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Long-Term Synaptic Plasticity in Cerebellar Stellate Cells

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Abstract

Inhibitory transmission controls the action potential firing rate and pattern of Purkinje cell activity in the cerebellum. A long-term change in inhibitory transmission is likely to have a profound effect on the activity of cerebellar neuronal circuits. However, little is known about how neuronal activity regulates synaptic transmission in GABAergic inhibitory interneurons (stellate/basket cells) in the cerebellar cortex. We have examined how glutamate released from parallel fibers (the axons of granule cells) influences postsynaptic alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate (AMPA) receptors in stellate cells and modulates γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) release from these neurons. First, we found that burst stimulation of presynaptic parallel fibers changes the subunit composition of post-synaptic AMPA receptors from GluR2-lacking to GluR2-containing receptors. This switch reduces the Ca2+ permeability of AMPA receptors and the excitatory postsynaptic potential amplitude and prolongs the duration of the synaptic current, producing a qualitative change in synaptic transmission. This switch in AMPA receptor phenotype can be induced by activation of extrasynaptic N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors and involves PICK1 and the activation of protein kinase C. Second, activation of presynaptic NMDA receptors triggers a lasting increase in GABA release from stellate cells. These changes may provide a cellular mechanism underlying associative learning involving the cerebellum.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by National Science Foundation Grant IBN-0344559 and National Institutes of Health Grant NS58867.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Penn State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA

    Siqiong June Liu, Philippe Lachamp, Yu Liu, Iaroslav Savtchouk & Lu Sun

  2. Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, 419 Mueller Lab, State College, PA, 16802, USA

    Siqiong June Liu

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  1. Siqiong June Liu
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  2. Philippe Lachamp
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  3. Yu Liu
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  4. Iaroslav Savtchouk
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  5. Lu Sun
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Correspondence to Siqiong June Liu.

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Liu, S.J., Lachamp, P., Liu, Y. et al. Long-Term Synaptic Plasticity in Cerebellar Stellate Cells. Cerebellum 7, 559–562 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12311-008-0057-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12311-008-0057-5

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