Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
Rights statement: Available under Open Access. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved
Final published version, 1 MB, PDF document
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 543-556 |
Number of pages | 14 |
Journal | Neuron |
Volume | 74 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - May 2012 |
It is currently unclear whether the GluN2 subtype influences NMDA receptor (NMDAR) excitotoxicity. We report that the toxicity of NMDAR-mediated Ca2+ influx is differentially controlled by the cytoplasmic C-terminal domains of GluN2B (CTD2B) and GluN2A (CTD2A). Studying the effects of acute expression of GluN2A/2B-based chimeric subunits with reciprocal exchanges of their CTDs revealed that CTD2B enhances NMDAR toxicity, compared to CTD2A. Furthermore, the vulnerability of forebrain neurons invitro and invivo to NMDAR-dependent Ca2+ influx is lowered by replacing the CTD of GluN2B with that of GluN2A by targeted exon exchange in a mouse knockin model. Mechanistically, CTD2B exhibits stronger physical/functional coupling to the PSD-95-nNOS pathway, which suppresses protective CREB activation. Dependence of NMDAR excitotoxicity on the GluN2 CTD subtype can be overcome by inducing high levels of NMDAR activity. Thus, the identity (2A versus 2B) of the GluN2 CTD controls the toxicity dose-response to episodes of NMDAR activity.
ID: 3267299