Epigenetic alterations regulate estradiol-induced enhancement of memory consolidation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2010 Mar 23;107(12):5605-10
Date
03/10/2010Pubmed ID
20212170Pubmed Central ID
PMC2851775DOI
10.1073/pnas.0910578107Scopus ID
2-s2.0-77950430993 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 182 CitationsAbstract
The involvement of epigenetic alterations in mediating effects of estrogens on memory is unknown. The present study determined whether histone acetylation and DNA methylation are critical for the potent estrogen 17beta-estradiol (E(2)) to enhance object recognition memory. We show that dorsal hippocampal E(2) infusion increases acetylation of dorsal hippocampal histone H3, but not H4--an effect blocked by dorsal hippocampal inhibition of ERK activation. Further, intrahippocampal inhibition of ERK activation or DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) activity blocked the memory-enhancing effects of E(2). Consistent with these effects, E(2) decreased levels of HDAC2 protein and increased DNMT expression in the dorsal hippocampus. These findings provide evidence that the beneficial effects of E(2) on memory consolidation are associated with epigenetic alterations, and suggest these can be triggered by dorsal hippocampal ERK signaling.
Author List
Zhao Z, Fan L, Frick KMAuthor
Karyn Frick BA,MA,PhD Professor in the Psychology department at University of Wisconsin - MilwaukeeMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AcetylationAnimals
DNA Methylation
Down-Regulation
Enzyme Activation
Epigenesis, Genetic
Estradiol
Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases
Female
Hippocampus
Histone Deacetylase 1
Histone Deacetylase 2
Histones
MAP Kinase Signaling System
Memory
Mice
Mice, Inbred C57BL
RNA, Messenger
