scholarly journals Kalirin, a Key Player in Synapse Formation, Is Implicated in Human Diseases

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prashant Mandela ◽  
Xin-Ming Ma
Keyword(s):  
Learning And Memory ◽  
Cortical Neurons ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Synapse Formation ◽  
Pdz Domain ◽  
Long Term Potentiation ◽  
Human Diseases ◽  
Binding Motif ◽  
Spine Density ◽  
Morphological Alterations

Synapse formation is considered to be crucial for learning and memory. Understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms of synapse formation is a key to understanding learning and memory. Kalirin-7, a major isoform of Kalirin in adult rodent brain, is an essential component of mature excitatory synapses. Kalirin-7 interacts with multiple PDZ-domain-containing proteins including PSD95, spinophilin, and GluR1 through its PDZ-binding motif. In cultured hippocampal/cortical neurons, overexpression of Kalirin-7 increases spine density and spine size whereas reduction of endogenous Kalirin-7 expression decreases synapse number, and spine density. In Kalirin-7 knockout mice, spine length, synapse number, and postsynaptic density (PSD) size are decreased in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons; these morphological alterations are accompanied by a deficiency in long-term potentiation (LTP) and a decreased spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic current (sEPSC) frequency. Human Kalirin-7, also known as Duo or Huntingtin-associated protein-interacting protein (HAPIP), is equivalent to rat Kalirin-7. Recent studies show that Kalirin is relevant to many human diseases such as Huntington’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, ischemic stroke, schizophrenia, depression, and cocaine addiction. This paper summarizes our recent understanding of Kalirin function.

scholarly journals Kalirin-7 is a Key Player in the Formation of Excitatory Synapses in Hippocampal Neurons

2010 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 1655-1666 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xin-Ming Ma
Keyword(s):  
Hippocampal Neurons ◽  
Pyramidal Neurons ◽  
Synapse Formation ◽  
Pdz Domain ◽  
Long Term Potentiation ◽  
Binding Motif ◽  
Excitatory Synapses ◽  
Spine Density ◽  
Chronic Cocaine ◽  
And Function

Kalirin-7 (Kal7), a major isoform of Kalirin in the adult rodent hippocampus, is exclusively localized to the postsynaptic side of mature excitatory synapses in hippocampal neurons. Kal7 interacts with multiple PDZ domain—containing proteins through its unique PDZ binding motif. Overexpression of Kal7 increases spine density and spine size, whereas reduction of endogenous Kal7 expression by small hairpin RNA (shRNA) causes a decrease in synapse number and spine density in cultured hippocampal neurons. Hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons of Kal7 knockout (Kal7KO) mice show decreased spine density, spine length, synapse number, and postsynaptic density (PSD) size in their apical dendrites; are deficient in long-term potentiation (LTP); and exhibit decreased frequency of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic current (sEPSC). Kal7 plays a key role in estrogen-mediated spine/synapse formation in hippocampal neurons. Kal7 is also an essential determinant of dendritic spine formation following chronic cocaine treatment. Kal7 plays a key role in excitatory synapse formation and function.

scholarly journals Chronic and Acute Manipulation of Cortical Glutamate Transmission Induces Structural and Synaptic Changes in Co-cultured Striatal Neurons

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naila Kuhlmann ◽  
Miriam Wagner Valladolid ◽  
Lucía Quesada-Ramírez ◽  
Matthew J. Farrer ◽  
Austen J. Milnerwood
Keyword(s):  
Nmda Receptor ◽  
Cortical Neurons ◽  
Synapse Formation ◽  
Long Term Potentiation ◽  
Receptor Activation ◽  
Projection Neurons ◽  
Spine Density ◽  
Striatal Neurons ◽  
Synapse Plasticity

In contrast to the prenatal topographic development of sensory cortices, striatal circuit organization is slow and requires the functional maturation of cortical and thalamic excitatory inputs throughout the first postnatal month. While mechanisms regulating synapse development and plasticity are quite well described at excitatory synapses of glutamatergic neurons in the neocortex, comparatively little is known of how this translates to glutamate synapses onto GABAergic neurons in the striatum. Here we investigate excitatory striatal synapse plasticity in an in vitro system, where glutamate can be studied in isolation from dopamine and other neuromodulators. We examined pre-and post-synaptic structural and functional plasticity in GABAergic striatal spiny projection neurons (SPNs), co-cultured with glutamatergic cortical neurons. After synapse formation, medium-term (24 h) TTX silencing increased the density of filopodia, and modestly decreased dendritic spine density, when assayed at 21 days in vitro (DIV). Spine reductions appeared to require residual spontaneous activation of ionotropic glutamate receptors. Conversely, chronic (14 days) TTX silencing markedly reduced spine density without any observed increase in filopodia density. Time-dependent, biphasic changes to the presynaptic marker Synapsin-1 were also observed, independent of residual spontaneous activity. Acute silencing (3 h) did not affect presynaptic markers or postsynaptic structures. To induce rapid, activity-dependent plasticity in striatal neurons, a chemical NMDA receptor-dependent “long-term potentiation (LTP)” paradigm was employed. Within 30 min, this increased spine and GluA1 cluster densities, and the percentage of spines containing GluA1 clusters, without altering the presynaptic signal. The results demonstrate that the growth and pruning of dendritic protrusions is an active process, requiring glutamate receptor activity in striatal projection neurons. Furthermore, NMDA receptor activation is sufficient to drive glutamatergic structural plasticity in SPNs, in the absence of dopamine or other neuromodulators.

scholarly journals Neurogranin Regulates Adult-Born Olfactory Granule Cell Spine Density and Odor-Reward Associative Memory in Mice

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (8) ◽  
pp. 4269
Author(s):  
Simona Gribaudo ◽  
Daniele Saraulli ◽  
Giulia Nato ◽  
Sara Bonzano ◽  
Giovanna Gambarotta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Associative Memory ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Granule Cells ◽  
Large Population ◽  
Adult Life ◽  
Long Term Potentiation ◽  
Spine Density ◽  
Knock Out ◽  
Memory Impairments ◽  
Dependent Learning

Neurogranin (Ng) is a brain-specific postsynaptic protein, whose role in modulating Ca2+/calmodulin signaling in glutamatergic neurons has been linked to enhancement in synaptic plasticity and cognitive functions. Accordingly, Ng knock-out (Ng-ko) mice display hippocampal-dependent learning and memory impairments associated with a deficit in long-term potentiation induction. In the adult olfactory bulb (OB), Ng is expressed by a large population of GABAergic granule cells (GCs) that are continuously generated during adult life, undergo high synaptic remodeling in response to the sensory context, and play a key role in odor processing. However, the possible implication of Ng in OB plasticity and function is yet to be investigated. Here, we show that Ng expression in the OB is associated with the mature state of adult-born GCs, where its active-phosphorylated form is concentrated at post-synaptic sites. Constitutive loss of Ng in Ng-ko mice resulted in defective spine density in adult-born GCs, while their survival remained unaltered. Moreover, Ng-ko mice show an impaired odor-reward associative memory coupled with reduced expression of the activity-dependent transcription factor Zif268 in olfactory GCs. Overall, our data support a role for Ng in the molecular mechanisms underlying GC plasticity and the formation of olfactory associative memory.

scholarly journals MARCKS domain phosphorylation regulates the differential interaction of Diacylglycerol Kinase ζ with Rac1, RhoA and Syntrophin

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan Ard ◽  
Jean-Christian Maillet ◽  
Elias Daher ◽  
Michael Phan ◽  
Radoslav Zinoviev ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Catalytic Activity ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Rho Gtpase ◽  
Pdz Domain ◽  
Diacylglycerol Kinase ◽  
Binding Motif ◽  
Membrane Blebbing ◽  
Rhoa Activity ◽  
C Terminus ◽  
Mechanistic Basis

AbstractCells can switch between Rac1, lamellipodia-based and RhoA, blebbing-based migration modes but the molecular mechanisms regulating this choice are not fully understood. Diacylglycerol kinase ζ (DGKζ), which phosphorylates diacylglycerol to yield phosphatidic acid, forms independent complexes with Rac1 and RhoA, selectively dissociating each from RhoGDI. DGKζ catalytic activity is required for Rac1 dissociation but is dispensable for RhoA dissociation. Instead, DGKζ functions as a scaffold that stimulates RhoA release by enhancing RhoGDI phosphorylation by protein kinase Cα (PKCα). Here, PKCα-mediated phosphorylation of the DGKζ MARCKS domain increased DGKζ association with RhoA and decreased its interaction with Rac1. The same modification increased binding of the DGKζ C-terminus to the α1-syntrophin PDZ domain. Expression of a phosphomimetic DGKζ mutant stimulated membrane blebbing in mouse embryonic fibroblasts and C2C12 myoblasts, which was augmented by inhibition of endogenous Rac1. DGKζ expression in differentiated C2 myotubes, which have low endogenous Rac1 levels, also induced substantial membrane blebbing via the Rho-ROCK pathway. These events were independent of DGKζ catalytic activity, but dependent upon a functional C-terminal PDZ-binding motif. Rescue of RhoA activity in DGKζ-null cells required the PDZ-binding motif, suggesting syntrophin interaction is necessary for optimal RhoA activation. Collectively, our results define a switch-like mechanism involving DGKζ phosphorylation by PKCα that favours RhoA-driven blebbing over Rac1-driven lamellipodia formation and macropinocytosis. These findings provide a mechanistic basis for the effect of PKCα signaling on Rho GTPase activity and suggest PKCα activity plays a role in the interconversion between Rac1 and RhoA signaling that underlies different migration modes.

Astrocyte-neuron crosstalk through Hedgehog signaling mediates cortical circuit assembly

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yajun Xie ◽  
Aaron T. Kuan ◽  
Wengang Wang ◽  
Zachary T. Herbert ◽  
Olivia Mosto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cortical Neurons ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Synapse Formation ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Shh Signaling ◽  
Shh Pathway ◽  
Cortical Astrocytes ◽  
Functional Features ◽  
And Function ◽  
Circuit Assembly

SUMMARYNeuron-glia relationships play a critical role in the regulation of synapse formation and neuronal specification. The cellular and molecular mechanisms by which neurons and astrocytes communicate and coordinate are not well understood. Here we demonstrate that the canonical Sonic hedgehog (Shh) pathway is active in cortical astrocytes, where it acts to coordinate layer-specific synaptic connectivity and functional circuit development. We show that Ptch1 is a Shh receptor that is expressed by cortical astrocytes during development and that Shh signaling is necessary and sufficient to promote the expression of layer-specific astrocyte genes involved in regulating synapse formation and function. Loss of Shh in layer V neurons reduces astrocyte complexity and coverage by astrocytic processes in tripartite synapses, moreover, cell-autonomous activation of Shh signaling in astrocytes promotes cortical excitatory synapse formation. Together, these results suggest that Shh secreted from deep layer cortical neurons acts to specialize the molecular and functional features of astrocytes during development to shape circuit assembly and function.

Learning and Memory

The Neuron ◽  
2015 ◽  
pp. 489-528
Author(s):  
Irwin B. Levitan ◽  
Leonard K. Kaczmarek
Keyword(s):  
Learning And Memory ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Long Term Potentiation ◽  
Memory Formation ◽  
Spike Timing ◽  
Cellular Mechanisms ◽  
Long Term Depression ◽  
Nervous Systems ◽  
Term Potentiation

Psychologists have described different kinds of learning and memory, and there is an ongoing search for the physical basis of these distinctions and for the cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible. Because of the complexity of most nervous systems, the search has focused to a large extent on animals with relatively simple nervous systems and on reduced preparations. Common themes have emerged, such as the requirement for signaling pathways linked to calcium and cyclic AMP, and the fact that pathways used in normal development continue to be used for plasticity in adults. At the same time, it is clear that there is an enormous diversity of cellular mechanisms that contribute to short-term and long-term phases of memory formation. These include long-term potentiation (LTP), long-term depression (LTD), spike-timing dependent plasticity, synaptic tagging, and synaptic scaling. Each type of synaptic connection has its own personality such that, in response to a particular pattern of stimulation, one synapse may increase its postsynaptic receptors while another may expand its presynaptic terminals.

Multiple renal cysts, urinary concentration defects, and pulmonary emphysematous changes in mice lacking TAZ

2008 ◽  
Vol 294 (3) ◽  
pp. F542-F553 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryosuke Makita ◽  
Yasunobu Uchijima ◽  
Koichi Nishiyama ◽  
Tomokazu Amano ◽  
Qin Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Renal Cyst ◽  
Pdz Domain ◽  
Renal Cysts ◽  
Cyst Formation ◽  
Human Diseases ◽  
Urinary Concentration ◽  
Binding Motif ◽  
Transcriptional Coactivator ◽  
Polycystic Kidney ◽  
The Common

TAZ (transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif), also called WWTR1 (WW domain containing transcription regulator 1), is a 14-3-3-binding molecule homologous to Yes-associated protein. TAZ acts as a coactivator for several transcription factors as well as a modulator of membrane-associated PDZ domain-containing proteins, but its (patho)physiological roles remain unknown. Here we show that gene inactivation of TAZ in mice resulted in pathological changes in the kidney and lung that resemble the common human diseases polycystic kidney disease and pulmonary emphysema. Taz-null/ lacZ knockin mutant homozygotes demonstrated renal cyst formation as early as embryonic day 15.5 with dilatation of Bowman's capsules and proximal tubules, followed by pelvic dilatation and hydronephrosis. After birth, only one-fifth of TAZ-deficient homozygotes grew to adulthood and demonstrated multicystic kidneys with severe urinary concentrating defects and polyuria. Furthermore, adult TAZ-deficient homozygotes exhibited diffuse emphysematous changes in the lung. Thus TAZ is essential for developmental mechanisms involved in kidney and lung organogenesis, whose disturbance may lead to the pathogenesis of common human diseases.

scholarly journals Chronic AdipoRon Treatment Mimics the Effects of Physical Exercise on Restoring Hippocampal Neuroplasticity in Diabetic Mice

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas H Lee ◽  
Ahadullah ◽  
Brian R Christie ◽  
Kangguang Lin ◽  
Parco Ming-fai Siu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Proliferation ◽  
Physical Exercise ◽  
Learning And Memory ◽  
Long Term Potentiation ◽  
Hippocampal Neurogenesis ◽  
Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis ◽  
Antidepressant Effect ◽  
Spine Density ◽  
Diabetic Mice ◽  
Antidiabetic Effect

AbstractAdministration of exercise mimetic drugs could be a novel therapeutic approach to combat comorbid neurodegeneration and metabolic syndromes. Adiponectin is an adipocyte-secreted hormone. In addition to its antidiabetic effect, adiponectin mediates the antidepressant effect of physical exercise associated with adult hippocampal neurogenesis. The antidiabetic effect of the adiponectin receptor agonist AdipoRon has been demonstrated, but its potential pro-cognitive and neurotrophic effects in the hippocampus under diabetic condition are still unclear. This study reported that chronic AdipoRon treatment for 2 weeks improved hippocampal-dependent spatial recognition memory in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. Besides, AdipoRon treatment increased progenitor cell proliferation and neuronal differentiation in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) of diabetic mice. Furthermore, AdipoRon treatment significantly increased dendritic complexity, spine density, and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-dependent long-term potentiation (LTP) in the dentate region, and increased BDNF levels in the DG of diabetic mice. AdipoRon treatment activated AMPK/PGC-1α signalling in the DG, whereas increases in cell proliferation and LTP were not observed when PGC-1α signalling was pharmacologically inhibited. In sum, chronic AdipoRon treatment partially mimics the benefits of physical exercise for learning and memory and hippocampal neuroplasticity in the diabetic brain. The results suggested that AdipoRon could be a potential physical exercise mimetic to improve hippocampal plasticity and hence rescue learning and memory impairment typically associated with diabetes.

A causal relationship between LTP and learning? Has the question been answered by genetic approaches?

1997 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 617-618 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Gerlai
Keyword(s):  
Causal Relationship ◽  
Learning And Memory ◽  
Gene Targeting ◽  
Genetic Background ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Potential Role ◽  
Long Term Potentiation ◽  
Compensatory Mechanisms ◽  
Term Potentiation

Gene targeting has generated a great deal of data on the molecular mechanisms of long-term potentiation and its potential role in learning and memory. However, the interpretation of some results has been questioned. Compensatory mechanisms and the contribution of genetic background may make it difficult to unequivocally prove the existence of a causal (genetic) link between LTP and learning.

scholarly journals Lynx1 Prevents Long-Term Potentiation Blockade and Reduction of Neuromodulator Expression Caused by Aβ1-42 and JNK Activation

Acta Naturae ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 57-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. L. Bychkov ◽  
N. A. Vasilyeva ◽  
M. A. Shulepko ◽  
P. M. Balaban ◽  
M. P. Kirpichnikov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neurodegenerative Diseases ◽  
Learning And Memory ◽  
Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors ◽  
Cortical Neurons ◽  
Acetylcholine Receptors ◽  
Long Term Potentiation ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Amyloid Peptide ◽  
Term Potentiation

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are ligand-gated ion channels. Many neurodegenerative diseases are accompanied by cognitive impairment associated with the dysfunction of nAChRs. The human membrane-tethered prototoxin Lynx1 modulates nAChR function in the brain areas responsible for learning and memory. In this study, we have demonstrated for the first time that the -amyloid peptide A1-42 decreases Lynx1 mRNA expression in rat primary cortical neurons, and that this decrease is associated with the activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). In addition, we have demonstrated that the Lynx1 expression decrease, as well as the blockade of the long-term potentiation underlying learning and memory, caused by A1-42, may be prevented by incubation with a water-soluble Lynx1 analogue. Our findings suggest that the water-soluble Lynx1 analogue may be a promising agent for the improvement of cognitive deficits in neurodegenerative diseases.

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