Impaired hippocampal long-term potentiation in melatonin MT2 receptor-deficient mice.
The pineal product melatonin that acts on specific melatonin receptors has been implicated in pathobiological mechanisms of neuropsychiatric disorders including Alzheimer's disease. We used mice lacking melatonin MT(2) receptors (MT(2) knockouts) to investigate the role of these receptors in synaptic plasticity and learning-dependent behavior. In field CA1 of hippocampal slices from wild-type mice, theta burst stimulation induced robust and stable long-term potentiation that was smaller and decremental in slices from MT(2) knockouts. Tested in an elevated plus-maze on two consecutive days, wild-type mice showed shorter transfer latencies to enter a closed arm on the second day; this experience-dependent behavior did not occur in MT(2) knockouts. These results suggest that MT(2) receptors participate in hippocampal synaptic plasticity and in memory processes.
Larson
John
J
Department of Psychiatry, The Psychiatric Institute, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1601 West Taylor Street, MC912, 60612, USA.
Jessen
Ruth E
RE
Uz
Tolga
T
Arslan
Ahmet D
AD
Kurtuncu
Murat
M
Imbesi
Marta
M
Manev
Hari
H
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D019706:Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / Q000235:genetics / Q000528:radiation effects; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000502:physiology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D017774:Long-Term Potentiation / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000235:genetics; D044123:Receptor, Melatonin, MT2 / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000502:physiology*
D044123:Receptor, Melatonin, MT2