title: Reversible, activity-dependent targeting of profilin to neuronal nuclei.
abstract: The actin cytoskeleton in pyramidal neurons plays a major role in activity-dependent processes underlying neuronal plasticity. The small actin-binding protein profilin shows NMDA receptor-dependent accumulation in dendritic spines, which is correlated with suppression of actin dynamics and long-term stabilization of synaptic morphology. Here we show that following NMDA receptor activation profilin also accumulates in the nucleus of hippocampal neurons via a process involving rearrangement of the actin cytoskeleton. This simultaneous targeting to dendritic spines and the cell nucleus suggests a novel mechanism of neuronal plasticity in which profilin both tags activated synapses and influences nuclear events.
authors.affiliation: Friedrich Miescher Institute, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland. andreas.birbach@lbicr.lbg.ac.at
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Birbach
authors.forename: J Martin
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Verkuyl
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matus
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000172:deficiency / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D002460:Cell Line; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D049229:Dendritic Spines / Q000378:metabolism; D005998:Glycine / Q000494:pharmacology; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008274:Magnesium / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D016202:N-Methylaspartate / Q000494:pharmacology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D051304:Profilins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding; D021381:Protein Transport; D051381:Rats; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000819:agonists / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D051304:Profilins; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D008274:Magnesium; D002118:Calcium; D005998:Glycine