Figure 2.

GPCR activation via Gαq coupling cascade leading to the increased activity of NR2B subunit of NMDAR. The activation of GPCR such as muscarinic, lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), metabolic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) receptors promotes phospholipase activation and brings to the hydrolysis of PIP2 into IP3 and DAG. The binding of IP3 to IP3 receptor leads to the release of intracellular Ca2+ into the neuronal cytoplasm. The DAG stimulates PKC that altogether with the increased intracellular Ca2+ concentration promotes the stimulation of CAKβ which provides SH2 docking region for Src kinase to be activated. In turn, Src kinase leads to the upregulation of NR2B subunit activity via the binding to scaffolding protein N-terminal domain of this NMDAR subunit

Note: Adapted from MacDonald et al. (15)