Eye opening induces a rapid dendritic localization of PSD-95 in central visual neurons

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0335785100
• Publication Date: 2003-02-04T17:24:41Z
• Authors: Akira Yoshii; Morgan H. Sheng; Martha Constantin...
• Keywords: Neurons; 0303 health sciences; Microscopy, Confocal; Time Factors; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; Membrane Proteins; Nerve Tissue Proteins; Optic Nerve; Dendrites; Immunohistochemistry; Precipitin Tests; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; 03 medical and health sciences; Animals; Disks Large Homolog 4 Protein; Subcellular Fractions; Synaptosomes

The membrane-associated guanylate kinase PSD-95 scaffolds N -methyl- d -aspartate receptors to cytoplasmic signaling molecules, and associates with other glutamate receptors at central synapses. However, regulation of PSD-95 in vivo is poorly understood. We provide evidence of an activity-dependent redistribution of PSD-95 to dendrites in central visual neurons that is tied to eye opening. Six hours after eye opening, increased dendritic PSD-95 coimmunoprecipitates with the same proportions of stargazin, increased proportions of the N -methyl- d -aspartate receptor subunit NR2A, and decreased proportions of NR2B. Sustained high levels of PSD-95 in dendrites are dependent on continued pattern vision in juvenile but not mature animals, suggesting that the stabilization of PSD-95 at synapses may be involved in the control of developmental plasticity.