Structural and functional properties of NMDA receptors in the mouse brain endothelial cell line bEND3

• Main Author: Dart, Christopher F.
• Other Authors: Anderson, Christopher (Pharmacology and Therapeutics)
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: Neuropharmacology; Biochemistry; Vasoactive; bEnd.3; NMDA; Endothelial; Nitrosylation; Nitric Oxide
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1993/4326

Previous work in our laboratory indicates that the diameter of brain arteries and arterioles can be increased by N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor activation. We looked for expression of NMDA receptors and endothelial cell responses to NMDA receptor agonists and antagonists in the mouse brain endothelial cell line bEnd.3. Using RT-PCR and Western blotting we found evidence supporting the presence of NMDA receptor subunits NR1 and NR2C. Treatment of bEnd.3 cells with combinations of 100 μM glutamate and D-serine significantly increased intracellular calcium. However, we saw no direct evidence that NO was produced in response to NMDA receptor activation using the Griess method. We did observe an NMDA receptor-dependent increase in protein nitrosylation. This increase is unlikely related to enhanced NO levels since it was not correlated with NO production and was not inhibited by the endothelial NO synthase inhibitor L-NIO.