Dynamic extracellular interactions with AMPA receptors, 2025, Merrion et al.

[SNT Gatchaman]

Dynamic extracellular interactions with AMPA receptors

Spoiler: Authors

Merrion, Hana Goldschmidt; Barber, Casey N; Renuse, Santosh; Cutler, Jevon; Kreimer, Simion; Bygrave, Alexei M; Meyers, David J; Hale, W Dylan; Pandey, Akhilesh; Huganir, Richard L

Synaptic plasticity in the central nervous system enables the encoding, storing, and integrating new information. AMPA (alpha-amino-3-hydroxyl-5-methyl-isoxazole-4-propionic acid)-type glutamate receptors (AMPARs) are ligand-gated ion channels that mediate most fast excitatory synaptic transmission in the brain, and plasticity of AMPARs signaling underlies the long-lasting changes in synaptic efficacy and strength important for learning and memory. Recent work has indicated that the enigmatic N-terminal domain (NTD) of AMPARs may be a critical regulator of synaptic targeting and plasticity of AMPARs. However, few synaptic proteins have been identified that regulate AMPAR plasticity through interactions with AMPAR NTDs. Moreover, the scope of AMPAR NTD interactors that are important for synaptic plasticity remains unknown.

Here, we present the dynamic, extracellular interactome for AMPARs during synaptic plasticity. Using surface-restricted proximity labeling and BioSITe-based proteomics, we identified 70 proteins that were differentially labeled by APEX2-tagged AMPARs after induction of chemical long-term potentiation of synapses in cultured neurons. Included in this list, were four members of the IgLON family of GPI-anchored proteins (Ntm, OBCAM/Opcml, Negr1, Lsamp). We show OBCAM and NTM directly interact with the extracellular domains of AMPARs. Moreover, overexpression of NTM significantly attenuates the mobility of surface AMPARs in dendritic spines.

These data represent a significant step at uncovering the unexplored extracellular regulation of AMPARs, with broad implications for synapse function and synaptic plasticity.

SIGNIFICANCE
Over the past 30 y, significant effort has been focused on understanding the mechanisms that induce long-lasting changes in synapse strength (synaptic plasticity) that drive learning and memory. While many studies have investigated intracellular mechanisms that enable plasticity, especially those acting on AMPA (alpha-amino-3-hydroxyl-5-methyl-isoxazole-4-propionic acid)-type glutamate receptors (AMPARs), significantly less is known regarding extracellular mechanisms that shape changes in synapse function.

Here, we identified 70 proteins that differentially associate with the extracellular region of AMPARs during chemically induced synaptic plasticity. We show that OBCAM and NTM directly interact with the NTD of AMPARs and regulate their mobility on the surface of neurons. These data advance our understanding of extracellular AMPAR regulation, with broad implications for synapse function and synaptic plasticity.


Web | DOI | PDF | Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences | Open Access

 

[SNT Gatchaman]

See recent study Systemic increase of AMPA receptors associated with cognitive impairment of long COVID (2025)

NEGR1 was the 10th most significant location in DecodeME. See @forestglip 's table here and previous comment —

NEGR1 and DCC also happen to be the genes closest to the 10th and 15th most significant loci in the DecodeME study (though below the genome-wide significance threshold at 1.19e-7 and 2.47e-7 respectively).

I think this is unlikely to be a coincidence. I suppose there is a possibility that they are significant in DecodeME only because a third of the cases also have depression. Either way, I think DecodeME and the above study provide further evidence that these genes are actually important in some way for some disease, whether depression, ME/CFS, or both.