Research articleSip-1 mutations cause disturbances in the activity of NMDA- and AMPA-, but not kainate receptors of neurons in the cerebral cortex

- Sip1 haploinsufficiency causes higher neuronal sensitivity to NMDA- and AMPA-receptors.
- Sip1 homozygosity causes resistance to activation of NMDA- and AMPA receptors.
- Sip1 deficiency affects the activity of kainate receptors.
- The Sip1 mutation causes a changes in glutamatergic neurotransmission of cortical neurons.

Smad-interacting protein-1 (Sip1) [Zinc finger homeobox (Zfhx1b), Zeb2] is a transcription factor implicated in the genesis of Mowat-Wilson syndrome (MWS) in humans. MWS is a rare genetic autosomal dominant disease caused by a mutation in the Sip1 gene (aka Zeb2 or Zfhx1b) mapped to 2q22.3 locus. MWS affects 1 in every 50-100 newborns worldwide. It is characterized by mental retardation, small stature, typical facial abnormalities as well as disturbances in the development of the cardio-vascular and renal systems as well as some other organs. Sip1 mutations cause abnormal neurogenesis in the brain during development as well as susceptibility to epileptic seizures. In the current study we investigated the role of the Sip1 gene in the activity of NMDA-, AMPA- and KA- receptors. We showed that a particular Sip1 mutation in the mouse causes changes in the activity of both NMDA- and AMPA- receptors in the neocortical neurons in vitro. We demonstrate that neocortical neurons that have only one copy of Sip1 (heterozygous, Sip1fI/wt), are more sensitive to both NMDA- and AMPA- receptors agonists as compared to wild type neurons (Sip1wt/wt). This is reflected in higher amplitudes of agonist induced Ca2+ signals as well as a lower half maximal effective concentration (ЕC50). In contrast, neurons from homozygous Sip1 mice (Sip1fI/fI), demonstrate higher resistance to these respective receptor agonists. This is reflected in lower amplitudes of Ca2+-responses and so a higher concentration of receptor activators is required for activation.