Consequences of loss of spinophilin on striatal mGluR5 phosphorylation and interactome

Constitutive knockout of the obsessive-compulsive disorder-associated protein, SAPAP3, results in repetitive motor dysfunction, such as excessive grooming, caused by increased mGluR5 activity in striatal medium spiny neurons (MSNs). However, signaling mechanisms that mediate mGluR5-dependent grooming dysfunction are not fully understood. Here, we investigate the function of the striatal signaling hub protein, spinophilin, in regulating mGluR5 phosphorylation and protein interactions, which may predict spinophilin’s role in regulating mGluR5-dependent grooming dysfunction.