title: Reduced Mg2+ blockade of synaptically activated N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-channels in CA1 pyramidal neurons in kainic acid-lesioned rat hippocampus.
abstract: Unilateral kainic acid lesion in the hippocampus caused a long-term change in the balance between excitatory and inhibitory drive onto CA1 pyramidal cells, making these cells hyperexcitable several weeks post-lesion. In this study, we have shown an enhanced N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-mediated component in the excitatory synaptic transmission together with a reduced GABA(A) receptor-mediated inhibition in CA1 pyramidal cells one-week post kainic acid lesion. In these cells, pharmacologically isolated N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-mediated whole-cell excitatory postsynaptic currents were significantly larger at negative holding potentials, and the voltage-dependence of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor channels was shifted in the hyperpolarizing direction. The plot of relative conductance (g/gMax) shifted significantly (P<0.01) to more negative holding potentials by 19 mV (-28+/-4 mV in control slices and -47+/-4 mV in kainic acid slices) at the half maximal conductance point (g/gMax =0.5). This shift gives a larger N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-mediated component in the excitatory synaptic transmission at resting membrane potentials (around -60 mV). The shifted voltage dependence is highly sensitive to extracellular Mg2+ ions. Moderate increases in [Mg2+]o from 1 mM to 2.6 mM more than compensated for the negative shift and effectively suppressed the population epileptiform bursting activity. Fitting the voltage dependence to an ionic block model revealed a higher dissociation constant of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor channels for Mg2+ in kainic acid-lesioned slices (52 mM at 0 mV; 330 microM at -60 mV) than in control slices (7.7 mM at 0 mV; 93 microM at -60 mV). While a simple single site model adequately fitted the control data for [Mg2+]o at 1 mM and 2.6 mM, no consistent model of this form was found for the kainic acid-lesioned slices. These results revealed changed properties of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor channels in the kainic acid-lesioned model of epilepsy. The reduced Mg2+ blockade of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor channels contributed significantly to the epileptiform bursting activity.
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Research Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, UK.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Chad
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Cannon
authors.forename: H V
authors.initials: HV
authors.lastname: Wheal
mesh_terms: D015763:2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007608:Kainic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D008274:Magnesium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008959:Models, Neurological; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D017966:Pyramidal Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D018350:alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; C012647:QX-314; D015763:2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate; D018350:alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid; D008012:Lidocaine; D008274:Magnesium; D007608:Kainic Acid