NMDA receptor activation can elicit synaptic plasticity by augmenting conductance of the AMPA receptor GluA1 subsequent to phosphorylation at S831 by Ca 2+ -dependent kinases. NMDA receptor activation also regulates synaptic plasticity by causing endocytosis of AMPA receptor GluA1. We demonstrate a unique signaling cascade for these processes mediated by NMDA receptor-dependent NO formation and GluA1 S-nitrosylation. Thus, S-nitrosylation of GluA1 at C875 enhances S831 phosphorylation, facilitates the associated AMPA receptor conductance increase, and results in endocytosis by increasing receptor binding to the AP2 protein of the endocytotic machinery.A MPA receptors (AMPARs) are tetramers in their physiologic form, with GluA1 being one of the more important regulatory subunits (1). Synaptic plasticity frequently is mediated by activation of NMDA receptors (NMDARs), which can modulate surface expression and single-channel conductance of AMPARs during the early phase of long-term potentiation (LTP) (1, 2). Phosphorylation of S831 of GluA1 mediates such plasticity, as phosphorylation of this site increases during LTP (3, 4), and mutant mice overexpressing a phosphomimetic S831D mutation display enhanced AMPAR conductance and LTP (5, 6).Mechanisms whereby NMDAR transmission augments AMPAR conductance have been unclear. NMDAR activation leads to calcium entry, which stimulates catalytic activity of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) (7,8). NO (nitric oxide) signals by activating guanylate cyclase, and by S-nitrosylating cysteines of many target proteins (9, 10). NO regulates AMPARs by targeting AMPARinteracting proteins that determine receptor surface expression. Thus, physiologic S-nitrosylation of NSF (N-ethylmaleimide sensitive factor) elicits enhanced surface expression of GluA2 (11). Transmembrane AMPAR regulatory proteins are prominent auxiliary proteins for AMPARs, with stargazin being the best characterized (12). NMDAR transmission triggers S-nitrosylation of stargazin, which increases surface expression of GluA1 (13).The surface expression of AMPARs that determines synaptic plasticity is regulated by endocytosis because inhibitors of endocytosis block AMPAR removal from the plasma membrane, resulting in increased surface expression of AMPARs and long term depression (LTD) (14). Although NO has been implicated in regulation of protein endocytosis (15), its role in regulating AMPAR endocytosis is unknown.In the present study, we show that GluA1 is physiologically S-nitrosylated under basal conditions, with increased nitrosylation upon NMDAR stimulation. Moreover, the NMDAR-dependent phosphorylation of GluA1-S831 is regulated by endogenous NO, which acts by S-nitrosylating GluA1-C875. These events regulate single-channel conductance of GluA1, as the increase of such conductance by phosphorylation is markedly slowed in GluA1-C875S mutants. Endocytosis of AMPAR also is regulated by nitrosylation of GluA1-C875, because the C875S mutant of GluA1 reduces AMPAR endocytosis in neuronal cells and decreases binding ...