Ischemic Insults Direct Glutamate Receptor Subunit 2-Lacking AMPA Receptors to Synaptic Sites

Regulated AMPA receptor (AMPAR) trafficking at excitatory synapses is a mechanism critical to activity-dependent alterations in synaptic efficacy. The role of regulated AMPAR trafficking in insult-induced synaptic remodeling and/or cell death is, however, as yet unclear. Here we show that brief oxygen–glucose deprivation (OGD), an in vitro model of brain ischemia, promotes redistribution of AMPARs at synapses of hippocampal neurons, leading to a switch in AMPAR subunit composition. Ischemic insults promote internalization of glutamate receptor subunit 2 (GluR2)-containing AMPARs from synaptic sites via clathrin-dependent endocytosis and facilitate delivery of GluR2-lacking AMPARs to synaptic sites via soluble N -ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor-dependent exocytosis, evident at early times after insult. The OGD-induced switch in receptor subunit composition requires PKC activation, dissociation of GluR2 from AMPA receptor-binding protein, and association with protein interacting with C kinase-1. We further show that AMPARs at synapses of insulted neurons exhibit functional properties of GluR2-lacking AMPARs. AMPAR-mediated miniature EPSCs exhibit increased amplitudes and enhanced sensitivity to subunit-specific blockers of GluR2-lacking AMPARs, evident at 24 h after ischemia. The OGD-induced alterations in synaptic AMPA currents require clathrin-mediated receptor endocytosis and PKC activation. Thus, ischemic insults promote targeting of GluR2-lacking AMPARs to synapses of hippocampal neurons, mechanisms that may be relevant to ischemia-induced synaptic remodeling and/or neuronal death.