title: Selective role for trkB neurotrophin receptors in rapid modulation of hippocampal synaptic transmission.
abstract: Neurotrophins regulate neuronal survival and phenotypic differentiation. Recent evidence also suggests a role in the modulation of synaptic activity. Using neuronal cell cultures from embryonic hippocampus, we previously found that application of brain-derived neurotrophic factor rapidly enhanced synaptic transmission. We now report that application of neurotrophin-4, another ligand for the trkB neurotrophin receptor, was equally effective in enhancing synaptic currents. In contrast, nerve growth factor, neurotrophin-3, basic fibroblast growth factor and epidermal growth factor did not share this action. Our results suggest that activation of trkB receptors plays a selective role in the regulation of synaptic efficacy in the hippocampus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Piscataway 08854, USA.
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Levine
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Dreyfus
authors.forename: I B
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Black
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Plummer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020801:Receptor, Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor / Q000502:physiology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D020801:Receptor, Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor