Efficient in vivo depletion of CD8(+) T lymphocytes in common marmosets by novel CD8 monoclonal antibody administration.

In order to directly demonstrate the roles of CD8(+) T lymphocytes in non-human primates, in vivo depletion of the CD8(+) T cells by administration of a CD8-specific monoclonal antibody (mAb) is one of the crucial techniques. Recently, the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus), which is classified as a New World monkey, has been shown useful as an experimental animal model for various human diseases such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease and a number of infectious diseases. Here we show that an anti-marmoset CD8 mAb 6F10, which we have recently established, efficiently depletes the marmoset CD8(+) T lymphocytes in vivo, i.e., the administration of 6F10 induces drastic and specific reduction in the ratio of the CD8(+) T cell subset for at least three weeks or longer. Our finding will help understand the pivotal role of CD8(+) T cells in vivo in the control of human diseases.

Protocadherin 17 regulates presynaptic assembly in topographic corticobasal Ganglia circuits.

Highly topographic organization of neural circuits exists for the regulation of various brain functions in corticobasal ganglia circuits. Although neural circuit-specific refinement during synapse development is essential for the execution of particular neural functions, the molecular and cellular mechanisms for synapse refinement are largely unknown. Here, we show that protocadherin 17 (PCDH17), one of the nonclustered δ2-protocadherin family members, is enriched along corticobasal ganglia synapses in a zone-specific manner during synaptogenesis and regulates presynaptic assembly in these synapses. PCDH17 deficiency in mice causes facilitated presynaptic vesicle accumulation and enhanced synaptic transmission efficacy in corticobasal ganglia circuits. Furthermore, PCDH17(-/-) mice exhibit antidepressant-like phenotypes that are known to be regulated by corticobasal ganglia circuits. Our findings demonstrate a critical role for PCDH17 in the synaptic development of specific corticobasal ganglia circuits and suggest the involvement of PCDH17 in such circuits in depressive behaviors.

Developmental anatomy in the zonular connection with lens capsule in macaque eye.

Morphological analyses of zonule conjugated with lens capsule were performed on the developmental change in eyes from the age of fetus to 7 years old of the rhesus macaques (Macaca fuscata). The zonule was filamentous network in late fetus. After birth, the zonular microfibrils originated from the nonpigmented epithelium of the ciliary process. On the extending path toward the lens capsule through the chamber, microfibril assembled with neighbor fibril and also cohered with one another forming bundle. With growth, these bundles bifurcated into anterior and posterior groups on the equatorial region of capsule. The developmental distribution of bundles in the capsule was characteristic on anterior group, that is, bifurcation into radial and circumferential extension. On the other hand, the posterior bundle undivided but radially extended within short distance from the equator. In the process of fixating with capsule, bundles untangled into fibrils and penetrated circumferentially into the superficial layer and radially into deep apical layer of the capsule. Zonule was composed fibrillin 1 microfibrils and on the extending path toward the lens capsule through the chamber, microfibril self-assembled with neighbored fibril in composition of fascicle and also cohered with one another forming bundle. Each bundle had alternating pale and dense horizontal bands in the intracapsular extension and the stripe pattern changed in flaccid or extensive tension of zonule between capsule and process. Zonular fibril intermingled with collagen fibril of capsule with interlacing molecule of laminin. At the base of ciliary muscle, elastin-positive connective tissue intercalated circumferentially between ciliary processes. The developmental changes of the intralamellar distribution and extension of zonule with striped pattern informed the functional role upon the elasticity in coordination with the lens capsule micromolecules.