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Cornelius J, Rottner K, Korte M, Michaelsen-Preusse K. Cortactin Contributes to Activity-Dependent Modulation of Spine Actin Dynamics and Spatial Memory Formation. Cells 2021; 10:cells10071835. [PMID: 34360003 PMCID: PMC8303107 DOI: 10.3390/cells10071835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Postsynaptic structures on excitatory neurons, dendritic spines, are actin-rich. It is well known that actin-binding proteins regulate actin dynamics and by this means orchestrate structural plasticity during the development of the brain, as well as synaptic plasticity mediating learning and memory processes. The actin-binding protein cortactin is localized to pre- and postsynaptic structures and translocates in a stimulus-dependent manner between spines and the dendritic compartment, thereby indicating a crucial role for synaptic plasticity and neuronal function. While it is known that cortactin directly binds F-actin, the Arp2/3 complex important for actin nucleation and branching as well as other factors involved in synaptic plasticity processes, its precise role in modulating actin remodeling in neurons needs to be deciphered. In this study, we characterized the general neuronal function of cortactin in knockout mice. Interestingly, we found that the loss of cortactin leads to deficits in hippocampus-dependent spatial memory formation. This impairment is correlated with a prominent dysregulation of functional and structural plasticity. Additional evidence shows impaired long-term potentiation in cortactin knockout mice together with a complete absence of structural spine plasticity. These phenotypes might at least in part be explained by alterations in the activity-dependent modulation of synaptic actin in cortactin-deficient neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Cornelius
- Division of Cellular Neurobiology, Zoological Institute, TU Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany; (J.C.); (M.K.)
| | - Klemens Rottner
- Research Group Molecular Cell Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany;
- Division of Molecular Cell Biology, Zoological Institute, TU Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Martin Korte
- Division of Cellular Neurobiology, Zoological Institute, TU Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany; (J.C.); (M.K.)
- Research Group Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Kristin Michaelsen-Preusse
- Division of Cellular Neurobiology, Zoological Institute, TU Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany; (J.C.); (M.K.)
- Correspondence:
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Uzair ID, Flamini MI, Sanchez AM. Rapid Estrogen and Progesterone Signaling to Dendritic Spine Formation via Cortactin/Wave1-Arp2/3 Complex. Neuroendocrinology 2020; 110:535-551. [PMID: 31509830 DOI: 10.1159/000503310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Synaptic plasticity is the neuronal capacity to modify the function and structure of dendritic spines (DS) in response to neuromodulators. Sex steroids, particularly 17β-estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4), are key regulators in the control of DS formation through multiprotein complexes including WAVE1 protein, and are thus fundamental for the development of learning and memory. OBJECTIVES The aim of this work was to evaluate the molecular switch Cdk5 kinase/protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) in the control of WAVE1 protein (phosphorylation/dephosphorylation) and the regulation of WAVE1 and cortactin to the Arp2/3 complex, in response to rapid treatments with E2 and P4 in cortical neuronal cells. RESULTS Rapid treatment with E2 and P4 modified neuronal morphology and significantly increased the number of DS. This effect was reduced by the use of a Cdk5 inhibitor (Roscovitine). In contrast, inhibition of PP2A with PP2A dominant negative construct significantly increased DS formation, evidencing the participation of kinase/phosphatase in the regulation of WAVE1 in DS formation induced by E2 and P4. Cortactin regulates DS formation via Src and PAK1 kinase induced by E2 and P4. Both cortactin and WAVE1 signal to Arp2/3 complex to synergistically promote actin nucleation. CONCLUSION These results suggest that E2 and P4 dynamically regulate neuron morphology through nongenomic signaling via cortactin/WAVE1-Arp2/3 complex. The control of these proteins is tightly orchestrated by phosphorylation, where kinases and phosphatases are essential for actin nucleation and, finally, DS formation. This work provides a deeper understanding of the biological actions of sex steroids in the regulation of DS turnover and neuronal plasticity processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivonne Denise Uzair
- Laboratory of Signal Transduction and Cell Movement, Institute of Medicine and Experimental Biology of Cuyo (IMBECU), National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Marina Ines Flamini
- Laboratory of Signal Transduction and Cell Movement, Institute of Medicine and Experimental Biology of Cuyo (IMBECU), National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Angel Matias Sanchez
- Laboratory of Signal Transduction and Cell Movement, Institute of Medicine and Experimental Biology of Cuyo (IMBECU), National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Mendoza, Argentina,
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Martin JA, Werner CT, Mitra S, Zhong P, Wang ZJ, Gobira PH, Stewart AF, Zhang J, Erias K, Siemian JN, Hagarty D, Mueller LE, Neve RL, Li JX, Chandra R, Dietz KC, Lobo MK, Gancarz AM, Yan Z, Dietz DM. A novel role for the actin-binding protein drebrin in regulating opiate addiction. Nat Commun 2019; 10:4140. [PMID: 31515501 PMCID: PMC6742638 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-12122-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Persistent transcriptional and morphological events in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and other brain reward regions contribute to the long-lasting behavioral adaptations that characterize drug addiction. Opiate exposure reduces the density of dendritic spines on medium spiny neurons of the NAc; however, the underlying transcriptional and cellular events mediating this remain unknown. We show that heroin self-administration negatively regulates the actin-binding protein drebrin in the NAc. Using virus-mediated gene transfer, we show that drebrin overexpression in the NAc is sufficient to decrease drug seeking and increase dendritic spine density, whereas drebrin knockdown potentiates these effects. We demonstrate that drebrin is transcriptionally repressed by the histone modifier HDAC2, which is relieved by pharmacological inhibition of histone deacetylases. Importantly, we demonstrate that heroin-induced adaptations occur only in the D1+ subset of medium spiny neurons. These findings establish an essential role for drebrin, and upstream transcriptional regulator HDAC2, in opiate-induced plasticity in the NAc. The underlying transcriptional and cellular events mediating the reduction of dendritic spines on medium spiny neurons of the nucleus accumbens (NAc) remains unknown. Here, authors demonstrate that heroin self-administration negatively regulates the actin-binding protein drebrin in the NAc, which is shown to be transcriptionally repressed by the histone modifier HDAC2, and that overexpression of drebrin is sufficient to decrease drug seeking and increase dendritic spine density
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer A Martin
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Program in Neuroscience, Research Institute on Addictions, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14214, USA
| | - Craig T Werner
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Program in Neuroscience, Research Institute on Addictions, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14214, USA
| | - Swarup Mitra
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Program in Neuroscience, Research Institute on Addictions, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14214, USA
| | - Ping Zhong
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14214, USA
| | - Zi-Jun Wang
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Program in Neuroscience, Research Institute on Addictions, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14214, USA
| | - Pedro H Gobira
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Program in Neuroscience, Research Institute on Addictions, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14214, USA.,Department of Physics and Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Andrew F Stewart
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Program in Neuroscience, Research Institute on Addictions, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14214, USA
| | - Jay Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Program in Neuroscience, Research Institute on Addictions, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14214, USA
| | - Kyra Erias
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Program in Neuroscience, Research Institute on Addictions, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14214, USA
| | - Justin N Siemian
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Program in Neuroscience, Research Institute on Addictions, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14214, USA
| | - Devin Hagarty
- Department of Psychology, California State University Bakersfield, Bakersfield, CA, 93311, USA
| | - Lauren E Mueller
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Program in Neuroscience, Research Institute on Addictions, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14214, USA
| | - Rachael L Neve
- Gene Delivery Technology Core, Massachusetts General Hospital, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Jun-Xu Li
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Program in Neuroscience, Research Institute on Addictions, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14214, USA
| | - Ramesh Chandra
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Karen C Dietz
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Program in Neuroscience, Research Institute on Addictions, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14214, USA
| | - Mary Kay Lobo
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Amy M Gancarz
- Department of Psychology, California State University Bakersfield, Bakersfield, CA, 93311, USA
| | - Zhen Yan
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14214, USA
| | - David M Dietz
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Program in Neuroscience, Research Institute on Addictions, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14214, USA. .,Department of Psychology, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14214, USA.
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Lima Caldeira G, Peça J, Carvalho AL. New insights on synaptic dysfunction in neuropsychiatric disorders. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2019; 57:62-70. [PMID: 30743178 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2019.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Revised: 01/05/2019] [Accepted: 01/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Growing evidence implicates synaptic proteins in the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), intellectual disability (ID) and schizophrenia. In fact, mutations in genes encoding synaptic proteins are enriched and overlap among different conditions highlighting the complex and pleiotropic nature of these disorders. In this review, we discuss recently described candidate genes that affect excitatory synapse function and result in changes in spine number and morphology. Spine pathology has been observed in several animal models of disease and in human brain post-mortem samples from ID, ASD, and schizophrenia patients. Recent data point to convergent mechanisms, such as dysregulation of the actin cytoskeleton and dysfunction of microglia synaptic remodeling, underlying dendritic spine dysgenesis. Interestingly, the reversion of important pathologic features, including spine abnormalities, has been observed in adult animal models of neuropsychiatric disorders, suggesting that therapies may not be restricted to a specific developmental window. Shedding light on the specific mechanisms impacted in neuropsychiatric disorders will undeniably contribute to the development of more directed and personalized therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gladys Lima Caldeira
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal; IIIUC-Interdisciplinary Research Institute, University of Coimbra, 3030-789 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - João Peça
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal; IIIUC-Interdisciplinary Research Institute, University of Coimbra, 3030-789 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ana Luísa Carvalho
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal; Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3004-517 Coimbra, Portugal.
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Bhambhvani HP, Mueller TM, Simmons MS, Meador-Woodruff JH. Actin polymerization is reduced in the anterior cingulate cortex of elderly patients with schizophrenia. Transl Psychiatry 2017; 7:1278. [PMID: 29225346 PMCID: PMC5802511 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-017-0045-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2017] [Revised: 09/13/2017] [Accepted: 09/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent reports suggest abnormalities in the regulation of actin cytoskeletal dynamics in schizophrenia, despite consistent evidence for normal actin expression. We hypothesized that this may be explained by changes in the polymerization state of actin, rather than in total actin expression. To test this, we prepared filamentous actin (F-actin, polymeric) and globular actin (G-actin, monomeric) fractions from postmortem anterior cingulate cortex from 16 patients with schizophrenia and 14 comparison subjects. Additionally, binding of fluorescently-labeled phalloidin, a selectively F-actin-binding peptide, was measured in unfractionated samples from the same subjects. Western blot analysis of fractions revealed decreased F-actin, increased G-actin, and decreased ratios of F-actin/total actin and F-actin/G-actin in schizophrenia. Decreased phalloidin binding to F-actin in parallel experiments in the same subjects independently supports these findings. These results suggest a novel aspect of schizophrenia pathophysiology and are consistent with previous evidence of reduced dendritic spine density and altered synaptic plasticity in schizophrenia, both of which have been linked to cytoskeletal abnormalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hriday P. Bhambhvani
- 0000000106344187grid.265892.2Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1719 6th Avenue South, CIRC 593A, Birmingham, AL 35294 USA
| | - Toni M. Mueller
- 0000000106344187grid.265892.2Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1719 6th Avenue South, CIRC 593A, Birmingham, AL 35294 USA
| | - Micah S. Simmons
- 0000000106344187grid.265892.2Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1719 6th Avenue South, CIRC 593A, Birmingham, AL 35294 USA
| | - James H. Meador-Woodruff
- 0000000106344187grid.265892.2Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1719 6th Avenue South, CIRC 593A, Birmingham, AL 35294 USA
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Cortactin Is a Regulator of Activity-Dependent Synaptic Plasticity Controlled by Wingless. J Neurosci 2017; 37:2203-2215. [PMID: 28123080 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1375-16.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2016] [Revised: 12/05/2016] [Accepted: 01/17/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Major signaling molecules initially characterized as key early developmental regulators are also essential for the plasticity of the nervous system. Previously, the Wingless (Wg)/Wnt pathway was shown to underlie the structural and electrophysiological changes during activity-dependent synaptic plasticity at the Drosophila neuromuscular junction. A challenge remains to understand how this signal mediates the cellular changes underlying this plasticity. Here, we focus on the actin regulator Cortactin, a major organizer of protrusion, membrane mobility, and invasiveness, and define its new role in synaptic plasticity. We show that Cortactin is present presynaptically and postsynaptically at the Drosophila NMJ and that it is a presynaptic regulator of rapid activity-dependent modifications in synaptic structure. Furthermore, animals lacking presynaptic Cortactin show a decrease in spontaneous release frequency, and presynaptic Cortactin is necessary for the rapid potentiation of spontaneous release frequency that takes place during activity-dependent plasticity. Most interestingly, Cortactin levels increase at stimulated synaptic terminals and this increase requires neuronal activity, de novo transcription and depends on Wg/Wnt expression. Because it is not simply the presence of Cortactin in the presynaptic terminal but its increase that is necessary for the full range of activity-dependent plasticity, we conclude that it probably plays a direct and important role in the regulation of this process.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In the nervous system, changes in activity that lead to modifications in synaptic structure and function are referred to as synaptic plasticity and are thought to be the basis of learning and memory. The secreted Wingless/Wnt molecule is a potent regulator of synaptic plasticity in both vertebrates and invertebrates. Understanding the molecular mechanisms that underlie these plastic changes is a major gap in our knowledge. Here, we identify a presynaptic effector molecule of the Wingless/Wnt signal, Cortactin. We show that this molecule is a potent regulator of modifications in synaptic structure and is necessary for the electrophysiological changes taking place during synaptic plasticity.
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