Regulation of phosphorylation of NMDA receptor NR1 subunits in the rat neostriatum by group I metabotropic glutamate receptors in vivo

Group I metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) are Gαq-protein-coupled receptors and are densely expressed in medium-sized spiny projection neurons of the neostriatum. Among different subtypes of glutamate receptors, group I mGluRs have been demonstrated to actively interact with the ionotropic glutamate receptor N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) subtypes for regulating various forms of cellular activities and synaptic plasticity. In this study, the possible role of group I mGluRs in regulating serine phosphorylation of NMDA receptor NR1 subunits in the neostriatum was investigated in vivo. We found in chronically cannulated rats that injection of the group I mGluR agonist 3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine (DHPG) into the dorsal striatum (caudate putamen) significantly increased phosphorylation of the two serine residues (serine 896 and serine 897) on the intracellular C-terminus of the NR1. The increase in NR1 phosphorylation was dose-dependent and DHPG had no effect on basal levels of NR1 proteins. Intrastriatal infusion of the group I mGluR antagonist N-phenyl-7-(hydroxyimino)cyclopropa[b]chromen-1a-carboxamide (PHCCC) significantly attenuated the DHPG-stimulated NR1 phosphorylation. Pretreatment with the mGluR5 antagonist 2-methyl-6-(phenylethynyl)pyridine hydrochloride (MPEP) also produced the same effect. These data suggest that group I mGluRs, likely mGluR5 subtypes, possess the ability to upregulate protein phosphorylation of NMDA receptor NR1 subunits in striatal neurons in vivo.