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Published on: July 10, 2018
mGluR1 in cerebellar Purkinje cells essential for long-term depression, synapse elimination, and motor coordination
T Ichise1, M Kano, K Hashimoto
1Laboratory of DNA Biology and Embryo Engineering, Center for Experimental Medicine, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan.
Abstract:
Targeted deletion of metabotropic glutamate receptor-subtype 1 (mGluR1) gene can cause defects in development and function in the cerebellum. We introduced the mGluR1alpha transgene into mGluR1-null mutant [mGluR1 (-/-)] mice with a Purkinje cell (PC)-specific promoter. mGluR1-rescue mice showed normal cerebellar long-term depression and regression of multiple climbing fiber innervation, events significantly impaired in mGluR1 (-/-) mice. The impaired motor coordination was rescued by this transgene, in a dose-dependent manner. We propose that mGluR1 in PCs is a key molecule for normal synapse formation, synaptic plasticity, and motor control in the cerebellum.
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