BackgroundAlthough the neurobiological basis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is not fully understood, recent studies have indicated the potential role of GABAA receptors in the pathophysiology of ASD. GABAA receptors play a crucial role in various neurodevelopmental processes and adult neuroplasticity. However, the mechanism(s) of regulation of GABAA receptors in ASD remains poorly understood.MethodsPostmortem middle frontal gyrus tissues (13 ASD and 13 control subjects) were used. In vitro studies were performed in primary cortical neurons at days in vitro (DIV) 14. The protein levels were examined by western blotting. Immunofluorescence studies were employed for cellular localization. The gene expression was determined by RT-PCR array and qRT-PCR.ResultsA significant decrease in GABAAα1 protein, but not mRNA levels was found in the middle frontal gyrus of ASD subjects indicating a post-translational regulation of GABAA receptors in ASD. At the cellular level, treatment with proteasomal inhibitor, MG132, or lactacystin significantly increased GABAAα1 protein levels and Lys48-linked polyubiquitination of GABAAα1, but reduced proteasome activity in mouse primary cortical neurons (DIV 14 from E16 embryos). Moreover, treatment with betulinic acid, a proteasome activator significantly decreased GABAAα1 protein levels in cortical neurons indicating the role of polyubiquitination of GABAAα1 proteins with their subsequent proteasomal degradation in cortical neurons. Ubiquitination specific RT-PCR array followed by western blot analysis revealed a significant increase in SYVN1, an endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-associated degradation (ERAD) E3 ubiquitin ligase in the middle frontal gyrus of ASD subjects. In addition, the inhibition of proteasomal activity by MG132 increased the expression of GABAAα1 in the ER. The siRNA knockdown of SYVN1 significantly increased GABAAα1 protein levels in cortical neurons. Moreover, reduced association between SYVN1 and GABAAα1 was found in the middle frontal gyrus of ASD subjects.ConclusionsSYVN1 plays a critical role as an E3 ligase in the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS)-mediated GABAAα1 degradation. Thus, inhibition of the ubiquitin-proteasome-mediated GABAAα1 degradation may be an important mechanism for preventing GABAAα1 turnover to maintain GABAAα1 levels and GABA signaling in ASD.

Serotonin (5-HT) and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) are two signaling molecules that play important regulatory roles in the development and plasticity of neural circuits that are known to be altered in depression. However, the mechanism by which 5-HT regulates BDNF signaling is unknown. In the present study, we found that 5-HT treatment increases BDNF receptor, TrkB (tropomyosin related kinase B) levels in mouse primary cortical neurons via a Rac1 (RAS-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1)-dependent mechanism. Significant increases in the levels of transglutaminase 2 (TG2, which is implicated in transamidation of 5-HT to Rac1) are observed in the mouse prefrontal cortex (PFC) following chronic exposure to stress. We also found that TG2 levels are increased in the postmortem PFC of depressed suicide subjects relative to matched controls. Moreover, in mice, neuronal overexpression of TG2 resulted in the atrophy of neurons and reduced levels of TrkB in the PFC as well as a depressive-like phenotype. Overexpression of TG2 in mouse cortical neurons reduced TrkB levels as a result of impaired endocytosis of TrkB. TG2 inhibition by either a viral particle or pharmacological approach attenuated behavioral deficits caused by chronic unpredictable stress. Moreover, the overexpression of TrkB in the mouse PFC ameliorated the depressive-like phenotype of TG2 overexpressed mice. Taken together, these postmortem and preclinical findings identify TG2 as a critical mediator of the altered TrkB expression and depressive-like behaviors associated with chronic exposure to stress and suggest that TG2 may represent a novel therapeutic target in depression.

No abstract