Junctophilin-mediated channel crosstalk essential for cerebellar synaptic plasticity

EMBO J. 2007 Apr 4;26(7):1924-33. doi: 10.1038/sj.emboj.7601639. Epub 2007 Mar 8.

Abstract

Functional crosstalk between cell-surface and intracellular ion channels plays important roles in excitable cells and is structurally supported by junctophilins (JPs) in muscle cells. Here, we report a novel form of channel crosstalk in cerebellar Purkinje cells (PCs). The generation of slow afterhyperpolarization (sAHP) following complex spikes in PCs required ryanodine receptor (RyR)-mediated Ca(2+)-induced Ca(2+) release and the subsequent opening of small-conductance Ca(2+)-activated K(+) (SK) channels in somatodendritic regions. Despite the normal expression levels of these channels, sAHP was abolished in PCs from mutant mice lacking neural JP subtypes (JP-DKO), and this defect was restored by exogenously expressing JPs or enhancing SK channel activation. The stimulation paradigm for inducing long-term depression (LTD) at parallel fiber-PC synapses adversely established long-term potentiation in the JP-DKO cerebellum, primarily due to the sAHP deficiency. Furthermore, JP-DKO mice exhibited impairments of motor coordination and learning, although normal cerebellar histology was retained. Therefore, JPs support the Ca(2+)-mediated communication between voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels, RyRs and SK channels, which modulates the excitability of PCs and is fundamental to cerebellar LTD and motor functions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Action Potentials
  • Animals
  • Calcium / metabolism
  • Ion Channel Gating
  • Learning
  • Long-Term Synaptic Depression
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Motor Skills / physiology
  • Neuronal Plasticity*
  • Purkinje Cells / cytology*
  • Purkinje Cells / metabolism*
  • Ryanodine Receptor Calcium Release Channel / metabolism*
  • Small-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels / metabolism*
  • Synapses / metabolism*

Substances

  • Membrane Proteins
  • Ryanodine Receptor Calcium Release Channel
  • Small-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels
  • junctophilin
  • Calcium