title: PirB regulates a structural substrate for cortical plasticity.
abstract: Experience-driven circuit changes underlie learning and memory. Monocular deprivation (MD) engages synaptic mechanisms of ocular dominance (OD) plasticity and generates robust increases in dendritic spine density on L5 pyramidal neurons. Here we show that the paired immunoglobulin-like receptor B (PirB) negatively regulates spine density, as well as the threshold for adult OD plasticity. In PirB(-/-) mice, spine density and stability are significantly greater than WT, associated with higher-frequency miniature synaptic currents, larger long-term potentiation, and deficient long-term depression. Although MD generates the expected increase in spine density in WT, in PirB(-/-) this increase is occluded. In adult PirB(-/-), OD plasticity is larger and more rapid than in WT, consistent with the maintenance of elevated spine density. Thus, PirB normally regulates spine and excitatory synapse density and consequently the threshold for new learning throughout life.
authors.affiliation: Bio-X, James H. Clark Center, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305.
authors.forename: Maja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Djurisic
authors.forename: George S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Vidal
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mann
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aharon
authors.forename: Taeho
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferrao Santos
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zuo
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hübener
authors.forename: Carla J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Shatz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D023882:Dominance, Ocular / Q000502:physiology*; D019706:Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D017774:Long-Term Potentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D017966:Pyramidal Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C105949:Pirb protein, mouse; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic
keywords: LTD; LTP; adult plasticity; circuit connectivity; visual cortex