| First Author | Chen X | Year | 2018 |
| Journal | Nat Commun | Volume | 9 |
| Issue | 1 | Pages | 261 |
| PubMed ID | 29343769 | Mgi Jnum | J:257714 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:6114946 | Doi | 10.1038/s41467-017-02415-1 |
| Citation | Chen X, et al. (2018) CKAMP44 modulates integration of visual inputs in the lateral geniculate nucleus. Nat Commun 9(1):261 |
| abstractText | Relay neurons in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) receive excitatory inputs from retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Retinogeniculate synapses are characterized by a prominent short-term depression of AMPA receptor (AMPAR)-mediated currents, but the underlying mechanisms and its function for visual integration are not known. Here we identify CKAMP44 as a crucial auxiliary subunit of AMPARs in dLGN relay neurons, where it increases AMPAR-mediated current amplitudes and modulates gating of AMPARs. Importantly, CKAMP44 is responsible for the distinctive short-term depression in retinogeniculate synapses by reducing the rate of recovery from desensitization of AMPARs. Genetic deletion of CKAMP44 strongly reduces synaptic short-term depression, which leads to increased spike probability of relay neurons when activated with high-frequency inputs from retinogeniculate synapses. Finally, in vivo recordings reveal augmented ON- and OFF-responses of dLGN neurons in CKAMP44 knockout (CKAMP44(-/-)) mice, demonstrating the importance of CKAMP44 for modulating synaptic short-term depression and visual input integration. |
