Specialized roles of neurofilament proteins in synapses: Relevance to neuropsychiatric disorders.
Neurofilaments are uniquely complex among classes of intermediate filaments in being composed of four subunits (NFL, NFM, NFH and alpha-internexin in the CNS) that differ in structure, regulation, and function. Although neurofilaments have been traditionally viewed as axonal structural components, recent evidence has revealed that distinctive assemblies of neurofilament subunits are integral components of synapses, especially at postsynaptic sites. Within the synaptic compartment, the individual subunits differentially modulate neurotransmission and behavior through interactions with specific neurotransmitter receptors. These newly uncovered functions suggest that alterations of neurofilament proteins not only underlie axonopathy in various neurological disorders but also may play vital roles in cognition and neuropsychiatric diseases. Here, we review evidence that synaptic neurofilament proteins are a sizable population in the CNS and we advance the concept that changes in the levels or post-translational modification of individual NF subunits contribute to synaptic and behavioral dysfunction in certain neuropsychiatric conditions.
Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, New York, 10962, United States; Departments of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, United States. Electronic address: yuan@nki.rfmh.org.
Aidong
A
Yuan
Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, New York, 10962, United States; Departments of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, United States; Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, United States. Electronic address: nixon@nki.rfmh.org.
Ralph A
RA
Nixon
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000378:metabolism*; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000378:metabolism; D013569:Synapses / Q000378:metabolism*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology
D016900:Neurofilament Proteins
Dendritic spine; Neurofilament subunit; Neuropsychiatric disease; Synapse