Tohoku J. Exp. Med., 1997, 183 (1)

Strychnine-Sensitive and Strychnine-Insensitive Glycine Binding Sites in the Spinal Cord of the Wobbler Mouse

MASAHIKO TOMIYAMA, KAZUYA KANNARI and MUNEO MATSUNAGA1

The Third Department of Medicine and 1Department of Neurology, Hirosaki University School of Medicine, Hirosaki 036

  • Using quantitative autoradiography, the strychnine-sensitive glycine site and strychnine-insensitive glycine site of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor were analyzed in the cervical segment of the spinal cord of the wobbler mouse, which is a purported model of human motor neuron diseases. Significantly increased density of the strychnine-sensitive site was found in the lamina II-inner (+17%) and laminae III & IV (+17%) of wobbler mice. The strychnine-insensitive site was also increased in lamina I & II-outer (+15%), lamina II-inner (+15%), laminae III & IV (+48%), laminae V-VIII (+43%) and lamina X (+26%) of wobbler mice. However, no significant differences were observed for the both sites in the ventral horn where motor neurons are located. These findings suggest that both inhibitory and excitatory-associated glycinergic dysfunctions are involved in the wobbler mouse motor neuron disease.
    Key words--- wobbler mouse; motor neuron disease; spinal cord; glycine receptors; NMDA receptors
    © 1997 Tohoku University Medical Press

    Tohoku J. Exp. Med., 1997, 183, 37-43
    Address for reprints: Masahiko Tomiyama, M.D., the Third Department of Medicine, Hirosaki University School of Medicine, 5 Zaifu-cho, Hirosaki 036, Japan.

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