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Localization of mineralocorticoid receptors at mammalian synapses
Citation
Prager, EM and Brielmaier, J and Bergstrom, HC and McGuire, J and Johnson, LR, Localization of mineralocorticoid receptors at mammalian synapses, PLoS One, 5, (12) Article 14344. ISSN 1932-6203 (2010) [Refereed Article]
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Copyright Statement
Copyright 2010 the authors. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Public Domain declaration which stipulates that, once placed in the public domain, this work may be freely reproduced, distributed, transmitted, modified, built upon, or otherwise used by anyone for any lawful purpose.
DOI: doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0014344
Abstract
In the brain, membrane associated nongenomic steroid receptors can induce fast-acting responses to ion conductance and
second messenger systems of neurons. Emerging data suggest that membrane associated glucocorticoid and
mineralocorticoid receptors may directly regulate synaptic excitability during times of stress when adrenal hormones are
elevated. As the key neuron signaling interface, the synapse is involved in learning and memory, including traumatic
memories during times of stress. The lateral amygdala is a key site for synaptic plasticity underlying conditioned fear, which
can both trigger and be coincident with the stress response. A large body of electrophysiological data shows rapid
regulation of neuronal excitability by steroid hormone receptors. Despite the importance of these receptors, to date, only
the glucocorticoid receptor has been anatomically localized to the membrane. We investigated the subcellular sites of
mineralocorticoid receptors in the lateral amygdala of the Sprague-Dawley rat. Immunoblot analysis revealed the presence
of mineralocorticoid receptors in the amygdala. Using electron microscopy, we found mineralocorticoid receptors expressed
at both nuclear including: glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons and extra nuclear sites including: presynaptic terminals,
neuronal dendrites, and dendritic spines. Importantly we also observed mineralocorticoid receptors at postsynaptic
membrane densities of excitatory synapses. These data provide direct anatomical evidence supporting the concept that, at
some synapses, synaptic transmission is regulated by mineralocorticoid receptors. Thus part of the stress signaling response
in the brain is a direct modulation of the synapse itself by adrenal steroids.
Item Details
| Item Type: | Refereed Article |
|---|---|
| Keywords: | memory, PTSD, Amygdala |
| Research Division: | Biomedical and Clinical Sciences |
| Research Group: | Neurosciences |
| Research Field: | Cellular nervous system |
| Objective Division: | Health |
| Objective Group: | Public health (excl. specific population health) |
| Objective Field: | Mental health |
| UTAS Author: | Johnson, LR (Associate Professor Luke Johnson) |
| ID Code: | 145134 |
| Year Published: | 2010 |
| Web of Science® Times Cited: | 49 |
| Deposited By: | Psychology |
| Deposited On: | 2021-07-02 |
| Last Modified: | 2022-12-06 |
| Downloads: | 18 View Download Statistics |
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