Diversity of neuropsin (KLK8)-dependent synaptic associativity in the hippocampal pyramidal neuron

J Physiol. 2011 Jul 15;589(Pt 14):3559-73. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.2011.206169. Epub 2011 Jun 6.

Abstract

Hippocampal early (E-) long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) elicited by a weak stimulus normally fades within 90 min. Late (L-) LTP and LTD elicited by strong stimuli continue for >180 min and require new protein synthesis to persist. If a strong tetanus is applied once to synaptic inputs, even a weak tetanus applied to another synaptic input can evoke persistent LTP. A synaptic tag is hypothesized to enable the capture of newly synthesized synaptic molecules. This process, referred to as synaptic tagging, is found between not only the same processes (i.e. E- and L-LTP; E- and L-LTD) but also between different processes (i.e. E-LTP and L-LTD; E-LTD and L-LTP) induced at two independent synaptic inputs (cross-tagging). However, the mechanisms of synaptic tag setting remain unclear. In our previous study, we found that synaptic associativity in the hippocampal Schaffer collateral pathway depended on neuropsin (kallikrein-related peptidase 8 or KLK8), a plasticity-related extracellular protease. In the present study, we investigated how neuropsin participates in synaptic tagging and cross-tagging. We report that neuropsin is involved in synaptic tagging during LTP at basal and apical dendritic inputs. Moreover, neuropsin is involved in synaptic tagging and cross-tagging during LTP at apical dendritic inputs via integrin β1 and calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II signalling. Thus, neuropsin is a candidate molecule for the LTP-specific tag setting and regulates the transformation of E- to L-LTP during both synaptic tagging and cross-tagging.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • CA1 Region, Hippocampal / metabolism*
  • Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2 / metabolism
  • Dendrites / metabolism
  • Dendrites / physiology
  • Electric Stimulation / methods
  • Integrin beta1 / metabolism
  • Kallikreins / metabolism*
  • Long-Term Potentiation / physiology
  • Long-Term Synaptic Depression / physiology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Neuronal Plasticity / physiology
  • Pyramidal Cells / metabolism*
  • Serine Proteases / metabolism
  • Synapses / metabolism*

Substances

  • Integrin beta1
  • Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2
  • Serine Proteases
  • Kallikreins
  • Prss19 protein, mouse