Journal: Frontiers in Neuroanatomy
Article Title: Contrasting patterns of extrasynaptic NMDAR-GluN2B expression in macaque subgenual cingulate and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices
doi: 10.3389/fnana.2025.1553056
Figure Lengend Snippet: Schematic illustrating how extrasynaptic NMDAR-GluN2B may contribute to SGC hyperactivity and/or calcium-mediated neurodegeneration-related events. (A) Schematic depicting a spine (yellow), receiving a synapse from a glutamatergic bouton (blue), with an astrocytic leaflet (green) near the synapse. A synaptic NMDAR-GluN2B is present in the synapse (green), and an extrasynaptic NMDAR-GluN2B (orange) is present near the astrocytic process. (B) A magnified view showing that the bouton releases glutamate (gray circles) toward the postsynaptic density (thick black band), where the green synaptic NMDAR-GluN2B is engaged and calcium ions (pink), as well as sodium (Na+) ions, flow into the spine. AMPA receptors in the post-synaptic density also allow an influx of sodium ions (Na+), although these are emphasized less as they are not the focus of the present study. Incoming calcium ions can trigger feedforward calcium release ( ; ), via (1) direct calcium-mediated calcium release from the smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER) by activation of primarily Ryanodine receptors (RyR), and (2) by cAMP magnification of calcium release, whereby calcium activates AC to produce cAMP, which activates PKA signaling. PKA, in turn, phosphorylates the SER calcium channels RyR and IP3R to further increase calcium release. Glutamate escaping out of the synaptic cleft is sequestered into the astrocyte via the EAAT, where it can be converted to glutamine. In the dlPFC, calcium influx can also lead to a reduction in delay-related firing via SK3 channels (not shown). (C) If the EAATs are perturbed or downregulated, then glutamate can more readily engage extrasynaptic NMDA-GluN2B. Evidence suggests that there may be glial pathology in the SGC during states of depression [ reviewed in , , , and ]. Given the prevalence of extrasynaptic NMDA-GluN2B, we have found in the present study, we hypothesize that these may contribute to SGC hyperactivity observed in depression, perhaps by engaging feedforward calcium mechanisms and increasing depolarization (yellow arrow). (D) Rapid-acting antidepressants that antagonize NMDA receptors may work in part by blocking extrasynaptic NMDAR-GluN2B in the SGC . (E) Calcium is normally tightly regulated by cytosolic buffering mechanisms (e.g., calbindin and mitochondria) and by phosphodiesterases (which catabolize cAMP). Loss of this regulation with aging and/or inflammation ( ; ; ) can dysregulate feedforward calcium signaling. Very high levels of cytosolic calcium can activate calpain-2, which cleaves and disinhibits GSK3β and cdk5, kinases that hyperphosphorylate tau, producing toxic species like pT217Tau . Further post-translational modifications lead to tau fibrillation and the formation of neurofibrillary tangles. AC, adenylyl cyclase; cAMP, cyclic adenosine monophosphate; cdk5, cyclin-dependent kinase 5; EAAT, excitatory amino acid transporter; GSK3β, glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta; IP3R, inositol triphosphate receptor; PKA, protein kinase A; SER, smooth endoplasmic reticulum spine apparatus; RyR, ryanodine receptor.
Article Snippet: One section was run in tandem with the above, but incubated in antibody dilution buffer containing the Alomone NMDAR-GluN2B primary antibody, but with the addition of the blocking peptide for the NMDAR-GluN2B antigen (Alomone, cat# BLP-GC003), at 10x the concentration of the primary antibody ( ).
Techniques: Activation Assay, Blocking Assay