TSPAN7: A new player in excitatory synapse maturation and function

Tetraspanins regulate the signaling, trafficking and biosynthetic processing of associated proteins, and may link the extracellular domain of α-chain integrins with intracellular signaling molecules, including PI4K and PKC, both of which regulate cytoskeletal architecture. We showed that TSPAN7, a member of tetraspannin-family, promotes filopodia and dendritic spine formation in cultured hippocampal neurons, and is required for spine stability and normal synaptic transmission. TSPAN7 directly interacts with the PDZ domain of protein interacting with C kinase 1 (PICK1), and associates with AMPAR subunit GluA2 and β1-integrin. TSPAN7 regulates PICK1 and GluA2/3 association, and AMPA receptor trafficking. These findings identify TSPAN7 as a key player in the morphological and functional maturation of glutamatergic synapses.