Functional characterization of the dendritically localized mRNA neuronatin in hippocampal neurons

PLoS One. 2011;6(9):e24879. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0024879. Epub 2011 Sep 14.

Abstract

Local translation of dendritic mRNAs plays an important role in neuronal development and synaptic plasticity. Although several hundred putative dendritic transcripts have been identified in the hippocampus, relatively few have been verified by in situ hybridization and thus remain uncharacterized. One such transcript encodes the protein neuronatin. Neuronatin has been shown to regulate calcium levels in non-neuronal cells such as pancreatic or embryonic stem cells, but its function in mature neurons remains unclear. Here we report that neuronatin is translated in hippocampal dendrites in response to blockade of action potentials and NMDA-receptor dependent synaptic transmission by TTX and APV. Our study also reveals that neuronatin can adjust dendritic calcium levels by regulating intracellular calcium storage. We propose that neuronatin may impact synaptic plasticity by modulating dendritic calcium levels during homeostatic plasticity, thereby potentially regulating neuronal excitability, receptor trafficking, and calcium dependent signaling.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Calcium / metabolism
  • Dendrites / metabolism*
  • Hippocampus / cytology*
  • Hippocampus / metabolism
  • Immunoprecipitation
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics*
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics*
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism
  • Neurons / cytology*
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Calcium-Transporting ATPases / genetics
  • Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Calcium-Transporting ATPases / metabolism

Substances

  • Membrane Proteins
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Nnat protein, rat
  • Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Calcium-Transporting ATPases
  • Calcium