title: Src potentiation of NMDA receptors in hippocampal and spinal neurons is not mediated by reducing zinc inhibition.
abstract: The protein-tyrosine kinase Src is known to potentiate the function of NMDA receptors, which is necessary for the induction of long-term potentiation in the hippocampus. With recombinant receptors composed of NR1-1a/NR2A or NR1-1a/2B subunits, Src reduces voltage-independent inhibition by the divalent cation Zn2+. Thereby the function of recombinant NMDA receptors is potentiated by Src only when the Zn2+ level is sufficient to cause tonic inhibition. Here we investigated whether the Src-induced potentiation of NMDA receptor function in neurons is caused by reducing voltage-independent Zn2+ inhibition. Whereas chelating extracellular Zn2+ blocked the Src-induced potentiation of NR1-1a/2A receptors, we found that Zn2+ chelation did not affect the potentiation of NMDA receptor (NMDAR) currents by Src applied into hippocampal CA1 or CA3 neurons. Moreover, Src did not alter the Zn2+ concentration-inhibition relationship for NMDAR currents in CA1 or CA3 neurons. Also, chelating extracellular Zn2+ did not prevent the upregulation of NMDA single-channel activity by endogenous Src in membrane patches from spinal dorsal horn neurons. Taking these results together we conclude that Src-induced potentiation of NMDAR currents is not mediated by reducing Zn2+ inhibition in hippocampal and dorsal horn neurons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Programme in Brain and Behavior, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X8.
authors.forename: Z G
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Pelkey
authors.forename: W Y
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Roder
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: MacDonald
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Salter
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004594:Electrophysiology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000502:physiology*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D015032:Zinc / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019061:src-Family Kinases / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D019061:src-Family Kinases; D015032:Zinc