Cortical astrocyte N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors influence whisker barrel activity and sensory discrimination in mice

Noushin Ahmadpour, Meher Kantroo, Michael J. Stobart, Jessica Meza-Resillas, Shahin Shabanipour, Jesus Parra-Nuñez, Tetiana Salamovska, Anna Muzaleva, Finnegan O’Hara, Dustin Erickson, Bruno Gaetano, Sofia Carrion-Falgarona, Bruno Weber, Alana Lamont, Natalie E. Lavine, Tiina M. Kauppinen, Michael F. Jackson and Jillian L. Stobart ()
Additional contact information
Noushin Ahmadpour: University of Manitoba
Meher Kantroo: University of Manitoba
Michael J. Stobart: University of Manitoba
Jessica Meza-Resillas: University of Manitoba
Shahin Shabanipour: University of Manitoba
Jesus Parra-Nuñez: University of Manitoba
Tetiana Salamovska: University of Manitoba
Anna Muzaleva: University of Manitoba
Finnegan O’Hara: University of Manitoba
Dustin Erickson: University of Manitoba
Bruno Gaetano: University of Manitoba
Sofia Carrion-Falgarona: University of Manitoba
Bruno Weber: University of Zurich
Alana Lamont: University of Manitoba
Natalie E. Lavine: University of Manitoba
Tiina M. Kauppinen: University of Manitoba
Michael F. Jackson: University of Manitoba
Jillian L. Stobart: University of Manitoba

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-20

Abstract: Abstract Astrocytes express ionotropic receptors, including N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs). However, the contribution of NMDARs to astrocyte-neuron interactions, particularly in vivo, has not been elucidated. Here we show that a knockdown approach to selectively reduce NMDARs in mouse cortical astrocytes decreases astrocyte Ca2+ transients evoked by sensory stimulation. Astrocyte NMDAR knockdown also impairs nearby neuronal circuits by elevating spontaneous neuron activity and limiting neuronal recruitment, synchronization, and adaptation during sensory stimulation. Furthermore, this compromises the optimal processing of sensory information since the sensory acuity of the mice is reduced during a whisker-dependent tactile discrimination task. Lastly, we rescue the effects of astrocyte NMDAR knockdown on neurons and improve the tactile acuity of the animal by supplying exogenous ATP. Overall, our findings show that astrocytes can respond to nearby neuronal activity via their NMDAR, and that these receptors are an important component for purinergic signaling that regulate astrocyte-neuron interactions and cortical sensory discrimination in vivo.

Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-45989-3 Abstract (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-45989-3

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45989-3

Access Statistics for this article

Nature Communications is currently edited by Nathalie Le Bot, Enda Bergin and Fiona Gillespie

More articles in Nature Communications from Nature
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().