Referenced in: none

Automatically associated channels: Kir2.3

Title: AMPA receptor subunit GluR2 gates injurious signals in ischemic stroke.

Authors: Mangala M Soundarapandian, Wei Hong Tu, Peter L Peng, Antonis S Zervos, Youming Lu

Journal, date & volume: Mol. Neurobiol., 2005 Oct , 32, 145-55

PubMed link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16215279

Abstract
Ischemic stroke, or a brain attack, is the third leading cause of death in developed countries. A critical feature of the disease is a highly selective pattern of neuronal loss; certain identifiable subsets of neurons--particularly CA1 pyramidal neurons in the hippocampus are severely damaged, whereas others remain intact. A key step in this selective neuronal injury is Ca2+/Zn2+ entry into vulnerable neurons through alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) receptor channels, a principle subtype of glutamate receptors. AMPA receptor channels are assembled from glutamate receptor (GluR)1, -2, -3, and -4 subunits. Circumstance data have indicated that the GluR2 subunits dictate Ca2+/Zn2+ permeability of AMPA receptor channels and gate injurious Ca2+/Zn2+ signals in vulnerable neurons. Therefore, targeting to the AMPA receptor subunit GluR2 can be considered a practical strategy for stroke therapy.