Postsynaptic calcineurin activity downregulates synaptic transmission by weakening intracellular Ca2+ signaling mechanisms in hippocampal CA1 neurons.

Protein phosphorylation and dephosphorylation are believed to functionally couple neuronal activity and synaptic plasticity. Our previous results indicated that postsynaptic Ca2+/calmodulin (CaM) signaling pathways play an important role in setting synaptic strength, and calcineurin (CaN) activity limits synaptic responses during basal synaptic transmission and long-term potentiation expression. The inhibition of postsynaptic CaN activity by FK-506 or an autoinhibitory peptide induced synaptic potentiation in hippocampal slices, which occludes tetanus-induced LTP. FK-506-induced synaptic potentiation was expressed in adult but not young rats. To elucidate mechanisms underlying CaN-inhibited synaptic potentiation, we co-injected certain agents affecting Ca2+ signaling pathways with CaN inhibitors into CA1 neurons. Synaptic potentiation induced by FK-506 was significantly attenuated by co-injecting BAPTA, heparin/dantrolene (inhibitors of intracellular Ca2+ release), a CaM-binding peptide, or CaM-KII/PKC pseudosubstrate peptides. These results indicate that postsynaptic CaN activity can downregulate evoked synaptic transmission by weakening intracellular Ca2+ signals and downstream protein kinase activities.