Impact of human disease-causing mutation on striatal synaptic and behavioral plasticity

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PROJECT SUMMARY The G2019S mutation is the most common of several mutations in leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) causing up to 40% of familial Parkinson's disease in certain populations. This pathogenic point mutation is autosomal dominant and increases kinase activity 2-3 fold. Disease progression in both motor and non-motor symptoms of mutant LRRK2 carriers is similar to idiopathic cases suggesting common mechanisms, but progress has been limited because LRRK2 biology is poorly understood and little is known of pathogenic cellular or synaptic actions of G2019S-LRRK2. LRRK2 expression is high in spiny projection neurons (SPNs) of dorsal and ventral striatum, and rises rapidly during axon ingrowth and excitatory synaptogenesis. The timing and location of expression suggests that mutant LRRK2 may be maladaptively influencing development of excitatory circuits that impact striatal function. To begin to test this idea, we probed glutamatergic synaptic function in SPNs in G2019S-LRRK2 knockin mice. We showed that early in postnatal life, G2019S-SPNs in dorsal striatum exhibit a significantly abnormal increase in spontaneous excitatory synaptic currents (sEPSCs) compared to WT mice or mice expressing a LRRK2 kinase-dead knockin mutation (D2017A). Such abnormal excitatory activity was observed in both direct- and indirect-pathway SPNs, was normalized by LRRK2 kinase inhibitors, and was associated with larger SPN dendritic spine-heads and sEPSC amplitudes. Dorsal striatal SPNs receive convergent input from cerebral cortex and control many types of goal- directed behaviors, and the latter are thought to reflect balanced control of bidirectional changes in corticostriatal synaptic strength. The early abnormalities in SPN synaptic function and structure suggest that synaptic plasticity will be altered by G2019S-LRRK2 with consequences for striatally-based behaviors. Preliminary data support both of these ideas. Together, we hypothesize that the normal balance between mechanisms that strengthen or weaken synaptic transmission is altered in SPNs expressing G2019S-LRRK2 in a way that both reveals molecular signaling pathways targeted by mutant LRRK2 and that has predictable consequences for behaviors. The proposed experiments will assess the impact of mutant LRRK2 on synapse strengthening and weakening in subtype-identified SPNs; they will identify the molecular pathways and mechanisms involved; they will determine if mutant LRRK2 alters behaviors associated with SPN synapse plasticity; and they will test whether in vivo LRRK2 inhibition early in life ameliorates maladaptive effects on synaptic and behavioral plasticity documented later in life.