title: Functional roles of endogenous D-serine in the chronic pain-induced plasticity of NMDAR-mediated synaptic transmission in the central amygdala of mice.
abstract: The amygdala is implicated in chronic pain-induced emotional changes. Chronic pain induces plastic changes of the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) functions in the brain including the amygdala. d-Serine is synthesized endogenously by serine racemase and modulates NMDAR-mediated synaptic transmission as a coagonist of glycine binding site. To clarify the functional roles of endogenous d-serine in chronic pain-induced plasticity of NMDAR mediated synaptic transmission, we investigated the NMDAR-mediated excitatory synaptic current (EPSC) of neurons in the latero-capsular division of the central amygdala (CeLC) using brain slices from serine racemase knockout (SR-KO) mice with chronic pain induced by monoarthritis. The decay time of NMDAR-mediated EPSC was significantly elongated by monoarthritis in wild type (WT) mice, but not in SR-KO mice. The d-serine application-induced increase of NMDAR-mediated EPSC was significantly facilitated by monoarthritis in WT mice, but not in SR-KO mice. These results suggest that endogenous d-serine facilitates chronic pain-induced plastic changes of NMDAR mediated synaptic transmission in CeLC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biological Information, Dokkyo Medical University School of Medicine, Mibu, Tochigi 321-0293, Japan. maekawa@dokkyomed.ac.jp
authors.forename: Masao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maekawa
authors.forename: Shou
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wakamatsu
authors.forename: Nozomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Huse
authors.forename: Ryuichi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Konno
authors.forename: Yuuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hori
mesh_terms: D000679:Amygdala / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D019998:Racemases and Epimerases / Q000235:genetics; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000502:physiology*; D012694:Serine / Q000378:metabolism*; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D009435:Synaptic Transmission; D000099300:Serine Racemase
chemical_list: D019998:Racemases and Epimerases; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D012694:Serine; D000099300:Serine Racemase