Expression of a dominant negative TrkB receptor, T1, reveals a requirement for presynaptic signaling in BDNF-induced synaptic potentiation in cultured hippocampal neurons.

ABSTRACT: We have developed a method to analyze the relative contributions of pre- and postsynaptic actions of a particular gene product in neurons in culture and potentially in slices using adenovirus-mediated gene transfer. A recombinant virus directed the expression of both a GFP reporter protein and TrkB.T1, a C-terminal truncated dominant negative TrkB neurotrophin receptor. When expressed in the presynaptic cell at synapses between embryonic hippocampal neurons in culture, the dominant negative TrkB.T1 inhibited two forms of synaptic potentiation induced by the neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF): (i) greater evoked synaptic transmission and (ii) higher frequency of spontaneous miniature synaptic currents. These inhibition effects are not seen if the transgene is expressed on

SUBMITTER: Li YX 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC27990 | biostudies-literature | 1998 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature