title: Modulatory effects of d-serine and sarcosine on NMDA receptor-mediated neurotransmission are apparent after stress in the genetically inbred BALB/c mouse strain.
abstract: Abnormalities of NMDA receptor-mediated neurotransmission are involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, substance abuse and seizure disorders. The NMDA receptor is implicated in schizophrenia because phencyclidine (PCP), a noncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonist, binds to a hydrophobic domain within the channel, precipitating a schizophreniform psychosis in susceptible persons. Pharmacological, environmental, and genetic variables alter NMDA receptor-mediated neurotransmission. Inbred mouse strains differ in their sensitivity to some of the behavioral effects of MK-801 (dizocilpine), a PCP analogue. The NMDA receptor complex in the BALB/c strain could reflect a unique stoichiometric combination of receptor subunits resulting in a higher proportion of the channels in the open configuration, a higher affinity of MK-801 for its hydrophobic channel domain, and/or a combination of the above. The BALB/c mouse strain, "stressed" mice, and behavioral consequences of MK-801 administration represent models of altered glutamatergic neural transmission. We were interested in examining the effect of stress on the modulatory properties of d-serine and sarcosine. d-Serine is a naturally occurring glycine agonist that modulates the ability of l-glutamate to influence the opening of the NMDA receptor-associated ionophore, and sarcosine is a naturally occurring glycine reuptake inhibitor. The data suggest that 24h after stress, d-serine and sarcosine interact synergistically to reduce MK-801's ability to antagonize electrically precipitated tonic hindlimb extension. Under conditions of stress, modulatory effects of d-serine and sarcosine on the antiseizure effect of MK-801 are observed that are not apparent in the nonstress condition. The results could be relevant to the development of glycinergic interventions for the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders.
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Service Line, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 50 Irving Street NW, Washington, DC 20422, USA.
authors.forename: Katrice D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Long
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mastropaolo
authors.forename: Richard B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Rosse
authors.forename: Kebreten F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Manaye
authors.forename: Stephen I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Deutsch
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004597:Electroshock / Q000009:adverse effects; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000502:physiology*; D012521:Sarcosine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012640:Seizures / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012694:Serine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D012694:Serine; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate; D012521:Sarcosine