These findings reveal unexpectedly that despite the fact that activation of the BAD-BAX-caspase-3 pathway usually leads to cell death, neurons adopt this entire pathway for induction of LTD, and underscore the importance of quantitative differences in caspase-3 activation

for determining the cellular function of this pathway. To determine the mechanism for caspase-3 activation in LTD, we first examined whether knocking see more down the expression of BAD, BAX and BID would affect LTD, as these proteins activate caspase-3 in apoptosis. To this end, we generated constructs expressing siRNAs that target the mRNAs encoding these proteins. The efficiency and specificity of these siRNAs were tested against

corresponding cDNAs expressed in heterologous cells and against their endogenous targets in cultured hippocampal or cortical neurons. As shown in Figure S1 available online, the siRNAs were highly effective and specific. To test their effect on synaptic transmission, we biolistically transfected cultured hippocampal slices with the siRNA constructs selleck kinase inhibitor along with a plasmid expressing venus (a YFP mutant) (Nagai et al., 2002) and measured excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) evoked by stimulating the Schaffer collateral pathway. As shown in Figures 1A–1D and Table S1, the amplitudes of both AMPA and NMDA receptor-mediated currents (EPSCAMPA and EPSCNMDA, respectively) were comparable in untransfected cells and in cells transfected with control or siRNA plasmids. These results indicate that NMDA receptor functions and basal AMPA receptor-mediated currents are intact in the transfected cells. We then proceeded to test the effect of siRNAs on NMDA receptor-dependent LTD induced by a pairing low-frequency stimulation protocol (see Experimental Procedures). LTD was blocked by the selective NMDA receptor antagonist APV [(2R)-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid](data not shown), confirming that this

stimulation protocol induces NMDA receptor-dependent LTD. Simultaneous whole-cell recordings were conducted in pairs of transfected and nearby untransfected CA1 neurons in see more the same slice. As shown in Figure 1E, LTD as revealed by a reduction of EPSCs measured 30 min after stimulation was comparable in untransfected and control plasmid transfected cells (56 ± 9% of baseline [preinduction] in untransfected cells; 49 ± 6% of baseline in control plasmid transfected cells; p = 0.52, n = 11 pairs; Figure 1E). Similarly, LTD was not altered in BID siRNA transfected cells (62 ± 6% of baseline in untransfected neurons; 61 ± 8% of baseline in BID siRNA transfected neurons; p = 0.92, n = 10 pairs; Figure 1F).