Class 3 Semaphorins in a mouse model of Autism Spectrum Disorder.

MARIA LAURA BERTOLDI ; ALICIA LAURA DEGANO

Huerta Grande, Córdoba

Congreso; XXVI Congreso Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Investigación en Neurociencias; 2011

Methyl Cytosine Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2) is a transcriptional repressor that binds to methylated DNA. Alterations in the expression levels of Mecp2 have been related to autism spectrum disorders. Studies in mouse models of Mecp2 deficiency demonstrated that this protein is important for neuronal maturation, neurite complexity and synaptic plasticity, although the underlying mechanisms are not completely understood. Our working hypothesis proposes that Mecp2 plays a role in the formation of neural circuits during development. In particular, we aim to evaluate the role of this protein in axonal guidance processes during early postnatal stages. In the present work, we used mouse models of Mecp2 deficiency to analyze the expression of members of the Class 3 Semaphorins, a family of guidance molecules that play an important role in the establishment of neural connectivity. Our results show differential expression of Semaphorins receptors in hippocampus from Mecp2-null mice during early postnatal development. These results suggest that Mecp2 regulates this family of guidance cues in a direct or indirect manner. Future studies will explore how these changes in guidance cues levels could affect the formation of the hippocampal circuitry.