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 sign

SUBMITTER: Napoli D 

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

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature