Lamina-specific AMPA receptor dynamics following visual deprivation in vivo.

Regulation of AMPA receptor (AMPAR) expression is central to synaptic plasticity and brain function, but how these changes occur in vivo remains elusive. Here, we developed a method to longitudinally monitor the expression of synaptic AMPARs across multiple cortical layers in awake mice using two-photon imaging. We observed that baseline AMPAR expression in individual spines is highly dynamic with more dynamics in primary visual cortex (V1) layer 2/3 (L2/3) neurons than V1 L5 neurons. Visual deprivation through binocular enucleation induces a synapse-specific and depth-dependent change of synaptic AMPARs in V1 L2/3 neurons, wherein deep synapses are potentiated more than superficial synapses. The increase is specific to L2/3 neurons and absent on apical dendrites of L5 neurons, and is dependent on expression of the AMPAR-binding protein GRIP1. Our study demonstrates that specific neuronal connections, across cortical layers and even within individual neurons, respond uniquely to changes in sensory experience

PICK1 Loss of Function Occludes Homeostatic Synaptic Scaling

Homeostatic synaptic scaling calibrates neuronal excitability by adjusting synaptic strengths during prolonged changes in synaptic activity. The molecular mechanisms that regulate the trafficking of AMPA receptors (AMPARs) during synaptic scaling are largely unknown. Here, we show that chronic activity blockade reduces PICK1 protein level on a time scale that coincides with the accumulation of surface AMPARs. PICK1 loss of function alters the subunit composition and the abundance of GluA2-containing AMPARs. Due to aberrant trafficking of these receptors, the increase in synaptic strength in response to synaptic inactivity is occluded in neurons generated from PICK1 knock-out mouse. In agreement with electrophysiological recordings, no defect of AMPAR trafficking is observed in PICK1 knock-out neurons in response to elevated neuronal activity. Overall, our data reveal an important role of PICK1 in inactivity-induced synaptic scaling by regulating the subunit composition, abundance, and trafficking of GluA2-containing AMPARs

PICK1 Regulates Incorporation of Calcium-Permeable AMPA Receptors during Cortical Synaptic Strengthening

While AMPA-type glutamate receptors (AMPARs) found at principal neuron excitatory synapses typically contain the GluR2 subunit, several forms of behavioral experience have been linked to the de novo synaptic insertion of calcium-permeable (CP) AMPARs, defined by their lack of GluR2. In particular, whisker experience drives synaptic potentiation as well as the incorporation of CP-AMPARs in the neocortex. Previous studies implicate PICK1 (protein interacting with C kinase-1) in activity-dependent internalization of GluR2, suggesting one potential mechanism leading to the subsequent accumulation of synaptic CP-AMPARs and increased synaptic strength. Here we test this hypothesis by using a whisker stimulation paradigm in PICK1 knock-out mice. We demonstrate that PICK1 facilitates the surface expression of CP-AMPARs and is indispensable for their experience-dependent synaptic insertion. However, the failure to incorporate CP-AMPARs in PICK1 knock-outs does not preclude sensory-induced enhancement of synaptic currents. Our results indicate that synaptic strengthening in the early postnatal cortex does not require PICK1 or the addition of GluR2-lacking AMPARs. Instead, PICK1 permits changes in AMPAR subunit composition to occur in conjunction with synaptic potentiation. Copyrigh

Characterization of Phosphorylation Sites on the Glutamate Receptor 4 Subunit of the AMPA Receptors

Recent studies have suggested that protein phosphorylation of glutamate receptors may play an important role in synaptic transmission. Specifically, the phosphorylation of AMPA receptors has been implicated in cellular models of synaptic plasticity. The phosphorylation of the glutamate receptor 1 (GluR1) subunit of AMPA receptors by protein kinase A (PKA), protein kinase C (PKC), and Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) has been characterized extensively. Phosphorylation of this subunit occurs exclusively on the intracellular C-terminal domain. However, the GluR1 subunit C terminus shows low homology to the other AMPA receptor subunits. In this paper we characterized the phosphorylation of AMPA receptor subunit GluR4, using site-specific mutagenesis and biochemical techniques. We found that GluR4 is phosphorylated on serine 842 within the C-terminal domain in vitro and in vivo. Serine 842 is phosphorylated by PKA, PKC, and CaMKII in vitro and is phosphorylated in transfected cells by PKA. Two-dimensional phosphopeptide analysis indicates that serine 842 is the major phosphorylation site on GluR4. In addition, we identified threonine 830 as a potential PKC phosphorylation site. These results suggest that GluR4, which is the most rapidly desensitizing AMPA receptor subunit, may be modulated by phosphorylatio

Characterization of the tyrosine phosphorylation and distribution of dystrobrevin isoforms

AbstractDystrobrevin, a member of the dystrophin family of proteins, was initially identified as a major tyrosine phosphorylated synaptic protein in the electric organ of Torpedo californica. In this paper, we show that the major sites of tyrosine phosphorylation of Torpedo dystrobrevin are within its C-terminus, on Tyr-693 and Tyr-710. Cloning of the mammalian homologue of dystrobrevin has recently shown that this phosphotyrosine containing tail, or PYCT, is subject to alternative splicing. To compare the expression and distribution of PYCT− and PYCT+ splice variants, we generated antibodies against different regions of dystrobrevin. Here we show that the PYCT− isoform of 62 kDa is expressed at high levels in all tissues examined. In contrast, PYCT+ isoforms are expressed primarily in brain and muscle, where they are concentrated at synapses. Moreover, PYCT+ isoforms associate more tightly with the membrane and with syntrophin, another synaptically enriched protein. These results suggest that PYCT+ isoforms of dystrobrevin are specialized components of the dystroglycan complex which render the complex sensitive to regulation by tyrosine kinases

A selective role for neuronal activity regulated pentraxin in the processing of sensory-specific incentive value

Neuronal activity regulated pentraxin (Narp) is a secreted neuronal product which clusters AMPA receptors and regulates excitatory synaptogenesis. Although Narp is selectively enriched in brain, its role in behavior is not known. As Narp is expressed prominently in limbic regions, we examined whether Narp deletion affects performance on tasks used to assess motivational consequences of food-rewarded learning. Narp knock-out (KO) mice were unimpaired in learning simple pavlovian discriminations, instrumental lever pressing, and in acquisition of at least two aspects of pavlovian incentive learning, conditioned reinforcement and pavlovian-instrumental transfer. In contrast, Narp deletion resulted in a substantial deficit in the ability to use specific outcome expectancies to modulate instrumental performance in a devaluation task. In this task, mice were trained to respond on two levers for two different rewards. After training, mice were prefed with one of the two rewards, devaluing it. Responding on both levers was then assessed in extinction. Whereas control mice showed a significant preference in responding on the lever associated with the nondevalued reward, Narp KO mice responded equally on both levers, failing to suppress responding on the lever associated with the devalued reward. Both groups consumed more of the nondevalued reward in a subsequent choice test, indicating Narp KO mice could distinguish between the rewards themselves. These data suggest Narp has a selective role in processing sensory-specific information necessary for appropriate devaluation performance, but not in general motivational effects of reward-predictive cues on performance

Purkinje cell-specific Grip1/2 knockout mice show increased repetitive self-grooming and enhanced mGluR5 signaling in cerebellum

Cerebellar Purkinje cell (PC) loss is a consistent pathological finding in autism. However, neural mechanisms of PC-dysfunction in autism remain poorly characterized. Glutamate receptor interacting proteins 1/2 (Grip1/2) regulate AMPA receptor (AMPAR) trafficking and synaptic strength. To evaluate role of PC-AMPAR signaling in autism, we produced PC-specific Grip1/2 knockout mice by crossing Grip2 conventional and Grip1 conditional KO with L7-Cre driver mice. PCs in the mutant mice showed normal morphology and number, and a lack of Grip1/2 expression. Rodent behavioral testing identified normal ambulation, anxiety, social interaction, and an increase in repetitive self-grooming. Electrophysiology studies revealed normal mEPSCs but an impaired mGluR-LTD at the Parallel Fiber-PC synapses. Immunoblots showed increased expression of mGluR5 and Arc, and enhanced phosphorylation of P38 and AKT in cerebellum of PC-specific Grip1/2 knockout mice. Results indicate that loss of Grip1/2 in PCs contributes to increased repetitive self-grooming, a core autism behavior in mice. Results support a role of AMPAR trafficking defects in PCs and disturbances of mGluR5 signaling in cerebellum in the pathogenesis of repetitive behaviors.University of Seville (V PPIT-US)Spain and an National Institute of Health (NIH) (NS085358

NMDA Induces Long-Term Synaptic Depression and Dephosphorylation of the GluR1 Subunit of AMPA Receptors in Hippocampus

AbstractBrief bath application of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) to hippocampal slices produces long-term synaptic depression (LTD) in CA1 that is (1) sensitive to postnatal age, (2) saturable, (3) induced postsynaptically, (4) reversible, and (5) not associated with a change in paired pulse facilitation. Chemically induced LTD (Chem-LTD) and homosynaptic LTD are mutually occluding, suggesting a common expression mechanism. Using phosphorylation site–specific antibodies, we found that induction of chem-LTD produces a persistent dephosphorylation of the GluR1 subunit of AMPA receptors at serine 845, a cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) substrate, but not at serine 831, a substrate of protein kinase C (PKC) and calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII). These results suggest that dephosphorylation of AMPA receptors is an expression mechanism for LTD and indicate an unexpected role of PKA in the postsynaptic modulation of excitatory synaptic transmission

Activity-Dependent Modulation of Synaptic AMPA Receptor Accumulation

AbstractBoth theoretical and experimental work have suggested that central neurons compensate for changes in excitatory synaptic input in order to maintain a relatively constant output. We report here that inhibition of excitatory synaptic transmission in cultured spinal neurons leads to an increase in mEPSC amplitudes, accompanied by an equivalent increase in the accumulation of AMPA receptors at synapses. Conversely, increasing excitatory synaptic activity leads to a decrease in synaptic AMPA receptors and a decline in mEPSC amplitude. The time course of this synaptic remodeling is slow, similar to the metabolic half-life of neuronal AMPA receptors. Moreover, inhibiting excitatory synaptic transmission significantly prolongs the half-life of the AMPA receptor subunit GluR1, suggesting that synaptic activity modulates the size of the mEPSC by regulating the turnover of postsynaptic AMPA receptors