First Author | Tang AH | Year | 2015 |
Journal | J Neurosci | Volume | 35 |
Issue | 9 | Pages | 3938-45 |
PubMed ID | 25740522 | Mgi Jnum | J:219931 |
Mgi Id | MGI:5629996 | Doi | 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4499-14.2015 |
Citation | Tang AH, et al. (2015) Homer protein-metabotropic glutamate receptor binding regulates endocannabinoid signaling and affects hyperexcitability in a mouse model of fragile x syndrome. J Neurosci 35(9):3938-45 |
abstractText | The Fmr1 knock-out mouse model of fragile X syndrome (Fmr1(-/y)) has an epileptogenic phenotype that is triggered by group I metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) activation. We found that a membrane-permeable peptide that disrupts mGluR5 interactions with long-form Homers enhanced mGluR-induced epileptiform burst firing in wild-type (WT) animals, replicating the early stages of hyperexcitability in Fmr1(-/y). The peptide enhanced mGluR-evoked endocannabinoid (eCB)-mediated suppression of inhibitory synapses, decreased it at excitatory synapses in WTs, but had no effect on eCB actions in Fmr1(-/y). At a low concentration, the mGluR agonist did not generate eCBs at excitatory synapses but nevertheless induced burst firing in both Fmr1(-/y) and peptide-treated WT slices. This burst firing was suppressed by a cannabinoid receptor antagonist. We suggest that integrity of Homer scaffolds is essential for normal mGluR-eCB functioning and that aberrant eCB signaling resulting from disturbances of this molecular structure contributes to the epileptic phenotype of Fmr1(-/y). |