The cocaine-and-amphetamine related transcript-immunoreactive innervation and its relationship with neural precursors in the adult neurogenic niche of lateral ventricle

• Grant number: 12/25048-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): February 04, 2013
• Effective date (End): October 03, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Morphology - Anatomy
• Principal Investigator: II-Sei Watanabe
• Grantee: Carlos Alexandre dos Santos Haemmerle
• Supervisor: Arturo Alvarez-Buylla
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Research place: University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 10/17519-0 - Ultrastructural characterization of 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridin (BrdU) immunoreactive cells in adult ventricular and subventricular zone and its relationship with the regulating peptide CART, BP.DR

Abstract

Introduction: Neural cells keep its dividing process in adulthood. This activity is restricted to two proliferative niches in the brain, which the ventricular zone is highlighted. The dynamic of this process depends on biologic modulatory factors, like chemical peptidergic signalizing between different neural elements, further be influenced by reward and addiction mechanisms. In this view, the cocaine-and-amphetamine-related transcript (CART) shows an intriguing distribution into the niche of neural elements that participates on neurogenesis. So, for explore adequately and to contribute for supporting a new role for this neuropeptide during the neurogenesis context, it is necessary to characterize the relationship of these fibers with other cells that form the neurogenic niche, as also to proof in ultrastructural level the relationships between the mentioned elements. Aim: to identify the relationship between axonal terminals ir-CART and primary neural precursors in the neurogenic niche of lateral ventricle. Methods: We will use adult mice and after chemical induction of cell proliferation (i.c.v. administration of 100 ¼L of Arabinofuranoside 2% diluted in sterile saline), animals will receive the mitotic cell marker 5-brome-2´deoxyuridine BrdU (i.p., 200 mg/kg, unique dose). Subgroups of animals will be analyzed 7 or 30 days after BrdU injections. Immunohistochemical proceedings anti-BrdU will be analyzed in optical and transmission electron microscopes. Results: The preliminary results highlight that ir-CART fibers are in periventricular area and suggest appositions with neuroblasts and ependymal cells. Future analysis in ultrastructural level could confirm the synapses established between the neural elements mentioned, especially between proliferative cells identified by BrdU immunoreactivity. (AU)