VEGF-D Downregulation in CA1 Pyramidal Neurons Exerts Asymmetric Changes of Dendritic Morphology without Correlated Electrophysiological Alterations. (10th November 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Maurer, Jana; Yanez, Antonio; Bengtson, C. Peter; Bading, Hilmar; Draguhn, Andreas; Mauceri, Daniela; Both, Martin
• Is Part Of: Neuroscience. Volume 448(2020)
• Page Start: 28
• Page End: 42
• Publication Date: 2020-11-10
• Subjects: ACSF artificial cerebro-spinal fluid -- CSD current source densities -- FFT Fourier transform-based -- LFPs Local field potentials -- PSD power spectral densities -- VEGF-D Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor D; dendritic morphology -- complexity -- homeostasis -- intrinsic electrical properties -- network oscillations; Neurochemistry -- Periodicals; Neurophysiology -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Neurochimie -- Périodiques; Neurophysiologie -- Périodiques; Neurochemistry; Neurophysiology; Electronic journals; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 612.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.09.012
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0306-4522

Abstract

Highlights: Basal dendritic length and complexity of CA1 cells is reduced by knockdown of VEGF-D. At the same time apical dendritic length and complexity is increased. Intrinsic electrical properties of single cells are largely unaltered. Electrographic neural network properties are not changed. This suggests strong homeostatic mechanisms keeping segregated inputs in balance. Abstract: The morphology of dendritic arbors determines the location, strength and interaction of synaptic inputs. It is therefore important to understand the factors regulating dendritic arborization both during development and in situations of physiological or pathological plasticity. We have recently shown that VEGF-D (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor D) is required to maintain length and complexity of basal dendrites in mouse hippocampal pyramidal cells. Lack of VEGF-D resulted in long-term memory deficits, suggesting a link between dendritic morphology and cognitive function. Here, we compared the effect of VEGF-D expression on basal versus apical dendrites of CA1 pyramidal cells, as well as its importance for synaptic processing of network oscillations. We report opposing, layer-specific effects of VEGF-D knockdown which resulted in shrinkage of basal and increased complexity of apical dendrites. Synaptic potentials and layer-specific voltage gradients during network oscillations remained, however, unaltered. These findings reveal a high spatial selectivity of VEGF-D effects at the sub-cellular level, and strong homeostatic mechanisms which keep spatially segregated synaptic inputs in a balance.