1
|
Gallo FT, Katche C, Morici JF, Medina JH, Weisstaub NV. Immediate Early Genes, Memory and Psychiatric Disorders: Focus on c-Fos, Egr1 and Arc. Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:79. [PMID: 29755331 PMCID: PMC5932360 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 214] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2017] [Accepted: 04/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Many psychiatric disorders, despite their specific characteristics, share deficits in the cognitive domain including executive functions, emotional control and memory. However, memory deficits have been in many cases undervalued compared with other characteristics. The expression of Immediate Early Genes (IEGs) such as, c-fos, Egr1 and arc are selectively and promptly upregulated in learning and memory among neuronal subpopulations in regions associated with these processes. Changes in expression in these genes have been observed in recognition, working and fear related memories across the brain. Despite the enormous amount of data supporting changes in their expression during learning and memory and the importance of those cognitive processes in psychiatric conditions, there are very few studies analyzing the direct implication of the IEGs in mental illnesses. In this review, we discuss the role of some of the most relevant IEGs in relation with memory processes affected in psychiatric conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francisco T Gallo
- Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica Bernardo Houssay, Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Cynthia Katche
- Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencias (IBCN) Dr. Eduardo de Robertis, Facultad de Medicina, CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Juan F Morici
- Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica Bernardo Houssay, Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Jorge H Medina
- Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencias (IBCN) Dr. Eduardo de Robertis, Facultad de Medicina, CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos (UBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Noelia V Weisstaub
- Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica Bernardo Houssay, Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Ugajin A, Kunieda T, Kubo T. Identification and characterization of an Egr ortholog as a neural immediate early gene in the European honeybee (Apis mellifera L.). FEBS Lett 2013; 587:3224-30. [PMID: 23994532 DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2013.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2013] [Revised: 08/19/2013] [Accepted: 08/19/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
To date, there are only few reports of immediate early genes (IEGs) available in insects. Aiming at identifying a conserved IEG in insects, we characterized an Egr homolog of the honeybee (AmEgr: Apis mellifera Egr). AmEgr was transiently induced in whole worker brains after seizure induction. In situ hybridization for AmEgr indicated that neural activity of a certain mushroom body (a higher brain center) neuron subtype, which is the same as that we previously identified using another non-coding IEG, termed kakusei, is more enhanced in forager brains. These findings suggest that Egr can be utilized as an IEG in insects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Atsushi Ugajin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Kasahara H, Takeuchi D, Takeda M, Hirabayashi T. Submodality-dependent spatial organization of neurons coding for visual long-term memory in macaque inferior temporal cortex. Brain Res 2011; 1423:30-40. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2011.08.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2011] [Revised: 07/30/2011] [Accepted: 08/18/2011] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
|
4
|
Rajan KE, Ganesh A, Dharaneedharan S, Radhakrishnan K. Spatial learning-induced egr-1 expression in telencephalon of gold fish Carassius auratus. FISH PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY 2011; 37:153-159. [PMID: 20714804 DOI: 10.1007/s10695-010-9425-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2010] [Accepted: 07/29/2010] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
The immediate-early gene (egr-1) expression was used to examine the neuron's response in telencephalon of goldfish during spatial learning in small space. Fishes were pre-exposed in the experimental apparatus and trained to pick food from the tray in a rectangular-shaped arena. The apparatus was divided into identical compartments comprising three gates to provide different spatial tasks. After the fish learned to pass through the gate one, two more gates were introduced one by one. Fish made more number of attempts and took longer time (P < 0.05) to pass through the first gate than the gate two or three. This active learning induces the expression of egr-1 in telencephalon as established by western blot analysis. Subsequently, the fish learn quickly to cross the similar type of second and third gate and make fewer errors with a corresponding decline in the level of egr-1 expression. As the fish learned to pass through all the three gates, third gate was replaced by modified gate three. Interestingly, the level of egr-1 expression increased again, when the fish exhibit a high exploratory behavior to cross the modified gate three. The present study shows that egr-1 expression is induced in the telencephalon of goldfish while intensively acquiring geometric spatial information to pass through the gates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- K Emmanuvel Rajan
- Department of Animal Science, School of Life Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, India.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Regulation and function of immediate-early genes in the brain: Beyond neuronal activity markers. Neurosci Res 2011; 69:175-86. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2010.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 164] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2010] [Revised: 12/03/2010] [Accepted: 12/07/2010] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
|
6
|
Abstract
Transcription is a molecular requisite for long-term synaptic plasticity and long-term memory formation. Thus, in the last several years, one main interest of molecular neuroscience has been the identification of families of transcription factors that are involved in both of these processes. Transcription is a highly regulated process that involves the combined interaction and function of chromatin and many other proteins, some of which are essential for the basal process of transcription, while others control the selective activation or repression of specific genes. These regulated interactions ultimately allow a sophisticated response to multiple environmental conditions, as well as control of spatial and temporal differences in gene expression. Evidence based on correlative changes in expression, genetic mutations, and targeted molecular inhibition of gene expression have shed light on the function of transcription in both synaptic plasticity and memory formation. This review provides a brief overview of experimental work showing that several families of transcription factors, including CREB, C/EBP, Egr, AP-1, and Rel, have essential functions in both processes. The results of this work suggest that patterns of transcription regulation represent the molecular signatures of long-term synaptic changes and memory formation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cristina M Alberini
- Department of Neuroscience, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Osada T, Adachi Y, Kimura HM, Miyashita Y. Towards understanding of the cortical network underlying associative memory. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2008; 363:2187-99. [PMID: 18339600 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2008.2271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Declarative knowledge and experiences are represented in the association cortex and are recalled by reactivation of the neural representation. Electrophysiological experiments have revealed that associations between semantically linked visual objects are formed in neural representations in the temporal and limbic cortices. Memory traces are created by the reorganization of neural circuits. These regions are reactivated during retrieval and contribute to the contents of a memory. Two different types of retrieval signals are suggested as follows: automatic and active. One flows backward from the medial temporal lobe during the automatic retrieval process, whereas the other is conveyed as a top-down signal from the prefrontal cortex to the temporal cortex during the active retrieval process. By sending the top-down signal, the prefrontal cortex manipulates and organizes to-be-remembered information, devises strategies for retrieval and monitors the outcome. To further understand the neural mechanism of memory, the following two complementary views are needed: how the multiple cortical areas in the brain-wide network interact to orchestrate cognitive functions and how the properties of single neurons and their synaptic connections with neighbouring neurons combine to form local circuits and to exhibit the function of each cortical area. We will discuss some new methodological innovations that tackle these challenges.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Takahiro Osada
- Department of Physiology, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
8
|
Poirier R, Cheval H, Mailhes C, Garel S, Charnay P, Davis S, Laroche S. Distinct functions of egr gene family members in cognitive processes. Front Neurosci 2008; 2:47-55. [PMID: 18982106 PMCID: PMC2570062 DOI: 10.3389/neuro.01.002.2008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2008] [Accepted: 05/12/2008] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The different gene members of the Egr family of transcriptional regulators have often been considered to have related functions in brain, based on their co-expression in many cell-types and structures, the relatively high homology of the translated proteins and their ability to bind to the same consensus DNA binding sequence. Recent research, however, suggest this might not be the case. In this review, we focus on the current understanding of the functional roles of the different Egr family members in learning and memory. We briefly outline evidence from mutant mice that Egr1 is required specifically for the consolidation of long-term memory, while Egr3 is primarily essential for short-term memory. We also review our own recent findings from newly generated forebrain-specific conditional Egr2 mutant mice, which revealed that Egr2, as opposed to Egr1 and Egr3, is dispensable for several forms of learning and memory and on the contrary can act as an inhibitory constraint for certain cognitive functions. The studies reviewed here highlight the fact that Egr family members may have different, and in certain circumstances antagonistic functions in the adult brain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roseline Poirier
- Univ. Paris Sud, Laboratoire de Neurobiologie de l'Apprentissage, de la Mémoire et de la Communication Orsay, France.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
9
|
Winters BD, Saksida LM, Bussey TJ. Object recognition memory: neurobiological mechanisms of encoding, consolidation and retrieval. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2008; 32:1055-70. [PMID: 18499253 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2008.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 411] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2007] [Revised: 04/04/2008] [Accepted: 04/16/2008] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Tests of object recognition memory, or the judgment of the prior occurrence of an object, have made substantial contributions to our understanding of the nature and neurobiological underpinnings of mammalian memory. Only in recent years, however, have researchers begun to elucidate the specific brain areas and neural processes involved in object recognition memory. The present review considers some of this recent research, with an emphasis on studies addressing the neural bases of perirhinal cortex-dependent object recognition memory processes. We first briefly discuss operational definitions of object recognition and the common behavioural tests used to measure it in non-human primates and rodents. We then consider research from the non-human primate and rat literature examining the anatomical basis of object recognition memory in the delayed nonmatching-to-sample (DNMS) and spontaneous object recognition (SOR) tasks, respectively. The results of these studies overwhelmingly favor the view that perirhinal cortex (PRh) is a critical region for object recognition memory. We then discuss the involvement of PRh in the different stages--encoding, consolidation, and retrieval--of object recognition memory. Specifically, recent work in rats has indicated that neural activity in PRh contributes to object memory encoding, consolidation, and retrieval processes. Finally, we consider the pharmacological, cellular, and molecular factors that might play a part in PRh-mediated object recognition memory. Recent studies in rodents have begun to indicate the remarkable complexity of the neural substrates underlying this seemingly simple aspect of declarative memory.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Boyer D Winters
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
2005 Award Winners: Distinguished Scientific Contributions. AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGIST 2005. [DOI: 10.1037/0003-066x.60.8.751a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
|
11
|
Knapska E, Kaczmarek L. A gene for neuronal plasticity in the mammalian brain: Zif268/Egr-1/NGFI-A/Krox-24/TIS8/ZENK? Prog Neurobiol 2005; 74:183-211. [PMID: 15556287 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2004.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 302] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2003] [Accepted: 05/26/2004] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Zif268 is a transcription regulatory protein, the product of an immediate early gene. Zif268 was originally described as inducible in cell cultures; however, it was later shown to be activated by a variety of stimuli, including ongoing synaptic activity in the adult brain. Recently, mice with experimentally mutated zif268 gene have been obtained and employed in neurobiological research. In this review we present a critical overview of Zif268 expression patterns in the naive brain and following neuronal stimulation as well as functional data with Zif268 mutants. In conclusion, we suggest that Zif268 expression and function should be considered in a context of neuronal activity that is tightly linked to neuronal plasticity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ewelina Knapska
- Department of Neurophysiology, Nencki Institute, Pasteura 3, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | | |
Collapse
|
12
|
Abstract
The study of the neural basis of face perception is a major research interest today. This review traces its roots in monkey neuropsychology and neurophysiology beginning with the Klüver-Bucy syndrome and its fractionation and then continuing with lesion and single neuron recording studies of inferior temporal cortex. The context and consequence of the discovery of inferior temporal neurons selective for faces is described and current lines of research on inferior temporal cortex and face processing in both monkeys and humans are outlined.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Charles G Gross
- Department of Psychology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Affiliation(s)
- Yasushi Miyashita
- Department of Physiology, The University of Tokyo School of Medicine, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Abstract
The macaque inferotemporal (IT) cortex, which serves as the storehouse of visual long-term memory, consists of two distinct but mutually interconnected areas: area TE (TE) and area 36 (A36). In the present study, we tested whether memory encoding is put forward at this stage, i.e., whether association between the representations of different but semantically linked objects proceeds forward from TE to A36. To address this question, we trained monkeys in a pair-association (PA) memory task, after which single-unit activities were recorded from TE and A36 during PA trials. Neurons in both areas showed stimulus-selective cue responses (347 in TE, 76 in A36; "cue-selective neurons") that provided, at the population level, mnemonic linkage between the paired associates. The percentage of neurons in which responses to the paired associates were significantly (p < 0.01) correlated at the single-neuron level ("pair-coding neuron") dramatically increased from TE (4.9% of the cue-selective neurons) to A36 (33%). The pair-coding neurons in A36 were further separable into Type1 (68%) and Type2 (32%) on the basis of their initial transient responses after cue stimulus presentation. Type1 neurons, but not Type2 neurons, began to encode association between paired stimuli as soon as they exhibited stimulus selectivity. Thus, the representation of long-term memory encoded by Type1 neurons in A36 is likely substantiated without feedback input from other higher centers. Therefore, we conclude that association between the representations of the paired associates proceeds forward at this critical step within IT cortex, suggesting selective convergence onto a single A36 neuron from two TE neurons that encode separate visual objects.
Collapse
|