The neurotrophin BDNF regulates the activity-dependent modifications of synaptic strength in the CNS. Physiological and biochemical evidences implicate the NMDA glutamate receptor as one of the targets for BDNF modulation. In the present study, we investigated the effect of BDNF on the expression and plasma membrane abundance of NMDA receptor subunits in cultured hippocampal neurons. Acute stim...

Neuronal plasticity associated with learning, memory and development is controlled, in part, by NMDA receptors, which are complexes consisting of the subunit NMDAR1 (NR1) and one or more NMDAR2 subunits (NR2A-NR2D). We made a polyclonal antibody to a C-terminus peptide of NR2A. In analysis of transfected cell membranes, this antibody recognizes NR2A and NR2B, and to a slight extent, NR2C and NR...

Voltage-dependent channel block by external Mg2+ (Mg2+(o)) of NMDA receptors is an essential determinant of synaptic function. The resulting Mg2+(o) inhibition of NMDA responses depends strongly on receptor subunit composition: NR1/2A and NR1/2B receptors are more strongly inhibited by Mg2+(o) than are NR1/2C or NR1/2D receptors. Previous work showed that permeant ions have profound effects on ...

The incidence of hypertension increases after menopause. Similar to humans, “slow-pressor” doses of angiotensin II (AngII) increase blood pressure in young males, but not in young female mice. However, AngII increases blood pressure in aged female mice, paralleling reproductive hormonal changes. These changes could influence receptor trafficking in central cardiovascular circuits and contribute...

BACKGROUND Spinal N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors have been demonstrated to play an important role in the facilitation and maintenance of nociception. To avoid adverse effects of blocking N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors in the central nervous system, blocking N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor in peripheral nervous system is an ideal alternative. Transfection of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) into ce...

We have used a heterologous system of expression of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors based on the use of vaccinia virus to analyse the maturation, transport, assembly and differential expression of the NR1 and NR2A subunits of the receptors. We have demonstrated that the NR1 subunit is efficiently transported to the plasma membrane in cells expressing NR1 alone, similarly to cells producin...

The NMDA type of ligand-gated glutamate receptor requires the presence of both glutamate and glycine for gating. These receptors are hetero-oligomers of NR1 and NR2 subunits. Previously it was thought that the binding sites for glycine and glutamate were formed by residues on the NR1 subunit. Indeed, it has been shown that the effects of glycine are controlled by residues on the NR1 subunit, an...

We have investigated the mechanism by which activation of dopamine (DA) receptors regulates the glutamate sensitivity of medium spiny neurons of the nucleus accumbens. Our results demonstrate that DA regulates the phosphorylation state of the NR1 subunit of NMDA-type glutamate receptors. The effect of DA was mimicked by SKF82526, a D1-type DA receptor agonist, and by forskolin, an activator of ...

BACKGROUND Learning and memory are the most intensively studied subjects in neuroscience. Two sites of mammalian brain which are important in learning and memory are CA1 region of hippocampus and Purkinje cell layer of cerebellum. So, the aim of present investigation was to study of the effect of ovariectomy and passive avoidance learning on NR1 subunit of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor d...

In oocytes, glycine activates receptors formed by diheteromeric combinations of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) NR1 and NR3 subunits. In contrast, functional receptors in mammalian cells require the simultaneous expression of NR1 and both NR3A and NR3B subunits. In vivo, NR3A and NR3B subunits show differential expression patterns and thus may not naturally form triheteromeric receptors. In this st...