Dataset Information

MiR-29 coordinates age-dependent plasticity brakes in the adult visual cortex.

ABSTRACT: Visual cortical circuits show profound plasticity during early life and are later stabilized by molecular "brakes" limiting excessive rewiring beyond a critical period. The mechanisms coordinating the expression of these factors during the transition from development to adulthood remain unknown. We found that miR-29a expression in the visual cortex dramatically increases with age, but it is not experience-dependent. Precocious high levels of miR-29a blocked ocular dominance plasticity and caused an early appearance of perineuronal nets. Conversely, inhibition of miR-29a in adult mice using LNA antagomirs activated ocular dominance plasticity, reduced perineuronal nets, and restored their juvenile chemical composition. Activated adult plasticity had the typical functional and proteomic signature of critical period plasticity. Transcriptomic and proteomic studies indicated that miR-29a manipulation regulates the expression of plasticity brakes in specific cortical circuits. These data indicate that miR-29a is a regulator of the plasticity brakes promoting age-dependent stabilization of visual cortical connections.

SUBMITTER: Napoli D

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7645255 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

MiR-29 coordinates age-dependent plasticity brakes in the adult visual cortex.

Napoli Debora D Lupori Leonardo L Mazziotti Raffaele R Sagona Giulia G Bagnoli Sara S Samad Muntaha M Sacramento Erika Kelmer EK Kirkpartick Joanna J Putignano Elena E Chen Siwei S Terzibasi Tozzini Eva E Tognini Paola P Baldi Pierre P Kwok Jessica Cf JC Cellerino Alessandro A Pizzorusso Tommaso T

EMBO reports 20201007 11

Visual cortical circuits show profound plasticity during early life and are later stabilized by molecular "brakes" limiting excessive rewiring beyond a critical period. The mechanisms coordinating the expression of these factors during the transition from development to adulthood remain unknown. We found that miR-29a expression in the visual cortex dramatically increases with age, but it is not experience-dependent. Precocious high levels of miR-29a blocked ocular dominance plasticity and caused ...[more]

PMID: 33026181

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundDevelopmental myelination is a protracted process in the mammalian brain. One theory for why oligodendrocytes mature so slowly posits that myelination may stabilize neuronal circuits and temper neuronal plasticity as animals age. We tested this hypothesis in the visual cortex, which has a well-defined critical period for experience-dependent neuronal plasticity.Objectives/methodsTo prevent myelin progression, we conditionally deleted Myrf, a transcription factor necessary for oligodendrocyte maturation, from oligodendrocyte precursor cells (Myrf cKO) in adolescent mice. To induce experience-dependent plasticity, adult control and Myrf cKO mice were monocularly deprived by eyelid suture. Functional and structural neuronal plasticity in the visual cortex were assessed in vivo by intrinsic signal optical imaging and longitudinal two photon imaging of dendritic spines, respectively.ResultsDuring adolescence, visual experience modulated the rate of oligodendrocyte maturation in visual cortex. Myrf deletion from oligodendrocyte precursors during adolescence led to inhibition of oligodendrocyte maturation and myelination that persisted into adulthood. Following monocular deprivation, visual cortex activity in response to visual stimulation of the deprived eye remained stable in adult control mice, as expected for post-critical period animals. By contrast, visual cortex responses to the deprived eye decreased significantly following monocular deprivation in adult Myrf cKO mice, reminiscent of the plasticity observed in adolescent mice. Furthermore, visual cortex neurons in adult Myrf cKO mice had fewer dendritic spines and a higher level of spine turnover. Finally, monocular deprivation induced spatially coordinated spine size decreases in adult Myrf cKO, but not control, mice.ConclusionsThese results demonstrate a critical role for oligodendrocytes in shaping the maturation and stabilization of cortical circuits and support the concept of myelin acting as a brake on neuronal plasticity during development.

Dataset Information

MiR-29 coordinates age-dependent plasticity brakes in the adult visual cortex.

Publications

MiR-29 coordinates age-dependent plasticity brakes in the adult visual cortex.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets