Loss of mTOR-Dependent Macroautophagy Causes Autistic-like Synaptic Pruning Deficits

Guomei Tang, Kathryn Gudsnuk, Sheng Han Kuo, Marisa L. Cotrina, Gorazd Rosoklija, Alexander Sosunov, Mark S. Sonders, Ellen Kanter, Candace Castagna, Ai Yamamoto, Zhenyu Yue, Ottavio Arancio, Bradley S. Peterson, Frances Champagne, Andrew J. Dwork, James Goldman, David Sulzer

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

820 Scopus citations

Abstract

Developmental alterations of excitatory synapses areimplicated in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Here, we report increased dendritic spine density with reduced developmental spine pruning in layer V pyramidal neurons in postmortem ASD temporal lobe. These spine deficits correlate with hyperactivated mTOR and impaired autophagy. In Tsc2+/- ASD mice where mTOR is constitutively overactive, we observed postnatal spine pruning defects, blockade of autophagy, and ASD-like social behaviors. The mTOR inhibitor rapamycin corrected ASD-like behaviors and spine pruning defects in Tsc2+/ mice, but not in Atg7CKO neuronal autophagy-deficient mice or Tsc2+/-:Atg7CKO double mutants. Neuronal autophagy furthermore enabled spine elimination with no effects on spine formation. Our findings suggest that mTOR-regulated autophagy is required for developmental spine pruning, and activation of neuronal autophagy corrects synaptic pathology and social behavior deficits in ASD models with hyperactivated mTOR.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1131-1143
Number of pages13
JournalNeuron
Volume83
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - 3 Sep 2014

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