title: Functional consequences of NR2 subunit composition in single recombinant N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors.
abstract: Single-channel recordings were obtained from Chinese hamster ovary cells transfected with the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor subunit NR1 in combination with NR2A, NR2B, NR2C, or NR2A/NR2B. NMDA-activated currents were recorded under control conditions and in the presence of a thiol reductant (DTT), an oxidant (5, 5'-dithio-bis[2-nitrobenzoic acid], DTNB), or the noncompetitive antagonist CP101,606 (CP). For all subunit combinations, DTT increased the frequency of channel opening when compared with DTNB. In addition, channels obtained from NR1/NR2A-transfected cells also exhibited a pronounced difference in mean open dwell-time between redox conditions. CP dramatically reduced both the open dwell-time and frequency of channel opening of NR1/NR2B-containing receptors, but only modestly inhibited NR1/NR2A and NR1/NR2C channel activity. A small number of patches obtained from cells transfected with NR1/NR2A/NR2B had channels with properties intermediate to NR1/NR2A and NR1/NR2B receptors, including insensitivity to CP block but redox properties similar to NR1/NR2B, consistent with the coassembly of NR2A with NR2B. Hence, NMDA receptors containing multiple types of NR2 subunits can have functionally distinguishable attributes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Brimecombe
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Boeckman
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aizenman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016466:CHO Cells; D006224:Cricetinae; D004228:Dithionitrobenzoic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D004229:Dithiothreitol / Q000494:pharmacology; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D007700:Kinetics; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D010880:Piperidines / Q000494:pharmacology; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D010880:Piperidines; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004228:Dithionitrobenzoic Acid; C095106:traxoprodil mesylate; D004229:Dithiothreitol