title: Importance of the GluN2B carboxy-terminal domain for enhancement of social memories.
abstract: The N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor is known to be necessary for many forms of learning and memory, including social recognition memory. Additionally, the GluN2 subunits are known to modulate multiple forms of memory, with a high GluN2A:GluN2B ratio leading to impairments in long-term memory, while a low GluN2A:GluN2B ratio enhances some forms of long-term memory. Here, we investigate the molecular motif responsible for the differences in social recognition memory and olfactory memory in the forebrain-specific transgenic GluN2A overexpression mice and the forebrain-specific transgenic GluN2B overexpression mice by using two transgenic mouse lines that overexpress chimeric GluN2 subunits. The transgenic chimeric GluN2 subunit mice were tested for their ability to learn and remember fruit scents, male juveniles of the same strain, females of the same strain, male juveniles of another strain, and rodents of another species. The data presented here demonstrate that the GluN2B carboxy-terminal domain is necessary for enhanced social recognition memory in GluN2B transgenic overexpression mice. Furthermore, the GluN2A carboxy-terminal domain is responsible for the impaired long-term olfactory and social memory observed in the GluN2A overexpression mice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Brain and Behavior Discovery Institute, Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, Georgia 30907, USA.
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.affiliation: Banna Biomedical Research Institute, Xi-Shuang-Ban-Na Prefecture, Yunnan Province, 666100, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Banna Biomedical Research Institute, Xi-Shuang-Ban-Na Prefecture, Yunnan Province, 666100, China.
authors.forename: Deheng
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Brain and Behavior Discovery Institute, Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, Georgia 30907, USA jtsien@gru.edu.
authors.forename: Joe Z
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Tsien
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006185:Habituation, Psychophysiologic / Q000502:physiology; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000378:metabolism; D057567:Memory, Long-Term / Q000502:physiology*; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009812:Odorants; D055696:Olfactory Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D016548:Prosencephalon / Q000378:metabolism; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D021641:Recognition, Psychology / Q000502:physiology*; D012938:Social Perception
chemical_list: D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; C121001:NR2B NMDA receptor