We tested a proposal that the hyperpolarization-activated cation channel (I(h) channel) is involved in the induction of short- and long-term plasticity at the hippocampal mossy fiber-CA3 synapses. Bath application of a specific I(h) channel blocker ZD 7288, at a concentration at which it blocked I(h) channels, substantially depressed mossy fiber synaptic transmission, and this inhibition was occluded by previous blockade of these channels by CsCl. In addition, ZD 7288 attenuated the amplitude of both AMPA and NMDA receptor-mediated excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) equally and caused a coincident increase in the failure rate of single-fiber EPSCs and paired-pulse facilitation (PPF). It also blocked long-term potentiation (LTP) induction when applied before high-frequency tetanic stimulation (TS), and reversed LTP when applied afterwards. Continuous application of CsCl, which efficiently blocks I(h) channels, mimicked ZD 7288 in inhibiting LTP. Furthermore, ZD 7288 blocked both forskolin- and Sp-8-CPT-cAMPS-mediated enhancements of synaptic transmission. However, it did not affect the frequency facilitation induced by increasing the stimulus frequency from 0.05-1 Hz and the expression of the long-term depression (LTD) induced by low-frequency stimulation (LFS) or DCG-IV. Perforated patch-clamp recordings from granule cells revealed that the voltage for half-maximal activation (V(1/2)) of I(h) was significantly shifted towards the depolarizing direction following forskolin or Sp-8-CPT-cAMPS treatment. This enhanced I(h) current was not due to persistent activation of protein kinase A (PKA), because PKA inhibitor KT5720 did not abolish the difference between the activation curves. Therefore, we conclude that I(h) channels may contribute to the development and regulation of short- and long-term plasticity at the mossy fiber-CA3 synapses.