-- regulates cognitive functions in the hippocampus through complement component 3-dependent modulation of synaptic vesicle release.

microRNA-218 (miR-218) has been linked to several cognition related neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders. However, whether miR-218 plays a direct role in cognitive functions remains unknown. Here, using the miR-218 knockout (KO) mouse model and the sponge/overexpression approaches, we showed that -- but not -- could bidirectionally regulate the contextual and spatial memory in the mice.

Synaptotagmin-1 interacts with PI(4,5)P2 to initiate synaptic vesicle docking in hippocampal neurons.

Synaptic vesicle (SV) docking is a dynamic multi-stage process that is required for efficient neurotransmitter release in response to nerve impulses. Although the steady-state SV docking likely involves the cooperation of Synaptotagmin-1 (Syt1) and soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNAREs), where and how the docking process initiates remains unknown. Phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PI(4,5)P2) can interact with Syt1 and SNAREs to contribute to vesicle exocytosis.

Synaptotagmin-7 deficiency induces mania-like behavioral abnormalities through attenuating GluN2B activity.

Synaptotagmin-7 (Syt7) probably plays an important role in bipolar-like behavioral abnormalities in mice; however, the underlying mechanisms for this have remained elusive. Unlike antidepressants that cause mood overcorrection in bipolar depression, -methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR)-targeted drugs show moderate clinical efficacy, for unexplained reasons. Here we identified Syt7 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in patients with bipolar disorder and demonstrated that mice lacking Syt7 or expressing the SNPs showed GluN2B-NMDAR dysfunction, leading to antidepressant behavioral consequences and avoidance of overcorrection by NMDAR antagonists.

Synaptotagmin-7 is a key factor for bipolar-like behavioral abnormalities in mice.

The pathogenesis of bipolar disorder (BD) has remained enigmatic, largely because genetic animal models based on identified susceptible genes have often failed to show core symptoms of spontaneous mood cycling. However, pedigree and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-based analyses have implicated that dysfunction in some key signaling cascades might be crucial for the disease pathogenesis in a subpopulation of BD patients. We hypothesized that the behavioral abnormalities of patients and the comorbid metabolic abnormalities might share some identical molecular mechanism.

Author Correction: CRISPR interference-based specific and efficient gene inactivation in the brain.

In the version of this article initially published, the affiliation for Jian Zhang and Shuangli Mi was incomplete. In addition to the Key Laboratory of Genomics and Precision Medicine, they are also affiliated with the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. In Supplementary Fig.

CRISPR interference-based specific and efficient gene inactivation in the brain.

CRISPR-Cas9 has been demonstrated to delete genes in postmitotic neurons. Compared to the establishment of proliferative cell lines or animal strains, it is more challenging to acquire a highly homogeneous consequence of gene editing in a stable neural network. Here we show that dCas9-based CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) can efficiently silence genes in neurons.

Application of induced pluripotent stem cells to understand neurobiological basis of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

The etiology of neuropsychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, usually involves complex combinations of genetic defects/variations and environmental impacts, which hindered, for a long time, research efforts based on animal models and patients' non-neuronal cells or post-mortem tissues. However, the development of human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology by the Yamanaka group was immediately applied to establish cell research models for neuronal disorders. Since then, techniques to achieve highly efficient differentiation of different types of neural cells following iPSC modeling have made much progress.

[Effect of FGF-21 on learning and memory ability and antioxidant capacity in brain tissue of D-galactose-induced aging mice].

This study aims to investigate the effects of fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF-21) on learning and memory abilities and antioxidant capacity of D-galactose-induced aging mice. Kunming mice (37.1 +/- 0.