Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro / O cérebro infantil humano submetido à hipóxia-isquemia (HI) apresenta perda de oligodendrócitos, hipomielinização, astrogliose, alterações no desenvolvimento cortical e no comportamento motor, incluindo a paralisia cerebral. O cerebelo desempenha um importante papel no controle motor e diversos danos vêm sendo observados em humanos e animais que sofreram HI. A excitotoxicidade glutamatérgica é frequentemente associada à HI e junções celulares podem ser responsáveis pela transferência de moléculas capazes de modular os danos decorrentes. Dados prévios de nosso grupo utilizando um modelo de HI pré-natal em ratos demonstraram danos permanentes na estrutura cerebelar, indicando que os efeitos deletérios da HI pré-natal podem ser mantidos até a vida adulta. O objetivo deste trabalho foi caracterizar os níveis de conexinas, receptores e transportadores de glutamato ao longo do desenvolvimento do cerebelo HI, e avaliar a configuração das junções celulares em culturas de astrócitos derivadas do cerebelo de ratos submetidos a esse modelo. Ratas no 18 dia de gestação, após anestesia, tiveram as quatro artérias uterinas obstruídas por 45 minutos (Grupo HI). Animais controle tiveram os úteros expostos sem sofrer a obstrução (Grupo SH). A gestação prosseguiu e apenas filhotes nascidos a termo foram utilizados. Os animais foram decapitados aos 2 (P2), 9 (P9), 16 (P16),23 (P23), 30 (P30), 45 (P45) e 90 (P90) dias pós-natal. Os cerebelos foram submetidos à técnica de Western blotting utilizando os anticorpos anti-NR2B, anti-GluR3, anti-EAAT1, anti-GFAP e anti-Cx43. Para a cultura de astrócitos foram utilizados cerebelos de animais P2. Após terem atingido confluência, as células foram fixadas e imunomarcadas com os anticorpos anti-Cx43, anti-GFAP, anti-nestina e anti-A2B5. Nossos resultados demonstram diferenças nos níveis de GluR3 durante o desenvolvimento do cerebelo SH e HI, havendo uma redução significativa da expressão desta subunidade no grupo HI em P9. Por outro lado, não foram verificadas alterações nos níveis de NR2B e de GFAP entre os grupos nas diferentes idades. Observou-se redução significativa de Cx43 em animais HI em P2 bem como nos astrócitos HI em cultura, os quais também apresentaram alterações morfológicas e diferenças na expressão do marcador A2B5. A alteração referente a GluR3 no grupo HI pode ser causada pela redução da arborização das células de Purkinje e pela redução no número de precursores de oligodendrócitos no cerebelo de animais HI em P9, já observadas em nosso laboratório. A diminuição de Cx43 indica que a passagem de substâncias por canais astrocitários pode estar reduzida e contribuir para a expansão dos danos persistentes descritos em HI. Alterações morfológicas e na expressão de marcadores da diferenciação de astrócitos podem refletir os potenciais efeitos de HI sobre a maturação destas células a longo-prazo. Nossos resultados apontam que a HI sistêmica pré-natal pode ser responsável por alterações que caracterizam a excitotoxicidade glutamatérgica. Ressaltamos também a importância da comunicação entre astrócitos como estratégia neuroprotetora nesta lesão. / Infant human brains submitted to hypoxia-ischemia show oligodendrocyte loss, hypomelination, astrogliosis, cortical development and motor behavior impairments, including cerebral palsy. Cerebellum plays a critical role in motor control and many damages have been demonstrated in humans and animals who suffered HI. Glutamatergic excitotoxicity is usually associated to HI and cellular junctions may be responsible for molecular traffic, being able to modulate HI harm effects. Previous data from our group using a modified model of prenatal HI in rats have shown long-lasting damages in cerebellar structure, indicating that deleterious effects of prenatal HI may be sustained until adult life. The objective of this study was to characterize connexin (Cx) and glutamate receptors and transporters levels during the development of HI cerebellum and to evaluate cellular junctions in astrocyte cultures derived from the cerebella of rats submitted to this same model. Rats on the 18th gestation day were anesthetized, had their uterine horns exposed and the four uterine arteries were clamped for 45 minutes (HI group). Control animals had the uterine horns exposed but no arteries were clamped (SH group). Gestation proceeded after surgery and only pups born at term were used. The animals were decapitated at 2 (P2), 9 (P9), 16 (P16), 23 (P23), 30 (P30), 45 (P45) e 90 (P90) postnatal days. Cerebella were submitted to Western blotting using anti-NR2B, anti-GluR3, anti-EAAT1, anti-GFAP and anti-Cx43 antibodies. P2 cerebella were used in astrocyte primary cultures. After they had achieved confluence, the cells were fixed and immunostained with anti-Cx43, anti-GFAP, anti-nestin and anti-A2B5 antibodies. Our results demonstrate differences in GluR3 levels along cerebellum development of SH and HI animals, with a significant decrease of this subunit expression in HI group at P9. On the other hand, we did not observe any variation in NR2B and GFAP levels between groups at different ages. We also observed a significant decreased Cx43 expression in HI group at P2 as well as in cultured astrocytes, which had morphological modifications and different A2B5 marker expression. The modification related to GluR3 receptor in HI group may be caused by impaired dendritic arborization or by a reduced number of oligodendrocyte progenitors in the cerebellum of HI animals at P9, already described in our laboratory. Cx43 reduction indicates that substances traffic through astrocytic channels may be impaired and contribute to lesion expansion of permanent damages observed in HI. Morphological and markers expression changes related to astrocyte differentiation may reflect potential effects of HI on cell maturation at long-term. Our results confirm that prenatal systemic HI may be responsible for changes that characterize glutamatergic excitotoxicity. We also reassure the importance of astrocyte communication as a neuroprotective strategy in this kind of lesion.

Les patients atteints de la MA souffrent d'altérations métaboliques et synaptiques précoces. Via la glycolyse et le cycle de Krebs, le métabolisme du glucose permet la production d'ATP, essentielle à l'activité et la plasticité synaptique. Contrairement aux neurones, les astrocytes utilisent majoritairement la glycolyse pour métaboliser le glucose. En plus de la production d'énergie, la glycolyse fournit les précurseurs indispensables à la synthèse de biomolécules comme la L-sérine. Cet acide aminé est produit à partir du glucose par la déviation du 3-phosphoglycérate (3PG), un intermédiaire glycolytique, via l'enzyme 3-phosphoglycérate déshydrogénase (PHGDH), exprimée spécifiquement dans les astrocytes. La L-sérine est le précurseur de la D-sérine, le principal co-agoniste des NMDAR nécessaires à l'activité et la plasticité synaptique.Nous avons utilisé des souris 3xTg-AD, un modèle développant une MA progressive, afin d'étudier si une altération de la production de L-/D-sérine pouvait contribuer à des déficits synaptiques.A 6 mois, lorsque les souris 3xTg-AD ne possèdent pas encore de plaques amyloïdes dans l'hippocampe, nous avons observé in vivo une diminution du métabolisme du glucose, de la concentration de L-sérine et des déficits synaptiques (LTP). L'expression locale de la PHGDH est aussi altérée. L'application de D-sérine restaure complètement les déficits de LTP chez les souris 3xTg-AD.Ces données supportent l'hypothèse qu'un déficit de production de L-sérine par les astrocytes médié par une diminution du flux glycolytique serait responsable de l'altération synaptique observée dans l'hippocampe des souris 3xTg-AD. / An early alteration of both cerebral glucose metabolism and synaptic activity has been consistently described in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. Metabolism of glucose via glycolysis and the citric acid cycle produces ATP that is essential for synaptic activity and plasticity. In the brain, glucose is predominantly processed glycolytically into astrocytes and not by neurons. Beyond ATP production, a major function of aerobic glycolysis is to provide precursors to support macromolecular synthesis. L-serine, generated from glucose through diversion of the glycolytic intermediate 3-phosphoglycerate (3PG) into the phosphorylated pathway, is only produced in astrocytes by 3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH), selectively expressed in those glial cells. L-serine is the precursor of D-serine, the main co-agonist of synaptic NMDAR, required for synaptic activity and plasticity. We used 3xTg-AD mice, which develop a progressive pathology, to investigate whether a defective production of L-/D-serine contributes to early synaptic deficits in AD. We found that 3xTg-AD mice display early in vivo alterations of glucose metabolism, synaptic deficits (LTP) in the CA1 region and also lower concentration of L-serine. The local expression of PHGDH was significantly altered. Exogenous D-serine completely rescued LTP in 3xTg-AD mice. These data support the hypothesis that a deficit of L-serine synthesis by astrocytes likely mediated by a decreased glycolytic flux may be responsible for the synaptic alteration mediated by NMDAR in the hippocampus of 3xTg-AD mice.

La douleur chronique est une pathologie invalidante de longue durée notamment caractériséepar trois symptômes : l’allodynie (un stimulus non douloureux est perçu comme douloureux),l’hyperalgésie (un stimulus douloureux est perçu comme encore plus douloureux) et desdouleurs ambulatoires. Quand cette douleur est due à une lésion ou une dysfonction du systèmenerveux on parle de douleur neuropathique. Chez les patients et les modèles animaux dedouleurs neuropathiques, les études ont montré que les neurones thalamiques étaienthyperexcitables. Les cellules gliales, astrocytes et microglies, sont des partenaires synaptiquesimpliqués dans la transmission et la plasticité synaptique et pourraient être impliqués dans cephénomène. En effet, ces cellules peuvent modifier leur phénotype lorsque le système nerveuxest affecté, elles sont réactives : leur morphologie est hypertrophiée, l’expression d’ARNm et deprotéines comme iba-1 (ionized binding-adaptor molecule 1) et CD11b/c (cluster ofdifferentiation 11b/c) pour les cellules microgliales et GFAP (glial fibrillary acidic protein) etS100β (S100 calcium binding protein β) pour les cellules astrocytaires est augmentée. Ellespeuvent également libérer des molécules pro-inflammatoires. Tout ceci pourrait générer ouamplifier l’hyperexcitabilité des neurones présents dans le thalamus.Mon travail de thèse a consisté en l’étude des astrocytes et de la microglie thalamique dans lemodèle de douleurs neuropathiques de ligature des nerfs spinaux L5-L6 du nerf sciatique (spinalnerve ligation, SNL). Les symptômes d’allodynie et d’hyperalgésie mécaniques ont étécaractérisés par le test des filaments de von Frey et les douleurs ambulatoires par le test dedistribution pondéral dynamique. L’expression des ARNm de marqueurs gliaux a été étudiée parune approche de qRT-PCR sur des prélèvements thalamiques et sur des noyaux thalamiquesobtenus par microdissection au laser. L’expression neurochimique des marqueurs iba-1,CD11b/c, Cathepsine S, GFAP et S100β a été étudié par immunohistofluorescence en quantifiantle nombre de cellules immunopositives et la surface occupée par les marqueurs. Toutes cesexpériences ont été réalisées à J14 et J28 après la chirurgie.A J14, les animaux SNL développent des symptômes d’allodynie et d’hyperalgésie mécaniqueainsi que des douleurs ambulatoires. Chez ces animaux, les cellules microgliales thalamiquesprésentent des signes de réactivité avec l’augmentation de l’expression des ARNm desmarqueurs CTSS et CX3CR1, le récepteur de la fractalkine, marqueurs connus pour leursimplications dans l’hyperexcitabilité neuronale spinale en conditions de douleursneuropathiques. De plus, l’expression neurochimique des marqueurs gliaux étudiés est diminuéece qui se traduit notamment par une diminution du nombre de cellules immunopositives pources marqueurs chez les animaux SNL. A J28, les symptômes douloureux sont maintenus. De plus,la réactivité microgliale décelée à J14 par qRT-PCR est toujours présente avec l’augmentation del’expression de l’ARNm codant pour la fractalkine (CX3CL1), partenaire de la voieCTSS/CX3CR1/CX3CL1. La diminution de l’expression neurochimique thalamique desmarqueurs gliaux chez les animaux SNL était transitoire et n’est plus présente à J28. Enrevanche, des signes de réactivité astrocytaire thalamique ont été mis en évidence chez lesanimaux SNL.Ainsi, ce travail dévoile une ambivalence au niveau des altérations de la glie thalamique dans cemodèle SNL: une diminution précoce de l’expression des marqueurs gliaux thalamiques suivied’une réactivité astrocytaire plus tardive concomitante à des signes de réactivité microgliale. Denombreuses expériences sont encore nécessaires pour appréhender l’impact de cetteambivalence gliale thalamique inédite dans un contexte de douleur neuropathique. / Chronic pain is an incapacitating and long lasting pathology mainly characterized by threesymptoms: allodynia (a non painful stimulus is perceived as painful), hyperalgesia (a painfulstimulus is perceived as more painful) and ambulatory pains. When chronic pain is due to alesion or dysfunction of nervous system it is called neuropathic pain. In both patients and animalmodels of neuropathic pain, researchers found that thalamic neurons are hyperexcitable. Glialcells, astrocytes and microglia, are strong synaptic partners involved in synaptic transmissionand plasticity and therefore could be involved in this phenomenon. Indeed, these cells canmodify their phenotype when nervous system is damaged. They become reactive: theirmorphology is hypertrophied, mRNA and protein expression of iba-1 (ionized binding-adaptormolecule 1) and CD11b/c (cluster of differentiation 11b/c) for microglia and GFAP (glialfibrillary acidic protein) and S100β (S100 calcium binding protein β) for astrocytes is increased.They could also release pro-inflammatory molecules. All of these could contribute to generate oramplify the thalamic neuronal hyperexcitability.In my PhD work I studied thalamic astrocytes and microglia in a rat neuropathic pain model ofL5-L6 spinal nerves ligation (SNL). Mechanical allodynia and hyperalgesia were characterizedwith von Frey filament test and ambulatory pain with dynamic weight bearing apparatus. mRNAexpression of glial markers were studied with qRT-PCR technique on thalamic punches andlaser-microdissected nuclei. Neurochemical expressions of iba-1, CD11b/c, cathepsin S, GFAPand S100β markers were quantified using an immunohistofluorescence approach to count thenumber of immunopositive cells and surface stained by these markers. All these experimentswere done at D14 and D28 after surgery.At D14, SNL animals develop mechanical allodynia and hyperalgesia as well as ambulatory pain..For these animals, thalamic microglial cells showed signs of reactivity with the increase mRNAexpression of CTSS and CX3CR1, fractalkine receptor, well known markers involved in spinalneuronal hyperexcitability under neuropathic pain conditions. In addition, the number ofimmunopositive cells for the glial markers is decreased in SNL animals. At D28, the neuropathicpain symptoms are still present. Furthermore, thalamic microglial reactivity found at D14 withqRT-PCRm method is still present with the increased mRNA expression of fractalkine (CX3CL1),partner of CTSS/CX3CR1/CX3CL1 pathway. The decreased neurochemical expression of glialmarkers found at D14 was transient as I didn’t find this result at D28. However, thalamicastrocytic reactivity was found at D28 in SNL animals.So, this work reveal a new glial process at thalamic level in this SNL model of neuropathic pain :an early decreased expression of glial markers and then a later thalamic astrocytic reactivityconcomitant with signs of thalamic microglial reactivity. Numerous studies are required toexplore the role of such novel ambivalent glial alterations in the context of neuropathic pain.

The brain and spinal cord make up the central nervous system (CNS), and as an immune-privileged site, it requires special immune surveillance and regulation. The complement system is a component of innate immunity produced locally in the CNS, since size restrictions from the blood brain barrier prevent complement proteins from easily passing through from the rest of the body. The complement pathway contributes to inflammatory cell recruitment, cell lysis, and opsonization, and thus requires regulation to avoid inappropriate activation. Despite its important role in innate immunity, very little is known about complement production, regulation, and function in the CNS of healthy or diseased individuals. For this dissertation, the central goal was to investigate and characterize the regulation of complement factor H (CFH), a regulator of the alternative pathway of complement activation. CFH polymorphisms have been associated with a number of diseases including atypical hemolytic syndrome, age-related macular degeneration, and Alzheimer's disease, but the regulation of CFH is not well understood, especially in the CNS. To investigate the role of CFH in the CNS, mRNA and protein production in glial cells was first established. The murine CFH (mCFH) promoter was cloned and the transcription start site was identified in astrocytes, microglia, and liver tissue. The mCFH promoter was truncated and different regions were investigated for enhancer or silencer activity. Database mining identified potential transcription factor binding sites, and mutagenesis studies and binding assays identified transcription factor binding candidates. Specifically, the activating protein-1 (AP-1) transcription factors c-Jun and c-Fos bound to a region of the mCFH promoter between – 416 base pairs (bp) and – 175 bp in an electrophoretic mobility supershift assay. Cytokine stimulation increased mCFH mRNA and protein production, as well as the mRNA production of c-Jun and c-Fos and the protein production of c-Jun. These results suggest a relationship between cell cycle and complement regulation, and the investigation of how these transcription factors and CFH affect disease will be a valuable area of research for CNS immune regulation.

La migration des cellules est nécessaire au cours du développement. Chez l’adulte, elle contribue au renouvellement des tissus, à la cicatrisation et à la circulation des cellules immunitaires. Les cellules cancéreuses acquièrent des capacités de migration qui échappent aux mécanismes normaux de régulation. Elles peuvent ainsi envahir les tissus environnants et, éventuellement, former des métastases. Les astrocytes représentent une majorité de cellules gliales du système nerveux central. Ils migrent en réponse à des facteurs inflammatoires et interviennent ainsi dans la cicatrisation et la régénération des tissus lésés. Les astrocytes peuvent être à l’origine de tumeurs appelées gliomes qui représentent la majorité des tumeurs cérébrales primaires. Les formes les plus agressives, appelées glioblastomes, sont des tumeurs extrêmement invasives, ce qui les rend particulièrement difficiles à traiter. Les microtubules jouent un role crucial dans la migration des astrocytes et des cellules de gliomes (Etienne-Manneville, 2013a). Au cours de la migration, le réseau de microtubules est totalement réorganisé pour permettre la polarisation de la cellule. Formés par association de dimères de tubuline, leur régulation intervient de multiples manières comme par exemple au niveau de leur dynamique de polymérisation à la périphérie de leurs interactions avec les composants cellulaires ou par leurs modifications post-traductionnelles (Etienne- Manneville, 2010). En effet, les dimères de tubulines polymérisées, inclues dans les microtubules, peuvent être, entre autres, détyrosinées, acétylées, mono ou poly-glutamylées, et mono ou poly-glycylées (Janke and Chloë Bulinski, 2011). Durant la migration cellulaire, ces modifications post-traductionnelles peuvent notamment jouer un rôle dans la régulation du trafic intracellulaire. L’objectif majeur de mon projet de thèse est d’étudier les mécanismesIii de régulation des microtubules au cours de la migration des astrocytes normaux et tumoraux, et plus particulièrement le rôle des modifications post-traductionnelles de la tubuline. Je me suis focalisée sur trois principales modifications post-traductionnelles des microtubules durant la migration : la polyglutamylation, la détyrosination et l’acétylation. En premier lieu, j’ai étudié le rôle potentiel de la polyglutamylation dans la mise en place de la polarité cellulaire chez les astrocytes. Je n’ai pas observé d’effet de cette modification durant la migration… / The migration of cells is necessary during the development. At the adult, she contributes to the renewal of fabrics, to the healing and to the traffic of immune cells. Cancer cells acquire capacities of migration which escape the normal mechanisms of regulation...

Heavy ethanol use causes neurodegeneration manifested by neuronal loss and dysfunction. It is becoming imperative to delineate the underlying mechanism to promote the treatment of ethanol-induced neurodegeneration. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is a hallmark and an underlying mechanism of many neurodegenerative diseases. This study aims to investigate the role of ER stress in ethanol-induced neurodegeneration. In experimental design, adult mice were exposed to binge ethanol drinking by daily gavage for 1, 5, or 10 days and the response of ER stress was examined. We found the induction of ER stress appeared at 5 days and remained at 10 days. Moreover, the induction of ER stress was accompanied by an increase in neurodegeneration. With cell culture, we demonstrated that ethanol exposure resulted in neuronal apoptosis and that blocking ER stress by sodium phenylbutyrate (4-PBA) abolished ethanol-induced neuronal apoptosis, suggesting that ER stress contributes to ethanol-induced neurodegeneration. Mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF) responds to ER stress and has been identified as a protein upregulated in ethanol-exposed developmental mouse brains. To investigate its implication in ethanol-induced neurodegeneration, we established a central nervous system (CNS)-specific Manf knockout mouse model and examined the effects of MANF deficiency on ethanol-induced neuronal apoptosis and ER stress using a third-trimester equivalent mouse model. We found MANF deficiency worsened ethanol-induced neuronal apoptosis and ER stress and that blocking ER stress abrogated the harmful effects of MANF deficiency on ethanol-induced neuronal apoptosis. Moreover, a whole transcriptome RNA sequencing supported the involvement of MANF in ER stress modulation and revealed candidates that may mediate the ER stress-buffering capacity of MANF. Collectively, these data suggest that MANF is neuroprotective against ethanol-induced neurodegeneration via ameliorating ER stress. Because MANF is a neurotrophic factor, we also examined the effects of MANF deficiency on neurogenesis. We observed that MANF deficiency increased neurogenesis in the subgranular zone of the hippocampal dentate gyrus and subventricular zone of the lateral ventricles in the mouse brain. Mechanistically, this finding was supported by a decrease of cell cycle inhibitors (p15 and p27), an increase of G2/M marker (phospho-histone H3), and an increase of neural progenitor markers (Sox2 and NeuroD1) in the brain of conditional Manf knockout mice. Our in vitro studies demonstrated that the gain-of-function of MANF inhibited cell cycle progression, whereas the loss-of-function of MANF promoted cell cycle progression. Taken together, these data suggest that MANF may affect the process of neurogenesis through altering cell cycle progression.

The rhythm of ATP accumulation is an one of examples of circadian rhythmicity which is demonstrated across the animal kingdom. It is located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of hypothalamus, which is a centre of circadian clock and imposes rhytmicity on a whole organism. The question concering the ATP rhythm in an organotypic culture and the impact of melatonin on it has been discussing in this thesis. The synthesis of melatonin is regulated by the activity of the SCN and the hormon itself is known for its feedback on the SCN and a capability of regulating it. It has been shown that ATP rhythm is significantly inhibited under the constant control of melatonin and this inhibition is dose-dependent on a scale of 0,1-10 nM. In case of one-time applied melatonin in 4 p.m. there is no reduction in the accumulation of extracellular ATP but there is a phase shift in ATP rhythm. It has also been shown that ATP rhythm is inhibited and desynchronized under the control of tetrodotoxin which blocks an electric activity of neurons. These results show that melatonin is capable of inducing phase delay of ATP rhythm in SCN and reducing an amount of extracellular ATP, that the effect of melatonin is probably mediated by specific receptors and lastly that ATP rhythm is a result of cell-cell interaction between neurons...

The noradrenergic locus coeruleus (LC) is the principal source of brain norepinephrine, a neurotransmitter thought to play a major role in the pathology of major depressive disorder (MDD) and in the therapeutic action of many antidepressant drugs. The goal of this study was to identify potential mediators of brain noradrenergic dysfunction in MDD. Bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP7), a member of the transforming growth factor-β superfamily, is a critical mediator of noradrenergic neuron differentiation during development and has neurotrophic and neuroprotective effects on mature catecholaminergic neurons. Real-time PCR of reversed transcribed RNA isolated from homogenates of LC tissue from 12 matched pairs of MDD subjects and psychiatrically normal control subjects revealed low levels of BMP7 gene expression in MDD. No differences in gene expression levels of other members of the BMP family were observed in the LC, and BMP7 gene expression was normal in the prefrontal cortex and amygdala in MDD subjects. Laser capture microdissection of noradrenergic neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes from the LC revealed that BMP7 gene expression was highest in LC astrocytes relative to the other cell types, and that the MDD-associated reduction in BMP7 gene expression was limited to astrocytes. Rats exposed to chronic social defeat exhibited a similar reduction in BMP7 gene expression in the LC. BMP7 has unique developmental and trophic actions on catecholamine neurons and these findings suggest that reduced astrocyte support for pontine LC neurons may contribute to pathology of brain noradrenergic neurons in MDD.

Vitronectin (VTN) is a glycoprotein in the blood and affects hemostasis. VTN is also present in the extracellular matrix of various organs but little is known about its function in healthy adult tissues. We show, in adult mice, that VTN is uniquely expressed by approximately half of the pericytes of subventricular zone (SVZ) where neurogenesis continues throughout life. Intracerebral VTN antibody injection or VTN knockout reduced neurogenesis as well as expression of pro-neurogenic CNTF, and anti-neurogenic LIF and IL-6. Conversely, injections of VTN, or plasma from VTN+/+, but not VTN−/− mice, increased these cytokines. VTN promoted SVZ neurogenesis when LIF and IL-6 were suppressed by co-administration of a gp130 inhibitor. Unexpectedly, VTN inhibited FAK signaling and VTN−/− mice had increased FAK signaling in the SVZ. Further, an FAK inhibitor or VTN increased CNTF expression, but not in conditional astrocytic FAK knockout mice, suggesting that VTN increases CNTF through FAK inhibition in astrocytes. These results identify a novel role of pericyte-derived VTN in the brain, where it regulates SVZ neurogenesis through co-expression of CNTF, LIF and IL-6. VTN-integrin-FAK and gp130 signaling may provide novel targets to induce neurogenesis for cell replacement therapies.

No description available.