| First Author | Mavrovic M | Year | 2020 |
| Journal | EMBO Rep | Volume | 21 |
| Issue | 4 | Pages | e48880 |
| PubMed ID | 32064760 | Mgi Jnum | J:292640 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:6448741 | Doi | 10.15252/embr.201948880 |
| Citation | Mavrovic M, et al. (2020) Loss of non-canonical KCC2 functions promotes developmental apoptosis of cortical projection neurons. EMBO Rep 21(4):e48880 |
| abstractText | KCC2, encoded in humans by the SLC12A5 gene, is a multifunctional neuron-specific protein initially identified as the chloride (Cl(-) ) extruder critical for hyperpolarizing GABAA receptor currents. Independently of its canonical function as a K-Cl cotransporter, KCC2 regulates the actin cytoskeleton via molecular interactions mediated through its large intracellular C-terminal domain (CTD). Contrary to the common assumption that embryonic neocortical projection neurons express KCC2 at non-significant levels, here we show that loss of KCC2 enhances apoptosis of late-born upper-layer cortical projection neurons in the embryonic brain. In utero electroporation of plasmids encoding truncated, transport-dead KCC2 constructs retaining the CTD was as efficient as of that encoding full-length KCC2 in preventing elimination of migrating projection neurons upon conditional deletion of KCC2. This was in contrast to the effect of a full-length KCC2 construct bearing a CTD missense mutation (KCC2(R952H) ), which disrupts cytoskeletal interactions and has been found in patients with neurological and psychiatric disorders, notably seizures and epilepsy. Together, our findings indicate ion transport-independent, CTD-mediated regulation of developmental apoptosis by KCC2 in migrating cortical projection neurons. |
