p140Cap Regulates GABAergic Synaptogenesis and Development of Hippocampal Inhibitory Circuits

Cereb Cortex. 2019 Jan 1;29(1):91-105. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhx306.

Abstract

The neuronal scaffold protein p140Cap was investigated during hippocampal network formation. p140Cap is present in presynaptic GABAergic terminals and its genetic depletion results in a marked alteration of inhibitory synaptic activity. p140Cap-/- cultured neurons display higher frequency of miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs) with no changes of their mean amplitude. Consistent with a potential presynaptic alteration of basal GABA release, p140Cap-/- neurons exhibit a larger synaptic vesicle readily releasable pool, without any variation of single GABAA receptor unitary currents and number of postsynaptic channels. Furthermore, p140Cap-/- neurons show a premature and enhanced network synchronization and appear more susceptible to 4-aminopyridine-induced seizures in vitro and to kainate-induced seizures in vivo. The hippocampus of p140Cap-/- mice showed a significant increase in the number of both inhibitory synapses and of parvalbumin- and somatostatin-expressing interneurons. Specific deletion of p140Cap in forebrain interneurons resulted in increased susceptibility to in vitro epileptic events and increased inhibitory synaptogenesis, comparable to those observed in p140Cap-/- mice. Altogether, our data demonstrate that p140Cap finely tunes inhibitory synaptogenesis and GABAergic neurotransmission, thus regulating the establishment and maintenance of the proper hippocampal excitatory/inhibitory balance.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Carrier Proteins / physiology*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • GABAergic Neurons / physiology*
  • Hippocampus / physiology*
  • Inhibitory Postsynaptic Potentials / physiology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Nerve Net / physiology*
  • Neural Inhibition / physiology*
  • Synapses / physiology*

Substances

  • Carrier Proteins
  • p140cap protein, mouse