Neuroscience
-
Various protein motifs play a key role in regulating protein biogenesis and trafficking. Here, we discovered that three distinct motifs regulate the trafficking of acid-sensing ion channel 1a (ASIC1a), the primary neuronal proton receptor which plays critical roles in neurological diseases including stroke, multiple sclerosis and seizures. Mutating the PDZ binding motif of ASIC1a increased its surface expression and current density. ⋯ These changes were likely due to a change in ASIC1a biogenesis; mutating either the RRGK or KEAKR motif reduced N-glycosylation of ASIC1a while mutating the PDZ binding motif had the opposite effect. Our results demonstrate that these C-terminal motifs are important for ASIC1a trafficking and channel function. In addition, in contrast to multiple previous studies, which all show that K/R containing motifs lead to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) retention, our findings indicate that these motifs can also be required for efficient trafficking.
-
The olfactory bulb (OB) has been recently identified as a circadian oscillator capable of operating independently of the master circadian pacemaker, the suprachiasmatic nuclei of the hypothalamus. OB oscillations manifest as rhythms in clock genes, electrical activity, and odor sensitivity. Dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin have been shown to modulate olfactory information processing by the OB and may be part of the mechanism that underlies diurnal changes in olfactory sensitivity. ⋯ Serotonin and its metabolite hydroxyindoleacetic acid appear to rhythmically fluctuate. Each of these monoamines has been shown to alter OB circuit behavior and influence odor processing. Rhythmic release of serotonin may be a mechanism by which the suprachiasmatic nuclei communicate, indirectly, with the OB.
-
The endocannabinoid system is implicated in the neurobiology of cocaine addiction. This study evaluated the status of cannabinoid (CB) CB1 and CB2 receptors, the endocytic cycle of CB1 receptors, G protein-coupled receptor regulatory kinases (GRK), and associated signaling (mammalian target of rapamicin (mTOR) and 70kDa ribosomal protein S6 kinase (p70S6K)) in brain cortices of drug abusers and cocaine- and cannabinoid-treated rodents. The main results indicate that in cocaine adddicts, but not in mixed cocaine/opiate or opiate abusers, CB1 receptor protein in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) was reduced (-44%, total homogenate) with a concomitant receptor redistribution and/or internalization (decreases in membranes and increases in cytosol). ⋯ Chronic cocaine in mice was associated with tolerance to the acute activation of mTOR and p70S6K. In long-term cocaine addicts, mTOR and p70S6K activations were not altered when compared with controls, indicating that CB1 receptor signaling was dampened. The dysregulation of CB1 receptor, GRK2/3/5, and mTOR/p70S6K signaling by cocaine may contribute to alterations of neuroplasticity and/or neurotoxicity in brains of cocaine addicts.
-
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a prevalent debilitating psychiatric mood that contributes to increased rates of disability and suicide. However, the pathophysiology underlying MDD remains poorly understood. A growing number of studies have associated dysfunction of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) with depression, but no proteomic study has been conducted to assess PFC protein expression in a preclinical model of depression. ⋯ Two of the four differential proteins selected for Western blotting validation - glyoxalase 1 and dihydropyrimidinase-related protein 2 - were found to be significantly downregulated in CUMS relative to control rats. In conclusion, proteomic analysis reveals that energy and glutathione metabolism are the most significantly altered biological pathways in the CUMS rat model of depression. Further investigation on these processes and proteins in the PFC is key to a better understanding of the underlying pathophysiology of MDD.