Knockout of NMDA-receptors from parvalbumin interneurons sensitizes to schizophrenia-related deficits induced by MK-801

Transl Psychiatry. 2016 Apr 12;6(4):e778. doi: 10.1038/tp.2016.44.

Abstract

It has been suggested that a functional deficit in NMDA-receptors (NMDARs) on parvalbumin (PV)-positive interneurons (PV-NMDARs) is central to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Supportive evidence come from examination of genetically modified mice where the obligatory NMDAR-subunit GluN1 (also known as NR1) has been deleted from PV interneurons by Cre-mediated knockout of the corresponding gene Grin1 (Grin1(ΔPV) mice). Notably, such PV-specific GluN1 ablation has been reported to blunt the induction of hyperlocomotion (a surrogate for psychosis) by pharmacological NMDAR blockade with the non-competitive antagonist MK-801. This suggests PV-NMDARs as the site of the psychosis-inducing action of MK-801. In contrast to this hypothesis, we show here that Grin1(ΔPV) mice are not protected against the effects of MK-801, but are in fact sensitized to many of them. Compared with control animals, Grin1(ΔPV)mice injected with MK-801 show increased stereotypy and pronounced catalepsy, which confound the locomotor readout. Furthermore, in Grin1(ΔPV)mice, MK-801 induced medial-prefrontal delta (4 Hz) oscillations, and impaired performance on tests of motor coordination, working memory and sucrose preference, even at lower doses than in wild-type controls. We also found that untreated Grin1(ΔPV)mice are largely normal across a wide range of cognitive functions, including attention, cognitive flexibility and various forms of short-term memory. Taken together these results argue against PV-specific NMDAR hypofunction as a key starting point of schizophrenia pathophysiology, but support a model where NMDAR hypofunction in multiple cell types contribute to the disease.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Behavior, Animal / drug effects
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Dizocilpine Maleate*
  • Female
  • Interneurons / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Parvalbumins / metabolism*
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Schizophrenia / chemically induced
  • Schizophrenia / physiopathology*

Substances

  • Parvalbumins
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate
  • Dizocilpine Maleate