Teneurin-3 regulates the generation of non-image-forming visual circuitry and responsiveness to light in the suprachiasmatic nucleus

by John L. Hunyara, K. M. Daly, Katherine Torres, Maria E. Yurgel, Ruchi Komal, Samer Hattar, Alex L. Kolodkin Visual system function depends upon the elaboration of precise connections between retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axons and their central targets in the brain. Though some progress has been made in defining the molecules that regulate RGC connectivity required for the assembly and function of image-forming circuitry, surprisingly little is known about factors required for intrinsically photosensitive RGCs (ipRGCs) to target a principal component of the non-image-forming circuitry: the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). Furthermore, the molecules required for forming circuits critical for circadian behaviors within the SCN are not known. We observe here that the adhesion molecule teneurin-3 (Tenm3) is highly expressed in vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) neurons located in the core region of the SCN. Since Tenm3 is required for other aspects of mammalian visual system development, we investigate roles for Tenm3 in regulating ipRGC-SCN connectivity and function. Our results show that Tenm3 negatively regulates association between VIP and arginine vasopressin (AVP) neurons within the SCN and is essential for M1 ipRGC axon innervation to the SCN. Specifically, inTenm3-/- mice, we find a reduction in ventro-medial innervation to the SCN. Despite this reduction,Tenm3-/- mice have higher sensitivity to light and faster re-entrainment to phase advances, probably due to the incre...
Source: PLoS Biology: Archived Table of Contents - Category: Biology Authors: Source Type: research