Can glia modify the neuronal activities-proving "tripartite synapse theory"-

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K14354
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Neurochemistry/Neuropharmacology
• Research Institution: Nara Medical University
• Principal Investigator: Wanaka Akio 奈良県立医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (90210989)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 奥田 洋明 金沢大学, 医学系, 准教授 (40453162) ; 森田 晶子 奈良県立医科大学, 医学部, 助教 (70647049)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): NAMBU Atsushi 生理学研究所, システム脳科学研究領域, 教授 (80180553)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: アストロサイト / 三つ組みシナプス / GFAP / Olig2 / DREADD法 / 自発運動

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Astrocytes are known to form "Tripartite synapse" with pre-and post synaptic neuronal elements. The question we would like to address in the present study is "Does modification of astrocytic functions influence neuronal activity?" To this end, we checked ultrastructures of astrocytes before and after three-week voluntary exercise. After exercise, the fine processes of astrocytes increased their complexities, suggesting that astrocytes responded to increased neuronal activities. During this morphological study, we noticed that in the Globus Pallidus there are two distinct populations of astrocytes, one is Olig2-expressing astrocytes and another is GFAP-expressing astrocytes. These two populations distributed in a mutually-exclusive manner. We transfected M3Dq receptor, which can activate cells in the presence of designer drug, CNO (DREADD method). Using this method, we activated astrocytes in the Globus Pallidus and the mice were less active as compared to the control mice.

Free Research Field

神経解剖学、分子神経科学