Browsing by Author "Hwang, Nai-Hsuan"

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    Serotonin receptor HTR6-mediated mTORC1 signaling regulates dietary restriction-induced memory enhancement
    (PLOS, 2019-03-18) Teng, Ling-Ling; Lu, Guan-Ling; Chiou, Lih-Chu; Lin, Wei-Sheng; Cheng, Ya-Yun; Hsueh, Tai-En; Huang, Yi-Ching; Hwang, Nai-Hsuan; Yeh, Jin-Wei; Liao, Ruey-Ming; Fan, Shou-Zen; Yen, Jui-Hung; Fu, Tsai-Feng; Tsai, Ting-Fen; Wu, Ming-Shiang; Wang, Pei-Yu; Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine
    Dietary restriction (DR; sometimes called calorie restriction) has profound beneficial effects on physiological, psychological, and behavioral outcomes in animals and in humans. We have explored the molecular mechanism of DR-induced memory enhancement and demonstrate that dietary tryptophan-a precursor amino acid for serotonin biosynthesis in the brain-and serotonin receptor 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 6 (HTR6) are crucial in mediating this process. We show that HTR6 inactivation diminishes DR-induced neurological alterations, including reduced dendritic complexity, increased spine density, and enhanced long-term potentiation (LTP) in hippocampal neurons. Moreover, we find that HTR6-mediated mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling is involved in DR-induced memory improvement. Our results suggest that the HTR6-mediated mTORC1 pathway may function as a nutrient sensor in hippocampal neurons to couple memory performance to dietary intake.