Nitric oxide down-regulates brain-derived neurotrophic factor secretion in cultured hippocampal neurons

The regulation of neurotrophin (NT) secretion is critical for many aspects of NT-mediated neuronal plasticity. Neurons release NTs by activity-regulated secretion pathways, initiated either by neurotransmitters and/or by existing NTs by a positive-feed back mechanism. This process depends on calcium release from intracellular stores. Little is known, however, about potential pathways that down-regulate NT secretion. Here we demonstrate that nitric oxide (NO) induces a rapid down-regulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) secretion in cultured hippocampal neurons. Similar effects occur by activating a downstream target of intracellular NO, the soluble guanylyl cyclase, or by increasing the levels of its product, cGMP. Furthermore, down-regulation of BDNF secretion is mediated by cGMP-activated protein kinase G, which prevents calcium release from inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-sensitive stores. Our data indicate that the NO/cGMP/protein kinase G pathway represents a signaling mechanism by which neurons can rapidly down-regulate BDNF secretion and suggest that, in hippocampal neurons, NT secretion is finely tuned by both stimulatory and inhibitory signals.