TY - JOUR T1 - Senescence of Normal Human Fibroblasts Relates to the Expression of Ionotropic Glutamate Receptor GluR6/Grik2 JF - Cancer Genomics - Proteomics JO - Cancer Genomics Proteomics SP - 707 LP - 714 DO - 10.21873/cgp.20225 VL - 17 IS - 6 AU - VIKRAMJIT K. ZHAWAR AU - RAJ P. KANDPAL AU - RAGHBIR S. ATHWAL Y1 - 2020/11/01 UR - http://cgp.iiarjournals.org/content/17/6/707.abstract N2 - Background/Aim: Glutamate receptor GRIK2, previously designated as GluR6, is best described in neuronal cells. However, its biological relevance in non-neuronal cells is not well understood. We have investigated the expression of this important protein in normal human fibroblasts as a function of cell proliferation. Materials and Methods: We introduced expression constructs of all five isoforms (A-E) of GRIK2 in normal human fibroblasts and investigated the cells for the presence and localization of GRIK2, as well as for cell proliferation and senescence over a period of 24 days. Results: The expression of GRIK2-A isoform led to immediate cessation of cell proliferation. However, the cell numbers increased by 1.5- to 9.0-fold in 24 days upon transfection with B, C, D and E isoforms, after which they entered a state of senescence. The decreased proliferation was reflected by incorporation of BrdU in only 2-8% of transfected cells even after culturing them for 16 days. Conclusion: Our results are indicative of an association between GRIK2 and aging of fibroblasts. ER -