Enhanced functional detection of synaptic calcium-permeable AMPA receptors using intracellular NASPM

Abstract

Calcium-permeable AMPA-type glutamate receptors (CP-AMPARs) contribute to many forms of synaptic plasticity and pathology. They can be distinguished from GluA2-containing calcium-impermeable AMPARs by the inward rectification of their currents, which reflects voltage-dependent channel block by intracellular spermine. However, the efficacy of this weakly permeant blocker is differentially altered by the presence of AMPAR auxiliary subunits – including transmembrane AMPAR regulatory proteins, cornichons and GSG1L – which are widely expressed in neurons and glia. This complicates the interpretation of rectification as a measure of CP-AMPAR expression. Here we show that inclusion of the spider toxin analogue 1-naphthylacetyl spermine (NASPM) in the intracellular solution results in complete block of GluA1-mediated outward currents irrespective of the type of associated auxiliary subunit. In neurons from GluA2-knockout mice expressing only CP-AMPARs, intracellular NASPM, unlike spermine, completely blocks outward synaptic currents. Thus, our results identify a functional measure of CP-AMPARs, that is unaffected by their auxiliary subunit content.