Cbln1 accumulates and colocalizes with Cbln3 and GluRdelta2 at parallel fiber-Purkinje cell synapses in the mouse cerebellum

Eur J Neurosci. 2009 Feb;29(4):693-706. doi: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2009.06632.x.

Abstract

Cbln1 (a.k.a. precerebellin) is secreted from cerebellar granule cells as homohexamer or in heteromeric complexes with Cbln3. Cbln1 plays crucial roles in regulating morphological integrity of parallel fiber (PF)-Purkinje cell (PC) synapses and synaptic plasticity. Cbln1-knockout mice display severe cerebellar phenotypes that are essentially indistinguishable from those in glutamate receptor GluRdelta2-null mice, and include severe reduction in the number of PF-PC synapses and loss of long-term depression of synaptic transmission. To understand better the relationship between Cbln1, Cbln3 and GluRdelta2, we performed light and electron microscopic immunohistochemical analyses using highly specific antibodies and antigen-exposing methods, i.e. pepsin pretreatment for light microscopy and postembedding immunogold for electron microscopy. In conventional immunohistochemistry, Cbln1 was preferentially associated with non-terminal portions of PF axons in the molecular layer but rarely overlapped with Cbln3. In contrast, antigen-exposing methods not only greatly intensified Cbln1 immunoreactivity in the molecular layer, but also revealed its high accumulation in the synaptic cleft of PF-PC synapses. No such synaptic accumulation was evident at other PC synapses. Furthermore, Cbln1 now came to overlap almost completely with Cbln3 and GluRdelta2 at PF-PC synapses. Therefore, the convergence of all three molecules provides the anatomical basis for a common signaling pathway regulating circuit development and synaptic plasticity in the cerebellum.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cerebellum / metabolism*
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Microscopy, Immunoelectron
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism*
  • Pepsin A
  • Protein Precursors / genetics
  • Protein Precursors / metabolism*
  • Purkinje Cells / metabolism*
  • Receptors, Glutamate / metabolism*
  • Synapses / metabolism*

Substances

  • Cbln1 protein, mouse
  • Cbln3 protein, mouse
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Protein Precursors
  • Receptors, Glutamate
  • glutamate receptor delta 2
  • Pepsin A