title: BDNF acutely modulates synaptic transmission and calcium signalling in developing cortical neurons.
abstract: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), like other neurotrophins, has long-term effects on neuronal survival and differentiation; furthermore, BDNF has been reported to exert an acute potentiation of synaptic activity and are critically involved in long-term potentiation(LTP). We found that BDNF rapidly induced potentiation of synaptic activity and an increase in the intracellular Ca2+ concentration in cultured cortical neurons. Within minutes of BDNF application to cultured cortical neurons, spontaneous firing rate was dramatically increased as was the frequency and amplitude of excitatory spontaneous postsynaptic currents (EPSCs). Fura-2 recordings showed that BDNF acutely elicited an increase in intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i). This effect was partially dependent on extracellular Ca2+. In calcium-free perfusion medium a substantial calcium signal remained which disappeared after loading of cortical neurons with 5 microM U-73122. BDNF-induce Ca2+ transients were completely blocked by K252a and partially blocked by Cd2+. The results demonstrate that BDNF can enhance synaptic transmission and induce directly a rise in [Ca2+]i that require two routes: the release of Ca2+ from intracellular calcium stores and influx of extracellular Ca2+ mainly through voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels in cultured cortical neurons.
authors.affiliation: The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Photonics of Ministry of Education, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Qingming
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Luo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000502:physiology; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002227:Carbazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D004963:Estrenes / Q000494:pharmacology; D026121:Indole Alkaloids; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D011760:Pyrrolidinones / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D002227:Carbazoles; D004963:Estrenes; D026121:Indole Alkaloids; D011760:Pyrrolidinones; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C060229:1-(6-((3-methoxyestra-1,3,5(10)-trien-17-yl)amino)hexyl)-1H-pyrrole-2,5-dione; C049985:staurosporine aglycone