Precocious deposition of perineuronal nets on Parvalbumin inhibitory neurons transplanted into adult visual cortex

Sci Rep. 2018 May 10;8(1):7480. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-25735-8.

Abstract

The end of the critical period for primary visual cortex (V1) coincides with the deposition of perineuronal nets (PNN) onto Parvalbumin (PV) inhibitory neurons. Recently, we found that transplantation of embryonic inhibitory neurons into adult V1 reinstates a new critical period. Here we used Wisteria Floribunda Agglutinin (WFA) staining to compare the deposition of PNNs onto neurons during normal development and following transplantation at equivalent cell ages. In accord with previous findings, PV and PNN expression increases from negligible levels at postnatal day 14 (P14) to mature levels by P70. In contrast to P14, PNNs are found on transplanted PV neurons by 21 days after transplantation and persist to 105 days after transplantation. This precocious deposition was specific to PV neurons and excluded transplanted neurons expressing Somatostatin. Notably, the onset of PV expression in transplanted inhibitory neurons follows the timing of PV expression in juvenile V1. Moreover, transplantation has no discernible effect on host PNNs. The precocious deposition of PNNs onto transplanted PV neurons suggests that PNN expression identified by WFA does not reflect neuronal maturity and may be an inaccurate marker for transplant-induced plasticity of cortical circuits.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Animals
  • Cell Adhesion* / drug effects
  • Cell Communication / drug effects
  • Embryo, Mammalian
  • Female
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Nerve Net / drug effects
  • Nerve Net / metabolism*
  • Neurogenesis / drug effects
  • Neurogenesis / physiology
  • Neurons / drug effects
  • Neurons / metabolism*
  • Neurons / transplantation*
  • Parvalbumins / metabolism*
  • Plant Lectins / metabolism
  • Plant Lectins / pharmacology
  • Pregnancy
  • Receptors, N-Acetylglucosamine / metabolism
  • Time Factors
  • Visual Cortex / cytology*
  • Visual Cortex / drug effects

Substances

  • Parvalbumins
  • Plant Lectins
  • Receptors, N-Acetylglucosamine
  • wisteria lectin