title: Lower sensitivity to stress and altered monoaminergic neuronal function in mice lacking the NMDA receptor epsilon 4 subunit.
abstract: NMDA receptors, an ionotropic subtype of glutamate receptors (GluRs), play an important role in excitatory neurotransmission, synaptic plasticity, and brain development. They are composed of the GluRzeta subunit (NR1) combined with any one of four GluRepsilon subunits (GluRepsilon1-GluRepsilon4; NR2A-NR2D). Although the GluRzeta subunit exists in the majority of the CNS throughout all stages of development, the GluRepsilon subunits are expressed in distinct temporal and spatial patterns. In the present study, we investigated neuronal functions in mice lacking the embryonic GluRepsilon4 subunit. GluRepsilon4 mutant mice exhibited reductions of [(3)H]MK-801 [(+)-5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo [a,d] cyclohepten-5,10-imine maleate] binding and (45)Ca(2+) uptake through the NMDA receptors. The expression of GluRzeta subunit protein, but not GluRepsilon1 and GluRepsilon2 subunit proteins, was reduced in the frontal cortex and striatum of the mutant mice. A postmortem examination in GluRepsilon4 mutant mice revealed that tissue contents of norepinephrine, dopamine, serotonin, and their metabolites were reduced in the hippocampus and that dopamine, as well as serotonin, metabolism was upregulated in the frontal cortex, striatum, hippocampus, and thalamus. To clarify the phenotypical influences of the alteration in neuronal functions, performances in various behavioral tests were examined. GluRepsilon4 mutant mice showed reduced spontaneous locomotor activity in a novel environment and less sensitivity to stress induced by the elevated plus-maze, light-dark box, and forced swimming tests. These findings suggest that GluRepsilon4 mutant mice have dysfunctional NMDA receptors and altered emotional behavior probably caused by changes in monoaminergic neuronal activities in adulthood.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychopharmacology and Hospital Pharmacy, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8560, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Miyamoto
authors.forename: Kiyofumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Yukihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Noda
authors.forename: Hisashi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Masayoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mishina
authors.forename: Toshitaka
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nabeshima
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D015306:Biogenic Monoamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D002132:Calcium Radioisotopes / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000378:metabolism; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000378:metabolism; D005998:Glycine / Q000494:pharmacology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D016202:N-Methylaspartate / Q000494:pharmacology; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D016548:Prosencephalon / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D021122:Protein Subunits; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013037:Spatial Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013574:Synaptosomes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D013788:Thalamus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015306:Biogenic Monoamines; D002132:Calcium Radioisotopes; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; C409466:NR1 NMDA receptor; C120997:NR2A NMDA receptor; C121001:NR2B NMDA receptor; D021122:Protein Subunits; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate; D005998:Glycine