title: Ligands for ionotropic glutamate receptors.
abstract: Marine-derived small molecules and peptides have played a central role in elaborating pharmacological specificities and neuronal functions of mammalian ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs), the primary mediators of excitatory synaptic transmission in the central nervous system (CNS). As well, the pathological sequelae elicited by one class of compounds (the kainoids) constitute a widely-used animal model for human mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE). New and existing molecules could prove useful as lead compounds for the development of therapeutics for neuropathologies that have aberrant glutamatergic signaling as a central component. In this chapter we discuss natural source origins and pharmacological activities of those marine compounds that target ionotropic glutamate receptors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Biological Chemistry, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, 303 E. Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL 60611, USA. gtswanson@northwestern.edu
authors.forename: Geoffrey T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Swanson
authors.forename: Ryuichi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sakai
mesh_terms: D000409:Alanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic / Q000494:pharmacology; D007608:Kainic Acid / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D008024:Ligands; D008322:Mammals; D008978:Mollusk Venoms / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D018091:Receptors, AMPA / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D018092:Kainic Acid Receptors / Q000819:agonists / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D017465:Receptors, Opioid, delta / Q000502:physiology*; D000097806:GluK2 Kainate Receptor
chemical_list: D000409:Alanine; D000596:Amino Acids; D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic; D007608:Kainic Acid; D008024:Ligands; D008978:Mollusk Venoms; D018091:Receptors, AMPA; D018092:Kainic Acid Receptors; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D017465:Receptors, Opioid, delta; D000097806:GluK2 Kainate Receptor; C121741:dysiherbaine