Midbrain-derived neurotrophins support survival of immature striatal projection neurons

• Published in: The Journal of neuroscience Vol. 33; no. 8; pp. 3363 - 3369
• Main Authors: Baydyuk, Maryna, Xie, Yuxiang, Tessarollo, Lino, Xu, Baoji
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Society for Neuroscience 20-02-2013
• Subjects: Animals; Animals, Newborn; Brain Chemistry - physiology; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor - physiology; Brief Communications; Cell Differentiation - physiology; Cell Survival - physiology; Corpus Striatum - cytology; Corpus Striatum - growth & development; Corpus Striatum - metabolism; Dopaminergic Neurons - metabolism; Dopaminergic Neurons - physiology; Female; Male; Mesencephalon - growth & development; Mesencephalon - metabolism; Mesencephalon - physiology; Mice; Mice, Knockout; Mice, Transgenic; Nerve Growth Factors - physiology; Neurons - classification; Neurons - physiology; Neurotrophin 3 - physiology
• ISSN: 0270-6474; 1529-2401; 1529-2401
• DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3687-12.2013

Neuronal death occurs at several stages during embryogenesis and early postnatal development; however, it is unknown how the survival of immature neurons at their origin is regulated before these cells migrate to their final destination. Striatal projection neurons, known as medium-sized spiny neurons (MSNs), in both the direct and indirect pathways are generated in the lateral ganglionic eminence (LGE). Here we report that brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neurotrophin-3 are anterogradely transported from midbrain dopaminergic neurons and support the survival of immature MSNs of the indirect and direct pathways, respectively, in the developing mouse striatum and LGE. These results reveal a novel mode of neurotrophic action in the nervous system by linking neurotrophins to the survival of immature neurons at their origin, while also suggesting that innervating neurons may control the size of their targeting neuronal population in the brain.