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Ionotropic glutamate receptor expression in human white matter
Pia Crone Christensen1, Zahra Samadi-Bahrami2, Vlady Pavlov2
1Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, T2 N 4N1, Canada.
Neuroscience Letters
|July 23, 2016
Summary
Researchers found ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs) in human white matter, suggesting a role in neurological conditions. This discovery may explain white matter vulnerability to excitotoxicity in diseases like multiple sclerosis.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neurobiology
- Central Nervous System (CNS) Research
Background:
- Glutamate is the primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the CNS, with its function well-established in grey matter.
- The role and presence of glutamate signaling components in white matter (WM), particularly human WM, remain less understood compared to grey matter.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence and localization of ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs) in human white matter.
- To determine if human WM expresses components of glutamatergic signaling similar to those found in rodent WM and grey matter.
Main Methods:
- Utilized immunofluorescence and high-resolution spectral confocal imaging to detect iGluRs in human WM tissue.
- Examined the co-localization of specific receptor subunits (GluN1, GluA4) with myelin, oligodendroglia, and axons.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated the presence of obligatory N-methyl-d-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptor subunit GluN1 and α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptor subunit GluA4 in human WM.
- Found that GluN1 and GluA4 co-localized with myelin, oligodendroglial cells/processes, and axons, often in distinct clusters.
Conclusions:
- The findings confirm the expression of iGluRs in human WM, suggesting a functional glutamatergic system.
- This presence may explain human WM's susceptibility to excitotoxic damage in conditions like stroke, traumatic brain injury, and multiple sclerosis (MS).
- Further research into human WM glutamate signaling could lead to novel therapeutic strategies for CNS disorders.
