Section Days abstract book 2010.indd - RUB Research School ...

LS_16
AUXILIARY SUBUNITS OF CALCIUM CHANNELS
MODULATE AMPA RECEPTOR EXPRESSION
Jan Terhag 1,2,3 , Peer-Henning Höcker 1 , Daniel Niedieker, Michael Hollmann 1
1
Department of Biochemistry I – Receptor Biochemistry;
2
RUB Research School;
3
DFG Graduate School 736 – Development and Plasticity of the Nervous System;
Ruhr-Universität Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany
e-mail: jan.terhag@rub.de
Voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) are modulated by several families of auxiliary
subunits, namely α 2δ, β, and γ subunits. Ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs) of the AMPA
family are known to interact with transmembrane AMPA receptor regulatory proteins
(TARPs), which are homologues to the VGCC γ subunits. There is evidence in the literature
that AMPA receptors form complexes with postsynaptically localized VGCCs and there
accessory subunits [1].
The aim of this work is to elucidate putative interactions of VGCC auxiliary subunits with
AMPA receptors. Here we show that the α 2δ subunit of VGCCs down-regulates the
expression of AMPA receptors in a heterologous expression system.
References (if you want to include them):
[1] ] Kang M.-G., Chen C.-C., Wakamori M., Hara Y., Mori Y., Campbell K.P.: A functional AMPA receptorcalcium
channel complex in the postsynaptic membrane; PNAS 103 (14): 5561 – 5566 (2006).