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Miniature synaptic events maintain dendritic spines via AMPA receptor activation

Nature Neuroscience volume 2, pages 44–49 (1999)Cite this article

Abstract

We investigated the influence of synaptically released glutamate on postsynaptic structure by comparing the effects of deafferentation, receptor antagonists and blockers of glutamate release in hippocampal slice cultures. CA1 pyramidal cell spine density and length decreased after transection of Schaffer collaterals and after application of AMPA receptor antagonists or botulinum toxin to unlesioned cultures. Loss of spines induced by lesion or by botulinum toxin was prevented by simultaneous AMPA application. Tetrodotoxin did not affect spine density. Synaptically released glutamate thus exerts a trophic effect on spines by acting at AMPA receptors. We conclude that AMPA receptor activation by spontaneous vesicular glutamate release is sufficient to maintain dendritic spines.

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Figure 1: Spine classification.
Figure 2: Changes in dendritic spine shape and density after deafferentation or treatment with glutamate receptor antagonists.
Figure 3: AMPA prevents lesion-induced spine loss.
Figure 4: Botulinum toxin decreases spine density, but TTX does not.

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Acknowledgements

We thank L. Heeb, L. Rietschin and R. Schöb for technical assistance, P. Streit, J.-C. Poncer, M. Scanziani and Y. Fischer for discussions and for reading the manuscript. We thank H. Bigalke for the gift of BoNT/A. Supported by the Eric Slack-Gyr and Swiss National Science Foundations.

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Author notes

  1. Marco Capogna

    Present address: Norvatis Institute of Medical Sciences, 5 Gower Place, London, WC1E 6BN, UK

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zurich, CH-8057, Switzerland

    R. Anne McKinney, Roland Dürr & Beat H. Gähwiler

  2. Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 655 W. Baltimore St., Baltimore, 21201, Maryland, USA

    and Scott M. Thompson

Authors
  1. R. Anne McKinney
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Correspondence to R. Anne McKinney.

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McKinney, R., Capogna, M., Dürr, R. et al. Miniature synaptic events maintain dendritic spines via AMPA receptor activation. Nat Neurosci 2, 44–49 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1038/4548

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