Shahapal Anu, Park Sumi, Yoo Sangjin, Ma Shi-Xun, Lee Jongha, Kwak Hoyun, Hwang Jong-Ik, Seong Jae Young
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Neuracle Science Co., Ltd., Seoul, Republic of Korea.
PLoS One. 2025 Aug 5;20(8):e0327493. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0327493. eCollection 2025.
The FAM19A5 polypeptide, encoded by the TAFA5 gene, is evolutionarily conserved among vertebral species. This protein is predominantly expressed in the brain, highlighting its crucial role in the central nervous system. Here, we investigated the potential roles of FAM19A5 in brain development and behavior using a FAM19A5-LacZ KI mouse model. This model exhibited a partial reduction in the FAM19A5 protein level. FAM19A5-LacZ KI mice displayed no significant alterations in gross brain structure but alterations in dendritic spine distribution, with a bias toward immature forms. These mice also had lower body weights. Behavioral tests revealed that compared with their wild-type littermates, FAM19A5-LacZ KI male mice displayed hyperactivity and a delayed innate fear response. These findings suggest that FAM19A5 plays a role in regulating spine maturation and maintenance, thereby contributing to neural connectivity and behavior.
由TAFA5基因编码的FAM19A5多肽在脊椎动物物种中具有进化保守性。这种蛋白质主要在大脑中表达，突显了其在中枢神经系统中的关键作用。在此，我们使用FAM19A5-LacZ基因敲入小鼠模型研究了FAM19A5在大脑发育和行为中的潜在作用。该模型显示FAM19A5蛋白水平部分降低。FAM19A5-LacZ基因敲入小鼠整体大脑结构未显示出显著改变，但树突棘分布发生了变化，倾向于未成熟形式。这些小鼠体重也较低。行为测试表明，与野生型同窝小鼠相比，FAM19A5-LacZ基因敲入雄性小鼠表现出多动和先天恐惧反应延迟。这些发现表明，FAM19A5在调节脊柱成熟和维持中发挥作用，从而有助于神经连接和行为。
