Morphofunctional plasticity in the adult hypothalamus induces regulation of polysialic acid-neural cell adhesion molecule through changing activity and expression levels of polysialyltransferases.

ABSTRACT: Polysialic acid-neural cell adhesion molecule (PSA-NCAM) expression in the adult nervous system is restricted to regions retaining a capacity for morphological plasticity. For the female rat hypothalamoneurohypophysial system (HNS), we have previously shown that lactation induces a dramatic decrease in PSA-NCAM, while leaving the level of total NCAM protein unchanged. Here, we wanted to elucidate the molecular mechanisms leading to a downregulation of PSA, thereby stabilizing newly established synapses and neurohemal contacts that accompany the increased activity of oxytocinergic neurons. First, we show that the overall specific activity of polysialyltransferases present in tissue extracts from supraoptic nuclei decreases by approximately 50% during lactation. So far, two polysialyltransfe

SUBMITTER: Soares S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6772227 | biostudies-literature | 2000 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature