Dual Role of NMDAR-Containing NR2A and NR2B Subunits in Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the main cause of dementia worldwide. Given that learning and memory are impaired in this pathology, NMDA receptors (NMDARs) appear as key players in the onset and progression of the disease. NMDARs are glutamate receptors, mainly located at the post-synapse, which regulate voltage-dependent influx of calcium into the neurons. They are heterotetramers, and there are different subunits that can be part of the receptors, which are usually composed of two obligatory GluN1 subunits plus either two NR2A or two NR2B subunits. NR2A are mostly located at the synapse, and their activation is involved in the expression of pro-survival genes. Conversely, NR2B are mainly extrasynaptic, and their activation has been related to cell death and neurodegeneration. Thus, activation of NR2A and/or inactivation of NR2B-containing NMDARS has been proposed as a therapeutic strategy to treat AD. Here, we wanted to investigate the main differences between both subunits signalling in neuronal primary cultures of the cortex and hippocampus. It has been observed that Aβ induces a significant increase in calcium release and also in MAPK phosphorylation signalling in NMDAR-containing NR2B subunits in cortical and hippocampal neurons. However, while NMDAR-containing NR2A decreases neuronal death and favours cell viability after Aβ treatment, NMDAR-containing NR2B shows higher levels of cytotoxicity and low levels of neuronal survival. Finally, it has been detected that NMDAR has no effect on pTau axonal transport. The present results demonstrate a different role between GluNA and GluNB subunits in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.