Neuroscience
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Increased understanding of the neurovascular niche suggests that development of the central nervous system (CNS) and its vasculature is coordinated through shared regulatory factors. These include the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family, reported to promote neuroproliferation and neuroprotection in addition to angiogenesis via its receptors VEGFR1-3. VEGFR3, a mediator of lymphangiogenesis, is expressed in murine and rat brain from early gestation, has been associated with neural progenitors and neurons (Choi et al., 2010) and oligodendroglia (Le Bras et al., 2006) in the developing cortex and is reported to mediate adult neurogenesis in the subventricular zone (SVZ) (Calvo et al., 2011). ⋯ High expression in ventricular ependyma, choroid plexus and pigmented retinal epithelium was noted from E18. VEGFC ligand was found in association with VEGFR3 throughout development, with highest expression in embryonic stages. Our findings suggest an important role for VEGFC/VEGFR3 signaling in neuronal proliferation in early forebrain development, and ongoing functions with niche neurogenesis, glial and ependymal function in the maturing postnatal brain.
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Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive cell loss in the striatum and cerebral cortex, leading to a decline in motor control and eventually death. The mechanisms promoting motor dysfunction are not known, however loss of mitochondrial function and content has been observed, suggesting that mitochondrial dysfunction may contribute to HD phenotype. Recent work has demonstrated that voluntary wheel running reduces hindlimb clasping in the R6/1 mouse model of HD, which we hypothesized may be due to preservation of mitochondrial content with exercise. ⋯ At 27 wks of age, R6/1 mice demonstrated no additional changes in mitochondrial content or respiration within the cortex, but displayed loss of protein in complexes I and III of the striatum, which was not present in exercise-trained R6/1 mice. Mitochondrial respiration was also elevated in the striatum of R6/1 mice at 27 wks, which was prevented with exercise training. Together, the present study provides evidence that mitochondrial dysfunction is not necessary for the progression of hindlimb clasping in R6/1 mice, and that exercise partially prevents changes in mitochondrial content and function that occur late in HD.