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Physiological role for GABAA receptor desensitization in the induction of long-term potentiation at inhibitory synapses.

Field, M; Dorovykh, V; Thomas, P; Smart, TG; (2021) Physiological role for GABAA receptor desensitization in the induction of long-term potentiation at inhibitory synapses. Nature Communications , 12 (1) , Article 2112. 10.1038/s41467-021-22420-9. Green open access

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Abstract

GGABAA receptors (GABAARs) are pentameric ligand-gated ion channels distributed throughout the brain where they mediate synaptic and tonic inhibition. Following activation, these receptors undergo desensitization which involves entry into long-lived agonist-bound closed states. Although the kinetic effects of this state are recognised and its structural basis has been uncovered, the physiological impact of desensitization on inhibitory neurotransmission remains unknown. Here we describe an enduring form of long-term potentiation at inhibitory synapses that elevates synaptic current amplitude for 24 h following desensitization of GABAARs in response to agonist exposure or allosteric modulation. Using receptor mutants and allosteric modulators we demonstrate that desensitization of GABAARs facilitates their phosphorylation by PKC, which increases the number of receptors at inhibitory synapses. These observations provide a physiological relevance to the desensitized state of GABAARs, acting as a signal to regulate the efficacy of inhibitory synapses during prolonged periods of inhibitory neurotransmission.

Type: Article
Title: Physiological role for GABAA receptor desensitization in the induction of long-term potentiation at inhibitory synapses.
Location: England
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22420-9
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-22420-9
Language: English
Additional information: This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences > Div of Biosciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences > Div of Biosciences > Neuro, Physiology and Pharmacology
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10126273
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