Phosphorylation of cofilin regulates extinction of conditioned aversive memory via AMPAR trafficking

J Neurosci. 2013 Apr 10;33(15):6423-33. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5107-12.2013.

Abstract

Actin dynamics provide an important mechanism for the modification of synaptic plasticity, which is regulated by the actin depolymerizing factor (ADF)/cofilin. However, the role of cofilin regulated actin dynamics in memory extinction process is still unclear. Here, we observed that extinction of conditioned taste aversive (CTA) memory led to temporally enhanced ADF/cofilin activity in the infralimbic cortex (IrL) of the rats. Moreover, temporally elevating ADF/cofilin activity in the IrL could accelerate CTA memory extinction by facilitating AMPAR synaptic surface recruitment, whereas inhibition of ADF/cofilin activity abolished AMPAR synaptic surface trafficking and impaired memory extinction. Finally, we observed that ADF/cofilin-regulated synaptic plasticity was not directly coupled to morphological changes of postsynaptic spines. These findings may help us understand the role of ADF/cofilin-regulated actin dynamics in memory extinction and suggest that appropriate manipulating ADF/cofilin activity might be a suitable way for therapeutic treatment of memory disorders.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Actin Depolymerizing Factors / metabolism
  • Actin Depolymerizing Factors / physiology*
  • Animals
  • Conditioning, Psychological / physiology
  • Dendritic Spines / ultrastructure
  • Extinction, Psychological / physiology*
  • Lim Kinases / metabolism
  • Lim Kinases / physiology*
  • Limbic System / metabolism
  • Limbic System / physiology
  • Male
  • Microfilament Proteins / metabolism
  • Microfilament Proteins / physiology*
  • Neuronal Plasticity / physiology
  • Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases / metabolism
  • Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases / physiology*
  • Phosphorylation
  • Protein Transport / physiology*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Receptors, AMPA / metabolism
  • Receptors, AMPA / physiology*

Substances

  • Actin Depolymerizing Factors
  • Microfilament Proteins
  • Receptors, AMPA
  • Lim Kinases
  • Limk1 protein, rat
  • SSH1 protein, rat
  • Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases
  • glutamate receptor ionotropic, AMPA 2
  • glutamate receptor ionotropic, AMPA 1