Several human diseases including Alzheimer's and Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome are characterized by memory defects. The development of drugs to enhance the memory of compromised patients could have a major impact on the quality of life for these patients and others with memory defects. Evidence from several labs indicates that memory in mice may be enhanced using inhibitors of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDEs) to increase cAMP in the brain. Another promising drug target site to increase cAMP specifically in the brain is AC1, a neurospecific adenylyl cyclase that it is stimulated by activity-dependent calcium increases. To test this idea genetically, we made mice overexpressing AC1 in the hippocampus using the Ipha-CaM Kinase II promoter. These transgenic mice (AC1+) show enhanced LTP and memory for novel objects as well as a reduced rate of contextual memory extinction. Preliminary data indicate that the gain in memory may be due to enhanced signaling through the MAPK pathway. These data suggest the interesting possibility that AC1 may be a pharmacological """"""""window of opportunity"""""""" to enhance memory formation. The major objective of this grant is to determine why AC1+ mice have superior memory. We hypothesize that AC1+ mice show memory enhancement because of the unique regulatory properties of AC1 which include its calcium sensitivity and synergistic activation by Gs-coupled receptors and calcium. We hypothesize that AC1+ mice show superior memory for novel objects because of more robust training- induced CRE-mediated transcription. This may be due to training-induced amplification MAPK activity, MAPK nuclear translocation, or postsynaptic depolarizations. We also propose that genetic enhancement of AC1 activity in the brain may overcome memory defects associated with Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome, a genetic disease due to a truncated form of the CREB binding protein (CBP).

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01MH073601-05
Application #
7764779
Study Section
Neurotransporters, Receptors, and Calcium Signaling Study Section (NTRC)
Program Officer
Asanuma, Chiiko
Project Start
2006-02-01
Project End
2010-12-31
Budget Start
2010-01-01
Budget End
2010-12-31
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
2010
Total Cost
$321,887
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Washington
Department
Pharmacology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
605799469
City
Seattle
State
WA
Country
United States
Zip Code
98195
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Hwang, Christopher K; Chaurasia, Shyam S; Jackson, Chad R et al. (2013) Circadian rhythm of contrast sensitivity is regulated by a dopamine-neuronal PAS-domain protein 2-adenylyl cyclase 1 signaling pathway in retinal ganglion cells. J Neurosci 33:14989-97
Pan, Yung-Wei; Storm, Daniel R; Xia, Zhengui (2013) Role of adult neurogenesis in hippocampus-dependent memory, contextual fear extinction and remote contextual memory: new insights from ERK5 MAP kinase. Neurobiol Learn Mem 105:81-92

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