title: A large sustained Ca2+ elevation occurs in unstimulated spines during the LTP pairing protocol but does not change synaptic strength.
abstract: Synapses in the CA1 region of the hippocampus undergo bidirectional synaptic modification in response to different patterns of activity. Postsynaptic Ca2+ elevation can trigger either synaptic strengthening or weakening, depending on the properties of the local Ca2+ signal. During the pairing protocol for long-term potentiation (LTP) induction, the cell is depolarized under voltage-clamp and is given low-frequency synaptic stimulation. As an initial step toward understanding the Ca2+ dynamics during this process, we used confocal microscopy to study the Ca2+ signals in spines evoked by the depolarization itself. This depolarization activates voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels (VDCC), but whether these channels inactivate rapidly or remain functional throughout the long depolarizations used in the pairing protocol remains unknown. Cells were depolarized to 0 mV for 2-3 min. This depolarization led to a large initial elevation of Ca2+ in spines that never decayed back to resting levels. The maintained signal was close to the Kd of the low-affinity (5 microM) Ca2+ dye, Magnesium Green. We attempted to determine the functional role of this elevation, using the Ca2+-channel blocker D-890. The addition of D-890 in the internal solution produced a nearly complete abolition of the Ca2+ elevation during depolarization. Under these conditions, the NMDA conductance was normal, but LTP was almost completely blocked. This might suggest the importance of VDCC in LTP; however, we found that high concentrations of D-890 can directly inhibit calmodulin protein kinase II (CaMKII), an enzyme required for LTP induction. Thus, whereas D-890 is a useful tool for blocking postsynaptic VDCC, it cannot be used to study the contribution of these channels to plasticity. We conclude that the activation of VDCC produces a large and persistent elevation of Ca2+ in all spines, but does not produce either LTP or long-term depression (LTD) in the absence of synaptic stimulation. The possible reasons for this are discussed.
authors.affiliation: CNRS, Laboratoire de Physiologie Cérébrale, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Rossella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Conti
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lisman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000502:physiology*; D005711:Gallopamil / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D017774:Long-Term Potentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D013569:Synapses / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D005711:Gallopamil; C041386:D 890