title: N-acetyl-aspartylglutamate: binding sites and excitatory action in the dorsolateral septum of rats.
abstract: In this study we examined the distribution of binding sites for [3H]N-acetyl-aspartylglutamate (NAAG) in the rat lateral septal nucleus (LSN) and the effect of iontophoretically applied NAAG on neuronal firing in this area. A high density of [3H]NAAG binding sites was found in the dorsolateral part of the LSN. Binding in the intermediate/ventral part of the LSN and medial septum was less dense. NAAG excited 75% of the dorsal neurons in the LSN, but only 36% of the cells in the intermediate/ventral part. Glutamic diethylester, an amino acid antagonist, depressed responses to NAAG to a similar extent as responses to quisqualate. The antagonist amino phosphonovaleric acid, which suppressed responses to N-methyl-D-aspartate almost completely, reduced NAAG-evoked responses only by 40%. A possible role of NAAG as excitatory transmitter in the LSN is discussed.
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D001345:Autoradiography; D001665:Binding Sites; D004151:Dipeptides / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D010069:Oxadiazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D016318:Quisqualic Acid; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012686:Septal Nuclei / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D004151:Dipeptides; D010069:Oxadiazoles; C027172:isospaglumic acid; D001224:Aspartic Acid; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D016318:Quisqualic Acid