Endosome-mediated endocytic mechanism replenishes the majority of synaptic vesicles at mature CNS synapses in an activity-dependent manner.

Whether synaptic vesicles (SVs) are recovered via endosome-mediated pathways is a matter of debate; however, recent evidence suggests that clathrin-independent bulk endocytosis (CIE) via endosomes is functional and preferentially replenishes SV pools during strong stimulation. Here, using brefeldin-A (BFA) to block CIE, we found that CIE retrieved a minority of SVs at developing CNS synapses during strong stimulation, but its contribution increased up to 61% at mature CNS synapses. Contrary to previous views, BFA not only blocked SV formation from the endosome but also blocked the endosome formation at the plasma membrane. Adaptor protein 1 and 3 (AP-1/3) have key roles in SV reformation from endosomes during CIE, and AP-1 also affects bulk endosome formation from the plasma membrane. Finally, temporary blocking of chronic or acute neuronal activity with tetrodotoxin in mature neurons redirected most SV retrieval to endosome-independent pathways. These results show that during high neuronal activity, CIE becomes the major endocytic pathway at mature CNS synapses. Moreover, mature neurons use clathrin-mediated endocytosis and the CIE pathway to different extents depending on their previous activity; this may result in activity-dependent alterations of the SV composition which ultimately influence transmitter release and contribute to synaptic plasticity.