Genetic labeling reveals novel cellular targets of schizophrenia susceptibility gene ERBB4 and neuregulin-1 – ERBB4 signaling in monoamine neurons

Abstract

Neuregulin 1 (NRG1) and its receptor ErbB4 are schizophrenia risk genes. NRG1-ErbB4 signaling plays a critical role in neural development and regulates neurotransmission and synaptic plasticity. Nevertheless, its cellular targets remain controversial. ErbB4 was thought to be expressed in excitatory neurons although recent studies have disputed this view. Utilizing mice that express a fluorescent protein under the promoter of the ErbB4 gene, I determined in what cells ErbB4 is expressed and their identity. ErbB4 was widely expressed in the mouse brain, being highest in amygdala and cortex. Almost all ErbB4-positive cells were GABAergic in cortex, hippocampus, basal ganglia, and most of amygdala in neonatal and adult mice, suggesting GABAergic transmission as a major target of NRG1-ErbB4 signaling in these regions. Non-GABAergic, ErbB4-positive cells were present in thalamus, hypothalamus, midbrain and hindbrain. In particular, ErbB4 was expressed in both dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area and in serotoninergic neurons of raphe nuclei, but not in norepinephrinergic neurons of the locus coeruleus. In hypothalamus, ErbB4 was present in neurons that express oxytocin. ErbB4 was expressed in a group of cells in the subcortical areas that are positive for S100β. These results identify novel cellular targets of NRG1-ErbB4 signaling. Finally, perfusion of NRG1 into the medial prefrontal cortex enhanced both dopamine and serotonin release but with differing time courses.