title: Differential mechanisms of transmission at three types of mossy fiber synapse.
abstract: The axons of the dentate gyrus granule cells, the so-called mossy fibers, innervate their inhibitory interneuron and pyramidal neuron targets via both anatomically and functionally specialized synapses. Mossy fiber synapses onto inhibitory interneurons were comprised of either calcium-permeable (CP) or calcium-impermeable (CI) AMPA receptors, whereas only calcium-impermeable AMPA receptors existed at CA3 principal neuron synapses. In response to brief trains of high-frequency stimuli (20 Hz), pyramidal neuron synapses invariably demonstrated short-term facilitation, whereas interneuron EPSCs demonstrated either short-term facilitation or depression. Facilitation at all CI AMPA synapses was voltage independent, whereas EPSCs at CP AMPA synapses showed greater facilitation at -20 than at -80 mV, consistent with a role for the postsynaptic unblock of polyamines. At pyramidal cell synapses, mossy fiber EPSCs possessed marked frequency-dependent facilitation (commencing at stimulation frequencies >0.1 Hz), whereas EPSCs at either type of interneuron synapse showed only moderate frequency-dependent facilitation or underwent depression. Presynaptic metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) decreased transmission at all three synapse types in a frequency-dependent manner. However, after block of presynaptic mGluRs, transmission at interneuron synapses still did not match the dynamic range of EPSCs at pyramidal neuron synapses. High-frequency stimulation of mossy fibers induced long-term potentiation (LTP), long-term depression (LTD), or no change at pyramidal neuron synapses, interneuron CP AMPA synapses, and CI AMPA synapses, respectively. Induction of LTP or LTD altered the short-term plasticity of transmission onto both pyramidal cells and interneuron CP AMPA synapses by a mechanism consistent with changes in release probability. These data reveal differential mechanisms of transmission at three classes of mossy fiber synapse made onto distinct targets.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurophysiology, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-4495, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Toth
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Suares
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Lawrence
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Philips-Tansey
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: McBain
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015317:Biogenic Polyamines / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability / Q000502:physiology; D018891:Dentate Gyrus / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D019706:Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007395:Interneurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D017774:Long-Term Potentiation / Q000502:physiology; D019599:Mossy Fibers, Hippocampal / Q000378:metabolism*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D018733:Nicotinic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D017966:Pyramidal Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D018091:Receptors, AMPA / Q000378:metabolism; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D017661:Receptors, Presynaptic / Q000378:metabolism; D013569:Synapses / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015317:Biogenic Polyamines; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D018733:Nicotinic Antagonists; D018091:Receptors, AMPA; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate; D017661:Receptors, Presynaptic; D002118:Calcium