Differential regulation of MeCP2 phosphorylation in the CNS by dopamine and serotonin

Systemic administration of amphetamine (AMPH) induces phosphorylation of MeCP2 at Ser421 (pMeCP2) in select populations of neurons in the mesolimbocortical brain regions. Because AMPH simultaneously activates multiple monoamine neurotransmitter systems, here we examined the ability of dopamine (DA), serotonin (5-HT), and norepinephrine (NE) to induce pMeCP2. Selective blockade of the DA transporter (DAT) or the 5-HT transporter (SERT), but not the NE transporter (NET), was sufficient to induce pMeCP2 in the CNS. DAT blockade induced pMeCP2 in the prelimbic cortex (PLC) and nucleus accumbens (NAc), whereas SERT blockade induced pMeCP2 only in the NAc. Administration of selective DA and 5-HT receptor agonists was also sufficient to induce pMeCP2; however, the specific combination of DA and 5-HT receptors activated determined the regional- and cell-type specificity of pMeCP2 induction. The D(1)-class DA receptor agonist SKF81297 induced pMeCP2 widely; however, coadministration of the D(2)-class agonist quinpirole restricted the induction of pMeCP2 to GABAergic interneurons of the NAc. Intra-striatal injection of the adenylate cyclase activator forskolin was sufficient to induce pMeCP2 in medium-spiny neurons, suggesting that the combinatorial regulation of cAMP by different classes of DA and 5-HT receptors may contribute to the cell-type specificity of pMeCP2 induction. Consistent with the regulation of pMeCP2 by multiple monoamine neurotransmitters, genetic disruption of any single monoamine transporter in DAT-, SERT-, and NET-knockout mice failed to eliminate AMPH-induced pMeCP2 in the NAc. Together, these studies indicate that combinatorial signaling through DA and 5-HT receptors can regulate the brain region- and cell-type specific pMeCP2 in the CNS.