AMPA receptors and stargazin-like transmembrane AMPA receptor-regulatory proteins mediate hippocampal kainate neurotoxicity

Naturally occurring glutamate analogs, such as kainate and domoate, which cause excitotoxic shellfish poisoning, induce nondesensitizing responses at neuronal α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors. In addition to acting on AMPA receptors, kainate and domoate also activate high-affinity kainate-type glutamate receptors. The receptor type that mediates their neurotoxicity remains uncertain. Here, we show that the transmembrane AMPA receptor-associated protein (TARP) γ-2 (or stargazin) and the related TARP γ-8 augment responses to kainate and domoate by making these neurotoxins more potent and more efficacious AMPA receptor agonists. Genetic deletion of hippocampal enriched γ-8 selectively abolishes sustained depolarizations in hippocampus mediated by kainate activation of AMPA receptors. γ-8 knockout mice display typical kainate-induced seizures; however, the associated neuronal cell death in the hippocampus is attenuated in mice lacking γ-8. This work decisively demonstrates that TARP-associated AMPA receptors mediate kainate neurotoxicity and identifies TARPs as targets for modulating neurotoxic properties of AMPA receptors.