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. 2017 Jan 31;7:41701. doi: 10.1038/srep41701

Figure 6. MeCP2 regulates parvalbumin interneurons involved in adult neurogenesis.

Figure 6

(a) Density of parvalbumin interneurons in the DG significantly decreased in MECP2 transgenic mice. Representative images showing the parvalbumin interneurons (red, arrows) in DG were along with the border of the granule cell layer (MeCP2 in green, Dapi in blue). Scale bar: 200 μm. (b) Quantitative analysis of parvalbumin interneurons density in granule cell layer. Values are Mean ± S.E.M (n = 4 animals for each genotype; *P < 0.05, student’s t-test). (c) Expression of PV mRNA decreased in MECP2 transgenic mice (n = 3 animals for each genotype; *P < 0.05, student’s t-test). (d) A model of RGLs/NPCs behaviors in the adult WT mouse hippocampus. an activated RGL usually have four choice points: (1) to be quiescent; (2) symmetric self-renewal to expand the RGL pool; (3) neurogenic asymmetric self-renewal to generate a NPC; (4) astrogliogenic asymmetric self-renewal to generate an astrocyte (modified from Bonaguidi, 2011). The thickness of the arrow indicates the relative probability of each choice. (e) A model on the role of MeCP2 overexpression in regulating RGLs/NPCs in the adult MECP2 transgenic mouse hippocampus. MeCP2 overexpression promotes activated RGLs return to quiescence; and inhibits neurogenic asymmetric self-renewal to generate a NPC or the proliferation of NPCs; also, MeCP2 overexpression promotes the differentiation of NPCs into neuroblasts or the proliferation of neuroblasts. MeCP2 overexpression reduced parvalbumin interneurons. Low activity of parvalbumin interneurons as a result of MeCP2 overexpression could be responsible for the altered neurogenesis in MECP2 TG mice. Red and blue arrows indicate increased and decreased probability, respectively.