Adenosine A/sub 1/R receptor deficiency enhances hippocampal long-term potentiation in freely moving mice

摘要

This paper addresses the role of adenosine A/sub 1/R receptors (A/sub 1/R) on synaptic efficacy in the hippocampus. Adenosine A/sub 1/ receptors (A/sub 1/R) have known inhibitory effects in the CNS by both hyperpolarizing neurons and inhibiting Ca/sup 2+/ influx. This inhibitory effect leads to a decrease in glutamate release. Glutamate, in turn, activates NMDA receptors, which is thought to lead to long-term potentiation (LTP). Thus, we hypothesized that elimination of A/sub 1/R's would lead to an increase in both NMDA activation and LTP. To assess the role of adenosine on synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus, LTP was induced in freely moving wild type (normal) and A/sub 1/R knockout (KO) mice, which lack the gene coding for the A/sub 1/R. Preliminary results show that LTP is enhanced in KO mice compared to controls, which corresponds to the inhibitory effects of adenosine.