Postmitotic Prox1 Expression Controls the Final Specification of Cortical VIP Interneuron Subtypes

Overview

Journal J Neurosci

Specialty Neurology

Date 2021 Aug 12

PMID 34380763

Citations 5

Authors

Tevye Jason Stachniak

Rahel Kastli

Olivia Hanley

Ali Ozgur Argunsah

Elianne Grietje Theodora van der Valk

George Kanatouris

Theofanis Karayannis

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

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 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 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. The transcription factor Prox1 generates functional diversification of cortical VIP interneuron subtypes in early postnatal life, thus expanding the inhibitory repertoire of the cortex.

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