Afadin is required for maintenance of dendritic structure and excitatory tone

J Biol Chem. 2012 Oct 19;287(43):35964-74. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M112.363358. Epub 2012 Sep 4.

Abstract

The dendritic field of a neuron, which is determined by both dendritic architecture and synaptic strength, defines the synaptic input of a cell. Once established, a neuron's dendritic field is thought to remain relatively stable throughout a cell's lifetime. Perturbations in a dendritic structure or excitatory tone of a cell and thus its dendritic field are cellular alterations thought to be correlated with a number of psychiatric disorders. Although several proteins are known to regulate the development of dendritic arborization, much less is known about the mechanisms that maintain dendritic morphology and synaptic strength. In this study, we find that afadin, a component of N-cadherin·β-catenin·α-N-catenin adhesion complexes, is required for the maintenance of established dendritic arborization and synapse number. We further demonstrate that afadin directly interacts with AMPA receptors and that loss of this protein reduces the surface expression of GluA1- and GluA2-AMPA receptor subunits. Collectively, these data suggest that afadin is required for the maintenance of dendritic structure and excitatory tone.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cadherins / genetics
  • Cadherins / metabolism
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Dendrites / genetics
  • Dendrites / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Regulation / physiology
  • LIM Domain Proteins / genetics
  • LIM Domain Proteins / metabolism*
  • Microfilament Proteins / genetics
  • Microfilament Proteins / metabolism*
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Receptors, AMPA / genetics
  • Receptors, AMPA / metabolism*
  • Synapses / genetics
  • Synapses / metabolism*
  • alpha Catenin / genetics
  • alpha Catenin / metabolism
  • beta Catenin / genetics
  • beta Catenin / metabolism

Substances

  • Afdn protein, rat
  • Cadherins
  • Ctnna2 protein, mouse
  • LIM Domain Proteins
  • Microfilament Proteins
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Receptors, AMPA
  • alpha Catenin
  • beta Catenin
  • glutamate receptor ionotropic, AMPA 2
  • glutamate receptor ionotropic, AMPA 1