title: Modulation of neuronal calcium signaling by neurotrophic factors.
abstract: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a member of the neurotrophin (NT) family, is emerging as a key mediator of activity-dependent modifications of synaptic strength in the central nervous system. Because of the well-established role of post-synaptic elevations in concentrations of free Ca(2+) ions ([Ca(2+)](i)) in synaptic plasticity, we investigated the hypothesis that BDNF exerts its neuromodulatory effects on hippocampal pyramidal neurons by enhancing dendritic [Ca(2+)](i) transients mediated by voltage-dependent Ca(2+) channels (VDCCs) during the firing of back-propagating action potentials. Simultaneous whole-cell recording and microfluorometric Ca(2+) imaging were performed in CA1 pyramidal neurons from hippocampal organotypic slice cultures treated with BDNF for 2-4 days in vitro. Our observations indicate that long-term exposure to BDNF does not affect [Ca(2+)](i) transients in apical dendrites mediated by influx through L-type VDCCs during trains of back-propagating action potentials evoked by direct depolarizing current injections. These results suggest that, despite BDNF's profound effects on hippocampal synaptic plasticity, and of L-type Ca(2+) channels on neuronal gene transcription, the role of BDNF in cellular models of hippocampus-dependent learning and memory does not involve modulation of voltage-gated dendritic Ca(2+) signaling mediated by L-type channels in apical dendrites of CA1 pyramidal neurons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, CIRC-429, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294-0021, USA.
authors.forename: Mary Eve
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: McCutchen
authors.forename: Clive R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Bramham
authors.forename: Lucas D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Pozzo-Miller
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D003712:Dendrites / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D017966:Pyramidal Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type; D002118:Calcium