Abstract
The expression and function of immune molecules, such as major histocompatibility complex (MHC), within the developing and adult brain have been discovered over the past few years. Studies utilizing classical class I MHC knockout animals suggest that these molecules, in fact, play essential roles in the establishment, function, and modification of synapses in the CNS. Altered neuronal expression of class I MHC, as has been reported in pathological conditions, leads to aberrations in neuronal development and repair. In the hippocampus, cellular and molecular mechanisms that regulate synaptic plasticity have heretofore been extensively studied. It is for this reason that multiple studies directed at better understanding the expression, regulation, and function of class I MHC within the hippocampus have been undertaken. Since several previous reviews have addressed the roles of class I MHC in the formation and function of hippocampal connections, the present review will focus on describing the spatial and temporal expression of class I MHC in developing, healthy adult, and aging hippocampus. Herein, we also review current literatures exploring mechanisms that regulate class I MHC expression in murine hippocampus. With this review, we aim to facilitate a deeper mechanistic understanding into the complex tight regulation of MHC I expression in hippocampus, which are needed as we explore the potential for targeting MHC I for therapeutic intervention in normal aging and in neurodegenerative diseases in the future.
Highlights
Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is considered to play central roles in the immune system for presenting peptides and activating lymphocytes
We focus on describing the spatial and temporal expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) I, especially classical MHC I genes, in the hippocampus of different species, and we introduce several reports investigating the molecular mechanisms used by hippocampal neurons to regulate MHC I expression
Reports of dynamic expression of MHC I molecules in hippocampus throughout the entire life span of one species are scarce since most research focuses only on specific developmental stages
Summary
Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is considered to play central roles in the immune system for presenting peptides and activating lymphocytes. The expression of classical class I MHC genes (referred to as MHC I in the following text) within the healthy central nervous. The roles of classical MHC I proteins in the establishment, function, and modification of synapses have been extensively reviewed (Boulanger and Shatz, 2004; Boulanger, 2009; Shatz, 2009; Fourgeaud and Boulanger, 2010; Elmer and McAllister, 2012; McAllister, 2014). We focus on describing the spatial and temporal expression of MHC I, especially classical MHC I genes, in the hippocampus of different species, and we introduce several reports investigating the molecular mechanisms used by hippocampal neurons to regulate MHC I expression
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