Age-related changes in excitatory amino acid receptors in two mouse strains.
The present study examined the binding of [3H]-L-glutamate to NMDA receptors, [3H]-kainate to kainate receptors, and [3H]-AMPA to AMPA/quisqualate receptors in the brains of C57Bl and BALB/c mice as a function of increasing age. Significant decreases in binding to NMDA receptors occurred with increasing age (3 to 30 months) in a majority of cortical and hippocampal brain regions from the C57Bl and BALB/c strains of mice. Significant decreases in binding to kainate and AMPA receptors were found in the inner frontal and parietal cortices and stratum lacunosum/moleculare of CA1 in both strains. These regions also exhibited the greatest percent decline in NMDA binding sites with aging. The loss of NMDA receptors in the stratum lacunosum/moleculare of CA1 was greater in the BALB/c mice than the C57Bl strain. These results demonstrate that a few brain regions have age-associated reductions in all three ionotropic EAA receptors; however, the NMDA receptor appears to be selectively vulnerable to the aging process throughout much of the cerebral cortex and hippocampus.
Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins 80523.
K R
KR
Magnusson
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CW
Cotman
D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001345:Autoradiography; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D018091:Receptors, AMPA; D017459:Receptors, Amino Acid / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D018092:Kainic Acid Receptors; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D013045:Species Specificity
D000596:Amino Acids; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D018091:Receptors, AMPA; D017459:Receptors, Amino Acid; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate; D018092:Kainic Acid Receptors; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate