SUMMARY Neuronal hyperactivity is an early primary dysfunction in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in humans and animal models, but effective neuronal hyperactivity-directed anti-AD therapeutic agents are lacking. Here we define a previously unknown mode of ryanodine receptor 2 (RyR2) control of neuronal hyperactivity and AD progression. We show that a single RyR2 point mutation, E4872Q, which reduces RyR2 open time, prevents hyperexcitability, hyperactivity, memory impairment, neuronal cell death, and dendritic spine loss in a severe early-onset AD mouse model (5xFAD). The RyR2-E4872Q mutation upregulates hippocampal CA1-pyramidal cell A-type K + current, a well-known neuronal excitability control that is downregulated in AD. Pharmacologically limiting RyR2 open time with the R -carvedilol enantiomer (but not racemic carvedilol) prevents and rescues neuronal hyperactivity, memory impairment, and neuron loss even in late stages of AD. These AD-related deficits are prevented even with continued β-amyloid accumulation. Thus, limiting RyR2 open time may be a hyperactivity-directed, non-β-amyloid-targeted anti-AD strategy.

Although the modulation of Ca2+ channel activity by extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) has been studied previously, few reports have addressed the effects of such fields on the activity of voltage-activated Na+ channels (Nav). Here, we investigated the effects of ELF-EMF on Nav activity in rat cerebellar granule cells (GCs). Our results reveal that exposing cerebellar GCs to ELF-EMF for 10–60 min significantly increased Nav currents (I Na) by 30–125% in a time- and intensity-dependent manner. The Nav channel steady-state activation curve, but not the steady-state inactivation curve, was significantly shifted (by 5.2 mV) towards hyperpolarization by ELF-EMF stimulation. This phenomenon is similar to the effect of intracellular application of arachidonic acid (AA) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) on I Na in cerebellar GCs. Increases in intracellular AA, PGE2 and phosphorylated PKA levels in cerebellar GCs were observed following ELF-EMF exposure. Western blottings indicated that the NaV 1.2 protein on the cerebellar GCs membrane was increased, the total expression levels of NaV 1.2 protein were not affected after exposure to ELF-EMF. Cyclooxygenase inhibitors and PGE2 receptor (EP) antagonists were able to eliminate this ELF-EMF-induced increase in phosphorylated PKA and I Na. In addition, ELF-EMF exposure significantly enhanced the activity of PLA2 in cerebellar GCs but did not affect COX-1 or COX-2 activity. Together, these data demonstrate for the first time that neuronal I Na is significantly increased by ELF-EMF exposure via a cPLA2 AA PGE2 EP receptors PKA signaling pathway.

Fragile X Syndrome results from a loss of Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein (FMRP). We now show that FMRP is a member of a Cav3-Kv4 ion channel complex that is known to regulate A-type potassium current in cerebellar granule cells to produce mossy fiber LTP. Mossy fiber LTP is absent in Fmr1 knockout (KO) mice but is restored by FMRP(1-297)-tat peptide. This peptide further rapidly permeates the blood-brain barrier to enter cells across the cerebellar-cortical axis that restores the balance of protein translation for at least 24 h and transiently reduces elevated levels of activity of adult Fmr1 KO mice in the Open Field Test. These data reveal that FMRP(1-297)-tat can improve function from the levels of protein translation to synaptic efficacy and behaviour in a model of Fragile X syndrome, identifying a potential therapeutic strategy for this genetic disorder.

Mossy fiber afferents to cerebellar granule cells form the primary synaptic relay into cerebellum, providing an ideal site to process signal inputs differentially. Mossy fiber input is known to exhibit a long-term potentiation (LTP) of synaptic efficacy through a combination of presynaptic and postsynaptic mechanisms. However, the specific postsynaptic mechanisms contributing to LTP of mossy fiber input is unknown. The current study tested the hypothesis that LTP induces a change in intrinsic membrane excitability of rat cerebellar granule cells through modification of Kv4 A-type potassium channels. We found that theta-burst stimulation of mossy fiber input in lobule 9 granule cells lowered the current threshold to spike and increases the gain of spike firing by 2-to 3-fold. The change in postsynaptic excitability was traced to hyperpolarizing shifts in both the half-inactivation and half-activation potentials of Kv4 that occurred upon coactivating NMDAR and group I metabotropic glutamatergic receptors. The effects of theta-burst stimulation on Kv4 channel control of the gain of spike firing depended on a signaling cascade leading to extracellular signal-related kinase activation. Under physiological conditions, LTP of synaptically evoked spike output was expressed preferentially for short bursts characteristic of sensory input, helping to shape signal processing at the mossy fiber-granule cell relay.

In addition to their neurotoxic role in Alzheimer's disease (AD), b-amyloid peptides (Abs) are also known to play physiological roles. Here, we show that recombinant Ab40 significantly increased the outward current of the GABA A receptor containing (GABA A a6) in rat cerebellar granule neurons (CGNs). The Ab40-mediated increase in GABA A a6 current was mediated by an increase in GABA A a6 protein expression at the translational rather than the transcriptional level. The exposure of CGNs to Ab40 markedly induced the phosphorylation of ERK (pERK) and mammalian target of rapamycin (pmTOR). The increase in GABA A a6 current and expression was attenuated by specific inhibitors of ERK or mTOR, suggesting that the ERK and mTOR signaling pathways are required for the effect of Ab40 on GABA A a6 current and expression in