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The synaptophysin/synaptobrevin interaction critically depends on the cholesterol content.
- Source :
-
Journal of Neurochemistry . 1/1/2003, Vol. 84 Issue 1, p35-42. 8p. - Publication Year :
- 2003
-
Abstract
- Synaptophysin interacts with synaptobrevin in membranes of adult small synaptic vesicles. The synaptophysin/synaptobrevin complex promotes synaptobrevin to built up functional SNARE complexes thereby modulating synaptic efficiency. Synaptophysin in addition is a cholesterol-binding protein. Depleting the membranous cholesterol content by filipin or β-methylcyclodextrin (β-MCD) decreased the solubility of synaptophysin in Triton X-100 with less effects on synaptobrevin. In small synaptic vesicles from rat brain the synaptophysin/synaptobrevin complex was diminished upon β-MCD treatment as revealed by chemical cross-linking. Mice with a genetic mutation in the Niemann–Pick C1 gene developing a defect in cholesterol sorting showed significantly reduced amounts of the synaptophysin/synaptobrevin complex compared to their homo- or heterozygous littermates. Finally when using primary cultures of mouse hippocampus the synaptophysin/synaptobrevin complex was down-regulated after depleting the endogenous cholesterol content by the HMG-CoA-reductase inhibitor lovastatin. Alternatively, treatment with cholesterol up-regulated the synaptophysin/synaptobrevin interaction in these cultures. These data indicate that the synaptophysin/synaptobrevin interaction critically depends on a high cholesterol content in the membrane of synaptic vesicles. Variations in the availability of cholesterol may promote or impair synaptic efficiency by interfering with this complex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- *MEMBRANE proteins
*SYNAPSES
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00223042
- Volume :
- 84
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Journal of Neurochemistry
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 8664918
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1471-4159.2003.01258.x