title: Pannexin 1 regulates bidirectional hippocampal synaptic plasticity in adult mice.
abstract: The threshold for bidirectional modification of synaptic plasticity is known to be controlled by several factors, including the balance between protein phosphorylation and dephosphorylation, postsynaptic free Ca(2+) concentration and NMDA receptor (NMDAR) composition of GluN2 subunits. Pannexin 1 (Panx1), a member of the integral membrane protein family, has been shown to form non-selective channels and to regulate the induction of synaptic plasticity as well as hippocampal-dependent learning. Although Panx1 channels have been suggested to play a role in excitatory long-term potentiation (LTP), it remains unknown whether these channels also modulate long-term depression (LTD) or the balance between both types of synaptic plasticity. To study how Panx1 contributes to excitatory synaptic efficacy, we examined the age-dependent effects of eliminating or blocking Panx1 channels on excitatory synaptic plasticity within the CA1 region of the mouse hippocampus. By using different protocols to induce bidirectional synaptic plasticity, Panx1 channel blockade or lack of Panx1 were found to enhance LTP, whereas both conditions precluded the induction of LTD in adults, but not in young animals. These findings suggest that Panx1 channels restrain the sliding threshold for the induction of synaptic plasticity and underlying brain mechanisms of learning and memory.
authors.affiliation: Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso, Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Neurociencia, Universidad de Valparaíso Valparaíso, Chile.
authors.forename: Alvaro O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Ardiles
authors.affiliation: Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso, Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Neurociencia, Universidad de Valparaíso Valparaíso, Chile.
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Flores-Muñoz
authors.affiliation: Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso, Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Neurociencia, Universidad de Valparaíso Valparaíso, Chile.
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Toro-Ayala
authors.affiliation: Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso, Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Neurociencia, Universidad de Valparaíso Valparaíso, Chile.
authors.forename: Ana M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Cárdenas
authors.affiliation: Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso, Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Neurociencia, Universidad de Valparaíso Valparaíso, Chile.
authors.forename: Adrian G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Palacios
authors.affiliation: Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso, Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Neurociencia, Universidad de Valparaíso Valparaíso, Chile ; Escuela de Medicina, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Valparaíso Valparaíso, Chile.
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Muñoz
authors.affiliation: Centro de Neurobiología y Plasticidad Cerebral, Instituto de Fisiología, Universidad de Valparaíso Valparaíso, Chile.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fuenzalida
authors.affiliation: Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso, Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Neurociencia, Universidad de Valparaíso Valparaíso, Chile ; Departamento de Fisiología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Juan C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Sáez
authors.affiliation: Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso, Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Neurociencia, Universidad de Valparaíso Valparaíso, Chile.
authors.forename: Agustín D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Martínez
keywords: LTD; LTP; NMDA receptors; hippocampus; mice; pannexin 1; synaptic plasticity