Development of Cat-301 immunoreactivity in auditory brainstem nuclei of the gerbil

The developing brainstem auditory system has been studied in detail by using anatomical and physiological techniques. However, it is not known whether immature auditory neurons exhibit different molecular characteristics than those of physiologically mature neurons. To address this issue, we examined the distribution of Cat-301 immunoreactivity in the developing auditory brainstem of gerbils. Cat-301 is a monoclonal antibody that recognizes a 680-kD chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan similar to aggrecan, a high-molecular-weight chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan found in cartilage. In the central nervous system, Cat-301 immunoreactivity is localized to the extrasynaptic surface of neurons. It has been hypothesized by Hockfield and co-workers (Hockfield et al. [1990a]Cold Spring Harbor Symp. Quart. Biol. 55:504-514) that the Cat-301 proteoglycan is a molecular marker indicating that a neuron has acquired mature neuronal properties. In the current study, Cat-301 staining is first seen at 7 days after birth in the anterior ventral cochlear nucleus (AVCN), the posterior VCN (PVCN), and the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB) shortly before the onset of sound-evoked activity. By 21 days after birth, neurons in the AVCN, the PVCN, and the lateral and medial superior olive have attained adult-like distributions of Cat-301 staining concomitant with the physiological maturation of these neurons. Neurons in MNTB attain adult-like distributions of Cat-301 immunoreactivity at 1 year. The maturation of Cat-301 immunoreactivity parallels the physiological maturation of gerbil auditory neurons, and the Cat-301 proteoglycan may play a role in the formation and/or stabilization of auditory synapses.