Temporal Regulation of Dendritic Spines Through NrCAM-Semaphorin3F Receptor Signaling in Developing Cortical Pyramidal Neurons

Cereb Cortex. 2019 Mar 1;29(3):963-977. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhy004.

Abstract

Neuron-glial related cell adhesion molecule NrCAM is a newly identified negative regulator of spine density that genetically interacts with Semaphorin3F (Sema3F), and is implicated in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). To investigate a role for NrCAM in spine pruning during the critical adolescent period when networks are established, we generated novel conditional, inducible NrCAM mutant mice (Nex1Cre-ERT2: NrCAMflox/flox). We demonstrate that NrCAM functions cell autonomously during adolescence in pyramidal neurons to restrict spine density in the visual (V1) and medial frontal cortex (MFC). Guided by molecular modeling, we found that NrCAM promoted clustering of the Sema3F holoreceptor complex by interfacing with Neuropilin-2 (Npn2) and PDZ scaffold protein SAP102. NrCAM-induced receptor clustering stimulated the Rap-GAP activity of PlexinA3 (PlexA3) within the holoreceptor complex, which in turn, inhibited Rap1-GTPase and inactivated adhesive β1 integrins, essential for Sema3F-induced spine pruning. These results define a developmental function for NrCAM in Sema3F receptor signaling that limits dendritic spine density on cortical pyramidal neurons during adolescence.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Adhesion Molecules / physiology*
  • Dendritic Spines / physiology*
  • Frontal Lobe / growth & development*
  • Guanylate Kinases / physiology
  • Membrane Proteins / physiology*
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Models, Molecular
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / physiology*
  • Pyramidal Cells / physiology*
  • Signal Transduction
  • Visual Cortex / growth & development*

Substances

  • Cell Adhesion Molecules
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Nrcam protein, mouse
  • Sema3f protein, mouse
  • Dlgh3 protein, mouse
  • Guanylate Kinases