Electrophysiological and pharmacological characteristics of ionotropic glutamate receptors in medial vestibular nucleus neurons: a whole cell patch clamp study in acutely dissociated neurons.
A patch clamp study was performed to determine which subtype of ionotropic glutamate receptors is involved in the glutamate-induced excitation of the medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) neurons. Whole cell recording was performed on MVN neurons that were acutely dissociated by enzymatic and mechanical treatments. Application of glutamate at a concentration of 100 microM produced a current with a reversal potential of approximately 0 mV. The glutamate-induced current was completely blocked by 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX, 10 microM), a non-N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-receptor antagonist. Application of alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-isoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA) and kainic acid (KA), non-NMDA-receptor agonists, at concentrations of 30 and 100 microM produced a concentration-dependent depolarization concomitantly with an increase in firing rates during current clamp recording. During voltage clamp recording, glutamate, AMPA and KA elicited a concentration-dependent current with an equilibrium potential of approximately 0 mV. To clarify whether NMDA receptors are present in MVN neurons, the effects of glycine on the glutamate- and NMDA-induced current were examined. Two types of NMDA receptor-mediated current (types 1 and 2) were obtained in terms of the difference in sensitivity to both magnesium ion and MK-801, which act on the NMDA-receptor channel. In the type 1 neurons, the NMDA-induced current was not apparently blocked by magnesium ion or MK-801, although a larger current was obtained in the absence of magnesium ion. In the type 2 neurons, marked blockade of the NMDA-induced current was seen in the presence of magnesium ion and MK-801, as previously reported in other neurons of the central nervous system. These findings indicate the presence of both non-NMDA and NMDA receptors, which are involved in primary afferent transmission, in the MVN neuron, and two distinct types of NMDA receptors.
Sakai
N
N
Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Kobe University, Japan.
Ujihara
H
H
Ishihara
K
K
Sasa
M
M
Tanaka
C
C
D018750:6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate / Q000494:pharmacology; D004594:Electrophysiology; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D008859:Microscopy, Polarization; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D014726:Vestibular Nuclei / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D018350:alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology
D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate; D018750:6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione; D018350:alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid