The perineuronal net (PNN) is a mesh-like proteoglycan structure on the neuronal surface which is involved in regulating plasticity. The PNN regulates plasticity via multiple pathways, one of which is direct regulation of synapses through the control of AMPA receptor mobility. Since neuronal pentraxin 2 (Nptx2) is a known regulator of AMPA receptor mobility and Nptx2 can be removed from the neuronal surface by PNN removal, we investigated whether Nptx2 has a function in the PNN. We found that Nptx2 binds to the glycosaminoglycans hyaluronan and chondroitin sulphate E in the PNN. Furthermore, in primary cortical neuron cultures, the addition of NPTX2 to the culture medium enhances PNN formation during PNN development. These findings suggest Nptx2 as a novel PNN binding protein with a role in the mechanism of PNN formation.

• MeSH
• C-reaktivní protein metabolismus   MeSH
• krysa rodu rattus MeSH
• kultivované buňky MeSH
• nervová síť chemie   cytologie   metabolismus   MeSH
• neurony chemie   metabolismus   MeSH
• neuroplasticita fyziologie   MeSH
• perineuronální satelitní buňky chemie   metabolismus   MeSH
• potkani Sprague-Dawley MeSH
• proteiny nervové tkáně metabolismus   MeSH
• vazba proteinů fyziologie   MeSH
• zrakové korové centrum chemie   cytologie   metabolismus   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• krysa rodu rattus MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

In the adult brain, the extracellular matrix (ECM) influences recovery after injury, susceptibility to mental disorders, and is in general a strong regulator of neuronal plasticity. The proteoglycan aggrecan is a core component of the condensed ECM structures termed perineuronal nets (PNNs), and the specific role of PNNs on neural plasticity remains elusive. Here, we genetically targeted the Acan gene encoding for aggrecan using a novel animal model. This allowed for conditional and targeted loss of aggrecan in vivo, which ablated the PNN structure and caused a shift in the population of parvalbumin-expressing inhibitory interneurons toward a high plasticity state. Selective deletion of the Acan gene in the visual cortex of male adult mice reinstated juvenile ocular dominance plasticity, which was mechanistically identical to critical period plasticity. Brain-wide targeting improved object recognition memory.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The study provides the first direct evidence of aggrecan as the main functional constituent and orchestrator of perineuronal nets (PNNs), and that loss of PNNs by aggrecan removal induces a permanent state of critical period-like plasticity. Loss of aggrecan ablates the PNN structure, resulting in invoked juvenile plasticity in the visual cortex and enhanced object recognition memory.

• MeSH
• agrekany analýza   nedostatek   genetika   MeSH
• buněčné linie MeSH
• extracelulární matrix chemie   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• myši inbrední C57BL MeSH
• myši knockoutované MeSH
• myši transgenní MeSH
• myši MeSH
• nervová síť chemie   metabolismus   MeSH
• neuroplasticita fyziologie   MeSH
• světelná stimulace metody   MeSH
• zrakové korové centrum chemie   metabolismus   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• myši MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH