Project description:Gray matter volume in the cerebral cortex has been consistently found to be decreased in patients with schizophrenia. The superior temporal gyrus (STG) is one of the cortical regions that exhibit the most pronounced volumetric reduction. This reduction is generally thought to reflect, at least in part, decreased number of synapses; the majority of these synapses are believed to be furnished by glutamatergic axon terminals onto the dendritic spines on pyramidal neurons. Pyramidal neurons in the cerebral cortex exhibit layer-specific connectional properties, providing neural circuit structures that support distinct aspects of higher cortical functions. For instance, dendritic spines on pyramidal neurons in layer 3 of the cerebral cortex are targeted by both local and long-range glutamatergic projections in a highly reciprocal fashion. Synchronized activities of pyramidal neuronal networks, especially in the gamma frequency band (i.e. 30-100 Hz), are critical for the integrity of higher cortical functions. Disturbances of these networks may contribute to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia by compromising gamma oscillation. This concept is supported by the following postmortem and clinical observations. First, the density of dendritic spines on pyramidal neurons in layer 3 of the cerebral cortex, including the STG, have been shown to be significantly decreased by 23-66% in subjects with schizophrenia. Second, consistent with these findings, the average somal area of these pyramidal cells is significantly smaller. Third, we have recently found that, in the prefrontal cortex, the density of glutamatergic axonal boutons, of which dendritic spines are their major targets, was significantly decreased by as much as 79% in layer 3 (but not layer 5) in subjects with schizophrenia. Finally, an increasing number of clinical studies have consistently demonstrated that gamma oscillatory synchrony is profoundly impaired in patients with schizophrenia. Furthermore, gamma impairment has been linked to the symptoms and cognitive deficits of the illness and the severity of these symptoms and deficits have in turn been associated with the magnitude of cortical gray matter reduction. Taken together, understanding the molecular underpinnings of pyramidal cell dysfunction will shed important light onto the pathophysiology of cortical dysfunction of schizophrenia. In order to gain insight into the molecular determinants of pyramidal cell dysfunction in schizophrenia, we combined LCM with Affymetrix microarray and high-throughput TaqManM-BM-.-based MegaPlex qRT-PCR approaches, respectively, to elucidate the alterations in messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) and microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles of these neurons in layer 3 of the STG. We found that transforming growth factor beta (TGFM-NM-2) and BMP (bone morphogenetic proteins) signaling pathways and many genes that regulate extracellular matrix (ECM), apoptosis and cytoskeleton were dysregulated in schizophrenia. In addition, we identified 10 miRNAs that were differentially expressed in this illness; interestingly, the predicted targets of these miRNAs included the dysregulated pathways and gene networks identified by microarray analysis. Together these findings provide a neurobiological framework within which we can begin to formulate and test specific hypotheses about the molecular mechanisms that underlie pyramidal cell dysfunction in schizophrenia. Gene epxression microarray from RNA isolated from pyramidal cells in layer III of the STG from 9 normal controls and 9 subjects with schizophrenia. There was no significant difference between diagnosis groups for age, sex, and post mortem interval (PMI).

Project description:Many forms of synaptic plasticity are critically dependent upon production of cGMP to trigger activity-dependent increases in synaptic size and strength. Phosphodiesterase 9A (PDE9A) is a high affinity, cGMP-specific phosphodiesterase with widespread distribution in the central nervous system. Inhibition of PDE9A results in significant accumulation of cGMP in brain tissue and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of rodents, and increases CSF cGMP in human volunteers. We hypothesized that chronic exposure to a PDE9A inhibitor, and the associated elevations in brain cGMP could provide a therapeutic benefit to vulnerable synapses chronically exposed to Aβ in transgenic mice over-expressing human mutant amyloid precursor protein (Tg2576 mice). A total of N=20 animals per group of 4 month old Tg2576 mice and non-transgenic littermates (WT) were implanted with Alzet osmotic minipumps to deliver vehicle or the PDE9A inhibitor PF-04447943. Neurobehavioral outcomes were measured as conditioned fear response after 28 days of treatment and subsequently brains were harvested for measurement of Aβ, gene expression profiling or synaptic density as assessed by Golgi staining of dendrites. Dendritic spine density on apical dendrites of CA1 neurons exhibited a small but significant deficit in the density of dendritic spines in vehicle treated Tg2576 mice as compared to WT mice. This deficit was ameliorated by 30 days of exposure to PF-04447943. No significant drug effect was observed in WT mice. No significant effects of drug treatment were observed on Aβ levels in Tg2576 mice. Behavioral analysis of Tg2576 mice showed deficits in fear conditioning as early as 2 months old, and therefore were considered unlikely to be due to the accumulation of oligomeric Aβ. These deficits were not affected by drug treatment. Transcriptional profiles of Tg2576 mice treated with drug compared to vehicle showed evidence of regulation of pathways related to synaptic plasticity and remodeling of the dendritic cytoskeleton, consistent with stabilization of vulnerable spine structure. These data supports the hypothesis that PDE9A inhibition can stabilize vulnerable synapses early in the Alzheimer’s disease process. 4-month old Tg2576 mice and non-transgenic (WT) littermates were implanted with minipumps to deliver vehicle or the PDE9A-inhibitor, PF-04447943, for 28 days. At the end of the study, hippocampus and frontal cortex were dissected from n=8 mice per group, RNA was isolated, and hybridized to Affymetrix 430 2.0 mouse whole genome microarray.

Project description:Many forms of synaptic plasticity are critically dependent upon production of cGMP to trigger activity-dependent increases in synaptic size and strength. Phosphodiesterase 9A (PDE9A) is a high affinity, cGMP-specific phosphodiesterase with widespread distribution in the central nervous system. Inhibition of PDE9A results in significant accumulation of cGMP in brain tissue and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of rodents, and increases CSF cGMP in human volunteers. We hypothesized that chronic exposure to a PDE9A inhibitor, and the associated elevations in brain cGMP could provide a therapeutic benefit to vulnerable synapses chronically exposed to Aβ in transgenic mice over-expressing human mutant amyloid precursor protein (Tg2576 mice). A total of N=20 animals per group of 4 month old Tg2576 mice and non-transgenic littermates (WT) were implanted with Alzet osmotic minipumps to deliver vehicle or the PDE9A inhibitor PF-04447943. Neurobehavioral outcomes were measured as conditioned fear response after 28 days of treatment and subsequently brains were harvested for measurement of Aβ, gene expression profiling or synaptic density as assessed by Golgi staining of dendrites. Dendritic spine density on apical dendrites of CA1 neurons exhibited a small but significant deficit in the density of dendritic spines in vehicle treated Tg2576 mice as compared to WT mice. This deficit was ameliorated by 30 days of exposure to PF-04447943. No significant drug effect was observed in WT mice. No significant effects of drug treatment were observed on Aβ levels in Tg2576 mice. Behavioral analysis of Tg2576 mice showed deficits in fear conditioning as early as 2 months old, and therefore were considered unlikely to be due to the accumulation of oligomeric Aβ. These deficits were not affected by drug treatment. Transcriptional profiles of Tg2576 mice treated with drug compared to vehicle showed evidence of regulation of pathways related to synaptic plasticity and remodeling of the dendritic cytoskeleton, consistent with stabilization of vulnerable spine structure. These data supports the hypothesis that PDE9A inhibition can stabilize vulnerable synapses early in the Alzheimer’s disease process.

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Activity-induced Nr4a1 regulates spine density and distribution pattern of excitatory synapses in pyramidal neurons

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