Neuregulin in the development of hippocampal neurons

我们研究了神经调节蛋白在海马神经元中的亚细胞定位和过度表达的影响。我们以前的研究表明，神经调节蛋白在海马神经元中以簇的形式存在。我们检查了这些神经调节素簇是否与特定的亚细胞区域相关，以及分布模式是否在神经元发育过程中受到调节。我们用抗突触蛋白抗体对表达NeuRegin的质粒进行了神经细胞的染色。我们没有检测到神经调节蛋白与突触标志物的显著共定位。增强或降低神经元活性的治疗并不影响神经调节蛋白的亚细胞定位。神经调节蛋白的过度表达改变了突触的形态发育。这一发现表明，神经调节蛋白调节突触的发育。因此，神经调节蛋白可能与精神分裂症潜在的神经网络发育缺陷有关。

We have investigated the subcellular localization and effect of overexpressing neuregulin in hippocampal neurons. Our previous studies suggest that neuregulin exists in clusters in hippocampal neurons. We examined whether these neuregulin clusters associate with specific subcellular regions, and whether the pattern of distribution is regulated during neuronal development. We stained neuorns transfected with a plasmid expressing neuregulin with antibodies against synaptic proteins. We did not detect significant colocalization of neuregulin with synaptic markers. Treatments that enhance or decrease neuronal activities did not affect the subcellular localization of neuregulin. Overexpression of neuregulin altered the morphological development of synapses. This finding indicates that neuregulin regulates synapse development. Therefore neuregulin might contribute to developmental deficits of neural networks underlying schizophrenia.