title: Astrocytic purinergic signaling coordinates synaptic networks.
abstract: To investigate the role of astrocytes in regulating synaptic transmission, we generated inducible transgenic mice that express a dominant-negative SNARE domain selectively in astrocytes to block the release of transmitters from these glial cells. By releasing adenosine triphosphate, which accumulates as adenosine, astrocytes tonically suppressed synaptic transmission, thereby enhancing the dynamic range for long-term potentiation and mediated activity-dependent, heterosynaptic depression. These results indicate that astrocytes are intricately linked in the regulation of synaptic strength and plasticity and provide a pathway for synaptic cross-talk.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Conte Center for Integration at the Tripartite Synapse, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Pascual
authors.forename: Kristen B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Casper
authors.forename: Cathryn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kubera
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Revilla-Sanchez
authors.forename: Jai-Yoon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Sul
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takano
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Moss
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.forename: Philip G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Haydon
mesh_terms: D000241:Adenosine / Q000378:metabolism*; D058916:Adenosine A1 Receptor Antagonists; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019706:Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D017774:Long-Term Potentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000187:drug effects; D058915:Purinergic P1 Receptor Antagonists; D058919:Purinergic P2 Receptor Antagonists; D043682:Receptor, Adenosine A1 / Q000378:metabolism; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D018047:Receptors, Purinergic P1 / Q000378:metabolism; D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2 / Q000378:metabolism; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects; D014970:Xanthines / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: C092431:6-N,N-diethyl-beta,gamma-dibromomethylene-D-ATP; D058916:Adenosine A1 Receptor Antagonists; C121001:NR2B NMDA receptor; D058915:Purinergic P1 Receptor Antagonists; D058919:Purinergic P2 Receptor Antagonists; D043682:Receptor, Adenosine A1; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D018047:Receptors, Purinergic P1; D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2; D014970:Xanthines; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; C051360:1,3-dipropyl-8-cyclopentylxanthine; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases; D000241:Adenosine