Brain-derived neurotrophic factor regulates AMPA receptor trafficking to post-synaptic densities via IP3R and TRPC calcium signaling

The change in the number of post-synaptic α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate (AMPA)-type glutamatergic receptors (AMPARs) by neuronal activity is recognized as a molecular basis of synaptic plasticity. Here, we show that Ca2+ transients evoked by brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) induce translocation of a subunit of AMPAR, GluR1, but not NMDAR, to the post-synaptic membrane in cultured cortical pyramidal neurons. Among BDNF-induced Ca2+ transients, that dependent on IP3R was fully required, while store-operated calcium influx through the non-selective cation channel TRPC (transient receptor potential canonical) was partially required for the GluR1 up-regulation, suggesting that spatial and temporal calcium signaling regulate translocation of GluR1 to the polarized membrane domain.