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Updated: Oct 4, 2025

Immunohistochemical Visualization of Hippocampal Neuron Activity After Spatial Learning in a Mouse Model of Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Published on: May 12, 2015
Nrf2 improves hippocampal synaptic plasticity, learning and memory through the circ-Vps41/miR-26a-5p/CaMKIV
Runjiao Zhang1, Yanjing Gao1, Yibo Li1
1Department of Human Anatomy, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050017, PR China; Institute of Medicine and Health, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050017, PR China.
Abstract:
Antioxidant response transcription factor nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2/Nfe2l2) is a neuroprotective agent in learning and memory impairment. This study provides a new perspective to explore the regulatory mechanisms of Nrf2. Here, we found that Nrf2 regulated circular RNA circ-Vps41 to increase hippocampal synaptic plasticity; Nrf2 bound the Vps41 promoter to activate transcription of the Vps41 gene and promote expression of circ-Vps41; circ-Vps41 positively correlated with Nrf2, synaptic plasticity, and learning and memory but negatively correlated with reactive oxygen species; and Nrf2 promoted CaMKIV expression by increasing levels of circ-Vps41, which can absorb miR-26a-5p that targets CaMKIV. Our findings revealed a new circRNA-based regulatory network regulated by Nrf2 and provided novel insights into the potential mechanism involved in the improvement of learning and memory impairment.
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