scholarly journals Multiplex imaging of quantal glutamate release and presynaptic Ca2+ at multiple synapses in situ

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas P. Jensen ◽  
Kaiyu Zheng ◽  
Nicholas Cole ◽  
Jonathan S. Marvin ◽  
Loren L. Looger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neural Circuit ◽  
Glutamate Release ◽  
Loose Coupling ◽  
Excitatory Neurotransmitter ◽  
Presynaptic Function ◽  
Brain Circuits ◽  
Presynaptic Boutons ◽  
Central Synapses ◽  
Nanomolar Range

AbstractInformation processing by brain circuits depends on Ca2+-dependent, stochastic release of the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate. Optical glutamate sensors have enabled detection of evoked and spontaneous synaptic discharges. However, monitoring presynaptic function and its underpinning machinery in situ requires simultaneous readout of quantal glutamate release and nanomolar presynaptic Ca2+. Here, we find that the fluorescence lifetime of the red-shifted Ca2+ indicator Cal-590 is Ca2+-sensitive in the nanomolar range, and employ it in combination with green glutamate sensors to relate quantal neurotransmission to presynaptic Ca2+ kinetics. Imaging of multiple synapses in an identified neural circuit reveals that fluctuations both in spike-evoked Ca2+ transients and in resting presynaptic Ca2+ can affect release efficacy. At the sub-microscopic level within individual presynaptic boutons, we detected no consistent co-localisation of presynaptic Ca2+ entry and glutamate release sites, suggesting loose coupling between the two. The present approach broadens qualitatively our horizon in understanding release machinery of central synapses.

scholarly journals A Conditional Glutamatergic Synaptic Vesicle Marker for Drosophila

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah J Certel ◽  
Evelyne Ruchti ◽  
Brian D McCabe ◽  
R Steven Stowers
Keyword(s):  
Nervous System ◽  
Synaptic Vesicles ◽  
Neural Circuit ◽  
Glutamate Release ◽  
Nervous System Development ◽  
Central Complex ◽  
Excitatory Neurotransmitter ◽  
Glutamatergic Neurons ◽  
Brain Functions ◽  
Conditional Expression

Abstract Glutamate is a principal neurotransmitter used extensively by the nervous systems of all vertebrate and invertebrate animals. It is primarily an excitatory neurotransmitter that has been implicated in nervous system development as well as a myriad of brain functions from the simple transmission of information between neurons to more complex aspects of nervous system function including synaptic plasticity, learning, and memory. Identification of glutamatergic neurons and their sites of glutamate release are thus essential for understanding the mechanisms of neural circuit function and how information is processed to generate behavior. Here we describe and characterize smFLAG-vGlut, a conditional marker of glutamatergic synaptic vesicles for the Drosophila model system. smFLAG-vGlut is validated for functionality, conditional expression, and specificity for glutamatergic neurons and synaptic vesicles. The utility of smFLAG-vGlut is demonstrated by glutamatergic neurotransmitter phenotyping of 26 different central complex neuron types of which nine were established to be glutamatergic. This illumination of glutamate neurotransmitter usage will enhance the modeling of central complex neural circuitry and thereby our understanding of information processing by this region of the fly brain. The use of smFLAG for glutamatergic neurotransmitter phenotyping and identification of glutamate release sites can be extended to any Drosophila neuron(s) represented by a binary transcription system driver.

scholarly journals The Function of Sialidase Revealed by Sialidase Activity Imaging Probe

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 3187
Author(s):  
Akira Minami ◽  
Yuuki Kurebayashi ◽  
Tadanobu Takahashi ◽  
Tadamune Otsubo ◽  
Kiyoshi Ikeda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sialic Acid ◽  
Neural Circuit ◽  
Glutamate Release ◽  
Feedback Mechanism ◽  
Excitatory Neurotransmitter ◽  
Imaging Probe ◽  
Sialidase Activity ◽  
Mammalian Tissues ◽  
Neural Excitation ◽  
The Brain

Sialidase cleaves sialic acid residues from glycans such as glycoproteins and glycolipids. In the brain, desorption of the sialic acid by sialidase is essential for synaptic plasticity, learning and memory and synaptic transmission. BTP3-Neu5Ac has been developed for sensitive imaging of sialidase enzyme activity in mammalian tissues. Sialidase activity in the rat hippocampus detected with BTP3-Neu5Ac increases rapidly by neuronal depolarization. It is presumed that an increased sialidase activity in conjunction with neural excitation is involved in the formation of the neural circuit for memory. Since sialidase inhibits the exocytosis of the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate, the increased sialidase activity by neural excitation might play a role in the negative feedback mechanism against the glutamate release. Mammalian tissues other than the brain have also been stained with BTP3-Neu5Ac. On the basis of information on the sialidase activity imaging in the pancreas, it was found that sialidase inhibitor can be used as an anti-diabetic drug that can avoid hypoglycemia, a serious side effect of insulin secretagogues. In this review, we discuss the role of sialidase in the brain as well as in the pancreas and skin, as revealed by using a sialidase activity imaging probe. We also present the detection of influenza virus with BTP3-Neu5Ac and modification of BTP3-Neu5Ac.

scholarly journals Counting the Number of Glutamate Molecules in Single Synaptic Vesicles

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuanmo Wang ◽  
Hoda fathali ◽  
devesh mishra ◽  
Thomas Olsson ◽  
Jacqueline Keighron ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Synaptic Vesicle ◽  
Synaptic Vesicles ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Glutamate Release ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Excitatory Neurotransmitter ◽  
Quantitative Measurements ◽  
Sensor Technique ◽  
Drug Treatments ◽  
Analytical Tools

<div><p>Analytical tools for direct quantitative measurements of glutamate, the principal excitatory neurotransmitter in brain, are lacking. Here, we introduce a new enzyme-based amperometric sensor technique for direct counting of the number of glutamate molecules stored inside single synaptic vesicles. An ultra-fast enzyme-based glutamate sensor is placed into a solution of isolated synaptic vesicles, which stochastically rupture at the sensor surface in a potential dependent manner by applying a constant negative potential. High-speed (10 kHz) amperometry is used to record sub-millisecond current spikes, which represent glutamate release from single vesicles that burst open. Glutamate quantification is achieved by a calibration curve that is based on measurements of glutamate release from vesicles pre-filled with various concentrations of glutamate. Our measurements show that a single synaptic vesicle encapsulates about 8000 glutamate molecules, which is comparable to the measured exocytotic quantal glutamate release in the nucleus accumbens of mouse brain tissue. Hence, this new methodology introduces the means to quantify ultra-small amounts of glutamate and to study synaptic vesicle physiology, pathogenesis and drug treatments for neuronal disorders where glutamate is involved.</p></div>

scholarly journals Corticosterone inhibits vagal afferent glutamate release in the nucleus of the solitary tract via retrograde endocannabinoid signaling

2020 ◽  
Vol 319 (6) ◽  
pp. C1097-C1106
Author(s):  
Forrest J. Ragozzino ◽  
Rachel A. Arnold ◽  
Cody W. Kowalski ◽  
Marina I. Savenkova ◽  
Ilia N. Karatsoreos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Brain Stem ◽  
Autonomic Function ◽  
Glutamate Release ◽  
Vagal Afferents ◽  
Solitary Tract ◽  
Excitatory Neurotransmitter ◽  
Cannabinoid Type 1 Receptor ◽  
Glutamate Signaling ◽  
Vagal Afferent ◽  
Afferent Terminals

Circulating blood glucocorticoid levels are dynamic and responsive to stimuli that impact autonomic function. In the brain stem, vagal afferent terminals release the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate to neurons in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS). Vagal afferents integrate direct visceral signals and circulating hormones with ongoing NTS activity to control autonomic function and behavior. Here, we investigated the effects of corticosterone (CORT) on glutamate signaling in the NTS using patch-clamp electrophysiology on brain stem slices containing the NTS and central afferent terminals from male C57BL/6 mice. We found that CORT rapidly decreased both action potential-evoked and spontaneous glutamate signaling. The effects of CORT were phenocopied by dexamethasone and blocked by mifepristone, consistent with glucocorticoid receptor (GR)-mediated signaling. While mRNA for GR was present in both the NTS and vagal afferent neurons, selective intracellular quenching of G protein signaling in postsynaptic NTS neurons eliminated the effects of CORT. We then investigated the contribution of retrograde endocannabinoid signaling, which has been reported to transduce nongenomic GR effects. Pharmacological or genetic elimination of the cannabinoid type 1 receptor signaling blocked CORT suppression of glutamate release. Together, our results detail a mechanism, whereby the NTS integrates endocrine CORT signals with fast neurotransmission to control autonomic reflex pathways.

scholarly journals Neurotrophin, p75, and Trk Signaling Module in the Developing Nervous System of the Marine AnnelidPlatynereis dumerilii

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonella Lauri ◽  
Paola Bertucci ◽  
Detlev Arendt
Keyword(s):  
Nervous System ◽  
Neuronal Development ◽  
Neural Circuit ◽  
Circuit Development ◽  
Circuit Formation ◽  
Neurotrophic Signaling ◽  
High Degree ◽  
Developing Nervous System

In vertebrates, neurotrophic signaling plays an important role in neuronal development, neural circuit formation, and neuronal plasticity, but its evolutionary origin remains obscure. We found and validated nucleotide sequences encoding putative neurotrophic ligands (neurotrophin, NT) and receptors (Trk and p75) in two annelids,Platynereis dumerilii(Errantia) andCapitella teleta(Sedentaria, for which some sequences were found recently by Wilson, 2009). Predicted protein sequences and structures ofPlatynereisneurotrophic molecules reveal a high degree of conservation with the vertebrate counterparts; some amino acids signatures present in the annelid Trk sequences are absent in the basal chordate amphioxus, reflecting secondary loss in the cephalochordate lineage. In addition, expression analysis of NT, Trk, and p75 duringPlatynereisdevelopment by whole-mount mRNAin situhybridization supports a role of these molecules in nervous system and circuit development. These annelid data corroborate the hypothesis that the neurotrophic signaling and its involvement in shaping neural networks predate the protostome-deuterostome split and were present in bilaterian ancestors.

Isoflurane Reduces Ischemia-induced Glutamate Release in Rats Subjected to Forebrain Ischemia

1995 ◽  
Vol 82 (4) ◽  
pp. 996-1003. ◽  
Author(s):  
Piyush M. Patel ◽  
John C. Drummond ◽  
Daniel J. Cole ◽  
Randall L. Goskowicz
Keyword(s):  
Parietal Cortex ◽  
Neurotransmitter Release ◽  
Minimum Alveolar Concentration ◽  
Mild Hypothermia ◽  
Dorsal Hippocampus ◽  
Glutamate Release ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Excitatory Neurotransmitter ◽  
Bilateral Carotid ◽  
Hypothermic Group

Background The release of excitatory neurotransmitters during ischemia is thought to contribute to ischemic neuronal injury. Volatile anesthetics have been shown to reduce excitatory neurotransmission in vitro, and it is conceivable that they reduce ischemia-induced neurotransmitter release. The current investigation was conducted to evaluate the effect of isoflurane and N2O-fentanyl anesthesia on ischemia-induced glutamate release in the rat and to compare it with that of mild hypothermia, an intervention known to reduce glutamate release significantly. Methods Microdialysis probes were implanted into the parietal cortex and dorsal hippocampus of four groups of anesthetized rats (n = 5 per group). The hypothermic group was anesthetized with 1.2% halothane. The two isoflurane groups were anesthetized with 0.5 minimum alveolar concentration or electroencephalographic burst-suppression doses of isoflurane (approximately 2 minimum alveolar concentration). The control group was anesthetized with 70% N2O-30% O2 and fentanyl. The pericranial temperature was maintained at 34 degrees C in the hypothermic group and at 38 degrees C in the remaining groups. Ischemia was induced by bilateral carotid artery occlusion with simultaneous hypotension to 35 mmHg for 10 min, followed by a reperfusion period of 70 min. Dialysate was collected before, during, and after ischemia. The concentrations of glutamate and glycine in the dialysate were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. Results Preischemic glutamate and glycine concentrations in the dialysate were similar among the groups. Ischemia resulted in a significant increase in glutamate and glycine concentrations in the N2O-fentanyl groups in the parietal cortex and in the hippocampus. This increase in neurotransmitter concentrations did not occur in the hypothermic group in either structure. Isoflurane reduced glutamate concentrations in both structures and glycine concentrations in the hippocampus. In the parietal cortex, glycine concentrations did not increase in either isoflurane group. Conclusions Hypothermia inhibits ischemia-induced excitatory neurotransmitter release in the rat. Isoflurane, in comparison with a N2O-fentanyl-anesthetized state, significantly attenuates excitatory neurotransmitter release in the hippocampus. This effect of isoflurane is comparable to that of mild hypothermia.

Glycine Binding Sites of Presynaptic NMDA Receptors May Tonically Regulate Glutamate Release in the Rat Visual Cortex

2007 ◽  
Vol 97 (1) ◽  
pp. 817-823 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan-Hai Li ◽  
Tai-Zhen Han
Keyword(s):  
Visual Cortex ◽  
Binding Site ◽  
Binding Sites ◽  
Pyramidal Neurons ◽  
Glutamate Release ◽  
Excitatory Neurotransmitter ◽  
Aspartate Receptor ◽  
Neurotransmitter Glutamate ◽  
Presynaptic Nmda Receptors ◽  
Nmda Receptor Blocker

In the CNS, activation of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDA-R) glycine binding sites is a prerequisite for activation of postsynaptic NMDA-Rs by the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate. Here we provide electrophysiological evidence that the glycine binding sites of presynaptic NMDA-Rs regulate glutamate release in layer II/III pyramidal neurons of the rat visual cortex. Specifically, our results reveal that the frequency of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents is significantly reduced by 7-chloro-kynurenic acid (7-Cl KYNA), a NMDA-R glycine binding site antagonist, and glycine or d-serine reverses this effect. Similar results are obtained when the open-channel NMDA receptor blocker, MK-801, is included in the recording pipette. Our data indicate that the glycine binding site of postsynaptic NMDA-Rs is not saturated. Moreover, they suggest that presynaptic NMDA-Rs are located in layer II/III pyramidal neurons of the rat visual cortex and that the glycine binding site of presynaptic NMDA-Rs tonically regulates glutamate release.

Determinants of the Sensitivity of AMPA Receptors to Xenon

2004 ◽  
Vol 100 (2) ◽  
pp. 347-358 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew J. R. Plested ◽  
Scott S. Wildman ◽  
William R. Lieb ◽  
Nicholas P. Franks
Keyword(s):  
Ampa Receptors ◽  
Glutamate Release ◽  
Single Point ◽  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Single Point Mutation ◽  
General Anesthetics ◽  
High Concentration ◽  
Application System ◽  
Hek 293 ◽  
Excitatory Neurotransmitter

Background There is substantial and growing literature on the actions of general anesthetics on a variety of neurotransmitter-gated ion channels, with the greatest attention being focused on inhibitory gamma-amino butyric acid type A receptors. In contrast, glutamate receptors, the most important class of fast excitatory neurotransmitter-gated receptor channels, have received much less attention, and their role in the production of the anesthetic state remains controversial. Methods alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors formed from a variety of different subunits were expressed in Xenopus oocytes and HEK-293 cells, and their sensitivities to the inhalational general anesthetics xenon, isoflurane, and halothane were determined using two-electrode voltage clamp and patch clamp techniques. The effects of desensitization on anesthetic sensitivity were investigated using cyclothiazide and site-directed mutagenesis. An ultrarapid application system was also used to mimic rapid high-concentration glutamate release at synapses. Results The authors show that xenon can potently inhibit AMPA receptors when assayed using bath application of kainate. However, when the natural neurotransmitter l-glutamate is used under conditions in which the receptor desensitization is blocked and the peak of the glutamate-activated response can be accurately measured, the pattern of inhibition changes markedly. When desensitization is abolished by a single-point mutation (L497Y in GluR1 and the equivalent mutation L505Y in GluR4), the xenon inhibition is eliminated. When AMPA receptors are activated by glutamate using an ultrarapid application system that mimics synaptic conditions, sensitivity to xenon, halothane, and isoflurane is negligible. Conclusions AMPA receptors, when assayed in heterologous expression systems, showed a sensitivity to inhalational anesthetics that was minimal when glutamate was applied rapidly at high concentrations. Because these are the conditions that are most relevant to synaptic transmission, the authors conclude that AMPA receptors are unlikely to play a major role in the production of the anesthetic state by inhalational agents.

Physiological roles of spine motility: development, plasticity and disorders

2005 ◽  
Vol 33 (6) ◽  
pp. 1299-1302 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.A. McKinney
Keyword(s):  
Dendritic Spines ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Glutamate Release ◽  
Physiological Role ◽  
Receptor Activation ◽  
Synaptic Function ◽  
Dynamic Interactions ◽  
Excitatory Neurotransmitter ◽  
Green Fluorescent

The vast majority of excitatory connections in the hippocampus are made on dendritic spines. Both dendritic spines and molecules within the membrane are able to move, but the physiological role of these movements is unclear. In the developing brain, spines show highly dynamic behaviour thought to facilitate new synaptic connections. Dynamic movements also occur in adults but the role of this movement is unclear. We have studied the effects of the most important excitatory neurotransmitter, glutamat, and found receptor activation to enhance movement of molecules within the spine membrane. This action of glutamate may be important in regulating the trafficking of neurotransmitter receptors that mediate change in synaptic function. In addition, we have studied the dynamic interactions between pre- and postsynaptic structures labelled with FM 4-64 and a membrane-targeted GFP (green fluorescent protein), respectively, in hippocampal slice cultures under conditions of increased activity, such as epilepsy. Our findings suggest a novel form of activity-dependent synaptic plasticity where spontaneous glutamate release is sufficient to trigger changes in the hippocampal microcircuitry by attracting neighbouring spines responsive to an enhanced level of extracellular glutamate.

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