In this collaboration with the Swanson lab at UCSF, we show that NMDA-mediated superoxide production requires both a source of calcium influx and agonist binding to the glutamate site of the NMDA receptor (GluN2B subunit to be specific). Thus, both Ca2+ and agonist -binding are necessary, but neither is sufficient.  This is the first report demonstrating this dual requirement and I predict this will be rule rather than the exception for NMDA receptor function.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-35725-5

 

Parallel non-ionotropic and ionotropic requirements for NMDA-mediated superoxide production