title: Activity-induced targeting of profilin and stabilization of dendritic spine morphology.
abstract: Morphological changes in dendritic spines have been implicated in connective plasticity in brain circuitry, but the underlying pathway leading from synaptic transmission to structural change is unknown. Using primary neurons expressing GFP-tagged proteins, we found that profilin, a regulator of actin polymerization, is targeted to spine heads when postsynaptic NMDA receptors are activated and that actin-based changes in spine shape are concomitantly blocked. Profilin targeting was triggered by electrical stimulation patterns known to induce the long-term changes in synaptic responsiveness associated with memory formation. These results suggest that, in addition to electrophysiological changes, NMDA receptor activation initiates changes in the actin cytoskeleton of dendritic spines that stabilize synaptic structure.
authors.affiliation: Friedrich Miescher Institute, Box 2543, 4002 Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ackermann
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matus
mesh_terms: D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002452:Cell Count; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002645:Chickens; D003285:Contractile Proteins; D003712:Dendrites / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008274:Magnesium / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D009465:Neuromuscular Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D011189:Potassium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D017729:Presynaptic Terminals / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051304:Profilins; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D003285:Contractile Proteins; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D009465:Neuromuscular Agents; C495739:Pfn1 protein, mouse; D051304:Profilins; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate; C054562:yellow fluorescent protein, Bacteria; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D011189:Potassium Chloride; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A; D008274:Magnesium; D002118:Calcium