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Diminution of the NMDA receptor NR 2B subunit in cortical and subcortical areas of WAG/Rij rats
Author(s) -
Karimzadeh Fariba,
Soleimani Mansoureh,
Mehdizadeh Mehdi,
Jafarian Maryam,
Mohamadpour Maliheh,
Kazemi Hadi,
Joghataei MohammadTaghi,
Gorji Ali
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
synapse
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.809
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1098-2396
pISSN - 0887-4476
DOI - 10.1002/syn.21687
Subject(s) - nmda receptor , neuroscience , protein subunit , chemistry , cortical neurons , receptor , pharmacology , biology , biochemistry , gene
Modulation of glutamatergic NMDA receptors affects the synchronization of spike discharges in in WAG/Rij rats, a valid genetic animal model of absence epilepsy. In this study, we describe the alteration of NR 2B subunit of NMDA receptors expression in WAG/Rij rats in different somatosensory cortical layers and in hippocampal CA1 area. Experimental groups were divided into four groups of six rats of both WAG/Rij and Wistar strains with 2 and 6 months of age. The distribution of NR 2B receptors was assessed by immunohistochemical staining in WAG/Rij and compared with age‐matched Wistar rats. The expression of NR 2B subunit was significantly decreased in different somatosensory cortical layers in 2‐ and 6‐month‐old WAG/Rij rats. In addition, the distribution of NR 2B in hippocampal CA1 area was lower in 6‐month‐old WAG/Rij compared with age‐matched Wistar rats. The reduction of NR 2B receptors in different brain areas points to disturbance of glutamate receptors expression in cortical and subcortical areas in WAG/Rij rats. An altered subunit assembly of NMDA receptors may underlie cortical hyperexcitability in absence epilepsy. Synapse 67:839–846, 2013 . © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.