title: Extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase activation is required for metabotropic glutamate receptor-dependent long-term depression in hippocampal area CA1.
abstract: Activation of group 1 metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) induces long-term depression (LTD) of synaptic transmission that relies on dendritic protein synthesis. We investigated the signal transduction pathways required for mGluR-LTD to identify candidate mechanisms for mGluR regulation of synaptic protein synthesis. Our results demonstrate a role for extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK), a subclass of the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), in mGluR-LTD in area CA1 of the rat hippocampus. Inhibitors of the upstream kinase of ERK, MAP/ERK kinase significantly reduce mGluR-LTD induced by the group 1 agonist dihydroxyphenylglycine (DHPG) and synaptic stimulation but do not affect NMDA receptor-dependent LTD. In contrast, inhibitors of p38 MAPK were ineffective against DHPG-induced LTD. Consistent with the role of ERK in mGluR-LTD, we observed that DHPG treatment of hippocampal slices (isolated CA1), at concentrations that induce LTD, results in a robust phosphorylation of ERK but not of p38 MAPK. These results point to ERK as an important regulator of mGluR-LTD and a potential mechanism for mGluR regulation of synaptic protein synthesis.
authors.affiliation: Center for Basic Neuroscience, Department of Physiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390-9111, USA.
authors.forename: Sean M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Gallagher
authors.forename: Christine A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Daly
authors.forename: Mark F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Bear
authors.forename: Kimberly M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Huber
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000502:physiology; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D005998:Glycine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D036881:Long-Term Synaptic Depression / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate / Q000819:agonists / Q000378:metabolism*; D012118:Resorcinols / Q000494:pharmacology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate; D012118:Resorcinols; C079215:3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D005998:Glycine