title: Sensory deprivation unmasks a PKA-dependent synaptic plasticity mechanism that operates in parallel with CaMKII.
abstract: Calcium/calmodulin kinase II (CaMKII) is required for LTP and experience-dependent potentiation in the barrel cortex. Here, we find that whisker deprivation increases LTP in the layer IV to II/III pathway and that PKA antagonists block the additional LTP. No LTP was seen in undeprived CaMKII-T286A mice, but whisker deprivation again unmasked PKA-sensitive LTP. Infusion of a PKA agonist potentiated EPSPs in deprived wild-types and deprived CaMKII-T286A point mutants but not in undeprived animals of either genotype. The PKA-dependent potentiation mechanism was not present in GluR1 knockouts. Infusion of a PKA antagonist caused depression of EPSPs in undeprived but not deprived cortex. LTD was occluded by whisker deprivation and blocked by PKA manipulation, but not blocked by cannabinoid antagonists. NMDA receptor currents were unaffected by sensory deprivation. These results suggest that sensory deprivation causes synaptic depression by reversing a PKA-dependent process that may act via GluR1.
authors.affiliation: School of Bioscience, Cardiff University, Museum Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3US, UK.
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hardingham
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dachtler
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fox
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D054732:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002186:Cannabinoids / Q000378:metabolism; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D018683:Excitatory Amino Acid Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D010880:Piperidines / Q000494:pharmacology; D017354:Point Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D011720:Pyrazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D018091:Receptors, AMPA / Q000172:deficiency; D012683:Sensory Deprivation / Q000502:physiology*; D014738:Vibrissae / Q000294:innervation
chemical_list: D054732:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2; D002186:Cannabinoids; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases; D018683:Excitatory Amino Acid Agents; D010880:Piperidines; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011720:Pyrazoles; D018091:Receptors, AMPA; C103505:AM 251