Short- and long-term depression at glutamatergic synapses on hippocampal interneurons by group I mGluR activation

Group I metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) are expressed by many interneurons of the hippocampus. Although they have been implicated in short- and long-term synaptic plasticity of glutamatergic transmission, their roles in modulating transmission to interneurons are incompletely understood. The selective group I mGluR agonist (S)-3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine (DHPG) acutely depressed transmission at synapses in the feed-forward inhibitory pathway made by Schaffer collaterals on interneurons in the rat hippocampal CA1 sub-field. DHPG elicited a qualitatively similar depression at synapses made by pyramidal neuron axon collaterals on interneurons in the feedback circuit in stratum oriens. Selective blockers revealed a link from mGluR1 to reversible, and mGluR5 to long-lasting, depression. The acute DHPG-induced depression was consistently accompanied by an elevation in paired-pulse ratio, implying a presynaptic decrease in release probability. However, it was also attenuated by blocking G-protein and Ca2+ signalling within the postsynaptic neuron, arguing for a retrograde signalling cascade. The DHPG-evoked depression was unaffected by antagonists of CB1 and GABAB receptors but was occluded when presynaptic P/Q-type Ca2+ channels were blocked. Finally, high-frequency stimulation delivered to an independent conditioning pathway evoked a heterosynaptic reversible depression, which was sensitive to group I mGluR antagonists. Group I mGluRs thus powerfully modulate synaptic excitation of hippocampal interneurons and mediate inter-synaptic cross-talk.This article is part of a Special Issue entitled ‘Synaptic Plasticity & Interneurons’.

Research highlights
► Activation of group I metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) depresses excitatory transmission to rat hippocampal interneurons.
► mGluR1 contributes to reversible, and mGluR5 to long-lasting, depression.
► Group I mGluRs also mediate reversible heterosynaptic depression of transmission.