Nna1, Essential for Purkinje Cell Survival, Is also Associated with Emotion and Memory

Nna1/CCP1 is generally known as a causative gene for a spontaneous autosomal recessive mouse mutation, Purkinje cell degeneration (pcd). There is enough evidence that the cytosolic function of the zinc carboxypeptidase (CP) domain at the C-terminus of the Nna1 protein is associated with cell death. On the other hand, this molecule’s two nuclear localization signals (NLSs) suggest some other functions exist. We generated exon 3-deficient mice (Nna1N KO), which encode a portion of the N-terminal NLS. Despite the frameshift occurring in these mice, there was an expression of the Nna1 protein lacking the N-terminal side. Surprisingly, the pcd phenotype did not occur in the Nna1N KO mouse. Behavioral analysis revealed that they were less anxious when assessed by the elevated plus maze and the light/dark box tests compared to the control. Furthermore, they showed impairments in context-dependent and sound stimulus-dependent learning. Biochemical analysis of Nna1N KO mice revealed a reduced level of the AMPA-type glutamine receptor GluA2 in the hippocampal synaptosomal fraction. In addition, the motor protein kinesin-1, which transports GluA2 to dendrites, was also decreased. These results indicate that Nna1 is also involved in emotion and memory learning, presumably through the trafficking and expression of synaptic signaling molecules, besides a known role in cell survival.