AUTHOR=Matt Lucas , Eckert Philipp , Panford-Walsh Rama , Geisler Hyun-Soon , Bausch Anne E. , Manthey Marie , Müller Nicolas I. C. , Harasztosi Csaba , Rohbock Karin , Ruth Peter , Friauf Eckhard , Ott Thomas , Zimmermann Ulrike , Rüttiger Lukas , Schimmang Thomas , Knipper Marlies , Singer Wibke 

TITLE=Visualizing BDNF Transcript Usage During Sound-Induced Memory Linked Plasticity

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2018

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/molecular-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnmol.2018.00260

DOI=10.3389/fnmol.2018.00260

ISSN=1662-5099

ABSTRACT=<p>Activity-dependent BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) expression is hypothesized to be a cue for the context-specificity of memory formation. So far, activity-dependent BDNF cannot be explicitly monitored independently of basal BDNF levels. We used the BLEV (<bold><italic>B</italic></bold>DNF-<bold><italic>l</italic></bold><italic>ive-</italic><bold><italic>e</italic></bold><italic>xon</italic>-<bold><italic>v</italic></bold><italic>isualization</italic>) reporter mouse to specifically detect activity-dependent usage of <italic>Bdnf</italic> exon-IV and -VI promoters through bi-cistronic co-expression of CFP and YFP, respectively. Enriching acoustic stimuli led to improved peripheral and central auditory brainstem responses, increased Schaffer collateral LTP, and enhanced performance in the Morris water maze. Within the brainstem, neuronal activity was increased and accompanied by a trend for higher expression levels of <italic>Bdnf</italic> exon-IV-CFP and exon-VI-YFP transcripts. In the hippocampus BDNF transcripts were clearly increased parallel to changes in parvalbumin expression and were localized to specific neurons and capillaries. Severe acoustic trauma, in contrast, elevated neither <italic>Bdnf</italic> transcript levels, nor auditory responses, parvalbumin or LTP. Together, this suggests that critical sensory input is essential for recruitment of activity-dependent auditory-specific BDNF expression that may shape network adaptation.</p>