Ablation of STAT3 in Purkinje cells reorganizes cerebellar synaptic plasticity in long-term fear memory network

Abstract

Emotional memory processing engages a large neuronal network of brain regions including the cerebellum. However, the molecular and cellular mechanisms of the cerebellar cortex modulating the fear memory network are unclear. Here, we illustrate that synaptic signaling in cerebellar Purkinje cells (PCs) via STAT3 regulates long-term fear memory. Transcriptome analyses revealed that PC-specific STAT3 knockout (STAT3PKO) results in transcriptional changes that lead to an increase in the expression of glutamate receptors. The amplitude of AMPA receptor-mediated excitatory postsynaptic currents at parallel fiber (PF) to PC synapses was larger in STAT3PKO mice than in wild-type (WT) littermates. Fear conditioning induced long-term depression of PF–PC synapses in STAT3PKO mice while the same manipulation induced long-term potentiation in WT littermates. STAT3PKO mice showed an aberrantly enhanced long-term fear memory. Neuronal activity in fear-related regions increased in fear-conditioned STAT3PKO mice. Our data suggest that STAT3-dependent molecular regulation in PCs is indispensable for proper expression of fear memory.