Substance abuse increases an individual's vulnerability to stress-related illnesses, which is presumably mediated by drug-induced neural adaptations that alter subsequent responses to stress. Here, ...we identify repressive histone methylation in nucleus accumbens (NAc), an important brain reward region, as a key mechanism linking cocaine exposure to increased stress vulnerability. Repeated cocaine administration prior to subchronic social defeat stress potentiated depressive-like behaviors in mice through decreased levels of histone H3 lysine 9 dimethylation in NAc. Cre-mediated reduction of the histone methyltransferase, G9a, in NAc promoted increased susceptibility to social stress, similar to that observed with repeated cocaine. Conversely, G9a overexpression in NAc after repeated cocaine protected mice from the consequences of subsequent stress. This resilience was mediated, in part, through repression of BDNF-TrkB-CREB signaling, which was induced after repeated cocaine or stress. Identifying such common regulatory mechanisms may aid in the development of new therapies for addiction and depression.
► Cocaine exposure enhances vulnerability to chronic social stress ► Histone H3 dimethylation in nucleus accumbens links cocaine to stress vulnerability ► G9a overexpression in NAc after repeated cocaine protects mice from social stress ► Resilience to stress via repression of BDNF-TrkB-CREB signaling
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Depression is a complex, heterogeneous disorder and a leading contributor to the global burden of disease. Most previous research has focused on individual brain regions and genes contributing to ...depression. However, emerging evidence in humans and animal models suggests that dysregulated circuit function and gene expression across multiple brain regions drive depressive phenotypes. Here, we performed RNA sequencing on four brain regions from control animals and those susceptible or resilient to chronic social defeat stress at multiple time points. We employed an integrative network biology approach to identify transcriptional networks and key driver genes that regulate susceptibility to depressive-like symptoms. Further, we validated in vivo several key drivers and their associated transcriptional networks that regulate depression susceptibility and confirmed their functional significance at the levels of gene transcription, synaptic regulation, and behavior. Our study reveals novel transcriptional networks that control stress susceptibility and offers fundamentally new leads for antidepressant drug discovery.
•A large-scale multi-brain region transcriptomic cohort to probe stress susceptibility•Reveals susceptible and resilient transcriptional networks across brain regions•Identifies many novel hub genes that emerge in susceptible mice•In vivo validation of key regulators at molecular, synaptic, and behavioral levels
Molecular mechanisms of dysregulated circuit function in depression are poorly understood. Employing integrative network analysis of large-scale RNA sequencing data, Bagot et al. identify distinct inter-regional transcriptional networks regulating depression susceptibility versus resilience. In vivo validation of networks suggests novel antidepressant targets.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Traumatic events generate some of the most enduring forms of memories. Despite the elevated lifetime prevalence of anxiety disorders, effective strategies to attenuate long-term traumatic memories ...are scarce. The most efficacious treatments to diminish recent (i.e., day-old) traumata capitalize on memory updating mechanisms during reconsolidation that are initiated upon memory recall. Here, we show that, in mice, successful reconsolidation-updating paradigms for recent memories fail to attenuate remote (i.e., month-old) ones. We find that, whereas recent memory recall induces a limited period of hippocampal neuroplasticity mediated, in part, by S-nitrosylation of HDAC2 and histone acetylation, such plasticity is absent for remote memories. However, by using an HDAC2-targeting inhibitor (HDACi) during reconsolidation, even remote memories can be persistently attenuated. This intervention epigenetically primes the expression of neuroplasticity-related genes, which is accompanied by higher metabolic, synaptic, and structural plasticity. Thus, applying HDACis during memory reconsolidation might constitute a treatment option for remote traumata.
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•Remote fear memories cannot be attenuated by conventional reconsolidation methods•Recalling remote memories fails to induce histone acetylation-mediated plasticity•HDAC inhibitors reinstate metabolic activity and synaptic and structural plasticity•Applying HDAC inhibitors during reconsolidation stably attenuates remote fears
An HDAC2 inhibitor reinstates synaptic and structural plasticity to stably attenuate remote fear-associated memories.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Early life stress increases risk for depression. Here we establish a “two-hit” stress model in mice wherein stress at a specific postnatal period increases susceptibility to adult social defeat ...stress and causes long-lasting transcriptional alterations that prime the ventral tegmental area (VTA)—a brain reward region—to be in a depression-like state. We identify a role for the developmental transcription factor orthodenticle homeobox 2 (Otx2) as an upstream mediator of these enduring effects. Transient juvenile—but not adult—knockdown of Otx2 in VTA mimics early life stress by increasing stress susceptibility, whereas its overexpression reverses the effects of early life stress. This work establishes a mechanism by which early life stress encodes lifelong susceptibility to stress via long-lasting transcriptional programming in VTA mediated by Otx2.
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BFBNIB, NMLJ, NUK, ODKLJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Inferring the direction of image motion is a fundamental component of visual computation and essential for visually guided behavior. In the retina, the direction of image motion is computed in four ...cardinal directions, but it is not known at which circuit location along the flow of visual information the cardinal direction selectivity first appears. We recorded the concerted activity of the neuronal circuit elements of single direction-selective (DS) retinal ganglion cells at subcellular resolution by combining GCaMP3-functionalized transsynaptic viral tracing and two-photon imaging. While the visually evoked activity of the dendritic segments of the DS cells were direction selective, direction-selective activity was absent in the axon terminals of bipolar cells. Furthermore, the glutamate input to DS cells, recorded using a genetically encoded glutamate sensor, also lacked direction selectivity. Therefore, the first stage in which extraction of a cardinal motion direction occurs is the dendrites of DS cells.
•Dendritic segments of ON direction-selective cells are direction selective•Type-5 bipolar cells are connected to ON direction-selective cells•Activity of bipolar cell axon terminals is not selective for motion direction•Concerted activity within the circuit of a single ON direction-selective cell
Yonehara et al. record the concerted activity of the circuit elements of single direction-selective retinal ganglion cells at subcellular resolution. The first stage in which extraction of a cardinal motion direction occurs is the dendrites of the ganglion cell.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
The formation of long-lasting memories requires coordinated changes in gene expression and protein synthesis. Although many studies implicate DNA modifications (DNA methylation, histone ...modifications) in memory formation, the contributions of RNA modifications remain largely unexplored. Here we investigated the role of mRNA methylation in hippocampal-dependent memory formation in mice. RNA modifications are highly dynamic and readily reversible. Methyltransferases add a methyl group to mRNA while demethylases remove methyl groups. Here we focused on examining the role of the best characterized RNA demethylase, FTO (fat mass and obesity-associated) in memory. We observed that FTO is expressed in the nuclei, dendrites and near dendritic spines of mouse dorsal hippocampal CA1 neurons. Next, we found that contextual fear conditioning transiently (0.5 h) decreased Fto levels in these neurons, with the largest decrease in FTO observed near synapses. The decrease in FTO observed shortly after contextual fear conditioning suggests that FTO normally constrains memory formation. To directly test this, we artificially decreased FTO levels in dorsal hippocampus of otherwise normal (wild-type) mice by microinjecting before training a single herpes simplex virus (HSV) vector expressing either CRISPR/Cas9 or shRNA targeted against Fto. Decreasing FTO using either method specifically enhanced contextual fear memory. Together, these results show the importance of FTO during memory formation and, furthermore, implicate mRNA modification and epi-transcriptomics as novel regulators of memory formation.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Chromatin remodeling by histone deacetylases (HDACs) is a key mechanism regulating behavioral adaptations to cocaine use. We report here that cocaine and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) ...signaling induce the transient nuclear accumulation of HDAC5 in rodent striatum. We show that cAMP-stimulated nuclear import of HDAC5 requires a signaling mechanism that involves transient, protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A)-dependent dephosphorylation of a Cdk5 site (S279) found within the HDAC5 nuclear localization sequence. Dephosphorylation of HDAC5 increases its nuclear accumulation, by accelerating its nuclear import rate and reducing its nuclear export rate. Importantly, we show that dephosphorylation of HDAC5 S279 in the nucleus accumbens suppresses the development, but not expression, of cocaine reward behavior in vivo. Together, our findings reveal a molecular mechanism by which cocaine regulates HDAC5 function to antagonize the rewarding impact of cocaine, likely by putting a brake on drug-stimulated gene expression that supports drug-induced behavioral changes.
► Regulation of HDAC5 NLS function by new Cdk5 site (S279) and opposing PP2A activity ► Cocaine stimulates transient HDAC5 dephosphorylation and nuclear accumulation in vivo ► HDAC5 nuclear import requires coordinated dephosphorylation of multiple sites ► S279 dephosphorylation limits the development, but not expression, of cocaine reward
Taniguchi et al. discover that cocaine and cAMP signaling regulate the transient nuclear accumulation of the histone deacetylase HDAC5. Nuclear HDAC5 limits the development of cocaine reward-associated behaviors, likely by providing a braking mechanism for drug-induced gene expression programs.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Lateral habenula (LHb) neurons convey aversive and negative reward conditions through potent indirect inhibition of ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopaminergic neurons. Although VTA dopaminergic ...neurons reciprocally project to the LHb, the electrophysiological properties and the behavioral consequences associated with selective manipulations of this circuit are unknown. Here, we identify an inhibitory input to the LHb arising from a unique population of VTA neurons expressing dopaminergic markers. Optogenetic activation of this circuit resulted in no detectable dopamine release in LHb brain slices. Instead, stimulation produced GABA-mediated inhibitory synaptic transmission, which suppressed the firing of postsynaptic LHb neurons in brain slices and increased the spontaneous firing rate of VTA dopaminergic neurons in vivo. Furthermore, in vivo activation of this pathway produced reward-related phenotypes that were dependent on intra-LHb GABAA receptor signaling. These results suggest that noncanonical inhibitory signaling by these hybrid dopaminergic-GABAergic neurons act to suppress LHb output under rewarding conditions.
•A unique population of VTA neurons projects to the LHb•These neurons contain DAergic markers, but release GABA to inhibit LHb neurons•Activation of this projection enhances spontaneous midbrain DAergic activity•Activation of this projection is rewarding and is mediated by LHb GABA signaling
Stamatakis et al. demonstrate that a unique population of ventral tegmental area neurons expresses GABAergic and dopaminergic markers and project to the lateral habenula. Functionally, this projection inhibits postsynaptic lateral habenula neurons, via released GABA, to promote reward.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Hypoglycemia engenders an autonomically mediated counterregulatory (CR)-response that stimulates endogenous glucose production to maintain concentrations within an appropriate physiological range. ...Although the involvement of the brain in preserving normoglycemia has been established, the neurocircuitry underlying centrally mediated CR-responses remains unclear. Here we demonstrate that lateral parabrachial nucleus cholecystokinin (CCKLPBN) neurons are a population of glucose-sensing cells (glucose inhibited) with counterregulatory capacity. Furthermore, we reveal that steroidogenic-factor 1 (SF1)-expressing neurons of the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (SF1VMH) are the specific target of CCKLPBN glucoregulatory neurons. This discrete CCKLPBN→SF1VMH neurocircuit is both necessary and sufficient for the induction of CR-responses. Together, these data identify CCKLPBN neurons, and specifically CCK neuropeptide, as glucoregulatory and provide significant insight into the homeostatic mechanisms controlling CR-responses to hypoglycemia.
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•CCKLPBN neurons are glucose inhibited and activated by hypoglycemia•CCKLPBN neurons are necessary and sufficient for counterregulatory (CR)-responses•CCK neuropeptide is the key mediator of CCKLPBN neuron-mediated CR-responses•CCKLPBN neuron-induced CR-responses require downstream SF1VMH neurons
The counterregulatory response (CRR) to hypoglycemia is critical for the maintenance of normoglycemia and governed by the brain. Garfield et al. identify a population of brainstem CCK neurons that directly sense extracellular glucose concentrations and, via their connection to SF1 hypothalamic neurons, promote CRR.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Typical therapies try to reverse pathogenic mechanisms. Here, we describe treatment effects achieved by enhancing depression-causing mechanisms in ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine (DA) neurons. ...In a social defeat stress model of depression, depressed (susceptible) mice display hyperactivity of VTA DA neurons, caused by an up-regulated hyperpolarization-activated current (Ih). Mice resilient to social defeat stress, however, exhibit stable normal firing of these neurons. Unexpectedly, resilient mice had an even larger Ih, which was observed in parallel with increased potassium (K+) channel currents. Experimentally further enhancing Ih or optogenetically increasing the hyperactivity of VTA DA neurons in susceptible mice completely reversed depression-related behaviors, an antidepressant effect achieved through resilience-like, projection-specific homeostatic plasticity. These results indicate a potential therapeutic path of promoting natural resilience for depression treatment.
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BFBNIB, NMLJ, NUK, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
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