Aquaporin-4 deficiency impairs synaptic plasticity and associative fear memory in the lateral amygdala: involvement of downregulation of glutamate transporter-1 expression

Neuropsychopharmacology. 2012 Jul;37(8):1867-78. doi: 10.1038/npp.2012.34. Epub 2012 Apr 4.

Abstract

Astrocytes are implicated in information processing, signal transmission, and regulation of synaptic plasticity. Aquaporin-4 (AQP4) is the major water channel in adult brain and is primarily expressed in astrocytes. A growing body of evidence indicates that AQP4 is a potential molecular target for the regulation of astrocytic function. However, little is known about the role of AQP4 in synaptic plasticity in the amygdala. Therefore, we evaluated long-term potentiation (LTP) in the lateral amygdala (LA) and associative fear memory of AQP4 knockout (KO) and wild-type mice. We found that AQP4 deficiency impaired LTP in the thalamo-LA pathway and associative fear memory. Furthermore, AQP4 deficiency significantly downregulated glutamate transporter-1 (GLT-1) expression and selectively increased NMDA receptor (NMDAR)-mediated EPSCs in the LA. However, low concentration of NMDAR antagonist reversed the impairment of LTP in KO mice. Upregulating GLT-1 expression by chronic treatment with ceftriaxone also reversed the impairment of LTP and fear memory in KO mice. These findings imply a role for AQP4 in synaptic plasticity and associative fear memory in the amygdala by regulating GLT-1 expression.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amygdala / metabolism*
  • Amygdala / physiology*
  • Animals
  • Aquaporin 4 / genetics*
  • Ceftriaxone / pharmacology
  • Down-Regulation / physiology
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 2 / biosynthesis*
  • Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / physiology
  • Fear / psychology*
  • Long-Term Potentiation / physiology
  • Male
  • Memory / physiology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Neural Pathways / physiology
  • Neuronal Plasticity / physiology*
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / physiology
  • Thalamus / physiology
  • Up-Regulation / drug effects

Substances

  • Aquaporin 4
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 2
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate
  • Ceftriaxone