| First Author | Alexander DC | Year | 2022 |
| Journal | Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A | Volume | 119 |
| Issue | 32 | Pages | e2114758119 |
| PubMed ID | 35921439 | Mgi Jnum | J:346349 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:7437429 | Doi | 10.1073/pnas.2114758119 |
| Citation | Alexander DC, et al. (2022) Targeting acetyl-CoA metabolism attenuates the formation of fear memories through reduced activity-dependent histone acetylation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 119(32):e2114758119 |
| abstractText | Histone acetylation is a key component in the consolidation of long-term fear memories. Histone acetylation is fueled by acetyl-coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA), and recently, nuclear-localized metabolic enzymes that produce this metabolite have emerged as direct and local regulators of chromatin. In particular, acetyl-CoA synthetase 2 (ACSS2) mediates histone acetylation in the mouse hippocampus. However, whether ACSS2 regulates long-term fear memory remains to be determined. Here, we show that Acss2 knockout is well tolerated in mice, yet the Acss2-null mouse exhibits reduced acquisition of long-term fear memory. Loss of Acss2 leads to reductions in both histone acetylation and expression of critical learning and memory-related genes in the dorsal hippocampus, specifically following fear conditioning. Furthermore, systemic administration of blood-brain barrier-permeable Acss2 inhibitors during the consolidation window reduces fear-memory formation in mice and rats and reduces anxiety in a predator-scent stress paradigm. Our findings suggest that nuclear acetyl-CoA metabolism via ACSS2 plays a critical, previously unappreciated, role in the formation of fear memories. |
