Broad-spectrum N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonists, although proposed in therapies for several pathologies including Huntington's disease (HD), can produce dramatic side-effects. Thus, the therapeutic potential of subunit selective NMDA receptor antagonists warrants investigation. Overactivation of NMDA receptors containing the NR2B subunit plays a pathogenic role in HD, suggesting a neuroprotective potential of selective NR2B blockade. In the present study, we investigated whether the selective NR2B receptor antagonist, R-(R*,S*)-alpha-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-beta-methyl-4-(phenylmethyl)-1-piperidinepropanol, could also affect motor symptoms in mice intoxicated with 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP), a phenotypic model of HD. NR2B subunit acute blockade had no effect on spontaneous activity, HD-like symptoms (clinical scale), and sensorimotor performances (beam task) in 3-NP intoxicated mice. These results suggest that selective NR2B antagonism has no acute symptomatic effect on motor and sensorimotor impairments due to 3-NP-induced striatal injury. © W. S. Maney & Son Ltd 2011.
NR2B subunit blockade does not affect motor symptoms induced by 3-nitropropionic acid
FANTIN, Martina;MORARI, Michele;
2011
Abstract
Broad-spectrum N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonists, although proposed in therapies for several pathologies including Huntington's disease (HD), can produce dramatic side-effects. Thus, the therapeutic potential of subunit selective NMDA receptor antagonists warrants investigation. Overactivation of NMDA receptors containing the NR2B subunit plays a pathogenic role in HD, suggesting a neuroprotective potential of selective NR2B blockade. In the present study, we investigated whether the selective NR2B receptor antagonist, R-(R*,S*)-alpha-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-beta-methyl-4-(phenylmethyl)-1-piperidinepropanol, could also affect motor symptoms in mice intoxicated with 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP), a phenotypic model of HD. NR2B subunit acute blockade had no effect on spontaneous activity, HD-like symptoms (clinical scale), and sensorimotor performances (beam task) in 3-NP intoxicated mice. These results suggest that selective NR2B antagonism has no acute symptomatic effect on motor and sensorimotor impairments due to 3-NP-induced striatal injury. © W. S. Maney & Son Ltd 2011.I documenti in SFERA sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
