The receptor-associated protein of the synapse (rapsyn) is required for anchoring and stabilizing the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR) in the postsynaptic membrane of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) during development. Here we studied the role of rapsyn in the maintenance of the adult NMJ by reducing rapsyn expression levels with short hairpin RNA (shRNA). Silencing rapsyn led to the average reduction of the protein levels of rapsyn (31% loss) and AChR (36% loss) at the NMJ within 2 weeks, corresponding to previously reported half life of these proteins. On the other hand, the sodium channel protein expression was augmented (66%) in rapsyn-silenced muscles. Unexpectedly, at the ultrastructural level a significant increase in the amount of secondary folds of the postsynaptic membrane in silenced muscles was observed. The neuromuscular transmission in rapsyn-silenced muscles was mildly impaired. The results suggest that the adult NMJ can rapidly produce postsynaptic folds to compensate for AChR and rapsyn loss.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nbd.2009.03.008 | DOI Listing |
Neurol Neuroimmunol Neuroinflamm
March 2025
Institute for Clinical Neurobiology, University Hospital, Julius-Maximilians-University of Würzburg, Germany.
Background And Objectives: Autoantibodies (aAbs) against glycine receptors (GlyRs) are mainly associated with the rare neurologic diseases stiff person syndrome (SPS) and progressive encephalomyelitis with rigidity and myoclonus (PERM). GlyR aAbs are also found in other neurologic diseases such as epilepsy. The aAbs bind to different GlyR α-subunits and, more rarely, also to the GlyR β-subunit.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFACS Chem Neurosci
January 2025
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, 2641 Yamazaki, Noda, Chiba 278-8510, Japan.
Multiacting receptor-targeting antipsychotics and tricyclic antidepressants stimulate various neurotransmitter receptors despite the different targets of postsynaptic receptors and presynaptic reuptake transporters. Their auxiliary and adverse effects may be caused by multiple targets or the modification of the neuronal membrane. To evaluate the membrane responses to olanzapine, imipramine, desipramine, amitriptyline, lidocaine, and dibucaine, we examined the inhibition of lipid peroxidation in egg yolk phosphatidylcholine liposomes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFActa Physiol (Oxf)
February 2025
Institute for Physiology, University Medical Centre of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Aim: Despite dysfunctional vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-positive interneurons (VIP-INs) being linked to the emergence of neurodevelopmental disorders, the temporal profile of VIP-IN functional maturation and cortical network integration remains unclear.
Methods: Postnatal VIP-IN development was traced with patch clamp experiments in the somatosensory cortex of Vip-IRES-cre x tdTomato mice. Age groups were chosen during barrel field formation, before and after activation of main sensory inputs, and in adult animals (postnatal days (P) P3-4, P8-10, P14-16, and P30-36).
Bio Protoc
January 2025
Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
During neuronal synaptic transmission, the exocytotic release of neurotransmitters from synaptic vesicles in the presynaptic neuron evokes a change in conductance for one or more types of ligand-gated ion channels in the postsynaptic neuron. The standard method of investigation uses electrophysiological recordings of the postsynaptic response. However, electrophysiological recordings can directly quantify the presynaptic release of neurotransmitters with high temporal resolution by measuring the membrane capacitance before and after exocytosis, as fusion of the membrane of presynaptic vesicles with the plasma membrane increases the total capacitance.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Mol Sci
December 2024
Neuroscience Research Institute, Gachon University, Incheon 21565, Republic of Korea.
To elucidate the potential roles of presynaptic and postsynaptic serotonergic activity in impulsivity traits, we investigated the relationship between self-reported impulsiveness and serotonin transporter (5-HTT) and 5-HT2A receptors in healthy individuals. In this study, 26 participants completed 3-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography with [C]DASB and [C]MDL100907. To quantify 5-HTT and 5-HT2A receptor availability, the binding potential (BP) of [C]DASB and [C]MDL100907 was derived using the simplified reference tissue model with cerebellar gray matter as the reference region.
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