TY - JOUR

T1 - Lack of synaptic protein, calsyntenin-2, impairs morphology of synaptic complexes in mice

AU - Ranneva, Svetlana V.

AU - Maksimov, Valeriy F.

AU - Korostyshevskaja, Irina M.

AU - Lipina, Tatiana V.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PY - 2020/2/1

Y1 - 2020/2/1

N2 - Calsyntenin-2 (Clstn2) is the synaptic protein, which belongs to the superfamily of cadherins, playing an important role in learning and memory. We recently reported that Clstn2 knockout mice (Clstn2-KO) have a deficit of GABAergic interneurons, associated with hyperactivity, deficient spatial memory, and social behavior. Therefore, we sought to characterize morphometric features of the ultrastructure of synaptic complexes of hippocampal and cortical neurons in Clstn2-KO mice, using high magnification electron microscopy. Morphometric analysis revealed a reduction of symmetric (inhibitory) synaptic density, length of synaptic contacts, and postsynaptic density in neurons of Clstn2-KO mice. Moreover, cortical neurons of Clstn2-KO mice were characterized by the predominance of the simplified type of synapses with the emergence of negative curvature of the synaptic zone in Clstn2-KO mice. Notably, presynaptic zones of cortical neurons of Clstn2-KO mice were characterized by the increased number of synaptic vesicles in opposite to the decreased number of synaptic vesicles in the presynaptic zones of hippocampal neurons. Overall, we found that lack of calsyntenin-2 leads to the striking architectonic alterations of synaptic complexes in the mouse brain, disrupting synaptic density, shape, and connectivity.

AB - Calsyntenin-2 (Clstn2) is the synaptic protein, which belongs to the superfamily of cadherins, playing an important role in learning and memory. We recently reported that Clstn2 knockout mice (Clstn2-KO) have a deficit of GABAergic interneurons, associated with hyperactivity, deficient spatial memory, and social behavior. Therefore, we sought to characterize morphometric features of the ultrastructure of synaptic complexes of hippocampal and cortical neurons in Clstn2-KO mice, using high magnification electron microscopy. Morphometric analysis revealed a reduction of symmetric (inhibitory) synaptic density, length of synaptic contacts, and postsynaptic density in neurons of Clstn2-KO mice. Moreover, cortical neurons of Clstn2-KO mice were characterized by the predominance of the simplified type of synapses with the emergence of negative curvature of the synaptic zone in Clstn2-KO mice. Notably, presynaptic zones of cortical neurons of Clstn2-KO mice were characterized by the increased number of synaptic vesicles in opposite to the decreased number of synaptic vesicles in the presynaptic zones of hippocampal neurons. Overall, we found that lack of calsyntenin-2 leads to the striking architectonic alterations of synaptic complexes in the mouse brain, disrupting synaptic density, shape, and connectivity.

KW - CA3 area of the hippocampus

KW - calsyntenin-2

KW - Clstn2-KO mice

KW - medial prefrontal cortex

KW - synapse

KW - CARGO

KW - AUTISM

KW - MEMBRANE-PROTEINS

KW - DEFICITS

KW - PLASTICITY

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85074046716&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1002/syn.22132

DO - 10.1002/syn.22132

M3 - Article

C2 - 31529526

AN - SCOPUS:85074046716

VL - 74

JO - Synapse

JF - Synapse

SN - 0887-4476

IS - 2

M1 - e22132

ER -