title: PSA-NCAM expression in the human prefrontal cortex.
abstract: The prefrontal cortex (PFC) of adult rodents is capable of undergoing neuronal remodeling and neuroimaging studies in humans have revealed that the structure of this region also appears affected in different psychiatric disorders. However, the cellular mechanisms underlying this plasticity are still unclear. The polysialylated form of the neural cell adhesion molecule (PSA-NCAM) may mediate these structural changes through its anti-adhesive properties. PSA-NCAM participates in neurite outgrowth and synaptogenesis and changes in its expression occur parallel to neuronal remodeling in certain regions of the adult brain. PSA-NCAM is expressed in the hippocampus and temporal cortex of adult humans, but it has not been studied in the PFC. Employing immunohistochemistry on sections from the rostromedial superior frontal gyrus we have found that PSA-NCAM is expressed in the human PFC neuropil following a laminated pattern and in a subpopulation of mature neurons, which lack doublecortin expression. Most of these cells have been identified as interneurons expressing calbindin. The expression of PSA-NCAM in the human PFC is similar to that of rodents. Since this molecule has been linked to the neuronal remodeling found in experimental models of depression, it may also participate in the structural plasticity described in the PFC of depressed patients.
authors.affiliation: Neurobiology Unit and Program in Basic and Applied Neurosciences, Cell Biology Department, Universitat de València, Dr. Moliner 50, Burjassot 46100, Spain.
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Varea
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Castillo-Gómez
authors.forename: María Angeles
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Gómez-Climent
authors.forename: José Miguel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Blasco-Ibáñez
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Crespo
authors.forename: Francisco José
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Martínez-Guijarro
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nàcher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D064026:Calbindins; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D003712:Dendrites / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007395:Interneurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D039842:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule L1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D019581:Neuropil / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D012377:Rodentia / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism; D064030:S100 Calcium Binding Protein G / Q000378:metabolism; D012794:Sialic Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D064026:Calbindins; D039842:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule L1; D064030:S100 Calcium Binding Protein G; D012794:Sialic Acids; C103469:polysialyl neural cell adhesion molecule