Tat-NR2B9c prevents excitotoxic neuronal superoxide production

J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 2015 May;35(5):739-42. doi: 10.1038/jcbfm.2015.16. Epub 2015 Feb 11.

Abstract

The Tat-NR2B9c peptide has shown clinical efficacy as a neuroprotective agent in acute stroke. Tat-NR2B9c is designed to prevent nitric oxide (NO) production by preventing postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95) binding to N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors and neuronal nitric oxide synthase; however, PSD-95 is a scaffolding protein that also couples NMDA receptors to other downstream effects. Here, using neuronal cultures, we show that Tat-NR2B9c also prevents NMDA-induced activation of neuronal NADPH oxidase, thereby blocking superoxide production. Given that both superoxide and NO are required for excitotoxic injury, the neuroprotective effect of Tat-NR2B9c may alternatively be attributable to uncoupling neuronal NADPH oxidase from NMDA receptor activation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Disks Large Homolog 4 Protein
  • Guanylate Kinases / metabolism
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism
  • Mice
  • NADPH Oxidases / metabolism*
  • Neurons / metabolism*
  • Neurons / pathology
  • Neuroprotective Agents / pharmacology*
  • Nitric Oxide / biosynthesis
  • Peptides / pharmacology*
  • Protein Binding
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / metabolism
  • Superoxides / metabolism*

Substances

  • Disks Large Homolog 4 Protein
  • Dlg4 protein, mouse
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Neuroprotective Agents
  • Peptides
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate
  • Superoxides
  • Nitric Oxide
  • Tat-NR2B9c
  • NADPH Oxidases
  • Guanylate Kinases