VER/VEGF receptors regulate AMPA receptor surface levels and glutamatergic behavior.

ABSTRACT: Several intracellular trafficking pathways contribute to the regulation of AMPA receptor (AMPAR) levels at synapses and the control of synaptic strength. While much has been learned about these intracellular trafficking pathways, a major challenge is to understand how extracellular factors, such as growth factors, neuropeptides and hormones, impinge on specific AMPAR trafficking pathways to alter synaptic function and behavior. Here, we identify the secreted ligand PVF-1 and its cognate VEGF receptor homologs, VER-1 and VER-4, as regulators of glutamate signaling in C. elegans. Loss of function mutations in ver-1, ver-4, or pvf-1, result in decreased cell surface levels of the AMPAR GLR-1 and defects in glutamatergic behavior. Rescue experiments indicate that PVF-1 is expressed and release

SUBMITTER: Luth ES 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7899335 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature