Termination of convulsion seizures by destabilizing and perturbing seizure memory engrams.

Epileptogenesis, arising from alterations in synaptic strength, shares mechanistic and phenotypic parallels with memory formation. However, direct evidence supporting the existence of seizure memory remains scarce. Leveraging a conditioned seizure memory (CSM) paradigm, we found that CSM enabled the environmental cue to trigger seizure repetitively, and activating cue-responding engram cells could generate CSM artificially. Moreover, cue exposure initiated an analogous process of memory reconsolidation driven by mammalian target of rapamycin-brain-derived neurotrophic factor signaling. Pharmacological targeting of the mammalian target of rapamycin pathway within a limited time window reduced seizures in animals and interictal epileptiform discharges in patients with refractory seizures. Our findings reveal a causal link between seizure memory engrams and seizures, which leads us to a deeper understanding of epileptogenesis and points to a promising direction for epilepsy treatment.

Depression-associated gut microbes, metabolites and clinical trials.

Depression is one of the most prevalent mental disorders today. Over the past decade, there has been considerable attention given to the field of gut microbiota associated with depression. A substantial body of research indicates a bidirectional communication pathway between gut microbiota and the brain. In this review, we extensively detail the correlation between gut microbiota, including Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium longum, and metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) concerning depression. Furthermore, we delve into the potential health benefits of microbiome-targeted therapies, encompassing probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics, in alleviating depression. Lastly, we underscore the importance of employing a constraint-based modeling framework in the era of systems medicine to contextualize metabolomic measurements and integrate multi-omics data. This approach can offer valuable insights into the complex metabolic host-microbiota interactions, enabling personalized recommendations for potential biomarkers, novel drugs, and treatments for depression.

Severe deficiency of the voltage-gated sodium channel NaV1.2 elevates neuronal excitability in adult mice.

Scn2a encodes the voltage-gated sodium channel NaV1.2, a main mediator of neuronal action potential firing. The current paradigm suggests that NaV1.2 gain-of-function variants enhance neuronal excitability, resulting in epilepsy, whereas NaV1.2 deficiency impairs neuronal excitability, contributing to autism. However, this paradigm does not explain why ∼20%-30% of individuals with NaV1.2 deficiency still develop seizures. Here, we report the counterintuitive finding that severe NaV1.2 deficiency results in increased neuronal excitability. Using a NaV1.2-deficient mouse model, we show enhanced intrinsic excitability of principal neurons in the prefrontal cortex and striatum, brain regions known to be involved in Scn2a-related seizures. This increased excitability is autonomous and reversible by genetic restoration of Scn2a expression in adult mice. RNA sequencing reveals downregulation of multiple potassium channels, including KV1.1. Correspondingly, KV channel openers alleviate the hyperexcitability of NaV1.2-deficient neurons. This unexpected neuronal hyperexcitability may serve as a cellular basis underlying NaV1.2 deficiency-related seizures.

The structure and unzipping behavior of dumbbell and hairpin DNA revealed by real-time nanopore sensing.

Hairpin structures play an essential role in DNA replication, transcription, and recombination. Single-molecule studies enable the real-time measurement and observation of the energetics and dynamics of hairpin structures, including folding and DNA-protein interactions. Nanopore sensing is emerging as a powerful tool for DNA sensing and sequencing, and previous research into hairpins using an α-hemolysin (α-HL) nanopore suggested that hairpin DNA enters from its stem side. In this work, the translocation and interaction of hairpin and dumbbell DNA samples with varying stems, loops, and toeholds were investigated systematically using a Mycobacterium smegmatis porin A (MspA) nanopore. It was found that these DNA constructs could translocate through the pore under a bias voltage above +80 mV, and blockage events with two conductance states could be observed. The events of the lower blockage were correlated with the loop size of the hairpin or dumbbell DNA (7 nt to 25 nt), which could be attributed to non-specific collisions with the pore, whereas the dwell time of events with the higher blockage were correlated with the stem length, thus indicating effective translocation. Furthermore, dumbbell DNA with and without a stem opening generated different dwell times when driven through the MspA nanopore. Finally, a new strategy based on the dwell time difference was developed to detect single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). These results demonstrated that the unzipping behaviors and DNA-protein interactions of hairpin and dumbbell DNA could be revealed using nanopore technology, and this could be further developed to create sensors for the secondary structures of nucleic acids.

Generation and basic characterization of a gene-trap knockout mouse model of Scn2a with a substantial reduction of voltage-gated sodium channel Nav 1.2 expression.

Large-scale genetic studies revealed SCN2A as one of the most frequently mutated genes in patients with neurodevelopmental disorders. SCN2A encodes for the voltage-gated sodium channel isoform 1.2 (Nav 1.2) expressed in the neurons of the central nervous system. Homozygous knockout (null) of Scn2a in mice is perinatal lethal, whereas heterozygous knockout of Scn2a (Scn2a+/- ) results in mild behavior abnormalities. The Nav 1.2 expression level in Scn2a+/- mice is reported to be around 50-60% of the wild-type (WT) level, which indicates that a close to 50% reduction of Nav 1.2 expression may not be sufficient to lead to major behavioral phenotypes in mice. To overcome this barrier, we characterized a novel mouse model of severe Scn2a deficiency using a targeted gene-trap knockout (gtKO) strategy. This approach produces viable homozygous mice (Scn2agtKO/gtKO ) that can survive to adulthood, with about a quarter of Nav 1.2 expression compared to WT mice. Innate behaviors like nesting and mating were profoundly disrupted in Scn2agtKO/gtKO mice. Notably, Scn2agtKO/gtKO mice have a significantly decreased center duration compared to WT in the open field test, suggesting anxiety-like behaviors in a novel, open space. These mice also have decreased thermal and cold tolerance. Additionally, Scn2agtKO/gtKO mice have increased fix-pattern exploration in the novel object exploration test and a slight increase in grooming, indicating a detectable level of repetitive behaviors. They bury little to no marbles and have decreased interaction with novel objects. These Scn2a gene-trap knockout mice thus provide a unique model to study pathophysiology associated with severe Scn2a deficiency.

Chromodomain Y-like Protein-Mediated Histone Crotonylation Regulates Stress-Induced Depressive Behaviors.

BACKGROUND: Major depressive disorder is a prevalent and life-threatening illness in modern society. The susceptibility to major depressive disorder is profoundly influenced by environmental factors, such as stressful lifestyle or traumatic events, which could impose maladaptive transcriptional program through epigenetic regulation. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we examined the role of histone crotonylation, a novel type of histone modification, and chromodomain Y-like protein (CDYL), a crotonyl-coenzyme A hydratase and histone methyllysine reader, in this process. METHODS: We used chronic social defeat stress and microdefeat stress to examine the depressive behaviors. In addition, we combined procedures that diagnose behavioral strategy in male mice with histone extraction, viral-mediated CDYL manipulations, RNA sequencing, chromatin immunoprecipitation, Western blot, and messenger RNA quantification. RESULTS: The results indicate that stress-susceptible rodents exhibit lower levels of histone crotonylation in the medial prefrontal cortex concurrent with selective upregulation of CDYL. Overexpression of CDYL in the prelimbic cortex, a subregion of the medial prefrontal cortex, increases microdefeat-induced social avoidance behaviors and anhedonia in mice. Conversely, knockdown of CDYL in the prelimbic cortex prevents chronic social defeat stress-induced depression-like behaviors. Mechanistically, we show that CDYL inhibits structural synaptic plasticity mainly by transcriptional repression of neuropeptide VGF nerve growth factor inducible, and this activity is dependent on its dual effect on histone crotonylation and H3K27 trimethylation on the VGF promoter. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate that CDYL-mediated histone crotonylation plays a critical role in regulating stress-induced depression, providing a potential therapeutic target for major depressive disorder.

ERG3 potassium channel-mediated suppression of neuronal intrinsic excitability and prevention of seizure generation in mice.

KEY POINTS: ERG3 channels have a high expression level in the central nervous system. Knockdown of ERG3 channels enhances neuronal intrinsic excitability (caused by decreased fast afterhyperpolarization, shortened delay time to the generation of an action potential and enhanced summation of somatic excitatory postsynaptic potentials) in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons and dentate gyrus granule cells. The expression of ERG3 protein is reduced in human and mouse hippocampal epileptogenic foci. Knockdown of ERG3 channels in hippocampus enhanced seizure susceptibility, while mice treated with the ERG channel activator NS-1643 were less prone to epileptogenesis. The results provide strong evidence that ERG3 channels have a crucial role in the regulation of neuronal intrinsic excitability in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons and dentate gyrus granule cells and are critically involved in the onset and development of epilepsy. ABSTRACT: The input-output relationship of neuronal networks depends heavily on the intrinsic properties of their neuronal elements. Profound changes in intrinsic properties have been observed in various physiological and pathological processes, such as learning, memory and epilepsy. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying acquired changes in intrinsic excitability are still not fully understood. Here, we demonstrate that ERG3 channels are critically involved in the regulation of intrinsic excitability in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons and dentate gyrus granule cells. Knock-down of ERG3 channels significantly increases neuronal intrinsic excitability, which is mainly caused by decreased fast afterhyperpolarization, shortened delay time to the generation of an action potential and enhanced summation of somatic excitatory postsynaptic potentials. Interestingly, the expression level of ERG3 protein is significantly reduced in human and mouse brain tissues with temporal lobe epilepsy. Moreover, ERG3 channel knockdown in hippocampus significantly enhanced seizure susceptibility, while mice treated with the ERG channel activator NS-1643 were less prone to epileptogenesis. Taken together, our results suggest ERG3 channels play an important role in determining the excitability of hippocampal neurons and dysregulation of these channels may be involved in the generation of epilepsy. ERG3 channels may thus be a novel therapeutic target for the prevention of epilepsy.

CDYL suppresses epileptogenesis in mice through repression of axonal Nav1.6 sodium channel expression.

Impairment of intrinsic plasticity is involved in a range of neurological disorders such as epilepsy. However, how intrinsic excitability is regulated is still not fully understood. Here we report that the epigenetic factor Chromodomain Y-like (CDYL) protein is a critical regulator of the initiation and maintenance of intrinsic neuroplasticity by regulating voltage-gated ion channels in mouse brains. CDYL binds to a regulatory element in the intron region of SCN8A and mainly recruits H3K27me3 activity for transcriptional repression of the gene. Knockdown of CDYL in hippocampal neurons results in augmented Nav1.6 currents, lower neuronal threshold, and increased seizure susceptibility, whereas transgenic mice over-expressing CDYL exhibit higher neuronal threshold and are less prone to epileptogenesis. Finally, examination of human brain tissues reveals decreased CDYL and increased SCN8A in the temporal lobe epilepsy group. Together, our findings indicate CDYL is a critical player for experience-dependent gene regulation in controlling intrinsic excitability.Alterations in intrinsic plasticity are important in epilepsy. Here the authors show that the epigenetic factor CDYL regulates the gene expression of the voltage gated sodium channel, Nav1.6, which contributes to seizures in a rat model of epilepsy.