title: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor rapidly enhances phosphorylation of the postsynaptic N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunit 1.
abstract: Although neurotrophins have traditionally been regarded as neuronal survival factors, recent work has suggested a role for these factors in synaptic plasticity. In particular, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) rapidly enhances synaptic transmission in hippocampal neurons through trkB receptor stimulation and postsynaptic phosphorylation mechanisms. Activation of trkB also modulates hippocampal long-term potentiation, in which postsynaptic N-methyl-D-aspartate glutamate receptors play a key role. However, the final common pathway through which BDNF increases postsynaptic responsiveness is unknown. We now report that BDNF, within 5 min of exposure, elicits a dose-dependent increase in phosphorylation of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunit 1. This acute effect occurred in hippocampal synaptoneurosomes, which contain pre- and postsynaptic elements, and in isolated hippocampal postsynaptic densities. Nerve growth factor, in contrast, caused no enhancement of phosphorylation. These results suggest a potential mechanism for trophin-induced potentiation of synaptic transmission.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Suen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Levine
authors.forename: H T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Mount
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: I B
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Black
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000378:metabolism*; D013569:Synapses / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate