Nrp2 is sufficient to instruct circuit formation of mitral-cells to mediate odour-induced attractive social responses

Nat Commun. 2017 Jul 21:8:15977. doi: 10.1038/ncomms15977.

Abstract

Odour information induces various innate responses that are critical to the survival of the individual and for the species. An axon guidance molecule, Neuropilin 2 (Nrp2), is known to mediate targeting of olfactory sensory neurons (primary neurons), to the posteroventral main olfactory bulb (PV MOB) in mice. Here we report that Nrp2-positive (Nrp2+) mitral cells (MCs, second-order neurons) play crucial roles in transmitting attractive social signals from the PV MOB to the anterior part of medial amygdala (MeA). Semaphorin 3F, a repulsive ligand to Nrp2, regulates both migration of Nrp2+ MCs to the PV MOB and their axonal projection to the anterior MeA. In the MC-specific Nrp2 knockout mice, circuit formation of Nrp2+ MCs and odour-induced attractive social responses are impaired. In utero, electroporation demonstrates that activation of the Nrp2 gene in MCs is sufficient to instruct their circuit formation from the PV MOB to the anterior MeA.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amygdala / cytology
  • Amygdala / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Axon Guidance / genetics*
  • Cell Movement / genetics*
  • Electroporation
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism*
  • Neural Pathways
  • Neuropilin-2 / genetics*
  • Odorants
  • Olfactory Bulb / cytology
  • Olfactory Bulb / metabolism*
  • Olfactory Receptor Neurons / cytology
  • Olfactory Receptor Neurons / metabolism*
  • Social Behavior

Substances

  • Membrane Proteins
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Neuropilin-2
  • Sema3f protein, mouse