title: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: quantitative autoradiography of [3H]MK-801/NMDA binding sites in spinal cord.
abstract: We have characterized a high-affinity binding site for [3H]MK-801, an NMDA receptor ion channel antagonist, in cervical spinal cords from patients who have died with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and from control subjects. In cervical spinal cord [3H]MK-801 labelled at least two binding sites, the highest affinity site having a Kd of between 9-16 nM. No significant differences in affinity were observed between spinal cords from ALS patients or controls. In spinal cords from ALS patients, large reductions in [3H]MK-801 receptor binding (between 30-40% reductions) were detected in both the dorsal and ventral horns. These data may reflect the death of receptor-bearing cells, or a form of receptor regulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Krieger
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wagey
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shaw
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D001345:Autoradiography; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate / Q000378:metabolism*; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate