Cited by 212Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology ResearchNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on BehaviorAmino Acid Enzymes and Metabolism

The vesicular glutamate transporter VGLUT3 synergizes striatal acetylcholine tone

Gras, Christelle, Amilhon, Bénédicte, Lepicard, Ève M, Poirel, Odile, Vinatier, Jacqueline, Herbin, Marc, Dumas, Sylvie, Tzavara, Eleni T +8 more·2008·Nature Neuroscience

Abstract

Three subtypes of vesicular transporters accumulate glutamate into synaptic vesicles to promote its vesicular release. One of the subtypes, VGLUT3, is expressed in neurons, including cholinergic striatal interneurons, that are known to release other classical transmitters. Here we showed that disruption of the Slc17a8 gene (also known as Vglut3) caused an unexpected hypocholinergic striatal phenotype. Vglut3(-/-) mice were more responsive to cocaine and less prone to haloperidol-induced catalepsy than wild-type littermates, and acetylcholine release was decreased in striatum slices lacking VGLUT3. These phenotypes were associated with a colocalization of VGLUT3 and the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) in striatal synaptic vesicles and the loss of a synergistic effect of glutamate on vesicular acetylcholine uptake. We propose that this vesicular synergy between two transmitters is the result of the unbalanced bioenergetics of VAChT, which requires anion co-entry for continuing vesicular filling. Our study reveals a previously unknown effect of glutamate on cholinergic synapses with potential functional and pharmacological implications.

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Crossref · 10.1038/nn2052

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  • Complementary dependencies may explain observed synergies between vGluT and VAChT or vGluT and ZnT3 on the same synaptic vesicle.

    “These complementary dependencies may explain the observed synergies between vGluT and VAChT or vGluT and the vesicular zinc transporter (ZnT3) when these are localized to the same synaptic vesicle.5,21,22”
  • Many cholinergic neurons also contain vGluT1/2/3 coexpressed with Ach synthesis, packaging, and release machinery in the striatum, basal forebrain, and medial habenula.

    “However, many of these neurons also contain the vesicular glutamate transporters (vGluT1/2/3) that are coexpressed with molecular machinery for Ach synthesis, vesicular packaging, and release in multiple brain regions, including the striatum, basal forebrain, and medial habenula (mHb).22,56,57”
  • Immunogold EM and immunoprecipitation suggest that vGluT and VAChT co-package glutamate and ACh into the same synaptic vesicle in mHb-IPN and striatal cholinergic-to-SPN synapses.

    “Immunogold EM and immunoprecipitation experiments suggest that vGluT and VAChT co-package glutamate and ACh into the same synaptic vesicle in both mHb to IPN synapses and striatal cholinergic to medium spiny neuron synapses 21,22,56 (Figure 1A).”
  • Several groups found that vGluT and VAChT function synergistically, and depletion of one transporter or neurotransmitter also depletes loading and release of the other.

    “Interestingly, several groups have found that vGluT and VAChT function synergistically and that depletion of one transporter or neurotransmitter also depletes loading and release of the other.21,22,63,69”
  • Ach and glutamate are copackaged into the same synaptic vesicles at the mHb-to-IPN synapse.

    “Several groups have found evidence for Ach and glutamate being copackaged into the same synaptic vesicles at this synapse 21,22,56,124”

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Authors
Gras, C., Amilhon, B., Lepicard, È. M., Poirel, O., Vinatier, J., Herbin, M., Dumas, S., Tzavara, E. T., Wade, M. R., Nomikos, G. G., Hanoun, N., Saurini, F., Kemel, M.-L., Gasnier, B., Giros, B., & Mestikawy, S. E.
Affiliations
  • Inserm (FR)
  • Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
  • Amgen (United States) (US)
Corresponding author
Mestikawy, Salah El
Venue
Nature Neuroscience
Published
2008-02-17
Volume
11
Issue
3
Pages
292-300
ISSN
  • 1097-6256 (ISSN-L)
  • 1546-1726
OpenAlex
W2068075585
Cited by
211
References
47
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 17 · 2014: 16 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 12
FWCI
6.62
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Nature Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • HAL (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Biochemistry › Amino Acid Enzymes and Metabolism
Keywords
VGLUT3, vesicular glutamate transporter, striatum, acetylcholine release, vesicular acetylcholine transporter, cholinergic interneurons, cocaine sensitivity, haloperidol-induced catalepsy, synaptic vesicles, cholinergic synapses
MeSH terms
Acetylcholine, Animals, Corpus Striatum, Drug Resistance, Interneurons, Motor Activity, Synaptic Transmission, Organ Culture Techniques, Synaptic Vesicles, Antipsychotic Agents, Down-Regulation, Presynaptic Terminals, Mice, Knockout, Glutamic Acid, Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors, Amino Acid Transport Systems, Acidic, Vesicular Acetylcholine Transport Proteins, Mice, Rats

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