miR-26a and miR-384-5p are required for LTP maintenance and spine enlargement

Nat Commun. 2015 Apr 10:6:6789. doi: 10.1038/ncomms7789.

Abstract

Long-term potentiation (LTP) is a form of synaptic plasticity that results in enhanced synaptic strength. It is associated with the formation and enlargement of dendritic spines-tiny protrusions accommodating excitatory synapses. Both LTP and spine remodelling are crucial for brain development, cognition and the pathophysiology of neurological disorders. The role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the maintenance of LTP, however, is not well understood. Using next-generation sequencing to profile miRNA transcriptomes, we demonstrate that miR-26a and miR-384-5p specifically affect the maintenance, but not induction, of LTP and different stages of spine enlargement by regulating the expression of RSK3. Using bioinformatics, we also examine the global effects of miRNA transcriptome changes during LTP on gene expression and cellular activities. This study reveals a novel miRNA-mediated mechanism for gene-specific regulation of translation in LTP, identifies two miRNAs required for long-lasting synaptic and spine plasticity and presents a catalogue of candidate 'LTP miRNAs'.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn
  • CA1 Region, Hippocampal / growth & development
  • CA1 Region, Hippocampal / metabolism*
  • CA1 Region, Hippocampal / ultrastructure
  • Dendritic Spines / metabolism*
  • Dendritic Spines / ultrastructure
  • Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / physiology
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
  • High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing
  • Long-Term Potentiation / physiology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism
  • Microtomy
  • Protein Biosynthesis
  • Small-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels / genetics
  • Small-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels / metabolism
  • Synapses / metabolism
  • Synapses / ultrastructure
  • Synaptic Transmission
  • Tissue Culture Techniques
  • Transcriptome

Substances

  • Kcnn3 protein, rat
  • MicroRNAs
  • Mirn26 microRNA, mouse
  • Small-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels