학술논문
Postmitotic Prox1 Expression Controls the Final Specification of Cortical VIP Interneuron Subtypes.
Document Type
Article
Author
Source
Subject
*GENE expression
*TRANSCRIPTION factors
*BIPOLAR cells
*RNA sequencing
*DEVELOPMENTAL biology
*SYNAPSES
*NEURAL transmission
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Language
ISSN
0270-6474
Abstract
Throughout development, neuronal identity is controlled by key transcription factors that determine the unique properties of a cell. During embryogenesis, the transcription factor Prox1 regulates VIP-positive cortical interneuron migration, survival, and connectivity. Here, we explore the role of Prox1 as a regulator of genetic programs that guide the final specification of VIP interneuron subtypes in early postnatal life. Synaptic in vitro electrophysiology in male and female mice shows that postnatal Prox1 removal differentially affects the dynamics of excitatory inputs onto VIP bipolar and multipolar subtypes. RNA sequencing reveals that one of the downstream targets of Prox1 is the postsynaptic protein Elfn1, a constitutive regulator of presynaptic release probability. Further genetic, pharmacological, and electrophysiological experiments demonstrate that removing Prox1 reduces Elfn1 function in VIP multipolar but not in bipolar cells. Finally, overexpression experiments and analysis of native Elfn1 mRNA expression reveal that Elfn1 levels are differentially controlled at the post-transcriptional stage. Thus, in addition to activity-dependent processes that contribute to the developmental trajectory of VIP cells, genetic programs engaged by Prox1 control the final differentiation of multipolar and bipolar subtypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]