Nurr1 protein is required for N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptor-mediated neuronal survival.

ABSTRACT: NMDA receptor (NMDAR) stimulation promotes neuronal survival during brain development. Cerebellar granule cells (CGCs) need NMDAR stimulation to survive and develop. These neurons differentiate and mature during its migration from the external granular layer to the internal granular layer, and lack of excitatory inputs triggers their apoptotic death. It is possible to mimic this process in vitro by culturing CGCs in low KCl concentrations (5 mm) in the presence or absence of NMDA. Using this experimental approach, we have obtained whole genome expression profiles after 3 and 8 h of NMDA addition to identify genes involved in NMDA-mediated survival of CGCs. One of the identified genes was Nurr1, a member of the orphan nuclear receptor subfamily Nr4a. Our results report a direct regulation o

SUBMITTER: Barneda-Zahonero B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3322860 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature