A critical role for PSD-95/AKAP interactions in endocytosis of synaptic AMPA receptors

Nat Neurosci. 2009 Feb;12(2):172-81. doi: 10.1038/nn.2249. Epub 2009 Jan 25.

Abstract

The endocytosis of AMPA receptors (AMPARs) underlies several forms of synaptic plasticity, including NMDA receptor (NMDAR)-dependent long-term depression (LTD), but the molecular mechanisms responsible for this trafficking remain unknown. We found that PSD-95, a major postsynaptic density protein, is important for NMDAR-triggered endocytosis of synaptic AMPARs in rat neuron cultures because of its binding to A kinase-anchoring protein 150 (AKAP150), a scaffold for specific protein kinases and phosphatases. Knockdown of PSD-95 with shRNA blocked NMDAR-triggered, but not constitutive or mGluR-triggered, endocytosis of AMPARs. Deletion of PSD-95's Src homology 3 and guanylate kinase-like domains, as well as a point mutation (L460P), both of which inhibit binding of PSD-95 to AKAP150, also blocked NMDAR-triggered AMPAR endocytosis. Furthermore, expression of a mutant AKAP150 that does not bind calcineurin inhibited this NMDAR-triggered trafficking event. Our results suggest that PSD-95's interaction with AKAP150 is critical for NMDAR-triggered AMPAR endocytosis and LTD, possibly because these scaffolds position calcineurin in the appropriate subsynaptic domain.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • A Kinase Anchor Proteins / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Calcineurin / metabolism
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Disks Large Homolog 4 Protein
  • Endocytosis / physiology
  • Hippocampus / cytology
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / chemistry
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / genetics
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / metabolism*
  • Long-Term Synaptic Depression / physiology*
  • Membrane Proteins / chemistry
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism*
  • Mutagenesis
  • Neuronal Plasticity / physiology
  • Neurons / cytology
  • Neurons / metabolism*
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Protein Transport / physiology
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Receptors, AMPA / metabolism*
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / metabolism
  • Synapses / metabolism
  • src Homology Domains / physiology

Substances

  • A Kinase Anchor Proteins
  • Akap5 protein, rat
  • Disks Large Homolog 4 Protein
  • Dlg4 protein, rat
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Receptors, AMPA
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate
  • Calcineurin