title: NKCC1-Mediated GABAergic Signaling Promotes Postnatal Cell Death in Neocortical Cajal-Retzius Cells.
abstract: During early development, a substantial proportion of central neurons undergoes programmed cell death. This activity-dependent process is essential for the proper structural and functional development of the brain. To uncover cell type-specific differences in the regulation of neuronal survival versus apoptosis, we studied activity-regulated cell death in Cajal-Retzius neurons (CRNs) and the overall neuronal population in the developing mouse cerebral cortex. CRNs in the upper neocortical layer represent an early-born neuronal population, which is important for cortical development and largely disappears by apoptosis during neonatal stages. In contrast to the overall neuronal population, activity blockade with tetrodotoxin improved survival of CRNs in culture. Activation of GABAA receptors also blocked spontaneous activity and caused overall cell death including apoptosis of CRNs. Blockade of the Na-K-Cl transporter NKCC1 in vitro or its genetic deletion in vivo rescued CRNs from apoptosis. This effect was mediated by blockade of the p75NTR receptor signaling pathway. In summary, we discovered a novel developmental death pathway mediated by NKCC1, via GABAA receptor-mediated membrane depolarization and p75NTR signaling in CRNs. This pathway controls apoptosis of CRNs and may be critically involved in neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, 55128 Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Oriane
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Blanquie
authors.affiliation: Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Jena, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, D-07743 Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Lutz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liebmann
authors.affiliation: Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Jena, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, D-07743 Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Hübner
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, 55128 Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Heiko J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Luhmann
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, 55128 Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sinning
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D059330:GABAergic Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D056885:Interstitial Cells of Cajal / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D037181:Lectins, C-Type / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D019579:Neocortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism*; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C119621:Clec4n protein, mouse; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
keywords: Cajal–Retzius neuron; GABA; apoptosis; cerebral cortex; development