Preferential induction by stress of the N-methyl-D-aspartate recognition domain in discrete structures of rat brain.

Immobilization stress in water for 3 h was effective in inducing significant potentiation of 3H-5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H- dibenzo [a,d] cyclohepten-5,10-imine ([3H]MK-801) binding 5 days after the stressful manipulation in rat hypothalamus and cerebellum when determined before equilibrium in the absence of any added agonists, in addition to resulting in marked reduction of rearing behaviors of animals. However, the stressful manipulation failed to modulate the [3H]MK-801 binding in other central regions examined, and binding of either [3H]DL-alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid or [3H]kainic acid was not significantly affected in all brain structures studied 5 days after the stress application. In contrast, the stressful procedures potentiated binding of both L-[3H]glutamic ([3H]Glu) and [3H]DL-(E)-2-amino-4-propyl-5-phosphono-3-pentenoic ([3H]CGP-39653) acids in the hypothalamus and cerebellum 5 days later, without affecting binding of [3H]-glycine and 5,7-dichloro[3H]kynurenic acid. The systemic administration of corticosterone mimicked the stress manipulation at doses of 5-50 mg/kg in terms of inducing significant enhancement of binding of both [3H]Glu and [3H]CGP-39653 in the hypothalamus and cerebellum when determined 5 days after the single administration. The translation inhibitor cycloheximide was effective in preventing the stress-induced potentiation of [3H]Glu binding in the cerebellum, without altering that in the hypothalamus. Furthermore, the stressful handling significantly increased the densities of [3H]Glu binding sites in the hypothalamus and cerebellum, with the affinities being unchanged.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)