Cited by 78Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology ResearchGenetics and Neurodevelopmental DisordersMemory and Neural Mechanisms

Synapse development organized by neuronal activity-regulated immediate-early genes

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Kim, Seungjoon, Kim, Hyeonho, Um, Ji Won·2018·Experimental & Molecular Medicine

Abstract

Classical studies have shown that neuronal immediate-early genes (IEGs) play important roles in synaptic processes critical for key brain functions. IEGs are transiently activated and rapidly upregulated in discrete neurons in response to a wide variety of cellular stimuli, and they are uniquely involved in various aspects of synapse development. In this review, we summarize recent studies of a subset of neuronal IEGs in regulating synapse formation, transmission, and plasticity. We also discuss how the dysregulation of neuronal IEGs is associated with the onset of various brain disorders and pinpoint key outstanding questions that should be addressed in this field. Immediate-early genes (IEGs), genes that are rapidly and transiently activated by cellular stimuli, regulate the interactions between neurons and key brain functions. Ji Won Um and colleagues at Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology in South Korea review recent studies on three IEGs that are activated by neuronal activity and highlight their contribution to neuronal excitability and cognitive behaviors. These genes rely on different molecular mechanisms to regulate neuronal receptors and the structure of synapses. Research in mice lacking any one of these IEGs reveals their contribution to learning and memory as well as to some behavioral abnormalities associated with neuropsychiatric disorders. Further research into the activity of IEGs will advance our understanding of how a neuron’s environment influences brain development and disease.

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  • Immediate-early genes such as Egr1 and Fosl2 regulate neuronal activity and inflammatory responses under stress conditions.

    “these are known to regulate neuronal activity and inflammatory responses under stress conditions”

    From Comparative Analysis of HPA-Axis Dysregulation and Dynamic Molecular Mechanisms in Acute Versus Chronic Social Defeat Stress (2025) · cites this paper as [44]

    The Introduction (page unavailable) identifies Egr1 as an activity-regulated immediate-early gene, and the review describes immediate-early genes as involved in synaptic function. It does not establish that Egr1 or Fosl2 regulates inflammatory responses under stress conditions; the stress-related discussion concerns Npas4 instead. A search for Fosl2 found no relevant passage. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Acute social defeat stress induces a transient but robust inflammatory response that contributes to short-term behavioral and physiological changes.

    “suggesting that acute social defeat stress induces a transient but robust inflammatory response that contributes to short-term behavioral and physiological changes”

    From Comparative Analysis of HPA-Axis Dysregulation and Dynamic Molecular Mechanisms in Acute Versus Chronic Social Defeat Stress (2025) · cites this paper as [44]

    The Introduction section on neuronal PAS domain protein 4 discusses stress-related cognitive defects and social behavior in Npas4-deficient mice. Searches for acute social defeat stress and inflammatory responses found no passage in our copy addressing a transient inflammatory response or its contribution to short-term behavioral and physiological changes. The cited paper therefore does not verify this claim. (LLM, conf=0.76)

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Authors
Kim, S., Kim, H., & Um, J. W.
Affiliations
Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (KR)
Corresponding author
Um, Ji Won
Venue
Experimental & Molecular Medicine
Published
2018-04
Volume
50
Issue
4
Pages
1-7
ISSN
  • 1226-3613 (ISSN-L)
  • 2092-6413
OpenAlex
W2797434929
Cited by
77
References
97
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 18 · 2019: 4
FWCI
0.97
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Experimental & Molecular Medicine (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetics and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
Keywords
immediate early genes, synaptic development, neuronal activity, synaptogenesis, synaptic transmission, synaptic plasticity, neuronal excitability, learning and memory, neuropsychiatric disorders, brain development, knockout mice
MeSH terms
Animals, Cytoskeletal Proteins, Gene Expression Regulation, Humans, Nerve Tissue Proteins, Synaptic Transmission, Neurons, Synapses, Genes, Immediate-Early, Neurogenesis

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