Gene expression analysis in cortex of CRTC1 deficient mice and WT littermates
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: To identify gene expression changes associated with Crtc1 deficiency, we performed genome-wide transcriptome profile analyses by using mouse cDNA microarrays in the cortex of Crtc1â/â and WT female mice BACKGROUND: Recent studies involve the arginine-decarboxylation product agmatine in mood regulation. Agmatine has antidepressant properties in rodent models of depression, and agmatinase (Agmat), the agmatine-degrading enzyme, is upregulated in the brain of mood disorders patients. We showed that mice lacking CREB-regulated transcription coactivator 1 (CRTC1) associate neurobehavioral and molecular depressive-like endophenotypes, as well as blunted responses to classical antidepressants. METHODS: The molecular basis of the behavioral phenotype of Crtc1â/â mice was further examined using microarray analysis. We characterized Agmat expression in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus (HIP) by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), Western blot (WB) analysis, and confocal immunofluorescence microscopy. The antidepressant effect of agmatine was assessed by the forced swim test (FST). Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels and eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2) phosphorylation were measured by WB. RESULTS: Microarray, qPCR and WB analyses revealed an upregulation of Agmat in Crtc1â/â PFC and HIP, where immunofluorescence microscopy showed more Agmat-expressing cells, notably parvalbumin- and somatostatin-interneurons. Acute agmatine treatment efficiently improved depressive-like behavior of Crtc1â/â mice in the FST, suggesting that exogenous agmatine has a rapid antidepressant effect through the compensation of agmatine deficit induced by upregulated Agmat. In WT mice, agmatine rapidly increased BDNF levels and eEF2 dephosphorylation, indicating that it might be a fastâacting antidepressant with NMDA receptor antagonist properties. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, these findings support the involvement of the agmatinergic system in the depressive-like phenotype of Crtc1â/â mice, and allow a better understanding of the agmatinergic system and its putative role in major depression. RNA from cortex of 5 WT and 5 KO mice was used
ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus
SUBMITTER: Tamara Seredenin
PROVIDER: E-GEOD-80633 | biostudies-arrayexpress |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress
ACCESS DATA