RGD Reference Report - Wnt7a signaling promotes dendritic spine growth and synaptic strength through Ca(2)(+)/Calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II. - Rat Genome Database

Send us a Message
Submit Data |  Help |  Video Tutorials |  News |  Publications |  Download |  REST API |  Citing RGD |  Contact   
Search RGD Grant Resources Citing RGD About Us Contact Us
Genes Variants Community Projects QTLs Strains Markers Genome Information Ontologies Cell Lines References Download Submit Data
OntoMate (Literature Search) JBrowse (Genome Browser) Synteny Browser (VCMap) Variant Visualizer Multi-Ontology Enrichment (MOET) Gene-Ortholog Location Finder (GOLF) InterViewer (Protein-Protein Interactions) PhenoMiner (Quatitative Phenotypes) Gene Annotator OLGA (Gene List Generator) AllianceMine GViewer (Genome Viewer)
Aging & Age-Related Disease Cancer & Neoplastic Disease Cardiovascular Disease Coronavirus Disease Developmental Disease Diabetes Hematologic Disease Immune & Inflammatory Disease Infectious Disease Liver Disease Neurological Disease Obesity & Metabolic Syndrome Renal Disease Respiratory Disease Sensory Organ Disease
Find Models Genetic Models Autism Models Rat PhenoMiner (Quantitative Phenotypes) Chinchilla PhenoMiner Expected Ranges (Quantitative Phenotype) PhenoMiner Term Comparison Hybrid Rat Diversity Panel Phenotypes Phenotypes in Other Animal Models Animal Husbandry Strain Medical Records Phylogenetics Strain Availability Calendar Rats 101 Submissions Photo Archive
Pathways
Rat Community Forum Directory of Rat Laboratories Video Tutorials News RGD Publications RGD Presentations Archive Nomenclature Guidelines Resource Links Laboratory Resources Employment Resources
Advanced Search (OLGA)

Wnt7a signaling promotes dendritic spine growth and synaptic strength through Ca(2)(+)/Calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II.

Authors: Ciani, L  Boyle, KA  Dickins, E  Sahores, M  Anane, D  Lopes, DM  Gibb, AJ  Salinas, PC 
Citation: Ciani L, etal., Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2011 Jun 28;108(26):10732-7. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1018132108. Epub 2011 Jun 13.
RGD ID: 10449514
Pubmed: PMID:21670302   (View Abstract at PubMed)
PMCID: PMC3127879   (View Article at PubMed Central)
DOI: DOI:10.1073/pnas.1018132108   (Journal Full-text)

The balance between excitatory and inhibitory synapses is crucial for normal brain function. Wnt proteins stimulate synapse formation by increasing synaptic assembly. However, it is unclear whether Wnt signaling differentially regulates the formation of excitatory and inhibitory synapses. Here, we demonstrate that Wnt7a preferentially stimulates excitatory synapse formation and function. In hippocampal neurons, Wnt7a increases the number of excitatory synapses, whereas inhibitory synapses are unaffected. Wnt7a or postsynaptic expression of Dishevelled-1 (Dvl1), a core Wnt signaling component, increases the frequency and amplitude of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs), but not miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs). Wnt7a increases the density and maturity of dendritic spines, whereas Wnt7a-Dvl1-deficient mice exhibit defects in spine morphogenesis and mossy fiber-CA3 synaptic transmission in the hippocampus. Using a postsynaptic reporter for Ca(2+)/Calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) activity, we demonstrate that Wnt7a rapidly activates CaMKII in spines. Importantly, CaMKII inhibition abolishes the effects of Wnt7a on spine growth and excitatory synaptic strength. These data indicate that Wnt7a signaling is critical to regulate spine growth and synaptic strength through the local activation of CaMKII at dendritic spines. Therefore, aberrant Wnt7a signaling may contribute to neurological disorders in which excitatory signaling is disrupted.



Gene Ontology Annotations    Click to see Annotation Detail View

Biological Process

  
Object SymbolSpeciesTermQualifierEvidenceWithNotesSourceOriginal Reference(s)
Dvl1Ratdendritic spine morphogenesis involved_inIGIUniProtKB:P24383PMID:21670302ParkinsonsUK-UCL 
Dvl1Ratpositive regulation of excitatory postsynaptic potential involved_inIGIUniProtKB:P24383PMID:21670302ParkinsonsUK-UCL 
Dvl1RatWnt signaling pathway involved_inIGIUniProtKB:P24383PMID:21670302ParkinsonsUK-UCL 

Cellular Component

  
Object SymbolSpeciesTermQualifierEvidenceWithNotesSourceOriginal Reference(s)
Dvl1Ratdendritic spine located_inIDA PMID:21670302ParkinsonsUK-UCL 
Dvl1Ratpostsynaptic density located_inIDA PMID:21670302ParkinsonsUK-UCL 

Objects Annotated

Genes (Rattus norvegicus)
Dvl1  (dishevelled segment polarity protein 1)


Additional Information