Homeostatic Synaptic Plasticity: From Synaptic Circuit Assembly to Neurological Disorders

Homeostatic signaling stabilizes synaptic transmission at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) of Drosophila, mice, and human. It is believed that homeostatic signaling at the NMJ is bi-directional and considerable progress has been made identifying mechanisms underlying the homeostatic potentiation of neurotransmitter release. However, very little is understood mechanistically about the opposing process, homeostatic depression, and how bi-directional plasticity is achieved. Here, we show that homeostatic potentiation and depression can be simultaneously induced, demonstrating true bi-directional plasticity. Next, we show that mutations that block homeostatic potentiation do not alter homeostatic depression, demonstrating that these are genetically separable processes. Finally, we show that homeostatic depression is achieved by decreased presynaptic calcium channel abundance and calcium influx, changes that are independent of the presynaptic action potential waveform. Thus, we identify a novel mechanism of homeostatic synaptic plasticity and propose a model that can account for the observed bi-directional, homeostatic control of presynaptic neurotransmitter release.

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Roles of N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptors (NMDARs) in Epilepsy

Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience ◽

10.3389/fnmol.2021.797253 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 14 ◽

Author(s):

Shuang Chen ◽

Da Xu ◽

Liu Fan ◽

Zhi Fang ◽

Xiufeng Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Synaptic Plasticity ◽

Glutamate Receptors ◽

Neurological Disorders ◽

Nerve Conduction ◽

Ionotropic Glutamate Receptors ◽

Future Studies ◽

Excitatory Neurotransmission ◽

The Relationship ◽

Neuron Injury

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders characterized by recurrent seizures. The mechanism of epilepsy remains unclear and previous studies suggest that N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) play an important role in abnormal discharges, nerve conduction, neuron injury and inflammation, thereby they may participate in epileptogenesis. NMDARs belong to a family of ionotropic glutamate receptors that play essential roles in excitatory neurotransmission and synaptic plasticity in the mammalian CNS. Despite numerous studies focusing on the role of NMDAR in epilepsy, the relationship appeared to be elusive. In this article, we reviewed the regulation of NMDAR and possible mechanisms of NMDAR in epilepsy and in respect of onset, development, and treatment, trying to provide more evidence for future studies.

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Astrocyte-secreted IL-33 mediates homeostatic synaptic plasticity in the adult hippocampus

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1073/pnas.2020810118 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 118 (1) ◽

pp. e2020810118

Author(s):

Ye Wang ◽

Wing-Yu Fu ◽

Kit Cheung ◽

Kwok-Wang Hung ◽

Congping Chen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Synaptic Plasticity ◽

Neuronal Activity ◽

Hippocampal Slices ◽

Memory Formation ◽

Conditional Knockout ◽

Acute Administration ◽

Excitatory Synapses ◽

Homeostatic Synaptic Plasticity ◽

Hippocampal Ca1

Hippocampal synaptic plasticity is important for learning and memory formation. Homeostatic synaptic plasticity is a specific form of synaptic plasticity that is induced upon prolonged changes in neuronal activity to maintain network homeostasis. While astrocytes are important regulators of synaptic transmission and plasticity, it is largely unclear how they interact with neurons to regulate synaptic plasticity at the circuit level. Here, we show that neuronal activity blockade selectively increases the expression and secretion of IL-33 (interleukin-33) by astrocytes in the hippocampal cornu ammonis 1 (CA1) subregion. This IL-33 stimulates an increase in excitatory synapses and neurotransmission through the activation of neuronal IL-33 receptor complex and synaptic recruitment of the scaffold protein PSD-95. We found that acute administration of tetrodotoxin in hippocampal slices or inhibition of hippocampal CA1 excitatory neurons by optogenetic manipulation increases IL-33 expression in CA1 astrocytes. Furthermore, IL-33 administration in vivo promotes the formation of functional excitatory synapses in hippocampal CA1 neurons, whereas conditional knockout of IL-33 in CA1 astrocytes decreases the number of excitatory synapses therein. Importantly, blockade of IL-33 and its receptor signaling in vivo by intracerebroventricular administration of its decoy receptor inhibits homeostatic synaptic plasticity in CA1 pyramidal neurons and impairs spatial memory formation in mice. These results collectively reveal an important role of astrocytic IL-33 in mediating the negative-feedback signaling mechanism in homeostatic synaptic plasticity, providing insights into how astrocytes maintain hippocampal network homeostasis.

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