BET protein Brd4 activates transcription in neurons and BET inhibitor Jq1 blocks memory in mice

Precise regulation of transcription is crucial for the cellular mechanisms underlying memory formation. However, the link between neuronal stimulation and the proteins that directly interact with histone modifications to activate transcription in neurons remains unclear. Brd4 is a member of the BET protein family, which binds acetylated histones and has a critical role in numerous cell types in regulating transcription, including in the response to external cues. Small molecule BET inhibitors are in clinical trials, yet almost nothing is known about Brd4 function in the brain. Here we show that Brd4 is a key player in neuronal function and mediates the transcriptional regulation underlying learning and memory. The loss of Brd4 function affects critical synaptic proteins, which results in memory deficits in mice but also decreases seizure susceptibility. Thus, Brd4 provides a critical, and previously uncharacterized, link between neuronal activation and the transcriptional responses that occur during memory formation.