title: D-aspartate activates mGlu receptors coupled to polyphosphoinositide hydrolysis in neonate rat brain slices.
abstract: The D-amino acid, D-aspartate, is abundant in the developing brain, yet its function is unknown. Addition of d-aspartate to hippocampal or cortical slices prepared from 8- to 9-day-old rats stimulated polyphosphoinositide (PI) hydrolysis to a slightly greater extent than L-glutamate. The action of D-aspartate was concentration-dependent with an apparent EC(50) value of 1 mM and a maximal stimulation of 6- and 20-fold in cortical and hippocampal slices, respectively. Stimulation of PI hydrolysis by D-aspartate was largely reduced by pharmacological blockade of mGlu5 metabotropic glutamate receptors with 2-methyl-6-(phenylethynyl)pyridine. These findings suggest that D-aspartate behaves as an endogenous agonist of mGlu5 receptors during early postnatal life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Istituto Neurologico Mediterraneo Neuromed, Pozzilli, Italy.
authors.forename: Gemma
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Molinaro
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pietracupa
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Di Menna
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pescatori
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Usiello
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Battaglia
authors.forename: Ferdinando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nicoletti
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bruno
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D026603:D-Aspartic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D006868:Hydrolysis; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D018129:Phosphatidylinositol Phosphates / Q000378:metabolism*; D011725:Pyridines / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D064529:Receptor, Metabotropic Glutamate 5; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D018129:Phosphatidylinositol Phosphates; D011725:Pyridines; D064529:Receptor, Metabotropic Glutamate 5; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D026603:D-Aspartic Acid; C121465:6-methyl-2-(phenylethynyl)pyridine