Blockade of N-methyl-D-aspartate induced convulsions by 1-aminocyclopropanecarboxylates |
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Authors: | P Skolnick J C Marvizón B W Jackson J A Monn K C Rice A H Lewin |
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Affiliation: | Laboratory of Neuroscience, NIDDK, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892. |
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Abstract: | 1-Aminocyclopropanecarboxylic acid is a potent and selective ligand for the glycine modulatory site on the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor complex. This compound blocks (ED50 234 mg/kg) the convulsions and deaths produced by N-methyl-D-aspartate (125 mg/kg) in a dose dependent fashion. In contrast, 1-aminocyclopropanecarboxylic acid does not protect mice against convulsions induced by pentylenetetrazole (80 mg/kg), strychnine (2 mg/kg), bicuculline (6 mg/kg), or maximal electroshock (50 mA, 0.2 s), and does not impair motor performance on either a rotarod or horizontal wire at doses of up to 2 g/kg. The methyl- and ethyl- esters of 1-aminocyclopropanecarboxylic acid are 5- and 2.3-fold more potent, respectively, than the parent compound in blocking the convulsant and lethal effects of N-methyl-D-aspartate. However, these esters are several orders of magnitude less potent (IC50 greater than 40 microM) than 1-aminocyclopropanecarboxylic acid as inhibitors of strychnine-insensitive [3H] glycine binding, indicating that conversion to the parent compound may be required to elicit an anticonvulsant action. These findings suggest that 1-aminocyclopropanecarboxylates may be useful in the treatment of neuropathologies associated with excessive activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor coupled cation channels. |
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