We have identified a novel family of synaptic adhesion-like molecules (SALMs). The family members, SALM1-SALM4, have a single transmembrane (TM) domain and contain extracellular leucine-rich repeats, an Ig C2 type domain, a fibronectin type III domain, and an intracellular postsynaptic density-95 (PSD-95)/Discs large/zona occludens-1 (PDZ) binding domain, which is present on all members except ...

N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) are ligand-gated ion channels that contribute to fundamental physiological processes such as learning and memory and, when dysfunctional, to pathophysiological conditions such as neurodegenerative diseases, stroke, and mental illness. NMDARs are obligate heteromultimers typically composed of NR1 and NR2 subunits with the different subunits underlying the ...

NR1/NR2A is a subtype of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs), which are glutamate and glycine-gated Ca(2+)-permeable channels highly expressed in the central nervous system. A high-throughput screening (HTS) campaign using human osteosarcoma (U-2 OS) cells transiently transduced with NR1/NR2A NMDAR subunits, tested in a specifically designed fluorometric imaging plate reader (FLIPR)/Ca(2+) ...

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) arthritis is a common cause of orofacial pain. In the present study, the modulatory effects of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDA-Rs) and magnesium were investigated in TMJ arthritis hypernociception. Male Wistar rats received an intra-articular injection of carrageenan (Cg) in the TMJ, and mechanical hypernociception was measured. The NMDA-R antagonist, MK-801, ...

Activation of the cAMP pathway is an important mediator of chronic muscle pain. This study examined phosphorylation of the transcription factor cAMP-response-element-binding protein (p-CREB) and the NR1 subunit of the NMDA receptor (p-NR1) in the spinal cord. Bilateral mechanical hyperalgesia of the paw was induced by administering two injections of acidic saline, 5 days apart, into the gastroc...

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess whether chronic alcohol misuse affects N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor subunit concentrations in human cases, and whether male and female subjects respond differently. Methods: Real-time RT-PCR normalized to GAPDH was used to assay NR1, NR2A and NR2B subunit mRNA in superior frontal (SFC) and primary motor (PMC) cortex tissue obtained at autopsy fro...

AIM The aim of this study was to assess whether chronic alcohol misuse affects N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor subunit concentrations in human cases, and whether male and female subjects respond differently. METHODS Real-time RT-PCR normalized to GAPDH was used to assay NR1, NR2A and NR2B subunit mRNA in superior frontal (SFC) and primary motor (PMC) cortex tissue obtained at autopsy fro...

AIMS Tolerance to ethanol-induced inhibition of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) is thought to underlie the acute adaptive mechanisms against ethanol. To explore these compensatory upregulating mechanisms of NMDARs, we investigated the expression and phosphorylation of NMDAR subunits in vivo following an acute ethanol treatment. METHODS Male Sprague-Dawley rats were given 4 g/kg ethano...

The aim of the present study was to investigate the mechanism underlying the effects of different doses of agmatine in rats with chronic epilepsy. To generate chronic epilepsy models, rats pretreated with different doses of agmatine (20, 40 and 80 mg/kg) were intraperitoneally injected with pentylenetetrazole (35 mg/kg) for 28 consecutive days. Epileptic behavior was observed using behavioral m...

Glutamate is the main excitatory neurotransmitter of the CNS. Tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) is recognized as a modulator of glutamatergic neurotransmission. This attribute is exemplified by its ability to potentiate calcium signaling following activation of the glutamate-binding NMDA receptor (NMDAR). It has been hypothesized that tPA can directly cleave the NR1 subunit of the NMDAR a...