Review Article

Metal Toxicity at the Synapse: Presynaptic, Postsynaptic, and Long-Term Effects

Table 5

Effects of metals on postsynaptic ligand-gated ion channels (↑—activation/upregulation, —inhibition/downregulation).

TargetNMDAAMPA/kainateGABA-A

LeadEffect(1) open channel probability(1) (35%)
(2) 60% in current (reversible)
(3) >80% block
(4)
(5)
(6) receptor binding
(7)
Conc(1) 1–10(1) 1m M
(2) 50
(3) 100
(4) IC50 = 1.52–8.19
(5) IC50 = 8.78 (in 0 Zn); IC50 = 1.26 (10 Zn) at high site, 94 at low site
(6) IC50 = 300 (adult); 60 (neonatal)
(7) IC50 (free) = 0.55
Ref(1) [16](1) [10]
(2-3) [14]
(4) [20]
(5) [9]
(6) [12]
(7) [5]

ZincEffect(1) open(1) ↑(1)
channel probability
(2) Channel block(2) current in voltage independent, noncompetitive manner
(3) NR2A block(3) ↑
(4) NR2B block(4)
(5) (5) ↑ (16% to kainate, 15% to glu peak and steady state)
(6) receptor binding (76%)(6)
(7) (7) ↑ AMPA response
(8) (8) ↑ desensitized Kainate responses
(9) AMPA and kainate responses
Conc(1) 1–10 μM(1) 50(1) 100 (dose dependent)
(2) >20(2) 1 mM(2) IC50 = 19
(3) nM(3) <300
(4) μM(4) >500
(5) High affinity: IC50 = 0.77; low affinity: IC50 = 153(5) 10
(6) 1 mM(6) IC50 = 700
(7) IC50 (free) = 1.3(7) EC50 = 30
(8) IC50 = 42.9(8) EC50 = 13
(9) IC50 = 1.2-1.3 mM
(1-2) [11](1-2) [17](1) [13]
Ref(3) [17, 21](3-4) [7, 25](2) [10]
(4) [17] (5-6) [15]
(5) [9] (7-9) [22]
(6) [12]
(7) [5]
(8) [22]

MagnesiumEffect(1) ↑ NMDA-R affinity to glycine in all receptors(1) (27%)
(2) elementary current at +ve potentials(+20 to +80)
(3) ↑ glycine and voltage-independent and subunit specific
(4) external channel block, voltage dependent
Conc(1) 10 mM(1) 20 mM
(2) 10 mM
(3) 2 mM
(4) IC50 (−100 mV) = 2–15
Ref(1–3) [6](1) [15]
(4) [2]

ManganeseEffect(1) (activity dependent, channel blocker)(1) (46%)(1) Little or no effect
Conc(1) Ki = 35.9 (presence of glu and gly); Ki = 157 (no glu nor gly)(1) 25 mM(1) 1 mM
Ref(1) [8](1) [15](1) [10]

CopperEffect(1) (1) (1) (voltage independent)
(2) receptor binding (54%)(2) kainite-induced current
(3) (channel block)(3) efficacy of kainate
(4)
(5) voltage independent, noncompetitive
Conc(1) ND(1)
(2) 1 mM(2) IC50 = 4.3
(3) Ki = 195 (no coagonists);(3) 30
two sites (9.4, 248) with glu and gly(1) IC50 = 5
(4) IC50 = 15
(5) IC50 (free) = 0.27
Ref(1) [17, 23](1) [17](1) [10]
(2) [12](2-3) [30]
(3) [8]
(4) [30]
(5) [28]

CobaltEffect(1) (1) (1)
(2) (2) (29%)
Conc(1) 2 mM(1) 2 mM(1) 2 mM
(2) IC50 = 6.1 mM(2) 1 mM
Ref(1) [3](1) [3](1) [3]
(2) [15](2) [10]

NickelEffect(1) NR2A: , NR2B: ↑(1) (kainite-induced current)(1) (20%)
(2) NR2A (100% at +ve potentials)(2) (glu-induced current)
(3) NR2B
(4) NR2B ↑ (voltage independent)
Conc (1) 30
(2) IC50 = 36 at −60 mV and 81 at +40 mV
(3) IC50 138 at −60 mV and 442 at +40 mV
(4) 3
(1) IC50 = 420(1) 1 mM
(2) IC50 = 2.6 mM
Ref(1) [16](1-2) [15](1) [10]
(2–4) [21]

Mercuric chlorideEffect(1) ↑ 130%
(2) ↑ (270%)
Conc(1) 1
(2) 100
Ref(1) [1]
(2) [19]

Methyl mercuryEffect(1) receptor binding(1) amplitude to 82.4%
Conc(1) IC50 = 0.95 (neonatal); 70 (adult)(1) 100
Ref(1) [12](1) [55]

CadmiumEffect(1) receptor binding (58%)(1) ↑ (kainate to 108% and QA to 115%)(1) (18%)
(2) (39% of control)(2) (kainate to 79% and QA to 60%)
(3) (4% of control)
Conc(1) 1 mM(1) 50(1) 1 mM
(2) 50(2) 1 mM
(3) 1 mM
(1) [12](1-2) [18](1) [10]
Ref(2-3) [18]

LanthanideEffect(1) NMDA response in a voltage-independent manner(1) ↑(1) ↑ (300% max) and ↑ as the potential more −ve
(2)
Conc(1) IC50 = 2(1) 1–100(1) EC50 = 231
(2) >100
Ref(1) [27](1-2) [27](1) [10]

Trimethyl-tin (TMT)Effect(1) (35%) reversible(1) (20%) irreversible(1) (30%) irreversible
Conc(1) 100(1) 100(1) 100
Ref(1) [4](1) [4](1) [4]