Binding of an AMPA receptor potentiator ([ 3H]LY395153) to native and recombinant AMPA receptors

Abstract

LY395153 is a member of a newly described class of arylpropylsulfonamide AMPA receptor potentiators. Here, we characterize and compare [ 3H]LY395153 binding to native AMPA receptors from rat cerebral cortex and recombinant human GluR4 flip receptors expressed in HEK293 cells. l-Glutamate and AMPA increased [ 3H]LY395153 binding to both native and recombinant AMPA receptors in a concentration dependent and stereoselective manner; this effect of AMPA receptor agonists reflects an apparent increase in ligand affinity. In the presence of l-glutamate (500 μM), [ 3H]LY395153 binding is saturable; the affinity of this radioligand is slightly, albeit statistically significantly higher at human GluR4 flip ( K d =55.6±5.3 nM ) than rat cortical receptors ( K d =110±15.1 nM ). NBQX competitively inhibited l-glutamate-induced increases in [ 3H]LY395153 binding in both native and recombinant receptors, whilst LY303070 (the active isomer of GYKI53655) noncompetitively inhibited this effect in native, but not recombinant receptors. The prototypic AMPA receptor potentiator cyclothiazide competitively inhibited [ 3H]LY395153 binding with a potency ( K i ∼7 μM ) comparable to EC 50 values reported in electrophysiological studies. In contrast, the structurally unrelated AMPA receptor potentiator CX 516 did not inhibit [ 3H]LY395153 binding at concentrations of up to 600 μM. Further, at concentrations reported to facilitate AMPA receptor desensitization, thiocyanate acts as a competitive inhibitor of [ 3H]LY395153 binding. [ 3H]LY395153 binding was unaffected by a variety of structurally (and mechanistically) diverse compounds tested at a concentration of 10 μM. These data indicate [ 3H]LY395153 is a useful probe for labeling a unique modulatory site on both native and recombinant AMPA receptors.