Mitochondrial ROS and HIF-1α signaling mediate synaptic plasticity in the critical period

As developing networks transition from spontaneous irregular to patterned activity, they undergo plastic tuning phases, termed “critical periods”; “critical” because disturbances during these phases can lead to lasting changes in network development and output. Critical periods are common to developing nervous systems, with analogous features shared from insects to mammals, yet the core signaling mechanisms that underlie cellular critical period plasticity have remained elusive. To identify these, we exploited the Drosophila larval locomotor network as an advantageous model system. It has a defined critical period and offers unparalleled access to identified network elements, including the neuromuscular junction as a model synapse. We find that manipulations of a single motoneuron or muscle cell during the critical period lead to predictable, and permanent, cell-specific changes. This demonstrates that critical period adjustments occur at a single-cell level. Mechanistically, we identified mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) as causative. Specifically, we show that ROS produced by Complex-I of the mitochondrial electron transport chain, generated by the reverse flow of electrons, is necessary and instructive for critical period-regulated plasticity. Downstream of ROS, we identified the Drosophila homologue of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-1α), as required for transducing the mitochondrial ROS signal to the nucleus. This signaling axis is also sufficient to cell autonomously specify changes in neuronal properties and animal behavior but, again, only when activated during the embryonic critical period. Thus, we have identified specific mitochondrial ROS and HIF-1α as primary signals that mediate critical period plasticity.