Cited by 66Treatment of Major DepressionNeuroscience and Neuropharmacology ResearchNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior

(2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine rapidly potentiates hippocampal glutamatergic transmission through a synapse-specific presynaptic mechanism

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Riggs, Lace M., Aracava, Yasco, Zanos, Panos, Fischell, Jonathan, Albuquerque, Edson X., Pereira, Edna F. R., Thompson, Scott M., Gould, Todd D.·2020·Neuropsychopharmacology

Abstract

Preclinical studies indicate that (2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine (HNK) retains the rapid and sustained antidepressant-like actions of ketamine, but is spared its dissociative-like properties and abuse potential. While (2R,6R)-HNK is thought to exert its antidepressant-like effects by potentiating α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR)-mediated synaptic transmission, it is unknown how it exerts this effect. The acute synaptic effects of (2R,6R)-HNK were examined by recording field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSPs) and miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs) in rat hippocampal slices. (2R,6R)-HNK bath application caused a rapid and persistent potentiation of AMPAR-mediated Schaffer collateral (SC)-CA1 fEPSPs in slices derived from male and female rats. The (2R,6R)-HNK-induced potentiation occurred independent of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) activity, was accompanied by a concentration-dependent decrease in paired pulse ratios, and was occluded by raising glutamate release probability. In additon, in the presence of tetrodotoxin, (2R,6R)-HNK increased the frequency, but not amplitude, of mEPSC events, confirming a presynaptic site of action that is independent of glutamatergic network disinhibition. A dual extracellular recording configuration revealed that the presynaptic effects of (2R,6R)-HNK were synapse-selective, occurring in CA1-projecting SC terminals, but not in CA1-projecting temporoammonic terminals. Overall, we found that (2R,6R)-HNK enhances excitatory synaptic transmission in the hippocampus through a concentration-dependent, NMDAR-independent, and synapse-selective increase in glutamate release probability with no direct actions on AMPAR function. These findings provide novel insight regarding (2R,6R)-HNK's acute mechanism of action, and may inform novel antidepressant drug mechanisms that could yield superior efficacy, safety, and tolerability.

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Crossref · 10.1038/s41386-019-0443-3

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  • HNKs, which have antidepressant-like effects in preclinical models, may not require NMDARs for their long-lasting effects on behavior or synaptic plasticity in hippocampus.

    “HNKs, which also have antidepressant-like effects in preclinical models, may not require NMDARs for their long-lasting effects on behavior or synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus (Gould et al., 2017; Riggs et al., 2020; Zanos et al., 2016).”

    From Mechanisms of ketamine and its metabolites as antidepressants (2022) · cites this paper as Riggs et al., 2020

    The Introduction and Results report antidepressant-like effects of (2R,6R)-HNK in preclinical models and show that its acute potentiation of hippocampal synaptic transmission occurs despite NMDAR blockade. The Discussion explicitly distinguishes those acute effects from the sustained adaptations associated with persistent behavioral effects. This paper therefore does not establish that NMDARs are unnecessary for the long-lasting behavioral or hippocampal plasticity effects, and it studies (2R,6R)-HNK rather than HNKs generally. (LLM, conf=0.87)

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  • (2R,6R)-HNK 10 μM for 60 minutes increased AMPAR-mediated synaptic strength in rat CA1, likely presynaptically by raising glutamate release probability.

    “Likewise, (2R,6R)-HNK (10 μM, 60-minute bath application) was observed to increase AMPAR-mediated synaptic strength in the CA1 of rats, however it appears that this effect is likely presynaptic due to an increase in glutamate release probability”

    From Mechanisms of ketamine and its metabolites as antidepressants (2022) · cites this paper as Riggs et al., 2020

  • (2R,6R)-HNK produces antidepressant-like effects and enhancement in AMPAR signaling independent of NMDAR antagonism, suggesting NMDARs do not fully explain ketamine's mechanism of action.

    “It appears that (2R,6R)-HNK produces antidepressant-like effects and an enhancement in AMPAR signaling independent of NMDAR antagonism which suggests that NMDARs do not fully explain the mechanism of action of ketamine (Riggs et al., 2020; Zanos et al., 2016).”

    From Mechanisms of ketamine and its metabolites as antidepressants (2022) · cites this paper as Riggs et al., 2020

  • Acute hydroxynorketamine application to hippocampal slices potentiates SC-CA1 synaptic transmission via increased presynaptic glutamate release probability.

    “Acute application of HNKs to hippocampal brain slices also produces a direct potentiation of SC-CA1 synaptic transmission [153], mediated by an increase in the probability of presynaptic glutamate release [161].”

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Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. Lumsden EW, Troppoli TA, Myers SJ, Zanos P, Aracava Y, Kehr J. et al. Antidepressant-relevant concentrations of the ketamine metabolite (2R,6R)- hydroxynorketamine do not block NMDA receptor function. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2019;116:5160-69.
  2. Shaffer CL, Dutra JK, Tseng WC, Weber ML, Bogart LJ, Hales K, et al. Pharmaco- logical evaluation of clinically relevant concentrations of (2R,6R)-hydro- xynorketamine. Neuropharmacology. 2019;153:73-81.

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Authors
Riggs, L. M., Aracava, Y., Zanos, P., Fischell, J., Albuquerque, E. X., Pereira, E. F. R., Thompson, S. M., & Gould, T. D.
Affiliations
University of Maryland, Baltimore (US)
Corresponding author
Gould, Todd D.
Venue
Neuropsychopharmacology
Published
2019-06-19
Volume
45
Issue
2
Pages
426-436
ISSN
  • 0893-133X (ISSN-L)
  • 1740-634X
OpenAlex
W2953365016
Cited by
66
References
62
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 2
FWCI
5.11
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Neuropsychopharmacology (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of General Medical Sciences (T32-GM008181, R25-GM055036)
  • U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (T32-NS063391)
  • U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Mental Health (R01-MH086828, R01-MH107615)
  • U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (1I01BX004062)
  • Harrington Project for Discovery and Development Scholar Innovator Award
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Treatment of Major Depression
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
Keywords
(2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine, antidepressant mechanism, AMPA receptor potentiation, hippocampus, Schaffer collateral-CA1 synapses, paired-pulse ratio, field excitatory postsynaptic potentials, miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents
MeSH terms
Animals, Female, Hippocampus, Ketamine, Male, Synaptic Transmission, Organ Culture Techniques, Synapses, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Presynaptic Terminals, Glutamic Acid, Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials, Rats

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