Antagonist properties of a phosphono isoxazole amino acid at glutamate R1-4 (R,S)-2-amino-3-(3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolyl)propionic acid receptor subtypes

The activity of the (R,S)-2-amino-3-(3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolyl)propionic acid (AMPA) receptor antagonist, (R,S)-2-amino-3-[5-tert-butyl-3-(phosphonomethoxy)-4-isoxazolyl]propionic acid (ATPO), at recombinant ionotropic glutamate receptors (GluRs) was evaluated using electrophysiological techniques, Responses at home-or heterooligomeric AMPA-preferring GluRs expressed in human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells (GluR1-flip) or Xenopus laevis oocytes (GluR1-4-flop or GluR1-flop + GluR2) were potently inhibited by ATPO with apparent dissociation constants (K-b values) ranging from 3.9 to 26 mu M. A Schild analysis for kainate (KA)-activated GluR1 receptors showed ATPO to have a K-B of 8.2 mu M and a slope of unity, indicating competitive inhibition. The antagonism by ATPO at GluR1 was of similar magnitude at holding potentials between -100 mV and +20 mV. In contrast, ATPO (<300 mu M), does not inhibit responses to kainate at homomeric GluR6 or heterooligomeric GluR6/KA2 expressed in HEK 293 cells but activated GluR5 and GluR5/KA2 expressed in X. laevis oocytes. ATPO produced <15% inhibition at the maximal concentration (300 mu M) of current responses through NR1A + NR2B receptors expressed in X. laevis oocytes. Thus, ATPO shows a unique pharmacological profile, being an antagonist at GluR1-4 and a weak partial agonist at GIuR5 and GluR5/KA2.