title: AMPA, NMDA and kainate glutamate receptor subunits are expressed in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) where the expression of GluK4 is altered by pregnancy and GluN2D by depression in pregnant women.
abstract: The amino acid glutamate opens cation permeable ion channels, the iGlu receptors. These ion channels are abundantly expressed in the mammalian brain where glutamate is the main excitatory neurotransmitter. The neurotransmitters and their receptors are being increasingly detected in the cells of immune system. Here we examined the expression of the 18 known subunits of the iGlu receptors families; α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA), kainate, N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) and delta in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). We compared the expression of the subunits between four groups: men, non-pregnant women, healthy pregnant women and depressed pregnant women. Out of 18 subunits of the iGlu receptors, mRNAs for 11 subunits were detected in PBMCs from men and non-pregnant women; AMPA: GluA3, GluA4, kainate: GluK2, GluK4, GluK5, NMDA: GluN1, GluN2C, GluN2D, GluN3A, GluN3B, and delta: GluD1. In the healthy and the depressed pregnant women, in addition, the delta GluD2 subunit was identified. The mRNAs for GluK4, GluK5, GluN2C and GluN2D were expressed at a higher level than other subunits. Gender, pregnancy or depression during pregnancy altered the expression of GluA3, GluK4, GluN2D, GluN3B and GluD1 iGlu subunit mRNAs. The greatest changes recorded were the lower GluA3 and GluK4 mRNA levels in pregnant women and the higher GluN2D mRNA level in healthy but not in depressed pregnant women as compared to non-pregnant individuals. Using subunit specific antibodies, the GluK4, GluK5, GluN1, GluN2C and GluN2D subunit proteins were identified in the PBMCs. The results show expression of specific iGlu receptor subunit in the PBMCs and support the idea of physiology-driven changes of iGlu receptors subtypes in the immune cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Amol K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Bhandage
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Zhe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hellgren
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Sergiy V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Korol
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nowak
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Williamsson
authors.affiliation: Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Inger
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sundström-Poromaa
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. Electronic address: bryndis.birnir@neuro.uu.se.
authors.forename: Bryndis
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Birnir
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003863:Depression / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D021122:Protein Subunits / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D018091:Receptors, AMPA; D058468:Receptors, Ionotropic Glutamate / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018092:Kainic Acid Receptors; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D012737:Sex Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D021122:Protein Subunits; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018091:Receptors, AMPA; D058468:Receptors, Ionotropic Glutamate; D018092:Kainic Acid Receptors; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate
keywords: Depression; Glutamate; Immune cells; Physiology-driven changes; Pregnancy; iGluR subunits