People with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have reduced activity of the protein serum and glucocorticoid regulated kinase 1 (SGK1) in their prefrontal cortices, and experimentally reducing the protein's activity in rats leads to PTSD-like behavior, according to a new study in PLOS Biology.
Performing a whole-genome expression screen on the post-mortem brains of six subjects with PTSD, the authors found that expression of SGK1 was reduced in the prefrontal cortex by over 80% compared to controls.
To understand the cellular mechanisms at work, the authors turned to rats, and showed that those rats with lower SGK1 activity had higher levels of learned helplessness in response to a shock (a behavior thought to mimic one aspect of PTSD).
Experimentally reducing SGK1 activity in rats induced learned helplessness, while overexpressing the protein reduced it. Reducing SGK1 activity also induced several other PTSD-like behaviors, and caused cellular changes in prefrontal cortical neurons consistent with an augmented fear response.
Together, these results indicate that a reduction in SGK1 activity likely contributes to PTSD. Larger postmortem studies will be needed to confirm these findings, but if they are borne out, SGK1 or other proteins with which it is linked may provide new targets for medications to reverse the effects of PTSD.
http://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.1002282
Edited
Latest News
Connecting genetic risk for…
By newseditor
Posted 30 May
Tumor infiltration of immun…
By newseditor
Posted 28 May
New light-controlled 'off s…
By newseditor
Posted 28 May
Gene function during embryo…
By newseditor
Posted 28 May
Formation of 3D blood vesse…
By newseditor
Posted 27 May
Other Top Stories
Vessel co-option mediates resistance to anti-angiogenic therapy in…
Read more
A novel non-invasive imaging probe for fast and sensitive detection…
Read more
Anti-cancer effects found in natural compound derived from onions
Read more
Role of prolactin in triple negative breast cancer
Read more
Fat in feces points to early presence of colorectal cancer
Read more
Protocols
Accessible high-speed image…
By newseditor
Posted 30 May
SEMORE: SEgmentation and MO…
By newseditor
Posted 26 May
Spatially resolved lipidomi…
By newseditor
Posted 24 May
Efficient expansion and CRI…
By newseditor
Posted 21 May
Massively parallel in vivo…
By newseditor
Posted 20 May
Publications
I Am Curious About Cannabis…
By newseditor
Posted 30 May
Advanced microbiome therape…
By newseditor
Posted 29 May
Hippocampal astrocytes indu…
By newseditor
Posted 29 May
TNIK's emerging role in can…
By newseditor
Posted 29 May
Diabetes drugs activate neu…
By newseditor
Posted 29 May
Presentations
Hydrogels in Drug Delivery
By newseditor
Posted 12 Apr
Lipids
By newseditor
Posted 31 Dec
Cell biology of carbohydrat…
By newseditor
Posted 29 Nov
RNA interference (RNAi)
By newseditor
Posted 23 Oct
RNA structure and functions
By newseditor
Posted 19 Oct
Posters
A chemical biology/modular…
By newseditor
Posted 22 Aug
Single-molecule covalent ma…
By newseditor
Posted 04 Jul
ASCO-2020-HEALTH SERVICES R…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar
ASCO-2020-HEAD AND NECK CANCER
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar
ASCO-2020-GENITOURINARY CAN…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar