Two distinct signaling pathways upregulate NMDA receptor responses via two distinct metabotropic glutamate receptor subtypes

J Neurosci. 2002 Nov 15;22(22):9679-86. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.22-22-09679.2002.

Abstract

Molecular processes regulating the gain of NMDA receptors modulate diverse physiological and pathological responses in the CNS. Group I metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs), which neighbor NMDA receptors and which can be coactivated by synaptically released glutamate, couple to several different second messenger pathways, each of which could target NMDA receptors. In CA3 pyramidal cells we show that the activation of mGluR1 potentiates NMDA current via a G-protein-independent mechanism involving Src kinase activation. In contrast, mGluR5-mediated enhancement of NMDA current requires G-protein activation, triggering a signaling cascade including protein kinase C and Src. These results indicate that one neurotransmitter, glutamate, can activate two distinct and independent signaling systems to target the same effector. These two pathways are likely to contribute significantly to the highly differentiated control of NMDA receptor function.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Enzyme Activation / drug effects
  • Enzyme Activation / physiology
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / pharmacology
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / pharmacology
  • GTP-Binding Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • GTP-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Guanosine Diphosphate / analogs & derivatives*
  • Guanosine Diphosphate / pharmacology
  • Hippocampus / cytology
  • Hippocampus / drug effects
  • Hippocampus / metabolism
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • N-Methylaspartate / metabolism
  • Patch-Clamp Techniques
  • Protein Kinase C / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Protein Kinase C / metabolism
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / metabolism
  • Pyramidal Cells / cytology
  • Pyramidal Cells / drug effects
  • Pyramidal Cells / metabolism
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Receptor, Metabotropic Glutamate 5
  • Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate / agonists
  • Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate / metabolism*
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction / physiology*
  • Thionucleotides / pharmacology
  • Up-Regulation / physiology*
  • src-Family Kinases / metabolism

Substances

  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists
  • Grm5 protein, rat
  • Receptor, Metabotropic Glutamate 5
  • Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate
  • Thionucleotides
  • metabotropic glutamate receptor type 1
  • Guanosine Diphosphate
  • N-Methylaspartate
  • guanosine 5'-O-(2-thiodiphosphate)
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • src-Family Kinases
  • Protein Kinase C
  • GTP-Binding Proteins