Melatonin Influences Structural Plasticity in the Axons of Granule Cells in the Dentate Gyrus of Balb/C Mice

Melatonin, the main product synthesized by the pineal gland, acts as a regulator of the generation of new neurons in the dentate gyrus (DG). Newborn neurons buffer the deleterious effects of stress and are involved in learning and memory processes. Furthermore, melatonin, through the regulation of t...

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Main Authors: Gerardo Bernabé Ramírez-Rodríguez, Sandra Olvera-Hernández, Nelly Maritza Vega-Rivera, Leonardo Ortiz-López
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2018-12-01
Series:International Journal of Molecular Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/20/1/73
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spelling doaj-e99e3c41dc1944b28c665e822c3a08df2020-11-24T21:23:13ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences1422-00672018-12-012017310.3390/ijms20010073ijms20010073Melatonin Influences Structural Plasticity in the Axons of Granule Cells in the Dentate Gyrus of Balb/C MiceGerardo Bernabé Ramírez-Rodríguez0Sandra Olvera-Hernández1Nelly Maritza Vega-Rivera2Leonardo Ortiz-López3Laboratorio de Neurogenesis, Subidrección de Investigaciones Clínicas, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría “Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz”, Calzada México-Xochimilco 101, Col. San Lorenzo Huipulco, Tlalpan, México City C.P. 14370, MéxicoLaboratorio de Neurogenesis, Subidrección de Investigaciones Clínicas, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría “Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz”, Calzada México-Xochimilco 101, Col. San Lorenzo Huipulco, Tlalpan, México City C.P. 14370, MéxicoLaboratorio de Neuropsicofarmacología, Dirección de Neurociencias, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría “Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz”, Calzada México-Xochimilco 101, Col. San Lorenzo Huipulco, Tlalpan, México City C.P. 14370, MéxicoLaboratorio de Neurogenesis, Subidrección de Investigaciones Clínicas, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría “Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz”, Calzada México-Xochimilco 101, Col. San Lorenzo Huipulco, Tlalpan, México City C.P. 14370, MéxicoMelatonin, the main product synthesized by the pineal gland, acts as a regulator of the generation of new neurons in the dentate gyrus (DG). Newborn neurons buffer the deleterious effects of stress and are involved in learning and memory processes. Furthermore, melatonin, through the regulation of the cytoskeleton, favors dendrite maturation of newborn neurons. Moreover, newborn neurons send their axons via the mossy fiber tract to Cornu Ammonis 3 (CA3) region to form synapses with pyramidal neurons. Thus, axons of newborn cells contribute to the mossy fiber projection and their plasticity correlates with better performance in several behavioral tasks. Thus, in this study, we analyzed the impact of exogenous melatonin (8 mg/kg) administered daily for one- or six-months on the structural plasticity of infrapyramidal- and suprapyramidal mossy fiber projection of granule cells in the DG in male Balb/C mice. We analyzed the mossy fiber projection through the staining of calbindin, that is a calcium-binding protein localized in dendrites and axons. We first found an increase in the number of calbindin-positive cells in the granular cell layer in the DG (11%, 33%) after treatment. Futhermore, we found an increase in the volume of suprapyramidal (>135%, 59%) and infrapyramidal (>128%, 36%) mossy fiber projection of granule neurons in the DG after treatment. We also found an increase in the volume of CA3 region (>146%, 33%) after treatment, suggesting that melatonin modulates the structural plasticity of the mossy fiber projection to establish functional synapses in the hippocampus. Together, the data suggest that, in addition to the previously reported effects of melatonin on the generation of new neurons and its antidepressant like effects, melatonin also modulates the structural plasticity of axons in granule cells in the DG.http://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/20/1/73melatoninhippocampusagingmossy fiberscalbindinadult hippocampal neurogenesis
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Gerardo Bernabé Ramírez-Rodríguez
Sandra Olvera-Hernández
Nelly Maritza Vega-Rivera
Leonardo Ortiz-López
spellingShingle Gerardo Bernabé Ramírez-Rodríguez
Sandra Olvera-Hernández
Nelly Maritza Vega-Rivera
Leonardo Ortiz-López
Melatonin Influences Structural Plasticity in the Axons of Granule Cells in the Dentate Gyrus of Balb/C Mice
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
melatonin
hippocampus
aging
mossy fibers
calbindin
adult hippocampal neurogenesis
author_facet Gerardo Bernabé Ramírez-Rodríguez
Sandra Olvera-Hernández
Nelly Maritza Vega-Rivera
Leonardo Ortiz-López
author_sort Gerardo Bernabé Ramírez-Rodríguez
title Melatonin Influences Structural Plasticity in the Axons of Granule Cells in the Dentate Gyrus of Balb/C Mice
title_short Melatonin Influences Structural Plasticity in the Axons of Granule Cells in the Dentate Gyrus of Balb/C Mice
title_full Melatonin Influences Structural Plasticity in the Axons of Granule Cells in the Dentate Gyrus of Balb/C Mice
title_fullStr Melatonin Influences Structural Plasticity in the Axons of Granule Cells in the Dentate Gyrus of Balb/C Mice
title_full_unstemmed Melatonin Influences Structural Plasticity in the Axons of Granule Cells in the Dentate Gyrus of Balb/C Mice
title_sort melatonin influences structural plasticity in the axons of granule cells in the dentate gyrus of balb/c mice
publisher MDPI AG
series International Journal of Molecular Sciences
issn 1422-0067
publishDate 2018-12-01
description Melatonin, the main product synthesized by the pineal gland, acts as a regulator of the generation of new neurons in the dentate gyrus (DG). Newborn neurons buffer the deleterious effects of stress and are involved in learning and memory processes. Furthermore, melatonin, through the regulation of the cytoskeleton, favors dendrite maturation of newborn neurons. Moreover, newborn neurons send their axons via the mossy fiber tract to Cornu Ammonis 3 (CA3) region to form synapses with pyramidal neurons. Thus, axons of newborn cells contribute to the mossy fiber projection and their plasticity correlates with better performance in several behavioral tasks. Thus, in this study, we analyzed the impact of exogenous melatonin (8 mg/kg) administered daily for one- or six-months on the structural plasticity of infrapyramidal- and suprapyramidal mossy fiber projection of granule cells in the DG in male Balb/C mice. We analyzed the mossy fiber projection through the staining of calbindin, that is a calcium-binding protein localized in dendrites and axons. We first found an increase in the number of calbindin-positive cells in the granular cell layer in the DG (11%, 33%) after treatment. Futhermore, we found an increase in the volume of suprapyramidal (>135%, 59%) and infrapyramidal (>128%, 36%) mossy fiber projection of granule neurons in the DG after treatment. We also found an increase in the volume of CA3 region (>146%, 33%) after treatment, suggesting that melatonin modulates the structural plasticity of the mossy fiber projection to establish functional synapses in the hippocampus. Together, the data suggest that, in addition to the previously reported effects of melatonin on the generation of new neurons and its antidepressant like effects, melatonin also modulates the structural plasticity of axons in granule cells in the DG.
topic melatonin
hippocampus
aging
mossy fibers
calbindin
adult hippocampal neurogenesis
url http://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/20/1/73
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