Polyamines Potentiate Responses of N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptors Expressed in Xenopus Oocytes

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...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS 1990-12, Vol.87 (24), p.9971-9974
Main Authors: McGurk, James F., Michael V. L. Bennett, Zukin, R. Suzanne
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Brain
Brain - metabolism
Central nervous system
Female
Glutamate receptors
Glycine - pharmacology
Kinetics
Male
Membrane Potentials - drug effects
N methyl D aspartate receptors
N-Methylaspartate - pharmacology
Neurons
Neuroscience
Oocytes
Oocytes - drug effects
Oocytes - physiology
Poly A - genetics
Poly A - isolation & purification
Polyamines
Quisqualic acid
Rats
Rats, Inbred Strains
Receptors
Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate - drug effects
Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate - genetics
Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate - physiology
RNA - genetics
RNA - isolation & purification
RNA, Messenger
Spermine - pharmacology
Xenopus laevis
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Summary: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.
ISSN:0027-8424
1091-6490
DOI:10.1073/pnas.87.24.9971