title: Pharmacological properties of recombinant N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors containing the epsilon 4 (NR2D) subunit.
abstract: The modulatory effects of spermine, histamine, and ifenprodil on recombinant N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors expressed from the NR1A and epsilon 4 (NR2D) subunits were studied by voltage-clamp recording in Xenopus oocytes. Spermine had no effect on responses to glutamate and glycine at NR1A/epsilon 4 receptors. None of the four previously described effects of spermine, all of which are seen at NR1A receptors and at NR1A/NR2B receptors, was seen at NR1A/epsilon 4 receptors. Similarly, NR1A/epsilon 4 receptors were insensitive to potentiation by histamine and to blockade by ifenprodil. The properties of NR1A/epsilon 4 receptors thus resemble those of NR1A/NR2C receptors and are markedly different from those of homomeric NR1A receptors. In heteromeric NR1A/epsilon 4 receptors the epsilon 4 subunit may alter properties associated with the NR1A subunit, as has been previously suggested for NR2A, NR2B, and NR2C subunits in NR1A/NR2 receptors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia 19104-6084, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D005998:Glycine / Q000494:pharmacology; D006632:Histamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009865:Oocytes; D010880:Piperidines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013096:Spermine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014982:Xenopus laevis
chemical_list: D010880:Piperidines; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013096:Spermine; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D006632:Histamine; C010739:ifenprodil; D005998:Glycine