Enhanced phosphorylation of the postsynaptic protein kinase C substrate RC3/neurogranin during long-term potentiation

Long-term potentiation (LTP) is a sustained strengthening of synaptic connections that occurs in the mammalian hippocampus, and is a cellular mechanism likely to contribute to memory formation. One question of current interest is whether the biochemical mechanisms responsible for the maintenance of LTP have a presynaptic or postsynaptic locus. We have determined that the phosphorylation of the postsynaptic protein kinase (PKC) substrate RC3/neurogranin is increased in the maintenance phase of LTP, and that the induction of this effect is dependent on activation of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) subtype of glutamate receptors. The sustained increase in RC3/neurogranin phosphorylation requires ongoing protein kinase activity, as application of the protein kinase inhibitor H-7 after LTP induction can reverse the increased RC3/neurogranin phosphorylation. Overall, these data are evidence for postsynaptic biochemical changes in the maintenance of LTP. They also implicate RC3/neurogranin as a downstream effector of PKC activity in LTP that could contribute to physiologic expression of LTP.