Homoquinolinic acid explained

Homoquinolinic acid (HQA) is a potent excitotoxin^[1] that is a conformationally restricted analogue of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and a partial agonist of the main/glutamate site of the NMDA receptor, with some selectivity for NR2B subunit-containing receptors.^{[2] [3] [4]} It is approximately equipotent to NMDA and about five times more potent than quinolinic acid as an agonist of the NMDA receptor.^[5] HQA has also been found to label a novel yet uncharacterized binding site, which can be distinguished from the NMDA receptor with the use of 2-carboxy-3-carboxymethylquinoline (CCMQ), a selective ligand of the uncharacterized site.^[6]

See also

• Aspartate
• Ibotenic acid
• Tetrazolylglycine

Notes and References

1. Book: Stone TW . Quinolinic acid and the kynurenines. 1989. CRC Press. 978-0-8493-6592-8.
2. Book: Stolerman IP . Encyclopedia of Psychopharmacology. 31 July 2010. Springer Science & Business Media. 978-3-540-68698-9. 511–.
3. de Carvalho LP, Bochet P, Rossier J . The endogenous agonist quinolinic acid and the non endogenous homoquinolinic acid discriminate between NMDAR2 receptor subunits . Neurochemistry International . 28 . 4 . 445–52 . April 1996 . 8740453 . 10.1016/0197-0186(95)00091-7 . 19395334 .
4. Book: Lemke TL, Williams DA . Foye's Principles of Medicinal Chemistry. 24 January 2012. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. 978-1-60913-345-0. 404–.
5. Book: C.S.A. Neurosciences Abstracts. 1984. Cambridge Scientific Abstracts.
6. Book: Egebjerg J, Schousboe A, Krogsgaard-Larsen P . Glutamate and GABA Receptors and Transporters: Structure, Function and Pharmacology. 4 October 2001. CRC Press. 978-0-203-29938-8. 73–.