Autism-like social deficit generated by Dock4 deficiency is rescued by restoration of Rac1 activity and NMDA receptor function.
Mol Psychiatry
; 26(5): 1505-1519, 2021 05.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-31388105
ABSTRACT
Genetic studies of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have revealed multigene variations that converge on synaptic dysfunction. DOCK4, a gene at 7q31.1 that encodes the Rac1 guanine nucleotide exchange factor Dock4, has been identified as a risk gene for ASD and other neuropsychiatric disorders. However, whether and how Dock4 disruption leads to ASD features through a synaptic mechanism remain unexplored. We generated and characterized a line of Dock4 knockout (KO) mice, which intriguingly displayed a series of ASD-like behaviors, including impaired social novelty preference, abnormal isolation-induced pup vocalizations, elevated anxiety, and perturbed object and spatial learning. Mice with conditional deletion of Dock4 in hippocampal CA1 recapitulated social preference deficit in KO mice. Examination in CA1 pyramidal neurons revealed that excitatory synaptic transmission was drastically attenuated in KO mice, accompanied by decreased spine density and synaptic content of AMPA (α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid)- and NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate)-type glutamate receptors. Moreover, Dock4 deficiency markedly reduced Rac1 activity in the hippocampus, which resulted in downregulation of global protein synthesis and diminished expression of AMPA and NMDA receptor subunits. Notably, Rac1 replenishment in the hippocampal CA1 of Dock4 KO mice restored excitatory synaptic transmission and corrected impaired social deficits in these mice, and pharmacological activation of NMDA receptors also restored social novelty preference in Dock4 KO mice. Together, our findings uncover a previously unrecognized Dock4-Rac1-dependent mechanism involved in regulating hippocampal excitatory synaptic transmission and social behavior.
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Trastorno Autístico
/
Neuropéptidos
/
Receptores de N-Metil-D-Aspartato
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Proteína de Unión al GTP rac1
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Proteínas Activadoras de GTPasa
/
Trastorno del Espectro Autista
Tipo de estudio:
Prognostic_studies
Límite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Mol Psychiatry
Asunto de la revista:
BIOLOGIA MOLECULAR
/
PSIQUIATRIA
Año:
2021
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
China