Fa. Taverna et al., SENSITIVITY OF AMPA RECEPTORS TO PENTOBARBITAL, European journal of pharmacology. Molecular pharmacology section, 267(3), 1994, pp. 3-5
The inhibitory effects of pentobarbital on various AMPA receptors expr
essed (GluR1, GluR3, GluR1/3, GluR1/2, and GluR2/3) in Xenopus ooctyes
were examined. Combinations of AMPA receptor subunits that included G
luR2 demonstrated a much higher sensitivity to blockade by this barbit
urate and the apparent co-operativity of the interaction of pentobarbi
tal with the receptor was reduced. This evidence demonstrates that the
GluR2 subunit alters the structure of AMPA receptors in such a way as
to facilitate any interaction with this barbiturate.