title: mGluRs induce a long-term depression in the ventral tegmental area that involves a switch of the subunit composition of AMPA receptors.
abstract: Excitatory glutamatergic synapses on dopamine (DA) neurons of the ventral tegmental area (VTA) undergo long-lasting changes during conditioning of natural rewards and in response to drug exposure. It has been suggested that the ensuing context-dependent behavioural changes are associated with an increased efficacy of synaptic afferents determined by the balance of long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD). However, the molecular nature of the forms of LTP/LTD involved remains elusive. Here, using acute rat brain slices, we describe a form of long-term depression (LTD) that was engaged by synaptic activity or exogenous agonists activating group I metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR) and was sensitive to mGluR1 antagonists. Prior to mGluR-LTD, AMPAR mediated excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) showed strong rectification at positive potentials and were sensitive to Joro spider toxin (JST), a selective blocker of GluR2-lacking AMPARs. After mGluR-LTD, AMPAR EPSCs had linear current-voltage relations and became insensitive to JST. We conclude that activation of mGluR1s triggers a redistribution exchanging native receptors for GluR2 containing AMPARs, ultimately causing LTD that may oppose pathological neuroadaptation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Neurosciences, University Geneva, 1 Michel Servet, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Camilla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bellone
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lüscher
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D019706:Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007211:Indoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D036881:Long-Term Synaptic Depression / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D008301:Maleimides / Q000494:pharmacology; D009433:Neural Inhibition / Q000187:drug effects; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques / Q000379:methods; D010880:Piperidines / Q000494:pharmacology; D021122:Protein Subunits / Q000502:physiology; D011720:Pyrazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018091:Receptors, AMPA / Q000502:physiology*; D013111:Spider Venoms / Q000494:pharmacology; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D017557:Ventral Tegmental Area / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D007211:Indoles; C044936:JSTX spider toxin; D008301:Maleimides; D010880:Piperidines; D021122:Protein Subunits; D011720:Pyrazoles; D018091:Receptors, AMPA; D013111:Spider Venoms; C103505:AM 251; C070515:bisindolylmaleimide I