Jefferson Ore
Pronouns:
Research Mentor(s): Gabriel Corfas
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Kesge Hearing Research Institute / Medicine
Program: UROPF
Session: Session 2 (10:00am – 10:50am)
Authors:
Abstract
Social isolation during the juvenile period can alter prefrontal cortex myelination and function, but the mechanisms by which this happens are yet under investigation. This project aims at understanding how social isolation alters the brain of young mice, leading to impaired social behavior and brain function. Previous studies in the Corfas lab indicated that some of the effects of social isolation on the mouse brain are mediated by alterations in the expression of the Neuregulin (NRG1) gene, a key regulator of brain myelination, neural development, and neural plasticity. Specifically, social isolation during postnatal day 21 and 35, a critical period for brain development, leads to a long-term reduction in NRG1 expression in the prefrontal cortex. These types of changes can be mediated by epigenetic mechanisms, which involves alterations in histone deacetylases (HDAC) activity, with deacetylation of histones, changes in chromatin structure and reduced gene expression. This project will investigate whether HDACs participate in the regulation of NRG1 expression in response to isolation in the prefrontal cortex. We will also investigate whether the inhibition of HDAC induces the reversal of the consistent low levels of NRG1 expression caused by social isolation. To accomplish this, a group of mice will be socially isolated between p21 and p35 while another group will be group housed (5 mice/cage). A third group will receive HDAC inhibitors while isolated. At the end of the treatments, we will measure NRG1 and myelin gene expression in the prefrontal cortex by real-time quantitative RT-PCR. This project aims to pinpoint the potential factors in epigenetic control of the NRG1 gene with social isolation. We expect to find that HDACs are involved in the regulation of NRG1 expression in response to isolation in the prefrontal cortex.
