Citation:
Date Published:
Oct 16Abstract:
The TGF-beta superfamily is conserved throughout metazoan, and its members play essential roles in development and disease. TGF-beta has also been implicated in adult neural plasticity. However, the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Here we report that DBL-1, a Caenorhabditis elegans TGF-beta homolog known to control body morphology and immunity, is essential for aversive olfactory learning of potentially harmful bacteria food. We show that DBL-1 generated by the AVA command interneurons, which are critical for sensorimotor responses, regulates aversive olfactory learning, and that the activity of the type I TGF-beta receptor SMA-6 in the hypodermis is needed during adulthood to generate olfactory plasticity. These spatial and temporal mechanisms are critical for the DBL-1 signaling to achieve its diverse functions in development and adult neural plasticity. Interestingly, aversive training decreases AVA calcium response, leading to an increase in the DBL-1 signal secreted from AVA, revealing an experience-dependent change that can underlie the role of TGF-beta signaling in mediating plasticity.
Notes:
Zhang, XiaodongZhang, YunengR01 DC009852/DC/NIDCD NIH HHS/Research Support, N.I.H., ExtramuralResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov't2012/09/29 06:00Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2012 Oct 16;109(42):17081-6. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1205982109. Epub 2012 Sep 26.