1
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Jovasevic V, Wood EM, Cicvaric A, Zhang H, Petrovic Z, Carboncino A, Parker KK, Bassett TE, Moltesen M, Yamawaki N, Login H, Kalucka J, Sananbenesi F, Zhang X, Fischer A, Radulovic J. Formation of memory assemblies through the DNA-sensing TLR9 pathway. Nature 2024; 628:145-153. [PMID: 38538785 PMCID: PMC10990941 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07220-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
As hippocampal neurons respond to diverse types of information1, a subset assembles into microcircuits representing a memory2. Those neurons typically undergo energy-intensive molecular adaptations, occasionally resulting in transient DNA damage3-5. Here we found discrete clusters of excitatory hippocampal CA1 neurons with persistent double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) breaks, nuclear envelope ruptures and perinuclear release of histone and dsDNA fragments hours after learning. Following these early events, some neurons acquired an inflammatory phenotype involving activation of TLR9 signalling and accumulation of centrosomal DNA damage repair complexes6. Neuron-specific knockdown of Tlr9 impaired memory while blunting contextual fear conditioning-induced changes of gene expression in specific clusters of excitatory CA1 neurons. Notably, TLR9 had an essential role in centrosome function, including DNA damage repair, ciliogenesis and build-up of perineuronal nets. We demonstrate a novel cascade of learning-induced molecular events in discrete neuronal clusters undergoing dsDNA damage and TLR9-mediated repair, resulting in their recruitment to memory circuits. With compromised TLR9 function, this fundamental memory mechanism becomes a gateway to genomic instability and cognitive impairments implicated in accelerated senescence, psychiatric disorders and neurodegenerative disorders. Maintaining the integrity of TLR9 inflammatory signalling thus emerges as a promising preventive strategy for neurocognitive deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir Jovasevic
- Department of Pharmacology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Elizabeth M Wood
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Ana Cicvaric
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Hui Zhang
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Zorica Petrovic
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Anna Carboncino
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Kendra K Parker
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Thomas E Bassett
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Maria Moltesen
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- PROMEMO, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- DANDRITE, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Naoki Yamawaki
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- PROMEMO, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- DANDRITE, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Hande Login
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- PROMEMO, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- DANDRITE, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Joanna Kalucka
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- PROMEMO, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- DANDRITE, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Farahnaz Sananbenesi
- Department for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University Medical Center, Göttingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence MBExC, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Xusheng Zhang
- Computational Genomics Core, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Andre Fischer
- Department for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University Medical Center, Göttingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence MBExC, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jelena Radulovic
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
- PROMEMO, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
- DANDRITE, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Psychiatry Research Institute Montefiore Einstein (PRIME), Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
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2
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Kaurani L, Islam MR, Heilbronner U, Krüger DM, Zhou J, Methi A, Strauss J, Pradhan R, Schröder S, Burkhardt S, Schuetz AL, Pena T, Erlebach L, Bühler A, Budde M, Senner F, Kohshour MO, Schulte EC, Schmauß M, Reininghaus EZ, Juckel G, Kronenberg-Versteeg D, Delalle I, Odoardi F, Flügel A, Schulze TG, Falkai P, Sananbenesi F, Fischer A. Regulation of Zbp1 by miR-99b-5p in microglia controls the development of schizophrenia-like symptoms in mice. EMBO J 2024; 43:1420-1444. [PMID: 38528182 PMCID: PMC11021462 DOI: 10.1038/s44318-024-00067-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Current approaches to the treatment of schizophrenia have mainly focused on the protein-coding part of the genome; in this context, the roles of microRNAs have received less attention. In the present study, we analyze the microRNAome in the blood and postmortem brains of schizophrenia patients, showing that the expression of miR-99b-5p is downregulated in both the prefrontal cortex and blood of patients. Lowering the amount of miR-99b-5p in mice leads to both schizophrenia-like phenotypes and inflammatory processes that are linked to synaptic pruning in microglia. The microglial miR-99b-5p-supressed inflammatory response requires Z-DNA binding protein 1 (Zbp1), which we identify as a novel miR-99b-5p target. Antisense oligonucleotides against Zbp1 ameliorate the pathological effects of miR-99b-5p inhibition. Our findings indicate that a novel miR-99b-5p-Zbp1 pathway in microglia might contribute to the pathogenesis of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lalit Kaurani
- Department for Epigenetics and Systems Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Goettingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Md Rezaul Islam
- Department for Epigenetics and Systems Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Goettingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Urs Heilbronner
- Institute of Psychiatric Phenomics and Genomics (IPPG), University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Dennis M Krüger
- Department for Epigenetics and Systems Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Goettingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jiayin Zhou
- Department for Epigenetics and Systems Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Goettingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Aditi Methi
- Department for Epigenetics and Systems Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Goettingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Judith Strauss
- Institute for Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis Research, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ranjit Pradhan
- Department for Epigenetics and Systems Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Goettingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sophie Schröder
- Department for Epigenetics and Systems Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Goettingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Susanne Burkhardt
- Department for Epigenetics and Systems Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Goettingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Anna-Lena Schuetz
- Department for Epigenetics and Systems Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Goettingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Tonatiuh Pena
- Department for Epigenetics and Systems Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Goettingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Lena Erlebach
- Department of Cellular Neurology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Germany; Germany and German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tübingen, Germany
| | - Anika Bühler
- Department of Cellular Neurology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Germany; Germany and German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tübingen, Germany
| | - Monika Budde
- Institute of Psychiatric Phenomics and Genomics (IPPG), University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Fanny Senner
- Institute of Psychiatric Phenomics and Genomics (IPPG), University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Mojtaba Oraki Kohshour
- Institute of Psychiatric Phenomics and Genomics (IPPG), University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Eva C Schulte
- Institute of Psychiatric Phenomics and Genomics (IPPG), University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Bonn, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Bonn, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Max Schmauß
- Clinic for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Augsburg University, Medical Faculty, Bezirkskrankenhaus Augsburg, Augsburg, 86156, Germany
| | - Eva Z Reininghaus
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapeutic Medicine, Research Unit for Bipolar Affective Disorder, Medical University of Graz, Graz, 8036, Austria
| | - Georg Juckel
- Department of Psychiatry, Ruhr University Bochum, LWL University Hospital, Bochum, 44791, Germany
| | - Deborah Kronenberg-Versteeg
- Department of Cellular Neurology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Germany; Germany and German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tübingen, Germany
| | - Ivana Delalle
- Department of Pathology, Lifespan Academic Medical Center, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, 02903, USA
| | - Francesca Odoardi
- Institute for Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis Research, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Alexander Flügel
- Institute for Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis Research, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Thomas G Schulze
- Institute of Psychiatric Phenomics and Genomics (IPPG), University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
| | - Peter Falkai
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
| | - Farahnaz Sananbenesi
- Research Group for Genome Dynamics in Brain Diseases, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Andre Fischer
- Department for Epigenetics and Systems Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Goettingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Goettingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
- Cluster of Excellence "Multiscale Bioimaging: from Molecular Machines to Networks of Excitable Cells" (MBExC), University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
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3
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Islam MR, Kaurani L, Berulava T, Heilbronner U, Budde M, Centeno TP, Elerdashvili V, Zafieriou M, Benito E, Sertel SM, Goldberg M, Senner F, Kalman JL, Burkhardt S, Oepen AS, Sakib MS, Kerimoglu C, Wirths O, Bickeböller H, Bartels C, Brosseron F, Buerger K, Cosma N, Fliessbach K, Heneka MT, Janowitz D, Kilimann I, Kleinedam L, Laske C, Metzger CD, Munk MH, Perneczky R, Peters O, Priller J, Rauchmann BS, Roy N, Schneider A, Spottke A, Spruth EJ, Teipel S, Tscheuschler M, Wagner M, Wiltfang J, Düzel E, Jessen F, Rizzoli SO, Zimmermann W, Schulze TG, Falkai P, Sananbenesi F, Fischer A. A microRNA signature that correlates with cognition and is a target against cognitive decline. EMBO Mol Med 2021; 13:e13659. [PMID: 34633146 PMCID: PMC8573587 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.202013659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
While some individuals age without pathological memory impairments, others develop age-associated cognitive diseases. Since changes in cognitive function develop slowly over time in these patients, they are often diagnosed at an advanced stage of molecular pathology, a time point when causative treatments fail. Thus, there is great need for the identification of inexpensive and minimal invasive approaches that could be used for screening with the aim to identify individuals at risk for cognitive decline that can then undergo further diagnostics and eventually stratified therapies. In this study, we use an integrative approach combining the analysis of human data and mechanistic studies in model systems to identify a circulating 3-microRNA signature that reflects key processes linked to neural homeostasis and inform about cognitive status. We furthermore provide evidence that expression changes in this signature represent multiple mechanisms deregulated in the aging and diseased brain and are a suitable target for RNA therapeutics.
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4
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Goldberg M, Islam MR, Kerimoglu C, Lancelin C, Gisa V, Burkhardt S, Krüger DM, Marquardt T, Malchow B, Schmitt A, Falkai P, Sananbenesi F, Fischer A. Exercise as a model to identify microRNAs linked to human cognition: a role for microRNA-409 and microRNA-501. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:514. [PMID: 34625536 PMCID: PMC8501071 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01627-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs have been linked to synaptic plasticity and memory function and are emerging as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for cognitive diseases. Most of these data stem from the analysis of model systems or postmortem tissue from patients which mainly represents an advanced stage of pathology. Due to the in-accessibility of human brain tissue upon experimental manipulation, it is still challenging to identify microRNAs relevant to human cognition, which is however a key step for future translational studies. Here, we employ exercise as an experimental model for memory enhancement in healthy humans with the aim to identify microRNAs linked to memory function. By analyzing the circulating smallRNAome we find a cluster of 18 microRNAs that are highly correlated to cognition. MicroRNA-409-5p and microRNA-501-3p were the most significantly regulated candidates. Functional analysis revealed that the two microRNAs are important for neuronal integrity, synaptic plasticity, and morphology. In conclusion, we provide a novel approach to identify microRNAs linked to human memory function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Goldberg
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department for Epigenetics and Systems Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Von Siebold Str 3A, 37075, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Md Rezaul Islam
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department for Epigenetics and Systems Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Von Siebold Str 3A, 37075, Goettingen, Germany.
| | - Cemil Kerimoglu
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department for Epigenetics and Systems Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Von Siebold Str 3A, 37075, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Camille Lancelin
- Developmental Neurobiology Laboratory, European Neuroscience Institute, Grisebachstrasse 5, 37077, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Verena Gisa
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department for Epigenetics and Systems Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Von Siebold Str 3A, 37075, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Susanne Burkhardt
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department for Epigenetics and Systems Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Von Siebold Str 3A, 37075, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Dennis M Krüger
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department for Epigenetics and Systems Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Von Siebold Str 3A, 37075, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Till Marquardt
- Interfaculty Chair for Neurobiological Research, RWTH Aachen University: Medical Faculty, Clinic for Neurology & Faculty for Mathematics, Computer and Natural Sciences, Institute for Biology 2, Worringer Weg 3, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Berend Malchow
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Nußbaumstr. 7, 80336, München, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Von-Siebold-Str. 5, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Andrea Schmitt
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Nußbaumstr. 7, 80336, München, Germany
- Laboratory of Neuroscience (LIM27), Institute of Psychiatry, University of Sao Paulo, 05403-010, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Peter Falkai
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Nußbaumstr. 7, 80336, München, Germany
| | - Farahnaz Sananbenesi
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Research Group for Genome Dynamics in Brain Diseases, Von Siebold Str. 3A, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Andre Fischer
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department for Epigenetics and Systems Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Von Siebold Str 3A, 37075, Goettingen, Germany.
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Von-Siebold-Str. 5, 37075, Göttingen, Germany.
- Cluster of Excellence "Multiscale Bioimaging: from Molecular Machines to Networks of Excitable Cells" (MBExC), University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
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5
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Jovasevic V, Zhang H, Sananbenesi F, Guedea AL, Soman KV, Wiktorowicz JE, Fischer A, Radulovic J. Primary cilia are required for the persistence of memory and stabilization of perineuronal nets. iScience 2021; 24:102617. [PMID: 34142063 PMCID: PMC8185192 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Revised: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
It is well established that the formation of episodic memories requires multiple hippocampal mechanisms operating on different time scales. Early mechanisms of memory formation (synaptic consolidation) have been extensively characterized. However, delayed mechanisms, which maintain hippocampal activity as memories stabilize in cortical circuits, are not well understood. Here we demonstrate that contrary to the transient expression of early- and delayed-response genes, the expression of cytoskeleton- and extracellular matrix-associated genes remains dynamic even at remote time points. The most profound expression changes clustered around primary cilium-associated and collagen genes. These genes most likely contribute to memory by stabilizing perineuronal nets in the dorsohippocampal CA1 subfield, as revealed by targeted disruptions of the primary cilium or perineuronal nets. The findings show that nonsynaptic, primary cilium-mediated mechanisms are required for the persistence of context memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir Jovasevic
- Department of Pharmacology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Room 13-100, Montgomery Ward Memorial Building, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Hui Zhang
- Department of Neuroscience and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Rose F. Kennedy Center, 1410 Pelham Parkway South, Room 115, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | | | - Anita L. Guedea
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Kizhake V. Soman
- Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Internal Medicine, UTMB – Galveston, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | | | - Andre Fischer
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Göttingen 37075, Germany
| | - Jelena Radulovic
- Department of Pharmacology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Room 13-100, Montgomery Ward Memorial Building, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
- Department of Neuroscience and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Rose F. Kennedy Center, 1410 Pelham Parkway South, Room 115, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
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6
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Islam MR, Lbik D, Sakib MS, Maximilian Hofmann R, Berulava T, Jiménez Mausbach M, Cha J, Goldberg M, Vakhtang E, Schiffmann C, Zieseniss A, Katschinski DM, Sananbenesi F, Toischer K, Fischer A. Epigenetic gene expression links heart failure to memory impairment. EMBO Mol Med 2021; 13:e11900. [PMID: 33471428 PMCID: PMC7933944 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.201911900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In current clinical practice, care of diseased patients is often restricted to separated disciplines. However, such an organ-centered approach is not always suitable. For example, cognitive dysfunction is a severe burden in heart failure patients. Moreover, these patients have an increased risk for age-associated dementias. The underlying molecular mechanisms are presently unknown, and thus, corresponding therapeutic strategies to improve cognition in heart failure patients are missing. Using mice as model organisms, we show that heart failure leads to specific changes in hippocampal gene expression, a brain region intimately linked to cognition. These changes reflect increased cellular stress pathways which eventually lead to loss of neuronal euchromatin and reduced expression of a hippocampal gene cluster essential for cognition. Consequently, mice suffering from heart failure exhibit impaired memory function. These pathological changes are ameliorated via the administration of a drug that promotes neuronal euchromatin formation. Our study provides first insight to the molecular processes by which heart failure contributes to neuronal dysfunction and point to novel therapeutic avenues to treat cognitive defects in heart failure patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Rezaul Islam
- Department for Systems Medicine and Epigenetics, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Dawid Lbik
- Clinic of Cardiology and Pneumology, Georg-August-University, Göttingen, Germany
| | - M Sadman Sakib
- Department for Systems Medicine and Epigenetics, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Tea Berulava
- Department for Systems Medicine and Epigenetics, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Martí Jiménez Mausbach
- Department for Systems Medicine and Epigenetics, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Julia Cha
- Department for Systems Medicine and Epigenetics, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Maria Goldberg
- Department for Systems Medicine and Epigenetics, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Elerdashvili Vakhtang
- Department for Systems Medicine and Epigenetics, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Christian Schiffmann
- Department for Systems Medicine and Epigenetics, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Anke Zieseniss
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Göttingen, Germany.,Institute for Cardiovascular Physiology, University Medical Center, Georg-August University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Dörthe Magdalena Katschinski
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Göttingen, Germany.,Institute for Cardiovascular Physiology, University Medical Center, Georg-August University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Farahnaz Sananbenesi
- Genome Dynamics, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Karl Toischer
- Clinic of Cardiology and Pneumology, Georg-August-University, Göttingen, Germany.,German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Andre Fischer
- Department for Systems Medicine and Epigenetics, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence "Multiscale Bioimaging: from Molecular Machines to Networks of Excitable Cells" (MBExC), University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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7
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Agís-Balboa RC, Pinheiro PS, Rebola N, Kerimoglu C, Benito E, Gertig M, Bahari-Javan S, Jain G, Burkhardt S, Delalle I, Jatzko A, Dettenhofer M, Zunszain PA, Schmitt A, Falkai P, Pape JC, Binder EB, Mulle C, Fischer A, Sananbenesi F. Formin 2 links neuropsychiatric phenotypes at young age to an increased risk for dementia. EMBO J 2017; 36:2815-2828. [PMID: 28768717 PMCID: PMC5623844 DOI: 10.15252/embj.201796821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2017] [Revised: 06/23/2017] [Accepted: 06/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Age-associated memory decline is due to variable combinations of genetic and environmental risk factors. How these risk factors interact to drive disease onset is currently unknown. Here we begin to elucidate the mechanisms by which post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at a young age contributes to an increased risk to develop dementia at old age. We show that the actin nucleator Formin 2 (Fmn2) is deregulated in PTSD and in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. Young mice lacking the Fmn2 gene exhibit PTSD-like phenotypes and corresponding impairments of synaptic plasticity, while the consolidation of new memories is unaffected. However, Fmn2 mutant mice develop accelerated age-associated memory decline that is further increased in the presence of additional risk factors and is mechanistically linked to a loss of transcriptional homeostasis. In conclusion, our data present a new approach to explore the connection between AD risk factors across life span and provide mechanistic insight to the processes by which neuropsychiatric diseases at a young age affect the risk for developing dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Carlos Agís-Balboa
- Department for Epigenetics and Systems Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Paulo S Pinheiro
- Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
- CNRS UMR 5297, Bordeaux, France
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nelson Rebola
- Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
- CNRS UMR 5297, Bordeaux, France
| | - Cemil Kerimoglu
- Department for Epigenetics and Systems Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Eva Benito
- Department for Epigenetics and Systems Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Michael Gertig
- Department for Epigenetics and Systems Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sanaz Bahari-Javan
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Gaurav Jain
- Department for Epigenetics and Systems Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Susanne Burkhardt
- Department for Epigenetics and Systems Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ivana Delalle
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alexander Jatzko
- Department of Psychosomatics, Westpfalzklinikum-Kaiserslautern, Teaching Hospital, University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Markus Dettenhofer
- CEITEC - Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Patricia A Zunszain
- Stress, Psychiatry and Immunology Laboratory, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Andrea Schmitt
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Laboratory of Neuroscience (LIM27), Institute of Psychiatry, University of Sao Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Peter Falkai
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Julius C Pape
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Elisabeth B Binder
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Christophe Mulle
- Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
- CNRS UMR 5297, Bordeaux, France
| | - Andre Fischer
- Department for Epigenetics and Systems Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Farahnaz Sananbenesi
- Department for Epigenetics and Systems Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Research Group for Genome Dynamics in Brain Diseases, Göttingen, Germany
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8
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Jaitner C, Reddy C, Abentung A, Whittle N, Rieder D, Delekate A, Korte M, Jain G, Fischer A, Sananbenesi F, Cera I, Singewald N, Dechant G, Apostolova G. Satb2 determines miRNA expression and long-term memory in the adult central nervous system. eLife 2016; 5. [PMID: 27897969 PMCID: PMC5207769 DOI: 10.7554/elife.17361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2016] [Accepted: 11/28/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
SATB2 is a risk locus for schizophrenia and encodes a DNA-binding protein that regulates higher-order chromatin configuration. In the adult brain Satb2 is almost exclusively expressed in pyramidal neurons of two brain regions important for memory formation, the cerebral cortex and the CA1-hippocampal field. Here we show that Satb2 is required for key hippocampal functions since deletion of Satb2 from the adult mouse forebrain prevents the stabilization of synaptic long-term potentiation and markedly impairs long-term fear and object discrimination memory. At the molecular level, we find that synaptic activity and BDNF up-regulate Satb2, which itself binds to the promoters of coding and non-coding genes. Satb2 controls the hippocampal levels of a large cohort of miRNAs, many of which are implicated in synaptic plasticity and memory formation. Together, our findings demonstrate that Satb2 is critically involved in long-term plasticity processes in the adult forebrain that underlie the consolidation and stabilization of context-linked memory. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.17361.001
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Affiliation(s)
- Clemens Jaitner
- Institute for Neuroscience, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Chethan Reddy
- Institute for Neuroscience, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Andreas Abentung
- Institute for Neuroscience, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Nigel Whittle
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Dietmar Rieder
- Division of Bioinformatics, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Andrea Delekate
- Zoological Institute, Technical University Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Martin Korte
- Zoological Institute, Technical University Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany.,AG Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration (NIND), Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Gaurav Jain
- Research Group for Epigenetics in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Göttingen, Germany.,Research Group for Complex Neurodegenerative Disorders, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Andre Fischer
- Research Group for Epigenetics in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Göttingen, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Farahnaz Sananbenesi
- Research Group for Complex Neurodegenerative Disorders, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Isabella Cera
- Institute for Neuroscience, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Nicolas Singewald
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Georg Dechant
- Institute for Neuroscience, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Galina Apostolova
- Institute for Neuroscience, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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9
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Stepniak B, Kästner A, Poggi G, Mitjans M, Begemann M, Hartmann A, Van der Auwera S, Sananbenesi F, Krueger-Burg D, Matuszko G, Brosi C, Homuth G, Völzke H, Benseler F, Bagni C, Fischer U, Dityatev A, Grabe HJ, Rujescu D, Fischer A, Ehrenreich H. Accumulated common variants in the broader fragile X gene family modulate autistic phenotypes. EMBO Mol Med 2016; 7:1565-79. [PMID: 26612855 PMCID: PMC4693501 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.201505696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is mostly caused by a CGG triplet expansion in the fragile X mental retardation 1 gene (FMR1). Up to 60% of affected males fulfill criteria for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), making FXS the most frequent monogenetic cause of syndromic ASD. It is unknown, however, whether normal variants (independent of mutations) in the fragile X gene family (FMR1, FXR1, FXR2) and in FMR2 modulate autistic features. Here, we report an accumulation model of 8 SNPs in these genes, associated with autistic traits in a discovery sample of male patients with schizophrenia (N = 692) and three independent replicate samples: patients with schizophrenia (N = 626), patients with other psychiatric diagnoses (N = 111) and a general population sample (N = 2005). For first mechanistic insight, we contrasted microRNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of selected extreme group subjects with high‐ versus low‐risk constellation regarding the accumulation model. Thereby, the brain‐expressed miR‐181 species emerged as potential “umbrella regulator”, with several seed matches across the fragile X gene family and FMR2. To conclude, normal variation in these genes contributes to the continuum of autistic phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beata Stepniak
- Clinical Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Anne Kästner
- Clinical Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany DFG Research Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain (CNMPB), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Giulia Poggi
- Clinical Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Marina Mitjans
- Clinical Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Martin Begemann
- Clinical Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Annette Hartmann
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Halle, Halle, Germany
| | - Sandra Van der Auwera
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Farahnaz Sananbenesi
- Epigenetics in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Dilja Krueger-Burg
- Molecular Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Gabriela Matuszko
- Molecular Neuroplasticity, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Cornelia Brosi
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Georg Homuth
- Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Henry Völzke
- Institute for Community Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Fritz Benseler
- Molecular Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Claudia Bagni
- KU Leuven, Center for Human Genetics and Leuven Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Leuven, Belgium Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy
| | - Utz Fischer
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Alexander Dityatev
- Molecular Neuroplasticity, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Hans-Jörgen Grabe
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Dan Rujescu
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Halle, Halle, Germany
| | - Andre Fischer
- Epigenetics in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany Department of Psychiatry & Psychotherapy, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Hannelore Ehrenreich
- Clinical Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany DFG Research Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain (CNMPB), Göttingen, Germany
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10
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Affiliation(s)
- Farahnaz Sananbenesi
- Research Group for Epigenetics in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany DZNE RNAome Biology, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Andre Fischer
- Research Group for Epigenetics in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Göttingen, Germany
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11
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Stilling RM, Rönicke R, Benito E, Urbanke H, Capece V, Burkhardt S, Bahari-Javan S, Barth J, Sananbenesi F, Schütz AL, Dyczkowski J, Martinez-Hernandez A, Kerimoglu C, Dent SYR, Bonn S, Reymann KG, Fischer A. K-Lysine acetyltransferase 2a regulates a hippocampal gene expression network linked to memory formation. EMBO J 2014; 33:1912-27. [PMID: 25024434 DOI: 10.15252/embj.201487870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuronal histone acetylation has been linked to memory consolidation, and targeting histone acetylation has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy for neuropsychiatric diseases. However, the role of histone-modifying enzymes in the adult brain is still far from being understood. Here we use RNA sequencing to screen the levels of all known histone acetyltransferases (HATs) in the hippocampal CA1 region and find that K-acetyltransferase 2a (Kat2a)--a HAT that has not been studied for its role in memory function so far--shows highest expression. Mice that lack Kat2a show impaired hippocampal synaptic plasticity and long-term memory consolidation. We furthermore show that Kat2a regulates a highly interconnected hippocampal gene expression network linked to neuroactive receptor signaling via a mechanism that involves nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB). In conclusion, our data establish Kat2a as a novel and essential regulator of hippocampal memory consolidation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roman M Stilling
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Raik Rönicke
- Research group for Pathophysiology in Dementia, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Eva Benito
- Research group for Epigenetics in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Hendrik Urbanke
- Research group for Epigenetics in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Vincenzo Capece
- Research group for Computational Analysis of Biological Networks, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Susanne Burkhardt
- Research group for Epigenetics in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sanaz Bahari-Javan
- Research group for Epigenetics in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jonas Barth
- Research group for Epigenetics in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Farahnaz Sananbenesi
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Anna L Schütz
- Research group for Computational Analysis of Biological Networks, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jerzy Dyczkowski
- Research group for Computational Analysis of Biological Networks, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ana Martinez-Hernandez
- Research group for Epigenetics in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Cemil Kerimoglu
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sharon Y R Dent
- MD Anderson Cancer Center, University of Texas, Smithville, TX, USA
| | - Stefan Bonn
- Research group for Computational Analysis of Biological Networks, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Klaus G Reymann
- Research group for Pathophysiology in Dementia, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Andre Fischer
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Göttingen, Germany Research group for Epigenetics in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany
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12
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Bahari-Javan S, Sananbenesi F, Fischer A. Histone-acetylation: a link between Alzheimer's disease and post-traumatic stress disorder? Front Neurosci 2014; 8:160. [PMID: 25009454 PMCID: PMC4067694 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2014.00160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2014] [Accepted: 05/26/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The orchestration of gene-expression programs is essential for cellular homeostasis. Epigenetic processes provide to the cell a key mechanism that allows the regulation of gene-expression networks in response to environmental stimuli. Recently epigenetic mechanisms such as histone-modifications have been implicated with cognitive function and altered epigenome plasticity has been linked to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases. Thus, key regulators of epigenetic gene-expression have emerged as novel drug targets for brain diseases. Numerous recent review articles discuss in detail the current findings of epigenetic processes in brain diseases. The aim of this article is not to give yet another comprehensive overview of the field but to specifically address the question why the same epigenetic therapies that target histone-acetylation may be suitable to treat seemingly different diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and post-traumatic stress disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanaz Bahari-Javan
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Göttingen Göttingen, Germany ; Research Group for Epigenetics in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Göttingen Germany
| | - Farahnaz Sananbenesi
- Research Group for Epigenetics in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Göttingen Germany
| | - Andre Fischer
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Göttingen Göttingen, Germany ; Research Group for Epigenetics in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Göttingen Germany
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13
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Govindarajan N, Rao P, Burkhardt S, Sananbenesi F, Schlüter OM, Bradke F, Lu J, Fischer A. Reducing HDAC6 ameliorates cognitive deficits in a mouse model for Alzheimer's disease. EMBO Mol Med 2012. [PMID: 23184605 PMCID: PMC3569653 DOI: 10.1002/emmm.201201923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 226] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are currently being discussed as promising therapeutic targets to treat neurodegenerative diseases. However, the role of specific HDACs in cognition and neurodegeneration remains poorly understood. Here, we investigate the function of HDAC6, a class II member of the HDAC superfamily, in the adult mouse brain. We report that mice lacking HDAC6 are cognitively normal but reducing endogenous HDAC6 levels restores learning and memory and α-tubulin acetylation in a mouse model for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Our data suggest that this therapeutic effect is, at least in part, linked to the observation that loss of HDAC6 renders neurons resistant to amyloid-β-mediated impairment of mitochondrial trafficking. Thus, our study suggests that targeting HDAC6 could be a suitable strategy to ameliorate cognitive decline observed in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nambirajan Govindarajan
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Georg-August-University Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
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14
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Govindarajan N, Agis-Balboa RC, Walter J, Sananbenesi F, Fischer A. Sodium butyrate improves memory function in an Alzheimer's disease mouse model when administered at an advanced stage of disease progression. J Alzheimers Dis 2012; 26:187-97. [PMID: 21593570 DOI: 10.3233/jad-2011-110080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 246] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Dysregulation of histone acetylation has been implicated in the onset of age-associated memory impairment and the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. Elevation of histone acetylation via administration of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors is currently being pursued as a novel therapeutic avenue to treat memory impairment linked to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here we show that severe amyloid pathology correlates with a pronounced dysregulation of histone acetylation in the forebrain of APPPS1-21 mice. Importantly, prolonged treatment with the pan-HDAC inhibitor sodium butyrate improved associative memory in APPPS1-21 mice even when administered at a very advanced stage of pathology. The recovery of memory function correlated with elevated hippocampal histone acetylation and increased expression of genes implicated in associative learning. These data advance our understanding of the potential applicability of HDAC inhibitors for the treatment of AD and suggest that HDAC inhibitors may have beneficial effects even when administered long after the onset of disease-associated symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nambirajan Govindarajan
- Laboratory of Aging and Cognitive Diseases, European Neuroscience Institute Goettingen, University Medicine Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
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15
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Kuczera T, Stilling RM, Hsia HE, Bahari-Javan S, Irniger S, Nasmyth K, Sananbenesi F, Fischer A. The anaphase promoting complex is required for memory function in mice. Learn Mem 2010; 18:49-57. [PMID: 21191042 DOI: 10.1101/lm.1998411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Learning and memory processes critically involve the orchestrated regulation of de novo protein synthesis. On the other hand it has become clear that regulated protein degradation also plays a major role in neuronal plasticity and learning behavior. One of the key pathways mediating protein degradation is proteosomal protein destruction. The anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) is an E3 ubiquitin ligase that targets proteins for proteosomal degradation by the 26S proteasome. While the APC/C is essential for cell cycle progression it is also expressed in postmitotic neurons where it has been implicated with axonal outgrowth and neuronal survival. In this study we addressed the role of APC/C in learning and memory function by generating mice that lack the essential subunit APC2 from excitatory neurons of the adult forebrain. Those animals are viable but exhibit a severe impairment in the ability to extinct fear memories, a process critical for the treatment of anxiety diseases such as phobia or post-traumatic stress disorder. Since deregulated protein degradation and APC/C activity has been implicated with neurodegeneration we also analyzed the effect of Apc2 deletion in a mouse model for Alzheimer's disease. In our experimental setting loss of APC2 form principle forebrain neurons did not affect the course of pathology in an Alzheimer's disease mouse model. In conclusion, our data provides genetic evidence that APC/C activity in the adult forebrain is required for cognitive function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanja Kuczera
- Laboratory for Aging and Cognitive Diseases, European Neuroscience Institute, Göttingen D-37077, Germany
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16
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Fischer A, Sananbenesi F, Mungenast A, Tsai LH. Targeting the correct HDAC(s) to treat cognitive disorders. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2010; 31:605-17. [PMID: 20980063 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2010.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 283] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2010] [Revised: 09/15/2010] [Accepted: 09/16/2010] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Changes in gene expression in the brain may underlie cognitive deficits inherent to normal aging and neurodegenerative disease. However, the mechanisms underlying pathological alterations in the brain transcriptome are incompletely understood. Epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation and histone acetylation have been shown to be important for memory processes in the adult brain. There is accumulating evidence that altered chromatin plasticity and histone acetylation are also involved in cognitive aging, neurodegeneration, and neuropsychiatric diseases. Inhibitors of histone deacetylase (HDAC) exhibit neuroprotective and neuroregenerative properties in animal models of various brain diseases. As such, targeting of HDACs seems to be a promising therapeutic strategy. In this review, we discuss the specific roles of each HDAC protein and the possible function of distinct histone modifications. We hope that this knowledge will aid in the development of diagnostic tools and in designing more potent and specific treatment for neurological disorders targeting selective HDAC proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Fischer
- Laboratory for Aging and Cognitive Diseases, European Neuroscience Institute, Grisebach Str. 5, D-37077 Goettingen, Germany.
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17
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Peleg S, Sananbenesi F, Zovoilis A, Burkhardt S, Bahari-Javan S, Agis-Balboa RC, Cota P, Wittnam JL, Gogol-Doering A, Opitz L, Salinas-Riester G, Dettenhofer M, Kang H, Farinelli L, Chen W, Fischer A. Altered histone acetylation is associated with age-dependent memory impairment in mice. Science 2010; 328:753-6. [PMID: 20448184 DOI: 10.1126/science.1186088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 663] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
As the human life span increases, the number of people suffering from cognitive decline is rising dramatically. The mechanisms underlying age-associated memory impairment are, however, not understood. Here we show that memory disturbances in the aging brain of the mouse are associated with altered hippocampal chromatin plasticity. During learning, aged mice display a specific deregulation of histone H4 lysine 12 (H4K12) acetylation and fail to initiate a hippocampal gene expression program associated with memory consolidation. Restoration of physiological H4K12 acetylation reinstates the expression of learning-induced genes and leads to the recovery of cognitive abilities. Our data suggest that deregulated H4K12 acetylation may represent an early biomarker of an impaired genome-environment interaction in the aging mouse brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahaf Peleg
- Laboratory for Aging and Cognitive Diseases, European Neuroscience Institute, Grisebach Str. 5, D-37077 Goettingen, Germany
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18
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Abstract
The orchestrated expression of genes is essential for the development and survival of every organism. In addition to the role of transcription factors, the availability of genes for transcription is controlled by a series of proteins that regulate epigenetic chromatin remodeling. The two most studied epigenetic phenomena are DNA methylation and histone-tail modifications. Although a large body of literature implicates the deregulation of histone acetylation and DNA methylation with the pathogenesis of cancer, recently epigenetic mechanisms have also gained much attention in the neuroscientific community. In fact, a new field of research is rapidly emerging and there is now accumulating evidence that the molecular machinery that regulates histone acetylation and DNA methylation is intimately involved in synaptic plasticity and is essential for learning and memory. Importantly, dysfunction of epigenetic gene expression in the brain might be involved in neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases. In particular, it was found that inhibition of histone deacetylases attenuates synaptic and neuronal loss in animal models for various neurodegenerative diseases and improves cognitive function. In this article, we will summarize recent data in the novel field of neuroepigenetics and discuss the question why epigenetic strategies are suitable therapeutic approaches for the treatment of brain diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farahnaz Sananbenesi
- Laboratory for Aging and Cognitive Diseases, European Neuroscience Institute, Grisebach Str. 5, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany
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19
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Abstract
Human anxiety is frequently accompanied by depression, and when they co-occur both conditions exhibit greater severity and resistance to treatment. Little is known, however, about the molecular processes linking these emotional and mood disorders. Based on previously reported phosphorylation patterns of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in the brain, we hypothesized that ERK's upstream activators intertwine fear and mood regulation through their hippocampal actions. We tested this hypothesis by studying the upstream regulation of ERK signaling in behavioral models of fear and depression. Wild-type and ERK1-deficient mice were used to study the dorsohippocampal actions of the putative ERK activators: mitogen-activated and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MEK), protein kinase C (PKC), and cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA). Mice lacking ERK1 exhibited enhanced fear extinction and reduced depression caused by overactivation of ERK2. Both behaviors were reversed by inhibition of MEK, however the extinction phenotype depended on hippocampal, whereas the depression phenotype predominantly involved extrahippocampal MEK. Unexpectedly, inhibition of PKC accelerated extinction and decreased depression by ERK-independent mechanisms, whereas inhibition of PKA did not produce detectable molecular or behavioral effects in the employed paradigm. These results indicate that, contrary to fear conditioning but similar to mood stabilization, extinction of fear required upregulation of MEK/ERK and downregulation of ERK-independent PKC signaling. The dissociation of these pathways may thus represent a common mechanism for fear and mood regulation, and a potential therapeutic option for comorbid anxiety and depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie C Tronson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
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20
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Sananbenesi F, Fischer A, Wang X, Schrick C, Neve R, Radulovic J, Tsai LH. A hippocampal Cdk5 pathway regulates extinction of contextual fear. Nat Neurosci 2007; 10:1012-9. [PMID: 17632506 PMCID: PMC2441763 DOI: 10.1038/nn1943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2007] [Accepted: 06/26/2007] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Treatment of emotional disorders involves the promotion of extinction processes, which are defined as the learned reduction of fear. The molecular mechanisms underlying extinction have only begun to be elucidated. By employing genetic and pharmacological approaches in mice, we show here that extinction requires downregulation of Rac-1 and cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5), and upregulation of p21 activated kinase-1 (PAK-1) activity. This is physiologically achieved by a Rac-1-dependent relocation of the Cdk5 activator p35 from the membrane to the cytosol and dissociation of p35 from PAK-1. Moreover, our data suggest that Cdk5/p35 activity prevents extinction in part by inhibition of PAK-1 activity in a Rac-1-dependent manner. We propose that extinction of contextual fear is regulated by counteracting components of a molecular pathway involving Rac-1, Cdk5 and PAK-1. Our data suggest that this pathway could provide a suitable target for therapeutic treatment of emotional disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farahnaz Sananbenesi
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
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21
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Kim D, Nguyen MD, Dobbin MM, Fischer A, Sananbenesi F, Rodgers JT, Delalle I, Baur JA, Sui G, Armour SM, Puigserver P, Sinclair DA, Tsai LH. SIRT1 deacetylase protects against neurodegeneration in models for Alzheimer's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. EMBO J 2007; 26:3169-79. [PMID: 17581637 PMCID: PMC1914106 DOI: 10.1038/sj.emboj.7601758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 786] [Impact Index Per Article: 46.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2006] [Accepted: 05/22/2007] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
A progressive loss of neurons with age underlies a variety of debilitating neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), yet few effective treatments are currently available. The SIR2 gene promotes longevity in a variety of organisms and may underlie the health benefits of caloric restriction, a diet that delays aging and neurodegeneration in mammals. Here, we report that a human homologue of SIR2, SIRT1, is upregulated in mouse models for AD, ALS and in primary neurons challenged with neurotoxic insults. In cell-based models for AD/tauopathies and ALS, SIRT1 and resveratrol, a SIRT1-activating molecule, both promote neuronal survival. In the inducible p25 transgenic mouse, a model of AD and tauopathies, resveratrol reduced neurodegeneration in the hippocampus, prevented learning impairment, and decreased the acetylation of the known SIRT1 substrates PGC-1alpha and p53. Furthermore, injection of SIRT1 lentivirus in the hippocampus of p25 transgenic mice conferred significant protection against neurodegeneration. Thus, SIRT1 constitutes a unique molecular link between aging and human neurodegenerative disorders and provides a promising avenue for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dohoon Kim
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Picower Insitute for Learning and Memory, Riken-MIT Neuroscience Research Center, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Medical Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Minh Dang Nguyen
- Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Matthew M Dobbin
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Picower Insitute for Learning and Memory, Riken-MIT Neuroscience Research Center, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Andre Fischer
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Picower Insitute for Learning and Memory, Riken-MIT Neuroscience Research Center, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Farahnaz Sananbenesi
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Picower Insitute for Learning and Memory, Riken-MIT Neuroscience Research Center, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joseph T Rodgers
- Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ivana Delalle
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Picower Insitute for Learning and Memory, Riken-MIT Neuroscience Research Center, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joseph A Baur
- Department of Pathology and Paul F Glenn Laboratories for the Biological Mechanisms of Aging, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Guangchao Sui
- Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sean M Armour
- Department of Pathology and Paul F Glenn Laboratories for the Biological Mechanisms of Aging, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Pere Puigserver
- Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David A Sinclair
- Department of Pathology and Paul F Glenn Laboratories for the Biological Mechanisms of Aging, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Li-Huei Tsai
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Picower Insitute for Learning and Memory, Riken-MIT Neuroscience Research Center, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, MA, USA
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22
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Fischer A, Sananbenesi F, Wang X, Dobbin M, Tsai LH. Recovery of learning and memory is associated with chromatin remodelling. Nature 2007; 447:178-82. [PMID: 17468743 DOI: 10.1038/nature05772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 861] [Impact Index Per Article: 50.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2006] [Accepted: 03/23/2007] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases of the central nervous system are often associated with impaired learning and memory, eventually leading to dementia. An important aspect in pre-clinical research is the exploration of strategies to re-establish learning ability and access to long-term memories. By using a mouse model that allows temporally and spatially restricted induction of neuronal loss, we show here that environmental enrichment reinstated learning behaviour and re-established access to long-term memories after significant brain atrophy and neuronal loss had already occurred. Environmental enrichment correlated with chromatin modifications (increased histone-tail acetylation). Moreover, increased histone acetylation by inhibitors of histone deacetylases induced sprouting of dendrites, an increased number of synapses, and reinstated learning behaviour and access to long-term memories. These data suggest that inhibition of histone deacetylases might be a suitable therapeutic avenue for neurodegenerative diseases associated with learning and memory impairment, and raises the possibility of recovery of long-term memories in patients with dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andre Fischer
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge 02139, USA.
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23
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Fischer A, Radulovic M, Schrick C, Sananbenesi F, Godovac-Zimmermann J, Radulovic J. Hippocampal Mek/Erk signaling mediates extinction of contextual freezing behavior. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2006; 87:149-58. [PMID: 16979915 PMCID: PMC1839930 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2006.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2006] [Revised: 07/26/2006] [Accepted: 08/04/2006] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Fear memories elicit multiple behavioral responses, encompassing avoidance, or behavioral inhibition in response to threatening contexts. Context-specific freezing, reflecting fear-induced behavioral inhibition, has been proposed as one of the main risks factors for the development of anxiety disorders. We attempted to define the key hippocampal mediators of extinction in a mouse model of context-dependent freezing. Nine-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were trained and tested for contextual fear conditioning and extinction. Freezing behavior scored by unbiased sampling, was used as an index of fear. Proteomic, immunoblot, and immunohistochemical approaches were employed to identify, verify, and analyze the alterations of the hippocampal extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (Erk-1/2). Targeted pharmacological inhibition of the Erk-1/2 activating kinase, the mitogen activated and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Mek), served to establish the role of Mek/Erk signaling in extinction. When compared to acquisition, extinction of contextual freezing triggered a rapid activation of Erk-1/2 showing a distinctive time-course, nuclear localization, and subcellular isoform distribution. These differences suggested that the upstream regulation and downstream effects of this pathway might be specific for each process. Dorsohippocampal injections of the Mek inhibitors U0126 (0.5 microg/site) and PD98059 (1.5 microg/site) immediately after the nonreinforced trials prevented Erk-1/2 activation and significantly impaired extinction. This effect was dissociable from potential actions on memory retrieval or reconsolidation. On the basis of these findings, we propose that hippocampal Mek/Erk signaling might serve as one of the key mediators of contextual fear extinction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andre Fischer
- Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine, Laboratory on Cell Mechanisms of Memory, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Marko Radulovic
- Centre for Molecular Medicine, University College London, London, UK
| | - Christina Schrick
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Asher Center for Depressive Disorders, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, USA
| | - Farahnaz Sananbenesi
- Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine, Laboratory on Cell Mechanisms of Memory, Goettingen, Germany
| | | | - Jelena Radulovic
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Asher Center for Depressive Disorders, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, USA
- *Corresponding author: Jelena Radulovic, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Asher Center for Depressive Disorders, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, 303 East Chicago Avenue, Ward 9-188, Chicago, IL 60611, , Phone: 312 503 4627, Fax: 312 503 0466
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24
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Krneta J, Kroll J, Alves F, Prahst C, Sananbenesi F, Dullin C, Kimmina S, Phillips DJ, Augustin HG. Dissociation of Angiogenesis and Tumorigenesis in Follistatin- and Activin-Expressing Tumors. Cancer Res 2006; 66:5686-95. [PMID: 16740706 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-05-3821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The transforming growth factor-beta superfamily member activin and its antagonist, follistatin, act as a pleiotropic growth factor system that controls cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Activin inhibits fibroblast growth factor 2-induced sprouting angiogenesis in vitro (spheroidal angiogenesis assay) and in vivo (Matrigel assay). To further study the role of the activin/follistatin system during angiogenesis and tumor progression, activin- and follistatin-expressing R30C mammary carcinoma cells were studied in mouse tumor experiments. Surprisingly, activin-expressing tumors grew much faster than follistatin-expressing tumors although they failed to induce increased angiogenesis (as evidenced by low microvessel density counts). Conversely, follistatin-expressing tumors were much smaller but had a dense network of small-diameter capillaries. Qualitative angioarchitectural analyses (mural cell recruitment, perfusion) revealed no major functional differences of the tumor neovasculature. Analysis of activin- and follistatin-expressing R30C cells identified a cell autonomous role of this system in controlling tumor cell growth. Whereas proliferation of R30C cells was not altered, follistatin-expressing R30C cells had an enhanced susceptibility to undergo apoptosis. These findings in experimental tumors are complemented by an intriguing case report of a human renal cell carcinoma that similarly shows a dissociation of angiogenesis and tumorigenesis during tumor progression. Collectively, the data shed further light into the dichotomous stimulating and inhibiting roles that the activin/follistatin system can exert during angiogenesis and tumor progression. Furthermore, the experiments provide a critical proof-of-principle example for the dissociation of angiogenesis and tumorigenesis, supporting the concept that tumor growth may not be dependent on increased angiogenesis as long as a minimal intratumoral microvessel density is maintained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelena Krneta
- Department of Vascular Biology and Angiogenesis Research, Tumor Biology Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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25
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Fischer A, Sananbenesi F, Pang PT, Lu B, Tsai LH. Opposing roles of transient and prolonged expression of p25 in synaptic plasticity and hippocampus-dependent memory. Neuron 2006; 48:825-38. [PMID: 16337919 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2005.10.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 199] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2005] [Revised: 09/28/2005] [Accepted: 10/20/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
While deregulation of cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) has been implicated in neurodegenerative diseases, its precise role in synaptic plasticity and memory remains elusive. Proteolytic cleavage of p35, a regulatory subunit of Cdk5, by calpain results in the generation of the truncated p25 protein, which causes hyperactivation of Cdk5. Using region-specific and inducible transgenic mice, we show that transiently increased p25 expression in the hippocampus enhanced long-term potentiation (LTP) and facilitated hippocampus-dependent memory. Moreover, p25 expression increased the number of dendritic spines and synapses. Importantly, enhanced memory achieved by a transient expression of p25 followed by its repression did not cause neurodegeneration. In contrast, prolonged p25 production caused severe cognitive deficits, which were accompanied by synaptic and neuronal loss and impaired LTP. Our data suggest a role for p25 in synaptic plasticity, synaptogenesis, learning, and memory and provide a model whereby deregulation of a plasticity factor can contribute to neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andre Fischer
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Pathology, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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26
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Fischer A, Sananbenesi F, Schrick C, Spiess J, Radulovic J. Distinct roles of hippocampal de novo protein synthesis and actin rearrangement in extinction of contextual fear. J Neurosci 2004; 24:1962-6. [PMID: 14985438 PMCID: PMC6730386 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.5112-03.2004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 186] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
It is believed that de novo protein synthesis is fundamentally linked to synaptic changes in neuronal circuits involved in acquisition and extinction of conditioned responses. Recent studies show that neuronal plasticity may be also altered by cytoskeletal rearrangement independently of protein synthesis. We investigated the role of these processes in the hippocampus during acquisition and extinction of context-dependent conditioned fear in mice. Intrahippocampal injections of the protein synthesis inhibitors anisomycin and puromycin, or of the actin rearrangement inhibitors cytochalasin D and latrunculin A, prevented the acquisition of context-dependent fear. Unexpectedly, anisomycin and puromycin enhanced extinction without erasing the fear memory. In contrast, cytochalasin D and latrunculin A prevented extinction of context-dependent freezing. On the basis of these findings, it is suggested that certain hippocampal mechanisms mediating extinction of conditioned contextual fear are inhibited by protein synthesis and involve actin rearrangement. Such mechanisms might predominantly elicit modifications of hippocampal circuits that store the conditioning memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Fischer
- Laboratory on Cell Biological Mechanisms of Memory, Department of Molecular Neuroendocrinology, Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine, 37075 Goettingen, Germany
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27
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Fischer A, Sananbenesi F, Spiess J, Radulovic J. Cdk5: A Novel Role in Learning and Memory. Neurosignals 2003; 12:200-8. [PMID: 14673206 DOI: 10.1159/000074621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2003] [Accepted: 07/11/2003] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Learning and memory are processes by which organisms acquire, retain and retrieve information. They result in modifications of behavior in response to new or previously encountered stimuli thereby enabling adaptation to a permanently changing environment. Protein phosphorylation has long been known to play a key role in triggering synaptic changes underlying learning and memory. Although intracellular phosphorylation and dephosphorylation is orchestrated by a complex network of interactions between a number of protein kinases and phosphatases, significant advances in the understanding of neuronal mechanisms underlying learning and memory have been achieved by investigating the actions of individual molecules under defined experimental conditions, brain areas, neuronal cells and their subcellular compartments. On the basis of these approaches, the cyclic AMP protein kinase (PKA), protein kinase C (PKC) and extracellularly regulated protein kinases 1 and 2 (Erk-1/2) have been identified as the core signaling pathways in memory consolidation. Here we review recent findings demonstrating an important novel role for Cdk5 in learning and memory. We suggest that some of the well-characterized roles of Cdk5 during neurodevelopmental processes, such as interactions with distinct cytoplasmic and synaptic target molecules, may be also involved in synaptic plasticity underlying memory consolidation within the adult central nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Fischer
- Laboratory on Cell Biologic Mechanisms of Memory, Department of Molecular Neuroendocrinology, Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany
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28
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Sananbenesi F, Fischer A, Schrick C, Spiess J, Radulovic J. Mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling in the hippocampus and its modulation by corticotropin-releasing factor receptor 2: a possible link between stress and fear memory. J Neurosci 2003; 23:11436-43. [PMID: 14673008 PMCID: PMC6740521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/27/2023] Open
Abstract
A coordinated activation of multiple interlinked signaling pathways involving cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) and mitogen-activated extracellular signal-regulated kinases (Mek-1/2) regulates gene expression and neuronal changes underlying memory consolidation. In the present study we investigated whether these molecular cascades might mediate the effects of stress on memory formation. We also investigated the role of hippocampal corticotropin-releasing factor receptor 2 (CRF2) in stress-enhanced learning and molecular signaling mediated by PKA, Mek-1/2, and their downstream targets extracellularly regulated kinases 1 and 2 (Erk-1/2) and p90-ribosomal-s-kinase-1 (p90Rsk-1). Acute 1 hr immobilization was used as a stressful stimulus, and one-trial context-dependent fear conditioning was used as a model for associative learning. Training of BALB/c mice 3 hr after the end of immobilization resulted in an enhancement of conditioned fear, as indicated by significantly increased freezing behavior of stressed when compared with nonstressed mice. Interestingly, Erk-1/2 phosphorylation after conditioning of nonstressed and stressed mice depended on PKA and Mek-1/2, respectively. Intrahippocampal injection of the selective Mek-1/2 inhibitor U0126 or CRF2 antagonist antisauvagine-30 (aSvg-30) prevented stress-enhanced fear conditioning and Mek-1/2-dependent activation of Erk-1/2 and p90Rsk-1. aSvg-30 did not affect the phosphorylation of the PKA regulatory subunit II of stressed mice. The molecular and behavioral effects of CRF2 coincided with stress-induced upregulation of CRF2 mRNA. These results suggest that modulation of Mek-1/2-dependent signaling by hippocampal CRF2 can be selectively involved in the delayed effects of stress on memory consolidation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farahnaz Sananbenesi
- Laboratory on Cell Biologic Mechanisms of Memory, Department of Molecular Neuroendocrinology, Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine, 37075 Goettingen, Germany.
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29
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Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5), a Ser/Thr kinase, regulates the phosphorylation of neuronal proteins and thereby influences neuronal morphology, migration and axon growth. Tightly coordinated interactions between Cdk5 and its activator proteins p35 and p39 are critical for the developmental processes of post-mitotic neurons as well as functioning of the adult CNS. Excessive up-regulation of Cdk5 activity leading to hyperphosphorylation of cytoskeletal proteins has been linked to neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). On this basis it was proposed that Cdk5 might be a promising drug target. The physiologic role of Cdk5 in the adult CNS has been addressed recently. It was demonstrated that Cdk5 is involved in striatal and hippocampal neuronal plasticity and long-term behavioral changes associated with these processes. On the basis of the newly identified role of Cdk5 in synaptic plasticity, learning and memory the view that Cdk5 represents a good drug target in AD accompanied by cognitive dysfunctions may have to be revisited. Alternatively, targeting the mechanisms up-stream of Cdk5 leading to deregulation of Cdk5 activity, such as proteolytic cleavage of its activating subunits may prove to be more beneficial as a therapeutical approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Fischer
- Laboratory on Cell Biologic Mechanisms of Memory, Department of Molecular Neuroendocrinology, Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine, Goettingen, Germany
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30
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Fischer A, Sananbenesi F, Schrick C, Spiess J, Radulovic J. Regulation of contextual fear conditioning by baseline and inducible septo-hippocampal cyclin-dependent kinase 5. Neuropharmacology 2003; 44:1089-99. [PMID: 12763101 DOI: 10.1016/s0028-3908(03)00102-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
In this work, we confirm the novel role of cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) 5 in associative learning by demonstrating that injection of the Cdk5 inhibitor butyrolactone I into the lateral septum or hippocampus profoundly impaired context-dependent fear conditioning of C57BL/6J mice. However, unlike the inducible up-regulation of Cdk5 and its regulator p35 observed in Balb/c mice, high baseline levels, which were not affected by fear conditioning, were found in C57BL/6J mice. Surprisingly, microinjections of butyrolactone I into the lateral septum or hippocampus significantly decreased baseline Cdk5 activity within the entire septo-hippocampal circuitry, suggesting a functional link between septal and hippocampal Cdk5 activity. Significantly higher levels of the transcription factor Sp4 in the septo-hippocampal system of C57BL/6J mice may account for the high baseline Cdk5/p35 production. On the other hand, the stronger cFos production observed in the lateral septum of fear conditioned Balb/c mice may be responsible, at least in part, for the inducible up-regulation of Cdk5 in this strain. These results suggest that the role of Cdk5 in memory consolidation is strain independent and functionally related to the septo-hippocampal circuitry. However, the molecular regulation of baseline and inducible Cdk5 protein might be different among individual mouse strains and possibly other species.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Fischer
- Department of Molecular Neuroendocrinology, Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine, Hermann-Rein-Str. 3, 37075, Goettingen, Germany.
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31
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Sananbenesi F, Fischer A, Schrick C, Spiess J, Radulovic J. Phosphorylation of hippocampal Erk-1/2, Elk-1, and p90-Rsk-1 during contextual fear conditioning: interactions between Erk-1/2 and Elk-1. Mol Cell Neurosci 2002; 21:463-76. [PMID: 12498787 DOI: 10.1006/mcne.2002.1188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The phosphorylation of proteins involved in the MAP kinase signal transduction pathway was investigated during associative learning of C57BL/6J mice. Context-dependent fear conditioning, consisting of a single exposure of mice to a context followed by foot shock, was employed as a learning paradigm. Control groups consisted of mice exposed to context only or an immediate shock in the context. Coincident up-regulation of phosphorylated Erk-1/2 and Elk-1 was observed in the CA3 hippocampal subfield and dentate gyrus 30 min after fear conditioning but not after the control paradigms. Phosphorylated Erk-1/2 and Elk-1 were associated and predominantly colocalized in the mossy fibers. In vitro kinase assays showed that hippocampal Erk-1/2 phosphorylates Elk-1. Notably, Elk-1 in turn enhances the phosphorylation of Erk-1/2 and its downstream target p90Rsk-1. Increased phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of p90Rsk-1 was also demonstrated in the CA3 hippocampal area in vivo during contextual fear conditioning. The observed interactions between hippocampal Elk-1 and Erk-1/2 proteins may affect the consolidation of contextual memories through activation of the downstream nuclear targets of Erk-1/2, such as p90Rsk-1, without requiring nuclear translocation of Elk-1 and Erk-1/2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farahnaz Sananbenesi
- Department of Molecular Neuroendocrinology, Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine, Hermann-Rein-Strasse 3, 37075, Goettingen, Germany
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32
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Stiedl O, Radulovic J, Lohmann R, Birkenfeld K, Palve M, Kammermeier J, Sananbenesi F, Spiess J. Strain and substrain differences in context- and tone-dependent fear conditioning of inbred mice. Behav Brain Res 1999; 104:1-12. [PMID: 11125727 DOI: 10.1016/s0166-4328(99)00047-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
The performance of C57BL/6J (6J), C57BL/6N (6N), DBA/2J (2J) and DBA/2N (2N) mice in context- and tone-dependent fear conditioning was determined 24 h after fear conditioning to evaluate and compare different behavioral measures as indices of emotional learning. Freezing, the change in activity and the size of the explored area were evaluated as behavioral parameters indicating fear. Additionally, the heart rate (HR) increase elicited by tone presentation was evaluated as an autonomic indicator of fear. During the context-dependent memory test, freezing was high only in 6J and 6N mice, whereas a drop of activity and a reduced exploratory area was measured in all strains. During the tone-dependent memory test, high freezing, low activity, reduced exploratory area and a strong HR increase were demonstrated only in 6N and 6J mice, whereas behavioral and HR changes of 2J and 2N mice were always low. In extinction tests, context- and tone-dependent freezing of 6J mice decayed significantly faster than the freezing of 6N mice, whereas in both substrains the conditioned tachycardia to tone extinguished similarly in the home cage. The data demonstrate that monitoring of additional behavioral measures besides freezing and autonomic measures is necessary to interpret differences in associative learning performance of mouse strains that could be related to a differential expression of fear.
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Affiliation(s)
- O Stiedl
- Department of Molecular Neuroendocrinology, Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine, Goettingen, Germany.
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