Brain-derived neurotrophic factor rapidly enhances synaptic transmission in hippocampal neurons via postsynaptic tyrosine kinase receptors
Open accessAbstract
Although neurotrophins are primarily associated with long-term effects on neuronal survival and differentiation, recent studies have shown that acute changes in synaptic transmission can also be produced. In the hippocampus, an area critically involved in learning and memory, we have found that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) rapidly enhanced synaptic efficacy through a previously unreported mechanism--increased postsynaptic responsiveness via a phosphorylation-dependent pathway. Within minutes of BDNF application to cultured hippocampal neurons, spontaneous firing rate was dramatically increased, as were the frequency and amplitude of excitatory postsynaptic currents. The increased frequency of postsynaptic currents resulted from the change in presynaptic firing. However, the increased amplitude was postsynaptic in origin because it was selectively blocked by intracellular injection of the tyrosine kinase receptor (Ntrk2/TrkB) inhibitor K-252a and potentiated by injection of the phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid. These results suggest a role for BDNF in the modulation of synaptic transmission in the hippocampus.
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- Authors
- Levine, E. S., Dreyfus, C. F., Black, I. B., & Plummer, M. R.
- Affiliations
- University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (US)
- Venue
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
- Publisher
- National Academy of Sciences
- Published
- 1995-08-15
- Volume
- 92
- Issue
- 17
- Pages
- 8074-8077
- ISSN
- 0027-8424 (ISSN-L)
- 1091-6490
- PMC
- PMC41289
- OpenAlex
- W2029863311
- Cited by
- 611
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 18 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 19 · 2015: 17 · 2014: 17 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 17
- FWCI
- 14.01
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- europepmc.org
- Locations
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (P01HD023315)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Nerve injury and regeneration
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Keywords
- brain-derived neurotrophic factor, synaptic transmission, hippocampal neurons, postsynaptic receptors, TrkB receptor, NTRK2, tyrosine kinase, K252a, okadaic acid, phosphatase inhibition, excitatory postsynaptic currents, spontaneous firing rate
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Carbazoles, Cells, Cultured, Embryo, Mammalian, Ethers, Cyclic, Evoked Potentials, Hippocampus, Kinetics, Nerve Growth Factors, Nerve Tissue Proteins, Synaptic Transmission, Neurons, Protein Kinase C, Synapses, Time Factors, Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Patch-Clamp Techniques, Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor, Okadaic Acid, Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases, Indole Alkaloids, Rats
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