Biomedical subjects

Stefano Vicini

Publications and source records attributed to Stefano Vicini.

31 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed2004

NAAG peptidase inhibition reduces locomotor activity and some stereotypes in the PCP model of schizophrenia via group II mGluR.

Phencyclidine (PCP) administration elicits positive and negative symptoms that resemble those of schizophrenia and is widely accepted as a model for the study of this human disorder. Group II metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) agonists have been reported to reduce the behavioral and neurochemical effects of PCP. The peptide neurotransmitter, N-acetylaspartylglutamate (NAAG), is a selective group II agonist. We synthesized and characterized a urea-based NAAG analogue, ZJ43. This novel compound is a potent inhibitor of enzymes, glutamate carboxypeptidase II (K(i) = 0.8 nM) and III (K(i) = 23 nM) that deactivate NAAG following synaptic release. ZJ43 (100 microM) does not directly interact with NMDA receptors or metabotropic glutamate receptors. Administration of ZJ43 significantly reduced PCP-induced motor activation, falling while walking, stereotypic circling behavior, and head movements. To test the hypothesis that this effect of ZJ43 was mediated by increasing the activation of mGluR3 via increased levels of extracellular NAAG, the group II mGluR selective antagonist LY341495 was co-administered with ZJ43 prior to PCP treatment. This antagonist completely reversed the effects of ZJ43. Additionally, LY341495 alone increased PCP-induced motor activity and head movements suggesting that normal levels of NAAG act to moderate the effect of PCP on motor activation via a group II mGluR. These data support the view that NAAG peptidase inhibitors may represent a new therapeutic approach to some of the components of schizophrenia that are modeled by PCP.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Functional excitatory synapses in HEK293 cells expressing neuroligin and glutamate receptors.

The discovery that neuroligin is a key protein involved in synapse formation offers the unprecedented opportunity to induce functional synapses between neurons and heterologous cells. We took this opportunity recording for the first-time synaptic currents in human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cells transfected with neuroligin and the N-methyl-d-aspartate or AMPA receptor subunits in a co-culture with rat cerebellar granule cells. These currents were similar to synaptic currents recorded in neurons, and their decay kinetics was determined by the postsynaptic subunit combination. Although neuroligin expression was sufficient to detect functional synapses, cotransfection of HEK293 cells with Postsynaptic density-95/synapse-associated protein-90 (PSD-95) significantly increased current frequency. Our results support the central role of neuroligin in the formation of CNS synapses, validate the proposal that PSD-95 allows synaptic maturation, and provide a unique experimental model to study how molecular components determine functional properties of excitatory synapses.

Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal↗

PubMed2003

PSD-95 regulates NMDA receptors in developing cerebellar granule neurons of the rat.

We transfected a green fluorescent protein-tagged PSD-95 (PSD-95gfp) into cultured rat cerebellar granule cells (CGCs) to investigate the role of PSD-95 in excitatory synapse maturation. Cells were grown in low potassium to favour functional synapse formation in vitro. Transfected cells displayed clear clusters of PSD-95gfp, often at the extremities of the short dendritic trees. We recorded NMDA and AMPA miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (NMDA- and AMPA-mESPCs) in the presence of TTX and bicuculline. At days in vitro (DIV) 7-8 PSD-95gfp-transfected cells had NMDA-mEPSCs with faster decay and smaller amplitudes than matching controls. In contrast, AMPA-mEPSC frequencies and amplitudes were increased. Whole-cell current density and ifenprodil sensitivity were reduced in PSD-95gfp cells, indicating a reduction of NR2B subunits containing NMDA receptors. No changes were observed compared to control when cells were transfected with cDNA for PSD-95gfp with palmitoylation site mutations that prevent targeting to the synapse. Overexpression of the NMDA receptor NR2A subunit, but not the NR2B subunit, prevented NMDA-mEPSC amplitude reduction when cotransfected with PSD-95gfp. PSD-95gfp overexpression produced faster NMDA-mEPSC decay when transfected alone or with either NR2 subunit. Surface staining of the epitope-tagged NR2 subunits revealed that colocalization with PSD-95gfp was higher for flag-tagged NR2A subunit clusters than for flag-tagged NR2B subunit clusters. These data suggest that PSD-95 overexpression in CGCs favours synaptic maturation by allowing synaptic insertion of NR2A and depressing expression of NR2B subunits.

Algorithms↗

PubMed2003

NMDA receptor trafficking through an interaction between PDZ proteins and the exocyst complex.

NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptors (NMDARs) are targeted to dendrites and anchored at the post-synaptic density (PSD) through interactions with PDZ proteins. However, little is known about how these receptors are sorted from the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus to the synapse. Here, we find that synapse-associated protein 102 (SAP102) interacts with the PDZ-binding domain of Sec8, a member of the exocyst complex. Our results show that interactions between SAP102 and Sec8 are involved in the delivery of NMDARs to the cell surface in heterologous cells and neurons. Furthermore, they suggest that an exocyst-SAP102-NMDAR complex is an important component of NMDAR trafficking.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2003

GABA-induced neurite outgrowth of cerebellar granule cells is mediated by GABA(A) receptor activation, calcium influx and CaMKII and erk1/2 pathways.

During neuronal development, GABAA-mediated responses are depolarizing and induce an increase in the intracellular calcium concentration. Since calcium oscillations can modulate neurite outgrowth, we explored the capability of GABA to induce changes in cerebellar granule cell morphology. We find that treatment with GABA (1-1000 microm) induces an increase in the intracellular calcium concentration through the activation of GABA(A) receptors and voltage-gated calcium channels of the L-subtype. Perforated patch-clamp recordings reveal that this depolarizing response is due to a chloride reversal potential close to - 35 mV. When cells are grown in depolarizing potassium chloride concentrations, a shift in reversal potential (Erev) for GABA is observed, and only 20% of the cells are depolarized by the neurotransmitter at day 5 in vitro. On the contrary, cells grown under resting conditions are depolarized after GABA application even at day 8. GABA increases the complexity of the dendritic arbors of cerebellar granule neurons via a calcium-dependent mechanism triggered by voltage-gated calcium channel activation. Specific blockers of calcium-calmodulin kinase II and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (KN93 and PD098059) implicate these kinases in the intracellular pathways involved in the neuritogenic effect of GABA. These data demonstrate that GABA exerts a stimulatory role on cerebellar granule cell neuritogenesis through calcium influx and activation of calcium-dependent kinases.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

GABA(A) receptor beta3 subunit deletion decreases alpha2/3 subunits and IPSC duration.

Deletion of the beta3 subunit of the GABA(A) receptor produces severe behavioral deficits and epilepsy. GABA(A) receptor-mediated miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs) in cortical neurons in cultures from beta3 -/- mice were significantly faster than those in beta3 +/+ mice and were more prolonged by zolpidem. Surface staining revealed that the number of beta2/3, alpha2, and alpha3 (but not of alpha1) subunit-expressing neurons and the intensity of subunit clusters were significantly reduced in beta3 -/- mice. Transfection of beta3 -/- neurons with beta3 cDNA restored beta2/3, alpha2, and alpha3 subunits immunostaining and slowed mIPSCs decay. We show that the deletion of the beta3 subunit causes the loss of a subset of GABA(A) receptors with alpha2 and alpha3 subunits while leaving a receptor population containing predominantly alpha1 subunit with fast spontaneous IPSC decay and increased zolpidem sensitivity.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Nicotinic ACh receptor subtypes on gastrointestinally projecting neurones in the dorsal motor vagal nucleus of the rat.

To determine the predominant nicotinic ACh receptor (nAChR) located on neurones in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV) that project to the gastrointestinal tract, we used the rat brainstem slice preparation and whole-cell recordings of DMV neurones identified by retrograde DiI tracing to pharmacologically characterize nAChRs. Pressure ejection of acetylcholine (ACh, 250 microM for 200 ms) from a patch pipette placed approximately 10-20 microm from the surface of the recorded cell produced an inward current in most DMV neurones sampled. The average currents for neurones projecting to the fundus, antrum and caecum were 149 +/- 38 (n = 25), 115 +/- 18 (n = 29) and 117 +/- 23 pA (n = 6), respectively. Blockade of the alpha7 subtype of nAChR with either alpha-bungarotoxin (alpha-BGT) or methyllycaconitine (MLA) counteracted 60-75 % of the ACh-evoked current in DMV neurones projecting to the fundus, antrum and caecum. In neurones projecting to the fundus and the antrum, currents resistant to alpha-BGT were significantly blocked by dihydro-beta-erythroidine (10-20 nM), an antagonist of the alpha4beta2 subtype of nAChR. In neurones projecting to the caecum, currents resistant to alpha-BGT were significantly depressed by a low concentration of mecamylamine (1 microM). Cytisine (100 microM), an agonist of nAChRs that contain the alpha7 or the beta4 subunit, evoked significant currents in caecum-projecting neurones that were previously exposed to alpha-BGT. In contrast, cytisine had no effect on DMV neurones previously exposed to alpha-BGT that project to the fundus or antrum. Our data indicate that the prevailing nAChR subtype in DMV neurones projecting to the GI tract is the alpha7 subtype. In addition, we obtained evidence for the co-expression of the alpha4beta2 nAChR subtype on DMV neurones projecting to the fundus and antrum, and the alpha3beta4 nAChR subtype on DMV neurones projecting to the caecum.

Acetylcholine↗

PubMed2002

Relationship between availability of NMDA receptor subunits and their expression at the synapse.

The effect of increasing the expression of NMDA subunits in cerebellar granule cells (CGCs) by transfection was studied to determine how the availability of various NMDA subunits controls both the total pool of functional receptors and the synaptic pool. Overexpression of either NR2A or NR2B, but not splice variants of NR1, by transfection caused a significant increase in the total number of functional NMDA receptors and in surface NR1 subunit cluster density in CGCs in primary culture. These data solidify the central role of NR2 subunit availability in determining the number of cell surface receptors. Overexpression of either NR2A or NR2B significantly altered the deactivation kinetics of NMDA-mediated miniature EPSCs (NMDA-mEPSCs). However, there was no significant effect of NR2 subunit overexpression on the mEPSC amplitude or single-channel conductance. NR2 subunit overexpression did not change the rate of block by MK-801 of NMDA-mediated currents in excised patches from CGCs, indicating that subunit composition does not regulate peak open probability of the channel in CGCs. With the overexpression of a mutant of NR2B lacking the PDZ binding domain, there was an increase in the total number of NMDA receptors without a change in mEPSC kinetics. Therefore, the entry of NMDA receptors into the synapse requires a PDZ binding domain and is limited by means other than receptor subunit availability.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

GABA(A) receptor delta subunit deletion prevents neurosteroid modulation of inhibitory synaptic currents in cerebellar neurons.

The delta subunit of the GABA(A) receptor has been reported to play a pivotal role in neurosteroid modulation. We investigated the action of the neurosteroid THDOC on GABA(A) receptor-mediated spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs) recorded in cerebellar neurons from delta subunit knockout mice. We observed that the neurosteroid failed to prolong IPSCs in granule neurons in cerebellar slices from these mice. This was in contrast to robust potentiation observed in wild-type mice. However, in stellate neurons, naturally devoid of delta subunit, a significant reduction of neurosteroid action on sIPSCs recorded in the presence of tetrodotoxin (mIPSCs) was also observed in mice that lack the delta subunit. Given the reported role of intracellular protein kinase C modulation of neurosteroid activity, we investigated the action of THDOC by recording sIPSCs and mIPSCs from delta-deficient mice with intracellular perfusion of a kinase stimulator. Phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) completely restored the action of the neurosteroid on synaptic currents in both granule and stellate neurons.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Neuronal and glial mGluR5 modulation prevents stretch-induced enhancement of NMDA receptor current.

Neuronal stretching in culture has been used to model diffuse axonal injury caused by head trauma, and activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) has been implicated in the pathophysiology of such injury. Here we report the effects of modulating injury severity and the metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 5 (mGluR5) on NMDAR activity after stretch injury. Following mild stretch, cortical neurons plated upon a confluent layer of astrocytes (NG) exhibited both increased maximal current (I(NMDA)) and reduction in the voltage-dependent Mg2+ block. In contrast, neurons grown without an astrocyte monolayer (PN) only exhibited increased I(NMDA). In NG, surprisingly, pretreatment with either the mGluR5 agonist CHPG or the mGluR5 antagonist MPEP decreased the enhancement of I(NMDA). In contrast, in PN, MPEP similarly limited I(NMDA) changes, but CHPG was without effect. In both culture conditions, MPEP, but not CHPG, limited the stretch-reduced Mg2+ block. Severe stretch had no effect on I(NMDA) or the Mg2+ block in either culture condition, despite a correlation between injury severity and the release of lactose dehydrogenase measured postinjury. Neither CHPG nor MPEP had any direct effects upon the NMDA receptor. We conclude that mGluR5 regulates NMDAR activity during mild stretch injury, but not severe injury, by modulating both the Mg2+ block and I(NMDA).

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Kainate-induced excitotoxicity is dependent upon extracellular potassium concentrations that regulate the activity of AMPA/KA type glutamate receptors.

In addition to well-known N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-mediated excitotoxicity, recent studies suggest that non-NMDA type ionotropic glutamate receptors are also important mediators of excitotoxic neuronal death, and that their functional expression can be regulated by the cellular environment. In this study, we used cerebellar granule cells (CGCs) in culture to investigate kainate (KA)-induced excitotoxicity. Although previous reports indicated that KA induces apoptosis of CGCs in culture, no KA-induced excitotoxic cell death was observed in CGCs treated with KA when cells were maintained in high potassium media (24 mm K+). In contrast, when mature CGCs were shifted into low potassium media (3 mm K+), KA produced significant excitotoxicity. In electrophysiological studies, the KA-induced inward current density was significantly elevated in CGCs shifted into low K+ media compared with those maintained in high K+ media. Non-desensitizing aspects of KA currents observed in this study suggest that these responses were mediated by AMPA rather than KA receptors. In immunofluorescence studies, the surface expression of GluR1 subunits increased when mature CGCs were shifted into a low K+ environment. This study suggests that KA-induced excitotoxicity in mature CGCs is dependent upon the extracellular potassium concentration, which modulates functional expression and excitability of AMPA/KA receptors.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Association of NR3A with the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor NR1 and NR2 subunits.

The NR3A subunit of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor has been shown to form glutamatergic receptor complexes with NR1 and NR2 subunits and excitatory glycinergic receptor complexes with NR1 alone. We developed an antibody to NR3A and, using quantitative immunoblotting techniques, determined the degree of association between the NR3A subunit and the NR1 and NR2 subunits as well as changes in these associations during development. NR3A expression peaks between postnatal days 7 and 10 in the cortex, midbrain, and hippocampus and reaches higher maximal expression levels in these areas than in the olfactory bulb and cerebellum. Immunoprecipitation experiments with an anti-NR1 antibody demonstrated that the majority of NR3A is associated with NR1 in postnatal day 10 rat cortex (80 +/- 8%), decreasing by half (38 +/- 4%) in the adult rat cortex. Using the anti-NR3A antibody in immunoprecipitation studies, we find that 9.7 +/- 0.8% of NR1, 8.7 +/- 1.8% of NR2A, and 5.0 +/- 0.6% of NR2B are associated with NR3A at postnatal day 10. These values decrease by about half in adult rat cortex. The results of this study demonstrate that NR3A is expressed, distributed, and associated with other subunits in a manner that supports its role in synaptic transmission throughout the rat brain, perhaps playing different roles during development.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Silent synapses in developing cerebellar granule neurons.

Silent synapses are excitatory synapses endowed exclusively with N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) responses that have been proposed to acquire alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) responses during development and after long-term potentiation (LTP). These synapses are functionally silent because of the Mg(2+) block of NMDA receptors at resting potentials. Here we provide evidence for the presence of silent synapses in developing cerebellar granule cells. Using the patch-clamp technique in the whole-cell configuration, we recorded the spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs) from rat cerebellar granule cells in culture and in slices at physiological concentration of Mg(2+) (1 mM). A holding potential of +60 mV removes Mg(2+) block of NMDA channels, allowing us to record NMDA-sEPSCs. We thus compared the frequency of AMPA-sEPSCs, recorded at -60 mV, with that of NMDA-sEPSCs, recorded at +60 mV. NMDA-sEPSCs occurred at higher frequency than the AMPA-sEPSCs in most cells recorded in slices from rats at postnatal day (P) <13 and in culture at 6-8 days after plating (DIV6-8). In a few cells from young rats (P6-9) and in most neurons in culture at DIV6 we recorded exclusively NMDA-sEPSCs, supporting the hypothesis of existence of functional synapses with NMDA and without AMPA receptors. Increasing glutamate release in the slice with cyclothiazide and temperature increased AMPA and NMDA-sEPSCs frequencies but failed to alter the relative ratio of frequency of occurrence. Frequency ratio of NMDA versus AMPA-sEPSCs in slices was correlated with the weighted time constant of decay (tau(w)) of NMDA-sEPSCs and decreased with development along the reported decrease of tau(w). We suggest that the prevalence of synaptic NR2A subunits that confer faster kinetics is paralleled by the disappearance of silent synapses early in cerebellar development.

Age Factors↗