Rapid induction of dendritic spine morphogenesis by trans-synaptic ephrinB-EphB receptor activation of the Rho-GEF kalirin

Peter Penzes, Alexander Beeser, Jonathan Chernoff, Martin R. Schiller, Betty A. Eipper, Richard E. Mains, Richard L. Huganir*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

396 Scopus citations

Abstract

The morphogenesis of dendritic spines, the major sites of excitatory synaptic transmission in the brain, is important in synaptic development and plasticity. We have identified an ephrinB-EphB receptor trans-synaptic signaling pathway which regulates the morphogenesis and maturation of dendritic spines in hippocampal neurons. Activation of the EphB receptor induces translocation of the Rho-GEF kalirin to synapses and activation of Rac1 and its effector PAK. Overexpression of dominant-negative EphB receptor, catalytically inactive kalirin, or dominant-negative Rac1, or inhibition of PAK eliminates ephrin-induced spine development. This novel signal transduction pathway may be critical for the regulation of the actin cytoskeleton controlling spine morphogenesis during development and plasticity.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)263-274
Number of pages12
JournalNeuron
Volume37
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 23 2003

Funding

We would like to thank Chun He and Lin Ding for the neuronal cultures, Drs. Rita Sattler and Gavin Rumbaugh for help with cultures and microscopy, and Dr. Gareth Thomas for critically reading the manuscript. We are grateful for the reagents provided by Drs. Michael Greenberg, Matthew Dalva, and Jeanine Zieg (Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA), and Anthony Pawson (University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada). This work was supported by The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, MH 61873, and DA 00266.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Neuroscience

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