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Expression of NMDA receptor subunit mRNAs in neurochemically identified projection and interneurons in the human striatum
Author(s) -
Küppenbender Karsten D.,
Standaert David G.,
Feuerstein Thomas J.,
Penney John B.,
Young Anne B.,
Landwehrmeyer G. Bernhard
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
journal of comparative neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.855
H-Index - 209
eISSN - 1096-9861
pISSN - 0021-9967
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1096-9861(20000417)419:4<407::aid-cne1>3.0.co;2-i
Subject(s) - biology , striatum , in situ hybridization , neuroscience , glutamate decarboxylase , nmda receptor , glutamate receptor , medium spiny neuron , choline acetyltransferase , receptor , messenger rna , cholinergic , dopamine , biochemistry , gene , enzyme
N ‐methyl‐ D ‐aspartate (NMDA) receptors are composed of subunits from two families: NR1 and NR2. We used a dual‐label in situ hybridization technique to assess the levels of NR1 and NR2A‐D messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expressed in projection neurons and interneurons of the human striatum. The neuronal populations were identified with digoxigenin‐tagged complementary RNA probes for preproenkephalin (ENK) and substance P (SP) targeted to striatal projection neurons, and somatostatin (SOM), glutamic acid decarboxylase 67 kD (GAD 67 ), and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) targeted to striatal interneurons. Intense NR1 signals were found over all striatal neurons. NR2A signals were high over GAD 67 ‐positive neurons and intermediate over SP‐positive neurons. ENK‐positive neurons displayed low NR2A signals, whereas ChAT‐ and SOM‐positive neurons were unlabeled. NR2B signals were intense over all neuronal populations in striatum. Signals for NR2C and NR2D were weak. Only ChAT‐positive neurons displayed moderate signals, whereas all other interneurons and projection neurons were unlabeled. Moderate amounts of NR2D signal were detected over SOM‐ and ChAT‐positive neurons; GAD 67 ‐ and SP‐positive striatal neurons displayed low and ENK‐positive neurons displayed no NR2D hybridization signal. These data suggest that all human striatal neurons have NMDA receptors, but different populations have different subunit compositions that may affect function as well as selective vulnerability. J. Comp. Neurol. 419:407–421, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.