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García-Yagüe ÁJ, Cuadrado A. Mechanisms of NURR1 Regulation: Consequences for Its Biological Activity and Involvement in Pathology. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12280. [PMID: 37569656 PMCID: PMC10419244 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241512280] [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: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
NURR1 (Nuclear receptor-related 1 protein or NR4A2) is a nuclear protein receptor transcription factor with an essential role in the development, regulation, and maintenance of dopaminergic neurons and mediates the response to stressful stimuli during the perinatal period in mammalian brain development. The dysregulation of NURR1 activity may play a role in various diseases, including the onset and progression of neurodegenerative diseases, and several other pathologies. NURR1 is regulated by multiple mechanisms, among which phosphorylation by kinases or SUMOylation are the best characterized. Both post-translational modifications can regulate the activity of NURR1, affecting its stability and transcriptional activity. Other non-post-translational regulatory mechanisms include changes in its subcellular distribution or interaction with other protein partners by heterodimerization, also affecting its transcription activity. Here, we summarize the currently known regulatory mechanisms of NURR1 and provide a brief overview of its participation in pathological alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ángel Juan García-Yagüe
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical College, Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM), 28029 Madrid, Spain;
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas “Alberto Sols” (CSIC-UAM), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Paz (IdiPaz), 28027 Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBER-CIBERNED), Av. Monforte de Lemos, 3-5. Pabellón 11, Planta, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio Cuadrado
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical College, Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM), 28029 Madrid, Spain;
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas “Alberto Sols” (CSIC-UAM), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Paz (IdiPaz), 28027 Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBER-CIBERNED), Av. Monforte de Lemos, 3-5. Pabellón 11, Planta, 28029 Madrid, Spain
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2
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Montarolo F, Martire S, Chiara F, Allegra S, De Francia S, Hoxha E, Tempia F, Capobianco MA, Bertolotto A. NURR1-deficient mice have age- and sex-specific behavioral phenotypes. J Neurosci Res 2022; 100:1747-1754. [PMID: 35593070 PMCID: PMC9539971 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.25067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The transcription factor NURR1 is essential to the generation and maintenance of midbrain dopaminergic (mDA) neurons and its deregulation is involved in the development of dopamine (DA)‐associated brain disorders, such as Parkinson's disease (PD). The old male NURR1 heterozygous knockout (NURR1‐KO) mouse has been proposed as a model of PD due to its altered motor performance that was, however, not confirmed in a subsequent study. Based on these controversial results, we explored the effects of the NURR1 deficiency on locomotor activity, motor coordination, brain and plasma DA levels, blood pressure and heart rate of old mice, also focusing on the potential effect of sex. As a probable consequence of the role of NURR1 in DA pathway, we observed that the old NURR1‐KO mouse is characterized by motor impairment, and increased brain DA level and heart rate, independently from sex. However, we also observed an alteration in spontaneous locomotor activity that only affects males. In conclusion, NURR1 deficiency triggers sex‐ and age‐specific alterations of behavioral responses, of DA levels and cardiovascular abnormalities. Further studies in simplified systems will be necessary to dissect the mechanism underlying these observations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Montarolo
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi (NICO), Orbassano, Italy.,Neurology Department and Regional Referring Center of Multiple Sclerosis (CReSM), University Hospital San Luigi Gonzaga, Orbassano, Italy.,Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Serena Martire
- Neurology Department and Regional Referring Center of Multiple Sclerosis (CReSM), University Hospital San Luigi Gonzaga, Orbassano, Italy
| | - Francesco Chiara
- Department of Biological and Clinical Sciences, University of Turin, AOU San Luigi Gonzaga, Orbassano, Italy
| | - Sarah Allegra
- Department of Biological and Clinical Sciences, University of Turin, AOU San Luigi Gonzaga, Orbassano, Italy
| | - Silvia De Francia
- Department of Biological and Clinical Sciences, University of Turin, AOU San Luigi Gonzaga, Orbassano, Italy
| | - Eriola Hoxha
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi (NICO), Orbassano, Italy.,Department of Neuroscience "Rita Levi Montalcini", University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Filippo Tempia
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi (NICO), Orbassano, Italy.,Department of Neuroscience "Rita Levi Montalcini", University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Marco Alfonso Capobianco
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi (NICO), Orbassano, Italy.,Neurology Department and Regional Referring Center of Multiple Sclerosis (CReSM), University Hospital San Luigi Gonzaga, Orbassano, Italy
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3
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Sahasrabuddhe V, Ghosh HS. Cx3Cr1-Cre induction leads to microglial activation and IFN-1 signaling caused by DNA damage in early postnatal brain. Cell Rep 2022; 38:110252. [PMID: 35045285 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.110252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2021] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Cx3cr1CreER-driven Cre recombinase (Cre) is a widely used genetic tool for enabling gene manipulation in microglia and macrophages. However, an in-depth analysis of the possible detrimental effects of Cre activity in microglia, surprisingly, remains missing. Here, we demonstrate an age-dependent sensitivity of microglia to Cx3cr1-Cre toxicity, wherein Cre induction, specifically in early postnatal microglia, is detrimental to microglial development, proliferation, and function. Tamoxifen (TAM)-induced Cre activity leads to microglial activation, type 1 interferon (IFN-1) signaling, and increased phagocytosis, causing aberrant synaptic pruning during the early postnatal period and anxious behavior at later age. The detrimental effects of Cre induction are caused by DNA-damage-induced toxicity in microglia and are limited to the early postnatal period, showing no detrimental effects in adult microglia. Thus, our study reveals an age-dependent vulnerability of microglia to Cre activity, thereby highlighting age dependency of Cre action, which could be especially applicable in the broader context of environment-responsive cell types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinaya Sahasrabuddhe
- National Center for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore 560065, India
| | - Hiyaa Singhee Ghosh
- National Center for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore 560065, India.
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4
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Català-Solsona J, Miñano-Molina AJ, Rodríguez-Álvarez J. Nr4a2 Transcription Factor in Hippocampal Synaptic Plasticity, Memory and Cognitive Dysfunction: A Perspective Review. Front Mol Neurosci 2021; 14:786226. [PMID: 34880728 PMCID: PMC8645690 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.786226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Long-lasting changes of synaptic efficacy are largely mediated by activity-induced gene transcription and are essential for neuronal plasticity and memory. In this scenario, transcription factors have emerged as pivotal players underlying synaptic plasticity and the modification of neural networks required for memory formation and consolidation. Hippocampal synaptic dysfunction is widely accepted to underlie the cognitive decline observed in some neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer’s disease. Therefore, understanding the molecular pathways regulating gene expression profiles may help to identify new synaptic therapeutic targets. The nuclear receptor 4A subfamily (Nr4a) of transcription factors has been involved in a variety of physiological processes within the hippocampus, ranging from inflammation to neuroprotection. Recent studies have also pointed out a role for the activity-dependent nuclear receptor subfamily 4, group A, member 2 (Nr4a2/Nurr1) in hippocampal synaptic plasticity and cognitive functions, although the underlying molecular mechanisms are still poorly understood. In this review, we highlight the specific effects of Nr4a2 in hippocampal synaptic plasticity and memory formation and we discuss whether the dysregulation of this transcription factor could contribute to hippocampal synaptic dysfunction, altogether suggesting the possibility that Nr4a2 may emerge as a novel synaptic therapeutic target in brain pathologies associated to cognitive dysfunctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judit Català-Solsona
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Alfredo J Miñano-Molina
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - José Rodríguez-Álvarez
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain.,Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
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Sarkar D, Shariq M, Dwivedi D, Krishnan N, Naumann R, Bhalla US, Ghosh HS. Adult brain neurons require continual expression of the schizophrenia-risk gene Tcf4 for structural and functional integrity. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:494. [PMID: 34564703 PMCID: PMC8464606 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01618-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The schizophrenia-risk gene Tcf4 has been widely studied in the context of brain development using mouse models of haploinsufficiency, in utero knockdown and embryonic deletion. However, Tcf4 continues to be abundantly expressed in adult brain neurons where its functions remain unknown. Given the importance of Tcf4 in psychiatric diseases, we investigated its role in adult neurons using cell-specific deletion and genetic tracing in adult animals. Acute loss of Tcf4 in adult excitatory neurons in vivo caused hyperexcitability and increased dendritic complexity of neurons, effects that were distinct from previously observed effects in embryonic-deficiency models. Interestingly, transcriptomic analysis of genetically traced adult-deleted FACS-sorted Tcf4-knockout neurons revealed that Tcf4 targets in adult neurons are distinct from those in the embryonic brain. Meta-analysis of the adult-deleted neuronal transcriptome from our study with the existing datasets of embryonic Tcf4 deficiencies revealed plasma membrane and ciliary genes to underlie Tcf4-mediated structure-function regulation specifically in adult neurons. The profound changes both in the structure and excitability of adult neurons upon acute loss of Tcf4 indicates that proactive regulation of membrane-related processes underlies the functional and structural integrity of adult neurons. These findings not only provide insights for the functional relevance of continual expression of a psychiatric disease-risk gene in the adult brain but also identify previously unappreciated gene networks underpinning mature neuronal regulation during the adult lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dipannita Sarkar
- grid.22401.350000 0004 0502 9283National Center for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore, 560065 India ,grid.502290.cThe University of Trans-Disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology, Bangalore, 560064 India
| | - Mohammad Shariq
- grid.22401.350000 0004 0502 9283National Center for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore, 560065 India ,grid.502290.cThe University of Trans-Disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology, Bangalore, 560064 India
| | - Deepanjali Dwivedi
- grid.22401.350000 0004 0502 9283National Center for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore, 560065 India
| | - Nirmal Krishnan
- grid.22401.350000 0004 0502 9283National Center for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore, 560065 India
| | - Ronald Naumann
- grid.419537.d0000 0001 2113 4567MPI of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, 01307 Germany
| | - Upinder Singh Bhalla
- grid.22401.350000 0004 0502 9283National Center for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore, 560065 India
| | - Hiyaa Singhee Ghosh
- National Center for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore, 560065, India.
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6
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Partington HS, Nutter JM, Eells JB. Nurr1 deficiency shortens free running period, enhances photoentrainment to phase advance, and disrupts circadian cycling of the dopamine neuron phenotype. Behav Brain Res 2021; 411:113347. [PMID: 33991560 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders, including addiction, schizophrenia, and Parkinson's disease (PD), involve dysfunction in midbrain dopamine (DA) neurotransmission with severity of disease symptoms and progression associated with disrupted circadian rhythms. The nuclear transcription factor Nurr1, essential for DA neuron (DAN) development, survival, and maintenance, is also known to interact with circadian rhythm regulating clock proteins. In the Nurr1-null heterozygous (+/-) mice, a Nurr1 deficient model which reproduces some of the alterations in DA function found in schizophrenia and PD, we measured, using wheel-running activity, the free running period (tau) and photoperiod entrainment. Because Nurr1 has a role in regulating the DA phenotype, we also measured the circadian fluctuations in the number of DANs using tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunofluorescence. In Nurr1 +/- mice, tau was significantly shorter and entrainment to a 6 h earlier shift in the dark cycle was accelerated. The Nurr1 wild-type (+/+) mice cycled DAN numbers across time, with a significantly greater number (∼2-fold increase) of DANs at zeitgeber time (ZT) 0 than ZT12. The +/- mice, however, did not cycle the DA phenotype, as no differences in DAN numbers were observed between ZT0 and ZT12. Additionally, the +/- mice had significantly fewer DANs at ZT0 but not at ZT12 as compared to +/+ mice. Based these data, circadian rhythms and fluctuations in the DA phenotype requires normal Nurr1 function. A better understanding is needed of the mechanisms regulating the DA phenotype and subsequent neurotransmission across the circadian cycle and how this is altered in circadian rhythm and DA neurotransmission-associated disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heath S Partington
- East Carolina University, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Brody School of Medicine, Greenville, NC, USA
| | - Jennifer Makenzie Nutter
- East Carolina University, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Brody School of Medicine, Greenville, NC, USA
| | - Jeffrey B Eells
- East Carolina University, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Brody School of Medicine, Greenville, NC, USA.
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7
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Ruiz-Sánchez E, Jiménez-Genchi J, Alcántara-Flores YM, Castañeda-González CJ, Aviña-Cervantes CL, Yescas P, del Socorro González-Valadez M, Martínez-Rodríguez N, Ríos-Ortiz A, González-González M, López-Navarro ME, Rojas P. Working memory deficits in schizophrenia are associated with the rs34884856 variant and expression levels of the NR4A2 gene in a sample Mexican population: a case control study. BMC Psychiatry 2021; 21:86. [PMID: 33563249 PMCID: PMC7871565 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-021-03081-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cognitive functions represent useful endophenotypes to identify the association between genetic variants and schizophrenia. In this sense, the NR4A2 gene has been implicated in schizophrenia and cognition in different animal models and clinical trials. We hypothesized that the NR4A2 gene is associated with working memory performance in schizophrenia. This study aimed to analyze two variants and the expression levels of the NR4A2 gene with susceptibility to schizophrenia, as well as to evaluate whether possession of NR4A2 variants influence the possible correlation between gene expression and working memory performance in schizophrenia. METHODS The current study included 187 schizophrenia patients and 227 controls genotyped for two of the most studied NR4A2 genetic variants in neurological and neuropsychiatric diseases. Genotyping was performed using High Resolution Melt and sequencing techniques. In addition, mRNA expression of NR4A2 was performed in peripheral mononuclear cells of 112 patients and 118 controls. A group of these participants, 54 patients and 87 controls, performed the working memory index of the WAIS III test. RESULTS Both genotypic frequencies of the two variants and expression levels of the NR4A2 gene showed no significant difference when in patients versus controls. However, patients homozygous for the rs34884856 promoter variant showed a positive correlation between expression levels and auditory working memory. CONCLUSIONS Our finding suggested that changes in expression levels of the NR4A2 gene could be associated with working memory in schizophrenia depending on patients' genotype in a sample from a Mexican population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Ruiz-Sánchez
- grid.419204.a0000 0000 8637 5954Laboratory of Neurotoxicology, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, “Manuel Velasco Suárez”, SS, Av. Insurgentes Sur No. 3877, Col. La Fama, C.P. 14269 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Janet Jiménez-Genchi
- Research Unit, Hospital Psiquiátrico Fray Bernardino Álvarez, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Yessica M. Alcántara-Flores
- grid.419204.a0000 0000 8637 5954Laboratory of Neurotoxicology, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, “Manuel Velasco Suárez”, SS, Av. Insurgentes Sur No. 3877, Col. La Fama, C.P. 14269 Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Carlos L. Aviña-Cervantes
- grid.419204.a0000 0000 8637 5954Department of Psychiatry, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, “Manuel Velasco Suárez”, SS, Av. Insurgentes Sur No. 3877, Col. La Fama, C.P. 14269 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Petra Yescas
- grid.419204.a0000 0000 8637 5954Department of Genetics, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, “Manuel Velasco Suárez”, SS, Av. Insurgentes Sur No. 3877, Col. La Fama, C.P. 14269 Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Nancy Martínez-Rodríguez
- grid.414757.40000 0004 0633 3412Epidemiology, Endocrinology & Nutrition Research Unit, Hospital Infantil de México “Federico Gómez”, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Antonio Ríos-Ortiz
- Research Unit, Hospital Psiquiátrico Fray Bernardino Álvarez, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Martha González-González
- grid.419204.a0000 0000 8637 5954Unit of Cognition and Behavior, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, “Manuel Velasco Suárez”, SS, Av. Insurgentes Sur No. 3877, Col. La Fama, C.P. 14269 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - María E. López-Navarro
- grid.419204.a0000 0000 8637 5954Laboratory of Neurotoxicology, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, “Manuel Velasco Suárez”, SS, Av. Insurgentes Sur No. 3877, Col. La Fama, C.P. 14269 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Patricia Rojas
- Laboratory of Neurotoxicology, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, "Manuel Velasco Suárez", SS, Av. Insurgentes Sur No. 3877, Col. La Fama, C.P. 14269, Mexico City, Mexico.
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8
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Lei G, Liu F, Liu P, Jiao T, Yang L, Chu Z, Deng LS, Li Y, Dang YH. Does genetic mouse model of constitutive Hint1 deficiency exhibit schizophrenia-like behaviors? Schizophr Res 2020; 222:304-318. [PMID: 32439293 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2020.05.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Revised: 05/03/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The histidine triad nucleotide binding protein 1 (HINT1) is closely related to many neuropsychiatric disorders. Clinical studies supported that mutations in the Hint1 gene correlated potentially with schizophrenia. In addition, Hint1 gene knockout (KO) mice exhibited hyperactivity induced by amphetamine and apomorphine. However, it is still unclear whether this animal model exhibits schizophrenia-like behaviors and, if so, their underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated. Thus, our study sought to evaluate schizophrenia-like behaviors in Hint1-KO mice, and explore the associated changes in neuronal structural plasticity and schizophrenia-related molecules. A series of behavioral tests were used to compare Hint1-KO and their wild-type (WT) littermates, alongside a number of morphological and molecular biological methods. Relative to WT mice, Hint1-KO mice exhibited reduced social interaction behaviors, aggressive behavior, sensorimotor gating deficits, apathetic and self-neglect behaviors, and increased MK-801-induced hyperactivity. Hint1-KO mice also showed partly increased dendritic complexity in the hippocampus (Hip) relative to WT mice. Total glutamate was decreased in the medial prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens (NAc), and Hip of KO mice. Expression of NR1, NR2A, and D4R was decreased whereas that of D1R was increased in the NAc of KO relative to WT mice. The expression level of NR2B was increased whereas that of D1R was decreased in the Hip of KO mice. Hint1-KO mice exhibited schizophrenia-like behaviors. Partly increased dendritic complexity and dysfunction in both the dopaminergic and glutamatergic systems may be involved in the abnormalities in Hint1-KO mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Lei
- College of Medicine & Forensics, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Fei Liu
- College of Medicine & Forensics, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China; Clinical Research Center of Shaanxi Province for Dental and Maxillofacial Diseases, College of Stomatology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Peng Liu
- College of Medicine & Forensics, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Tong Jiao
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Liu Yang
- College of Medicine & Forensics, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Zheng Chu
- College of Medicine & Forensics, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Li-Sha Deng
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Yan Li
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Yong-Hui Dang
- College of Medicine & Forensics, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China; Key Laboratory of the Health Ministry for Forensic Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China; Key Laboratory of Shaanxi Province for Forensic Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China; State Key Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems Engineering, School of Mechanical Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China.
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9
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Kim SM, Cho SY, Kim MW, Roh SR, Shin HS, Suh YH, Geum D, Lee MA. Genome-Wide Analysis Identifies NURR1-Controlled Network of New Synapse Formation and Cell Cycle Arrest in Human Neural Stem Cells. Mol Cells 2020; 43:551-571. [PMID: 32522891 PMCID: PMC7332357 DOI: 10.14348/molcells.2020.0071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2020] [Revised: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 05/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Nuclear receptor-related 1 (Nurr1) protein has been identified as an obligatory transcription factor in midbrain dopaminergic neurogenesis, but the global set of human NURR1 target genes remains unexplored. Here, we identified direct gene targets of NURR1 by analyzing genome-wide differential expression of NURR1 together with NURR1 consensus sites in three human neural stem cell (hNSC) lines. Microarray data were validated by quantitative PCR in hNSCs and mouse embryonic brains and through comparison to published human data, including genome-wide association study hits and the BioGPS gene expression atlas. Our analysis identified ~40 NURR1 direct target genes, many of them involved in essential protein modules such as synapse formation, neuronal cell migration during brain development, and cell cycle progression and DNA replication. Specifically, expression of genes related to synapse formation and neuronal cell migration correlated tightly with NURR1 expression, whereas cell cycle progression correlated negatively with it, precisely recapitulating midbrain dopaminergic development. Overall, this systematic examination of NURR1-controlled regulatory networks provides important insights into this protein's biological functions in dopamine-based neurogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soo Min Kim
- Department of Brain Science, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon 6499, Korea
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School of Ajou University, Suwon 16499, Korea
| | | | - Min Woong Kim
- Department of Brain Science, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon 6499, Korea
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School of Ajou University, Suwon 16499, Korea
| | - Seung Ryul Roh
- Department of Brain Science, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon 6499, Korea
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School of Ajou University, Suwon 16499, Korea
| | - Hee Sun Shin
- Department of Brain Science, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon 6499, Korea
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School of Ajou University, Suwon 16499, Korea
| | - Young Ho Suh
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea
| | - Dongho Geum
- Department of Medical Science, Korea University Medical School, Seoul 02841, Korea
| | - Myung Ae Lee
- Department of Brain Science, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon 6499, Korea
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School of Ajou University, Suwon 16499, Korea
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10
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Jeon SG, Yoo A, Chun DW, Hong SB, Chung H, Kim JI, Moon M. The Critical Role of Nurr1 as a Mediator and Therapeutic Target in Alzheimer's Disease-related Pathogenesis. Aging Dis 2020; 11:705-724. [PMID: 32489714 PMCID: PMC7220289 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2019.0718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2019] [Accepted: 07/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Several studies have revealed that the transcription factor nuclear receptor related 1 (Nurr1) plays several roles not only in the regulation of gene expression related to dopamine synthesis, but also in alternative splicing, and miRNA targeting. Moreover, it regulates cognitive functions and protects against inflammation-induced neuronal death. In particular, the role of Nurr1 in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD) has been well investigated; for example, it has been shown that it restores behavioral and histological impairments in PD models. Although many studies have evaluated the connection between Nurr1 and PD pathogenesis, the role of Nurr1 in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) remain to be studied. There have been several studies describing Nurr1 protein expression in the AD brain. However, only a few studies have examined the role of Nurr1 in the context of AD. Therefore, in this review, we highlight the overall effects of Nurr1 under the neuropathologic conditions related to AD. Furthermore, we suggest the possibility of using Nurr1 as a therapeutic target for AD or other neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seong Gak Jeon
- 1Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejeon, 35365, Republic of Korea
| | - Anji Yoo
- 1Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejeon, 35365, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong Wook Chun
- 1Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejeon, 35365, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Bum Hong
- 1Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejeon, 35365, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyunju Chung
- 2Department of Core Research Laboratory, Clinical Research Institute, Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, Seoul 05278, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin-Il Kim
- 3Department of Nursing, College of Nursing, Jeju National University, Jeju-si 63243, Republic of Korea
| | - Minho Moon
- 1Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejeon, 35365, Republic of Korea
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Torretta S, Rampino A, Basso M, Pergola G, Di Carlo P, Shin JH, Kleinman JE, Hyde TM, Weinberger DR, Masellis R, Blasi G, Pennuto M, Bertolino A. NURR1 and ERR1 Modulate the Expression of Genes of a DRD2 Coexpression Network Enriched for Schizophrenia Risk. J Neurosci 2020; 40:932-941. [PMID: 31811028 PMCID: PMC6975285 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0786-19.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2019] [Revised: 10/09/2019] [Accepted: 10/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple schizophrenia (SCZ) risk loci may be involved in gene co-regulation mechanisms, and analysis of coexpressed gene networks may help to clarify SCZ molecular basis. We have previously identified a dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) coexpression module enriched for SCZ risk genes and associated with cognitive and neuroimaging phenotypes of SCZ, as well as with response to treatment with antipsychotics. Here we aimed to identify regulatory factors modulating this coexpression module and their relevance to SCZ. We performed motif enrichment analysis to identify transcription factor (TF) binding sites in human promoters of genes coexpressed with DRD2. Then, we measured transcript levels of a group of these genes in primary mouse cortical neurons in basal conditions and upon overexpression and knockdown of predicted TFs. Finally, we analyzed expression levels of these TFs in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of SCZ patients. Our in silico analysis revealed enrichment for NURR1 and ERR1 binding sites. In neuronal cultures, the expression of genes either relevant to SCZ risk (Drd2, Gatad2a, Slc28a1, Cnr1) or indexing coexpression in our module (Btg4, Chit1, Osr1, Gpld1) was significantly modified by gain and loss of Nurr1 and Err1. Postmortem DLPFC expression data analysis showed decreased expression levels of NURR1 and ERR1 in patients with SCZ. For NURR1 such decreased expression is associated with treatment with antipsychotics. Our results show that NURR1 and ERR1 modulate the transcription of DRD2 coexpression partners and support the hypothesis that NURR1 is involved in the response to SCZ treatment.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In the present study, we provide in silico and experimental evidence for a role of the TFs NURR1 and ERR1 in modulating the expression pattern of genes coexpressed with DRD2 in human DLPFC. Notably, genetic variations in these genes is associated with SCZ risk and behavioral and neuroimaging phenotypes of the disease, as well as with response to treatment. Furthermore, this study presents novel findings on a possible interplay between D2 receptor-mediated dopamine signaling involved in treatment with antipsychotics and the transcriptional regulation mechanisms exerted by NURR1. Our results suggest that coexpression and co-regulation mechanisms may help to explain some of the complex biology of genetic associations with SCZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Torretta
- Group of Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari 70124, Italy
| | - Antonio Rampino
- Group of Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari 70124, Italy
- Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Consorziale Policlinico, Bari, 70124, Italy
| | - Manuela Basso
- Laboratory of Transcriptional Neurobiology, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, Trento 38123, Italy
| | - Giulio Pergola
- Group of Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari 70124, Italy
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Pasquale Di Carlo
- Group of Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari 70124, Italy
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Joo H Shin
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Joel E Kleinman
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287
| | - Thomas M Hyde
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287
- Departments of Neurology
| | - Daniel R Weinberger
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287
- Neuroscience
- McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, 21205
| | - Rita Masellis
- Group of Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari 70124, Italy
- Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Consorziale Policlinico, Bari, 70124, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Blasi
- Group of Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari 70124, Italy
- Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Consorziale Policlinico, Bari, 70124, Italy
| | - Maria Pennuto
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova 35131, Italy
- Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), Padova 35129, Italy
- Dulbecco Telethon Institute, CIBIO, University of Trento, 38123, Italy
- Padova Neuroscience Center, 35131 Padova, Italy, and
| | - Alessandro Bertolino
- Group of Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari 70124, Italy,
- Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Consorziale Policlinico, Bari, 70124, Italy
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12
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NURR1 deficiency is associated to ADHD-like phenotypes in mice. Transl Psychiatry 2019; 9:207. [PMID: 31455763 PMCID: PMC6712038 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-019-0544-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2019] [Revised: 06/09/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The transcription factor NURR1 regulates the dopamine (DA) signaling pathway and exerts a critical role in the development of midbrain dopaminergic neurons (mDA). NURR1 alterations have been linked to DA-associated brain disorders, such as Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia. However, the association between NURR1 defects and the attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a DA-associated brain disease characterized by hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention, has never been demonstrated. To date, a comprehensive murine model of ADHD truly reflecting the whole complex human psychiatric disorder still does not exist. NURR1-knockout (NURR1-KO) mice have been reported to exhibit increased spontaneous locomotor activity, but their complete characterization is still lacking. In the present study a wide-ranging test battery was used to perform a comprehensive analysis of the behavioral phenotype of the male NURR1-KO mice. As a result, their hyperactive phenotype was confirmed, while their impulsive behavior was reported for the first time. On the other hand, no anxiety and alterations in motor coordination, sociability and memory were observed. Also, the number of mDA expressing tyrosine hydroxylase, a rate-limiting enzyme of catecholamines biosynthesis, and DA level in brain were not impaired in NURR1-KO mice. Finally, hyperactivity has been shown to be recovered by treatment with methylphenidate, the first line psychostimulant drug used for ADHD. Overall, our study suggests that the NURR1 deficient male mouse may be a satisfactory model to study some ADHD behavioral phenotypes and to test the clinical efficacy of potential therapeutic agents.
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13
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Klarer M, Weber-Stadlbauer U, Arnold M, Langhans W, Meyer U. Abdominal vagal deafferentation alters affective behaviors in rats. J Affect Disord 2019; 252:404-412. [PMID: 31003109 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2019.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2018] [Revised: 02/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is growing evidence for a role of abnormal gut-brain signaling in disorders involving altered mood and affect, including depression. Studies using vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) suggest that the disruption of vagal afferent signaling may contribute to these abnormalities. To test this hypothesis, we used a rat model of subdiaphragmatic vagal deafferentation (SDA), the most complete and selective vagal deafferentation method existing to date, to study the consequences of complete disconnection of abdominal vagal afferents on affective behaviors. METHODS SDA- and Sham-operated male rats were subjected to several tests that are commonly used in preclinical rodent models to assess the presence of anhedonic behavior, namely the novel object-induced exploration test, the novelty-suppressed eating test, and the sucrose preference test. In addition, we compared SDA and Sham rats in a social interaction test and the forced swim test to assess sociability and behavioral despair, respectively. RESULTS Compared to Sham controls, SDA rats consistently displayed signs of anhedonic behavior in all test settings used. SDA rats also showed increased immobility and reduced swimming in the forced swim test, whereas they did not differ from Sham controls with regards to social approach behavior. LIMITATIONS This study was conducted in male rats only. Hence, possible sex-specific effects of SDA on affective behaviors remained unexamined. CONCLUSIONS Our findings demonstrate that hedonic behavior and behavioral despair are subject to visceral modulation through abdominal vagal afferents. These data are compatible with preclinical models and clinical trials showing beneficial effects of VNS on depression-like and affective behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Klarer
- Physiology and Behavior Laboratory, ETH Zurich, Schwerzenbach, Switzerland; Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Ulrike Weber-Stadlbauer
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Myrtha Arnold
- Physiology and Behavior Laboratory, ETH Zurich, Schwerzenbach, Switzerland
| | - Wolfgang Langhans
- Physiology and Behavior Laboratory, ETH Zurich, Schwerzenbach, Switzerland
| | - Urs Meyer
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Switzerland
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14
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Richetto J, Polesel M, Weber-Stadlbauer U. Effects of light and dark phase testing on the investigation of behavioural paradigms in mice: Relevance for behavioural neuroscience. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2018; 178:19-29. [PMID: 29782942 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2018.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2018] [Revised: 05/07/2018] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Different timing and light phases are critical factors in behavioural neuroscience, which can greatly affect the experimental outcomes of the performed tests. Despite the fact that time of testing is one of the most common factors that varies across behavioural laboratories, knowledge about the consequences of testing time on behavioural readouts is limited. Thus, in this study we systematically assessed the effect of this factor on the readout of a variety of elementary and recurrent behavioural paradigms in C57Bl/6 mice. Furthermore, we investigated potential neuronal correlates of this phenomenon by analysing how testing time influences the expression pattern of genes relevant for neuronal activation functions and the control of brain circadian rhythms. We show that animals tested in the light phase display reduced social approach behaviour and sensorimotor gating and increased locomotor activity, whereas anxiety-related behaviour and working memory are not affected. In addition, animals tested in the light phase also exhibit increased locomotor response to systemic amphetamine treatment, which is paralleled by alterations in the expression patterns of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and dopamine transporter (DAT) in the Nucleus Accumbens (NAc) and/or Midbrain (Mid). Lastly, we observed that neuronal activation, indexed by the gene expression levels of cFos, was increased in the NAc and Mid of animals tested during the light phase. Our data thus suggest that daily alterations in gene expression in mesolimbic brain structures might be involved in the different behavioural responses of mice tested in the light- versus the dark-phase. At the same time, our study adds further weight to the notion that the specific timing of testing can indeed strongly affect the readout of a given test. As comparison and reproducibility of findings is pivotal in science, experimental protocols should be clarified in detail to allow appropriate data comparison across different laboratories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliet Richetto
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | | | - Ulrike Weber-Stadlbauer
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, Zurich, Switzerland
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15
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Sukoff Rizzo SJ, Crawley JN. Behavioral Phenotyping Assays for Genetic Mouse Models of Neurodevelopmental, Neurodegenerative, and Psychiatric Disorders. Annu Rev Anim Biosci 2017; 5:371-389. [PMID: 28199172 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-animal-022516-022754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Animal models offer heuristic research tools to understand the causes of human diseases and to identify potential treatments. With rapidly evolving genetic engineering technologies, mutations identified in a human disorder can be generated in the mouse genome. Phenotypic outcomes of the mutation are then explicated to confirm hypotheses about causes and to discover effective therapeutics. Most neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative, and psychiatric disorders are diagnosed primarily by their prominent behavioral symptoms. Mouse behavioral assays analogous to the human symptoms have been developed to analyze the consequences of mutations and to evaluate proposed therapeutics preclinically. Here we describe the range of mouse behavioral tests available in the established behavioral neuroscience literature, along with examples of their translational applications. Concepts presented have been successfully used in other species, including flies, worms, fish, rats, pigs, and nonhuman primates. Identical strategies can be employed to test hypotheses about environmental causes and gene × environment interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jacqueline N Crawley
- MIND Institute, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California 95817;
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16
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Kummari E, Guo-Ross S, Eells JB. Region Specific Effects of Aging and the Nurr1-Null Heterozygous Genotype on Dopamine Neurotransmission. NEUROCHEMISTRY & NEUROPHARMACOLOGY : OPEN ACCESS 2017; 3:114. [PMID: 28989991 PMCID: PMC5630175 DOI: 10.4172/2469-9780.1000114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The transcription factor Nurr1 is essential for dopamine neuron differentiation and is important in maintaining dopamine synthesis and neurotransmission in the adult. Reduced Nurr1 function, due to the Nurr1-null heterozygous genotype (+/-), impacts dopamine neuron function in a region specific manner resulting in a decrease in dopamine synthesis in the dorsal and ventral striatum and a decrease in tissue dopamine levels in the ventral striatum. Additionally, maintenance of tissue dopamine levels in the dorsal striatum and survival of nigrostriatal dopamine neurons with aging (>15 months) or after various toxicant treatments are impaired. To further investigate the effects of aging and the Nurr1-null heterozygous genotype, we measured regional tissue dopamine levels, dopamine neuron numbers, body weight, open field activity and rota-rod performance in young (3-5 months) and aged (15-17 months) wild-type +/+ and +/- mice. Behavioral tests revealed no significant differences in rota-rod performance or basal open field activity as a result of aging or genotype. The +/- mice did show a significant increase in open field activity after 3 min of restraint stress. No differences in tissue dopamine levels were found in the dorsal striatum. However, there were significant reductions in tissue dopamine levels in the ventral striatum, which was separated into the nucleus accumbens core and shell, in the aged +/- mice. These data indicate that the mesoaccumbens system is more susceptible to the combination of aging and the +/- genotype than the nigrostriatal system. Additionally, the effects of aging and the +/- genotype may be dependent on genetic background or housing conditions. As Nurr1 mutations have been implicated in a number of diseases associated with dopamine neurotransmission, further data is needed to understand why and how Nurr1 can have differential functions across different dopamine neuron populations in aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evangel Kummari
- Department of Basic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA
| | - Shirley Guo-Ross
- Department of Basic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA
| | - Jeffrey B Eells
- Department of Basic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA
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17
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Sex differences in animal models of schizophrenia shed light on the underlying pathophysiology. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 67:41-56. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2015] [Revised: 09/28/2015] [Accepted: 10/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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18
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Rodríguez-Traver E, Solís O, Díaz-Guerra E, Ortiz Ó, Vergaño-Vera E, Méndez-Gómez HR, García-Sanz P, Moratalla R, Vicario-Abejón C. Role of Nurr1 in the Generation and Differentiation of Dopaminergic Neurons from Stem Cells. Neurotox Res 2015; 30:14-31. [PMID: 26678495 DOI: 10.1007/s12640-015-9586-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2015] [Revised: 11/27/2015] [Accepted: 12/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
NURR1 is an essential transcription factor for the differentiation, maturation, and maintenance of midbrain dopaminergic neurons (DA neurons) as it has been demonstrated using knock-out mice. DA neurons of the substantia nigra pars compacta degenerate in Parkinson's disease (PD) and mutations in the Nurr1 gene have been associated with this human disease. Thus, the study of NURR1 actions in vivo is fundamental to understand the mechanisms of neuron generation and degeneration in the dopaminergic system. Here, we present and discuss findings indicating that NURR1 is a valuable molecular tool for the in vitro generation of DA neurons which could be used for modeling and studying PD in cell culture and in transplantation approaches. Transduction of Nurr1 alone or in combination with other transcription factors such as Foxa2, Ngn2, Ascl1, and Pitx3, induces the generation of DA neurons, which upon transplantation have the capacity to survive and restore motor behavior in animal models of PD. We show that the survival of transplanted neurons is increased when the Nurr1-transduced olfactory bulb stem cells are treated with GDNF. The use of these and other factors with the induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-based technology or the direct reprogramming of astrocytes or fibroblasts into human DA neurons has produced encouraging results for the study of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration in PD and for the search of new treatments for this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Rodríguez-Traver
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Avenida Doctor Arce 37, 28002, Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Oscar Solís
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Avenida Doctor Arce 37, 28002, Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Eva Díaz-Guerra
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Avenida Doctor Arce 37, 28002, Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Óscar Ortiz
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Avenida Doctor Arce 37, 28002, Madrid, Spain
| | - Eva Vergaño-Vera
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Avenida Doctor Arce 37, 28002, Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Héctor R Méndez-Gómez
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Avenida Doctor Arce 37, 28002, Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Patricia García-Sanz
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Avenida Doctor Arce 37, 28002, Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Rosario Moratalla
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Avenida Doctor Arce 37, 28002, Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Carlos Vicario-Abejón
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Avenida Doctor Arce 37, 28002, Madrid, Spain. .,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain.
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Dines M, Lamprecht R. The Role of Ephs and Ephrins in Memory Formation. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2015; 19:pyv106. [PMID: 26371183 PMCID: PMC4851260 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyv106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2015] [Accepted: 09/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to efficiently store memories in the brain is a fundamental process and its impairment is associated with multiple human mental disorders. Evidence indicates that long-term memory formation involves alterations of synaptic efficacy produced by modifications in neural transmission and morphology. The Eph receptors and their cognate ephrin ligands have been shown to be involved in these key neuronal processes by regulating events such as presynaptic transmitter release, postsynaptic glutamate receptor conductance and trafficking, synaptic glutamate reuptake, and dendritic spine morphogenesis. Recent findings show that Ephs and ephrins are needed for memory formation in different organisms. These proteins participate in the formation of various types of memories that are subserved by different neurons and brain regions. Ephs and ephrins are involved in brain disorders and diseases with memory impairment symptoms, including Alzheimer's disease and anxiety. Drugs that agonize or antagonize Ephs/ephrins signaling have been developed and could serve as therapeutic agents to treat such diseases. Ephs and ephrins may therefore induce cellular alterations mandatory for memory formation and serve as a target for pharmacological intervention for treatment of memory-related brain diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Raphael Lamprecht
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Israel.
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20
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Abstract
The gastrointestinal hormone peptide tyrosine tyrosine 3-36 (PYY(3-36)) has attained broad recognition with respect to its involvement in energy homeostasis and the control of food intake. It is mainly secreted by distal intestinal enteroendocrine L-cells in response to eating and exerts neurally mediated, paracrine and endocrine effects on various target organs. In addition to its gastrointestinal effects, PYY(3-36) has long been known to inhibit food intake. Recent closer examination of the effects of PYY(3-36) revealed that this gut-derived peptide also influences a wide spectrum of behavioral and cognitive functions that are pivotal for basic processes of perception and judgment, including central information processing, salience learning, working memory, and behavioral responding to novelty. Here, we review the effects of PYY(3-36) that go beyond food intake and provide a conceptual framework suggesting that several apparently unrelated behavioral actions of PYY(3-36) may actually reflect different manifestations of modulating the central dopamine system.
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21
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Association between NR4A2 genetic variation and schizophrenia: A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis. Neurosci Lett 2015; 598:85-90. [PMID: 25982322 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2015.05.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2015] [Revised: 04/13/2015] [Accepted: 05/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The homo sapiens nuclear receptor subfamily 4, group A (NR4A2) genetic variation has been implicated as a risk factor for schizophrenia (SZ). Nevertheless, the results are inconclusive. We conducted a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis to quantify the impact of NR4A2 variation on the risk of SZ. All eligible case-control studies published up to September 2014 were identified by searching PubMed OVID, EBSCO, PsycINFO and ISI web of knowledge. Pooled odds ratio with 95% confidence interval were used to access the strength of association in fixed- or random-effects model. Seven studies that reported 17 variants with a total of 3027 participants were included. Of these variants, five ones (rs143618355, rs199674295, c.366-369 del TAC, c.-469delG and P4) were present only in cases, and three ones (rs35479735, rs3832066 and rs397706674) were available for meta-analysis. Overall, there was no significant association between the three variants and SZ risk under allele model, dominant model and recessive model. The results failed to reveal significant link between NR4A2 polymorphism and SZ risk. However, large-sized and well-designed studies are warranted to validate our findings.
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22
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Mabunga DFN, Gonzales ELT, Kim HJ, Choung SY. Treatment of GABA from Fermented Rice Germ Ameliorates Caffeine-Induced Sleep Disturbance in Mice. Biomol Ther (Seoul) 2015; 23:268-74. [PMID: 25995826 PMCID: PMC4428720 DOI: 10.4062/biomolther.2015.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2015] [Revised: 03/04/2015] [Accepted: 03/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA), a major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system, is involved in sleep physiology. Caffeine is widely used psychoactive substance known to induce wakefulness and insomnia to its consumers. This study was performed to examine whether GABA extracts from fermented rice germ ameliorates caffeine-induced sleep disturbance in mice, without affecting spontaneous locomotor activity and motor coordination. Indeed, caffeine (10 mg/kg, i.p.) delayed sleep onset and reduced sleep duration of mice. Conversely, rice germ ferment extracts-GABA treatment (10, 30, or 100 mg/kg, p.o.), especially at 100 mg/kg, normalized the sleep disturbance induced by caffeine. In locomotor tests, rice germ ferment extracts-GABA slightly but not significantly reduced the caffeine-induced increase in locomotor activity without affecting motor coordination. Additionally, rice germ ferment extracts-GABA per se did not affect the spontaneous locomotor activity and motor coordination of mice. In conclusion, rice germ ferment extracts-GABA supplementation can counter the sleep disturbance induced by caffeine, without affecting the general locomotor activities of mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darine Froy N Mabunga
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, and Neuroscience Research Center, SMART-IABS and KU Open Innovation Center, Konkuk University, Seoul 143-701
| | - Edson Luck T Gonzales
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, and Neuroscience Research Center, SMART-IABS and KU Open Innovation Center, Konkuk University, Seoul 143-701
| | - Hee Jin Kim
- Uimyung Research Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Pharmacy, Sahmyook University, Seoul 139-742
| | - Se Young Choung
- Department of Preventive Pharmacy and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea
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Eells JB, Varela-Stokes A, Guo-Ross SX, Kummari E, Smith HM, Cox AD, Lindsay DS. Chronic Toxoplasma gondii in Nurr1-null heterozygous mice exacerbates elevated open field activity. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0119280. [PMID: 25855987 PMCID: PMC4391871 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0119280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2014] [Accepted: 01/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Latent infection with Toxoplasma gondii is common in humans (approximately 30% of the global population) and is a significant risk factor for schizophrenia. Since prevalence of T. gondii infection is far greater than prevalence of schizophrenia (0.5-1%), genetic risk factors are likely also necessary to contribute to schizophrenia. To test this concept in an animal model, Nurr1-null heterozygous (+/-) mice and wild-type (+/+) mice were evaluate using an emergence test, activity in an open field and with a novel object, response to bobcat urine and prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle response (PPI) prior to and 6 weeks after infection with T. gondii. In the emergence test, T. gondii infection significantly decreased the amount of time spent in the cylinder. Toxoplasma gondii infection significantly elevated open field activity in both +/+ and +/- mice but this increase was significantly exacerbated in +/- mice. T. gondii infection reduced PPI in male +/- mice but this was not statistically significant. Aversion to bobcat urine was abolished by T. gondii infection in +/+ mice. In female +/- mice, aversion to bobcat urine remained after T. gondii infection while the male +/- mice showed no aversion to bobcat urine. Antibody titers of infected mice were a critical variable associated with changes in open field activity, such that an inverted U shaped relationship existed between antibody titers and the percent change in open field activity with a significant increase in activity at low and medium antibody titers but no effect at high antibody titers. These data demonstrate that the Nurr1 +/- genotype predisposes mice to T. gondii-induced alterations in behaviors that involve dopamine neurotransmission and are associated with symptoms of schizophrenia. We propose that these alterations in murine behavior were due to further exacerbation of the altered dopamine neurotransmission in Nurr1 +/- mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey B. Eells
- Department of Basic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Andrea Varela-Stokes
- Department of Basic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi, United States of America
| | - Shirley X. Guo-Ross
- Department of Basic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi, United States of America
| | - Evangel Kummari
- Department of Basic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi, United States of America
| | - Holly M. Smith
- Department of Basic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi, United States of America
| | - Arin D. Cox
- Department of Basic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi, United States of America
| | - David S. Lindsay
- Department of Biomedical Sciences & Pathobiology, Virginia–Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
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Parathyroid hormone activates the orphan nuclear receptor Nurr1 to induce FGF23 transcription. Kidney Int 2014; 86:1106-15. [DOI: 10.1038/ki.2014.215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2013] [Revised: 04/10/2014] [Accepted: 04/24/2014] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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25
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Lopez MF, Krastins B, Ning M. The role of apolipoprotein E in neurodegeneration and cardiovascular disease. Expert Rev Proteomics 2014; 11:371-81. [DOI: 10.1586/14789450.2014.901892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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The Y2 receptor agonist PYY(3-36) increases the behavioural response to novelty and acute dopaminergic drug challenge in mice. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2014; 17:407-19. [PMID: 24131590 DOI: 10.1017/s1461145713001223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The gastrointestinal hormone PYY(3-36) is a preferential Y2 neuropeptide Y (NPY) receptor agonist. Recent evidence indicates that PYY(3-36) acts on central dopaminergic pathways, but its influence on dopamine-dependent behaviours remains largely unknown. We therefore explored the effects of peripheral PYY(3-36) treatment on the behavioural responses to novelty and to dopamine-activating drugs in mice. In addition, we examined whether PYY(3-36) administration may activate distinct dopamine and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) cell populations in the mesoaccumbal and nigrostriatal pathways. We found that i.p. PYY(3-36) injection led to a dose-dependent increase in novel object exploration. The effective dose of PYY(3-36) (1 μg/100 g body weight) also potentiated the locomotor reaction to the indirect dopamine receptor agonist amphetamine and increased stereotyped climbing/leaning responses following administration of the direct dopamine receptor agonist apomorphine. PYY(3-36) administration did not affect activity of midbrain dopaminergic cells as evaluated by double immuno-enzyme staining of the neuronal early gene product c-Fos with tyrosine hydroxylase. PYY(3-36) did, however, lead to a marked increase in the number of cells co-expressing c-Fos with glutamic acid decarboxylase in the nucleus accumbens and caudate putamen, indicating activation of GABAergic cells in dorsal and ventral striatal areas. Our results support the hypothesis that acute administration of the preferential Y2 receptor agonist PYY(3-36) modulates dopamine-dependent behaviours. These effects do not seem to involve direct activation of midbrain dopamine cells but instead are associated with neuronal activation in the major input areas of the mesoaccumbal and nigrostriatal pathways.
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Adeosun SO, Hou X, Zheng B, Stockmeier C, Ou X, Paul I, Mosley T, Weisgraber K, Wang JM. Cognitive deficits and disruption of neurogenesis in a mouse model of apolipoprotein E4 domain interaction. J Biol Chem 2013; 289:2946-59. [PMID: 24324264 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m113.497909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Apolipoprotein E4 (apoE4) allele is the major genetic risk factor for sporadic Alzheimer disease (AD) due to the higher prevalence and earlier onset of AD in apoE4 carriers. Accumulating data suggest that the interaction between the N- and the C-terminal domains in the protein may be the main pathologic feature of apoE4. To test this hypothesis, we used Arg-61 mice, a model of apoE4 domain interaction, by introducing the domain interaction feature of human apoE4 into native mouse apoE. We carried out hippocampus-dependent learning and memory tests and related cellular and molecular assays on 12- and 3-month-old Arg-61 and age-matched background C57BL/6J mice. Learning and memory task performance were impaired in Arg-61 mice at both old and young ages compared with C57BL/6J mice. Surprisingly, young Arg-61 mice had more mitotic doublecortin-positive cells in the subgranular zone; mRNA levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and TrkB were also higher in 3-month-old Arg-61 hippocampus compared with C57BL/6J mice. These early-age neurotrophic and neurogenic (proliferative) effects in the Arg-61 mouse may be an inadequate compensatory but eventually detrimental attempt by the system to "repair" itself. This is supported by the higher cleaved caspase-3 levels in the young animals that not only persisted, but increased in old age, and the lower levels of doublecortin at old age in the hippocampus of Arg-61 mice. These results are consistent with human apoE4-dependent cognitive and neuro-pathologic changes, supporting the principal role of domain interaction in the pathologic effect of apoE4. Domain interaction is, therefore, a viable therapeutic/prophylactic target for cognitive impairment and AD in apoE4 subjects.
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28
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Campos-Melo D, Galleguillos D, Sánchez N, Gysling K, Andrés ME. Nur transcription factors in stress and addiction. Front Mol Neurosci 2013; 6:44. [PMID: 24348325 PMCID: PMC3844937 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2013.00044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2013] [Accepted: 11/09/2013] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The Nur transcription factors Nur77 (NGFI-B, NR4A1), Nurr1 (NR4A2), and Nor-1 (NR4A3) are a sub-family of orphan members of the nuclear receptor superfamily. These transcription factors are products of immediate early genes, whose expression is rapidly and transiently induced in the central nervous system by several types of stimuli. Nur factors are present throughout the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis where are prominently induced in response to stress. Drugs of abuse and stress also induce the expression of Nur factors in nuclei of the motivation/reward circuit of the brain, indicating their participation in the process of drug addiction and in non-hypothalamic responses to stress. Repeated use of addictive drugs and chronic stress induce long-lasting dysregulation of the brain motivation/reward circuit due to reprogramming of gene expression and enduring alterations in neuronal function. Here, we review the data supporting that Nur transcription factors are key players in the molecular basis of the dysregulation of neuronal circuits involved in chronic stress and addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danae Campos-Melo
- Nucleus Millennium in Stress and Addiction, Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago, Chile
| | - Danny Galleguillos
- Nucleus Millennium in Stress and Addiction, Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago, Chile
| | - Natalia Sánchez
- Nucleus Millennium in Stress and Addiction, Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago, Chile
| | - Katia Gysling
- Nucleus Millennium in Stress and Addiction, Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago, Chile
| | - María E Andrés
- Nucleus Millennium in Stress and Addiction, Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago, Chile
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29
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Tokuoka H, Hatanaka T, Metzger D, Ichinose H. Nurr1 expression is regulated by voltage-dependent calcium channels and calcineurin in cultured hippocampal neurons. Neurosci Lett 2013; 559:50-5. [PMID: 24291696 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2013.11.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2013] [Accepted: 11/19/2013] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Nurr1 is an orphan nuclear transcription factor expressed in the brain. While Nurr1 is assumed to be an immediate early gene, it is not fully understood how Nurr1 expression is regulated in an activity-dependent manner in the central nervous system. Here, we investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of Nurr1 expression in cultured hippocampal and cortical neurons. We found that upregulation of neural activity by high KCl and bicuculline enhances Nurr1 levels, while blockade of its activity by tetrodotoxin reduces Nurr1 levels. The induction of Nurr1 expression was mediated by voltage-dependent calcium channels (VDCCs), as shown by cadmium and VDCC-specific inhibitors. Furthermore, calcineurin, but not calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaMK) was critical for the induction. Thus, Nurr1 expression is regulated by VDCC and calcineurin in a cell-autonomous, neural activity-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirofumi Tokuoka
- Graduate School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Takayuki Hatanaka
- Graduate School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Daniel Metzger
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Illkirch F-67400, France; CNRS UMR7104, Illkirch, France; INSERM U964, Illkirch, France; Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Hiroshi Ichinose
- Graduate School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Japan.
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Administration of the Y2 receptor agonist PYY3-36 in mice induces multiple behavioral changes relevant to schizophrenia. Neuropsychopharmacology 2013; 38:2446-55. [PMID: 23748226 PMCID: PMC3799064 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2013.146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2013] [Revised: 05/24/2013] [Accepted: 06/05/2013] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Functional changes in neuropeptide Y (NPY) signaling at the Y2 receptor subtype have been widely implicated in stress-related neuropsychiatric illnesses such as depression and anxiety disorders. Altered Y2 receptor signaling may also play a role in the precipitation of behavioral and cognitive symptoms associated with schizophrenia. To seek preclinical evidence for this possibility, we explored the functional consequences of treatment with the selective Y2 receptor agonist PYY(3-36) using translational tests for the assessment of schizophrenia-relevant behavioral and cognitive deficits in mice. We found that acute systemic administration of PYY(3-36) at a low dose (1 μg/100 g body weight) or high dose (20 μg/100 g body weight) profoundly impaired social interaction without affecting innate anxiety. PYY(3-36) treatment at the high dose further led to a disruption of sensorimotor gating in the form of prepulse inhibition deficiency. This effect was fully antagonized by acute treatment with the preferential dopamine D2 receptor antagonist haloperidol, but not with clozapine. In addition, both doses of PYY(3-36) impaired selective associative learning in the latent inhibition paradigm and spatial working memory in a matching-to-position water maze test. The wide range of abnormalities induced by PYY(3-36) suggests that signaling at the Y2 subtype of NPY receptors is critical for a number of behavioral and cognitive functions, some of which are highly relevant to schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders. At least some of the behavioral deficits induced by augmentation of Y2 receptor signaling may involve increased dopaminergic activity.
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31
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Hida H, Mouri A, Noda Y. Behavioral phenotypes in schizophrenic animal models with multiple combinations of genetic and environmental factors. J Pharmacol Sci 2013; 121:185-91. [PMID: 23449491 DOI: 10.1254/jphs.12r15cp] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a multifactorial psychiatric disorder in which both genetic and environmental factors play a role. Genetic [e.g., Disrupted-in-schizophrenia 1 (DISC1), Neuregulin-1 (NRG1)] and environmental factors (e.g., maternal viral infection, obstetric complications, social stress) may act during the developmental period to increase the incidence of schizophrenia. In animal models, interactions between susceptibility genes and the environment can be controlled in ways not possible in humans; therefore, such models are useful for investigating interactions between or within factors in the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of schizophrenia. We provide an overview of schizophrenic animal models investigating interactions between or within factors. First, we reviewed gene-environment interaction animal models, in which schizophrenic candidate gene mutant mice were subjected to perinatal immune activation or adolescent stress. Next, environment-environment interaction animal models, in which mice were subjected to a combination of perinatal immune activation and adolescent administration of drugs, were described. These animal models showed interaction between or within factors; behavioral changes, which were obscured by each factor, were marked by interaction of factors and vice versa. Appropriate behavioral approaches with such models will be invaluable for translational research on novel compounds, and also for providing insight into the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirotake Hida
- Division of Clinical Sciences and Neuropsychopharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmacy, Meijo University, Nagoya, Japan
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32
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Lindgren HS, Dunnett SB. Cognitive dysfunction and depression in Parkinson's disease: what can be learned from rodent models? Eur J Neurosci 2012; 35:1894-907. [PMID: 22708601 DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2012.08162.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) has for decades been considered a pure motor disorder and its cardinal motor symptoms have been attributed to the loss of dopaminergic (DAergic) neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta and to nigral Lewy body pathology. However, there has more recently been a shift in the conceptualization of the disease, and its pathological features have now been recognized as involving several other areas of the brain and indeed even outside the central nervous system. There are a corresponding variety of intrinsic non-motor symptoms such as autonomic dysfunction, cognitive impairment, sleep disturbances and neuropsychiatric problems, which cannot be explained exclusively by nigral pathology. In this review, we will focus on cognitive impairment and affective symptoms in PD, and we will consider whether, and how, these deficits can best be modelled in rodent models of the disorder. As only a few of the non-motor symptoms respond to standard DA replacement therapies, the quest for a broader therapeutic approach remains a major research effort, and success in this area in particular will be strongly dependent on appropriate rodent models. In addition, better understanding of the different models, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of the available behavioural tasks, will result in better tools for evaluating new treatment strategies for PD patients suffering from these neuropsychological symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna S Lindgren
- Brain Repair Group, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Life Sciences Building, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, Wales, CF10 3AX, UK.
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33
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Willi R, Winter C, Wieske F, Kempf A, Yee BK, Schwab ME, Singer P. Loss of EphA4 impairs short-term spatial recognition memory performance and locomotor habituation. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2012; 11:1020-31. [PMID: 22938696 DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-183x.2012.00842.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2012] [Revised: 07/29/2012] [Accepted: 08/25/2012] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
EphA4 receptor (EphA4) tyrosine kinase is an important regulator of central nervous system development and synaptic plasticity in the mature brain, but its relevance to the control of normal behavior remains largely unexplored. This study is the first attempt to obtain a behavioral profile of constitutive homozygous and heterozygous EphA4 knockout mice. A deficit in locomotor habituation in the open field, impairment in spatial recognition in the Y-maze and reduced probability of spatial spontaneous alternation in the T-maze were identified in homozygous EphA4(-/-) mice, while heterozygo us EphA4(+/-) mice appeared normal on these tests in comparison with wild-type (WT) controls. The multiple phenotypes observed in EphA4(-/-) mice might stem from an underlying deficit in habituation learning, reflecting an elementary form of nonassociative learning that is in contrast to Pavlovian associative learning, which appeared unaffected by EphA4 disruption. A deficit in motor coordination on the accelerating rotarod was also demonstrated only in EphA4(-/-) mice--a finding in keeping with the presence of abnormal gait in EphA4(-/-) mice--although they were able to improve performance over training. There was no evidence for substantial changes in major neurochemical markers in various brain regions rich in EphA4 as shown by post-mortem analysis. This excludes the possibility of major neurochemical compensation in the brain of EphA4(-/-) mice. In summary, we have demonstrated for the first time the behavioral significance of EphA4 disruption, supporting further investigation of EphA4 as a possible target for behavioral interventions where habituation deficits are prominent.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Willi
- Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich.,Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Present address: CNS Discovery, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Switzerland
| | - C Winter
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus at the Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - F Wieske
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus at the Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - A Kempf
- Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich.,Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - B K Yee
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neurobiology, Department of Biology, ETH Zurich, Schwerzenbach, Switzerland.,Present address: Robert Stone Dow Neurobiology Laboratories, Legacy Research Institute, Portland, OR, USA
| | - M E Schwab
- Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich.,Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - P Singer
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neurobiology, Department of Biology, ETH Zurich, Schwerzenbach, Switzerland.,Present address: Robert Stone Dow Neurobiology Laboratories, Legacy Research Institute, Portland, OR, USA
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Prenatal immune activation interacts with genetic Nurr1 deficiency in the development of attentional impairments. J Neurosci 2012; 32:436-51. [PMID: 22238080 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.4831-11.2012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Prenatal exposure to infection has been linked to increased risk of neurodevelopmental brain disorders, and recent evidence implicates altered dopaminergic development in this association. However, since the relative risk size of prenatal infection appears relatively small with respect to long-term neuropsychiatric outcomes, it is likely that this prenatal insult interacts with other factors in shaping the risk of postnatal brain dysfunctions. In the present study, we show that the neuropathological consequences of prenatal viral-like immune activation are exacerbated in offspring with genetic predisposition to dopaminergic abnormalities induced by mutations in Nurr1, a transcription factor highly essential for normal dopaminergic development. We combined a mouse model of heterozygous genetic deletion of Nurr1 with a model of prenatal immune challenge by the viral mimetic poly(I:C) (polyriboinosinic polyribocytidilic acid). In our gene-environment interaction model, we demonstrate that the combination of the genetic and environmental factors not only exerts additive effects on locomotor hyperactivity and sensorimotor gating deficits, but further produces synergistic effects in the development of impaired attentional shifting and sustained attention. We further demonstrate that the combination of the two factors is necessary to trigger maldevelopment of prefrontal cortical and ventral striatal dopamine systems. Our findings provide evidence for specific gene-environment interactions in the emergence of enduring attentional impairments and neuronal abnormalities pertinent to dopamine-associated brain disorders such as schizophrenia and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and further emphasize a critical role of abnormal dopaminergic development in these etiopathological processes.
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35
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Luo Y. The function and mechanisms of Nurr1 action in midbrain dopaminergic neurons, from development and maintenance to survival. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2012; 102:1-22. [PMID: 22748824 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-386986-9.00001-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Abstract
Nurr1 is critical for the development and maintenance of midbrain dopaminergic (DA) neurons in mouse. Loss of Nurr1 function early during development in mice leads to the absence of midbrain DA neurons. Reduction of Nurr1 function in adulthood leads to a slowly progressive loss of striatal DA and markers for DAergic neurons, supporting its selective roles in the maintenance of DAergic neuronal survival and function. To understand the molecular mechanisms of Nurr1 action, our group has identified VIP as a potential target gene of Nurr1. Nurr1 regulates VIP mRNA and protein levels, and transactivates the VIP promoter through Nurr1-responsive cis elements. Nurr1 loss of function leads to the decrease of VIP mRNA level in developing midbrain, suggesting that Nurr1 is involved in the in vivo regulation of VIP expression in midbrain. Our group has also cloned a novel protein interactor for Nurr1. We identified a family of gene products that interact and regulate the activity of Nurr1 by screening yeast two-hybrid library and termed the longest splicing form, NuIP. In vivo NuIP protein is largely colocalized with Nurr1 in adult midbrain dopaminergic neurons. NuIP interacts and positively regulates the activity of Nurr1 protein and could also possibly mediate cross talk between Nurr1 and GTPase mediated signaling pathways. Other recently identified potential target genes and interacting proteins of Nurr1 are also summarized and discussed in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Luo
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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36
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Vuillermot S, Feldon J, Meyer U. Relationship between sensorimotor gating deficits and dopaminergic neuroanatomy in Nurr1-deficient mice. Exp Neurol 2011; 232:22-32. [PMID: 21820432 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2011.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2011] [Revised: 07/06/2011] [Accepted: 07/16/2011] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Nurr1 (NR4A2) is an orphan nuclear receptor highly essential for the development and maintenance of dopaminergic neurons. Reduced expression of Nurr1 has been linked to the etiopathogenesis of Parkinson's disease and other dopamine-related disorders such as schizophrenia. Recent experimental work in mice with a heterozygous constitutive deletion of Nurr1 has revealed that this genetic manipulation leads to the presence of sensorimotor gating dysfunctions in the form of reduced prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle reflex. However, the neuronal substances for this behavioral manifestation remain essentially unknown. Since converging evidence supports a key role of the central dopamine system in the regulation of prepulse inhibition, we hypothesized that the emergence of prepulse inhibition deficits in adult Nurr1-deficient mice may be linked to dopaminergic neuroanatomical changes. To test this hypothesis, we followed a within-subject approach in which sensorimotor gating performance was correlated with post-mortem expression of several dopaminergic markers in relevant striatal and midbrain regions. We found that prepulse inhibition deficits in Nurr1-deficient mice were paralleled by reduced numbers of substantia nigra dopamine cells expressing tyrosine hydroxylase, and by decreased tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine transporter immunoreactivity in ventral parts of the striatum. Most interestingly, we also revealed a striking negative correlation between prepulse inhibition levels and tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity in Nurr1-deficient mice in dorsal striatal regions (caudate putamen) and ventral striatal regions (nucleus accumbens core and shell). Our findings thus suggest that the emergence of prepulse inhibition deficits induced by heterozygous constitutive deletion of Nurr1 is, at least in part, related to alterations in presynaptic components of the striatal dopamine system. The constellation of neuroanatomical and behavioral alterations in Nurr1-deficient mice observed here confirms previous impressions that the consequences of Nurr1 down-regulation capture neuronal and behavioral pathologies relevant especially for (but not limited to) Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéphanie Vuillermot
- Laboratory of Behavioural Neurobiology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, Schorenstrasse 16, 8603 Schwerzenbach, Switzerland
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