Figure 4. Over-expression of GluR1 and GluR2 C-terminal decoy peptides eliminates BDNF-mediated upregulation of AMPAr subunits and their scaffolding proteins.

DIV 10 cultured cortical neurons are infected with a control Sindbis virus to express EGFP alone or with viruses encoding EGFP-R1 and EGFP-R2 and treated with BDNF for 1 day or not. Protein samples are extracted and analyzed by immunoblotting as indicated in “Materials and Methods”. Over-expression of the decoy peptides, corresponding to the C-terminal domains of GluR1 and GluR2, results in specific elimination of the up-regulatory effects of BDNF on the corresponding AMPAr subunit and its interacting partner PDZ protein(s).