8-fold increase) as compared to WT littermates (Figure 8D). We hypothesize that these excess VGlut2-positive puncta represent residual immature synapses as well as retracted or unopposed immature presynaptic terminals that
were not eliminated by phagocytic microglia. Taken together, these data implicate CR3/C3 signaling as a mechanism regulating synaptic connectivity. Because microglia are the only cell type within the P5 dLGN and surrounding brain tissue to express CR3 (Figures 6 and S5; Akiyama and McGeer, 1990), our data directly implicate microglia as mediators of anatomical pruning and identify CR3/C3-dependent Ulixertinib in vitro signaling as an underlying molecular mechanism. In this study, we demonstrate that microglia are mediators of synaptic pruning in the normal, developing
brain and identify neural activity and CR3/C3-dependent signaling as underlying mechanisms. Specifically, we demonstrate that (1) microglia in the postnatal dLGN engulf RGC presynaptic terminals during active synaptic remodeling. (2) Engulfment of RGC inputs is regulated by neuronal activity. (3) Engulfment of RGC inputs is regulated by CR3/C3-dependent phagocytic signaling specific to microglia. (4) Genetic (CR3 and C3 KO) or pharmacological perturbations that disrupt microglia function result in deficits in structural remodeling of synapses. (5) Defects in synaptic circuitry are sustained into adulthood in CR3 and C3 KO mice. We propose a model in which neural activity and complement work cooperatively to mediate engulfment of RGC inputs, a process that may underlie synaptic pruning in the developing CNS (Figure S7). One question arising is whether engulfment of RGC inputs by microglia is an active process. selleck compound Particularly during CNS disease, microglia are known scavengers that phagocytose cellular debris (Hanisch and Kettenmann, 2007, Napoli and Neumann, 2009 and Ransohoff and Perry, 2009). Furthermore, glia are known to engulf axonal material during large-scale developmental pruning of axons in Drosophila and synaptic pruning at the mammalian neuromuscular junction ( Bishop et al., 2004, Freeman, 2006 and Rochefort et al., 2002). While Dichloromethane dehalogenase our results do not
rule out the possibility that axonal material may also be engulfed, our data suggest that microglia play an active role in the removal of transient, intact presynaptic elements. Indeed, in comparison to large-scale developmental axonal pruning, there is no evidence that local CNS synaptic pruning, such as in the case of the retinogeniculate system, involves classic axonal or synaptic degeneration ( Dhande et al., 2011, Hahm et al., 1999, Snider et al., 1999 and Sretavan and Shatz, 1984). Earlier EM work in the developing mammalian dLGN demonstrated that RGCs transiently synapse within the inappropriate region of the dLGN ( Campbell and Shatz, 1992 and Campbell et al., 1984). These transient synapses contained presynaptic machinery including a high density of vesicles, but were subsequently eliminated by an undetermined mechanism.