Objective Postsynaptic density protein 95 （PSD-95） plays important roles in the regulation of glutamate signaling, such as that of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors （NMDARs）. In this study, the functional roles of PSD-95 in tyrosine phosphorylafion of NMDAR subunit 2A （NR2A） and in apoptosis-like cell death induced by oxygen-glucose de- privation （OGD） in cultured rat cortical neurons were investigated. Methods We used immunoprecipitation and immuno- blotting to detect PSD-95 protein level, tyrosine phosphorylation level of NR2A, and the interaction between PSD-95 and NR2A or Src. Apoptosis-like cells were observed by 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining. Results Tyrosine phospho- rylation of NR2A and apoptosis-like cell death were increased after recovery following 60-min OGD. The increases were attenuated by pretreatment with antisense oligonucleotides against PSD-95 before OGD, but not by missense oligonucle- otides or vehicle. PSD-95 antisense oligonucleotides also inhibited the increased interaction between PSD-95 and NR2A or Src, while NR2A expression did not change under this condition. Conclusion PSD-95 may be involved in regulating NR2A tyrosine phosphorylation by Src kinase. Inhibition of PSD-95 expression can be neuroprotective against apoptosis- like cell death after recovery from OGD.
