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Yes / Expression of the transmembrane NG2 chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan (CSPG) defines a distinct population of NG2-glia. NG2-glia serve as a regenerative pool of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells in the adult central nervous system (CNS), which is important for demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis, and are a major component of the glial scar that inhibits axon regeneration after CNS injury. In addition, NG2-glia form unique neuron–glial synapses with unresolved functions. However, to date it has proven difficult to study the importance of NG2-glia in any of these functions using conventional transgenic NG2 ‘knockout’ mice. To overcome this, we aimed to determine whether NG2-glia can be targeted using an immunotoxin approach. We demonstrate that incubation in primary anti-NG2 antibody in combination with secondary saporin-conjugated antibody selectively kills NG2-expressing cells in vitro. In addition, we provide evidence that the same protocol induces the loss of NG2-glia without affecting astrocyte or neuronal numbers in cerebellar brain slices from postnatal mice. This study shows that targeting the NG2 CSPG with immunotoxins is an effective and selective means for killing NG2-glia, which has important implications for studying the functions of these enigmatic cells both in the normal CNS, and in demyelination and degeneration.

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Les cellules précurseur d'oligodendrocytes (CPOs) représentent la majeure source d'oligodendrocytesmyélinisants durant le développement post-natal. Ces progéniteurs, identifiés par l'expression du protéoglycane NG2, sont non seulement extrêmement abondants avant la myélinisation, mais ils persistent aussi dans le cerveau mature. À l'instar d'autres cellules non-neuronales, elles expriment un large panel de canaux ioniques et de récepteurs pour des neurotransmetteurs. Cependant, ils sont uniques de part leur capacité à recevoir de véritables contacts synaptiques neuronaux glutamatergiqueset GABAergiques. Durant cette thèse, nous avons caractérisé les propriétés électrophysiologiques des CPOs durant le développement post-natal du cortex en champ de tonneaux de la souris (premier mois post-natal). En effectuant des enregistrements de patch-clamp, des analyses par RT-PCR sur cellule unique et des analyses pharmacologiques, nous avons observé que la courbe I-V à rectification sortante devient linéaire durant le développement, résultant d'une régulation positive de l'expression des canaux potassiques de type Kir4.1. Dotés de ces canaux, les CPOs adultes sont capables de détecter les augmentations locales de potassium extracellulaire générées par l'activité neuronale. Cette régulation positive développementale des canaux Kir4.1 dans les CPOs révèle que ces cellules ont un gain de fonction durant le développement, leur conférant la capacité de communiquer avec les neurones via un mécanisme non-synaptique lié au potassium. Ce changement développemental soutient aussi l'idée que les CPOs sont probablement plus que des progéniteurs. Dans la deuxième partie de cette thèse, nous nous sommes intéressés à l'étude des patrons de connectivité du réseau GABAergique interneurones-CPOs dans le cortex en champ de tonneaux jeune (deuxième semaine post-natale). Dans un premier temps, nous avons tiré avantage de la haute précision latérale et axiale de la photolyse holographique en mono-photon pour stimuler les interneurones GABAergiques avec une résolution à l'échelle de la cellule, de manière à évoquer un potentiel d'action. Nous avons ensuite utilisé cette technique pour cartographier la connectivité entre interneurones et CPOs. Nous avons trouvé que la probabilité de connexion des CPOs est près de moitié moins que celle des cellules pyramidales, et implique plutôt une microcircuitrie locale. De plus, en effectuant des enregistrements pairés, nous avons observé que les CPOs sont contactés transitoirement par des interneurones à décharge rapide et à décharge régulière. Ces connections se caractérisents pour la présence d'un ou deux sites de libération uniquement. Étonnamment, les sites post-synaptiques contenant des récepteurs GABAA avec la sous-unité γ2 sont principalement connectés par les interneurones à décharge rapide, indiquant que ces cellules constituent une afférence spécifique auprès des CPOs. Ici nous décrivons pour la première fois l'émergence de réseaux corticaux spécifiques entre neurones et cellules non-neuronales. / Oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) are the main source of myelinating oligodendrocytes during postnatal development. These progenitors, identified by the expression of the proteoglycan NG2, are extremely abundant before myelination, but also persist in the mature brain. Similarly to other non-neuronal cells they express a wide range of ionic and ligand-gated ion channels. However, they are unique by their ability to receive truly glutamatergic and GABAergic synaptic contacts from neurons. During this thesis, we characterized the electrophysiological properties of OPCs during the postnatal development of the mouse somatosensory cortex (post postnatal month). By performing patch-clamp recordings, single-cell RT-PCR analyses and pharmacological approaches, we found that outwardly rectifying I-V curves become linear during development, as the result of an upregulation of Kir4.1 potassium channels. Endowed with these channels, adult OPCs are able to sense local extracellular potassium increases generated by neuronal activity. This developmental upregulation of Kir4.1 channels in OPCs revealed that these cells gain physiological properties during development, conferring them the capacity to communicate with neurons, via a non-synaptic potassium-mediated mechanism. This developmental change also supports the view that OPCs are probably more than simple progenitors. In the second part of this thesis, we were interested in study the connectivity patterns underlying the GABAergic interneuron-OPC network in the young somatosensory cortex (second postnatal week). First, we took advantage of the high lateral and axial precision of one-photon holographic photolysis to stimulate GABAergic interneurons at a single cell resolution in order to evoke an action potential. We then used this technique to map the connectivity between interneurons and OPCs. We found that the connectivity probability of OPCs was around half less than that of pyramidal cells and involved more local microcircuits. In addition, by performing paired-recordings, OPCs showed to be transiently contacted by fast-spiking (FSI) and non-fast-spiking (NFSI) interneurons, through single or double release sites. Interestingly, postsynaptic sites containing GABAA receptors with the γ2 subunit were predominantly connected by FSI, indicating that these cells provide a specific input to OPCs. Here we described for the first time the emergence of specific cortical network between neurons and non-neuronal cells. In conclusion, this thesis contributed to get a better understanding of the different modes of communication between neurons and OPCs and the establishment of new signaling mechanisms used by neurons to control the activity of these precursors.

Submitted by Cleide Dantas (cleidedantas@ufpa.br) on 2014-06-26T12:59:21Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 23898 bytes, checksum: e363e809996cf46ada20da1accfcd9c7 (MD5) Tese_InfluenciasTamanhoNinhada.pdf: 7061769 bytes, checksum: c700c3851bd6127e32c00a9484622ce9 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ana Rosa Silva (arosa@ufpa.br) on 2014-07-30T13:47:39Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 23898 bytes, checksum: e363e809996cf46ada20da1accfcd9c7 (MD5) Tese_InfluenciasTamanhoNinhada.pdf: 7061769 bytes, checksum: c700c3851bd6127e32c00a9484622ce9 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-07-30T13:47:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 23898 bytes, checksum: e363e809996cf46ada20da1accfcd9c7 (MD5) Tese_InfluenciasTamanhoNinhada.pdf: 7061769 bytes, checksum: c700c3851bd6127e32c00a9484622ce9 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014 / CNPq - Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / Estudos anteriores demonstraram efeitos importantes do estresse perinatal no desempenho cognitivo na vida adulta e durante o envelhecimento. Entretanto permanece por ser estudado em detalhe como o exercício físico em diferentes fases da vida contribui para reduzir esses déficits. Isso é particularmente verdadeiro quando se trata de documentar as alterações da matriz extracelular e das células da glia, largamente ignoradas nesses estudos. Assim o objetivo geral do presente trabalho é o de investigar as possíveis influências do tamanho da ninhada e da atividade física sobre a memória de reconhecimento de objetos na vida adulta e possíveis alterações associadas à plasticidade glial e da matriz extracelular da formação hipocampal em modelo murino. Para alcançar esses objetivos alteramos o tamanho da ninhada de ratos Wistar de modo a acentuar o grau de competição entre os filhotes por tetas funcionais e diminuir a quantidade de cuidado materno por indivíduo. Durante o período de aleitamento quantificamos o cuidado materno em ninhadas de diferentes tamanhos. Em várias janelas temporais submetemos grupos selecionados de sujeitos ao exercício em esteira durante 5 semanas adotando o mesmo protocolo de treinamento. Após o exercício alguns grupos de animais adultos e senis foram submetidos ao teste de memória de reconhecimento de objetos que é dependente do hipocampo, sendo sacrificados e processados para imunohistoquímica seletiva para micróglia. Outros grupos de animais adultos não submetidos aos testes comportamentais foram igualmente sacrificados sendo um dos hemisférios empregado para registro de parâmetros difusionais no hipocampo enquanto que o outro foi empregado para imunohistoquímicas seletivas para astrócitos, células NG2 e reelina. Encontramos que o aumento do tamanho da ninhada está relacionado à redução do cuidado materno, ao declínio cognitivo, à proliferação e alteração da morfologia microglial, astrocitária e de células NG2 positivas, assim como às alterações nos padrões de difusão encontradas no tecido hipocampal. Além disso que tais alterações podem ser revertidas pelo menos de forma parcial pela atividade física e que esse efeito é tanto maior quanto mais jovem é o sujeito. O envelhecimento agrava as alterações morfológicas microgliais induzidas pelo aumento do tamanho da ninhada e reduz o desempenho nos testes de memória de reconhecimento de objeto. Os mecanismos moleculares associados a esses efeitos permanecem por ser investigados. / Previous studies have shown significant effects of perinatal stress on cognitive performance in adulthood and during aging. However remains to be studied in detail as exercise at different stages of life helps to reduce these deficits. This is particularly true if we consider previous descriptions of extracellular matrix and glial cell changes, largely ignored in these studies. Thus, the aim of the present report is to investigate possible influences of litter size and physical activity on object recognition memory at adulthood and whether or not these influences affect glial plasticity and extracellular matrix of the hippocampal formation. To that end, we changed the litter size of Wistar rats to accentuate the degree of competition among siblings by functional teats and decrease the amount of maternal care per individual. During the suckling period, we have quantified the maternal care in litters of different sizes. At various time windows we submitted selected subjects to physical exercise on a treadmill, for 5 weeks, adopting the same training protocol. After exercise, some groups of adults and senile animals were submitted to the hippocampal-dependent object recognition memory test, sacrificed, and processed for selective microglia immunolabeling. Other groups of adult animals not subjected to behavioral tests were also euthanized and had one hemisphere used to record diffusional parameters in the hippocampal parenchyma while the other was used for selective immunolabeling to detect astrocytes, NG2 cells and reelin.We found that an increase in litter size was related to the reduction of maternal care, cognitive decline, altered morphology and proliferation of microglia, astrocytes and NG2 cells, as well as to a change in diffusion patterns in the hippocampal stroma. We also demonstrated that these changes may be reversed, at least partially, by physical activity and the extent of these beneficial effects are more pronounced in younger subjects. Finally, we demonstrated that ageing exacerbates microglial morphological changes induced by increased litter size and reduces memory performance.The molecular mechanisms associated to these effects remain to be investigated.

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