Neuronal Expression of Cd36, Cd44, and Cd83 Antigen Transcripts Maps to Distinct and Specific Murine Brain Circuits

Author(s)

Glezer, Isaias ^{[1, 2, 3]} ; Bittencourt, Jackson C. ^[4] ; Rivest, Serge ^{[2, 3]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Quim, Dept Bioquim, BR-05508000 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Univ Laval, Dept Anat & Physiol, Quebec City, PQ G1V 4G2 - Canada

^[3] Univ Laval, CHUL Res Ctr, Mol Endocrinol Lab, Quebec City, PQ G1V 4G2 - Canada

^[4] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Anat, Inst Biomed Sci, Lab Chem Neuroanat, BR-05508900 Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE NEUROLOGY; v. 517, n. 6, p. 906-924, DEC 20 2009.
• Web of Science Citations: 27

Abstract

Cells recruited by the innate immune response rely on surface-expressed molecules in order to receive signals from the local environment and to perform phagocytosis, cell adhesion, and others processes linked to host defense. Hundreds of surface antigens designated through a cluster of differentiation (CD) number have been used to identify particular populations of leukocytes. Surprisingly, we verified that the genes that encode Cd36 and Cd83 are constitutively expressed in specific neuronal cells. For instance, Cd36 mRNA is expressed in some regions related to circuitry involved in pheromone responses and reproductive behavior. Cd44 expression, reanalyzed and detailed here, is associated with the laminar formation and midline thalamic nuclei in addition to striatum, extended amygdala, and a few hypothalamic, cortical, and hippocampal regions. A systemic immune challenge was able to increase Cd44 expression quickly in the area postrema and motor nucleus of the vagus but not in regions presenting expressive constitutive expression. In contrast to Cd36 and Cd44, Cd83 message was widely distributed from the olfactory bulb to the brain stem reticular formation, sparing the striatopallidum, olivary region, and cerebellum. Its pattern of expression nevertheless remained strongly associated with hypothalamic, thalamic, and hindbrain nuclei. Unlike the other transcripts, Cd83 mRNA was rapidly modulated by restraint stress. Our results indicate that these molecules might play a role in specific neural circuits and present functions other than those attributed to leukocyte biology. The data also suggest that these surface proteins, or their associated mRNA, could be used to label neurons in specific circuits/regions. J. Comp. Neurol. 517:906-924, 2009. (C) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 04/13849-5 - Peptidergic pathways involved in the organization of feeding behavior
• Grantee: Jackson Cioni Bittencourt
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 07/53732-8 - Post-lesion cell regeneration in the nervous system and functional aspects of genes linked to innate immune response
• Grantee: Isaias Glezer
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants