ATP modulation of excitatory synapses onto interneurons

Abstract

Inhibitory interneurons play important roles in neuronal circuits, but the synaptic mechanisms that regulate excitatory input onto interneurons remain to be fully understood. We show that ATP-gated presynaptic P2X2 channels facilitate excitatory transmission onto stratum radiatum interneurons but not onto CA1 pyramidal neurons. ATP released endogenously during carbachol-induced oscillations facilitates excitatory synapses onto interneurons. Overall, these data provide evidence for the molecular identity, synaptic function, and interneuron synapse specificity of a presynaptic neurotransmitter-gated cation channel. The findings highlight a novel form of presynaptic facilitation for hippocampal interneurons and suggest a role for extracellular ATP in neuronal networks.