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Background and Purpose We recently proposed the existence of mGlu3-preferring autoreceptors in spinal cord terminals and of mGlu2-preferring autoreceptors in cortical terminals. This study aims to verify our previous conclusions and to extend their pharmacological characterization. Experimental Approach We studied the effect of LY566332, an mGlu2 receptors positive allosteric modulator (PAM) and of LY2389575, a selective mGlu3 receptor negative allosteric (NAM) modulator, on the mGlu2/3 agonist LY379268-mediated inhibition of glutamate exocytosis [measured as KCl-evoked release of preloaded [3H]-D-aspartate ([3H]-D-Asp)]. The mGlu2 PAM BINA and the mGlu3 NAM ML337, as well as selective antibodies recognizing the N-terminal of the receptor proteins, were used to confirm the pharmacological characterization of the native receptors. Key Results Cortical synaptosomes possess LY566332-sensitive autoreceptors that are slightly, although significantly, susceptible to LY2389575. Differently, LY566332-insensitive and LY2389575-sensitive autoreceptors exist in spinal cord terminals. BINA and ML337 mimicked LY566332 and LY2389575, respectively, in controlling LY379268-mediated inhibition of glutamate exocytosis from both cortical and spinal cord synaptosomes. Incubation of cortical synaptosomes with anti-mGlu2 antibody prevented the LY379268-induced inhibition of glutamate exocytosis, and this response was also partially reduced by the anti-mGlu3 antibody. Incubation of spinal cord synaptosomes with the anti-mGlu3 antibody nulled the LY379268-mediated reduction of glutamate exocytosis from these terminals, while the anti-mGlu2 antibody was inactive. Western blot analysis and confocal microscopy were largely consistent with these functional observations. Conclusions We confirm that mGlu3-preferring autoreceptors exist in spinal cord terminals. Differently, cortical glutamatergic terminals possess mGlu2/ mGlu3 heterodimers, whose inhibitory effect is largely mediated by the mGlu2 receptors.

Background and purpose Presynaptic, release-regulating metabotropic glutamate 2 and 3 (mGlu2/3) autoreceptors exist in the CNS. They represent suitable targets for therapeutic approaches to central diseases that are typified by hyperglutamatergicity. The availability of specific ligands able to differentiate between mGlu2 and mGlu3 subunits allows us to further characterize these autoreceptors. In this study we investigated the pharmacological profile of mGlu2/3 receptors in selected CNS regions and evaluated their functions in mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Experimental approach The comparative analysis of presynaptic mGlu2/3 autoreceptors was performed by determining the effect of selective mGlu2/3 receptor agonist(s) and antagonist(s) on the release of [(3)H]-D-aspartate from cortical and spinal cord synaptosomes in superfusion. In EAE mice, mGlu2/3 autoreceptor-mediated release functions were investigated and effects of in vivo LY379268 administration on impaired glutamate release examined ex vivo. Key results Western blot analysis and confocal microscopy confirmed the presence of presynaptic mGlu2/3 receptor proteins. Cortical synaptosomes possessed LY541850-sensitive, NAAG-insensitive autoreceptors having low affinity for LY379268, while LY541850-insensitive, NAAG-sensitive autoreceptors with high affinity for LY379268 existed in spinal cord terminals. In EAE mice, mGlu2/3 autoreceptors completely lost their inhibitory activity in cortical, but not in spinal cord synaptosomes. In vivo LY379268 administration restored the glutamate exocytosis capability in spinal cord but not in cortical terminals in EAE mice. Conclusions and implications We propose the existence of mGlu2-preferring and mGlu3-preferring autoreceptors in mouse cortex and spinal cord respectively. The mGlu3 -preferring autoreceptors could represent a target for new pharmacological approaches for treating demyelinating diseases.

1. The action of pancuronium on transmembrane sodium conductance was investigated in dorsal root ganglion neurones of chick embryos. The Na+ current was measured by use of the patch-clamp technique in whole-cell configuration. 2. Externally perfused pancuronium (50 microM to 1 mM) reversibly inhibited the current by a fast mechanism of action. Inhibition was concentration-dependent (with a half-effective dose of 170 microM) but not voltage-dependent. 3. The activation and inactivation kinetics of the Na+ current were estimated in pancuronium and in control solution by fitting experimental data with a Hodgkin-Huxley theoretical model. 4. The activation time constant tau m, at negative membrane voltages, was larger in the presence of pancuronium than in the control. In contrast, the inactivation time constant tau h was smaller during drug perfusion at membrane voltages < -10 mV. The steady-state inactivation h infinity was not affected by pancuronium. 5. These results suggest that pancuronium may reduce the sodium current by interacting with the sodium channels in both the resting and open states.