A new quisqualate receptor subtype (sAA(2)) responsible for the glutamate-induced inositol phosphate formation in rat brain synaptoneurosomes.

Inositol phosphate synthesis elicited by excitatory amino acids was measured in rat forebrain synaptoneurosomes in presence of Li(+). Quisqualate (QA) was the most potent excitatory amino acid inducing inositol phosphate formation. This QA action was not blocked by any of the usual antagonists [glutamate-amino-methyl-sulphonate (GAMS); glutamate-diethyl-ester (GDEE); ?-d-glutamyl-glycine (?-DGG)] known to inhibit the QA-induced depolarization. The same was found for the most potent and selective QA antagonist reported so far [6-nitro-7-cyanoquinoxaline-2,3-dion (FG 9065)]. In addition, dl-?-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) a potent depolarizing agonist at the quisqualate receptor subtype was about 300 times less potent than quisqualate in increasing inositol phosphate accumulation. Our results provide the first pharmacological evidence indicating that a new quisqualate receptor subtype, tentatively termed sAA(2) is responsible for inositol phosphate formation.

Characterization of subtypes of excitatory amino acid receptors involved in the stimulation of inositol phosphate synthesis in rat brain synaptoneurosomes.

The action of excitatory amino acids (EAA) on inositol phosphates (IPs) synthesis was examined in forebrain synaptoneurosomes of Long Evans rats (6-9 days old). Glutamate (GLU) (EC50: 23 microM) and quisqualate (QA) (EC50: 0.12 microM) enhanced IPs turnover. N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and kainate (KA) were less potent. The EAA-elicited IPs response was not blocked by tetrodotoxin (2 microM) or by the absence of Ca2+. This suggests that the activation of EAA receptors stimulates directly the phosphodiesterase responsible for phosphoinositide breakdown. The three main agonists (QA, KA and NMDA) tested in pairs, induced additive responses on IPs accumulation. In synaptoneurosomes prepared from adult rat, the relative responses to QA and GLU were dramatically reduced, whereas those to KA and NMDA remained unchanged. We concluded that GLU stimulates IPs formation mainly via a QA-like receptor subtype (AA2). This stimulation is transient and could play a key role during synaptogenesis. GLU also enhanced IPs accumulation via other receptor subtypes (probably of the NMDA- or AA1-like class).

K+ differentially affects the excitatory amino acids- and carbachol-elicited inositol phosphate formation in rat brain synaptoneurosomes.

K+, excitatory amino acids (EAAs) and carbachol (Carb) were tested separately or in pairs for their ability to stimulate inositol phosphate (IPs) formation in rat forebrain synaptoneurosomes. K+ ions per se, stimulate IPs synthesis (158% of the control value) as well as EAAs and Carb. The glutamate (Glu)- and quisqualate (QA)-elicited IPs formation is not additive with that evoked by K+. Inversely, K+ ions (up to 30 mM) potentiate the Carb-induced IPs accumulation. These results indicate that QA (or Glu) and Carb enhance IPs formation independently and that QA- and K+ -induced IPs responses are interdependent. This suggests that they share a 'common intermediate' step in the multistep mechanism which leads from receptor activation to the IPs synthesis. This 'common intermediate' step may be depolarization and/or Na+ influx.