Deletion of the nucleotide exchange factor Vav3 enhances axonal complexity and synapse formation but tampers activity of hippocampal neuronal networks in vitro

  • Vav proteins activate GTPases of the RhoA subfamily that regulate the cytoskeleton and are involved in adhesion, migration, differentiation, polarity and the cell cycle. While the importance of RhoA GTPases for neuronal morphology is undisputed, their regulation is less well understood. In this perspective, we studied the consequences of the deletion of \(\it Vav2\), \(\it Vav3\) and \(\it Vav2\) and 3 (\(\it Vav2\)\(^{−/−}\), \(\it Vav3\)\(^{−/−}\), \(\it Vav2\)\(^{−/−}\)/3\(^{−/−}\)) for the development of embryonic hippocampal neurons in vitro. Using an indirect co-culture system of hippocampal neurons with primary wild-type (WT) cortical astrocytes, we analysed axonal and dendritic parameters, structural synapse numbers and the spontaneous network activity via immunocytochemistry and multielectrode array analysis (MEA). Here, we observed a higher process complexity in \(\it Vav3\)\(^{−/−}\), but not in \(\it Vav2\)−/− neurons after three and five days in vitro (DIV). Furthermore, an enhanced synapse formation was observed in \(\it Vav3\)\(^{−/−}\) after 14 days in culture. Remarkably, \(\it Vav2\)\(^{−/−}\)/3\(^{−/−}\) double knockout neurons did not display synergistic effects. Interestingly, these differences were transient and compensated after a cultivation period of 21 days. Network analysis revealed a diminished number of spontaneously occurring action potentials in Vav3\(^{−/−}\) neurons after 21 DIV. Based on these results, it appears that Vav3 participates in key events of neuronal differentiation.

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Metadaten
Author:David WegrzynGND, Christine WegrzynGND, Kerry TedfordGND, Klaus-Dieter FischerGND, Andreas FaissnerORCiDGND
URN:urn:nbn:de:hbz:294-77166
DOI:https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21030856
Parent Title (English):International journal of molecular sciences
Publisher:MDPI
Place of publication:Basel
Document Type:Article
Language:English
Date of Publication (online):2020/12/11
Date of first Publication:2020/01/28
Publishing Institution:Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätsbibliothek
Tag:Open Access Fonds
MAP2; Rac1; RhoA family; Tau; Vav proteins; axon growth; dendrite growth; guanine nucleotide exchange factor; multielectrode array (MEA)
Volume:21
Issue:3, Artikel 856
First Page:856-1
Last Page:856-19
Note:
Article Processing Charge funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) and the Open Access Publication Fund of Ruhr-Universität Bochum.
Institutes/Facilities:Lehrstuhl für Zellmorphologie und Molekulare Neurobiologie
Dewey Decimal Classification:Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik / Biowissenschaften, Biologie, Biochemie
open_access (DINI-Set):open_access
Licence (English):License LogoCreative Commons - CC BY 4.0 - Attribution 4.0 International