Hippocampal chromatin-modifying enzymes are pivotal for scopolamine-induced synaptic plasticity gene expression changes and memory impairment.

The amnesic potential of scopolamine is well manifested through synaptic plasticity gene expression changes and behavioral paradigms of memory impairment. However, the underlying mechanism remains obscure and consequently ideal therapeutic target is lacking. In this context, chromatin-modifying enzymes, which regulate memory gene expression changes, deserve major attention. Therefore, we analyzed the expression of chromatin-modifying enzymes and recovery potential of enzyme modulators in scopolamine-induced amnesia. Scopolamine administration drastically up-regulated DNA methyltransferases (DNMT1) and HDAC2 expression while CREB-binding protein (CBP), DNMT3a and DNMT3b remained unaffected. HDAC inhibitor sodium butyrate and DNMT inhibitor Aza-2'deoxycytidine recovered scopolamine-impaired hippocampal-dependent memory consolidation with concomitant increase in the expression of synaptic plasticity genes Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and Arc and level of histone H3K9 and H3K14 acetylation and decrease in DNA methylation level. Sodium butyrate showed more pronounced effect than Aza-2'deoxycytidine and their co-administration did not exhibit synergistic effect on gene expression. Taken together, we showed for the first time that scopolamine-induced up-regulation of chromatin-modifying enzymes, HDAC2 and DNMT1, leads to gene expression changes and consequent decline in memory consolidation. Our findings on the action of scopolamine as an epigenetic modulator can pave a path for ideal therapeutic targets. We propose the following putative pathway for scopolamine-mediated memory impairment; scopolamine up-regulates hippocampal DNMT1 and HDAC2 expression, induces methylation and deacetylation of BDNF and Arc promoter, represses gene expression and eventually impairs memory consolidation. On the other hand, Aza-2 and NaB inhibit DNMT1 and HDAC2 respectively, up-regulate BDNF and Arc expression and recover memory consolidation. We elucidate the action of scopolamine as an epigenetic modulator and hope that DNMT1 and HDAC2 would be ideal therapeutic targets for memory disorders.