Glutamate-induced declustering of post-synaptic adaptor protein Cupidin (Homer 2/vesl-2) in cultured cerebellar granule cells

J Neurochem. 2003 Oct;87(2):364-76. doi: 10.1046/j.1471-4159.2003.02003.x.

Abstract

Cupidin (Homer 2/vesl-2) is a post-synaptic adaptor protein that associates with glutamate receptor complexes and the actin cytoskeleton. We analyzed the developmental and activity-dependent localization of Cupidin in mouse cerebellar granule cells. Cupidin is predominantly localized to granule cell post-synapses connecting with mossy fiber terminals in developing post-natal cerebellum, but is diminished in adult cerebellum. In cultured granule cells 7 days in vitro, Cupidin was present as synaptic and extra-synaptic punctate clusters that largely co-localized with the actin-cytoskeletal binding partners F-actin and drebrin, as well as a post-synaptic scaffold protein PSD-95. Upon stimulation with glutamate, Cupidin clusters were rapidly dissociated without protein degradation, and by short-term but not sustained stimulation they were recovered after post-incubation without glutamate. The glutamate-induced declustering of Cupidin preceded that of F-actin and drebrin, was elicited by NMDA receptor-mediated Ca2+ influx, and was followed by a downstream pathway including MAPK/ERK and protein tyrosine kinase. Specific isoforms with post-translational modification were reduced depending on Ca2+-dependent protein phosphatase activity. In cultured hippocampal neurons, Homer family members Homer 1, Cupidin/Homer 2 and Homer 3 showed similar glutamate-induced declustering. We suggest that Cupidin acts as a mobile adaptor protein that changes the distribution states, clustered versus declustered, in response to synaptic activity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Actins / metabolism
  • Adaptor Proteins, Vesicular Transport / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Calcium / metabolism
  • Carrier Proteins / drug effects
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cerebellum* / cytology
  • Glutamic Acid / pharmacology*
  • Hippocampus / cytology
  • Homer Scaffolding Proteins
  • Macromolecular Substances
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred ICR
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism
  • Neurons / cytology
  • Neurons / drug effects
  • Neurons / metabolism*
  • Neuropeptides / drug effects
  • Neuropeptides / metabolism*
  • Phosphorylation
  • Protein Binding / drug effects
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / metabolism
  • Synapses / metabolism
  • Synapses / ultrastructure

Substances

  • Actins
  • Adaptor Proteins, Vesicular Transport
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Homer Scaffolding Proteins
  • Homer2 protein, mouse
  • Macromolecular Substances
  • Neuropeptides
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate
  • drebrins
  • Glutamic Acid
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
  • Calcium