Interaction of the NMDA receptor noncompetitive antagonist MK-801 with model and native membranes.

MK-801, a noncompetitive antagonist of the NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptor, has protective effects against excitotoxicity and ethanol withdrawal seizures. We have determined membrane/buffer partition coefficients (Kpmem]) of MK-801 and its rates of association with and dissociation from membranes. Kpmem] (+/- SD) = 1137 (+/- 320) in DOPC membranes and 485 (+/- 99) in synaptoneurosomal (SNM) lipid membranes from rat cerebral cortex (unilamellar vesicles). In multilamellar vesicles, Kpmem] was higher: 3374 (+/- 253) in DOPC and 6879 (+/- 947) in SNM. In cholesterol/DOPC membranes, Kpmem] decreased as the cholesterol content increased. MK-801 associated with and dissociated from membranes rapidly. Addition of ethanol to SNM did not affect Kpmem]. MK-801 decreased the cooperative unit size of DMPC membranes. The decrease was smaller than that caused by 1,4-dihydropyridine drugs, indicating a weaker interaction with the hydrocarbon core. Small angle x-ray diffraction, with multilayer autocorrelation difference function modeling, indicated that MK-801 in a cholesterol/DOPC membrane (mole ratio = 0.6) causes a perturbation at approximately 16.0 A from the bilayer center. In bilayers of cholesterol/DOPC = 0.15 (mole ratio) or pure DOPC, the perturbation caused by MK-801 was more complex. The physical chemical interactions of MK-801 with membranes in vitro are consistent with a fast onset and short duration of action in vivo.