L-AP4 explained

L-AP4 (L-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid) is a drug used in scientific research, which acts as a group-selective agonist for the group III metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR_4/6/7/8). It was the first ligand found to act as an agonist selective for this group of mGlu receptors,^[1] but does not show selectivity between the different mGluR Group III subtypes. It is widely used in the study of this receptor family and their various functions.^{[2] [3] [4] [5]}

Notes and References

1. Thomsen C . The L-AP4 receptor . General Pharmacology . 29 . 2 . 151–8 . August 1997 . 9251893 . 10.1016/S0306-3623(96)00417-X .
2. Lopez S, Turle-Lorenzo N, Acher F, De Leonibus E, Mele A, Amalric M . Targeting group III metabotropic glutamate receptors produces complex behavioral effects in rodent models of Parkinson's disease . The Journal of Neuroscience . 27 . 25 . 6701–11 . June 2007 . 17581957 . 6672706 . 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0299-07.2007 .
3. Macinnes N, Duty S . Group III metabotropic glutamate receptors act as hetero-receptors modulating evoked GABA release in the globus pallidus in vivo . European Journal of Pharmacology . 580 . 1–2 . 95–9 . February 2008 . 18035348 . 10.1016/j.ejphar.2007.10.030 .
4. Zhang HM, Chen SR, Pan HL . Effects of activation of group III metabotropic glutamate receptors on spinal synaptic transmission in a rat model of neuropathic pain . Neuroscience . 158 . 2 . 875–84 . January 2009 . 19017536 . 2649787 . 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2008.10.042 .
5. Maciejak P, Szyndler J, Turzyńska D, Sobolewska A, Taracha E, Skórzewska A, Lehner M, Bidziński A, Hamed A, Wisłowska-Stanek A, Płaźnik A . 6 . The effects of group III mGluR ligands on pentylenetetrazol-induced kindling of seizures and hippocampal amino acids concentration . Brain Research . 1282 . 20–7 . July 2009 . 19481536 . 10.1016/j.brainres.2009.05.049 . 20844494 .