• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.196-201
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• 1996

The N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-ion channel complex is activated by the simultaneous presence of L-glutamate and glycine, allowing the binding of MK-801 to the phencyclidine (PCP) site of the receptor. The $[^3H]$MK-801 binding assay system was established for determination of pharmacological functions of test compounds acting at the glycine site of the receptor. The binding in the presence of 0.1 $\mu$M L-glutamate was increased by an agonist (glycine) in a dose-dependent fashion, while decreased by either partial agonist (R-(+)-HA-966) or antagonist (5,7-dichlorokynurenic acid: 5,7-DCKA). To distinguish partial agonism from antagonism, various concentrations of 7-chlorokynurenic acid (7-CKA) were added in the assay to eliminate the interference of the endogenous glycine present in the membrane preparations. The bindings in the presence of L-glutamate (0.1$\muM$) and 7-CKA (1, 5, or 10$\muM$) were increased by R-(+)-HA-966. Being a weak partial agonist, the extent of potentiation was much less than that by the agonist. These binding profiles were clearly distinguishable from those by the antagonist, 5,7-DCKA, which exhibited no intrinsic activity. The binding assays established in the present study are a useful system to classify ligands acting at the glycine site of the NMDA receptor by their pharmacological functions.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.351-357
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• 1997

A series of 4-substituted-kynurenic acid derivatives possessing several different substituents at C4-position which are consisted of both a flexible propyloxy chain and an adjunct several type of carbonyl groups has been synthesized and evaluated for their in vitro antagonist activity at the glycine site on the NMDA receptor. Of them, N-benzoylthiourea 15c and N-phenylthiourea 15a were found to have the best in vitro binding affinity with $IC_{50}$ of 3.95 and $6.04{\mu}M$, respectively. On the other hand, in compounds 12a-c and 13 the displacement of a thiourea group to an amide or a carbamate caused a significant decrease of the in vitro binding affinity. In the SAR study of the 4-substituted kynurenic acid derivatives, it was realized that the terminal substitution pattern on a flexible C4-propyloxy chain of kynurenic acid nucleus significantly influences on the binding affinity for glycine site; the binding affinity to the NMDA receptor might be increased by the introduction of a suitable electron rich substituent at C4 of kynurenic acid nucleus.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.246-253
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• 2010

Ginsenoside $Rg_3$ ($Rg_3$), one of the active ingredients in Panax ginseng, attenuates NMDA receptor-mediated currents in vitro and antagonizes NMDA receptors through a glycine modulatory site in rat cultured hippocampal neurons. In the present study, we examined the neuroprotective effects of $Rg_3$ on 24-hydroxycholesterol (24-OH-chol)-induced cytotoxicity in vitro. The results showed that $Rg_3$ treatment significantly and dose-dependently inhibited 24-OH-chol-induced cell death in rat cultured cortical neurons, with an $IC_{50}$ value of $28.7{\pm}7.5\;{\mu}m$. Furthermore, the $Rg_3$ treatment not only significantly reduced DNA damage, but also dose-dependently attenuated 24-OH-chol-induced caspase-3 activity. To study the mechanisms underlying the in vitro neuroprotective effects of $Rg_3$ against 25-OH-chol-induced cytotoxicity, we also examined the effect of $Rg_3$ on intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ elevations in cultured neurons and found that $Rg_3$ treatment dose-dependently inhibited increases in intracellular $Ca^{2+}$, with an $IC_{50}$ value of $40.37{\pm}12.88\;{\mu}m$. Additionally, $Rg_3$ treatment dose-dependently inhibited apoptosis with an $IC_{50}$ of $47.3{\pm}14.2\;{\mu}m$. Finally, after confirming the protective effect of $Rg_3$ using a terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling assay, we found that $Rg_3$ is an active component in ginseng-mediated neuroprotection. These results collectively indicate that $Rg_3$-induced neuroprotection against 24-OH-chol in rat cortical neurons might be achieved via inhibition of a 24-OH-chol-mediated $Ca^{2+}$ channel. This is the first report to employ cortical neurons to study the neuroprotective effects of $Rg_3$ against 24-OH-chol. In conclusion, $Rg_3$ was effective for protecting cells against 24-OH-chol-induced cytotoxicity in rat cortical neurons. This protective ability makes $Rg_3$ a promising agent in pathologies implicating neurodegeneration such as apoptosis or neuronal cell death.