Molecular mechanism for maintenance of mature synapse - to elucidate the regression phenomenon of Rett syndrome -

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K09602
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Pediatrics
• Research Institution: Tokyo Women's Medical University
• Principal Investigator: Yagasaki Yuki 東京女子医科大学, 医学部, 助教 (90392422)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 脳・神経 / 神経疾患 / レット症候群 / MeCP2 / 成熟シナプスの維持機構

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Retinogeniculate (RG) synapses in the mouse dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) are known to develop into the mature circuit through three phases: synapse formation (P0-P10), synapse elimination (P10-P20), and the experience-dependent maintenance (P20-30) phases. Methyl CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2), a transcriptional regulator associated with Rett syndrome, has been reported to be involved in experience-dependent maintenance of RG synapses. The MeCP2 expression pattern in the mouse dLGN, however, is not fully understood during the three phases. We found that the MeCP2 protein level in the dLGN gradually increased in glutamatergic but not GABAergic neurons during development. Interestingly, dark rearing from P21 for 10 days decreased MeCP2 expression only in glutamatergic neurons in the dLGN. These results suggest that the MeCP2 expression level in glutamatergic neurons is regulated in a visual experience-dependent manner during the RG synapse maintenance phase.

Free Research Field

神経科学