Regulation of Memory Formation by the Transcription Factor XBP1.
Martínez GBiomedical Neuroscience Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile; Program of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Center for Molecular Studies of the Cell, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile; Center for Geroscience, Brain Health and Metabolism, Santiago, Chile.
Vidal RLBiomedical Neuroscience Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile; Center for Geroscience, Brain Health and Metabolism, Santiago, Chile; Neurounion Biomedical Foundation, CENPAR, Santiago, Chile.
Mardones PBiomedical Neuroscience Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile; Program of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Center for Molecular Studies of the Cell, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile; Center for Geroscience, Brain Health and Metabolism, Santiago, Chile.
Serrano FGCenter of Aging and Regeneration (CARE), Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Ardiles AOCentro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaiso, Chile.
Wirth CDepartment of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Valdés PBiomedical Neuroscience Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile; Program of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Center for Molecular Studies of the Cell, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile; Center for Geroscience, Brain Health and Metabolism, Santiago, Chile.
Thielen PDepartment of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Schneider BLBrain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
Kerr BCentro de Estudios Científicos, Valdivia, Chile.
Valdés JLBiomedical Neuroscience Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile; Programa Disciplinario de Fisiología y Biofísica, I.C.B.M., Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Palacios AGCentro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaiso, Chile.
Inestrosa NCCenter of Aging and Regeneration (CARE), Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Glimcher LHWeill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA. Electronic address: lglimche@med.cornell.edu.
Hetz CBiomedical Neuroscience Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile; Program of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Center for Molecular Studies of the Cell, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile; Center for Geroscience, Brain Health and Metabolism, Santiago, Chile; Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Electronic address: chetz@med.uchile.cl.
English
Contextual memory formation relies on the induction of new genes in the hippocampus. A polymorphism in the promoter of the transcription factor XBP1 was identified as a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease and bipolar disorders. XBP1 is a major regulator of the unfolded protein response (UPR), mediating adaptation to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Using a phenotypic screen, we uncovered an unexpected function of XBP1 in cognition and behavior. Mice lacking XBP1 in the nervous system showed specific impairment of contextual memory formation and long-term potentiation (LTP), whereas neuronal XBP1s overexpression improved performance in memory tasks. Gene expression analysis revealed that XBP1 regulates a group of memory-related genes, highlighting brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a key component in memory consolidation. Overexpression of BDNF in the hippocampus reversed the XBP1-deficient phenotype. Our study revealed an unanticipated function of XBP1 in cognitive processes that is apparently unrelated to its role in ER stress.