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Astrocytes with previous chronic exposure to amyloid β‐peptide fragment 1–40 suppress excitatory synaptic transmission
Author(s) -
Kawano Hiroyuki,
Oyabu Kohei,
Yamamoto Hideaki,
Eto Kei,
Adaniya Yuna,
Kubota Kaori,
Watanabe Takuya,
HiranoIwata Ayumi,
Nabekura Junichi,
Katsurabayashi Shutaro,
Iwasaki Katsunori
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of neurochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.75
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1471-4159
pISSN - 0022-3042
DOI - 10.1111/jnc.14247
Subject(s) - neurotransmission , excitatory postsynaptic potential , neuroscience , hippocampal formation , synapse , astrocyte , synaptic fatigue , long term potentiation , biology , synaptic plasticity , hippocampus , amyloid (mycology) , inhibitory postsynaptic potential , central nervous system , biochemistry , receptor , botany
Synaptic dysfunction and neuronal death are responsible for cognitive and behavioral deficits in Alzheimer's disease ( AD ). It is well known that such neurological abnormalities are preceded by long‐term exposure of amyloid β‐peptide (Aβ) and/or hyperphosphorylated tau prior. In addition to the neurological deficit, astrocytes as a major glial cell type in the brain, significantly participate in the neuropathogenic mechanisms underlying synaptic modulation. Although astrocytes play a significant key role in modulating synaptic transmission, little is known on whether astrocyte dysfunction caused by such long‐term Aβ exposure affects synapse formation and function. Here, we show that synapse formation and synaptic transmission are attenuated in hippocampal‐naïve neurons co‐cultured with astrocytes that have previously experienced chronic Aβ 1‐40 exposure. In this abnormal astrocytic condition, hippocampal neurons exhibit decrements of evoked excitatory post‐synaptic currents ( EPSC s) and miniature EPSC frequency. Furthermore, size of readily releasable synaptic pools and number of excitatory synapses were also significantly decreased. Contrary to these negative effects, release probability at individual synapses was significantly increased in the same astrocytic condition. Taken together, our data indicate that lower synaptic transmission caused by astrocytes previously, and chronically, exposed to Aβ1–40 is attributable to a small number of synapses with higher release probability.