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Vagotomy upregulates expression of the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor NR2D subunit in the stomach

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Abstract

Background

N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor is the major excitatory neurotransmitter receptor in the central nervous system. Recent evidence has pointed to expression of NMDA receptor in peripheral non-neuronal tissues and organs; however, little is known about the expression of the receptor in the stomach. The present study identified what types of NMDA receptor subunits are expressed in the rat stomach and examined whether vagotomy affects their expression.

Methods

To see the expression and distribution of the mRNAs and proteins for the NMDA receptor subunits, real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting, in situ hybridization, and immunohistochemistry were carried out on rat stomach with and without vagotomy.

Results

Of the NMDA receptor subunits, NR1, NR2 (2A, 2B, 2C, 2D), and NR3 (3A, 3B), all NR subunit mRNAs except for the NR2B subunit mRNA were expressed in the intact rat stomach, with huge expression of NR2D mRNA. Expression of NR2D subunit mRNA and protein significantly increased after vagotomy. Increased expression was found in mucosal cells, the myenteric plexus, and the outer membrane of the stomach with vagotomy.

Conclusions

Vagotomy upregulates expression of the NR2D subunit in the stomach and therefore, the NR2D subunit may be implicated in gastric motility.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, Hyogo College of Medicine, 1-1 Mukogawa-cho, Nishinomiya, 663-8501, Japan

    Kanako Watanabe, Takeshi Kanno & Tomoyuki Nishizaki

  2. Department of Anesthesiology, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Japan

    Kanako Watanabe & Chikara Tashiro

  3. Department of Digestive Tract Internal Medicine, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Japan

    Tadayuki Oshima & Hiroto Miwa

Authors
  1. Kanako Watanabe
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  2. Takeshi Kanno
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  3. Tadayuki Oshima
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  4. Hiroto Miwa
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  5. Chikara Tashiro
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  6. Tomoyuki Nishizaki
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Watanabe, K., Kanno, T., Oshima, T. et al. Vagotomy upregulates expression of the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor NR2D subunit in the stomach. J Gastroenterol 43, 322–326 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00535-008-2163-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00535-008-2163-z

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