Long-term potentiation at hippocampal perforant path-dentate astrocyte synapses

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2009 Jun 5;383(3):326-30. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2009.04.005. Epub 2009 Apr 7.

Abstract

Accumulated evidence indicates that astroglial cells actively participate in neuronal synaptic transmission and plasticity. However, it is still not clear whether astrocytes are able to undergo plasticity in response to synaptic inputs. Here we demonstrate that a long-term potentiation (LTP)-like response could be detected at perforant path-dentate astrocyte synapses following high-frequency stimulation (HFS) in hippocampal slices of GFAP-GFP transgenic mice. The potentiation was not dependent on the glutamate transporters nor the group I metabotropic glutamate receptors. However, the induction of LTP requires activation of the NMDA receptor (NMDAR). The presence of functional NMDAR was supported by isolating the NMDAR-gated current and by identifying mRNAs of NMDAR subunits in astrocytes. Our results suggest that astrocytes in the hippocampal dentate gyrus are able to undergo plasticity in response to presynaptic inputs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Astrocytes / cytology
  • Astrocytes / physiology
  • Dentate Gyrus / cytology
  • Dentate Gyrus / physiology*
  • Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / genetics
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / metabolism
  • Hippocampus / cytology
  • Hippocampus / physiology*
  • Long-Term Potentiation*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / genetics
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / metabolism
  • Synapses / physiology*

Substances

  • Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate
  • glial fibrillary astrocytic protein, mouse
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins