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Neuronal activity determines the protein synthesis dependence of long-term potentiation

Nature Neuroscience volume 9, pages 478–480 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

Long-term potentiation (LTP) is generally divided into two phases, early (E-) and late (L-) LTP, of which only L-LTP is thought to depend on protein synthesis. Here we report that E-LTP can also be dependent on protein synthesis at higher levels of synaptic activation. Moreover, we show that the requirement for protein synthesis during L-LTP extends beyond the early induction phase and that it depends on synaptic stimulation. This suggests that the level of neuronal activity is a crucial determinant for the role of protein synthesis in E- and L-LTP.

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Figure 1: L-LTP is blocked by protein synthesis inhibitors applied during, but not after, the induction phase.
Figure 2: The decay of LTP under protein synthesis blockade is dependent on stimulation frequency.
Figure 3: The resistance of L-LTP to protein synthesis inhibition is dependent on concurrent synaptic activation and requires NMDA receptor activation.

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Acknowledgements

We thank R. Morris, R. Redondo and T. Mrsic-Flogel for comments on the manuscript. Funding was provided by the Max Planck Society (R.F., U.V.N. and T.B.), the National Research Council of Portugal (R.F.) and the Human Frontier Science Program (R.F. and T.B.).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cellular and Systems Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Am Klopferspitz 18, München-Martinsried, D-82152, Germany

    Rosalina Fonseca, U Valentin Nägerl & Tobias Bonhoeffer

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  1. Rosalina Fonseca
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  2. U Valentin Nägerl
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  3. Tobias Bonhoeffer
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Correspondence to Tobias Bonhoeffer.

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Fonseca, R., Nägerl, U. & Bonhoeffer, T. Neuronal activity determines the protein synthesis dependence of long-term potentiation. Nat Neurosci 9, 478–480 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/nn1667

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