okadaic-acid and 1-amino-1-3-dicarboxycyclopentane

Neurotrophins have been implicated in activity-dependent synaptic plasticity, but the underlying intracellular mechanisms remain largely unknown. Synaptic potentiation induced by brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), but not neurotrophin 3, was prevented by blockers of adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) signaling. Activators of cAMP signaling alone were ineffective in modifying synaptic efficacy but greatly enhanced the potentiation effect of BDNF. Blocking cAMP signaling abolished the facilitation of BDNF-induced potentiation by presynaptic activity. Thus synaptic actions of BDNF are gated by cAMP. Activity and other coincident signals that modulate cAMP concentrations may specify the action of secreted neurotrophins on developing nerve terminals.

Topics: Animals; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; Carbazoles; Cells, Cultured; Cyclic AMP; Cycloleucine; Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials; Indoles; Nerve Growth Factors; Neuronal Plasticity; Neurons; Neurotrophin 3; Okadaic Acid; Patch-Clamp Techniques; Pyrroles; Signal Transduction; Synapses; Synaptic Transmission; Thionucleotides; Xenopus

Whole-cell recordings were made from dorsomedial nucleus tractus solitarii neurons in thin coronal medullary slices of the rat, at the level of the area postrema. Monosynaptic excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) were evoked in the tractus solitarius by electrical stimulation in the presence of D-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (AP5) and bicuculline. Currents were also evoked by pressure ejection of (S)-alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionate (AMPA) in the presence of AP5, bicuculline, and tetrodotoxin or muscimol in the presence of 6,7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione and AP5. The metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) agonist (1S,3R)-1-aminocyclopentane-1,3-dicarboxylate [(1S,3R)-ACPD] reversibly depressed the EPSC and muscimol currents and reversibly potentiated AMPA currents. The effects of (1S,3R)-ACPD were blocked in the presence of a low concentration of the phosphoprotein phosphatase (PP)1 and PP2A inhibitor okadaic acid (OA) but not by a low concentration of the PP inhibitor calyculin A. The immunosuppressant agent FK506 failed to block (1S,3R)-ACPD effects on AMPA currents. However, (1S,3R)-ACPD applied in the presence of FK506 produced a reversible potentiation of muscimol currents. We previously demonstrated that the cell-permeant cGMP analog 8-Br-cGMP can mimic many of the effects of (1S,3R)-ACPD. OA antagonized the effects of 8-Br-cGMP in the present investigation. Finally, we previously demonstrated that brief tetanic stimulation results in the activation of a presynaptic mGluR autoreceptor and depression of subsequently evoked EPSCs. OA similarly blocked tetanus-induced depression of EPSCs. These findings suggest that mGluRs on tractus solitarius afferents and first-order nucleus tractus solitarii neurons may modulate glutamate release and AMPA and gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptor activity via activation of one or more PPs, such as PP2A and/or calcineurin.

Topics: alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid; Animals; Cycloleucine; Ethers, Cyclic; In Vitro Techniques; Marine Toxins; Membrane Potentials; Okadaic Acid; Oxazoles; Phosphoprotein Phosphatases; Rats; Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate; Solitary Nucleus; Tacrolimus