Long-term potentiation of synaptic transmission in the hippocampus is the primary experimental model for investigating the synaptic basis of learning and memory in vertebrates. The best understood form of long-term potentiation is induced by the activation of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor complex. This subtype of glutamate receptor endows long-term potentiation with Hebbian characteristics, and allows electrical events at the postsynaptic membrane to be transduced into chemical signals which, in turn, are thought to activate both pre- and postsynaptic mechanisms to generate a persistent increase in synaptic strength.

A synaptic model of memory: long-term potentiation in the hippocampus

The distinct protein aggregates that are found in Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's and prion diseases seem to cause these disorders. Small intermediates - soluble oligomers - in the aggregation process can confer synaptic dysfunction, whereas large, insoluble deposits might function as reservoirs of the bioactive oligomers. These emerging concepts are exemplified by Alzheimer's disease, in which amyloid beta-protein oligomers adversely affect synaptic structure and plasticity. Findings in other neurodegenerative diseases indicate that a broadly similar process of neuronal dysfunction is induced by diffusible oligomers of misfolded proteins.

Soluble protein oligomers in neurodegeneration: lessons from the Alzheimer's amyloid beta-peptide.

### A. Overview

Extracellular purines (adenosine, ADP, and ATP) and pyrimidines (UDP and UTP) are important signaling molecules that mediate diverse biological effects via cell-surface receptors termed purine receptors. In this review particular emphasis is placed on the discrepancy between the

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Receptors for Purines and Pyrimidines

The ionotropic glutamate receptors are ligand-gated ion channels that mediate the vast majority of excitatory neurotransmission in the brain. The cloning of cDNAs encoding glutamate receptor subunits, which occurred mainly between 1989 and 1992 ([Hollmann and Heinemann, 1994][1]), stimulated this

/pdf/the-glutamate-receptor-ion-channels-560mntczdb.pdf

The glutamate receptor ion channels

LTP and LTD: an embarrassment of riches.

The role of the immune system in Alzheimer disease: Etiology and treatment.

Physiological roles for adenosine and ATP in synaptic transmission in the spinal dorsal horn

Calcium signaling within astrocytes in the CNS may play a role comparable to that of electrical signaling within neurons. ATP is a molecule known to produce Ca2+ responses in astrocytes, and has been implicated as a mediator of intercellular Ca2+ signaling in other types of nonexcitable cells. We characterized the signal transduction pathway for ATP-evoked Ca2+ responses in cultured astrocytes from the dorsal spinal cord. Nearly 100% of these astrocytes respond to extracellularly applied ATP, which causes release of Ca2+ from an intracellular pool that is sensitive to thapsigargin and insensitive to caffeine. We found that intracellular administration of IP3 also caused release of Ca2+ from a thapsigargin-sensitive intracellular pool, and that IP3 abolished the response to ATP. The ATP-evoked Ca2+ response was blocked by the IP3 receptor antagonist heparin, applied intracellularly, but not by N-desulfated heparin, which is not an antagonist at these receptors. The Ca2+ response caused by ATP was also blocked by a phospholipase C inhibitor, U-73122, but not by its inactive analog, U- 73343. Increases in [Ca2+]i were elicited by intracellular application of activators of heterotrimeric G-proteins, GTP gamma S and AIF4-. On the other hand, [Ca2+], was unaffected by a G-protein inhibitor, GDP beta S, but it did abolish the Ca2+ response to ATP. Pretreating the cultures with pertussis toxin did not affect responses to ATP. Our results indicate that in astrocytes ATP-evoked release of intracellular Ca2+ is mediated by IP3 produced as a result of activating phospholipase C coupled to ATP receptors via a G-protein that is insensitive to pertussis toxin. ATP is known to be released under physiological and pathological circumstances, and therefore signaling via the PLC-IP3 pathway in astrocytes is a potentially important mechanism by which ATP may play a role in CNS function.

https://www.jneurosci.org/content/jneuro/15/4/2961.full.pdf

ATP causes release of intracellular Ca2+ via the phospholipase C beta/IP3 pathway in astrocytes from the dorsal spinal cord

Background
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) plays the crucial role of limiting exposure of the central nervous system (CNS) to damaging molecules and cells. Dysfunction of the BBB is critical in a broad range of CNS disorders including neurodegeneration, inflammatory or traumatic injury to the CNS, and stroke. In peripheral tissues, the vascular-tissue permeability is normally greater than BBB permeability, but vascular leakage can be induced by efferent discharge activity in primary sensory neurons leading to plasma extravasation into the extravascular space. Whether discharge activity of sensory afferents entering the CNS may open the BBB or blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB) remains an open question.

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Peripheral nerve injury and TRPV1-expressing primary afferent C-fibers cause opening of the blood-brain barrier

Substantial evidence has implicated microglia in neuropathic pain. After peripheral nerve injury, microglia in the spinal cord proliferate and increase cell-surface expression of the purinergic receptor P2X4. Activation of P2X4 receptors results in release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which acts on neurons to produce disinhibition of dorsal horn neurons which transmit nociceptive information to the brain. Disinhibition of these neurons produces pain hypersensitivity, a hallmark symptom of neuropathic pain. However, elucidating this microglia-neuronal signalling pathway was based on studies using only male rodents. Recent evidence has shown that the role of microglia in pain is sexually dimorphic. Despite similar microglia proliferation in the dorsal horn in both sexes, females do not upregulate P2X4Rs and use a microglia-independent pathway to mediate pain hypersensitivity. Instead, adaptive immune cells, possibly T cells, may mediate pain hypersensitivity in female mice. This profound sex difference highlights the importance of including subjects of both sexes in preclinical pain research.

Michael W. Salter

Papers

The role of the immune system in Alzheimer disease: Etiology and treatment.

Physiological roles for adenosine and ATP in synaptic transmission in the spinal dorsal horn

ATP causes release of intracellular Ca2+ via the phospholipase C beta/IP3 pathway in astrocytes from the dorsal spinal cord

Peripheral nerve injury and TRPV1-expressing primary afferent C-fibers cause opening of the blood-brain barrier

Sex differences in pain: a tale of two immune cells.