title: Regulation of postsynaptic structure and function by an A-kinase anchoring protein-membrane-associated guanylate kinase scaffolding complex.
abstract: A-kinase anchoring protein (AKAP) 79/150 is a scaffold protein found in dendritic spines that recruits the cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) and protein phosphatase 2B-calcineurin (CaN) to membrane-associated guanylate kinase (MAGUK)-linked AMPA receptors (AMPARs) to control receptor phosphorylation and synaptic plasticity. However, AKAP79/150 may also coordinate regulation of AMPAR activity with spine structure directly through MAGUK binding and membrane-cytoskeletal interactions of its N-terminal targeting domain. In cultured hippocampal neurons, we observed that rat AKAP150 expression was low early in development but then increased coincident with spine formation and maturation. Overexpression of human AKAP79 in immature or mature neurons increased the number of dendritic filopodia and spines and enlarged spine area. However, RNA interference knockdown of AKAP150 decreased dendritic spine area only in mature neurons. Importantly, AKAP79 overexpression in immature neurons increased AMPAR postsynaptic localization and activity. Neither the AKAP79 PKA nor CaN anchoring domain was required for increasing dendritic protrusion numbers, spine area, or AMPAR synaptic localization; however, an internal region identified as the MAGUK binding domain was found to be essential as shown by expression of a MAGUK binding mutant that formed mainly filopodia and decreased AMPAR synaptic localization and activity. Expression of the AKAP79 N-terminal targeting domain alone also increased filopodia numbers but not spine area. Overall, these results demonstrate a novel structural role for AKAP79/150 in which the N-terminal targeting domain induces dendritic filopodia and binding to MAGUKs promotes spine enlargement and AMPAR recruitment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA.
authors.forename: Holly R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Robertson
authors.forename: Emily S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.forename: Timothy A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Benke
authors.forename: Mark L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Dell'Acqua
mesh_terms: D054758:A Kinase Anchor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D019703:Calcineurin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D049229:Dendritic Spines / Q000378:metabolism; D000076122:Disks Large Homolog 4 Protein; D019706:Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000235:genetics; D051528:Guanylate Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D055369:Miniature Postsynaptic Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D009154:Mutation / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D017729:Presynaptic Terminals / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000235:genetics; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D034622:RNA Interference / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018091:Receptors, AMPA / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013569:Synapses / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014162:Transfection / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D054758:A Kinase Anchor Proteins; C487775:AKAP5 protein, human; C415703:Akap5 protein, rat; C501444:DLG4 protein, human; D000076122:Disks Large Homolog 4 Protein; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D018091:Receptors, AMPA; D051528:Guanylate Kinases; D019703:Calcineurin