GAT-1 developmental expression in the rat cerebellar cortex: basket and pinceau formation

Astrocytes of the early postnatal brain

In the rodent forebrain, the majority of astrocytes are generated during the early postnatal phase. Following differentiation, astrocytes undergo maturation which accompanies the development of the neuronal network. Neonate astrocytes exhibit a distinct morphology and domain size which differs to their mature counterparts. Moreover, many of the plasma membrane proteins prototypical for fully developed astrocytes are only expressed at low levels at neonatal stages. These include connexins and Kir4.1, which define the low membrane resistance and highly negative membrane potential of mature astrocytes. Newborn astrocytes moreover express only low amounts of GLT-1, a glutamate transporter critical later in development. Furthermore, they show specific differences in the properties and spatio-temporal pattern of intracellular calcium signals, resulting from differences in their repertoire of receptors and signalling pathways. Therefore, roles fulfilled by mature astrocytes, including ion and transmitter homeostasis, are underdeveloped in the young brain. Similarly, astrocytic ion signalling in response to neuronal activity, a process central to neuron-glia interaction, differs between the neonate and mature brain. This review describes the unique functional properties of astrocytes in the first weeks after birth and compares them to later stages of development. We conclude that with an immature neuronal network and wider extracellular space, astrocytic support might not be as demanding and critical compared to the mature brain. The delayed differentiation and maturation of astrocytes in the first postnatal weeks might thus reflect a reduced need for active, energy-consuming regulation of the extracellular space and a less tight control of glial feedback onto synaptic transmission.

Molecular layer interneurons of the cerebellum: developmental and morphological aspects

During the past 25 years, our knowledge on the development of basket and stellate cells (molecular layer interneurons [MLIs]) has completely changed, not only regarding their origin from the ventricular zone, corresponding to the primitive cerebellar neuroepithelium, instead of the external granular layer, but above all by providing an almost complete account of the genetic regulations (transcription factors and other genes) involved in their differentiation and synaptogenesis. Moreover, it has been shown that MLIs' precursors (dividing neuroblasts) and not young postmitotic neurons, as in other germinal neuroepithelia, leave the germinative zone and migrate all along a complex and lengthy path throughout the presumptive cerebellar white matter, which provides suitable niches exerting epigenetic influences on their ultimate neuronal identities. Recent studies carried out on the anatomical-functional properties of adult MLIs emphasize the importance of these interneurons in regulating PC inhibition, and point out the crucial role played by electrical synaptic transmission between MLIs as well as ephaptic interactions between them and Purkinje cells at the pinceaux level, in the regulation of this inhibition.

Lack of molecular-anatomical evidence for GABAergic influence on axon initial segment of cerebellar Purkinje cells by the pinceau formation

The axon initial segment (AIS) of cerebellar Purkinje cells (PCs) is embraced by ramified axons of GABAergic basket cells (BCs) called the pinceau formation. This unique structure has been assumed to be a device for the modulation of PC outputs through electrical and/or GABAergic inhibition. Electrical inhibition is supported by enriched potassium channels, absence of sodium channels, and developed septate-like junctions between BC axons. The neurochemical basis for GABAergic inhibition, however, has not been well investigated. Here we addressed this issue using C56BL/6 mice. First, we confirmed previous observations that typical synaptic contacts were rare and confined to proximal axonal portions, with the remaining portions being mostly covered by astrocytic processes. Then we examined the expression of molecules involved in GABAergic signaling, including GABA synthetic enzyme glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD), vesicular GABA transporter vesicular inhibitory amino acid transporter (VIAAT), cytomatrix active zone protein bassoon, GABA receptor GABA(A)Rα1, and cell adhesion molecule neuroligin-2. These molecules were recruited to form a functional assembly at perisomatic BC-PC synapses and along the AIS of hippocampal and neocortical pyramidal cells. GAD and VIAAT immunogold labeling was five times lower in the pinceau formation compared with perisomatic BC terminals and showed no accumulation toward the AIS. Moreover, bassoon, neuroligin-2, and GABA(A)Rα1 formed no detectable clusters along the ankyrin-G-positive AIS proper. These findings indicate that GABAergic signaling machinery is organized loosely and even incompletely in the pinceau formation. Together, BCs do not appear to exert GABAergic synaptic inhibition on the AIS, although the mode of action of the pinceau formation remains to be explored.

Developmental expression of GABA transporter-1 and 3 during formation of the GABAergic synapses in the mouse cerebellar cortex

In the brain, gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA), released extrasynaptically and synaptically from GABAergic neurons, plays important roles in morphogenesis, expression of higher functions and so on. In the GABAergic transmission system, plasma membrane GABA transporters (GATs) mediate GABA-uptake from the synaptic cleft in the mature brain and are thought to mediate diacrine of cytosolic GABA in the immature brain. In the present study, we focused on two GATs (GAT-1 and GAT-3) in the mouse cerebellar cortex, which are widely localized in neural and glial cells. Firstly, we examined the localization of GATs in the dendrites and cell bodies of developing GABAergic neurons, where GABA is extrasynaptically distributed, to clarify the GABA-diacrine before synaptogenesis. Secondly, we examined the developmental changes in the localization of GATs to reveal the development of the GABA-uptake system. Neither transporter was detected within the dendrites and cell bodies of GABAergic neurons, including Purkinje, stellate, basket and Golgi cells, in the immature cerebellar cortex. GAT-1 was observed within the Golgi cell axon terminals after postnatal day 5 (P5) and presynaptic axons of stellate and basket cells after P7. GAT-3 was localized within the astrocyte processes, sealing the GABAergic synapses in the Purkinje cell and granular layers after P10. These results indicated that GABA-diacrine did not work in the mouse cerebellar cortex. The onset of GAT-1-expression was prior to that of GAT-3. GAT-1 started to be localized within the GABAergic axon terminals during synapse formation. GAT-3 started to be localized within astrocyte processes when they sealed the synapses.

Depression of extra-cellular GABA and increase of NMDA-induced nitric oxide following acute intra-nuclear administration of alcohol in the cerebellar nuclei of the rat

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and nitric oxide are two key-transmitters in cerebellar nuclei, the major output of cerebellar circuitry. The aims of this study were to investigate the effects of acute intra-cerebellar administration of ethanol (20 mM) on extra-cellular levels of GABA and on the NMDA-induced nitric oxide (NO) production using microdialysis in the rat. We also studied: (i) the effects of a pre-administration of DNQX, a specific antagonist of AMPA receptors, on NO production, (ii) the effects of a pre-administration of 7-NI (7-nitroindazole, an inhibitor of neuronal nitric oxide synthase NOS) and APV (D-2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid, a specific blocker of the NMDA type glutamate receptors) on the actions of alcohol/NMDA on glutamate receptors, and (iii) the in vivo interaction between DNQX, ethanol and NMDA receptor activation. We found that ethanol decreased the amount of extra-cellular GABA, and that this effect was counterbalanced by administration of tiagabine 1 mg/kg, a potent inhibitor of GAT-1 GABA transporter, given by the i.p. route. In loco administration of NMDA increased the levels of NO, as previously reported. A pre-administration of DNQX (500 microM) increased significantly the production of NO up to toxic levels, as well as ethanol administration. A pre-administration of 7-NI or APV reduced significantly the amounts of NO when NMDA and alcohol were infused simultaneously. The combination of ethanol with DNQX was associated with a marked enhancement of the concentrations of NO. The activity of GAT-1 in cerebellar nuclei and around this target, including in glial cells expressing GAT-1 activated by ambient GABA, seems to be spared by ethanol. Tiagabine could be considered as a candidate for future investigational treatments of acute ethanol-induced dysfunction of cerebellar nuclei. We found a potentiation of the production of NO when AMPA antagonists are given simultaneously to ethanol. The hypothesis of AMPA neurotoxicity, which has convincing arguments during chronic exposure, is challenged in this model of acute cerebellar nuclear toxicity of alcohol.

Ankyrin-Based Subcellular Gradient of Neurofascin, an Immunoglobulin Family Protein, Directs GABAergic Innervation at Purkinje Axon Initial Segment

Distinct classes of GABAergic synapses are segregated into subcellular domains (i.e., dendrite, soma, and axon initial segment-AIS), thereby differentially regulating the input, integration, and output of principal neurons. In cerebellum, for example, basket interneurons make exquisitely precise "pinceau synapses" on AIS of Purkinje neurons, but the underlying mechanism is unknown. Using BAC transgenic reporter mice, we found that basket axons always contacted Purkinje soma before innervating AIS. This synapse targeting process followed the establishment of a subcellular gradient of neurofascin186 (NF186), an L1 family immunoglobulin cell adhesion molecule (L1CAM), along the Purkinje AIS-soma axis. This gradient was dependent on ankyrinG, an AIS-restricted membrane adaptor protein that recruits NF186. In the absence of neurofascin gradient, basket axons lost directional growth along Purkinje neurons and precisely followed NF186 to ectopic locations. Disruption of NF186-ankyrinG interactions at AIS reduced pinceau synapse formation. These results implicate ankyrin-based localization of L1CAMs in subcellular organization of GABAergic synapses.

Number, density, and surface/cytoplasmic distribution of GABA transporters at presynaptic structures of knock-in mice carrying GABA transporter subtype 1-green fluorescent protein fusions

GABA transporter subtype 1 (GAT1) molecules were counted near GABAergic synapses, to a resolution of approximately 0.5 microm. Fusions between GAT1 and green fluorescent protein (GFP) were tested in heterologous expression systems, and a construct was selected that shows function, expression level, and trafficking similar to that of wild-type (WT) GAT1. A strain of knock-in mice was constructed that expresses this mGAT1-GFP fusion in place of the WT GAT1 gene. The pattern of fluorescence in brain slices agreed with previous immunocytochemical observations. [3H]GABA uptake, synaptic electrophysiology, and subcellular localization of the mGAT1-GFP construct were also compared with WT mice. Quantitative fluorescence microscopy was used to measure the density of mGAT1-GFP at presynaptic structures in CNS preparations from the knock-in mice. Fluorescence measurements were calibrated with transparent beads and gels that have known GFP densities. Surface biotinylation defined the fraction of transporters on the surface versus those in the nearby cytoplasm. The data show that the presynaptic boutons of GABAergic interneurons in cerebellum and hippocampus have a membrane density of 800-1300 GAT1 molecules per square micrometer, and the axons that connect boutons have a linear density of 640 GAT1 molecules per micrometer. A cerebellar basket cell bouton, a pinceau surrounding a Purkinje cell axon, and a cortical chandelier cell cartridge carry 9000, 7.8 million, and 430,000 GAT1 molecules, respectively; 61-63% of these molecules are on the surface membrane. In cultures from hippocampus, the set of fluorescent cells equals the set of GABAergic interneurons. Knock-in mice carrying GFP fusions of membrane proteins provide quantitative data required for understanding the details of synaptic transmission in living neurons.

GAT-1 and reversible GABA transport in Bergmann glia in slices

Although glial GABA uptake and release have been studied in vitro, GABA transporters (GATs) have not been characterized in glia in slices. Whole cell patch-clamp recordings were obtained from Bergmann glia in rat cerebellar slices to characterize carrier-mediated GABA influx and efflux. GABA induced inward currents at -70 mV that could be pharmacologically separated into GABA(A) receptor and GAT currents. In the presence of GABA(A/B/C) receptor blockers, mean GABA-induced currents measured -48 pA at -70 mV, were inwardly rectifying between -70 and +50 mV, were inhibited by external Na(+) removal, and were diminished by reduction of external Cl(-). Nontransportable blockers of GAT-1 (SKF89976-A and NNC-711) and a transportable blocker of all the GAT subtypes (nipecotic acid) reversibly reduced GABA-induced transport currents by 68 and 100%, respectively. A blocker of BGT-1 (betaine) had no effect. SKF89976-A and NNC-711 also suppressed baseline inward currents that likely result from tonic GAT activation by background GABA. The substrate agonists, nipecotic acid and beta-alanine but not betaine, induced voltage- and Na(+)-dependent currents. With Na(+) and GABA inside the patch pipette or intracellular GABA perfusion during the recording, SKF89976-A blocked baseline outward currents that activated at -60 mV and increased with more depolarized potentials. This carrier-mediated GABA efflux induced a local accumulation of extracellular GABA detected by GABA(A) receptor activation on the recorded cell. Overall, these results indicate that Bergmann glia express GAT-1 that are activated by ambient GABA. In addition, GAT-1 in glia can work in reverse and release sufficient GABA to activate nearby GABA receptors.