Cited by 1,149Circular RNAs in diseasesRNA Research and SplicingNeuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research

Neural circular RNAs are derived from synaptic genes and regulated by development and plasticity

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You, Xintian, Vlatkovic, Irena, Babic, Ana, Will, Tristan, Epstein, Irina, Tushev, Georgi, Akbalik, Güney, Wang, Mantian +10 more·2015·Nature Neuroscience

Abstract

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have re-emerged as an interesting RNA species. Using deep RNA profiling in different mouse tissues, we observed that circRNAs were substantially enriched in brain and a disproportionate fraction of them were derived from host genes that encode synaptic proteins. Moreover, on the basis of separate profiling of the RNAs localized in neuronal cell bodies and neuropil, circRNAs were, on average, more enriched in the neuropil than their host gene mRNA isoforms. Using high-resolution in situ hybridization, we visualized circRNA punctae in the dendrites of neurons. Consistent with the idea that circRNAs might regulate synaptic function during development, many circRNAs changed their abundance abruptly at a time corresponding to synaptogenesis. In addition, following a homeostatic downscaling of neuronal activity many circRNAs exhibited substantial up- or downregulation. Together, our data indicate that brain circRNAs are positioned to respond to and regulate synaptic function.

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Crossref · 10.1038/nn.3975

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  • circHomer1 derived from the homer scaffolding protein 1 pre-RNA can regulate synaptic structure during development and neuronal plasticity.

    “circHomer1 derived from the homer scaffolding protein 1 pre-RNA can regulate some synaptic structure during the development and neuronal plasticity.297”

    From Epigenetic regulation in major depression and other stress-related disorders: molecular mechanisms, clinical relevance and therapeutic potential (2023) · cites this paper as [297]

    The Results identify circHomer1_a as derived from the Homer1 scaffolding transcript and report that it is up-regulated after induced neuronal plasticity. The Discussion proposes that its production could affect Homer1b/c and synaptic downscaling, but does not establish that circHomer1_a regulates synaptic structure. The developmental Results describe changes in circRNAs generally, not a developmental structural effect of circHomer1_a. Page numbers are unavailable in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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  • circRNAs were observed to be linked to neurotransmitter function and synaptic plasticity and have higher expression in the neuropil area compared to their mRNA isoforms.

    “circRNAs were also observed to be linked to neurotransmitter function and synaptic plasticity and have a higher expression in the neuropil area compared to their mRNA isoforms.297”

    From Epigenetic regulation in major depression and other stress-related disorders: molecular mechanisms, clinical relevance and therapeutic potential (2023) · cites this paper as [297]

    The Abstract and Results ('circRNAs: synaptic gene origin and dendritic localization'; page unavailable) report that circRNAs are, on average, more enriched in neuropil than their host-gene mRNA isoforms, and that many arise from synapse-related genes. The Results ('Neuronal plasticity changes circRNA expression'; page unavailable) show changes following induced synaptic plasticity. The paper suggests a role in synaptic transmission, but does not establish a specific link to neurotransmitter function or show higher absolute circRNA expression than mRNA expression in neuropil. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Many host genes of circRNA were enriched in the pathway of synaptic activities and neurotransmitter secretion.

    “many host genes of circRNA were enriched in the pathway of synaptic activities and neurotransmitter secretion.289,297,298”

    From Epigenetic regulation in major depression and other stress-related disorders: molecular mechanisms, clinical relevance and therapeutic potential (2023) · cites this paper as [297]

    The Results section (“circRNAs: synaptic gene origin and dendritic localization”; page unavailable) reports that genes hosting brain-expressed circRNAs are enriched for synapse-related Gene Ontology groups, including presynaptic active zone and presynaptic membrane. It does not report enrichment specifically for a neurotransmitter-secretion pathway, so that part of the claim is unsupported by our copy. (LLM, conf=0.85)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Compared with other cytoplasmic RNAs, circRNAs seem to be more prone to being localized in synapses and their expression is correlated with neural plasticity.

    “Compared with other cytoplasmic RNAs, circRNAs seem to be more prone to being localized in synapses and their expression is correlated with neural plasticity, which further supports an important function of circRNAs in synaptic transmission [50,62].”

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Authors
You, X., Vlatkovic, I., Babic, A., Will, T., Epstein, I., Tushev, G., Akbalik, G., Wang, M., Glock, C., Quedenau, C., Wang, X., Hou, J., Liu, H., Sun, W., Sambandan, S., Chen, T., Schuman, E. M., & Chen, W.
Affiliations
  • Max Delbrück Center (DE)
  • Max Planck Institute for Brain Research (DE)
Corresponding author
  • Schuman, Erin M
  • Chen, Wei
Venue
Nature Neuroscience
Published
2015-02-25
Volume
18
Issue
4
Pages
603-610
ISSN
  • 1097-6256 (ISSN-L)
  • 1546-1726
OpenAlex
W1967791012
Cited by
1,149
References
42
Citations by year
2026: 38 · 2025: 78 · 2024: 79 · 2023: 101 · 2022: 116 · 2021: 167 · 2020: 162 · 2019: 138 · 2018: 112 · 2017: 75 · 2016: 53 · 2015: 26 · 2014: 1
FWCI
38.48
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • MDC Repository (Max-Delbrueck-Center for Molecular Medicine) (submittedVersion)
  • MPG.PuRe (Max Planck Society) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Circular RNAs in diseases
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › RNA Research and Splicing
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
Keywords
circular RNA, synaptic genes, synaptogenesis, homeostatic plasticity, neuropil, dendrites, brain transcriptome
MeSH terms
RNA, Circular, Animals, Brain, Dendrites, Female, Hippocampus, Male, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Neuronal Plasticity, RNA, Synapses, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, In Situ Hybridization, Sequence Analysis, RNA, Patch-Clamp Techniques, Neuropil, Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction, Mice, Rats

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