L‐lactate induces neurogenesis in the mouse ventricular‐subventricular zone via the lactate receptor HCA1

Abstract

Aim: Adult neurogenesis occurs in two major niches in the brain: the subgranular zone of the hippocampal formation and the ventricular-subventricular zone. Neurogenesis in both niches is reduced in ageing and neurological disease involving dementia. Exercise can rescue memory by enhancing hippocampal neurogenesis, but whether exercise affects adult neurogenesis in the ventricular-subventricular zone remains unresolved. Previously, we reported that exercise induces angiogenesis through ac- tivation of the lactate receptor HCA1. The aim of the present study is to investigate HCA1-dependent effects on neurogenesis in the two main neurogenic niches. Methods: Wild-type and HCA1 knock-out mice received high intensity interval ex- ercise, subcutaneous injections of L-lactate, or saline injections, five days per week for seven weeks. Well-established markers for proliferating cells (Ki-67) and imma- ture neurons (doublecortin), were used to investigate neurogenesis in the subgranular zone and the ventricular-subventricular zone. Results: We demonstrated that neurogenesis in the ventricular-subventricular zone is enhanced by HCA1 activation: Treatment with exercise or lactate resulted in in- creased neurogenesis in wild-type, but not in HCA1 knock-out mice. In the subgranu- lar zone, neurogenesis was induced by exercise in both genotypes, but unaffected by lactate treatment. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that neurogenesis in the two main neurogenic niches in the brain is regulated differently: Neurogenesis in both niches was induced by exercise, but only in the ventricular-subventricular zone was neurogenesis in- duced by lactate through HCA1 activation. This opens for a role of HCA1 in the physiological control of neurogenesis, and potentially in counteracting age-related cognitive decline.