title: Cannabinoids decrease excitatory synaptic transmission and impair long-term depression in rat cerebellar Purkinje cells.
abstract: 1. CB-1 cannabinoid receptors are strongly expressed in the molecular layer of the cerebellar cortex. We have analysed, in patch-clamped Purkinje cells (PCs) in rat cerebellar slices, the effect of the selective CB-1 agonists WIN55,212-2 and CP55,940 and of the selective CB-1 antagonist SR141716-A on excitatory synaptic transmission and synaptic plasticity. 2. Bath application of both agonists markedly depressed parallel fibre (PF) EPSCs. This effect was reversed by SR141716-A. In contrast, responses of PCs to ionophoretic application of glutamate were not affected by WIN55, 212-2. 3. The coefficient of variation and the paired-pulse facilitation of these PF-mediated EPSCs increased in the presence of WIN55,212-2. 4. WIN55,212-2 decreased the frequency of miniature EPSCs and of asynchronous synaptic events evoked in the presence of strontium in the bath, but did not affect their amplitude. 5. WIN55, 212-2 did not change the excitability of PFs. 6. WIN55,212-2 impaired long-term depression induced by pairing protocols in PCs. This effect was antagonized by SR141716-A. The same impairment of LTD was produced by 2-chloroadenosine, a compound that decreases the probability of release of glutamate at PF-PC synapses. 7. The present study demonstrates that cannabinoids inhibit synaptic transmission at PF-PC synapses by decreasing the probability of release of glutamate, and thereby impair LTD. These two effects might represent a plausible cellular mechanism underlying cerebellar dysfunction caused by cannabinoids.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Neurobiologie et Neuropharmacologie du Developpement, IDN-CNRS CASE no. 8, 7 quai St Bernard, 75005 Paris, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lévénés
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Daniel
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Soubrié
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Crépel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D048588:Benzoxazines; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D002186:Cannabinoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002525:Cerebellar Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D003511:Cyclohexanols / Q000494:pharmacology; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004594:Electrophysiology; D019706:Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D009025:Morpholines / Q000494:pharmacology; D009281:Naphthalenes / Q000494:pharmacology; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000187:drug effects; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000187:drug effects*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D010880:Piperidines / Q000494:pharmacology; D011689:Purkinje Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D011720:Pyrazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D000077285:Rimonabant; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D048588:Benzoxazines; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D002186:Cannabinoids; D003511:Cyclohexanols; D009025:Morpholines; D009281:Naphthalenes; D010880:Piperidines; D011720:Pyrazoles; C070417:(3R)-((2,3-dihydro-5-methyl-3-((4-morpholinyl)methyl)pyrrolo-(1,2,3-de)-1,4-benzoxazin-6-yl)(1-naphthalenyl))methanone; C054649:3-(2-hydroxy-4-(1,1-dimethylheptyl)phenyl)-4-(3-hydroxypropyl)cyclohexanol; D000077285:Rimonabant