Protein Information

ID 306
Name NMDA receptors (protein family or complex)
Synonyms Glutamate [NMDA] receptor; Glutamate [NMDA] receptors; N methyl D aspartate receptor; N methyl D aspartate receptors; NMDA receptor; NMDA receptors

Compound Information

ID 1822
Name sodium cyanide
CAS sodium cyanide (Na(CN))

Reference

PubMed Abstract RScore(About this table)
8103209 Patel MN, Yim GK, Isom GE: N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors mediate cyanide-induced cytotoxicity in hippocampal cultures. Neurotoxicology. 1993 Spring;14(1):35-40.
We reported previously that glutamate excitotoxicity may contribute to cyanide-induced neuronal injury. Cyanide stimulates glutamate release which can activate glutamate receptors to initiate excitotoxic processes. This study examines the role of EAA receptor subtypes in mediating cyanide-induced cytotoxicity. Cytotoxicity was assessed in primary rat hippocampal cultures by measuring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in the culture media. NaCN (0.1-10 mM) or glutamate (0.01-1 mM) produced concentration-dependent cytotoxicity following 18 hrs of incubation. Glutamate-induced cytotoxicity was partially blocked by the non-NMDA antagonist, 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX) and the NMDA antagonist, 2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate (APV). Simultaneous exposure of cultures to both CNQX and APV provided complete protection against glutamate cytotoxicity. NaCN-induced cytotoxicity was not blocked by CNQX, but completely blocked by APV and simultaneous exposure to CNQX and APV did not offer added protection. These results indicate that in hippocampal cultures, both non-NMDA and NMDA receptors mediate glutamate excitotoxicity, whereas NaCN-induced cytotoxicity is mediated primarily by activation of the NMDA receptors.
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