Expression of non-N-methyl-D-aspartate glutamate receptor subunits in the olfactory epithelium.

The channel properties of the multimeric ionotropic glutamate receptors can be regulated by their subunit composition. The relationship between the structure and physiological functions of glutamate receptors, however, is difficult to study in the CNS because of the large number of these subunits, their widespread distribution, and neuronal heterogeneity. To avoid these difficulties, and to uncover possible novel functions of ionotropic glutamate receptors in sensory neurons, we examined the expression of non-N-methyl-D-aspartate glutamate receptor subunits in a simple neuronal system: the olfactory epithelium. It contains only one neuronal type, the olfactory receptor neuron, that receives no synaptic innervation within the epithelium and therefore should not require conventional postsynaptic glutamate receptors. The axons of these neurons, however, terminate and release glutamate in the glomerular region of the olfactory bulb, and may contain presynaptic glutamate receptors. By reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction amplification and RNase protection assays, we showed that a subset of non-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunits is expressed in the olfactory epithelium. The most abundant is KA2, which can form kainate-selective ion channels with GluR5 or GluR6. Messenger RNAs for GluR6, and for the alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionate/kainate-type (AMPA/KA) GluR2 and GluR3 subunits, are also present, but at levels lower than that of KA2 by an order of magnitude. In situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry localized KA2 to only the olfactory receptor neurons, and not to any other cell type in the olfactory epithelium. Surprisingly, antibodies against KA2 or GluR5/6/7 primarily stained the olfactory neuron dendritic knobs that are specialized for odorant signalling at the sensory epithelial lumenal surface, and the olfactory neuron axon bundles that project to the olfactory bulb. The presence of a limited subset of non-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunits in the olfactory epithelium, and the localization of a kainate-selective receptor to both the axons and specialized dendritic knobs of olfactory receptor neurons, which receive no known synaptic input, suggest that these non-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subtypes may mediate either novel non-synaptic functions in the olfactory neuron dendrites or presynaptic functions in the olfactory nerve terminals or axons. These data also suggest that the olfactory sensory system, possessing a relatively simple anatomical organization and a limited number of glutamate receptor subunits, may be useful for elucidating facets of the complex relationships between subunit composition and physiological function of ionotropic glutamate receptors.

Presynaptic NMDA receptors display physiological characteristics of homomeric complexes of NR1 subunits that contain the exon 5 insert in the N-terminal domain.

The subunit composition of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptor affects both its channel activity and its sensitivity to modulation by a wide variety of substances. Expression studies in oocytes and physiological studies in neurons indicate that endogenous postsynaptic NMDA receptors are heterooligomeric complexes of NR1 and NR2 subunits. To deduce the subunit composition of the presynaptic NMDA receptor on noradrenergic nerve terminals, we examined the modulation of NMDA-evoked norepinephrine (NE) release from hippocampal synaptosomes. At high glycine concentrations, the NMDA-evoked release was not potentiated by reducing reagents, low micromolar Zn2+ or Ni2+, polyamines, or 100 microM histamine. It was also not inhibited by oxidizing agents or physiological concentrations of protons but was inhibited by high micromolar Co2+, Zn2+, and Ni2+, but not Fe3+, by high micromolar ifenprodil, and by 1 mM histamine. At low glycine concentrations, it was potentiated by spermine. These characteristics are similar to those displayed by homooligomeric complexes of NR1 subunits that contain in the N-terminal domain the 21-amino-acid insert encoded by exon 5. These data provide physiological evidence that some endogenous NMDA receptor complexes may contain only the NR1 (+ exon 5) subunits.

Presynaptic glutamate receptors regulate noradrenaline release from isolated nerve terminals.

The wide-ranging neuronal actions of excitatory amino acids, such as glutamate, are thought to be mediated mainly by postsynaptic N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and non-NMDA receptors. We now report the existence of presynaptic glutamate receptors in isolated nerve terminals (synaptosomes) prepared from hippocampus, olfactory bulb, and cerebral cortex. Activation of these receptors by NMDA or non-NMDA agonists, in a concentration-dependent manner, resulted in Ca(2+)-dependent release of noradrenaline from vesicular transmitter stores. The NMDA-stimulated release was potentiated by glycine and was blocked by Mg2+ and selective NMDA antagonists. In contrast, release stimulated by selective non-NMDA agonists was blocked by 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3- dione, but not by Mg2+ or NMDA antagonists. Our data suggest that the presynaptic glutamate receptors can be classified pharmacologically as both the NMDA and non-NMDA types. These receptors, localized on nerve terminals of the locus ceruleus noradrenergic neurons, may play an important role in interactions between noradrenaline and glutamate.

Lipid fluidity and composition of the erythrocyte membrane from healthy dogs and Labrador retrievers with hereditary muscular dystrophy.

Erythrocyte membranes and their liposomes were prepared from clinically normal dogs and Labrador retrievers with hereditary muscular dystrophy. The "static" and "dynamic" components of fluidity of each membrane were then assessed by steady-state fluorescence polarization techniques using limiting hindered fluorescence anisotropy and order parameter values of 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) and fluorescence anisotropy values of DL-2-(9-anthroyl)-stearic acid and DL-12-(9-anthroyl)-stearic acid, respectively. Membrane lipids were extracted and analyzed by thin-layer chromatography and gas chromatography. The results of these studies demonstrated that the lipid fluidity of erythrocyte membranes, and their liposomes, prepared from dystrophic dogs were found to possess significantly lower "static and dynamic components of fluidity" than control counterparts. Analysis of the composition of membranes from dystrophic dogs revealed a higher ratio of saturated fatty acyl chain/unsaturated chains (w/w) and lower double-bond index. Alterations in the fatty acid composition such as decrease in levels of linoleic (18:2) and arachidonic (20:4) acids and increase in palmitic (16:0) and stearic (18:0) acids were also observed in the membranes of dystrophic animals. These associated fatty acyl alterations could explain, at least in part, the differences in membrane fluidity between dystrophic and control dogs.