The role of extracellular adenosine in regulating mossy fiber synaptic plasticity

Hippocampal mossy fiber synapses show unique molecular features and dynamic range of plasticity. A recent paper proposed that the defining features of mossy fiber synaptic plasticity are caused by a local buildup of extracellular adenosine (Moore et al., 2003). In this study, we reassessed the role of ambient adenosine in regulating mossy fiber synaptic plasticity in mouse and rat hippocampal slices. Synaptic transmission was highly sensitive to activation of presynaptic adenosineA(1) receptors (A(1)Rs), which reduced transmitter release by > 75%. However, most of A(1)Rs were not activated by ambient adenosine. Field potentials increased only by 20-30% when A(1)Rs were fully blocked with the A(1)R antagonist 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine (DPCPX) (1 mu M). Moreover, blocking A(1)Rs hardly altered paired-pulse facilitation, frequency facilitation, or posttetanic potentiation. Frequency facilitation was similar in A(1)R(-/-) mice and when measured with NMDA receptor-mediated EPSCs in CA3 pyramidal cells in the presence of DPCPX. Additional experiments suggested that the results obtained by Moore et al. (2003) can partially be explained by their usage of a submerged recording chamber and elevated divalent cation concentrations. In conclusion, a reduction of the basal release probability by ambient adenosine does not underlie presynaptic forms of plasticity at mossy fiber synapses.