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Angel D, Tsutiya A, Hayani H, Madencioglu D, Kul E, Caliskan G, Demiray YE, Dityatev A, Stork O. The Serine/Threonine Kinase NDR2 Regulates Integrin Signaling, Synapse Formation, and Synaptic Plasticity in the Hippocampus. J Neurochem 2025; 169:e70094. [PMID: 40439020 PMCID: PMC12120816 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.70094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2024] [Revised: 04/03/2025] [Accepted: 05/11/2025] [Indexed: 06/02/2025]
Abstract
Nuclear Dbf2-related (NDR) kinases are core components of the Hippo pathway, which controls neuronal polarity and neurite growth in the central nervous system (CNS). NDR2 is the principal NDR kinase in the mouse CNS, where it has been shown to regulate integrin-dependent dendritic branching as well as growth and plasticity in hippocampal mossy fibers. Given the well-established involvement of integrins in plasticity, we hypothesized that NDR2 might regulate synapse formation and plasticity through integrin-mediated mechanisms. In this study, using constitutive NDR2 null mutant mice, we demonstrate that Ndr2 deficiency leads to a reduction of T788/789 phosphorylated β1 integrin expression at synaptic sites both in the hippocampal area CA1 and in primary hippocampal neurons in vitro. This reduction is associated with decreased synaptic density in both conditions and accompanied by reduced long-term potentiation in the synapses between Schaffer collaterals/commissural fibers and CA1 pyramidal cells, which could be restored by activation of integrins with an arginine-glycine-aspartate-containing peptide, as well as with mild spatial memory deficits. Together, our results suggest that NDR2 is involved in integrin-dependent synapse formation and plasticity in the mouse hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Del Angel
- Department of Genetics & Molecular NeurobiologyInstitute of Biology, Otto‐Von‐Guericke UniversityMagdeburgGermany
| | - Atsuhiro Tsutiya
- Department of Genetics & Molecular NeurobiologyInstitute of Biology, Otto‐Von‐Guericke UniversityMagdeburgGermany
| | - Hussam Hayani
- Molecular Neuroplasticity GroupGerman Center for Neurodegenerative DiseasesMagdeburgGermany
| | - Deniz Madencioglu
- Department of Genetics & Molecular NeurobiologyInstitute of Biology, Otto‐Von‐Guericke UniversityMagdeburgGermany
| | - Emre Kul
- Department of Genetics & Molecular NeurobiologyInstitute of Biology, Otto‐Von‐Guericke UniversityMagdeburgGermany
| | - Gürsel Caliskan
- Department of Genetics & Molecular NeurobiologyInstitute of Biology, Otto‐Von‐Guericke UniversityMagdeburgGermany
- Center for Behavioural Brain SciencesMagdeburgGermany
| | - Yunus Emre Demiray
- Department of Genetics & Molecular NeurobiologyInstitute of Biology, Otto‐Von‐Guericke UniversityMagdeburgGermany
| | - Alexander Dityatev
- Molecular Neuroplasticity GroupGerman Center for Neurodegenerative DiseasesMagdeburgGermany
- Center for Behavioural Brain SciencesMagdeburgGermany
- Medical FacultyOtto‐Von‐Guericke UniversityMagdeburgGermany
| | - Oliver Stork
- Department of Genetics & Molecular NeurobiologyInstitute of Biology, Otto‐Von‐Guericke UniversityMagdeburgGermany
- Center for Behavioural Brain SciencesMagdeburgGermany
- Center for Intervention and Research on Adaptive and Maladaptive Brain Circuits Underlying Mental Health (C‐I‐R‐C)Jena‐Magdeburg‐HalleGermany
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG)Site Jena‐Magdeburg‐HalleGermany
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Shao X, Volk L. PICK1 links KIBRA and AMPA receptor subunit GluA2 in coiled-coil-driven supramolecular complexes. J Biol Chem 2025; 301:108397. [PMID: 40074086 PMCID: PMC12136796 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2025.108397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2025] [Accepted: 02/26/2025] [Indexed: 03/14/2025] Open
Abstract
The human memory-associated protein KIBRA regulates synaptic plasticity and trafficking of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA)-type glutamate receptors, and is implicated in multiple neuropsychiatric and cognitive disorders. How KIBRA forms complexes with and regulates AMPA receptors remains unclear. Here, we show that KIBRA does not interact directly with the AMPA receptor subunit GluA2, but that protein interacting with C kinase 1 (PICK1), a key regulator of AMPA receptor trafficking, can serve as a bridge between KIBRA and GluA2. In contrast, KIBRA can form a complex with GluA1 independent of PICK1. We identified structural determinants of KIBRA-PICK1-AMPAR complexes by investigating interactions and cellular expression patterns of different combinations of KIBRA and PICK1 domain mutants. We find that the PICK1 BAR domain, a coiled-coil structure, is sufficient for interaction with KIBRA, whereas mutation of the PICK1 BAR domain disrupts KIBRA-PICK1-GluA2 complex formation. In addition, KIBRA recruits PICK1 into large supramolecular complexes, a process which requires KIBRA coiled-coil domains. These findings reveal molecular mechanisms by which KIBRA can organize key synaptic signaling complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Shao
- Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Lenora Volk
- Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA; Department of Psychiatry, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA; Peter O'Donnell Jr Brain Institute Investigator, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA.
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Liu FW, Zhang XR, Cong YF, Liu YM, Zhang HT, Hou XQ. From postsynaptic neurons to astrocytes: the link between glutamate metabolism, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Rev Neurosci 2025:revneuro-2024-0143. [PMID: 40101161 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2024-0143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2025] [Indexed: 03/20/2025]
Abstract
Glutamate is not only the main excitatory neurotransmitter of the human central nervous system, but also a potent neurotoxin. Therefore, maintaining low-dose, non-toxic extracellular glutamate concentrations between synapses to ensure the reliability of synaptic transmission is essential for maintaining normal physiological functions of neurons. More and more studies have confirmed that the specific pathogenesis of central nervous system diseases (such as Alzheimer's disease) caused by neuronal damage or death due to abnormal inter-synaptic glutamate concentration may be related to the abnormal function of excitatory amino acid transporter proteins and glutamine synthetase on astrocytes, and that the abnormal expression and function of the above two proteins may be related to the transcription, translation, and even modification of both by the process of transcription, translation, and even modification of astrocytes. oxidative stress, and inflammatory responses occurring in astrocytes during their transcription, translation and even modification. Therefore, in this review, we mainly discuss the relationship between glutamate metabolism (from postsynaptic neurons to astrocytes), Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease in recent years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fu-Wang Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Institute of Materia Medica, 518873 Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences , Jinan, Shandong, 250117, P.R. China
| | - Xue-Rui Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Institute of Materia Medica, 518873 Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences , Jinan, Shandong, 250117, P.R. China
| | - Yi-Fan Cong
- Department of Pharmacy, Central Hospital of Wuhan, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430014, P.R. China
| | - Yan-Man Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Institute of Materia Medica, 518873 Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences , Jinan, Shandong, 250117, P.R. China
| | - Han-Ting Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266073, P.R. China
| | - Xue-Qin Hou
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Institute of Materia Medica, 518873 Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences , Jinan, Shandong, 250117, P.R. China
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Chatzifrangkeskou M, Stanly T, Koennig D, Campos-Soares L, Eyres M, Hasson A, Perdiou A, Vendrell I, Fischer R, Das S, Gardner S, Go S, Futcher B, Newton A, Skourides P, Szele F, O’Neill E. ATR-hippo drives force signaling to nuclear F-actin and links mechanotransduction to neurological disorders. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2025; 11:eadr5683. [PMID: 39951537 PMCID: PMC11827640 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adr5683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2025] [Indexed: 02/16/2025]
Abstract
The mechanical environment is sensed through cell-matrix contacts with the cytoskeleton, but how signals transit the nuclear envelope to affect cell fate decisions remains unknown. Nuclear actin coordinates chromatin motility during differentiation and genome maintenance, yet it remains unclear how nuclear actin responds to mechanical force. The DNA-damage kinase ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related protein (ATR) translocates to the nuclear envelope to protect the nucleus during cell motility or compression. Here, we show that ATR drives nuclear actin assembly via recruitment of Filamin-A to the inner nuclear membrane through binding of the hippo pathway scaffold and ATR substrate, RASSF1A. Moreover, we demonstrate how germline RASSF1 mutation disables nuclear mechanotransduction resulting in cerebral cortex thinning and associates with common psychological traits. Thus, defective mechanical-regulated pathways may contribute to complex neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Chatzifrangkeskou
- Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, 2109 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Tess Stanly
- Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK
| | - Delia Koennig
- Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK
| | - Luana Campos-Soares
- Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK
- Department Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK
| | - Michael Eyres
- Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK
| | - Alexander Hasson
- Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK
| | - Alexandra Perdiou
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, 2109 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Iolanda Vendrell
- Target Discovery Institute, Centre for Medicines Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Roman Fischer
- Target Discovery Institute, Centre for Medicines Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Sayoni Das
- PrecisionLife, Bankside, Long Hanborough, Oxford OX29 8LJ, UK
| | - Steve Gardner
- PrecisionLife, Bankside, Long Hanborough, Oxford OX29 8LJ, UK
| | - Simei Go
- Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK
| | - Ben Futcher
- Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK
| | - Ashley Newton
- Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK
| | - Paris Skourides
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, 2109 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Francis Szele
- Department Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK
| | - Eric O’Neill
- Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK
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Dunham TL, Wilkerson JR, Johnson RC, Huganir RL, Volk LJ. WWC2 modulates GABA A-receptor-mediated synaptic transmission, revealing class-specific mechanisms of synapse regulation by WWC family proteins. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114841. [PMID: 39388350 PMCID: PMC11913214 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 07/22/2024] [Accepted: 09/21/2024] [Indexed: 10/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The WW and C2 domain-containing protein (WWC2) is implicated in several neurological disorders. Here, we demonstrate that WWC2 interacts with inhibitory, but not excitatory, postsynaptic scaffolds, consistent with prior proteomic identification of WWC2 as a putative component of the inhibitory postsynaptic density. Using mice lacking WWC2 expression in excitatory forebrain neurons, we show that WWC2 suppresses γ-aminobutyric acid type-A receptor (GABAAR) incorporation into the plasma membrane and regulates HAP1 and GRIP1, which form a complex promoting GABAAR recycling to the membrane. Inhibitory synaptic transmission is increased in CA1 pyramidal cells lacking WWC2. Furthermore, unlike the WWC2 homolog KIBRA (kidney/brain protein; WWC1), a key regulator of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR) trafficking at excitatory synapses, the deletion of WWC2 does not affect synaptic AMPAR expression. In contrast, loss of KIBRA does not affect GABAAR membrane expression. These data reveal synapse class-selective functions for WWC proteins as regulators of ionotropic neurotransmitter receptors and provide insight into mechanisms regulating GABAAR membrane expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas L Dunham
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Julia R Wilkerson
- Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Richard C Johnson
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Richard L Huganir
- Department of Neuroscience, Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Lenora J Volk
- Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Psychiatry UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
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Papassotiropoulos A, de Quervain DJF. Tweaking synaptic plasticity: Deciphering the role of WWC1 in memory opens new therapeutic horizons. Sci Signal 2024; 17:eadp5354. [PMID: 38917220 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.adp5354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
WWC1 is a scaffolding protein in the evolutionarily conserved Hippo signaling network and is genetically linked to human memory and synaptic plasticity. In the archives of Science Signaling, Stepan et al. demonstrate the translational potential of modulating WWC1 through pharmacological inhibition of Hippo-pathway kinases to enhance cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Papassotiropoulos
- Division of Molecular Neuroscience, Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, CH-4055 Basel, Switzerland
- Research Cluster Molecular and Cognitive Neurosciences, University of Basel, CH-4055 Basel, Switzerland
- Psychiatric University Clinics, University of Basel, CH-4055 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Dominique J-F de Quervain
- Research Cluster Molecular and Cognitive Neurosciences, University of Basel, CH-4055 Basel, Switzerland
- Psychiatric University Clinics, University of Basel, CH-4055 Basel, Switzerland
- Division of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, CH-4055 Basel, Switzerland
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