Dual regulation of fragile X mental retardation protein by group I metabotropic glutamate receptors controls translation-dependent epileptogenesis in the hippocampus.

Group I metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) stimulation activates translation-dependent epileptogenesis in the hippocampus. This translation is regulated by repressors, including BC1 RNA and fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP). Recent data indicate that group I mGluR stimulation exerts bidirectional control over FMRP level by activating translation and ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS)-dependent proteolysis for the up- and downregulation of the protein, respectively. At present, the temporal relationship of translation and proteolysis on FMRP and their interplay for group I mGluR-mediated translation and epileptogenesis are unknown. We addressed these issues by using mouse hippocampal slices. Agonist [(S)-3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine (DHPG)] stimulation of group I mGluRs caused a biphasic change in FMRP level. An initial decrease (within 10 min) was followed by an increase at 30 min. When slices were pretreated with translation inhibitor (anisomycin or cycloheximide), group I mGluRs elicited a sustained decrease in FMRP. This decrease was prevented by a proteasome inhibitor [Z-Leu-Leu-Leu-CHO (MG-132)]. When slices were pretreated with MG-132 alone, DHPG no longer elicited any change in FMRP. MG-132 also suppressed increase in other proteins, including postsynaptic density-95 and α-calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II, normally elicited by group I mGluR stimulation. Physiological experiments showed that proteasome inhibitor suppressed group I mGluR-induced prolonged synchronized discharges. However, proteasome inhibitor did not affect group I mGluR-induced prolonged synchronized discharges in Fmr1(-/-) preparations, where functional FMRP is absent. The results suggest that constitutive FMRP in hippocampal cells acts as a brake on group I mGluR-mediated translation and epileptogenesis. FMRP downregulation via UPS removes this brake enabling group I mGluR-mediated translation and epileptogenesis.