Conditional Restoration of Hippocampal Synaptic Potentiation in GluR-A-Deficient Mice

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Abstract
Plasticity of mature hippocampal CA1 synapses is dependent on l -α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionate (AMPA) receptors containing the glutamate receptor A (GluR-A) subunit . In GluR-A–deficient mice, plasticity could be restored by controlled expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP)–tagged GluR-A, which contributes to channel formation and displayed the developmental redistribution of AMPA receptors in CA1 pyramidal neurons. Long-term potentiation (LTP) induced by pairing or tetanic stimulation was rescued in adult GluR-A –/– mice when GFP GluR-A expression was constitutive or induced in already fully developed pyramidal cells. This shows that GluR-A–independent forms of synaptic plasticity can mediate the establishment of mature hippocampal circuits that are prebuilt to express GluR-A–dependent LTP.