Normal adult climbing fiber monoinnervation of cerebellar Purkinje cells in mice lacking MHC class I molecules.
Some immune system proteins have recently been implicated in the development and plasticity of neuronal connections. Notably, proteins of the major histocompatibility complex 1 (MHC class 1) have been shown to be involved in synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus and the development of projection patterns in the visual system. We examined the possible role for the MHC class 1 proteins in one well-characterized example of synaptic exuberance and subsequent refinement, the climbing fiber (CF) to Purkinje cell (PC) synapse. Cerebella from adult mice deficient for two MHC genes, H2-D1 and H2-K1, and for beta2-microglobulin gene were examined for evidence of deficient elimination of supernumerary CF synapses on their PCs. Electrophysiological and morphological evidence showed that, despite the absence of these MHC class 1 molecules, adult PCs in these transgenic mice are monoinnervated as in wild-type animals. These findings indicate that, at the level of restriction of afferent number at this synapse, functional MHC class 1 proteins are not required.
Letellier
Mathieu
M
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris, Unité Mixte de Recherche 7102-Neurobiologie des Processus Adaptatifs, F-75005 Paris, France.
Willson
Melina L
ML
Gautheron
Vanessa
V
Mariani
Jean
J
Lohof
Ann M
AM
D000818:Animals; D001259:Ataxia / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D004594:Electrophysiology; D019706:Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008818:Mice, Neurologic Mutants; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology; D009847:Olivary Nucleus / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D011689:Purkinje Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin