title: AMPA receptor subunit GluR2 gates injurious signals in ischemic stroke.
abstract: Ischemic stroke, or a brain attack, is the third leading cause of death in developed countries. A critical feature of the disease is a highly selective pattern of neuronal loss; certain identifiable subsets of neurons--particularly CA1 pyramidal neurons in the hippocampus are severely damaged, whereas others remain intact. A key step in this selective neuronal injury is Ca2+/Zn2+ entry into vulnerable neurons through alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) receptor channels, a principle subtype of glutamate receptors. AMPA receptor channels are assembled from glutamate receptor (GluR)1, -2, -3, and -4 subunits. Circumstance data have indicated that the GluR2 subunits dictate Ca2+/Zn2+ permeability of AMPA receptor channels and gate injurious Ca2+/Zn2+ signals in vulnerable neurons. Therefore, targeting to the AMPA receptor subunit GluR2 can be considered a practical strategy for stroke therapy.
authors.affiliation: Biomolecular Science Center, Burnett College of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Mangala M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Soundarapandian
authors.forename: Wei Hong
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.forename: Peter L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Antonis S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Zervos
authors.forename: YouMing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D005971:Glutamates / Q000633:toxicity; D006801:Humans; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D017966:Pyramidal Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D018091:Receptors, AMPA / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005971:Glutamates; D018091:Receptors, AMPA; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; C104722:glutamate receptor ionotropic, AMPA 2