title: N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunit expression and phosphorylation following excitotoxic spinal cord injury in rats.
abstract: The role of NMDA receptor expression and post-translational modification in the pathological and behavioral consequences of injury were examined in rats receiving spinal injections of quisqualate. Spinal cords were removed 3 days following the development of excessive grooming behavior or, if the spontaneous pain-like behavior was not observed, 13 days following injections. Western blots from the spinal tissue demonstrated that non-grooming animals had elevated protein levels of the NR1 subunit of the NMDA receptor. These subunits did not demonstrate an enhanced level of phosphorylation. NR1 protein in grooming rats was not elevated, but there was a significant increase in NR1 serine phosphorylation. These findings suggest that excitotoxic lesions of the spinal cord induce both NR1 expression and NR1 serine phosphorylation. However, the injury-induced excessive grooming behavior is only associated with phosphorylation of the NR1 subunit.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Florida College of Dentistry, The McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA. rcaudle@dental.ufl.edu
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Caudle
authors.forename: Federico M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Perez
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: Chen-Guang
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Robert P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Yezierski
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004705:Endocytosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006120:Grooming / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D021381:Protein Transport / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D016318:Quisqualic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D012694:Serine / Q000378:metabolism; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013570:Synaptic Membranes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: C409466:NR1 NMDA receptor; D009498:Neurotoxins; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D012694:Serine; D016318:Quisqualic Acid