Seminars

【Abstract】
Extracellular proteases are important regulators of the central nervous system functioning. Neuropsin, tPA and plasmin are highly expressed in the hippocampus and amygdala where they promote neuronal plasticity and shape up behavioral responses to external stimuli. We and others have found that the above proteases and their receptors (PARs) promote stress-induced anxiety and fear by cleaving membrane proteins, activating latent growth factors and redirecting intracellular signalling at G protein-coupled receptors. This talk will summarize our current knowledge on the effects of proteases in neuronal plasticity, anxiety and fear.

【References】
1. Attwood BK, Bourgognon JM, Patel S, Mucha M, Schiavon E, Skrzypiec AE, Young KW, Shiosaka S, Korostynski M, Piechota M, Przewlocki R, Pawlak R. Neuropsin cleaves EphB2 in the amygdala to control anxiety.  Nature. 2011 May 19;473(7347):372-5.
2. Bourgognon JM, Schiavon E, Salah-Uddin H, Skrzypiec AE, Attwood BK, Shah RS, Patel SG, Mucha M, John Challiss RA, Forsythe ID, Pawlak R. Regulation of neuronal plasticity and fear by a dynamic change in PAR1-G protein coupling in the amygdala. Mol Psychiatry. 2012 Oct 2. doi: 10.1038/mp.2012.133.