Neuron-selective and activity-dependent splicing of BDNF exon I–IX pre-mRNA

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is essential for numerous neuronal functions, including learning and memory. The expression of BDNF is regulated by distinctive transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms. The Bdnf gene in mice and rats comprises eight untranslated exons (exons I–VIII) and one exon (exon IX) that contains the pre-proBDNF coding sequence. Multiple splice donor sites on the untranslated exons and a single acceptor site upstream of the coding sequence result in the characteristic exon skipping patterns that generate multiple Bdnf mRNA variants, which are essential for the spatiotemporal regulation of BDNF expression, mRNA localization, mRNA stability, and translational control. However, the regulation of Bdnf pre-mRNA splicing remains unclear. Here, we focused on the splicing of Bdnf exon I–IX pre-mRNA. We first constructed a minigene to evaluate Bdnf exon I–IX pre-mRNA splicing. Compared with Bdnf exon I–IX pre-mRNA splicing in non-neuronal NIH3T3 cells, splicing was preferentially observed in primary cultures of cortical neurons. Additionally, a series of overexpression and knockdown experiments suggested that neuro-oncological ventral antigen (NOVA) 2 is involved in the neuron-selective splicing of Bdnf exon I–IX pre-mRNA. Supporting this finding, endogenous Nova2 mRNA expression was markedly higher in neurons, and a strong correlation between endogenous Bdnf exon I–IX and Nova2 mRNA was observed across several brain regions. Furthermore, Bdnf exon I–IX pre-mRNA splicing was facilitated by Ca²⁺ signals evoked via L-type voltage-dependent Ca²⁺ channels. Notably, among the Bdnf pre-mRNA splicing investigated in the current study, neuron-selective and activity-dependent splicing was observed in Bdnf exon I–IX pre-mRNA. In conclusion, Bdnf exon I-IX pre-mRNA splicing is preferentially observed in neurons and is facilitated in an activity-dependent manner. The neuron-selective and activity-dependent splicing of Bdnf exon I–IX pre-mRNA may contribute to the efficient induction of Bdnf exon I–IX expression in neurons.