Xie WL, Zheng HL, Li HH, Lu JJ, Xue SG, Luo Y, Ma C, Liu JF, Hu ZL, Ni L, Jin Y, Wang F, Chen JG. Deficiency of Glycosylated α-Dystroglycan in Ventral Hippocampus Bridges the Destabilization of Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid Type A Receptors With the Depressive-like Behaviors of Male Mice.
Biol Psychiatry 2022;
91:593-603. [PMID:
35063187 DOI:
10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.10.022]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Depression is a common psychiatric disorder associated with defects in GABAergic (gamma-aminobutyric acidergic) neurotransmission. α-Dystroglycan (α-DG), a cell adhesion molecule known to be essential for skeletal muscle integrity, is also present at inhibitory synapses in the central nervous system and forms a structural element in certain synapses. However, the role of α-DG in the regulation of depressive-like behaviors remains largely unknown.
METHODS
Depressive-like behaviors were induced by chronic social defeat stress in adult male mice. Surface protein was extracted by a biotin kit, and the expression of protein was detected by Western blotting. Intrahippocampal microinjection of the lentivirus or adeno-associated virus or agrin intervention was carried out using a stereotaxic instrument and followed by behavioral tests. Miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents were recorded by whole-cell patch-clamp techniques.
RESULTS
The expression of α-DG and glycosylated α-DG in the ventral hippocampus was significantly lower in chronic social defeat stress-susceptible male mice than in control mice, accompanied by a decreased surface expression of GABAA receptor γ2 subunit and reduced GABAergic neurotransmission. RNA interference-mediated knockdown of Dag1 increased the susceptibility of mice to subthreshold stress. Both in vivo administration of agrin and overexpression of like-acetylglucosaminyltransferase ameliorated depressive-like behaviors and restored the decrease in surface expression of GABAA receptor γ2 subunit and the amplitude of miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents in chronic social defeat stress-exposed mice.
CONCLUSIONS
Our findings demonstrate that glycosylated α-DG plays a role in the pathophysiological process of depressive-like behaviors by regulating the surface expression of GABAA receptor γ2 subunit and GABAergic neurotransmission in the ventral hippocampus.
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