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Bryen A. Jordan, Ph.D.

Bryen A. Jordan, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience

Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Area of Research: Synaptic plasticity; RNA transport and local translation; synapse-to-nucleus signaling; Proteomic analysis of the dynamics of synaptic junctions; molecular mechanisms underlying neurodevelopmental disorders.

Contact Information

718.430.2675bryen.jordan@einsteinmed.org

Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Rose F. Kennedy Center
1410 Pelham Parkway South, Room 825
Bronx, NY 10461

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Professional Interests

Exploring synaptic function and the role of synaptic dysfunction in neurological diseases

An important question in neuroscience is how does neuronal activity alter neuronal connectivity. This question is critically important since changes in connectivity and transmission underlie higher order brain functions such as learning and memory and likely play a role in the cognitive deficits observed in many neurological diseases. To explore this question, we employ proteomics and mass spectrometry, which provide us with a global overview of synaptic and nuclear complexity and allow us to explore their dynamics. Using these methods, we found that a number of synaptic components can shuttle to the neuronal nucleus in response to synaptic activity. These include PRR7 and AIDA-1, which binds to NMDA receptors (NMDAR) and links synaptic activity to nuclear functions. Recent studies implicate AIDA-1 in diverse psychiatric and developmental disorders including schizophrenia and Autism spectrum disorders. A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the AIDA-1 gene (ANKS1b) is associated with response to antipsychotics, suggesting AIDA-1 may play a role in schizophrenia. Moreover copy number variations (CNVs) and SNPs of AIDA-1 have been identified in patients with autism and correlate positively with impaired play skills in ASD. Moreover we have recently found that AIDA-1 can regulate the metabolism of the Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) in neurons. AIDA-1 can promote the generation of amyloid beta peptides by regulating APP internalization, and may therefore it may play an important role in Alzheimer’s disease.

Moreover we found that certain RNA binding proteins (RNABPs) shuttle back into synaptic junctions in response to neuronal activity. We have recently shown that one of these proteins, Sam68, regulates the synaptic and dendritic expression of beta-actin and is crucial for proper spine morphology and synaptic function. Sam68 has been recently implicated in Fragile X-associated Tremor/Ataxia Syndrome (FXTAS), which is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by mutations upstream of the FMR1 gene. We are therefore investigating if Sam68-dependent protein translation of cytoskeletal components can affect synaptic function and plasticity and ultimately behavior. We believe Sam68 plays a role in the generation and refining of neuronal networks. Understanding precisely how neurons regulate specific connections amongst their many thousand inputs is a central question in neuroscience. Therefore our lab employs broad-based proteomics methods to understand how synapses relay fast synaptic information to the nucleus and back, what are the key players in this process, and what role do these molecules play in brain pathologies.

Selected Publications

Ratnakumar A, Zimmerman SE, Jordan BA, Mar JC. Estrogen activates Alzheimer's disease genes. Alzheimers Dement (NY) 2019 Dec 9; 5:906-917

Younts TJ, Monday HR, Dudok B, Klein ME, Jordan BA, Katona I, Castillo PE. Presynaptic protein synthesis is required for long-term plasticity of GABA release. Neuron 2016 Oct 19; 92(2):479-492

Kravchick DO, Karpova A, Hrdinka M, Lopez-Rojas J, Iacobas S, Carbonell AU, Iacobas DA, Kreutz MR, Jordan BA. Synaptonuclear messenger PRR7 inhibits c-Jun ubiquitination and regulates NMDA mediated excitotoxicity. The EMBO Journal. 2016 Sep 1;35(17):1923-34

Tindi JO, Chávez AE, Cvejic S, Calvo-Ochoa E, Castillo PE, Jordan BA. ANKS1B Gene Product AIDA-1 Controls Hippocampal Synaptic Transmission by Regulating GluN2B Subunit Localization. J. Neurosci.2015 Jun 17;35 (24), 8986-8996

Kravchick DO, Jordan BA. Presynapses go nuclear! EMBO J. 2015 Apr 15;34(8):984-6.

KleinME, Castillo PE, Jordan BA. Coordination between Translation and Degradation Regulates Inducibility of mGluR-LTD. Cell Reports 2015 Mar 10;(10):1459-1466

Klein ME, Younts TJ, Castillo PE, Jordan BA. RNA-binding protein Sam68 controls synapse number and local β-actin mRNA metabolism in dendrites. PNAS 2013 Feb 19;110(8):3125-30

Mulholland PJ, Jordan BA, Chandler LJ. Chronic ethanol up-regulates the synaptic expression of the nuclear translational regulatory protein AIDA-1 in primary hippocampal neurons. Alcohol. 2012 Sep;46(6):569-76.

Zhang G, Neubert TA, Jordan BA. RNA binding proteins accumulate at the postsynaptic density with synaptic activity. J Neurosci. 2012 Jan 11:32(2): 599-609.

Jacob AL, Jordan BA, Weinberg RJ. Organization of amyloid-beta protein precursor intracellular domain-associated protein-1 in the rat brain. J Comp Neurol. 2010 Aug 15;518(16):3221-36.

Jordan BA, Kreutz MR. Nucleocytoplasmic protein shuttling: the direct route in synapse-to-nucleus signaling. Trends in Neurosci (TINS). 2009 Jul;32(7):392-401.

Jordan BA, Ziff EB. To the Nucleus with Proteomics. In Regulation of Transcription by Neuronal Activity. Edited by: Dudek SM. Springer Science;November 2007.

Jordan BA, Fernholz BD, Khatri L, Ziff EB. Activity-dependent AIDA-1 nuclear signaling regulates nucleolar numbers and protein synthesis in neurons. Nat. Neurosci. 2007 Apr; 10(4):427-35.

Jordan BA, Fernholz BD, Neubert TA, Ziff EB: New Tricks for an Old Dog: Proteomics of the PSD. In The Dynamic Synapse: Molecular Methods in Ionotropic Receptor Biology. Volume 29. Edited by: Kittler JT, Moss SJ. Boca Raton: CRC/Taylor & Francis; 2006:37-55.

Jordan BA, Ziff EB. Getting to synaptic complexes through systems biology. Genome Biology, 2006 7:214. doi:10.1186/gb-2006-7-4-214.

Monea S, Jordan BA, Srivastava S, DeSouza S, and Ziff EB. Membrane localization of membrane type 5 matrix metalloproteinase by AMPA receptor binding protein and cleavage of cadherins. J. Neurosci. 2006 26: 2300-2312.

Jordan BA, Fernholz BD, Boussac M, Xu C, Grigorean G, Ziff EB, Neubert TA. Identification and verification of novel rodent postsynaptic density proteins. Mol Cell Proteomics. 2004 Sep; 3(9): 857-71.

Jordan BA, Gomes I, Rios CD, Filipovska J, Devi L. Functional interactions between mu opioid and alpha 2A-adrenergic receptors. Mol Pharm 2003; Dec; 64(6): 1317-24.

Gomes I, Filipovska J, Jordan BA, Devi LA. Oligomerization of opioid receptors. Methods 27 (4): 358-365 Aug 2002.

Rios CD, Jordan BA, Gomes I, and Devi LA. G-protein-coupled receptor dimerization: modulation of receptor function. Pharmacol Therapeut 92 (2-3): 71-87 Nov-Dec 2001.

Gomes I, Jordan BA, Gupta A, Rios C, Trapaidze N, Devi LA. G protein coupled receptor dimerization: implications in modulating receptor function. Journal of Mol Med 79 (5-6): 226-242 Jun 2001.

Jordan BA, Trapaidze N, Gomes I, Nivarthi R, and Devi LA. Oligomerization of opioid receptors with beta 2-adrenergic receptors: a role in trafficking and mitogen-activated protein kinase activation. PNAS 2001;98(1): 343-348.

Gomes I, Jordan BA, Gupta A, Trapaidze N, Nagy V, and Devi LA. (2000) Heterodimerization of mu and delta opioid receptors: A role in opiate synergy. J Neurosci 20: RC110.

Jordan BA, Cvejic S, and Devi LA. (2000). Kappa opioid receptor endocytosis by dynorphin peptides. DNA Cell Biol 19, 19-27.

Jordan BA, Cvejic S, and Devi LA. (2000). Opioids and their complicated receptor complexes. Neuropsychopharmacology 19, 19-27.

Jordan BA, and Devi LA. (1999). G-protein-coupled receptor heterodimerization modulates receptor function. Nature 399, 697-700.

Jordan B, and Devi LA. (1998). Molecular mechanisms of opioid receptor signal transduction. Br J Anaesth 81, 12-19.

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Faculty Profile

Bryen A. Jordan, Ph.D.

Contact Information

Professional Interests

Exploring synaptic function and the role of synaptic dysfunction in neurological diseases

Selected Publications

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