TY - JOUR
T1 - Polyamines potentiate responses of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors expressed in Xenopus oocytes
AU - McGurk, James F.
AU - Bennett, Michael V.L.
AU - Zukin, R. Suzanne
PY - 1990
Y1 - 1990
N2 - Glutamate, the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, activates at least three types of channel-forming receptors defined by the selective agonists N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), kainate, and quisqualate [or more selectively by α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA)]. Activation of the NMDA receptor requires glycine as well as NMDA or glutamate. Recent studies have provided evidence that certain polyamines potentiate the binding by NMDA receptors of glycine and the open channel blocker MK-801. To determine whether polyamines alter channel opening, we examined their effects on rat brain glutamate receptors expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Our results demonstrate that spermine potentiates the response of the NMDA receptor but has no effect on responses to kainate and quisqualate. Furthermore, spermine increases the maximum response to NMDA and glycine and acts, at least in part, by increasing the apparent affinity of the NMDA receptor/channel complex for glycine. The present findings and the fact that polyamines are a natural constituent of brain suggest that polyamines may play a role in the regulation of glutamatergic transmission.
AB - Glutamate, the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, activates at least three types of channel-forming receptors defined by the selective agonists N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), kainate, and quisqualate [or more selectively by α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA)]. Activation of the NMDA receptor requires glycine as well as NMDA or glutamate. Recent studies have provided evidence that certain polyamines potentiate the binding by NMDA receptors of glycine and the open channel blocker MK-801. To determine whether polyamines alter channel opening, we examined their effects on rat brain glutamate receptors expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Our results demonstrate that spermine potentiates the response of the NMDA receptor but has no effect on responses to kainate and quisqualate. Furthermore, spermine increases the maximum response to NMDA and glycine and acts, at least in part, by increasing the apparent affinity of the NMDA receptor/channel complex for glycine. The present findings and the fact that polyamines are a natural constituent of brain suggest that polyamines may play a role in the regulation of glutamatergic transmission.
KW - Excitatory neurotransmitter
KW - Glutamate
KW - Spermine
KW - Synaptic transmission
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U2 - 10.1073/pnas.87.24.9971
DO - 10.1073/pnas.87.24.9971
M3 - Article
C2 - 1702227
AN - SCOPUS:0025694769
SN - 0027-8424
VL - 87
SP - 9971
EP - 9974
JO - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
JF - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
IS - 24
ER -