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Identification of Circular RNAs using RNA Sequencing
Published on: November 14, 2019
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The noncoding circular RNA circHomer1 regulates synaptic development and experience-dependent plasticity in the mouse
Kyle R Jenks1, Ying Cai2, Marvin Eduarte Nayan3
1Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
Iscience
|October 7, 2025
Summary
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) play a key role in brain plasticity. This study shows circHomer1 is essential for visual cortex synaptic development and learning from experience.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are abundant in the brain, but their role in experience-dependent plasticity is unknown.
- Synaptic development and plasticity are known to alter circRNA expression in vitro.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of circRNAs in experience-dependent plasticity in the mouse visual cortex in vivo.
- To examine the function of circHomer1 in synaptic development and plasticity following monocular deprivation.
Main Methods:
- Transcriptome-wide analysis of juvenile mouse visual cortex after 3-day monocular deprivation.
- Gene knockdown of circHomer1 to assess its functional impact.
- Analysis of dendritic spine size and surface AMPA receptor expression.
Main Results:
- Monocular deprivation led to opposing expression changes in circHomer1 (increased) and Homer1a (decreased).
- circHomer1 knockdown delayed visual response depression and impaired structural plasticity.
- circHomer1 knockdown prevented the reduction of surface AMPA receptors.
Conclusions:
- circHomer1 is crucial for normal synaptic development in the visual cortex.
- circHomer1 plays an essential role in experience-dependent synaptic plasticity.
