Rescue of aging-associated decline in Dnmt3a2 expression restores cognitive abilities

Ana M M Oliveira; Thekla J Hemstedt; Hilmar Bading

doi:10.1038/nn.3151

Rescue of aging-associated decline in Dnmt3a2 expression restores cognitive abilities

Nat Neurosci. 2012 Jul 1;15(8):1111-3. doi: 10.1038/nn.3151.

Authors

Ana M M Oliveira¹, Thekla J Hemstedt, Hilmar Bading

Affiliation

¹ Department of Neurobiology, Interdisciplinary Centre for Neurosciences, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.

PMID: 22751036
DOI: 10.1038/nn.3151

Abstract

Cognitive abilities decline in normal aging, yet the underlying molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. We found that aging was associated with a decrease in the expression of the DNA methyltransferase Dnmt3a2 in the hippocampus and that rescuing Dnmt3a2 levels restored cognitive functions. Moreover, we found that Dnmt3a2 is an activity-regulated immediate early gene that is partly dependent on nuclear calcium signaling and that hippocampal Dnmt3a2 levels determine cognitive abilities in both young adult and aged mice.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aging / metabolism*
Aging / psychology
Animals
Cognition / physiology*
Cognition Disorders / enzymology*
DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases / biosynthesis*
DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases / metabolism
DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases / physiology
DNA Methylation / physiology
DNA Methyltransferase 3A
Hippocampus / enzymology*
Memory Disorders / enzymology
Memory, Long-Term / physiology
Mice

Substances

DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases
DNA Methyltransferase 3A