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Ali T, Klein AN, McDonald K, Johansson L, Mukherjee PG, Hallbeck M, Doh-Ura K, Schatzl HM, Gilch S. Cellulose ether treatment inhibits amyloid beta aggregation, neuroinflammation and cognitive deficits in transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. J Neuroinflammation 2023; 20:177. [PMID: 37507761 PMCID: PMC10375631 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-023-02858-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an incurable, progressive and devastating neurodegenerative disease. Pathogenesis of AD is associated with the aggregation and accumulation of amyloid beta (Aβ), a major neurotoxic mediator that triggers neuroinflammation and memory impairment. Recently, we found that cellulose ether compounds (CEs) have beneficial effects against prion diseases by inhibiting protein misfolding and replication of prions, which share their replication mechanism with Aβ. CEs are FDA-approved safe additives in foods and pharmaceuticals. Herein, for the first time we determined the therapeutic effects of the representative CE (TC-5RW) in AD using in vitro and in vivo models. Our in vitro studies showed that TC-5RW inhibits Aβ aggregation, as well as neurotoxicity and immunoreactivity in Aβ-exposed human and murine neuroblastoma cells. In in vivo studies, for the first time we observed that single and weekly TC-5RW administration, respectively, improved memory functions of transgenic 5XFAD mouse model of AD. We further demonstrate that TC-5RW treatment of 5XFAD mice significantly inhibited Aβ oligomer and plaque burden and its associated neuroinflammation via regulating astrogliosis, microgliosis and proinflammatory mediator glial maturation factor beta (GMFβ). Additionally, we determined that TC-5RW reduced lipopolysaccharide-induced activated gliosis and GMFβ in vitro. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that CEs have therapeutic effects against Aβ pathologies and cognitive impairments, and direct, potent anti-inflammatory activity to rescue neuroinflammation. Therefore, these FDA-approved compounds are effective candidates for developing therapeutics for AD and related neurodegenerative diseases associated with protein misfolding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tahir Ali
- Calgary Prion Research Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada.
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
| | - Antonia N Klein
- Calgary Prion Research Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Keegan McDonald
- Calgary Prion Research Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Lovisa Johansson
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (BKV), Linköping University, 58185, Linköping, Sweden
| | | | - Martin Hallbeck
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (BKV), Linköping University, 58185, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Katsumi Doh-Ura
- Department of Neurochemistry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Hermann M Schatzl
- Calgary Prion Research Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Sabine Gilch
- Calgary Prion Research Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada.
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
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2
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Ali T, Klein AN, Vu A, Arifin MI, Hannaoui S, Gilch S. Peptide aptamer targeting Aβ-PrP-Fyn axis reduces Alzheimer's disease pathologies in 5XFAD transgenic mouse model. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 80:139. [PMID: 37149826 PMCID: PMC10164677 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-04785-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Currently, no effective therapeutics exist for the treatment of incurable neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). The cellular prion protein (PrPC) acts as a high-affinity receptor for amyloid beta oligomers (AβO), a main neurotoxic species mediating AD pathology. The interaction of AβO with PrPC subsequently activates Fyn tyrosine kinase and neuroinflammation. Herein, we used our previously developed peptide aptamer 8 (PA8) binding to PrPC as a therapeutic to target the AβO-PrP-Fyn axis and prevent its associated pathologies. Our in vitro results indicated that PA8 prevents the binding of AβO with PrPC and reduces AβO-induced neurotoxicity in mouse neuroblastoma N2a cells and primary hippocampal neurons. Next, we performed in vivo experiments using the transgenic 5XFAD mouse model of AD. The 5XFAD mice were treated with PA8 and its scaffold protein thioredoxin A (Trx) at a 14.4 µg/day dosage for 12 weeks by intraventricular infusion through Alzet® osmotic pumps. We observed that treatment with PA8 improves learning and memory functions of 5XFAD mice as compared to Trx-treated 5XFAD mice. We found that PA8 treatment significantly reduces AβO levels and Aβ plaques in the brain tissue of 5XFAD mice. Interestingly, PA8 significantly reduces AβO-PrP interaction and its downstream signaling such as phosphorylation of Fyn kinase, reactive gliosis as well as apoptotic neurodegeneration in the 5XFAD mice compared to Trx-treated 5XFAD mice. Collectively, our results demonstrate that treatment with PA8 targeting the AβO-PrP-Fyn axis is a promising and novel approach to prevent and treat AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tahir Ali
- Calgary Prion Research Unit, Department of Comparative Biology & Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada
- Cumming School of Medicine, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Antonia N Klein
- Calgary Prion Research Unit, Department of Comparative Biology & Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada
- Cumming School of Medicine, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Alex Vu
- Calgary Prion Research Unit, Department of Comparative Biology & Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada
- Cumming School of Medicine, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Maria I Arifin
- Calgary Prion Research Unit, Department of Comparative Biology & Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada
- Cumming School of Medicine, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Samia Hannaoui
- Calgary Prion Research Unit, Department of Comparative Biology & Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada
- Cumming School of Medicine, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Sabine Gilch
- Calgary Prion Research Unit, Department of Comparative Biology & Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada.
- Cumming School of Medicine, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
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3
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Ali T, Klein AN, Vu A, Gilch S. Developing a novel peptide aptamer‐based treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimers Dement 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/alz.056115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tahir Ali
- University of Calgary Calgary AB Canada
| | | | - Alex Vu
- University of Calgary Calgary AB Canada
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Ali T, Klein AN, Vu A, Gilch S. Cellulose ethers reduce amyloid‐beta pathology in
in vitro
and
in vivo
Alzheimer’s disease model. Alzheimers Dement 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/alz.043995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tahir Ali
- University of Calgary Calgary AB Canada
| | | | - Alex Vu
- University of Calgary Calgary AB Canada
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Klein AN, Corda E, Gilch S. Peptide aptamer-mediated modulation of prion protein α-cleavage as treatment strategy for prion and other neurodegenerative diseases. Neural Regen Res 2018; 13:2108-2110. [PMID: 30323138 PMCID: PMC6199927 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.241460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Antonia N Klein
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine; Calgary Prion Research Unit; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Erica Corda
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine; Calgary Prion Research Unit; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Sabine Gilch
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine; Calgary Prion Research Unit; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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Dammers C, Gremer L, Reiß K, Klein AN, Neudecker P, Hartmann R, Sun N, Demuth HU, Schwarten M, Willbold D. Structural Analysis and Aggregation Propensity of Pyroglutamate Aβ(3-40) in Aqueous Trifluoroethanol. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0143647. [PMID: 26600248 PMCID: PMC4658145 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0143647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2015] [Accepted: 11/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
A hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the accumulation of extracellular amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques in the brains of patients. N-terminally truncated pyroglutamate-modified Aβ (pEAβ) has been described as a major compound of Aβ species in senile plaques. pEAβ is more resistant to degradation, shows higher toxicity and has increased aggregation propensity and β-sheet stabilization compared to non-modified Aβ. Here we characterized recombinant pEAβ(3-40) in aqueous trifluoroethanol (TFE) solution regarding its aggregation propensity and structural changes in comparison to its non-pyroglutamate-modified variant Aβ(1-40). Secondary structure analysis by circular dichroism spectroscopy suggests that pEAβ(3-40) shows an increased tendency to form β-sheet-rich structures in 20% TFE containing solutions where Aβ(1-40) forms α-helices. Aggregation kinetics of pEAβ(3-40) in the presence of 20% TFE monitored by thioflavin-T (ThT) assay showed a typical sigmoidal aggregation in contrast to Aβ(1-40), which lacks ThT positive structures under the same conditions. Transmission electron microscopy confirms that pEAβ(3-40) aggregated to large fibrils and high molecular weight aggregates in spite of the presence of the helix stabilizing co-solvent TFE. High resolution NMR spectroscopy of recombinantly produced and uniformly isotope labeled [U-15N]-pEAβ(3-40) in TFE containing solutions indicates that the pyroglutamate formation affects significantly the N-terminal region, which in turn leads to decreased monomer stability and increased aggregation propensity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Dammers
- Institute of Complex Systems (ICS-6) Structural Biochemistry, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425, Jülich, Germany
| | - Lothar Gremer
- Institute of Complex Systems (ICS-6) Structural Biochemistry, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425, Jülich, Germany
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Kerstin Reiß
- Institute of Complex Systems (ICS-6) Structural Biochemistry, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425, Jülich, Germany
| | - Antonia N. Klein
- Institute of Complex Systems (ICS-6) Structural Biochemistry, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425, Jülich, Germany
| | - Philipp Neudecker
- Institute of Complex Systems (ICS-6) Structural Biochemistry, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425, Jülich, Germany
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Rudolf Hartmann
- Institute of Complex Systems (ICS-6) Structural Biochemistry, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425, Jülich, Germany
| | - Na Sun
- Institute of Complex Systems (ICS-6) Structural Biochemistry, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425, Jülich, Germany
| | - Hans-Ulrich Demuth
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Department of Drug Design and Target Validation, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Melanie Schwarten
- Institute of Complex Systems (ICS-6) Structural Biochemistry, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425, Jülich, Germany
| | - Dieter Willbold
- Institute of Complex Systems (ICS-6) Structural Biochemistry, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425, Jülich, Germany
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
- * E-mail:
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Shaykhalishahi H, Gauhar A, Wördehoff MM, Grüning CSR, Klein AN, Bannach O, Stoldt M, Willbold D, Härd T, Hoyer W. Contact between the β1 and β2 Segments of α-Synuclein that Inhibits Amyloid Formation. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2015; 54:8837-40. [DOI: 10.1002/anie.201503018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Shaykhalishahi H, Gauhar A, Wördehoff MM, Grüning CSR, Klein AN, Bannach O, Stoldt M, Willbold D, Härd T, Hoyer W. Kontakt zwischen den β1- und β2-Segmenten von α-Synuclein inhibiert die Amyloidbildung. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2015. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201503018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Grüning CSR, Mirecka EA, Klein AN, Mandelkow E, Willbold D, Marino SF, Stoldt M, Hoyer W. Alternative conformations of the Tau repeat domain in complex with an engineered binding protein. J Biol Chem 2014; 289:23209-23218. [PMID: 24966331 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m114.560920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The aggregation of Tau into paired helical filaments is involved in the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer disease. The aggregation reaction is characterized by conformational conversion of the repeat domain, which partially adopts a cross-β-structure in the resulting amyloid-like fibrils. Here, we report the selection and characterization of an engineered binding protein, β-wrapin TP4, targeting the Tau repeat domain. TP4 was obtained by phage display using the four-repeat Tau construct K18ΔK280 as a target. TP4 binds K18ΔK280 as well as the longest isoform of human Tau, hTau40, with nanomolar affinity. NMR spectroscopy identified two alternative TP4-binding sites in the four-repeat domain, with each including two hexapeptide motifs with high β-sheet propensity. Both binding sites contain the aggregation-determining PHF6 hexapeptide within repeat 3. In addition, one binding site includes the PHF6* hexapeptide within repeat 2, whereas the other includes the corresponding hexapeptide Tau(337-342) within repeat 4, denoted PHF6**. Comparison of TP4-binding with Tau aggregation reveals that the same regions of Tau are involved in both processes. TP4 inhibits Tau aggregation at substoichiometric concentration, demonstrating that it interferes with aggregation nucleation. This study provides residue-level insight into the interaction of Tau with an aggregation inhibitor and highlights the structural flexibility of Tau.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara S R Grüning
- Institute of Physical Biology, Heinrich-Heine-Universität, 40204 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Ewa A Mirecka
- Institute of Physical Biology, Heinrich-Heine-Universität, 40204 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Antonia N Klein
- Institute of Structural Biochemistry (ICS-6), Research Centre Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Eckhard Mandelkow
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 53175 Bonn, Germany, and; Center of Advanced European Studies And Research (CAESAR), 53175 Bonn, Germany
| | - Dieter Willbold
- Institute of Physical Biology, Heinrich-Heine-Universität, 40204 Düsseldorf, Germany,; Institute of Structural Biochemistry (ICS-6), Research Centre Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Stephen F Marino
- Institute of Physical Biology, Heinrich-Heine-Universität, 40204 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Matthias Stoldt
- Institute of Physical Biology, Heinrich-Heine-Universität, 40204 Düsseldorf, Germany,; Institute of Structural Biochemistry (ICS-6), Research Centre Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Hoyer
- Institute of Physical Biology, Heinrich-Heine-Universität, 40204 Düsseldorf, Germany,; Institute of Structural Biochemistry (ICS-6), Research Centre Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany,.
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Grüning CSR, Klinker S, Wolff M, Schneider M, Toksöz K, Klein AN, Nagel-Steger L, Willbold D, Hoyer W. The off-rate of monomers dissociating from amyloid-β protofibrils. J Biol Chem 2013; 288:37104-11. [PMID: 24247242 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m113.513432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The interconversion of monomers, oligomers, and amyloid fibrils of the amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease. The determination of the kinetics of the individual association and dissociation reactions is hampered by the fact that forward and reverse reactions to/from different aggregation states occur simultaneously. Here, we report the kinetics of dissociation of Aβ monomers from protofibrils, prefibrillar high molecular weight oligomers previously shown to possess pronounced neurotoxicity. An engineered binding protein sequestering specifically monomeric Aβ was employed to follow protofibril dissociation by tryptophan fluorescence, precluding confounding effects of reverse or competing reactions. Aβ protofibril dissociation into monomers follows exponential decay kinetics with a time constant of ∼2 h at 25 °C and an activation energy of 80 kJ/mol, values typical for high affinity biomolecular interactions. This study demonstrates the high kinetic stability of Aβ protofibrils toward dissociation into monomers and supports the delineation of the Aβ folding and assembly energy landscape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara S R Grüning
- From the Institute of Physical Biology, Heinrich-Heine-Universität, 40204 Düsseldorf and
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Klein AN, Weiss KR, Cropper EC. Glutamate is the fast excitatory neurotransmitter of small cardioactive peptide-containing Aplysia radula mechanoafferent neuron B21. Neurosci Lett 2000; 289:37-40. [PMID: 10899403 DOI: 10.1016/s0304-3940(00)01262-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
B21 is a radula mechanoafferent neuron in the mollusc Aplysia which likely plays a crucial role in integrating environmental cues into the feeding motor program. To facilitate understanding B21's interactions with its postsynaptic followers, we sought to identify its neurotransmitter. We find that B21 makes a chemical synapse onto the follower neuron B8. Although B21-induced excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) in B8 paradoxically diminish in amplitude with B8 hyperpolarization, we show that an inwardly rectifying current is responsible. We conclude that these B21-induced EPSPs are likely glutamatergic as they are blocked by the glutamate antagonist DNQX. Furthermore, B8 exhibits a depolarizing response to exogenous glutamate, which is antagonized by DNQX. Finally, exogenous glutamate occludes B21-evoked EPSPs in B8.
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Affiliation(s)
- A N Klein
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Box 1218, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029, USA.
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