Cornichon2 Dictates the Time Course of Excitatory Transmission at Individual Hippocampal Synapses

Exploring the role of AMPA receptor auxiliary proteins in synaptic functions and diseases

α-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) ionotropic glutamate receptors (AMPARs) mediate rapid excitatory synaptic transmission in the mammalian brain, primarily driven by the neurotransmitter glutamate. The modulation of AMPAR activity, particularly calcium-permeable AMPARs (CP-AMPARs), is crucially influenced by various auxiliary subunits. These subunits are integral membrane proteins that bind to the receptor's core and modify its functional properties, including ion channel kinetics and receptor trafficking. This review comprehensively catalogs all known AMPAR auxiliary proteins, providing vital insights into the biochemical mechanisms governing synaptic modulation and the specific impact of CP-AMPARs compared to their calcium-impermeable AMPA receptor (CI-AMPARs). Understanding the complex interplay between AMPARs and their auxiliary subunits in different brain regions is essential for elucidating their roles in cognitive functions such as learning and memory. Importantly, alterations in these auxiliary proteins' expression, function or interactions have been implicated in various neurological disorders. Aberrant signaling through CP-AMPARs, in particular, is associated with severe synaptic dysfunctions across neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative and psychiatric conditions. Targeting the distinct properties of AMPAR-auxiliary subunit complexes, especially those involving CP-AMPARs, could disclose new therapeutic strategies, potentially allowing for more precise interventions in treating complex neuronal disorders.

GluA2-containing AMPA receptors form a continuum of Ca2+-permeable channels

Fast excitatory neurotransmission in the mammalian brain is mediated by cation-selective AMPA (α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid) receptors (AMPARs)1. AMPARs are critical for the learning and memory mechanisms of Hebbian plasticity2 and glutamatergic synapse homeostasis3, with recent work establishing that AMPAR missense mutations can cause autism and intellectual disability4-7. AMPARs have been grouped into two functionally distinct tetrameric assemblies based on the inclusion or exclusion of the GluA2 subunit that determines Ca2+ permeability through RNA editing8,9. GluA2-containing AMPARs are the most abundant in the central nervous system and considered to be Ca2+ impermeable10. Here we show this is not the case. Contrary to conventional understanding, GluA2-containing AMPARs form a continuum of polyamine-insensitive ion channels with varying degrees of Ca2+ permeability. Their ability to transport Ca2+ is shaped by the subunit composition of AMPAR tetramers as well as the spatial orientation of transmembrane AMPAR regulatory proteins and cornichon auxiliary subunits. Ca2+ crosses the ion-conduction pathway by docking to an extracellular binding site that helps funnel divalent ions into the pore selectivity filter. The dynamic range in Ca2+ permeability, however, arises because auxiliary subunits primarily modify the selectivity filter. Taken together, our work proposes a broader role for AMPARs in Ca2+ signalling in the mammalian brain and offers mechanistic insight into the pathogenic nature of missense mutations.

Expression and role of CNIH2 in prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men and poses a significant threat to global male health. Traditional prostate cancer assessment methods have certain limitations, necessitating the identification of new prognostic factors and treatment targets. Our study revealed that low expression of the cornichon family AMPA receptor auxiliary protein 2 (CNIH2) gene was associated with a better progression-free survival rate in prostate cancer patients. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) showed that the prognostic ability of the CNIH2 gene was high at 1, 3, and 5 years. The gene was an independent prognostic factor according to multivariate analysis. Functional verification experiments showed that knocking down the CNIH2 gene could inhibit the proliferation, migration and invasion of prostate cancer cells and could also inhibit tumor growth in nude mice. Our study is the first to reveal the important role of the CNIH2 gene in prostate cancer. This discovery provides a new research direction for individualized treatment and prognostic evaluation of prostate cancer.

The Role of Cornichons in the Biogenesis and Functioning of Monovalent-Cation Transport Systems

Monovalent-cation homeostasis, crucial for all living cells, is ensured by the activity of various types of ion transport systems located either in the plasma membrane or in the membranes of organelles. A key prerequisite for the functioning of ion-transporting proteins is their proper trafficking to the target membrane. The cornichon family of COPII cargo receptors is highly conserved in eukaryotic cells. By simultaneously binding their cargoes and a COPII-coat subunit, cornichons promote the incorporation of cargo proteins into the COPII vesicles and, consequently, the efficient trafficking of cargoes via the secretory pathway. In this review, we summarize current knowledge about cornichon proteins (CNIH/Erv14), with an emphasis on yeast and mammalian cornichons and their role in monovalent-cation homeostasis. Saccharomyces cerevisiae cornichon Erv14 serves as a cargo receptor of a large portion of plasma-membrane proteins, including several monovalent-cation transporters. By promoting the proper targeting of at least three housekeeping ion transport systems, Na+, K+/H+ antiporter Nha1, K+ importer Trk1 and K+ channel Tok1, Erv14 appears to play a complex role in the maintenance of alkali-metal-cation homeostasis. Despite their connection to serious human diseases, the repertoire of identified cargoes of mammalian cornichons is much more limited. The majority of current information is about the structure and functioning of CNIH2 and CNIH3 as auxiliary subunits of AMPAR multi-protein complexes. Based on their unique properties and easy genetic manipulation, we propose yeast cells to be a useful tool for uncovering a broader spectrum of human cornichons´ cargoes.

Monoallelic de novo AJAP1 loss-of-function variants disrupt trans-synaptic control of neurotransmitter release

Adherens junction-associated protein 1 (AJAP1) has been implicated in brain diseases; however, a pathogenic mechanism has not been identified. AJAP1 is widely expressed in neurons and binds to γ-aminobutyric acid type B receptors (GBRs), which inhibit neurotransmitter release at most synapses in the brain. Here, we show that AJAP1 is selectively expressed in dendrites and trans-synaptically recruits GBRs to presynaptic sites of neurons expressing AJAP1. We have identified several monoallelic AJAP1 variants in individuals with epilepsy and/or neurodevelopmental disorders. Specifically, we show that the variant p.(W183C) lacks binding to GBRs, resulting in the inability to recruit them. Ultrastructural analysis revealed significantly decreased presynaptic GBR levels in Ajap1-/- and Ajap1W183C/+ mice. Consequently, these mice exhibited reduced GBR-mediated presynaptic inhibition at excitatory and inhibitory synapses, along with impaired synaptic plasticity. Our study reveals that AJAP1 enables the postsynaptic neuron to regulate the level of presynaptic GBR-mediated inhibition, supporting the clinical relevance of loss-of-function AJAP1 variants.

Evolutionary conservation of hippocampal mossy fiber synapse properties

Various specialized structural/functional properties are considered essential for contextual memory encoding by hippocampal mossy fiber (MF) synapses. Although investigated to exquisite detail in model organisms, synapses, including MFs, have undergone minimal functional interrogation in humans. To determine the translational relevance of rodent findings, we evaluated MF properties within human tissue resected to treat epilepsy. Human MFs exhibit remarkably similar hallmark features to rodents, including AMPA receptor-dominated synapses with small contributions from NMDA and kainate receptors, large dynamic range with strong frequency facilitation, NMDA receptor-independent presynaptic long-term potentiation, and strong cyclic AMP (cAMP) sensitivity of release. Array tomography confirmed the evolutionary conservation of MF ultrastructure. The astonishing congruence of rodent and human MF core features argues that the basic MF properties delineated in animal models remain critical to human MF function. Finally, a selective deficit in GABAergic inhibitory tone onto human MF postsynaptic targets suggests that unrestrained detonator excitatory drive contributes to epileptic circuit hyperexcitability.

Clustering of CaV 1.3 L-type calcium channels by Shank3

Clustering of L-type voltage-gated Ca2+ channels (LTCCs) in the plasma membrane is increasingly implicated in creating highly localized Ca2+ signaling nanodomains. For example, neuronal LTCC activation can increase phosphorylation of the nuclear CREB transcription factor by increasing Ca2+ concentrations within a nanodomain close to the channel, without requiring bulk Ca2+ increases in the cytosol or nucleus. However, the molecular basis for LTCC clustering is poorly understood. The postsynaptic scaffolding protein Shank3 specifically associates with one of the major neuronal LTCCs, the CaV 1.3 calcium channel, and is required for optimal LTCC-dependent excitation-transcription coupling. Here, we co-expressed CaV 1.3 α1 subunits with two distinct epitope-tags with or without Shank3 in HEK cells. Co-immunoprecipitation studies using the cell lysates revealed that Shank3 can assemble complexes containing multiple CaV 1.3 α1 subunits under basal conditions. Moreover, CaV 1.3 LTCC complex formation was facilitated by CaV β subunits (β3 and β2a), which also interact with Shank3. Shank3 interactions with CaV 1.3 LTCCs and multimeric CaV 1.3 LTCC complex assembly were disrupted following the addition of Ca2+ to cell lysates, perhaps simulating conditions within an activated CaV 1.3 LTCC nanodomain. In intact HEK293T cells, co-expression of Shank3 enhanced the intensity of membrane-localized CaV 1.3 LTCC clusters under basal conditions, but not after Ca2+ channel activation. Live cell imaging studies also revealed that Ca2+ influx through LTCCs disassociated Shank3 from CaV 1.3 LTCCs clusters and reduced the CaV 1.3 cluster intensity. Deletion of the Shank3 PDZ domain prevented both binding to CaV 1.3 and the changes in multimeric CaV 1.3 LTCC complex assembly in vitro and in HEK293 cells. Finally, we found that shRNA knock-down of Shank3 expression in cultured rat primary hippocampal neurons reduced the intensity of surface-localized CaV 1.3 LTCC clusters in dendrites. Taken together, our findings reveal a novel molecular mechanism contributing to neuronal LTCC clustering under basal conditions.

A Noelin-organized extracellular network of proteins required for constitutive and context-dependent anchoring of AMPA-receptors

Information processing and storage in the brain rely on AMPA-receptors (AMPARs) and their context-dependent dynamics in synapses and extra-synaptic sites. We found that distribution and dynamics of AMPARs in the plasma membrane are controlled by Noelins, a three-member family of conserved secreted proteins expressed throughout the brain in a cell-type-specific manner. Noelin tetramers tightly assemble with the extracellular domains of AMPARs and interconnect them in a network-like configuration with a variety of secreted and membrane-anchored proteins including Neurexin1, Neuritin1, and Seizure 6-like. Knock out of Noelins1-3 profoundly reduced AMPARs in synapses onto excitatory and inhibitory (inter)neurons, decreased their density and clustering in dendrites, and abolished activity-dependent synaptic plasticity. Our results uncover an endogenous mechanism for extracellular anchoring of AMPARs and establish Noelin-organized networks as versatile determinants of constitutive and context-dependent neurotransmission.

Subunit composition, molecular environment, and activation of native TRPC channels encoded by their interactomes

In the mammalian brain TRPC channels, a family of Ca²⁺-permeable cation channels, are involved in a variety of processes from neuronal growth and synapse formation to transmitter release, synaptic transmission and plasticity. The molecular appearance and operation of native TRPC channels, however, remained poorly understood. Here, we used high-resolution proteomics to show that TRPC channels in the rodent brain are macro-molecular complexes of more than 1 MDa in size that result from the co-assembly of the tetrameric channel core with an ensemble of interacting proteins (interactome). The core(s) of TRPC1-, C4-, and C5-containing channels are mostly heteromers with defined stoichiometries for each subtype, whereas TRPC3, C6, and C7 preferentially form homomers. In addition, TRPC1/C4/C5 channels may co-assemble with the metabotropic glutamate receptor mGluR1, thus guaranteeing both specificity and reliability of channel activation via the phospholipase-Ca²⁺ pathway. Our results unveil the subunit composition of native TRPC channels and resolve the molecular details underlying their activation.

Expression and Interaction Proteomics of GluA1- and GluA3-Subunit-Containing AMPARs Reveal Distinct Protein Composition

The AMPA glutamate receptor (AMPAR) is the major type of synaptic excitatory ionotropic receptor in the brain. AMPARs have four different subunits, GluA1-4 (each encoded by different genes, Gria1, Gria2, Gria3 and Gria4), that can form distinct tetrameric assemblies. The most abundant AMPAR subtypes in the hippocampus are GluA1/2 and GluA2/3 heterotetramers. Each subtype contributes differentially to mechanisms of synaptic plasticity, which may be in part caused by how these receptors are regulated by specific associated proteins. A broad range of AMPAR interacting proteins have been identified, including the well-studied transmembrane AMPA receptor regulatory proteins TARP-γ2 (also known as Stargazin) and TARP-γ8, Cornichon homolog 2 (CNIH-2) and many others. Several interactors were shown to affect biogenesis, AMPAR trafficking, and channel properties, alone or in distinct assemblies, and several revealed preferred binding to specific AMPAR subunits. To date, a systematic specific interactome analysis of the major GluA1/2 and GluA2/3 AMPAR subtypes separately is lacking. To reveal interactors belonging to specific AMPAR subcomplexes, we performed both expression and interaction proteomics on hippocampi of wildtype and Gria1- or Gria3 knock-out mice. Whereas GluA1/2 receptors co-purified TARP-γ8, synapse differentiation-induced protein 4 (SynDIG4, also known as Prrt1) and CNIH-2 with highest abundances, GluA2/3 receptors revealed strongest co-purification of CNIH-2, TARP-γ2, and Noelin1 (or Olfactomedin-1). Further analysis revealed that TARP-γ8-SynDIG4 interact directly and co-assemble into an AMPAR subcomplex especially at synaptic sites. Together, these data provide a framework for further functional analysis into AMPAR subtype specific pathways in health and disease.

Sex Differences in the Role of CNIH3 on Spatial Memory and Synaptic Plasticity

BACKGROUND

CNIH3 is an AMPA receptor (AMPAR) auxiliary protein prominently expressed in the dorsal hippocampus (dHPC), a region that plays a critical role in spatial memory and synaptic plasticity. However, the effects of CNIH3 on AMPAR-dependent synaptic function and behavior have not been investigated.

METHODS

We assessed a gain-of-function model of Cnih3 overexpression in the dHPC and generated and characterized a line of Cnih3-/- C57BL/6 mice. We assessed spatial memory through behavioral assays, protein levels of AMPAR subunits and synaptic proteins by immunoblotting, and long-term potentiation in electrophysiological recordings. We also utilized a super-resolution imaging workflow, SEQUIN (Synaptic Evaluation and Quantification by Imaging of Nanostructure), for analysis of nanoscale synaptic connectivity in the dHPC.

RESULTS

Overexpression of Cnih3 in the dHPC improved short-term spatial memory in female mice but not in male mice. Cnih3-/- female mice exhibited weakened short-term spatial memory, reduced dHPC synapse density, enhanced expression of calcium-impermeable AMPAR (GluA2-containing) subunits in synaptosomes, and attenuated long-term potentiation maintenance compared with Cnih3+/+ control mice; Cnih3-/- males were unaffected. Further investigation revealed that deficiencies in spatial memory and changes in AMPAR composition and synaptic plasticity were most pronounced during the metestrus phase of the estrous cycle in female Cnih3-/- mice.

CONCLUSIONS

This study identified a novel effect of sex and estrous on CNIH3's role in spatial memory and synaptic plasticity. Manipulation of CNIH3 unmasked sexually dimorphic effects on spatial memory, synaptic function, AMPAR composition, and hippocampal plasticity. These findings reinforce the importance of considering sex as a biological variable in studies of memory and hippocampal synaptic function.

Structure, Function, and Pharmacology of Glutamate Receptor Ion Channels

Many physiologic effects of l-glutamate, the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system, are mediated via signaling by ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs). These ligand-gated ion channels are critical to brain function and are centrally implicated in numerous psychiatric and neurologic disorders. There are different classes of iGluRs with a variety of receptor subtypes in each class that play distinct roles in neuronal functions. The diversity in iGluR subtypes, with their unique functional properties and physiologic roles, has motivated a large number of studies. Our understanding of receptor subtypes has advanced considerably since the first iGluR subunit gene was cloned in 1989, and the research focus has expanded to encompass facets of biology that have been recently discovered and to exploit experimental paradigms made possible by technological advances. Here, we review insights from more than 3 decades of iGluR studies with an emphasis on the progress that has occurred in the past decade. We cover structure, function, pharmacology, roles in neurophysiology, and therapeutic implications for all classes of receptors assembled from the subunits encoded by the 18 ionotropic glutamate receptor genes. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Glutamate receptors play important roles in virtually all aspects of brain function and are either involved in mediating some clinical features of neurological disease or represent a therapeutic target for treatment. Therefore, understanding the structure, function, and pharmacology of this class of receptors will advance our understanding of many aspects of brain function at molecular, cellular, and system levels and provide new opportunities to treat patients.

Slow excitatory synaptic currents generated by AMPA receptors

Decades of literature indicate that the AMPA-type glutamate receptor is among the fastest acting of all neurotransmitter receptors. These receptors are located at excitatory synapses, and conventional wisdom says that they activate in hundreds of microseconds, deactivate in milliseconds due to their low affinity for glutamate and also desensitize profoundly. These properties circumscribe AMPA receptor activation in both space and time. However, accumulating evidence shows that AMPA receptors can also activate with slow, indefatigable responses. They do so through interactions with auxiliary subunits that are able promote a switch to a high open probability, high-conductance 'superactive' mode. In this review, we show that any assumption that this phenomenon is limited to heterologous expression is false and rather that slow AMPA currents have been widely and repeatedly observed throughout the nervous system. Hallmarks of the superactive mode are a lack of desensitization, resistance to competitive antagonists and a current decay that outlives free glutamate by hundreds of milliseconds. Because the switch to the superactive mode is triggered by activation, AMPA receptors can generate accumulating 'pedestal' currents in response to repetitive stimulation, constituting a postsynaptic mechanism for short-term potentiation in the range 5-100 Hz. Further, slow AMPA currents span 'cognitive' time intervals in the 100 ms range (theta rhythms), of particular interest for hippocampal function, where slow AMPA currents are widely expressed in a synapse-specific manner. Here, we outline the implications that slow AMPA receptors have for excitatory synaptic transmission and computation in the nervous system.

AMPA receptors in the synapse: Very little space and even less time

Glutamate is by far the most abundant neurotransmitter used by excitatory synapses in the vertebrate central nervous system. Once released into the synaptic cleft, it depolarises the postsynaptic membrane and activates downstream signalling pathways resulting in the propagation of the excitatory signal. Initial depolarisation is primarily mediated by α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate (AMPA) receptors. These ion channels are the first ones to be activated by released glutamate and their kinetics, dynamics and abundance on the postsynaptic membrane defines the strength of the postsynaptic response. This review focuses on native AMPA receptors and synaptic environment they inhabit and considers structural and functional properties of the receptors obtained in heterologous systems in the light of spatial and temporal constraints of the synapse. This article is part of the special Issue on 'Glutamate Receptors - AMPA receptors'.

Biology of AMPA receptor interacting proteins - From biogenesis to synaptic plasticity

AMPA-type glutamate receptors mediate the majority of excitatory synaptic transmission in the central nervous system. Their signaling properties and abundance at synapses are both crucial determinants of synapse efficacy and plasticity, and are therefore under sophisticated control. Unique to this ionotropic glutamate receptor (iGluR) is the abundance of interacting proteins that contribute to its complex regulation. These include transient interactions with the receptor cytoplasmic tail as well as the N-terminal domain locating to the synaptic cleft, both of which are involved in AMPAR trafficking and receptor stabilization at the synapse. Moreover, an array of transmembrane proteins operate as auxiliary subunits that in addition to receptor trafficking and stabilization also substantially impact AMPAR gating and pharmacology. Here, we provide an overview of the catalogue of AMPAR interacting proteins, and how they contribute to the complex biology of this central glutamate receptor.

Hippocampal AMPA receptor assemblies and mechanism of allosteric inhibition

AMPA-selective glutamate receptors mediate the transduction of signals between the neuronal circuits of the hippocampus1. The trafficking, localization, kinetics and pharmacology of AMPA receptors are tuned by an ensemble of auxiliary protein subunits, which are integral membrane proteins that associate with the receptor to yield bona fide receptor signalling complexes2. Thus far, extensive studies of recombinant AMPA receptor-auxiliary subunit complexes using engineered protein constructs have not been able to faithfully elucidate the molecular architecture of hippocampal AMPA receptor complexes. Here we obtain mouse hippocampal, calcium-impermeable AMPA receptor complexes using immunoaffinity purification and use single-molecule fluorescence and cryo-electron microscopy experiments to elucidate three major AMPA receptor-auxiliary subunit complexes. The GluA1-GluA2, GluA1-GluA2-GluA3 and GluA2-GluA3 receptors are the predominant assemblies, with the auxiliary subunits TARP-γ8 and CNIH2-SynDIG4 non-stochastically positioned at the B'/D' and A'/C' positions, respectively. We further demonstrate how the receptor-TARP-γ8 stoichiometry explains the mechanism of and submaximal inhibition by a clinically relevant, brain-region-specific allosteric inhibitor.

Gating and modulation of a hetero-octameric AMPA glutamate receptor

AMPA receptors (AMPARs) mediate the majority of excitatory transmission in the brain and enable the synaptic plasticity that underlies learning¹. A diverse array of AMPAR signalling complexes are established by receptor auxiliary subunits, which associate with the AMPAR in various combinations to modulate trafficking, gating and synaptic strength². However, their mechanisms of action are poorly understood. Here we determine cryo-electron microscopy structures of the heteromeric GluA1-GluA2 receptor assembled with both TARP-γ8 and CNIH2, the predominant AMPAR complex in the forebrain, in both resting and active states. Two TARP-γ8 and two CNIH2 subunits insert at distinct sites beneath the ligand-binding domains of the receptor, with site-specific lipids shaping each interaction and affecting the gating regulation of the AMPARs. Activation of the receptor leads to asymmetry between GluA1 and GluA2 along the ion conduction path and an outward expansion of the channel triggers counter-rotations of both auxiliary subunit pairs, promoting the active-state conformation. In addition, both TARP-γ8 and CNIH2 pivot towards the pore exit upon activation, extending their reach for cytoplasmic receptor elements. CNIH2 achieves this through its uniquely extended M2 helix, which has transformed this endoplasmic reticulum-export factor into a powerful AMPAR modulator that is capable of providing hippocampal pyramidal neurons with their integrative synaptic properties.

Erythropoietin induces synaptogenesis and neurite repair after hypoxia ischemia-mediated brain injury in neonatal rats

The memory dysfunction is one of the disastrous outcomes for perinatal hypoxia ischemia. Erythropoietin (EPO) has been demonstrated as a neuroprotective agent with multiple effects in a series of neurological diseases. We hypothesized that disruption of neural network including synapses and neurites would contribute to memory dysfunction induced by hypoxia ischemia. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the involvement of EPO on synaptogenesis and neurite repair following perinatal hypoxia ischemia. Using a neonatal hypoxia ischemia rat model, we found that EPO rescued hypoxia ischemia-induced decrease of synaptic proteins including Synapsin1 and PSD95 rather than GluR1 in the cortex and hippocampus. In addition, EPO reduced the expression of APP (an axonal injury marker), induced the expression of microtubule-associated protein MAP-2 (a dendritic marker), and restored axonal density after hypoxia ischemia. These changes contributed to improving electrophysiological properties of synapses and spatial memory performance. In summary, our data revealed an important role of EPO in synaptogenesis and neurite repair, providing a new insight into cellular mechanisms underlying cognitive and memory dysfunction associated with perinatal hypoxia ischemia.

Neuronal L-Type Calcium Channel Signaling to the Nucleus Requires a Novel CaMKIIα-Shank3 Interaction

The activation of neuronal plasma membrane Ca2+ channels stimulates many intracellular responses. Scaffolding proteins can preferentially couple specific Ca2+ channels to distinct downstream outputs, such as increased gene expression, but the molecular mechanisms that underlie the exquisite specificity of these signaling pathways are incompletely understood. Here, we show that complexes containing CaMKII and Shank3, a postsynaptic scaffolding protein known to interact with L-type calcium channels (LTCCs), can be specifically coimmunoprecipitated from mouse forebrain extracts. Activated purified CaMKIIα also directly binds Shank3 between residues 829 and 1130. Mutation of Shank3 residues 949Arg-Arg-Lys951 to three alanines disrupts CaMKII binding in vitro and CaMKII association with Shank3 in heterologous cells. Our shRNA/rescue studies revealed that Shank3 binding to both CaMKII and LTCCs is important for increased phosphorylation of the nuclear CREB transcription factor and expression of c-Fos induced by depolarization of cultured hippocampal neurons. Thus, this novel CaMKII-Shank3 interaction is essential for the initiation of a specific long-range signal from LTCCs in the plasma membrane to the nucleus that is required for activity-dependent changes in neuronal gene expression during learning and memory.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Precise neuronal expression of genes is essential for normal brain function. Proteins involved in signaling pathways that underlie activity-dependent gene expression, such as CaMKII, Shank3, and L-type calcium channels, are often mutated in multiple neuropsychiatric disorders. Shank3 and CaMKII were previously shown to bind L-type calcium channels, and we show here that Shank3 also binds to CaMKII. Our data show that each of these interactions is required for depolarization-induced phosphorylation of the CREB nuclear transcription factor, which stimulates the expression of c-Fos, a neuronal immediate early gene with key roles in synaptic plasticity, brain development, and behavior.

AMPA receptor structure and auxiliary subunits

Fast excitatory synaptic transmission in the mammalian brain is largely mediated by AMPA-type ionotropic glutamate receptors (AMPARs), which are activated by the neurotransmitter glutamate. In synapses, the function of AMPARs is tuned by their auxiliary subunits, a diverse set of membrane proteins associated with the core pore-forming subunits of the AMPARs. Each auxiliary subunit provides distinct functional modulation of AMPARs, ranging from regulation of trafficking to shaping ion channel gating kinetics. Understanding the molecular mechanism of the function of these complexes is key to decoding synaptic modulation and their global roles in cognitive activities, such as learning and memory. Here, we review the structural and molecular complexity of AMPAR-auxiliary subunit complexes, as well as their functional diversity in different brain regions. We suggest that the recent structural information provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying synaptic functions of AMPAR-auxiliary subunit complexes.

Structures of the AMPA receptor in complex with its auxiliary subunit cornichon

In the brain, AMPA-type glutamate receptors (AMPARs) form complexes with their auxiliary subunits and mediate the majority of fast excitatory neurotransmission. Signals transduced by these complexes are critical for synaptic plasticity, learning, and memory. The two major categories of AMPAR auxiliary subunits are transmembrane AMPAR regulatory proteins (TARPs) and cornichon homologs (CNIHs); these subunits share little homology and play distinct roles in controlling ion channel gating and trafficking of AMPAR. Here, I report high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy structures of AMPAR in complex with CNIH3. Contrary to its predicted membrane topology, CNIH3 lacks an extracellular domain and instead contains four membrane-spanning helices. The protein-protein interaction interface that dictates channel modulation and the lipids surrounding the complex are revealed. These structures provide insights into the molecular mechanism for ion channel modulation and assembly of AMPAR/CNIH3 complexes.

The AMPA Receptor Code of Synaptic Plasticity

Changes in the properties and postsynaptic abundance of AMPA-type glutamate receptors (AMPARs) are major mechanisms underlying various forms of synaptic plasticity, including long-term potentiation (LTP), long-term depression (LTD), and homeostatic scaling. The function and the trafficking of AMPARs to and from synapses is modulated by specific AMPAR GluA1-GluA4 subunits, subunit-specific protein interactors, auxiliary subunits, and posttranslational modifications. Layers of regulation are added to AMPAR tetramers through these different interactions and modifications, increasing the computational power of synapses. Here we review the reliance of synaptic plasticity on AMPAR variants and propose "the AMPAR code" as a conceptual framework. The AMPAR code suggests that AMPAR variants will be predictive of the types and extent of synaptic plasticity that can occur and that a hierarchy exists such that certain AMPARs will be disproportionally recruited to synapses during LTP/homeostatic scaling up, or removed during LTD/homeostatic scaling down.

GSK-3β/mTORC1 Couples Synaptogenesis and Axonal Repair to Reduce Hypoxia Ischemia-Mediated Brain Injury in Neonatal Rats

Glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK-3β) plays an important role in neurological outcomes after brain injury. However, its roles and mechanisms in hypoxia-ischemia (HI) are unclear. Activation of mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) has been proven to induce the synthesis of proteins associated with regeneration. We hypothesized that GSK-3β inhibition could activate the mTORC1 signaling pathway, which may reduce axonal injury and induce synaptic protein synthesis and functional recovery of synapses after HI. By analyzing a P7 rat model of cerebral HI and an in vitro ischemic (oxygen glucose deprivation) model, we found that GSK-3β inhibitors (GSK-3β siRNA or lithium chloride) activated mTORC1 signaling, leading to increased expression of synaptic proteins, including synapsin 1, PSD95, and GluR1, and the microtubule-associated protein Tau and decreased expression of the axonal injury-associated protein amyloid precursor protein. These changes contributed to attenuated axonal injury (decreased amyloid precursor protein staining and axonal loss by silver staining), improved electrophysiological properties of synapses, and enhanced spatial memory performance in the Morris water maze. However, inhibition of mTORC1 by rapamycin blocked the benefits induced by GSK-3β inhibition, suggesting that GSK-3β inhibition induces synaptogenesis and axonal repair via mTORC1 signaling, which may benefit neonatal rats subjected to HI.

AMPA receptors and their minions: auxiliary proteins in AMPA receptor trafficking

To correctly transfer information, neuronal networks need to continuously adjust their synaptic strength to extrinsic stimuli. This ability, termed synaptic plasticity, is at the heart of their function and is, thus, tightly regulated. In glutamatergic neurons, synaptic strength is controlled by the number and function of AMPA receptors at the postsynapse, which mediate most of the fast excitatory transmission in the central nervous system. Their trafficking to, at, and from the synapse, is, therefore, a key mechanism underlying synaptic plasticity. Intensive research over the last 20 years has revealed the increasing importance of interacting proteins, which accompany AMPA receptors throughout their lifetime and help to refine the temporal and spatial modulation of their trafficking and function. In this review, we discuss the current knowledge about the roles of key partners in regulating AMPA receptor trafficking and focus especially on the movement between the intracellular, extrasynaptic, and synaptic pools. We examine their involvement not only in basal synaptic function, but also in Hebbian and homeostatic plasticity. Included in our review are well-established AMPA receptor interactants such as GRIP1 and PICK1, the classical auxiliary subunits TARP and CNIH, and the newest additions to AMPA receptor native complexes.

SAP102 regulates synaptic AMPAR function through a CNIH-2-dependent mechanism

The postsynaptic density (PSD)-95-like, disk-large (DLG) membrane-associated guanylate kinase (PSD/DLG-MAGUK) family of proteins scaffold α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR) complexes to the postsynaptic compartment and are postulated to orchestrate activity-dependent modulation of synaptic AMPAR functions. SAP102 is a key member of this family, present from early development, before PSD-95 and PSD-93, and throughout life. Here we investigate the role of SAP102 in synaptic transmission using a cell-restricted molecular replacement strategy, where SAP102 is expressed against the background of acute knockdown of endogenous PSD-95. We show that SAP102 rescues the decrease of AMPAR-mediated evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents (AMPAR eEPSCs) and AMPAR miniature EPSC (AMPAR mEPSC) frequency caused by acute knockdown of PSD-95. Further analysis of the mini events revealed that PSD-95-to-SAP102 replacement but not direct manipulation of PSD-95 increases the AMPAR mEPSC decay time. SAP102-mediated rescue of AMPAR eEPSCs requires AMPAR auxiliary subunit cornichon-2, whereas cornichon-2 knockdown did not affect PSD-95-mediated regulation of AMPAR eEPSC. Combining these observations, our data elucidate that PSD-95 and SAP102 differentially influence basic synaptic properties and synaptic current kinetics potentially via different AMPAR auxiliary subunits. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Synaptic scaffold proteins postsynaptic density (PSD)-95-like, disk-large (DLG) membrane-associated guanylate kinase (PSD-MAGUKs) regulate synaptic α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR) function. However, the functional diversity among different PSD-MAGUKs remains to be categorized. We show that distinct from PSD-95, SAP102 increase the AMPAR synaptic current decay time, and the effect of SAP102 on synaptic AMPAR function requires the AMPAR auxiliary subunit cornichon-2. Our data suggest that PSD-MAGUKs target and modulate different AMPAR complexes to exert specific experience-dependent modification of the excitatory circuit.

Ferric Chelate Reductase 1 Like Protein (FRRS1L) Associates with Dynein Vesicles and Regulates Glutamatergic Synaptic Transmission

In the brain, AMPA receptors (AMPARs)-mediated excitatory synaptic transmission is critically regulated by the receptor auxiliary subunits. Recent proteomic studies have identified that Ferric Chelate Reductase 1 Like protein (FRRS1L), whose mutations in human lead to epilepsy, choreoathetosis, and cognitive deficits, is present in native AMPAR complexes in the brain. Here we have characterized FRRS1L in both heterologous cells and in mouse neurons. We found that FRRS1L interacts with both GluA1 and GluA2 subunits of AMPARs, but does not form dimers/oligomers, in HEK cells. In mouse hippocampal neurons, recombinant FRRS1L at the neuronal surface partially co-localizes with GluA1 and primarily localizes at non-synaptic membranes. In addition, native FRRS1L in hippocampus is localized at dynein, but not kinesin5B, vesicles. Functionally, over-expression of FRRS1L in hippocampal neurons does not change glutamatergic synaptic transmission. In contrast, single-cell knockout (KO) of FRRS1L strongly reduces the expression levels of the GluA1 subunit at the neuronal surface, and significantly decreases AMPAR-mediated synaptic transmission in mouse hippocampal pyramidal neurons. Taken together, these data characterize FRRS1L in heterologous cells and neurons, and reveal an important role of FRRS1L in the regulation of excitatory synaptic strength.

The AMPA receptor-associated protein Shisa7 regulates hippocampal synaptic function and contextual memory

Glutamatergic synapses rely on AMPA receptors (AMPARs) for fast synaptic transmission and plasticity. AMPAR auxiliary proteins regulate receptor trafficking, and modulate receptor mobility and its biophysical properties. The AMPAR auxiliary protein Shisa7 (CKAMP59) has been shown to interact with AMPARs in artificial expression systems, but it is unknown whether Shisa7 has a functional role in glutamatergic synapses. We show that Shisa7 physically interacts with synaptic AMPARs in mouse hippocampus. Shisa7 gene deletion resulted in faster AMPAR currents in CA1 synapses, without affecting its synaptic expression. Shisa7 KO mice showed reduced initiation and maintenance of long-term potentiation of glutamatergic synapses. In line with this, Shisa7 KO mice showed a specific deficit in contextual fear memory, both short-term and long-term after conditioning, whereas auditory fear memory and anxiety-related behavior were normal. Thus, Shisa7 is a bona-fide AMPAR modulatory protein affecting channel kinetics of AMPARs, necessary for synaptic hippocampal plasticity, and memory recall.

Control of AMPA receptor activity by the extracellular loops of auxiliary proteins

At synapses throughout the mammalian brain, AMPA receptors form complexes with auxiliary proteins, including TARPs. However, how TARPs modulate AMPA receptor gating remains poorly understood. We built structural models of TARP-AMPA receptor complexes for TARPs γ2 and γ8, combining recent structural studies and de novo structure predictions. These models, combined with peptide binding assays, provide evidence for multiple interactions between GluA2 and variable extracellular loops of TARPs. Substitutions and deletions of these loops had surprisingly rich effects on the kinetics of glutamate-activated currents, without any effect on assembly. Critically, by altering the two interacting loops of γ2 and γ8, we could entirely remove all allosteric modulation of GluA2, without affecting formation of AMPA receptor-TARP complexes. Likewise, substitutions in the linker domains of GluA2 completely removed any effect of γ2 on receptor kinetics, indicating a dominant role for this previously overlooked site proximal to the AMPA receptor channel gate.

AMPA-receptor specific biogenesis complexes control synaptic transmission and intellectual ability

AMPA-type glutamate receptors (AMPARs), key elements in excitatory neurotransmission in the brain, are macromolecular complexes whose properties and cellular functions are determined by the co-assembled constituents of their proteome. Here we identify AMPAR complexes that transiently form in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and lack the core-subunits typical for AMPARs in the plasma membrane. Central components of these ER AMPARs are the proteome constituents FRRS1l (C9orf4) and CPT1c that specifically and cooperatively bind to the pore-forming GluA1-4 proteins of AMPARs. Bi-allelic mutations in the human FRRS1L gene are shown to cause severe intellectual disability with cognitive impairment, speech delay and epileptic activity. Virus-directed deletion or overexpression of FRRS1l strongly impact synaptic transmission in adult rat brain by decreasing or increasing the number of AMPARs in synapses and extra-synaptic sites. Our results provide insight into the early biogenesis of AMPARs and demonstrate its pronounced impact on synaptic transmission and brain function.

The biogenesis of AMPA-type glutamate receptor (AMPAR) complexes is only partially understood. Here the authors identify transient assemblies of GluA1-4 proteins and proteins FRRS1l/CPT1c that drive formation of mature AMPAR complexes in the ER. Mutations in FRRS1l are associated with intellectual disability and epilepsy in three families.

GSG1L regulates the strength of AMPA receptor-mediated synaptic transmission but not AMPA receptor kinetics in hippocampal dentate granule neurons

GSG1L is an AMPA receptor (AMPAR) auxiliary subunit that regulates AMPAR trafficking and function in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons. However, its physiological roles in other types of neurons remain to be characterized. Here, we investigated the role of GSG1L in hippocampal dentate granule cells and found that GSG1L is important for the regulation of synaptic strength but is not critical for the modulation of AMPAR deactivation and desensitization kinetics. These data demonstrate a neuronal type-specific role of GSG1L and suggest that physiological function of AMPAR auxiliary subunits may vary in different types of neurons.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY

GSG1L is a newly identified AMPA receptor (AMPAR) auxiliary subunit and plays a unique role in the regulation of AMPAR trafficking and function in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons. However, its role in the regulation of AMPARs in hippocampal dentate granule cells remains to be characterized. The current work reveals that GSG1L regulates strength of AMPAR-mediated synaptic transmission but not the receptor kinetic properties in hippocampal dentate granule neurons.

Evidence of CNIH3 involvement in opioid dependence

Opioid dependence, a severe addictive disorder and major societal problem, has been demonstrated to be moderately heritable. We conducted a genome-wide association study in Comorbidity and Trauma Study data comparing opioid-dependent daily injectors (N=1167) with opioid misusers who never progressed to daily injection (N=161). The strongest associations, observed for CNIH3 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), were confirmed in two independent samples, the Yale-Penn genetic studies of opioid, cocaine and alcohol dependence and the Study of Addiction: Genetics and Environment, which both contain non-dependent opioid misusers and opioid-dependent individuals. Meta-analyses found five genome-wide significant CNIH3 SNPs. The A allele of rs10799590, the most highly associated SNP, was robustly protective (P=4.30E-9; odds ratio 0.64 (95% confidence interval 0.55-0.74)). Epigenetic annotation predicts that this SNP is functional in fetal brain. Neuroimaging data from the Duke Neurogenetics Study (N=312) provide evidence of this SNP's in vivo functionality; rs10799590 A allele carriers displayed significantly greater right amygdala habituation to threat-related facial expressions, a phenotype associated with resilience to psychopathology. Computational genetic analyses of physical dependence on morphine across 23 mouse strains yielded significant correlations for haplotypes in CNIH3 and functionally related genes. These convergent findings support CNIH3 involvement in the pathophysiology of opioid dependence, complementing prior studies implicating the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) glutamate system.

GSG1L suppresses AMPA receptor-mediated synaptic transmission and uniquely modulates AMPA receptor kinetics in hippocampal neurons

Regulation of AMPA receptor (AMPAR)-mediated synaptic transmission is a key mechanism for synaptic plasticity. In the brain, AMPARs assemble with a number of auxiliary subunits, including TARPs, CNIHs and CKAMP44, which are important for AMPAR forward trafficking to synapses. Here we report that the membrane protein GSG1L negatively regulates AMPAR-mediated synaptic transmission. Overexpression of GSG1L strongly suppresses, and GSG1L knockout (KO) enhances, AMPAR-mediated synaptic transmission. GSG1L-dependent regulation of AMPAR synaptic transmission relies on the first extracellular loop domain and its carboxyl-terminus. GSG1L also speeds up AMPAR deactivation and desensitization in hippocampal CA1 neurons, in contrast to the effects of TARPs and CNIHs. Furthermore, GSG1L association with AMPARs inhibits CNIH2-induced slowing of the receptors in heterologous cells. Finally, GSG1L KO rats have deficits in LTP and show behavioural abnormalities in object recognition tests. These data demonstrate that GSG1L represents a new class of auxiliary subunit with distinct functional properties for AMPARs.

The molecular mechanism controlling the trafficking and function of AMPARs at synapses are not fully understood. Here the authors show that GSG1L, a membrane protein, negatively regulates AMPAR-mediated synaptic transmission and represents a new class of AMPAR auxiliary subunit.

More than a pore: ion channel signaling complexes

Voltage- and ligand-gated ion channels form the molecular basis of cellular excitability. With >400 members and accounting for ∼1.5% of the human genome, ion channels are some of the most well studied of all proteins in heterologous expression systems. Yet, ion channels often exhibit unexpected properties in vivo because of their interaction with a variety of signaling/scaffolding proteins. Such interactions can influence the function and localization of ion channels, as well as their coupling to intracellular second messengers and pathways, thus increasing the signaling potential of these ion channels in neurons. Moreover, functions have been ascribed to ion channels that are largely independent of their ion-conducting roles. Molecular and functional dissection of the ion channel proteome/interactome has yielded new insights into the composition of ion channel complexes and how their dysregulation leads to human disease.

Molecular dissection of the interaction between the AMPA receptor and cornichon homolog-3

Cornichon homologs (CNIHs) are AMPA-type glutamate receptor (AMPAR) auxiliary subunits that modulate AMPAR ion channel function and trafficking. Mechanisms underlying this interaction and functional modulation of the receptor complex are currently unclear. Here, using proteins expressed from mouse and rat cDNA, we show that CNIH-3 forms a stable complex with tetrameric AMPARs and contributes to the transmembrane density in single-particle electron microscopy structures. Peptide array-based screening and in vitro mutagenesis identified two clusters of conserved membrane-proximal residues in CNIHs that contribute to AMPAR binding. Because CNIH-1 binds to AMPARs but modulates gating at a significantly lower magnitude compared with CNIH-3, these conserved residues mediate a direct interaction between AMPARs and CNIHs. In addition, residues in the extracellular loop of CNIH-2/3 absent in CNIH-1/4 are critical for both AMPAR interaction and gating modulation. On the AMPAR extracellular domains, the ligand-binding domain and possibly a stretch of linker, connecting the ligand-binding domain to the fourth membrane-spanning segment, is the principal contact point with the CNIH-3 extracellular loop. In contrast, the membrane-distal N-terminal domain is less involved in AMPAR gating modulation by CNIH-3 and AMPAR binding to CNIH-3. Collectively, our results identify conserved residues in the membrane-proximal region of CNIHs that contribute to AMPAR binding and an additional unique segment in the CNIH-2/3 extracellular loop required for both physical interaction and gating modulation of the AMPAR. Consistent with the dissociable properties of binding and gating modulation, we identified a mutant CNIH-3 that preserves AMPAR binding capability but has attenuated activity of gating modulation.