Analysis of the conserved neurotrophic factor MANF in the Drosophila adult brain

• DmMANF expression is much wider in the adult than in the embryonic and larval CNS.
• DmMANF is expressed in glia and neurons including dopaminergic neurons.
• DmMANF overexpression or knockdown results in no loss of dopaminergic neuron somas.

Mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF) is an evolutionarily conserved neurotrophic factor that supports and protects dopaminergic neurons. The Drosophila MANF (DmMANF) null mutant animals die during early development, and DmMANF is required for the maintenance of dopamine positive neurites. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of DmMANF during later developmental stages. Here we report that DmMANF expression in the adult brain is much wider than in the embryonic and larval stages. It is expressed in both glia and neurons including dopaminergic neurons. Clonal analysis showed that DmMANF is not required cell-autonomously for the differentiation of either glia or dopaminergic neurons. In addition, DmMANF overexpression resulted in no apparent abnormal dopaminergic phenotype while DmMANF silencing in glia resulted in prolonged larval stage.