title: Cortical abnormalities and non-spatial learning deficits in a mouse model of CranioFrontoNasal syndrome.
abstract: Eph receptors and their ephrin ligands play critical roles in the development of the nervous system, however, less is known about their functions in the adult brain. Here, we investigated the function of ephrinB1, an ephrinB family member that is mutated in CranioFrontoNasal Syndrome. We show that ephrinB1 deficient mice (EfnB1(Y/-)) demonstrate spared spatial learning and memory but exhibit exclusive impairment in non-spatial learning and memory tasks. We established that ephrinB1 does not control learning and memory through direct modulation of synaptic plasticity in adults, since it is not expressed in the adult brain. Rather we show that the cortex of EfnB1(Y/-) mice displayed supernumerary neurons, with a particular increase in calretinin-positive interneurons. Further, the increased neuron number in EfnB1(Y/-) mutants correlated with shorter dendritic arborization and decreased spine densities of cortical pyramidal neurons. Our findings indicate that ephrinB1 plays an important role in cortical maturation and that its loss has deleterious consequences on selective cognitive functions in the adult.
authors: Centre de Biologie du Développement, CNRS UMR5547, Toulouse, France ; Université de Toulouse UPS, Toulouse, France.
authors: Dina N
authors: DN
authors: Arvanitis
authors: Centre de Biologie du Développement, CNRS UMR5547, Toulouse, France ; Université de Toulouse UPS, Toulouse, France.
authors: Annie
authors: A
authors: Behar
authors: Université de Toulouse UPS, Toulouse, France ; Institut des Maladies Métaboliques et Cardiovasculaires (I2MC), INSERM, Toulouse, France.
authors: Anne
authors: A
authors: Drougard
authors: Université de Toulouse UPS, Toulouse, France ; Centre de Recherche Sur la Cognition Animale, CNRS, Toulouse, France.
authors: Pascal
authors: P
authors: Roullet
authors: Centre de Biologie du Développement, CNRS UMR5547, Toulouse, France ; Université de Toulouse UPS, Toulouse, France.
authors: Alice
authors: A
authors: Davy
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D002452:Cell Count; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019465:Craniofacial Abnormalities / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003712:Dendrites / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D036387:Ephrin-B1 / Q000378:metabolism; D007395:Interneurons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D017966:Pyramidal Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013569:Synapses / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D036387:Ephrin-B1