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Morè L, Privitera L, Lopes M, Arthur JSC, Lauterborn JC, Corrêa SAL, Frenguelli BG. MSK1 is required for the experience- and ampakine-dependent enhancement of spatial reference memory and reversal learning and for the induction of Arc and BDNF. Neuropharmacology 2024:110110. [PMID: 39128584 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2024.110110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 08/08/2024] [Accepted: 08/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
There is considerable interest in the development of nootropics, pharmacological agents that can improve cognition across a range of both cognitive modalities and cognitive disabilities. One class of cognitive enhancers, the ampakines, has attracted particular attention by virtue of improving cognition associated with animal models of neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative, and psychiatric conditions, as well as in age-related cognitive impairment. Ampakines elevate CNS levels of BDNF, and it is through this elevation that their beneficial actions are believed to occur. However, what transduces the elevation of BDNF into long-lasting cognitive enhancement is not known. We have previously shown that MSK1, by virtue of its ability to regulate gene transcription, converts the elevation of BDNF associated with environmental enrichment into molecular, synaptic, cognitive and genomic adaptations that underlie enrichment-induced enhanced synaptic plasticity and learning and memory, a property that MSK1 retains across the lifespan. To establish whether MSK1 similarly converts ampakine-induced elevations of BDNF into cognitive enhancement we tested an ampakine (CX929) in male WT mice and in male mice in which the kinase activity of MSK1 was inactivated. We found that MSK1 is required for the ampakine-dependent improvement in spatial reference memory and cognitive flexibility, and for the elevations of BDNF and the plasticity-related protein Arc associated with ampakines and experience. These observations implicate MSK1 as a key enabler of the beneficial effects of ampakines on cognitive function, and furthermore identify MSK1 as a hub for BDNF-elevating nootropic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Morè
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK; School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, PR1 2HE, UK
| | - Lucia Privitera
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Marcia Lopes
- Bradford School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of Bradford, Bradford, BD7 1DP, UK
| | - J Simon C Arthur
- Division of Cell Signalling and Immunology, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Julie C Lauterborn
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, USA
| | - Sonia A L Corrêa
- Bradford School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of Bradford, Bradford, BD7 1DP, UK; Department of Life Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, M15 6BH, UK
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Cardoner N, Andero R, Cano M, Marin-Blasco I, Porta-Casteràs D, Serra-Blasco M, Via E, Vicent-Gil M, Portella MJ. Impact of Stress on Brain Morphology: Insights into Structural Biomarkers of Stress-related Disorders. Curr Neuropharmacol 2024; 22:935-962. [PMID: 37403395 PMCID: PMC10845094 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x21666230703091435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposure to acute and chronic stress has a broad range of structural effects on the brain. The brain areas commonly targeted in the stress response models include the hippocampus, the amygdala, and the prefrontal cortex. Studies in patients suffering from the so-called stress-related disorders -embracing post-traumatic stress, major depressive and anxiety disorders- have fairly replicated animal models of stress response -particularly the neuroendocrine and the inflammatory models- by finding alterations in different brain areas, even in the early neurodevelopment. Therefore, this narrative review aims to provide an overview of structural neuroimaging findings and to discuss how these studies have contributed to our knowledge of variability in response to stress and the ulterior development of stress-related disorders. There are a gross number of studies available but neuroimaging research of stress-related disorders as a single category is still in its infancy. Although the available studies point at particular brain circuitries involved in stress and emotion regulation, the pathophysiology of these abnormalities -involving genetics, epigenetics and molecular pathways-, their relation to intraindividual stress responses -including personality characteristics, self-perception of stress conditions…-, and their potential involvement as biomarkers in diagnosis, treatment prescription and prognosis are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narcís Cardoner
- Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine Bellaterra, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica En Red en Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Unitat de Neurociència Traslacional, Parc Taulí Hospital Universitari, Institut d'Investigació i Innovació Parc Taulí (I3PT), Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Raül Andero
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica En Red en Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Unitat de Neurociència Traslacional, Parc Taulí Hospital Universitari, Institut d'Investigació i Innovació Parc Taulí (I3PT), Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
- Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
- Departament de Psicobiologia i de Metodologia de les Ciències de la Salut, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
- ICREA, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marta Cano
- Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica En Red en Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ignacio Marin-Blasco
- Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Daniel Porta-Casteràs
- Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine Bellaterra, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Unitat de Neurociència Traslacional, Parc Taulí Hospital Universitari, Institut d'Investigació i Innovació Parc Taulí (I3PT), Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Maria Serra-Blasco
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica En Red en Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Programa eHealth ICOnnecta't, Institut Català d'Oncologia, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Esther Via
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology Department, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Research Group, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Muriel Vicent-Gil
- Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria J. Portella
- Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine Bellaterra, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica En Red en Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
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Morè L, Privitera L, Cooper DD, Tsogka M, Arthur JSC, Frenguelli BG. MSK1 is required for the beneficial synaptic and cognitive effects of enriched experience across the lifespan. Aging (Albany NY) 2023; 15:6031-6072. [PMID: 37432063 PMCID: PMC10373962 DOI: 10.18632/aging.204833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
Positive experiences, such as social interaction, cognitive training and physical exercise, have been shown to ameliorate some of the harms to cognition associated with ageing. Animal models of positive interventions, commonly known as environmental enrichment, strongly influence neuronal morphology and synaptic function and enhance cognitive performance. While the profound structural and functional benefits of enrichment have been appreciated for decades, little is known as to how the environment influences neurons to respond and adapt to these positive sensory experiences. We show that adult and aged male wild-type mice that underwent a 10-week environmental enrichment protocol demonstrated improved performance in a variety of behavioural tasks, including those testing spatial working and spatial reference memory, and an enhancement in hippocampal LTP. Aged animals in particular benefitted from enrichment, performing spatial memory tasks at levels similar to healthy adult mice. Many of these benefits, including in gene expression, were absent in mice with a mutation in an enzyme, MSK1, which is activated by BDNF, a growth factor implicated in rodent and human cognition. We conclude that enrichment is beneficial across the lifespan and that MSK1 is required for the full extent of these experience-induced improvements of cognitive abilities, synaptic plasticity and gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Morè
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Preston PR1 2HE, UK
| | - Lucia Privitera
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Daniel D. Cooper
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Marianthi Tsogka
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
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Tripson M, Litwa K, Soderstrom K. Cannabidiol inhibits neuroinflammatory responses and circuit-associated synaptic loss following damage to a songbird vocal pre-motor cortical-like region. Sci Rep 2023; 13:7907. [PMID: 37193782 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-34924-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The non-euphorigenic phytocannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) has been used successfully to treat childhood-onset epilepsies. These conditions are associated with developmental delays that often include vocal learning. Zebra finch song, like language, is a complex behavior learned during a sensitive period of development. Song quality is maintained through continuous sensorimotor refinement involving circuits that control learning and production. Within the vocal motor circuit, HVC is a cortical-like region that when partially lesioned temporarily disrupts song structure. We previously found CBD (10 mg/kg/day) improves post-lesion vocal recovery. The present studies were done to begin to understand mechanisms possibly responsible for CBD vocal protection. We found CBD markedly reduced expression of inflammatory mediators and oxidative stress markers. These effects were associated with regionally-reduced expression of the microglial marker TMEM119. As microglia are key regulators of synaptic reorganization, we measured synapse densities, finding significant lesion-induced circuit-wide decreases that were largely reversed by CBD. Synaptic protection was accompanied by NRF2 activation and BDNF/ARC/ARG3.1/MSK1 expression implicating mechanisms important to song circuit node mitigation of oxidative stress and promotion of synaptic homeostasis. Our findings demonstrate that CBD promotes an array of neuroprotective processes consistent with modulation of multiple cell signaling systems, and suggest these mechanisms are important to post-lesion recovery of a complex learned behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Tripson
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27834, USA
| | - Karen Litwa
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina Diabetes and Obesity Institute, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27834, USA
| | - Ken Soderstrom
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27834, USA.
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Morè L, Privitera L, Perrett P, Cooper DD, Bonnello MVG, Arthur JSC, Frenguelli BG. CREB serine 133 is necessary for spatial cognitive flexibility and long-term potentiation. Neuropharmacology 2022; 219:109237. [PMID: 36049536 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
The transcription factor cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) is widely regarded as orchestrating the genomic response that underpins a range of physiological functions in the central nervous system, including learning and memory. Of the means by which CREB can be regulated, emphasis has been placed on the phosphorylation of a key serine residue, S133, in the CREB protein, which is required for CREB-mediated transcriptional activation in response to a variety of activity-dependent stimuli. Understanding the role of CREB S133 has been complicated by molecular genetic techniques relying on over-expression of either dominant negative or activating transgenes that may distort the physiological role of endogenous CREB. A more elegant recent approach targeting S133 in the endogenous CREB gene has yielded a mouse with constitutive replacement of this residue with alanine (S133A), but has generated results (no behavioural phenotype and no effect on gene transcription) at odds with contemporary views as to the role of CREB S133, and which may reflect compensatory changes associated with the constitutive mutation. To avoid this potential complication, we generated a post-natal and forebrain-specific CREB S133A mutant in which the expression of the mutation was under the control of CaMKIIα promoter. Using male and female mice we show that CREB S133 is necessary for spatial cognitive flexibility, the regulation of basal synaptic transmission, and for the expression of long-term potentiation (LTP) in hippocampal area CA1. These data point to the importance of CREB S133 in neuronal function, synaptic plasticity and cognition in the mammalian brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Morè
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Lucia Privitera
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Philippa Perrett
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Daniel D Cooper
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Manuel Van Gijsel Bonnello
- Division of Cell Signalling and Immunology, Wellcome Trust Building, College of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK
| | - J Simon C Arthur
- Division of Cell Signalling and Immunology, Wellcome Trust Building, College of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK
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Robinson S, Mogul AS, Taylor-Yeremeeva EM, Khan A, Tirabassi AD, Wang HY. Stress Diminishes BDNF-stimulated TrkB Signaling, TrkB-NMDA Receptor Linkage and Neuronal Activity in the Rat Brain. Neuroscience 2021; 473:142-158. [PMID: 34298123 PMCID: PMC8455453 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to intense or repeated stressors can lead to depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Neurological changes induced by stress include impaired neurotrophin signaling, which is known to influence synaptic integrity and plasticity. The present study used an ex vivo approach to examine the impact of acute or repeated stress on BDNF-stimulated TrkB signaling in hippocampus (HIPPO) and prefrontal cortex (PFC). Rats in an acute multiple stressor group experienced five stressors in one day whereas rats in a repeated unpredictable stressor group experienced 20 stressors across 10 days. After stress exposure, slices were incubated with vehicle or BDNF, followed by immunoprecipitation and immunoblot assays to assess protein levels, activation states and protein-protein linkage associated with BDNF-TrkB signaling. Three key findings are (1) exposure to stressors significantly diminished BDNF-stimulated TrkB signaling in HIPPO and PFC such that reductions in TrkB activation, diminished recruitment of adaptor proteins to TrkB, reduced activation of downstream signaling molecules, disruption of TrkB-NMDAr linkage, and changes in basal and BDNF-stimulated Arc expression were observed. (2) After stress, BDNF stimulation enhanced TrkB-NMDAr linkage in PFC, suggestive of compensatory mechanisms in this region. (3) We discovered an uncoupling between TrkB signaling, TrkB-NMDAr linkage and Arc expression in PFC and HIPPO. In addition, a robust surge in pro-inflammatory cytokines was observed in both regions after repeated exposure to stressors. Collectively, these data provide therapeutic targets for future studies that investigate how to reverse stress-induced downregulation of BDNF-TrkB signaling and underscore the need for functional studies that examine stress-related TrkB-NMDAr activities in PFC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siobhan Robinson
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Hamilton College, Clinton, NY, USA.
| | - Allison S Mogul
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Hamilton College, Clinton, NY, USA
| | | | - Amber Khan
- Department of Molecular, Cellular & Biomedical Sciences, The City University of New York School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Biology, Neuroscience Program, Graduate School of the City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Anthony D Tirabassi
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Hamilton College, Clinton, NY, USA
| | - Hoau-Yan Wang
- Department of Molecular, Cellular & Biomedical Sciences, The City University of New York School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Biology, Neuroscience Program, Graduate School of the City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
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Cooper DD, Frenguelli BG. The influence of sensory experience on the glutamatergic synapse. Neuropharmacology 2021; 193:108620. [PMID: 34048870 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The ability of glutamatergic synaptic strength to change in response to prevailing neuronal activity is believed to underlie the capacity of animals, including humans, to learn from experience. This learning better equips animals to safely navigate challenging and potentially harmful environments, while reinforcing behaviours that are conducive to survival. Early descriptions of the influence of experience on behaviour were provided by Donald Hebb who showed that an enriched environment improved performance of rats in a variety of behavioural tasks, challenging the widely-held view at the time that psychological development and intelligence were largely predetermined through genetic inheritance. Subsequent studies in a variety of species provided detailed cellular and molecular insights into the neurobiological adaptations associated with enrichment and its counterparts, isolation and deprivation. Here we review those experience-dependent changes that occur at the glutamatergic synapse, and which likely underlie the enhanced cognition associated with enrichment. We focus on the importance of signalling initiated by the release of BDNF and a prime downstream effector, MSK1, in orchestrating the many structural and functional neuronal adaptations associated with enrichment. In particular we discuss the MSK1-dependent expansion of the dynamic range of the glutamatergic synapse, which may allow enhanced information storage or processing, and the establishment of a genomic homeostasis that may both stabilise the enriched brain, and may make it better able to respond to novel experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel D Cooper
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
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8
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Meade GM, Charron LS, Kilburn LW, Pei Z, Wang HY, Robinson S. A model of negative emotional contagion between male-female rat dyads: Effects of voluntary exercise on stress-induced behavior and BDNF-TrkB signaling. Physiol Behav 2021; 234:113286. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2020.113286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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Olateju OI, Morè L, Arthur JSC, Frenguelli BG. Mitogen and Stress-activated Protein Kinase 1 Negatively Regulates Hippocampal Neurogenesis. Neuroscience 2020; 452:228-234. [PMID: 33246062 PMCID: PMC7810160 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.11.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2020] [Revised: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Neurogenesis in the subgranular zone (SGZ) of the adult hippocampus can be stimulated by a variety of means, including via exposure of experimental animals to an enriched environment that provides additional sensory, social, and motor stimulation. Tangible health and cognitive benefits accrue in enriched animals, including the amelioration of signs modelling psychiatric, neurological and neurodegenerative conditions that affect humans, which may in part be due to enhanced production of neurons. A key factor in the neuronal response to enrichment is the release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and the activation of the Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) cascade, which can lead to the stimulation of neurogenesis. Mitogen- and Stress-Activated protein Kinase 1 (MSK1) is a nuclear enzyme downstream of BDNF and MAPK that regulates transcription. MSK1 has previously been implicated in both basal and stimulated neurogenesis on the basis of studies with mice lacking MSK1 protein. In the present study, using mice in which only the kinase activity of MSK1 is lacking, we show that the rate of cellular proliferation in the SGZ (Ki-67 staining) is unaffected by the MSK1 kinase-dead (KD) mutation, and no different from controls levels after five weeks of enrichment. However, compared to wild-type mice, the number of doublecortin (DCX)-positive cells was greater in both standard-housed and enriched MSK1 KD mice. These observations suggest that, while MSK1 does not influence the basal rate of proliferation of neuronal precursors, MSK1 negatively regulates the number of cells destined to become neurons, potentially as a homeostatic control on the number of new neurons integrating into the dentate gyrus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oladiran I Olateju
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK; School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
| | - Lorenzo Morè
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, College of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Preston PR1 2HE, UK
| | - J Simon C Arthur
- School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
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Experience Recruits MSK1 to Expand the Dynamic Range of Synapses and Enhance Cognition. J Neurosci 2020; 40:4644-4660. [PMID: 32376781 PMCID: PMC7294801 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2765-19.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Revised: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Experience powerfully influences neuronal function and cognitive performance, but the cellular and molecular events underlying the experience-dependent enhancement of mental ability have remained elusive. In particular, the mechanisms that couple the external environment to the genomic changes underpinning this improvement are unknown. To address this, we have used male mice harboring an inactivating mutation of mitogen- and stress-activated protein kinase 1 (MSK1), a brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)-activated enzyme downstream of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. We show that MSK1 is required for the full extent of experience-induced improvement of spatial memory, for the expansion of the dynamic range of synapses, exemplified by the enhancement of hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD), and for the regulation of the majority of genes influenced by enrichment. In addition, and unexpectedly, we show that experience is associated with an MSK1-dependent downregulation of key MAPK and plasticity-related genes, notably of EGR1/Zif268 and Arc/Arg3.1, suggesting the establishment of a novel genomic landscape adapted to experience. By coupling experience to homeostatic changes in gene expression MSK1, represents a prime mechanism through which the external environment has an enduring influence on gene expression, synaptic function, and cognition. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Our everyday experiences strongly influence the structure and function of the brain. Positive experiences encourage the growth and development of the brain and support enhanced learning and memory and resistance to mood disorders such as anxiety. While this has been known for many years, how this occurs is not clear. Here, we show that many of the positive aspects of experience depend on an enzyme called mitogen- and stress-activated protein kinase 1 (MSK1). Using male mice with a mutation in MSK1, we show that MSK1 is necessary for the majority of gene expression changes associated with experience, extending the range over which the communication between neurons occurs, and for both the persistence of memory and the ability to learn new task rules.
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Morè L, Lauterborn JC, Papaleo F, Brambilla R. Enhancing cognition through pharmacological and environmental interventions: Examples from preclinical models of neurodevelopmental disorders. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 110:28-45. [PMID: 30981451 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2018] [Revised: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
In this review we discuss the role of environmental and pharmacological treatments to enhance cognition with special regards to neurodevelopmental related disorders and aging. How the environment influences brain structure and function, and the interactions between rearing conditions and gene expression, are fundamental questions that are still poorly understood. We propose a model that can explain some of the discrepancies in findings for effects of environmental enrichment on outcome measures. Evidence of a direct causal correlation of nootropics and treatments that enhanced cognition also will be presented, and possible molecular mechanisms that include neurotrophin signaling and downstream pathways underlying these processes are discussed. Finally we review recent findings achieved with a wide set of behavioral and cognitive tasks that have translational validity to humans, and should be useful for future work on devising appropriate therapies. As will be discussed, the collective findings suggest that a combinational therapeutic approach of environmental enrichment and nootropics could be particularly successful for improving learning and memory in both developmental disorders and normal aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Morè
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, PR1 2XT, Preston, UK.
| | - Julie C Lauterborn
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92617, USA.
| | - Francesco Papaleo
- Genetics of Cognition Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego, 30, 16163, Genova, Italy.
| | - Riccardo Brambilla
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute (NMHRI), Division of Neuroscience, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, CF24 4HQ, Cardiff, UK.
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High expression of mitogen-activated and stress-activated protein kinase 1 indicates poor prognosis in patients with glioma. Neuroreport 2018; 29:1249-1255. [PMID: 30020192 DOI: 10.1097/wnr.0000000000001090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Mitogen-activated and stress-activated protein kinase 1 (MSK1), which belongs to the subfamily of MAPK-activated protein kinase, plays an important role in cell proliferation and neoplastic transformation. It has been recently reported that MSK1 overexpression was closely related to the progression of some tumors such as colorectal cancer. However, the clinical significance of MSK1 in glioma has not been addressed. To investigate the potential role of MSK1 in glioma, we first examined the expression pattern of MSK1 in glioma tissues and normal brain tissues using quantitative RT-PCR, and the results showing that MSK1 expression was significantly elevated in glioma tissues compared with normal brain tissues. The clinical relevance of MSK1 expression level was then analyzed, and we found that high expression of MSK1 was closely related to the larger tumor size and advanced WHO grade. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that glioma patients with higher expression of MSK1 had poorer overall survival, and MSK1 was identified as an independent unfavorable prognosis factor. In addition, the effects of MSK1 on glioma cells were tested through cellular experiments, and we demonstrated that MSK1 can promote proliferation and invasion capacities of tumor cells. In conclusion, patients with glioma with higher MSK1 expression were more predisposed to poorer clinical outcomes and unfavorable prognosis, indicating the potential role of MSK1 as a novel clinical biomarker and therapeutic target.
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Kikuchi K, Ihara D, Fukuchi M, Tanabe H, Ishibashi Y, Tsujii J, Tsuda M, Kaneda M, Sakagami H, Okuno H, Bito H, Yamazaki Y, Ishikawa M, Tabuchi A. Involvement of SRF coactivator MKL2 in BDNF-mediated activation of the synaptic activity-responsive element in the Arc gene. J Neurochem 2018; 148:204-218. [PMID: 30244496 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.14596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2017] [Revised: 09/12/2018] [Accepted: 09/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The expression of immediate early genes (IEGs) is thought to be an essential molecular basis of neuronal plasticity for higher brain function. Many IEGs contain serum response element in their transcriptional regulatory regions and their expression is controlled by serum response factor (SRF). SRF is known to play a role in concert with transcriptional cofactors. However, little is known about how SRF cofactors regulate IEG expression during the process of neuronal plasticity. We hypothesized that one of the SRF-regulated neuronal IEGs, activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (Arc; also termed Arg3.1), is regulated by an SRF coactivator, megakaryoblastic leukemia (MKL). To test this hypothesis, we initially investigated which binding site of the transcription factor or SRF cofactor contributes to brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)-induced Arc gene transcription in cultured cortical neurons using transfection and reporter assays. We found that BDNF caused robust induction of Arc gene transcription through a cAMP response element, binding site of myocyte enhancer factor 2, and binding site of SRF in an Arc enhancer, the synaptic activity-responsive element (SARE). Regardless of the requirement for the SRF-binding site, the binding site of a ternary complex factor, another SRF cofactor, did not affect BDNF-mediated Arc gene transcription. In contrast, chromatin immunoprecipitation revealed occupation of MKL at the SARE. Furthermore, knockdown of MKL2, but not MKL1, significantly decreased BDNF-mediated activation of the SARE. Taken together, these findings suggest a novel mechanism by which MKL2 controls the Arc SARE in response to BDNF stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keietsu Kikuchi
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Daisuke Ihara
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Mamoru Fukuchi
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Hiroki Tanabe
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Yuta Ishibashi
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Junya Tsujii
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Masaaki Tsuda
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Marisa Kaneda
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Sakagami
- Department of Anatomy, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Okuno
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Haruhiko Bito
- Department of Neurochemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuya Yamazaki
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Mitsuru Ishikawa
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Akiko Tabuchi
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
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