mRNA editing of kainate receptor subunits: what do we know so far?

Abstract

Kainate receptors (KARs) are considered one of the key modulators of synaptic activity in the mammalian central nervous system. These receptors were discovered more than 30 years ago, but their role in brain functioning remains unclear due to some peculiarities. One such feature of these receptors is the editing of pre-mRNAs encoding GluK1 and GluK2 subunits. Despite the long history of studying this phenomenon, numerous questions remain unanswered. This review summarizes the current data about the mechanism and role of pre-mRNA editing of KAR subunits in the mammalian brain and proposes a perspective of future investigations.

Of the Mechanisms of Paroxysmal Depolarization Shifts: Generation and Maintenance of Bicuculline-Induced Paroxysmal Activity in Rat Hippocampal Cell Cultures

“…This hypothesis is supported by the experiments where the blockade of L-type voltage-gated calcium channels profoundly reduces the number of PDSs in the cluster, insignificantly affecting the structure of individual PDSs [ 10 ]. Similarly, the blockade of GluK1-containing KARs that may be Ca 2+ -permeable [ 27 ] also reduces the amplitude of [Ca 2+ ] i oscillations and the number of PDSs in the cluster. However, the NMDAR blockade, followed by a decrease in the amplitude of the oscillations, did not reduce the number of PDSs in the cluster.…”