Ulyana Lalo, Yuriy Pankratov

Intracellular Ca²⁺-signaling in astrocytes is instrumental for their brain “housekeeping” role and astroglial control of synaptic plasticity. An important source for elevating the cytosolic Ca²⁺ level in astrocytes is a release from endoplasmic reticulum which can be triggered via two fundamental pathways: IP3 receptors and calcium-induced calcium release (CICR) mediated by Ca²⁺-sensitive ryanodine receptors (RyRs). We explored the role for ryanodine receptors in the modulation of cytosolic Ca²⁺-signaling in the cortical and hippocampal astrocytes, astrocyte-neuron communication and astroglia modulation of synaptic plasticity. Our data demonstrate that ryanodine receptors are essential for astrocytic Ca²⁺-signaling and efficient astrocyte-neuron communications. The RyR-mediated CICR contributes to astrocytic control of synaptic plasticity and can underlie, at least partially, neuroprotective and cognitive effects of caffein.

Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience. May 2024