Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Rapid Effects of Estradiol on Memory Consolidation

2020 ◽  
pp. 119-144
Author(s):  
Karyn M. Frick ◽  
Jaekyoon Kim ◽  
Wendy A. Koss ◽  
Jennifer J. Tuscher
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Protein Synthesis ◽  
Estrogen Receptors ◽  
Memory Consolidation ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Local Protein Synthesis ◽  
New Directions ◽  
Shed Light ◽  
Increase Gene Expression

Research from the past decade has begun to shed light on the neural mechanisms through which the potent estrogen 17β‎-estradiol (E2) regulates the formation of memories. Consolidation is a rapid process which appears to take advantage of the ability of estrogen receptors to quickly trigger cell signaling alterations that increase gene expression, local protein synthesis, and dendritic spinogenesis. This chapter discusses recent advances in understanding how the rapid effects of E2 on the hippocampus influence memory consolidation in female and male rodents and examines new directions for exploring similar mechanisms in other interconnected brain regions.

scholarly journals Transcriptomic analysis of frontotemporal lobar degeneration with TDP-43 pathology reveals cellular alterations across multiple brain regions

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rahat Hasan ◽  
Jack Humphrey ◽  
Conceicao Bettencourt ◽  
Tammaryn Lashley ◽  
Pietro Fratta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Rna Binding ◽  
Temporal Cortex ◽  
Neuronal Loss ◽  
Underlying Disease ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Neuronal Markers ◽  
The Brain

Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) is a group of heterogeneous neurodegenerative disorders affecting the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. Nuclear loss and cytoplasmic aggregation of the RNA-binding protein TDP-43 represents the major FTLD pathology, known as FTLD-TDP. To date, there is no effective treatment for FTLD-TDP due to an incomplete understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying disease development. Here we compared post-mortem tissue RNA-seq transcriptomes from the frontal cortex, temporal cortex and cerebellum between 28 controls and 30 FTLD-TDP patients to profile changes in cell-type composition, gene expression and transcript usage. We observed downregulation of neuronal markers in all three regions of the brain, accompanied by upregulation of microglia, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes, as well as endothelial cells and pericytes, suggesting shifts in both immune activation and within the vasculature. We validate our estimates of neuronal loss using neuropathological atrophy scores and show that neuronal loss in the cortex can be mainly attributed to excitatory neurons, and that increases in microglial and endothelial cell expression are highly correlated with neuronal loss. All our analyses identified a strong involvement of the cerebellum in the neurodegenerative process of FTLD-TDP. Altogether, our data provides a detailed landscape of gene expression alterations to help unravel relevant disease mechanisms in FTLD.

scholarly journals Memory Consolidation for Contextual and Auditory Fear Conditioning Is Dependent on Protein Synthesis, PKA, and MAP Kinase

1999 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Glenn E. Schafe ◽  
Nicole V. Nadel ◽  
Gregory M. Sullivan ◽  
Alexander Harris ◽  
Joseph E. LeDoux
Keyword(s):  
Protein Synthesis ◽  
Map Kinase ◽  
Fear Conditioning ◽  
Memory Consolidation ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Short Term Memory ◽  
Long Term Potentiation ◽  
Fear Memory ◽  
Term Memory

Fear conditioning has received extensive experimental attention. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms that underlie fear memory consolidation. Previous studies have shown that long-term potentiation (LTP) exists in pathways known to be relevant to fear conditioning and that fear conditioning modifies neural processing in these pathways in a manner similar to LTP induction. The present experiments examined whether inhibition of protein synthesis, PKA, and MAP kinase activity, treatments that block LTP, also interfere with the consolidation of fear conditioning. Rats were injected intraventricularly with Anisomycin (100 or 300 μg), Rp-cAMPS (90 or 180 μg), or PD098059 (1 or 3 μg) prior to conditioning and assessed for retention of contextual and auditory fear memory both within an hour and 24 hr later. Results indicated that injection of these compounds selectively interfered with long-term memory for contextual and auditory fear, while leaving short-term memory intact. Additional control groups indicated that this effect was likely due to impaired memory consolidation rather than to nonspecific effects of the drugs on fear expression. Results suggest that fear conditioning and LTP may share common molecular mechanisms.

scholarly journals Chronic adolescent exposure to cannabis in mice leads to long-term sex-biased changes in gene expression networks across brain regions

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanning Zuo ◽  
Attilio Iemolo ◽  
Patricia Montilla-Perez ◽  
Hai-Ri Li ◽  
Xia Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Association Studies ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Human Cognition ◽  
Genome Wide Association Studies ◽  
Cognitive Behaviors ◽  
Network Analyses ◽  
With Memory ◽  
Adolescent Exposure

Background: The molecular mechanisms underlying the long-lasting behavioral changes associated with adolescent cannabis use are poorly understood. To this end, we performed gene network analyses of multiple brain regions in adult mice exposed during the entire adolescence to Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the major psychoactive component of cannabis. Methods: Two weeks after the last exposure to THC (10 mg/kg) or vehicle, we measured cognitive behaviors and profiled the transcriptomes of 5 brain regions from 12 female and 12 male mice. We performed differential gene expression analysis and constructed gene coexpression networks (modules) to identify THC-induced transcriptional alterations at the level of individual genes, gene networks, and biological pathways. We integrated the THC-correlated modules with human traits from genome-wide association studies to identify potential regulators of disease-associated networks. Results: THC impaired cognitive behaviors of mice, with memory being more impacted in females than males, which coincided with larger transcriptional changes in the female brain. Modules involved in endocannabinoid signaling and inflammation were correlated with memory deficits in the female dorsal medial striatum and ventral tegmental area, respectively. Converging pathways related to dopamine signaling and addiction were altered in the female amygdala and male nucleus accumbens. Moreover, the connectivity map of THC-correlated modules uncovered intra- and inter-region molecular circuitries influenced by THC. Lastly, modules altered by THC were enriched in genes relevant for human cognition and neuropsychiatric disorders. Conclusions: These findings provide novel insights concerning the genes, pathways and brain regions underlying persistent behavioral deficits induced by adolescent exposure to THC in a sex-specific manner.

scholarly journals Selective role of the translin/trax RNase complex in hippocampal synaptic plasticity

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan Jung Park ◽  
Mahesh Shivarama Shetty ◽  
Jay M. Baraban ◽  
Ted Abel
Keyword(s):  
Protein Synthesis ◽  
Synaptic Plasticity ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor ◽  
Fragile X ◽  
Local Protein Synthesis ◽  
Hippocampal Synaptic Plasticity ◽  
Behavioral Abnormalities ◽  
Local Protein

Abstract Activity-dependent local protein synthesis is critical for synapse-specific, persistent plasticity. Abnormalities in local protein synthesis have been implicated in psychiatric disorders. We have recently identified the translin/trax microRNA-degrading enzyme as a novel mediator of protein synthesis at activated synapses. Additionally, translin knockout (KO) mice, which lack translin/trax, exhibit some of the behavioral abnormalities found in a mouse model of fragile X syndrome (fragile X mental retardation protein-FMRP-KO mice). Therefore, identifying signaling pathways interacting with translin/trax to support persistent synaptic plasticity is a translationally relevant goal. Here, as a first step to achieve this goal, we have assessed the requirement of translin/trax for multiple hippocampal synaptic plasticity paradigms that rely on distinct molecular mechanisms. We found that mice lacking translin/trax exhibited selective impairment in a form of persistent hippocampal plasticity, which requires postsynaptic protein kinase A (PKA) activity. In contrast, enduring forms of plasticity that are dependent on presynaptic PKA were unaffected. Furthermore, these mice did not display exaggerated metabotropic glutamate receptor-mediated long-term synaptic depression (mGluR-LTD), a hallmark of the FMRP KO mice. On the contrary, translin KO mice exhibited deficits in N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) dependent LTD, a phenotype not observed in the FMRP knockouts. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that translin/trax mediates long-term synaptic plasticity that is dependent on postsynaptic PKA signaling and suggest that translin/trax and FMRP play distinct roles in hippocampal synaptic plasticity.

scholarly journals Transcriptome Changes in Three Brain Regions during Chronic Lithium Administration in the Rat Models of Mania and Depression

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 1148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dawid Szczepankiewicz ◽  
Piotr Celichowski ◽  
Paweł A. Kołodziejski ◽  
Ewa Pruszyńska-Oszmałek ◽  
Maciej Sassek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Frontal Cortex ◽  
Gene Expression Profile ◽  
Expression Profile ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Forced Swim Test ◽  
Lithium Treatment ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Non Coding Rnas ◽  
Depressive Episodes

Lithium has been the most important mood stabilizer used for the treatment of bipolar disorder and prophylaxis of manic and depressive episodes. Despite long use in clinical practice, the exact molecular mechanisms of lithium are still not well identified. Previous experimental studies produced inconsistent results due to different duration of lithium treatment and using animals without manic-like or depressive-like symptoms. Therefore, we aimed to analyze the gene expression profile in three brain regions (amygdala, frontal cortex and hippocampus) in the rat model of mania and depression during chronic lithium administration (2 and 4 weeks). Behavioral changes were verified by the forced swim test, open field test and elevated maze test. After the experiment, nucleic acid was extracted from the frontal cortex, hippocampus and amygdala. Gene expression profile was done using SurePrint G3 Rat Gene Expression whole transcriptome microarrays. Data were analyzed using Gene Spring 14.9 software. We found that chronic lithium treatment significantly influenced gene expression profile in both mania and depression models. In manic rats, chronic lithium treatment significantly influenced the expression of the genes enriched in olfactory and taste transduction pathway and long non-coding RNAs in all three brain regions. We report here for the first time that genes regulating olfactory and taste receptor pathways and long non-coding RNAs may be targeted by chronic lithium treatment in the animal model of mania.

scholarly journals Selective role of the translin/trax RNase complex in hippocampal synaptic plasticity

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan Jung Park ◽  
Mahesh Shivarama Shetty ◽  
Jay M. Baraban ◽  
Ted Abel
Keyword(s):  
Protein Synthesis ◽  
Synaptic Plasticity ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor ◽  
Fragile X ◽  
Local Protein Synthesis ◽  
Hippocampal Synaptic Plasticity ◽  
Behavioral Abnormalities ◽  
Local Protein

Abstract Activity-dependent local protein synthesis is critical for synapse-specific, persistent plasticity. Abnormalities in local protein synthesis have been implicated in psychiatric disorders. We have recently identified the translin/trax microRNA-degrading enzyme as a novel mediator of protein synthesis at activated synapses. Additionally, translin knockout (KO) mice, which lack translin/trax, exhibit some of the behavioral abnormalities found in a mouse model of fragile X syndrome (fragile X mental retardation protein-FMRP-KO mice). Therefore, identifying signaling pathways interacting with translin/trax to support persistent synaptic plasticity is a translationally relevant goal. Here, as a first step to achieve this goal, we have assessed the requirement of translin/trax for multiple hippocampal synaptic plasticity paradigms that rely on distinct molecular mechanisms. We found that mice lacking translin/trax exhibited selective impairment in a form of persistent hippocampal plasticity, which requires postsynaptic protein kinase A (PKA) activity. In contrast, enduring forms of plasticity that are dependent on presynaptic PKA were unaffected. Furthermore, these mice did not display exaggerated metabotropic glutamate receptor-mediated long-term synaptic depression (mGluR-LTD), a hallmark of the FMRP KO mice. . On the contrary, translin KO mice exhibited deficits in N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) dependent LTD, a phenotype not observed in the FMRP knockouts. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that translin/trax mediates long-term synaptic plasticity that is dependent on postsynaptic PKA signaling and suggest that translin/trax and FMRP play distinct roles in hippocampal synaptic plasticity.

scholarly journals Transcriptome profiles in brains of mice heterozygous for a DYT1 dystonia-associated mutation in the endogenous Tor1a gene

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara B. Mitchell ◽  
Michael S. Chimenti ◽  
Hiroyuki Kawano ◽  
Tsun Ming Tom Yuen ◽  
Ashley E. Sjurson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Expression Profiles ◽  
Body Movement ◽  
Gene Expression Profiles ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Brain Disorder ◽  
Dyt1 Dystonia ◽  
Differential Gene

ABSTRACTIn patients with the brain disorder dystonia, body movement is severely affected – with involuntary muscle contractions and abnormal postures, causing extensive deterioration of the patient’s quality of life. The most common inherited form of this disorder is DYT1 dystonia, which is caused by a mutation in TOR1A gene and autosomal dominant. The molecular mechanisms that underlie the effects of the TOR1A mutation on brain function remain unclear. To understand these, we examined the gene expression profiles (transcriptome) in four brain regions (cerebral cortex, hippocampus, striatum and cerebellum) in a mouse model, the heterozygous ΔE-torsinA knock-in mice which genetically reproduce the mutation in DYT1 dystonia. The samples were obtained at 2 to 3 weeks of age, a period during which synaptic abnormalities have been reported. Pairwise comparisons of brain regions revealed differential gene expression irrespective of genotype. A comparison of heterozygous to wild-type mice failed to reveal genotype-dependent differences in gene expression in any of the four brain regions when examined individually. However, genotype-dependent differences became apparent when the information for all brain regions was combined. These results suggest that any changes in the transcriptome within a brain region were subtle at this developmental stage, but that statistically significant changes occur across all brain regions. Such changes in the transcriptome, although subtle in degree, could underlie the processes that give rise to DYT1 dystonia.

scholarly journals Dynamically expressed single ELAV/Hu orthologue elavl2 of bees is required for learning and memory

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pinar Ustaoglu ◽  
Jatinder Kaur Gill ◽  
Nicolas Doubovetzky ◽  
Irmgard U. Haussmann ◽  
Thomas C. Dix ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Alternative Splicing ◽  
Learning And Memory ◽  
Memory Consolidation ◽  
Rna Binding ◽  
Rna Binding Proteins ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Mrna Processing ◽  
Gene Expression Response ◽  
Expression Response

AbstractChanges in gene expression are a hallmark of learning and memory consolidation. Little is known about how alternative mRNA processing, particularly abundant in neuron-specific genes, contributes to these processes. Prototype RNA binding proteins of the neuronally expressed ELAV/Hu family are candidates for roles in learning and memory, but their capacity to cross-regulate and take over each other’s functions complicate substantiation of such links. Honey bees Apis mellifera have only one elav/Hu family gene elavl2, that has functionally diversified by increasing alternative splicing including an evolutionary conserved microexon. RNAi knockdown demonstrates that ELAVL2 is required for learning and memory in bees. ELAVL2 is dynamically expressed with altered alternative splicing and subcellular localization in mushroom bodies, but not in other brain regions. Expression and alternative splicing of elavl2 change during memory consolidation illustrating an alternative mRNA processing program as part of a local gene expression response underlying memory consolidation.

Molecular mechanisms of learning and memory

2003 ◽  
Vol 5 (25) ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane Dunning ◽  
Matthew J. During
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Learning And Memory ◽  
Memory Consolidation ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Regulation Of Gene Expression ◽  
Memory Acquisition ◽  
And Storage

Memory is the process by which organisms are able to record their experiences, and use this information to adapt their responses to the environment. As such, it is vital for survival. In recent years, the development of spatially and temporally selective techniques for the regulation of gene expression has allowed the molecular details of this process to emerge. Here we review the molecular mechanisms thought to underlie memory acquisition and storage, as well as discuss recent evidence regarding the mechanisms of subsequent memory consolidation.

scholarly journals The incorporation loci of H3.3K36M determine its preferential prevalence in chondroblastomas

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanjun Zhang ◽  
Dong Fang
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Colony Formation ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Histone H3 ◽  
Mutant Protein ◽  
H3k36 Methylation ◽  
Mutant Proteins ◽  
Histone H3 Variant ◽  
Mutant Cells ◽  
Shed Light

AbstractThe histone H3.3K36M mutation, identified in over 90% of chondroblastoma cases, reprograms the H3K36 methylation landscape and gene expression to promote tumorigenesis. However, it’s still unclear how the H3K36M mutation preferentially occurs in the histone H3 variant H3.3 in chondroblastomas. Here, we report that H3.3K36M-, but not H3.1K36M-, mutant cells showed increased colony formation ability and differentiation defects. H3K36 methylations and enhancers were reprogrammed to different status in H3.3K36M- and H3.1K36M-mutant cells. The reprogramming of H3K36 methylation and enhancers was depended on the specific loci at which H3.3K36M and H3.1K36M were incorporated. Moreover, targeting H3K36M-mutant proteins to the chromatin inhibited the H3K36 methylation locally. Taken together, these results highlight the roles of the chromatic localization of H3.3K36M-mutant protein in the reprogramming of the epigenome and the subsequent induction of tumorigenesis, and shed light on the molecular mechanisms by which the H3K36M mutation mainly occurs in histone H3.3 in chondroblastomas.

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