Deciphering the Role of Aggrecan in Parvalbumin Interneurons: Unexpected Outcomes from a Conditional ACAN Knockout That Eliminates WFA+ Perineuronal Nets

The transition from juvenile to adult is accompanied by the maturation of inhibitory parvalbumin-positive (PV+) neurons and reduced plasticity. This transition involves the formation of perineuronal nets (PNNs), a dense configuration of the extracellular matrix that predominantly envelops parvalbumin-positive (PV+) neurons. Aggrecan, a proteoglycan encoded by the ACAN gene, has been shown to have a key role in the PNNs as knock-out of ACAN in the adult brain reactivates juvenile plasticity, but the contribution of different cell populations is unknown

Here, we establish and characterize a mouse model in which ACAN is selectively knocked out (KO) in PV+ neurons (ACANflx/PVcre). Moreover, we develop a viral tool to perform similar cell-type directed KO in adult mice. Both models are compared with the traditional method of PNN removal, namely enzymatic degradation of PNNs with Chondroitinase ABC (chABC).

We show that PV+ neurons in adult ACANflx/PVcre mice do not produce PNNs that are labeled by Wisteria floribunda agglutinin (WFA), the most commonly used PNN marker. Surprisingly, electrophysiological properties of PV+ interneurons in the visual cortex (V1) and ocular dominance plasticity of adult ACANflx/PVcre mice were similar to controls. In contrast, AAV-mediated ACAN knockout in adult mice increased ocular dominance plasticity. Moreover, in vivo chABC treatment of KO mice resulted in reduced firing rate of PV+ cells and increased frequency of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSC), a phenotype associated with chABC treatment of WT animals. This suggests compensatory mechanisms in the germline KO. Indeed, qPCR of bulk tissue indicates that other PNN components are expressed at higher levels in the KO animals. Finally, we perform memory-and behavioral testing to see if the lack of ACAN from PV+ neurons throughout development affected stereotypic behaviors and memory processing. ACANflx/PVcre mice have learning and memory abilities similar to controls, but use bold search strategies during navigation in the Morris water maze. The low level of anxiety-related behavior is confirmed in an open field and zero maze, where they spent nearly twice the time in open areas.