Abstract
Staurosporine-induced apoptosis was associated with a 20% cellular survival rate in primary rat forebrain cultures. Treatment with the NR2B subunit-selective NMDA receptor antagonist conantokin-G (0.1-1 microM) increased the survival rate up to 78%. No protection was provided by the nonselective NMDA receptor antagonist dizocilpine (0.01-10 microM) but 34-64% cellular survival was provided by ifenprodil (0.01-10 microM), another NR2B subunit-selective antagonist. These results suggest a novel anti-apoptotic mechanism linked to the NR2B receptor subunit.
Copyright 2002 Elsevier Science B.V.
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Apoptosis / drug effects*
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Cell Survival / drug effects
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Cells, Cultured
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Conotoxins / pharmacology*
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Dizocilpine Maleate / pharmacology
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Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / pharmacology*
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Nerve Degeneration / chemically induced
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Nerve Degeneration / pathology
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Piperidines / pharmacology
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Rats
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Rats, Sprague-Dawley
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Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / antagonists & inhibitors*
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Staurosporine / antagonists & inhibitors*
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Staurosporine / pharmacology
Substances
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Conotoxins
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Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists
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NR2B NMDA receptor
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Piperidines
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Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate
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Dizocilpine Maleate
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conotoxin GV
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Staurosporine
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ifenprodil