Chondroitin 6-Sulfation Regulates Perineuronal Net Formation by Controlling the Stability of Aggrecan

Figure 5

Impaired condensation of aggrecan into PNNs by overexpression of 6-sulfation. ((a), (b)) In 6-month-old adult WT mice, aggrecan showed a well-formed meshwork, which is similar to WFA lectin staining. (b) Magnification of boxed regions in (a). ((c)–(e)) In age-matched C6ST-1 TG mice, WFA-positive PNNs showed marked condensation of aggrecan, whereas neighboring CS56-positive PNNs showed diffuse and less condensed aggrecan staining. ((d), (e)) Magnification of boxed regions in (c). Immunolocalization of other PNN components including phosphacan (f), neurocan (g), tenascin-R (h), and Crtl1 (i) in WFA-positive and CS56-positive PNNs. In contrast to the impaired accumulation of aggrecan in CS56-positive PNNs in C6ST-1 TG mice, condensation of other PNN components was comparable between WT and C6ST-1 TG mice. Scale bars, 5 μm.

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