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Heterozygous mutations in proline-rich transmembrane protein 2 (PRRT2) underlie a group of paroxysmal disorders, including epilepsy, kinesigenic dyskinesia, and migraine. Most of the mutations lead to impaired PRRT2 expression, suggesting that loss of PRRT2 function may contribute to pathogenesis. We show that PRRT2 is enriched in presynaptic terminals and that its silencing decreases the number of synapses and increases the number of docked synaptic vesicles at rest. PRRT2-silenced neurons exhibit a severe impairment of synchronous release, attributable to a sharp decrease in release probability and Ca(2+) sensitivity and associated with a marked increase of the asynchronous/synchronous release ratio. PRRT2 interacts with the synaptic proteins SNAP-25 and synaptotagmin 1/2. The results indicate that PRRT2 is intimately connected with the Ca(2+)-sensing machinery and that it plays an important role in the final steps of neurotransmitter release.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2016.03.005 | DOI Listing |
ACS Electrochem
September 2025
Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Kemigården 4, Gothenburg 412 96, Sweden.
Carbon fiber nanotip electrodes (CFNEs) are crucial for electrochemical recordings of neurotransmission release in confined spaces, such as synapses and intracellular measurements. However, fabricating CFNEs with small surface area to minimize noise remains challenging due to inconsistent tip size control, low reproducibility, and low fabrication success rate. Here, we present a reliable, user-friendly method with high reproducibility and success rate for precise CFNE fabrication using microscopy-guided electrochemical etching of cylindrical carbon fiber microelectrodes in a potassium hydroxide droplet.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Neurosci
September 2025
Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06030, United States.
Presenilin mutations are the most common cause of familial Alzheimer's disease (FAD), but the mechanisms by which they disrupt neuronal function remain unresolved, particularly in relation to γ-secretase activity. Using , we show that the presenilin ortholog SEL-12 supports synaptic transmission and axonal integrity through a pathway involving the ryanodine receptor RYR-1. Loss-of-function mutations in either or reduce neurotransmitter release and cause neuronal structural defects, with no additional impairment in double mutants, suggesting a shared pathway.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProc Biol Sci
September 2025
Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 901 83 Umeå, Västerbotten County, Sweden.
Pharmaceutical contaminants reaching natural aquatic ecosystems can affect fish behaviour, modifying activity patterns, foraging behaviour and antipredator responses. While laboratory-based studies can offer key insights, assessing the ecological relevance of these findings requires field-based approaches. Therefore, we examined the effects of oxazepam, a widely prescribed anxiolytic drug, on the behaviour of a cyprinid fish (the common roach, ) in the wild, combining slow-release exposure implants with continuous tracking via acoustic telemetry.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSci Signal
September 2025
Department of Surgery, University of Alabama Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA.
Amphetamines are psychostimulants that are commonly used to treat neuropsychiatric disorders and are prone to misuse. The pathogenesis of amphetamine use disorder (AUD) is associated with dysbiosis (an imbalance in the body's microbiome) and bacterially produced short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which are implicated in the gut-brain axis. Amphetamine exposure in both rats and humans increases the amount of intestinal , which releases SFCAs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProc Natl Acad Sci U S A
September 2025
Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240.
Major depressive disorder affects millions worldwide, yet current treatments require prolonged administration. In contrast, ketamine produces rapid antidepressant effects by blocking spontaneous N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) receptor signaling, which lifts the suppression of protein synthesis and triggers homeostatic synaptic plasticity. Here, we identify a parallel signaling pathway involving metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) that promotes rapid antidepressant-like effects.
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