title: Enhanced sensitivity to group II mGlu receptor activation at corticostriatal synapses in mice lacking the familial parkinsonism-linked genes PINK1 or Parkin.
abstract: An altered glutamatergic input at corticostriatal synapses has been shown in experimental models of Parkinson's disease (PD). In the present work, we analyzed the membrane and synaptic responses of striatal neurons to metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptor activation in two different mouse models of inherited PD, linked to mutations in PINK1 or Parkin genes. Both in PINK1 and Parkin knockout ((-/-)) mice, activation of group I mGlu receptors by 3,5-DHPG caused a membrane depolarization coupled to an increase in firing frequency in striatal cholinergic interneurons that was comparable to the response observed in the respective wild-type (WT) interneurons. The sensitivity to group II and III mGlu receptors was tested on cortically-evoked excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) recorded from medium spiny neurons (MSNs). Both LY379268 and L-AP4, agonists for group II and III, respectively, had no effect on intrinsic membrane properties, but dose-dependently reduced the amplitude of corticostriatal EPSPs. However, both in PINK1(-/-) and Parkin(-/-) mice, LY379268, but not L-AP4, exhibited a greater potency as compared to WT in depressing EPSP amplitude. Accordingly, the dose-response curve for the response to LY379268 in both knockout mice was shifted leftward. Moreover, consistent with a presynaptic site of action, both LY379268 and L-AP4 increased the paired-pulse ratio either in PINK1(-/-) and Parkin(-/-) or in WT mice. Acute pretreatment with L-dopa did not rescue the enhanced sensitivity to LY379268. Together, these results suggest that the selective increase in sensitivity of striatal group II mGlu receptors represents an adaptive change in mice in which an altered dopamine metabolism has been documented.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, University Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Martella
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Platania
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vita
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sciamanna
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cuomo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tassone
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tscherter
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kitada
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bonsi
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pisani
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D055592:Biophysical Phenomena; D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic / Q000494:pharmacology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology*; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000166:cytology*; D015259:Dopamine Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D019706:Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007980:Levodopa / Q000494:pharmacology; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques / Q000379:methods; D011422:Propionates / Q000494:pharmacology; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000172:deficiency*; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate / Q000378:metabolism*; D013569:Synapses / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D044767:Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / Q000172:deficiency*; D000099202:PTEN-Induced Putative Kinase
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic; D015259:Dopamine Agents; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D007980:Levodopa; D011422:Propionates; D011494:Protein Kinases; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate; D044767:Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases; D000099202:PTEN-Induced Putative Kinase; C114785:2-amino-4-phosphono-propinate; C118218:LY 379268; C108822:metabotropic glutamate receptor 2; C111567:parkin protein