Characterization of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunits involved in acute ammonia toxicity

Rapid administration of large doses of ammonia leads to death of animals, which is largely prevented by pretreatment with N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists. The present study focuses on a subunit(s) of NMDA receptor involved in ammonia-induced death by use of NMDA receptor GluRepsilon subunit-deficient (GluRepsilon(-/-)) mice and the selective GluRepsilon2 antagonist CP-101,606. Acute ammonia intoxication was induced in mice (eight per group) by a single intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of ammonium chloride. Appearance of neurological deteriorations depended on the doses of ammonium chloride injected. While wild-type, GluRepsilon1(-/-), GluRepsilon4(-/-), and GluRepsilon1(-/-)/epsilon4(-/-) mice all died by ammonium chloride at 12 mmol/kg during the first tonic convulsions, two of eight GluRepsilon3(-/-) mice survived. Pretreatment of wild-type mice with CP-101,606 prevented two mice from ammonia-induced death. Pretreatment of GluRepsilon3(-/-) mice with CP-101,606 prevented the death of three mice and prolonged the time of death of non-survivors. Similarly, the neuronal form of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor 7-nitroindazole (7-NI) as well as the nonselective NOS inhibitor L-NMMA, but not the inducible NOS inhibitor 1400W, partially prevented the death of mice and prolonged the period of death. Furthermore, ammonium chloride prolonged the increase in intracellular free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) and subsequent NO production induced by NMDA in the cerebellum. These results suggest that activation of NMDA receptor containing GluRepsilon2 and GluRepsilon3 subunits and following activation of neuronal NOS are involved in acute ammonia intoxication which leads to death of animals.