Growth factor upregulation of a phosphoinositide-coupled metabotropic glutamate receptor in cortical astrocytes

• DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.15-09-06103.1995
• Publication Date: 2018-04-02T18:16:05Z
• Authors: S Miller; C Romano; CW Cotman
• Keywords: Neurotransmitter receptor; Long-term depression

CNS function depends on a capacity for plasticity during development, following injury, and in response to changing environmental conditions. Functional alterations signal transduction pathways neurotransmitter receptor expression are possible mechanisms the of such plasticity. In present report, we demonstrate that exposure astrocytes specific growth factors alters both functional activity protein levels glutamate receptor. Exposure basic fibroblast factor, epidermal or transforming factor-alpha produced marked increases ability metabotropic (mGluR) agonists stimulate phosphoinositide hydrolysis. Using Western immunoblotting, an increase one phosphoinositide-coupled mGluR subtypes, mGluR5, accompanies increased contrast, another phosphoinositide- coupled subtype this family, mGluR1 alpha, was not at detectable these cultures. The enhanced stimulation hydrolysis showed little sensitivity pertussis toxin, appeared be selective agonists, as there similar norepinephrine carbachol These findings mGluRs is plastic, indicate novel pathway through which may selectively modulate action.