Rapid Ca channel accumulation contributes to cAMP-mediated increase in transmission at hippocampal mossy fiber synapses.

The cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent potentiation of neurotransmitter release is important for higher brain functions such as learning and memory. To reveal the underlying mechanisms, we applied paired pre- and postsynaptic recordings from hippocampal mossy fiber-CA3 synapses. Ca uncaging experiments did not reveal changes in the intracellular Ca sensitivity for transmitter release by cAMP, but suggested an increase in the local Ca concentration at the release site, which was much lower than that of other synapses before potentiation. Total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy indicated a clear increase in the local Ca concentration at the release site within 5 to 10 min, suggesting that the increase in local Ca is explained by the simple mechanism of rapid Ca channel accumulation. Consistently, two-dimensional time-gated stimulated emission depletion microscopy (gSTED) microscopy showed an increase in the P/Q-type Ca channel cluster size near the release sites. Taken together, this study suggests a potential mechanism for the cAMP-dependent increase in transmission at hippocampal mossy fiber-CA3 synapses, namely an accumulation of active zone Ca channels.