Disrupting the melanin-concentrating hormone receptor 1 in mice leads to cognitive deficits and alterations of NMDA receptor function.
In order to investigate the physiological properties of the melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) we have generated and used mice from which the MCH receptor 1 gene was deleted (MCHR1(Neo/Neo) mice). Complementary experimental approaches were used to investigate alterations in the learning and memory processes of our transgenic model. The ability of the knockout strain to carry out the inhibitory passive avoidance test was found to be considerably impaired although no significant differences were observed in anxiety levels. This impaired cognitive property prompted us to explore modifications in N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) responses in the hippocampus. Intracellular recordings of CA1 pyramidal neurons in hippocampal slices from the MCHR1(Neo/Neo) mice revealed significantly decreased NMDA responses. Finally, using in situ hybridization we found a 15% reduction in NMDAR1 subunit in the CA1 region. These results show for the first time a possible role for MCH in the control of the function of the NMDA receptor.
Adamantidis
Antoine
A
Research Center for Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Liège, 17, Place Delcour, B-4020 Liège, Belgium.
Thomas
Elizabeth
E
Foidart
Agnès
A
Tyhon
Amélie
A
Coumans
Bernard
B
Minet
Arlette
A
Tirelli
Ezio
E
Seutin
Vincent
V
Grisar
Thierry
T
Lakaye
Bernard
B
D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D004597:Electroshock; D005106:Exploratory Behavior; D017353:Gene Deletion; D006185:Habituation, Psychophysiologic; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D016202:N-Methylaspartate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017966:Pyramidal Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D017481:Receptors, Somatostatin / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics*; D013779:Tetrodotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology
C491209:Mchr1 protein, mouse; D017481:Receptors, Somatostatin; D013779:Tetrodotoxin; D016202:N-Methylaspartate