title: Differential expression of mGluR5 in human lumbosacral motoneurons.
abstract: Glutamatergic excitotoxicity is one of the main hypotheses to explain motoneuronal degeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Interestingly, autonomic motoneurons remain almost unaffected, even in late stages of the disease. Since glutamate receptors may mediate neurotoxic as well as neuroprotective effects, different expression patterns may contribute to neuronal vulnerability. We and others have previously described a significantly higher expression of group I metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) in rat autonomic motoneurons compared to somatic motoneurons. Here we show a selective expression of the group I receptor mGluR5 in human parasympathetic Onuf's nucleus. These results are in accordance with previous findings in rat and strengthen the hypothesis that mGluR expression may provide a possible clue to the selective vulnerability in ALS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Klinikum Grosshadern, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377 Munich, Germany. janneser@brain.nefo.med.uni-muenche.de
authors.forename: Johanna M H
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Anneser
authors.forename: Paul G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Ince
authors.forename: Pamela J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.forename: Gian Domenico
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Borasio
mesh_terms: D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000378:metabolism; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008161:Lumbosacral Region; D008297:Male; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000378:metabolism; D010275:Parasympathetic Nervous System / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D017773:Pelvic Floor / Q000294:innervation; D064529:Receptor, Metabotropic Glutamate 5; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate / Q000378:metabolism*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: C578935:GRM5 protein, human; C578937:Grm5 protein, rat; D009498:Neurotoxins; D064529:Receptor, Metabotropic Glutamate 5; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate; C104077:metabotropic glutamate receptor type 1; D018698:Glutamic Acid