Dicationic adamantane derivative, IEM-1460, which selectively blocks GluR2-lacking, Ca2+-permeable alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate (AMPA) receptors, was used to characterize the distribution of AMPA receptors among populations of rat brain cells. IEM-1460 inhibited kainate-induced inward currents (at -80 mV) in a dose-dependent manner. IEM-1460 concentrations producing 50% inhibition of kainate-induced current amplitude (IC50) varied greatly depending on the cell type studied. Striatal giant cholinergic interneurons and putative Bergmann glial cells isolated from the cerebellum were found to be highly sensitive to IEM-1460 block (IC50=2.6 microM), indicating the expression of GluR2-lacking AMPA receptor subtype. Among hippocampal and cortical non-pyramidal neurons, there were cell-to-cell differences in the pattern of AMPA receptor subtype expression. Some cells which are known to express AMPA receptors lacking GluR2 subunit exhibited high sensitivity of IEM-1460 block (IC50 about 1 microM) but in the others, the part of AMPA receptor population seemed to be represented by GluR2-having receptor subtype. The latter subtype was mainly expressed by pyramidal neurons isolated from hippocampus (IC50=1102 microM) and sensorimotor cortex (IC50=357 microM) which showed low affinity for IEM-1460 block. In conclusion, IEM-1460 can be utilized as an indicator of the distribution of AMPA receptor subtypes among populations of rat brain cells, and pharmacological detection of the absence of GluR2 subunit in AMPA receptor assembly can provide useful information for the interpretation of physiological events.