Amyloid-beta peptide is elevated in the brains of patients with Alzheimer disease and is believed to be causative in the disease process. Amyloid-beta reduces glutamatergic transmission and inhibits synaptic plasticity, although the underlying mechanisms are unknown. We found that application of amyloid-beta promoted endocytosis of NMDA receptors in cortical neurons. In addition, neurons from a genetic mouse model of Alzheimer disease expressed reduced amounts of surface NMDA receptors. Reducing amyloid-beta by treating neurons with a gamma-secretase inhibitor restored surface expression of NMDA receptors. Consistent with these data, amyloid-beta application produced a rapid and persistent depression of NMDA-evoked currents in cortical neurons. Amyloid-beta-dependent endocytosis of NMDA receptors required the alpha-7 nicotinic receptor, protein phosphatase 2B (PP2B) and the tyrosine phosphatase STEP. Dephosphorylation of the NMDA receptor subunit NR2B at Tyr1472 correlated with receptor endocytosis. These data indicate a new mechanism by which amyloid-beta can cause synaptic dysfunction and contribute to Alzheimer disease pathology.

Activation of group 1 metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) stimulates dendritic protein synthesis and long-term synaptic depression (LTD), but it remains unclear how these effects are related. Here we provide evidence that a consequence of mGluR activation in the hippocampus is the rapid loss of both AMPA and NMDA receptors from synapses. Like mGluR-LTD, the stable expression of this change requires protein synthesis. These data suggest that expression of mGluR-LTD is at least partly postsynaptic, and that a functional consequence of dendritic protein synthesis is the regulation of glutamate receptor trafficking.

PSD-95 is a major scaffolding protein of the postsynaptic density, tethering NMDA- and AMPA-type glutamate receptors to signaling proteins and the neuronal cytoskeleton. Here we show that PSD-95 is regulated by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. PSD-95 interacts with and is ubiquitinated by the E3 ligase Mdm2. In response to NMDA receptor activation, PSD-95 is ubiquitinated and rapidly removed from synaptic sites by proteasome-dependent degradation. Mutations that block PSD-95 ubiquitination prevent NMDA-induced AMPA receptor endocytosis. Likewise, proteasome inhibitors prevent NMDA-induced AMPA receptor internalization and synaptically induced long-term depression. This is consistent with the notion that PSD-95 levels are an important determinant of AMPA receptor number at the synapse. These data suggest that ubiquitination of PSD-95 through an Mdm2-mediated pathway is critical in regulating AMPA receptor surface expression during synaptic plasticity.

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Expression of N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) receptordependent homosynaptic long term depression at synapses in the hippocampus and neocortex requires the persistent dephosphorylation of postsynaptic protein kinase A substrates. An attractive mechanism for expression of long term depression is the loss of surface AMPA (␣-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazale-4-propionate) receptors at synapses. Here we show that a threshold level of NMDA receptor activation must be exceeded to trigger a stable loss of AMPA receptors from the surface of cultured hippocampal neurons. NMDA also causes displacement of protein kinase A from the synapse, and inhibiting protein kinase A (PKA) activity mimics the NMDA-induced loss of surface AMPA receptors. PKA is targeted to the synapse by an interaction with the A kinase-anchoring protein, AKAP79/150. Disruption of the PKA-AKAP interaction is sufficient to cause a long-lasting reduction in synaptic AMPA receptors in cultured neurons. In addition, we demonstrate in hippocampal slices that displacement of PKA from AKADs occludes synaptically induced long term depression. These data indicate that synaptic anchoring of PKA through association with AKAPs plays an important role in the regulation of AMPA receptor surface expression and synaptic plasticity. Hippocampal long term synaptic depression (LTD)1 is induced by appropriate activation of postsynaptic NMDA receptors (1) and is expressed by a reduction in AMPA receptormediated currents (2). Dephosphorylation of postsynaptic protein kinase A (PKA) substrates appears to be both necessary and sufficient for expression of LTD in area CA1 of the hippocampus. For example, postsynaptic inhibition of PKA depresses synaptic transmission and occludes LTD (3) and reversal of LTD with high frequency synaptic stimulation (dedepression) is selectively blocked by PKA inhibitors (4). In addition, LTD correlates with the persistent (Ͼ1 h) dephosphorylation of a PKA site on AMPA receptors, Ser 845 of the GluR1 subunit (4, 5). Dephosphorylation of Ser 845 decreases AMPA receptor-mediated currents (6, 7) and is therefore likely to contribute directly to LTD expression.It is now clear that another consequence of NMDA receptor activation is clathrin-mediated endocytosis of AMPA receptors (8 -11). Although these data strongly suggest that AMPA receptor internalization also contributes to the expression of LTD, several questions remain. First, it is surprising to note that NMDA receptor activation has not yet been shown to cause a stable long term reduction in surface-expressed AMPA receptors. In fact, the work from Ehlers (10) shows that NMDA receptor activation causes only a transient internalization of AMPA receptors (10). For LTD to be expressed by a reduction in the number of AMPA receptors, it must be possible for NMDA receptor activation to trigger a persistent change. Second, it is not clear what role dephosphorylation of PKA substrates plays in this process. Several findings suggest that the state of phosphorylation of Ser 845 of GluR1 may regulate its surfa...

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Differences in cardiovascular function between sexes have been documented at rest and maximal exercise. The purpose of this study was to examine the sex differences in cardiovascular function during submaximal constant-load exercise, which is not well understood.Thirty-one male and 33 female subjects completed nine minutes moderate and nine minutes vigorous intensity submaximal exercise (40 and 75% of peak watts determined by maximal exercise test). Measurements included: intra-arterial blood pressure (SBP and DBP), cardiac index (QI), heart rate (HR), oxygen consumption (VO2) and arterial catecholamines (epinephrine = EPI and norepinephrine = NE), and blood gases. Mean arterial pressure (MAP), stroke volume index (SVI), systemic vascular resistance index (SVRI), arterial oxygen content (CaO2), arterial to venous O2 difference (AVO2) and systemic oxygen transport (SOT) were calculated.At rest and during submaximal exercise QI, SVI, SBP, MAP, NE, CaO2, and SOT were lower in females compared to males. VO2, AVO2, EPI were lower in females throughout exercise. When corrected for wattage, females had a higher Q, HR, SV, VO2 and AVO2 despite lower energy expenditure and higher mechanical efficiency.This study demonstrates sex differences in the cardiovascular response to constant-load submaximal exercise. Specifically, females presented limitations in cardiac performance in which they are unable to compensate for reductions in stroke volume through increases in HR, potentially a consequence of a female’s blunted sympathetic response and higher vasodilatory state. Females demonstrated greater cardiac work needed to meet the same external work demand, and relied on increased peripheral oxygen extraction, lower energy expenditure and improvements in mechanical efficiency as compensatory mechanisms.