls. Nevertheless, the affinity for Lys(7)-con-G was higher overall in Alzheimer's brain than in control brain, whereas the reverse was true for Ala(7)-con-G. Over-excitation mediated by specific NMDA receptors might contribute to localized brain damage in Alzheimer's disease. Modified conantokins are useful for identifying the NMDA receptors involved, and may have potential as protective agents.     

Modulation of the levels of NMDA receptor subunit mRNA and the bindings of [3H]MK-801 in rat brain by chronic infusion of subtoxic dose of MK-801

The effects of continuous infusion of NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 on the modulation of NMDA receptor subunits NR1, NR2A, NR2B, and NR2C were investigated by using in situ hybridization study. Differential assembly of NMDA receptor subunits determines their functional characteristics. Continuous intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) infusion with MK-801 (1 pmol/10 l/h) for 7 days resulted in significant modulations in the NR1, NR2A, and NR2B mRNA levels without producing stereotypic motor syndromes. The levels of NR1 mRNA were significantly increased (9-20%) in the cerebral cortex, striatum, septum, and CA1 of hippocampus in MK-801-infused rats. The levels of NR2A mRNA were significantly decreased (11-16%) in the CA3 and dentate gyrus of hippocampus in MK-801-infused rats. In contrast to NR2A, NR2B subunit mRNA levels were increased (10-14%) in the cerebral cortex, caudate putamen, and thalamus. However, no changes of NR2C subunits in cerebellar granule layer were observed. Using quantitative ligand autoradiography, the binding of NMDA receptor ligand [³H]MK-801 was increased (12-25%) significantly in almost all brain regions except in the thalamus and cerebellum after 7 days infusion with MK-801. These results suggest that region-specific changes of NMDA receptor subunit mRNA and [³H]MK-801 binding are involved in the MK-801-infused adult rats.     

Solubilization of the N-Methyl-d-Aspartate Receptor Channel Complex from Rat and Porcine Brain

The N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor complex as defined by the binding of [3H]MK-801 has been solubilized from membranes prepared from both rat and porcine brain using the anionic detergent deoxycholate (DOC). Of the detergents tested DOC extracted the most receptors (21% for rat, 34% for pig), and the soluble complex, stabilized by the presence of MK-801, could be stored for up to 1 week at 4 degrees C with less than 25% loss in activity. Receptor preparations from both species exhibited [3H]MK-801 binding properties in solution very similar to those observed in membranes (Bmax = 485 +/- 67 fmol/mg of protein, KD = 11.5 +/- 2.9 nM in rat; Bmax = 728 +/- 108 fmol/mg of protein, KD = 7.1 +/- 1.6 nM in pig, n = 3). The pharmacological profile of the solubilized [3H]MK-801 binding site was virtually identical to that observed in membranes. The rank order of potency of: MK-801 greater than (-)-MK-801 = thienylcyclohexylpiperidine greater than dexoxadrol greater than SKF 10,047 greater than ketamine, for inhibition of [3H]MK-801 binding, was observed in all preparations. The receptor complex in solution exhibited many of the characteristic modulations observed in membranes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Polyamines Modulate the Binding of [3H]MK-801 to the Solubilized N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor

Spermine and spermidine enhance the binding of [³H](+)-5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a, d]cyclohepten-5,10-imine ([³H]MK-801) to N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in membranes prepared from rat brain. These polyamines also enhance binding of [³H]MK-801 to NMDA receptors that have been solubilized with deoxycholate. Other polyamines selectively antagonize this effect, a finding indicating that the polyamine recognition site retains pharmacological and structural specificity after solubilization. In the presence of spermidine, an increase in the affinity of the solubilized NMDA receptor for [³H]MK-801 is observed. However, the rates of both association and dissociation of [³H]MK-801 binding to solubilized NMDA receptors are accelerated when assays are carried out in the presence of spermidine. When kinetic data are transformed, pseudo-first-order association and first-order dissociation plots are nonlinear in the presence of spermidine, an observation indicating a complex binding mechanism. Effects of spermidine on solubilized NMDA receptors are similar to effects previously described in studies of membrane-bound receptors. The data indicate that polyamines interact with a specific recognition site that remains associated with other components of the NMDA receptor complex after detergent solubilization.     

NMDA Receptors in Rat Cerebellum and Forebrain: Subtle Differences in Pharmacology and Modulation

Abstract: Binding of [³H]glutamate, [³H]glycine, and the glutamate antagonist [³H]CGS-19755 to NMDA-type glutamate receptors was examined in homogenates of rat forebrain and cerebellum. Most glutamate agonists had a higher affinity at the [³H]glutamate binding site of cerebellar NMDA receptors as compared with forebrain, whereas all the glutamate antagonists examined showed the reverse relationship. The [³H]glycine binding site of forebrain and cerebellar NMDA receptors showed a similar pharmacology in both brain regions. In the cerebellum, however, [³H]glycine bound to a second site with a 10-fold lower affinity and with a pharmacology that resembled that of the glycine/strychnine chloride channel. [³H]Glutamate binding was not affected by glycine agonists or antagonists, nor was [³H]glycine binding affected by glutamate agonists in either forebrain or cerebellum. Both CGS-19755 and 3-(2-carboxypiperazin-4-yl)propyl-1-phosphonic acid, glutamate antagonists, reduced [³H]glycine binding in cerebellum, whereas only CGS-19755 was effective in forebrain. Glycine agonists and antagonists modulated [³H]CGS-19755 binding in forebrain and cerebellum to different extents in the two brain regions. From these studies we conclude that the cerebellar NMDA receptor has a different pattern of modulation at glutamate and glycine sites and that glycine may play a more important role in the control of NMDA function in the cerebellum as compared with forebrain.     

Activation of 5-lipoxygenase after oxygen-glucose deprivation is partly mediated via NMDA receptor in rat cortical neurons

5-Lipoxygenase (5-LOX) is the enzyme metabolizing arachidonic acid to produce pro-inflammatory leukotrienes. We have reported that 5-LOX is translocated to the nuclear envelope after ischemic-like injury in PC12 cells. In the present study, we determined whether 5-LOX is activated (translocation and production of leukotrienes) after oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) in primary rat cortical neurons; if so, whether this activation is mediated by NMDA receptor. After OGD, 5-LOX was translocated to the nuclear envelope as detected by immunoblotting, immunostaining and green fluorescent protein-5-LOX transfection. 5-LOX metabolites, cysteinyl-leukotrienes (CysLTs) but not leukotriene B4, in the culture media were increased 0.5-1.5 h after recovery. Similarly, NMDA (100 microm) also induced 5-LOX translocation, and increased the production of CysLTs during 0.5-1 h NMDA exposure. Both OGD and NMDA reduced neuron viability. NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 inhibited almost all the responses to OGD and NMDA; whereas 5-LOX activating protein inhibitor MK-886 and 5-LOX inhibitor caffeic acid inhibited the reduction of neuron viability and the production of CysLTs, but did not affect 5-LOX translocation. From these results, we conclude that OGD can activate 5-LOX in primary rat cortical neurons, and that this activation may be partly mediated via activating NMDA receptor.     

NMDA receptor function is enhanced in the hippocampus of aged rats

The density and functional activity of theN-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-sensitive glutamate receptor was examined in various brain areas of 3-, 18- and 24-month-old rats. The total numbers of binding sites for the NMDA receptor antagonists [³H]CGP 39653 and [³H]MK 801 binding sites were decreased in the hippocampus, cerebral cortex and striatum of 18- and 24-month-old rats, relative to 3-month-old animals. In the hippocampus of 18-month-old rats, the reduced number of NMDA receptors was associated with an increased sensitivity of [³H]MK 801 binding to the stimulatory action of glycine and glutamate. Thus, 10 M glycine and 10 M glutamate increased [³H]MK 801 binding in the hippocampus of 18-month-old rats by 75 and 160%, respectively; in 3-month-old animals, the same concentration of these amino acids increased binding by 37 and 95%, respectively. The sensitivity of [³H]MK 801 binding to glycine and glutamate was not increased in the cerebral cortex and striatum of aged rats. Moreover, an increased efficacy of glycine and glutamate in stimulating the binding of [³H]MK 801 in the hippocampus was no longer apparent in the 24-month-old rats. The increased sensitivity of [³H]MK 801 binding to glycine and glutamate in the hippocampus of 18-month-old rats may reflect an increase in NMDA receptor activity to compensate for the decrease in receptor number.     

Density of NMDA-Coupled and Uncoupled 1-[1-(2-[3H]Thienyl)cyclohexyl]piperidine Recognition Sites in the Brain and Spinal Cord: Differential Effects of NMDA Agonists and Antagonists

Abstract: Binding of 1-[1-(2-[³H]thienyl)cyclohexyl]piperidine ([³H]TCP) to mouse brain and spinal cord membranes was studied using compounds selective for the NMDA-coupled 1-(1-phenylcyclohexyl)piperidine (PCP) and/or σ recognition sites. In both tissues, [³H]TCP labeled two populations of binding sites. Density of the low-affinity sites was approximately the same in both tissues, but the population of the high-affinity [³H]TCP sites was three times bigger in the brain than in the spinal cord. Self- and cross-displacement studies showed that the high-affinity [³H]TCP binding sites could be identical with NMDA receptor-coupled PCP sites, whereas the low-affinity [³H]TCP sites may be associated with σ binding sites in both tissues. The NMDA-coupled PCP sites labeled in the presence of 6.25 n M [³H]TCP constituted a much higher percentage of the total binding in the brain (75%) than in the spinal cord (44%). Consistent with this, reintroduction of glycine and glutamate significantly increased, but DA antagonists significantly inhibited [³H]TCP binding in the brain but not in the spinal cord. Together, these data suggest that a large component of [³H]TCP-labeled binding sites in the spinal cord may be associated with σ but not the NMDA receptor-coupled PCP sites.     

Distribution of Glutamate Receptors of the NMDA Subtype in Brains of Heterozygous and Homozygous Weaver Mutant Mice

In weaver mice, mutation of an G-protein inwardly rectifying K⁺ channel leads to a cerebellar developmental anomaly characterized by granule and Purkinje cell loss and, in addition, degeneration of dopaminergic neurons. To evaluate other deficits, glutamate receptors sensitive to N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) were examined by autoradiography with [³H]MK-801 in 36 brain regions from heterozygous (wv/+) and homozygous (wv/wv) weaver mutants, and compared to wild type (+/+) mice. In wv/+ and wv/wv mutants labelling decreased in cortical regions, septum, hippocampus, subiculum, neostriatum, nucleus accumbens, superior colliculus and in the cerebellar granular layer. The reductions in [³H]MK-801 binding were particularly specific in the cerebellar granular layer of wv/wv mutants, but an ubiquitous altered NMDA receptor topology was revealed in other brain regions. Abnormal developmental signals, or aberrant cellular responses, may underlie widespread NMDA receptor reductions, while in cerebellar cortex they could be lacking due to the massive loss of cerebellar granule cells.     

Interaction of Strychnine-Insensitive Glycine Binding with MK-801 Binding in Brain Synaptic Membranes

Strychnine-insensitive [3H]glycine binding was detected in brain synaptic membranes treated with Triton X-100 using a filtration assay method. The binding was a time-dependent, inversely temperature-dependent, and reversible process with a relatively high affinity for the neuroactive amino acid. Scatchard analysis revealed that Triton treatment doubled both the affinity and density of the binding sites, which consisted of a single component. The binding was not only displaced by structurally-related amino acid such as D-serine and D-alanine, but also inhibited by some peptides containing glycine, including glycine methylester and N-methylglycine. These ligands invariably potentiated the binding of [3H](+)-5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a,d]- cyclohepten-5,10-imine ([3H]MK-801), a noncompetitive antagonist for the N-methyl-D-aspartate-sensitive subclass of the central excitatory amino acid receptors, in a concentration-dependent manner. Among various endogenous tryptophan metabolites, kynurenic acid significantly inhibited the strychnine-insensitive [3H]glycine binding. The Triton treatment did not affect the pharmacological profile of [3H]MK-801 binding sites. These results suggest that brain synaptic membranes treated with Triton X-100 are useful in evaluating the strychnine-insensitive and kynurenate-sensitive binding sites of glycine, which are functionally linked to N-methyl-D-aspartate- sensitive receptor channels.     

NMDA receptor subunit-dependent modulation by conantokin-G and Ala7-conantokin-G

The modulation of recombinant NMDA receptors by conantokin-G (con-G) and Ala7-conantokin-G (Ala7-Con-G) was investigated in Xenopus oocytes injected with capped RNA coding for NR1 splice variants and NR2 subunits using the two-electrode voltage clamp technique. Glutamate exhibited a marginally higher apparent affinity for NR2A-containing receptors than NR2B-containing receptors, regardless of the NR1 subunit present. Conantokins were bath applied to give cumulative concentration responses in the presence of 3 and 30 mum glutamate. Both contantokins exhibited biphasic concentration-response relationships at NR2A-containing NMDA receptors, producing potentiation at low conantokin concentrations and inhibition at high concentrations. These effects were stronger with glutamate concentrations near its EC50, and less marked at saturating concentrations. In contrast, the conantokin concentration-response relation was monophasic and inhibitory at NR2B-containing receptors. We conclude that the combinations of subunits that comprise the NMDA receptor complex influence conantokin and glutamate affinities and the nature of the responses to conantokins.     

Pharmacological characterization of the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-channel in rodent and dog brain and rat spinal cord using [3H]MK-801 binding

The biochemical and pharmacological properties of [³H]MK-801 binding to the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-channel in homogenates of mouse, guinea pig and dog brain, dog cerebral cortex and rat spinal cord were determined using radioligand binding techniques. Specific [³H]MK-801 binding increased linearily with increasing tissue concentration and in general represented 80–93% of the total binding at 6–8 nM radioligand concentration. [³H]MK-801 interacted with brain and spinal homogenates with high affinity. The dissociation constants (K _d ) for all tissues studied were similar ranging between 7.9 and 11.9 nM, whereas the maximum number of binding sites (B_max) showed a wide, tissue-dependent range (0.1–6.75 pmol/mg protein). The rank order of tissue enrichment was found to be as follows: mouse brain>>dog cerebral cortex>>dog brain>> guinea pig brain>>rat spinal cord. Specific [³H]MK-801 binding in rodent and dog brain, dog cerebral cortex and rat spinal cord exhibited a similar pharmacological profile 9correlation coefficients=0.93–0.99). The rank order of potency of unlabelled compounds competing for [³H]MK-801 binding was: (+)MK-801>(–)MK-801>phencyclidine>(–)cyclazocine>>(+)cyclazocine ketamine>(+)N-allyl-N-normetazocine>(–)N-allyl-N-normetazocine>(–)pentazocine>(+)pentazocine. NMDA, Kainate, quisqualate and several other compounds failed to inhibit [³H]MK-801 binding at 100 M. In modulation studies conducted on extensively washed dog cortex membranes, Mg²⁺ ions stimulated [³H]MK-801 binding at 10 M-1 mM (EC₅₀=91.5 M) and then inhibited the binding from 1 mM to 10 mM (IC₅₀=3.1 mM). Glycine stimulated [³H]MK-801 binding at 30 nM-1 mM (EC₅₀=256 nM). In contrast, Zn²⁺ ions inhibited the binding of [³H]MK-801 binding site exhibited similar pharmacological and biochemical properties. These data appear to suggest that the pharmacological profile of the NMDA-receptor-channel is species and tissue independent.     

Activity of Ionotropic Glutamate Receptors in Retinal Cells: Effect of Ascorbate/Fe2+-Induced Oxidative Stress

Abstract: The effect of oxidative stress induced by the oxidant pair ascorbate/Fe²⁺ on the activity of ionotropic glutamate receptors was studied in cultured chick retina cells. The release of [³H]GABA and the increase of the intracellular free Na⁺ concentration ([Na⁺]_i), evoked by glutamate receptor agonists, were used as functional assays for the activity of the receptors. The results show that the maximal release of [³H]GABA evoked by kainate (KA; ～20% of the total) or AMPA (～11% of the total) was not different in control and peroxidized cells, whereas the EC₅₀ values determined for peroxidized cells (33.6 ± 1.7 and 8.0 ± 2.0 µM for KA and AMPA, respectively) were significantly lower than those determined under control conditions (54.1 ± 6.6 and 13.0 ± 2.2 µM for KA and AMPA, respectively). The maximal release of [³H]GABA evoked by NMDA under K⁺ depolarization was significantly higher in peroxidized cells (7.5 ± 0.5% of the total) as compared with control cells (4.0 ± 0.2% of the total), and the effect of oxidative stress was significantly reduced by a phospholipase A₂ inhibitor or by fatty acid-free bovine serum albumin. The change in the intracellular [Na⁺]_i evoked by saturating concentrations of NMDA under depolarizing conditions was significantly higher in peroxidized cells (8.9 ± 0.6 mM) than in control cells (5.9 ± 1.0 mM). KA, used at a subsaturating concentration (35 µM), evoked significantly greater increases of the [Na⁺]_i in peroxidized cells (11.8 ± 1.7 mM) than in control cells (7.1 ± 0.8 mM). A saturating concentration (150 µM) of this agonist triggered similar increases of the [Na⁺]_i in control and peroxidized cells. Accordingly, the maximal number of binding sites for (+)-5-[³H]methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten-5,10-imine maleate ([³H]MK-801) was increased after peroxidation, whereas the maximal number of binding sites for [³H]KA was not affected by oxidative stress. These data suggest that under oxidative stress the activity of the ionotropic glutamate receptors is increased, with the NMDA receptor being the most affected by peroxidation.