RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Postsynaptic Density-95 Mimics and Occludes Hippocampal Long-Term Potentiation and Enhances Long-Term Depression
JF The Journal of Neuroscience
JO J. Neurosci.
FD Society for Neuroscience
SP 5503
OP 5506
DO 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.23-13-05503.2003
VO 23
IS 13
A1 Stein, Valentin
A1 House, David R. C.
A1 Bredt, David S.
A1 Nicoll, Roger A.
YR 2003
UL http://www.jneurosci.org/content/23/13/5503.abstract
AB Previous studies have shown that overexpression of the protein PSD-95 (postsynaptic density-95) selectively enhances AMPA receptor-mediated synaptic responses in hippocampal pyramidal cells. To determine whether this effect is related to synaptic plasticity at these synapses, we examined whether PSD-95 expression mimics long-term potentiation (LTP), and also whether it influences LTP and long-term depression (LTD) in hippocampal slice cultures. Using simultaneous recording from transfected or infected cells and control pyramidal cells, we found that PSD-95, similar to LTP, increases the amplitude and frequency of miniature EPSCs. It also converts silent synapses to functional synapses, as does LTP. In addition, LTP is completely occluded in cells expressing PSD-95, whereas LTD is greatly enhanced. These results suggest that common mechanisms are involved in controlling synaptic AMPA receptors by PSD-95 and synaptic plasticity.