EphB2 in the Medial Prefrontal Cortex Regulates Vulnerability to Stress.
The ephrin B2 (EphB2) receptor is a tyrosine kinase receptor that is associated with synaptic development and maturation. It has recently been implicated in cognitive deficits and anxiety. However, still unknown is the involvement of EphB2 in the vulnerability to stress. In the present study, we observed decreases in EphB2 levels and their downstream molecules in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) but not in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) in mice that were susceptible to chronic social defeat stress. The activation of EphB2 receptors with EphrinB1-Fc in the mPFC produced stress-resistant and antidepressant-like behavioral effects in susceptible mice that lasted for at least 10 days. EphB2 receptor knockdown by short-hairpin RNA in the mPFC increased the susceptibility to stress and induced depressive-like behaviors in a subthreshold chronic social defeat stress paradigm. These behavioral effects were associated with changes in the phosphorylation of cofilin and membrane α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR) trafficking and the expression of some synaptic proteins in the mPFC. We also found that EphB2 regulated stress-induced spine remodeling in the mPFC. Altogether, these results indicate that EphB2 is a critical regulator of stress vulnerability and might be a potential target for the treatment of depression.
Institute of Mental Health, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China.|National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China.|Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China.
Ruo-Xi
RX
Zhang
Institute of Mental Health, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China.|National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China.|Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China.
Ying
Y
Han
Institute of Mental Health, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Chen
C
Chen
National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China.|Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China.
Ling-Zhi
LZ
Xu
National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Jia-Li
JL
Li
National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Na
N
Chen
Institute of Mental Health, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China.|National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Cheng-Yu
CY
Sun
Institute of Mental Health, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Wen-Hao
WH
Chen
National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Wei-Li
WL
Zhu
National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Jie
J
Shi
Institute of Mental Health, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China.|National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China.|Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences and PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Lin
L
Lu
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D049229:Dendritic Spines / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D036387:Ephrin-B1 / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005106:Exploratory Behavior; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005518:Food Preferences; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008845:Microinjections; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000378:metabolism; D036183:Receptor, EphB2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D016622:Silver Staining; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D013997:Time Factors
C484288:EFNB1 protein, human; D036387:Ephrin-B1; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D036183:Receptor, EphB2