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Wang X, Lin D, Jiang J, Liu Y, Dong X, Fan J, Gong L, Shen W, Zeng L, Xu T, Jiang K, Connor SA, Xie Y. MDGA2 Constrains Glutamatergic Inputs Selectively onto CA1 Pyramidal Neurons to Optimize Neural Circuits for Plasticity, Memory, and Social Behavior. Neurosci Bull 2024:10.1007/s12264-023-01171-1. [PMID: 38321347 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-023-01171-1] [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: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Synapse organizers are essential for the development, transmission, and plasticity of synapses. Acting as rare synapse suppressors, the MAM domain containing glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor (MDGA) proteins contributes to synapse organization by inhibiting the formation of the synaptogenic neuroligin-neurexin complex. A previous analysis of MDGA2 mice lacking a single copy of Mdga2 revealed upregulated glutamatergic synapses and behaviors consistent with autism. However, MDGA2 is expressed in diverse cell types and is localized to both excitatory and inhibitory synapses. Differentiating the network versus cell-specific effects of MDGA2 loss-of-function requires a cell-type and brain region-selective strategy. To address this, we generated mice harboring a conditional knockout of Mdga2 restricted to CA1 pyramidal neurons. Here we report that MDGA2 suppresses the density and function of excitatory synapses selectively on pyramidal neurons in the mature hippocampus. Conditional deletion of Mdga2 in CA1 pyramidal neurons of adult mice upregulated miniature and spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic potentials, vesicular glutamate transporter 1 intensity, and neuronal excitability. These effects were limited to glutamatergic synapses as no changes were detected in miniature and spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic potential properties or vesicular GABA transporter intensity. Functionally, evoked basal synaptic transmission and AMPAR receptor currents were enhanced at glutamatergic inputs. At a behavioral level, memory appeared to be compromised in Mdga2 cKO mice as both novel object recognition and contextual fear conditioning performance were impaired, consistent with deficits in long-term potentiation in the CA3-CA1 pathway. Social affiliation, a behavioral analog of social deficits in autism, was similarly compromised. These results demonstrate that MDGA2 confines the properties of excitatory synapses to CA1 neurons in mature hippocampal circuits, thereby optimizing this network for plasticity, cognition, and social behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuehui Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
- Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou, 310052, China
| | - Donghui Lin
- Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou, 310052, China
| | - Jie Jiang
- Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou, 310052, China
- Department of Biology, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Yuhua Liu
- School of Life Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
- Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou, 310052, China
| | - Xinyan Dong
- Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou, 310052, China
| | - Jianchen Fan
- Key Laboratory of Novel Targets and Drug Study for Neural Repair of Zhejiang Province, School of Medicine, Hangzhou City University, Hangzhou, 310015, China
| | - Lifen Gong
- Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou, 310052, China
| | - Weida Shen
- Key Laboratory of Novel Targets and Drug Study for Neural Repair of Zhejiang Province, School of Medicine, Hangzhou City University, Hangzhou, 310015, China
| | - Linghui Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Novel Targets and Drug Study for Neural Repair of Zhejiang Province, School of Medicine, Hangzhou City University, Hangzhou, 310015, China
| | - Tonghui Xu
- School of Life Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
| | - Kewen Jiang
- Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou, 310052, China.
| | - Steven A Connor
- Department of Biology, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, Canada.
| | - Yicheng Xie
- School of Life Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China.
- Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou, 310052, China.
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Li HL, Guo RJ, Ai ZR, Han S, Guan Y, Li JF, Wang Y. Upregulation of Spinal MDGA1 in Rats After Nerve Injury Alters Interactions Between Neuroligin-2 and Postsynaptic Scaffolding Proteins and Increases GluR1 Subunit Surface Delivery in the Spinal Cord Dorsal Horn. Neurochem Res 2024; 49:507-518. [PMID: 37955815 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-023-04049-w] [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: 08/20/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies suggested that postsynaptic neuroligin-2 may shift from inhibitory toward excitatory function under pathological pain conditions. We hypothesize that nerve injury may increase the expression of spinal MAM-domain GPI-anchored molecule 1 (MDGA1), which can bind to neuroligin-2 and thereby, alter its interactions with postsynaptic scaffolding proteins and increase spinal excitatory synaptic transmission, leading to neuropathic pain. Western blot, immunofluorescence staining, and co-immunoprecipitation studies were conducted to examine the critical role of MDGA1 in the lumbar spinal cord dorsal horn in rats after spinal nerve ligation (SNL). Small interfering ribonucleic acids (siRNAs) targeting MDGA1 were used to examine the functional roles of MDGA1 in neuropathic pain. Protein levels of MDGA1 in the ipsilateral dorsal horn were significantly upregulated at day 7 post-SNL, as compared to that in naïve or sham rats. The increased levels of GluR1 in the synaptosomal membrane fraction of the ipsilateral dorsal horn tissues at day 7 post-SNL was normalized to near sham level by pretreatment with intrathecal MDGA1 siRNA2308, but not scrambled siRNA or vehicle. Notably, knocking down MDGA1 with siRNAs reduced the mechanical and thermal pain hypersensitivities, and inhibited the increased excitatory synaptic interaction between neuroligin-2 with PSD-95, and prevented the decreased inhibitory postsynaptic interactions between neuroligin-2 and Gephyrin. Our findings suggest that SNL upregulated MDGA1 expression in the dorsal horn, which contributes to the pain hypersensitivity through increasing the net excitatory interaction mediated by neuroligin-2 and surface delivery of GluR1 subunit in dorsal horn neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Li Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 95, Yongan Road, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Rui-Juan Guo
- Department of Anesthesiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 95, Yongan Road, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Zhang-Ran Ai
- Department of Anesthesiology, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100020, China
| | - Song Han
- Department of Neurobiology, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Yun Guan
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Jun-Fa Li
- Department of Neurobiology, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Yun Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 95, Yongan Road, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100050, China.
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Connor SA, Siddiqui TJ. Synapse organizers as molecular codes for synaptic plasticity. Trends Neurosci 2023; 46:971-985. [PMID: 37652840 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2023.08.001] [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: 05/21/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Synapse organizing proteins are multifaceted molecules that coordinate the complex processes of brain development and plasticity at the level of individual synapses. Their importance is demonstrated by the major brain disorders that emerge when their function is compromised. The mechanisms whereby the various families of organizers govern synapses are diverse, but converge on the structure, function, and plasticity of synapses. Therefore, synapse organizers regulate how synapses adapt to ongoing activity, a process central for determining the developmental trajectory of the brain and critical to all forms of cognition. Here, we explore how synapse organizers set the conditions for synaptic plasticity and the associated molecular events, which eventually link to behavioral features of neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders. We also propose central questions on how synapse organizers influence network function through integrating nanoscale and circuit-level organization of the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven A Connor
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada.
| | - Tabrez J Siddiqui
- PrairieNeuro Research Centre, Kleysen Institute for Advanced Medicine, Health Sciences Centre, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0Z3, Canada; Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada; The Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3P4, Canada; Program in Biomedical Engineering, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
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Bemben MA, Sandoval M, Le AA, Won S, Chau VN, Lauterborn JC, Incontro S, Li KH, Burlingame AL, Roche KW, Gall CM, Nicoll RA, Diaz-Alonso J. Contrastsing synaptic roles of MDGA1 and MDGA2. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.25.542333. [PMID: 37720016 PMCID: PMC10503827 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.25.542333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental disorders are frequently linked to mutations in synaptic organizing molecules. MAM domain containing glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor 1 and 2 (MDGA1 and MDGA2) are a family of synaptic organizers suggested to play an unusual role as synaptic repressors, but studies offer conflicting evidence for their localization. Using epitope-tagged MDGA1 and MDGA2 knock-in mice, we found that native MDGAs are expressed throughout the brain, peaking early in postnatal development. Surprisingly, endogenous MDGA1 was enriched at excitatory, but not inhibitory, synapses. Both shRNA knockdown and CRISPR/Cas9 knockout of MDGA1 resulted in cell-autonomous, specific impairment of AMPA receptor-mediated synaptic transmission, without affecting GABAergic transmission. Conversely, MDGA2 knockdown/knockout selectively depressed NMDA receptor-mediated transmission but enhanced inhibitory transmission. Our results establish that MDGA2 acts as a synaptic repressor, but only at inhibitory synapses, whereas both MDGAs are required for excitatory transmission. This nonoverlapping division of labor between two highly conserved synaptic proteins is unprecedented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A. Bemben
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Matthew Sandoval
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of California at Irvine, CA, 92617, USA
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California at Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Aliza A. Le
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of California at Irvine, CA, 92617, USA
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California at Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Sehoon Won
- Receptor Biology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Vivian N. Chau
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of California at Irvine, CA, 92617, USA
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California at Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Julie C. Lauterborn
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of California at Irvine, CA, 92617, USA
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California at Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Salvatore Incontro
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Present address: Unité de Neurobiologie des canaux Ioniques et de la Synapse (UNIS), UMR1072, INSERM, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, 13015, France
| | - Kathy H. Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Alma L. Burlingame
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Katherine W. Roche
- Receptor Biology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Christine M. Gall
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of California at Irvine, CA, 92617, USA
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California at Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Roger A. Nicoll
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Department of Physiology, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Javier Diaz-Alonso
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of California at Irvine, CA, 92617, USA
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California at Irvine, CA, USA
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Lim D, Kim D, Um JW, Ko J. Reassessing synaptic adhesion pathways. Trends Neurosci 2022; 45:517-528. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2022.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
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