title: Transient oxytocin signaling primes the development and function of excitatory hippocampal neurons.
abstract: Beyond its role in parturition and lactation, oxytocin influences higher brain processes that control social behavior of mammals, and perturbed oxytocin signaling has been linked to the pathogenesis of several psychiatric disorders. However, it is still largely unknown how oxytocin exactly regulates neuronal function. We show that early, transient oxytocin exposurein vitroinhibits the development of hippocampal glutamatergic neurons, leading to reduced dendrite complexity, synapse density, and excitatory transmission, while sparing GABAergic neurons. Conversely, genetic elimination of oxytocin receptors increases the expression of protein components of excitatory synapses and excitatory synaptic transmissionin vitro.In vivo, oxytocin-receptor-deficient hippocampal pyramidal neurons develop more complex dendrites, which leads to increased spine number and reduced γ-oscillations. These results indicate that oxytocin controls the development of hippocampal excitatory neurons and contributes to the maintenance of a physiological excitation/inhibition balance, whose disruption can cause neurobehavioral disturbances.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany.|Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milan-Bicocca, Monza, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ripamonti
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany.|Cortical Development, Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Mateusz C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Ambrozkiewicz
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milan-Bicocca, Monza, Italy.|NeuroMi - Milan Center for Neuroscience, Monza, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guzzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gravati
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Gerardo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Biella
authors.affiliation: Cortical Development, Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Ingo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bormuth
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Matthieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hammer
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Liam P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Tuffy
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Albrecht
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sigler
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kawabe
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, Miyagi, Japan.
authors.forename: Katsuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishimori
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Toselli
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Nils
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Brose
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milan-Bicocca, Monza, Italy.|NeuroMi - Milan Center for Neuroscience, Monza, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Parenti
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: JeongSeop
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-8560-3630
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rhee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000502:physiology*; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D010121:Oxytocin
keywords: autism; mouse; neuroscience; peptide hormones; synapses