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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Modulatory Actions Of The Glycine Receptor Β Subunit On The Positive Allosteric Modulation Of Ethanol In Α2 Containing Receptors, Braulio Muñoz, Trinidad Mariqueo, Pablo Murath, Christian Peters, Gonzalo E. Yevenes, Gustavo Moraga-Cid, Robert W. Peoples, Luis G. Aguayo Nov 2021

Modulatory Actions Of The Glycine Receptor Β Subunit On The Positive Allosteric Modulation Of Ethanol In Α2 Containing Receptors, Braulio Muñoz, Trinidad Mariqueo, Pablo Murath, Christian Peters, Gonzalo E. Yevenes, Gustavo Moraga-Cid, Robert W. Peoples, Luis G. Aguayo

Biomedical Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Alpha1-containing glycine receptors (GlyRs) are major mediators of synaptic inhibition in the spinal cord and brain stem. Recent studies reported the presence of α2-containing GlyRs in other brain regions, such as nucleus accumbens and cerebral cortex. GlyR activation decreases neuronal excitability associated with sensorial information, motor control, and respiratory functions; all of which are significantly altered during ethanol intoxication. We evaluated the role of β GlyR subunits and of two basic amino acid residues, K389 and R390, located in the large intracellular loop (IL) of the α2 GlyR subunit, which are important for binding and functional modulation by Gβγ, the …


Mitochondrial Distribution Of Glycine Receptors In Motor Neuron Cell Lines, Katsiaryna Milashevich May 2021

Mitochondrial Distribution Of Glycine Receptors In Motor Neuron Cell Lines, Katsiaryna Milashevich

Student Theses and Dissertations

Although non-essential, glycine plays an important role in major metabolic reactions and is most known for its anti-inflammatory effects. An accumulation of contemporary research has shown that glycine is able to stabilize membrane potential using glycine receptors at the cellular level and to protect mitochondrial function directly, whether it is from inflammation, heavy metal poisoning, or ischemia-induced neuroinflammation. In this research, the existence of a hypothetical mitochondrial glycine receptor is examined. Immunofluorescence imaging was used to examine the presence of the glycine receptor subunits alpha 1 and alpha 2 in both non- differentiated and differentiated neuroblastoma cell lines. The preliminary …


The Level Of Nmda Receptor In The Membrane Modulates Amyloid-Β Association And Perforation, Christian Peters, Fernando J. Sepúlveda, Eduardo Fernández-Pérez, Robert W. Peoples, Luis G. Aguayo Jan 2016

The Level Of Nmda Receptor In The Membrane Modulates Amyloid-Β Association And Perforation, Christian Peters, Fernando J. Sepúlveda, Eduardo Fernández-Pérez, Robert W. Peoples, Luis G. Aguayo

Biomedical Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects mostly the elderly. The main histopathological markers are the senile plaques formed by amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) aggregates that can perforate the plasma membrane of cells, increasing the intracellular calcium levels and releasing synaptic vesicles that finally lead to a delayed synaptic failure. Several membrane proteins and lipids interact with Aβ affecting its toxicity in neurons. Here, we focus on NMDA receptors (NMDARs) as proteins that could be modulating the association and neurotoxic perforation induced by Aβ on the plasma membrane. In fact, our results showed that decreasing NMDARs, using enzymatic or siRNA …


A Selective Gβγ-Linked Intracellular Mechanism For Modulation Of A Ligand-Gated Ion Channel By Ethanol, Gonzalo E. Yevenes, Gustavo Moraga-Cid, Robert W. Peoples, Günther Schmalzing, Luis G. Aguayo Dec 2008

A Selective Gβγ-Linked Intracellular Mechanism For Modulation Of A Ligand-Gated Ion Channel By Ethanol, Gonzalo E. Yevenes, Gustavo Moraga-Cid, Robert W. Peoples, Günther Schmalzing, Luis G. Aguayo

Biomedical Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

The current understanding about ethanol effects on the ligand-gated ion channel (LGIC) superfamily has been restricted to identify potential binding sites within transmembrane (TM) domains in the Cys-loop family. Here, we demonstrate a key role of the TM3–4 intracellular loop and Gβγ signaling for potentiation of glycine receptors (GlyRs) by ethanol. We discovered 2 motifs within the large intracellular loop of the GlyR α1 subunit that are critical for the actions of pharmacological concentrations of ethanol. Significantly, the sites were ethanol-specific because they did not alter the sensitivity to general anesthetics, neurosteroids, or longer n-alcohols. Furthermore, Gβγ scavengers …