Characterization of fetal antigen 1/delta-like 1 homologue expressing cells in the rat nigrostriatal system: effects of a unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine lesion.

Fetal antigen 1/delta-like 1 homologue (FA1/dlk1) belongs to the epidermal growth factor superfamily and is considered to be a non-canonical ligand for the Notch receptor. Interactions between Notch and its ligands are crucial for the development of various tissues. Moreover, FA1/dlk1 has been sugge...

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Main Authors: Rémy Liechti, Angélique D Ducray, Pia Jensen, Stefano Di Santo, Stefanie Seiler, Charlotte H Jensen, Morten Meyer, Hans Rudolf Widmer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2015-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0116088&type=printable
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author Rémy Liechti
Angélique D Ducray
Pia Jensen
Stefano Di Santo
Stefanie Seiler
Charlotte H Jensen
Morten Meyer
Hans Rudolf Widmer
author_facet Rémy Liechti
Angélique D Ducray
Pia Jensen
Stefano Di Santo
Stefanie Seiler
Charlotte H Jensen
Morten Meyer
Hans Rudolf Widmer
author_sort Rémy Liechti
collection DOAJ
description Fetal antigen 1/delta-like 1 homologue (FA1/dlk1) belongs to the epidermal growth factor superfamily and is considered to be a non-canonical ligand for the Notch receptor. Interactions between Notch and its ligands are crucial for the development of various tissues. Moreover, FA1/dlk1 has been suggested as a potential supplementary marker of dopaminergic neurons. The present study aimed at investigating the distribution of FA1/dlk1-immunoreactive (-ir) cells in the early postnatal and adult midbrain as well as in the nigrostriatal system of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-lesioned hemiparkinsonian adult rats. FA1/dlk1-ir cells were predominantly distributed in the substantia nigra (SN) pars compacta (SNc) and in the ventral tegmental area. Interestingly, the expression of FA1/dlk1 significantly increased in tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-ir cells during early postnatal development. Co-localization and tracing studies demonstrated that FA1/dlk1-ir cells in the SNc were nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons, and unilateral 6-OHDA lesions resulted in loss of both FA1/dlk1-ir and TH-ir cells in the SNc. Surprisingly, increased numbers of FA1/dlk1-ir cells (by 70%) were detected in dopamine-depleted striata as compared to unlesioned controls. The higher number of FA1/dlk1-ir cells was likely not due to neurogenesis as colocalization studies for proliferation markers were negative. This suggests that FA1/dlk1 was up-regulated in intrinsic cells in response to the 6-OHDA-mediated loss of FA1/dlk1-expressing SNc dopaminergic neurons and/or due to the stab wound. Our findings hint to a significant role of FA1/dlk1 in the SNc during early postnatal development. The differential expression of FA1/dlk1 in the SNc and the striatum of dopamine-depleted rats could indicate a potential involvement of FA1/dlk1 in the cellular response to the degenerative processes.
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spelling doaj-art-ab7ddf9234ca4f72928abd1da033a9e92025-08-20T02:15:15ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032015-01-01102e011608810.1371/journal.pone.0116088Characterization of fetal antigen 1/delta-like 1 homologue expressing cells in the rat nigrostriatal system: effects of a unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine lesion.Rémy LiechtiAngélique D DucrayPia JensenStefano Di SantoStefanie SeilerCharlotte H JensenMorten MeyerHans Rudolf WidmerFetal antigen 1/delta-like 1 homologue (FA1/dlk1) belongs to the epidermal growth factor superfamily and is considered to be a non-canonical ligand for the Notch receptor. Interactions between Notch and its ligands are crucial for the development of various tissues. Moreover, FA1/dlk1 has been suggested as a potential supplementary marker of dopaminergic neurons. The present study aimed at investigating the distribution of FA1/dlk1-immunoreactive (-ir) cells in the early postnatal and adult midbrain as well as in the nigrostriatal system of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-lesioned hemiparkinsonian adult rats. FA1/dlk1-ir cells were predominantly distributed in the substantia nigra (SN) pars compacta (SNc) and in the ventral tegmental area. Interestingly, the expression of FA1/dlk1 significantly increased in tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-ir cells during early postnatal development. Co-localization and tracing studies demonstrated that FA1/dlk1-ir cells in the SNc were nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons, and unilateral 6-OHDA lesions resulted in loss of both FA1/dlk1-ir and TH-ir cells in the SNc. Surprisingly, increased numbers of FA1/dlk1-ir cells (by 70%) were detected in dopamine-depleted striata as compared to unlesioned controls. The higher number of FA1/dlk1-ir cells was likely not due to neurogenesis as colocalization studies for proliferation markers were negative. This suggests that FA1/dlk1 was up-regulated in intrinsic cells in response to the 6-OHDA-mediated loss of FA1/dlk1-expressing SNc dopaminergic neurons and/or due to the stab wound. Our findings hint to a significant role of FA1/dlk1 in the SNc during early postnatal development. The differential expression of FA1/dlk1 in the SNc and the striatum of dopamine-depleted rats could indicate a potential involvement of FA1/dlk1 in the cellular response to the degenerative processes.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0116088&type=printable
spellingShingle Rémy Liechti
Angélique D Ducray
Pia Jensen
Stefano Di Santo
Stefanie Seiler
Charlotte H Jensen
Morten Meyer
Hans Rudolf Widmer
Characterization of fetal antigen 1/delta-like 1 homologue expressing cells in the rat nigrostriatal system: effects of a unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine lesion.
PLoS ONE
title Characterization of fetal antigen 1/delta-like 1 homologue expressing cells in the rat nigrostriatal system: effects of a unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine lesion.
title_full Characterization of fetal antigen 1/delta-like 1 homologue expressing cells in the rat nigrostriatal system: effects of a unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine lesion.
title_fullStr Characterization of fetal antigen 1/delta-like 1 homologue expressing cells in the rat nigrostriatal system: effects of a unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine lesion.
title_full_unstemmed Characterization of fetal antigen 1/delta-like 1 homologue expressing cells in the rat nigrostriatal system: effects of a unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine lesion.
title_short Characterization of fetal antigen 1/delta-like 1 homologue expressing cells in the rat nigrostriatal system: effects of a unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine lesion.
title_sort characterization of fetal antigen 1 delta like 1 homologue expressing cells in the rat nigrostriatal system effects of a unilateral 6 hydroxydopamine lesion
url https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0116088&type=printable
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