The role of human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) in disease pathogenesis is unclear. We show that HERV-K is activated in a subpopulation of patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and that its envelope (env) protein may contribute to neurodegeneration. The virus was expressed in cortical and spinal neurons of ALS patients, but not in neurons from control healthy individuals. Expression of HERV-K or its env protein in human neurons caused retraction and beading of neurites. Transgenic animals expressing the env gene developed progressive motor dysfunction accompanied by selective loss of volume of the motor cortex, decreased synaptic activity in pyramidal neurons, dendritic spine abnormalities, nucleolar dysfunction, and DNA damage. Injury to anterior horn cells in the spinal cord was manifested by muscle atrophy and pathological changes consistent with nerve fiber denervation and reinnervation. Expression of HERV-K was regulated by TAR (trans-activation responsive) DNA binding protein 43, which binds to the long terminal repeat region of the virus. Thus, HERV-K expression within neurons of patients with ALS may contribute to neurodegeneration and disease pathogenesis.

We have reported recently a high density of transient A-type K⁺channels located in the distal dendrites of CA1 hippocampal pyramidal neurons and shown that these channels shape EPSPs, limit the back-propagation of action potentials, and prevent dendritic action potential initiation (Hoffman et al., 1997). Because of the importance of these channels in dendritic signal propagation, their modulation by protein kinases would be of significant interest. We investigated the effects of activators of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) and the Ca²⁺-dependent phospholipid-sensitive protein kinase (PKC) on K⁺channels in cell-attached patches from the distal dendrites of hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons. Inclusion of the membrane-permeant PKA activators 8-bromo-cAMP (8-br-cAMP) or forskolin in the dendritic patch pipette resulted in a depolarizing shift in the activation curve for the transient channels of ∼15 mV. Activation of PKC by either of two phorbol esters also resulted in a 15 mV depolarizing shift of the activation curve. Neither PKA nor PKC activation affected the sustained or slowly inactivating component of the total outward current. This downregulation of transient K⁺channels in the distal dendrites may be responsible for some of the frequently reported increases in cell excitability found after PKA and PKC activation. In support of this hypothesis, we found that activation of either PKA or PKC significantly increased the amplitude of back-propagating action potentials in distal dendrites.

We investigated the role of A-type K ⁺ channels for the induction of long-term potentiation (LTP) of Schaffer collateral inputs to hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons. When low-amplitude excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) were paired with two postsynaptic action potentials in a theta-burst pattern, N -methyl- d -aspartate (NMDA)-receptor-dependent LTP was induced. The amplitudes of the back-propagating action potentials were boosted in the dendrites only when they were coincident with the EPSPs. Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitors PD 098059 or U0126 shifted the activation of dendritic K ⁺ channels to more hyperpolarized potentials, reduced the boosting of dendritic action potentials by EPSPs, and suppressed the induction of LTP. These results support the hypothesis that dendritic K ⁺ channels and the boosting of back-propagating action potentials contribute to the induction of LTP in CA1 neurons.