title: NR2A contributes to genesis and propagation of cortical spreading depression in rats.
abstract: Cortical spreading depression (CSD) is a transient propagating excitation of synaptic activity followed by depression, which is implicated in migraine. Increasing evidence points to an essential role of NR2A-containing NMDA receptors in CSD propagation in vitro; however, whether these receptors mediate CSD genesis in vivo requires clarification and the role of NR2A on CSD propagation is still under debate. Using in vivo CSD in rats with electrophysiology and in vitro CSD in chick retina with intrinsic optical imaging, we addressed the role of NR2A in CSD. We demonstrated that NVP-AAM077, a potent antagonist for NR2A-containing receptors, perfused through microdialysis probes, markedly reduced cortex susceptibility to CSD, but also reduced magnitude of CSD genesis in rats. Additionally, NVP-AAM077 at 0.3 nmol perfused into the contralateral ventricle, considerably suppressed the magnitude of CSD propagation wave and propagation rate in rats. This reduction in CSD propagation was also observed with TCN-201, a negative allosteric modulator selective for NR2A, at 3 μM, in the chick retina. Our data provides strong evidence that NR2A subunit contributes to CSD genesis and propagation, suggesting drugs selectively antagonizing NR2A-containing receptors might constitute a highly specific strategy treating CSD associated migraine with a likely better safety profile.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, 215123, China.|Centre for Neuroscience, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, 215123, China.
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bu
authors.affiliation: Centre for Neuroscience, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, 215123, China.
authors.forename: Ruoxing
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Du
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Chemistry, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, 215123, China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZB, UK.
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Quinn
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, 215123, China.|Centre for Neuroscience, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, 215123, China.
authors.forename: Minyan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002642:Chick Embryo; D013181:Cortical Spreading Depression; D007530:Isoflurane / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017551:Microdialysis; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D007530:Isoflurane