| First Author | Ramakers GJ | Year | 2012 |
| Journal | Hum Mol Genet | Volume | 21 |
| Issue | 2 | Pages | 268-86 |
| PubMed ID | 21989057 | Mgi Jnum | J:179026 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:5300881 | Doi | 10.1093/hmg/ddr457 |
| Citation | Ramakers GJ, et al. (2012) Dysregulation of Rho GTPases in the alphaPix/Arhgef6 mouse model of X-linked intellectual disability is paralleled by impaired structural and synaptic plasticity and cognitive deficits. Hum Mol Genet 21(2):268-86 |
| abstractText | Mutations in the ARHGEF6 gene, encoding the guanine nucleotide exchange factor alphaPIX/Cool-2 for the Rho GTPases Rac1 and Cdc42, cause X-linked intellectual disability (ID) in humans. We show here that alphaPix/Arhgef6 is primarily expressed in neuropil regions of the hippocampus. To study the role of alphaPix/Arhgef6 in neuronal development and plasticity and gain insight into the pathogenic mechanisms underlying ID, we generated alphaPix/Arhgef6-deficient mice. Gross brain structure in these mice appeared to be normal; however, analysis of Golgi-Cox-stained pyramidal neurons revealed an increase in both dendritic length and spine density in the hippocampus, accompanied by an overall loss in spine synapses. Early-phase long-term potentiation was reduced and long-term depression was increased in the CA1 hippocampal area of alphaPix/Arhgef6-deficient animals. Knockout animals exhibited impaired spatial and complex learning and less behavioral control in mildly stressful situations, suggesting that this model mimics the human ID phenotype. The structural and electrophysiological alterations in the hippocampus were accompanied by a significant reduction in active Rac1 and Cdc42, but not RhoA. In conclusion, we suggest that imbalance in activity of different Rho GTPases may underlie altered neuronal connectivity and impaired synaptic function and cognition in alphaPix/Arhgef6 knockout mice. |
