title: β-Catenin in the Adult Visual Cortex Regulates NMDA-Receptor Function and Visual Responses.
abstract: The formation, plasticity and maintenance of synaptic connections is regulated by molecular and electrical signals. β-Catenin is an important protein in these events and regulates cadherin-mediated cell adhesion and the recruitment of pre- and postsynaptic proteins in an activity-dependent fashion. Mutations in the β-catenin gene can cause cognitive disability and autism, with life-long consequences. Understanding its synaptic function may thus be relevant for the treatment of these disorders. So far, β-catenin's function has been studied predominantly in cell culture and during development but knowledge on its function in adulthood is limited. Here, we show that ablating β-catenin in excitatory neurons of the adult visual cortex does not cause the same synaptic deficits previously observed during development. Instead, it reduces NMDA-receptor currents and impairs visual processing. We conclude that β-catenin remains important for adult cortical function but through different mechanisms than during development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Visual Plasticity, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Science, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: M Hadi
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Saiepour
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Visual Plasticity, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Science, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Rogier
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Min
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Visual Plasticity, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Science, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Willem
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kamphuis
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Visual Plasticity, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Science, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: J Alexander
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Heimel
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Visual Plasticity, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Science, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA Amsterdam, the Netherlands.|Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University Amsterdam, de Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Christiaan N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Levelt
mesh_terms: D015763:2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D016202:N-Methylaspartate / Q000378:metabolism; D010320:Parvalbumins / Q000378:metabolism; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000378:metabolism*; D012683:Sensory Deprivation; D055366:Synaptic Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D066127:White Matter / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018350:alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D010320:Parvalbumins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D051176:beta Catenin; C064539:2-amino-4-methyl-5-phosphono-3-pentenoic acid; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D015763:2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate; D018350:alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid