1
|
Becegato M, Silva RH. Female rodents in behavioral neuroscience: Narrative review on the methodological pitfalls. Physiol Behav 2024; 284:114645. [PMID: 39047942 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2024.114645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2024] [Revised: 07/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Since the NIH 'Sex as biological variable' policy, the percentage of studies including female subjects have increased largely. Nonetheless, many researchers fail to adequate their protocols to include females. In this narrative review, we aim to discuss the methodological pitfalls of the inclusion of female rodents in behavioral neuroscience. We address three points to consider in studies: the manipulations conducted only in female animals (such as estrous cycle monitoring, ovariectomy, and hormone replacement), the consideration of males as the standard, and biases related to interpretation and publication of the results. In addition, we suggest guidelines and perspectives for the inclusion of females in preclinical research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marcela Becegato
- Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Regina H Silva
- Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; MaternaCiência, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Gannot N, Li X, Phillips CD, Ozel AB, Uchima Koecklin KH, Lloyd JP, Zhang L, Emery K, Stern T, Li JZ, Li P. A vagal-brainstem interoceptive circuit for cough-like defensive behaviors in mice. Nat Neurosci 2024; 27:1734-1744. [PMID: 38977887 PMCID: PMC11374482 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-024-01712-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
Coughing is a respiratory behavior that plays a crucial role in protecting the respiratory system. Here we show that the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) in mice contains heterogenous neuronal populations that differentially control breathing. Within these subtypes, activation of tachykinin 1 (Tac1)-expressing neurons triggers specific respiratory behaviors that, as revealed by our detailed characterization, are cough-like behaviors. Chemogenetic silencing or genetic ablation of Tac1 neurons inhibits cough-like behaviors induced by tussive challenges. These Tac1 neurons receive synaptic inputs from the bronchopulmonary chemosensory and mechanosensory neurons in the vagal ganglion and coordinate medullary regions to control distinct aspects of cough-like defensive behaviors. We propose that these Tac1 neurons in the NTS are a key component of the airway-vagal-brain neural circuit that controls cough-like defensive behaviors in mice and that they coordinate the downstream modular circuits to elicit the sequential motor pattern of forceful expiratory responses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Noam Gannot
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Xingyu Li
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | | | - Ayse Bilge Ozel
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | | | - John P Lloyd
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Lusi Zhang
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Katie Emery
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Tomer Stern
- Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Jun Z Li
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Peng Li
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
- Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Yagoub S, Chesters RA, Ott J, Zhu J, Cantacorps L, Ritter K, Lippert RN. Acute elevated dietary fat alone is not sufficient to decrease AgRP projections in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus in mice. Sci Rep 2024; 14:20043. [PMID: 39209992 PMCID: PMC11362280 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-70870-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 08/22/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Within the brain, the connections between neurons are constantly changing in response to environmental stimuli. A prime environmental regulator of neuronal activity is diet, and previous work has highlighted changes in hypothalamic connections in response to diets high in dietary fat and elevated sucrose. We sought to determine if the change in hypothalamic neuronal connections was driven primarily by an elevation in dietary fat alone. Analysis was performed in both male and female animals. We measured Agouti-related peptide (AgRP) neuropeptide and Synaptophysin markers in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVH) in response to an acute 48 h high fat diet challenge. Using two image analysis methods described in previous studies, an effect of a high fat diet on AgRP neuronal projections in the PVH of male or female mice was not identified. These results suggest that it may not be dietary fat alone that is responsible for the previously published alterations in hypothalamic connections. Future work should focus on deciphering the role of individual macronutrients on neuroanatomical and functional changes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Selma Yagoub
- German Institute for Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbrücke, Nuthetal, Germany
- University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Robert A Chesters
- German Institute for Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbrücke, Nuthetal, Germany
- NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jonathan Ott
- German Institute for Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbrücke, Nuthetal, Germany
- University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Jiajie Zhu
- German Institute for Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbrücke, Nuthetal, Germany
- University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
- NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lídia Cantacorps
- German Institute for Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbrücke, Nuthetal, Germany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Katrin Ritter
- German Institute for Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbrücke, Nuthetal, Germany
| | - Rachel N Lippert
- German Institute for Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbrücke, Nuthetal, Germany.
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany.
- NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Müllner FE, Roska B. Individual thalamic inhibitory interneurons are functionally specialized toward distinct visual features. Neuron 2024; 112:2765-2782.e9. [PMID: 38917805 PMCID: PMC11348917 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
Inhibitory interneurons in the dorsolateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) are situated at the first central synapse of the image-forming visual pathway, but little is known about their function. Given their anatomy, they are expected to be multiplexors, integrating many different retinal channels along their dendrites. Here, using targeted single-cell-initiated rabies tracing, we found that mouse dLGN interneurons exhibit a degree of retinal input specialization similar to thalamocortical neurons. Some are anatomically highly specialized, for example, toward motion-selective information. Two-photon calcium imaging performed in vivo revealed that interneurons are also functionally specialized. In mice lacking retinal horizontal direction selectivity, horizontal direction selectivity is reduced in interneurons, suggesting a causal link between input and functional specialization. Functional specialization is not only present at interneuron somata but also extends into their dendrites. Altogether, inhibitory interneurons globally display distinct visual features which reflect their retinal input specialization and are ideally suited to perform feature-selective inhibition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fiona E Müllner
- Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland; Department of Ophthalmology, University of Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland; Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Botond Roska
- Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland; Department of Ophthalmology, University of Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Ba W, Nollet M, Yin C, Yu X, Wong S, Miao A, Beckwith EJ, Harding EC, Ma Y, Yustos R, Vyssotski AL, Wisden W, Franks NP. A REM-active basal ganglia circuit that regulates anxiety. Curr Biol 2024; 34:3301-3314.e4. [PMID: 38944034 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/01/2024]
Abstract
Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep has been hypothesized to promote emotional resilience, but any neuronal circuits mediating this have not been identified. We find that in mice, somatostatin (Som) neurons in the entopeduncular nucleus (EPSom)/internal globus pallidus are predominantly active during REM sleep. This unique REM activity is both necessary and sufficient for maintaining normal REM sleep. Inhibiting or exciting EPSom neurons reduced or increased REM sleep duration, respectively. Activation of the sole downstream target of EPSom neurons, Vglut2 cells in the lateral habenula (LHb), increased sleep via the ventral tegmental area (VTA). A simple chemogenetic scheme to periodically inhibit the LHb over 4 days selectively removed a significant amount of cumulative REM sleep. Chronic, but not acute, REM reduction correlated with mice becoming anxious and more sensitive to aversive stimuli. Therefore, we suggest that cumulative REM sleep, in part generated by the EP → LHb → VTA circuit identified here, could contribute to stabilizing reactions to habitual aversive stimuli.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wei Ba
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Mathieu Nollet
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Chunyu Yin
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK; Department of Neonatal Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210000, China
| | - Xiao Yu
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Sara Wong
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Andawei Miao
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Esteban J Beckwith
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Edward C Harding
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Ying Ma
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Raquel Yustos
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Alexei L Vyssotski
- Institute of Neuroinformatics, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| | - William Wisden
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
| | - Nicholas P Franks
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Wang D, Zhao D, Wang W, Hu F, Cui M, Liu J, Meng F, Liu C, Qiu C, Liu D, Xu Z, Wang Y, Zhang Y, Li W, Li C. How do lateral septum projections to the ventral CA1 influence sociability? Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:1789-1801. [PMID: 38103246 PMCID: PMC10960288 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.389304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 06/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
JOURNAL/nrgr/04.03/01300535-202408000-00033/figure1/v/2023-12-16T180322Z/r/image-tiff Social dysfunction is a risk factor for several neuropsychiatric illnesses. Previous studies have shown that the lateral septum (LS)-related pathway plays a critical role in mediating social behaviors. However, the role of the connections between the LS and its downstream brain regions in social behaviors remains unclear. In this study, we conducted a three-chamber test using electrophysiological and chemogenetic approaches in mice to determine how LS projections to ventral CA1 (vCA1) influence sociability. Our results showed that gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic neurons were activated following social experience, and that social behaviors were enhanced by chemogenetic modulation of these neurons. Moreover, LS GABAergic neurons extended their functional neural connections via vCA1 glutamatergic pyramidal neurons, and regulating LSGABA→vCA1Glu neural projections affected social behaviors, which were impeded by suppressing LS-projecting vCA1 neuronal activity or inhibiting GABAA receptors in vCA1. These findings support the hypothesis that LS inputs to the vCA1 can control social preferences and social novelty behaviors. These findings provide new insights regarding the neural circuits that regulate sociability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dan Wang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Medical Research Center, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Institute for Metabolic & Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Department of Psychology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
| | - Di Zhao
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Medical Research Center, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Institute for Metabolic & Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Department of Psychology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
| | - Wentao Wang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Medical Research Center, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Institute for Metabolic & Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Department of Psychology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
| | - Fengai Hu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Medical Research Center, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Institute for Metabolic & Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Department of Psychology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
| | - Minghu Cui
- Medical Research Center, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Institute for Metabolic & Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Department of Psychology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Medical Research Center, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Institute for Metabolic & Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Department of Psychology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
| | - Fantao Meng
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Medical Research Center, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Institute for Metabolic & Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Department of Psychology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
| | - Cuilan Liu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Medical Research Center, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Institute for Metabolic & Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Department of Psychology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
| | - Changyun Qiu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Medical Research Center, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Institute for Metabolic & Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Department of Psychology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
| | - Dunjiang Liu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Medical Research Center, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Institute for Metabolic & Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Department of Psychology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
| | - Zhicheng Xu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Medical Research Center, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Institute for Metabolic & Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Department of Psychology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
| | - Yameng Wang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Medical Research Center, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Institute for Metabolic & Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Department of Psychology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Medical Research Center, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- College of Nursing, Binzhou Medical University, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Medical Research Center, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Institute for Metabolic & Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
| | - Chen Li
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Medical Research Center, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Institute for Metabolic & Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
- Department of Psychology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Srour N, Caron A, Michael NJ. Do POMC neurons have a sweet tooth for leptin? Special issue: Role of nutrients in nervous control of energy balance. Biochimie 2024; 223:179-187. [PMID: 36122808 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2022.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Coordinated detection of changes in metabolic state by the nervous system is fundamental for survival. Hypothalamic pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons play a critical role in integrating metabolic signals, including leptin levels. They also coordinate adaptative responses and thus represent an important relay in the regulation of energy balance. Despite a plethora of work documenting the effects of individual hormones, nutrients, and neuropeptides on POMC neurons, the importance for crosstalk and additive effects between such signaling molecules is still underexplored. The ability of the metabolic state and the concentrations of nutrients, such as glucose, to influence leptin's effects on POMC neurons appears critical for understanding the function and complexity of this regulatory network. Here, we summarize the current knowledge on the effects of leptin on POMC neuron electrical excitability and discuss factors potentially contributing to variability in these effects, with a particular focus on the mouse models that have been developed and the importance of extracellular glucose levels. This review highlights the importance of the metabolic "environment" for determining hypothalamic neuronal responsiveness to metabolic cues and for determining the fundamental effects of leptin on the activity of hypothalamic POMC neurons.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nader Srour
- Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Québec, 2725 chemin Sainte-Foy, Québec, QC, G1V 4G5, Canada; Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Alexandre Caron
- Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Québec, 2725 chemin Sainte-Foy, Québec, QC, G1V 4G5, Canada; Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada; Montreal Diabetes Research Center, QC, Canada.
| | - Natalie Jane Michael
- Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Québec, 2725 chemin Sainte-Foy, Québec, QC, G1V 4G5, Canada; Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Machold R, Rudy B. Genetic approaches to elucidating cortical and hippocampal GABAergic interneuron diversity. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1414955. [PMID: 39113758 PMCID: PMC11303334 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1414955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
GABAergic interneurons (INs) in the mammalian forebrain represent a diverse population of cells that provide specialized forms of local inhibition to regulate neural circuit activity. Over the last few decades, the development of a palette of genetic tools along with the generation of single-cell transcriptomic data has begun to reveal the molecular basis of IN diversity, thereby providing deep insights into how different IN subtypes function in the forebrain. In this review, we outline the emerging picture of cortical and hippocampal IN speciation as defined by transcriptomics and developmental origin and summarize the genetic strategies that have been utilized to target specific IN subtypes, along with the technical considerations inherent to each approach. Collectively, these methods have greatly facilitated our understanding of how IN subtypes regulate forebrain circuitry via cell type and compartment-specific inhibition and thus have illuminated a path toward potential therapeutic interventions for a variety of neurocognitive disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Robert Machold
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Bernardo Rudy
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Glaser A, Chandrashekar J, Vasquez S, Arshadi C, Ouellette N, Jiang X, Baka J, Kovacs G, Woodard M, Seshamani S, Cao K, Clack N, Recknagel A, Grim A, Balaram P, Turschak E, Hooper M, Liddell A, Rohde J, Hellevik A, Takasaki K, Erion Barner L, Logsdon M, Chronopoulos C, de Vries S, Ting J, Perlmutter S, Kalmbach B, Dembrow N, Tasic B, Reid RC, Feng D, Svoboda K. Expansion-assisted selective plane illumination microscopy for nanoscale imaging of centimeter-scale tissues. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.06.08.544277. [PMID: 37425699 PMCID: PMC10327101 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.08.544277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Recent advances in tissue processing, labeling, and fluorescence microscopy are providing unprecedented views of the structure of cells and tissues at sub-diffraction resolutions and near single molecule sensitivity, driving discoveries in diverse fields of biology, including neuroscience. Biological tissue is organized over scales of nanometers to centimeters. Harnessing molecular imaging across intact, three-dimensional samples on this scale requires new types of microscopes with larger fields of view and working distance, as well as higher throughput. We present a new expansion-assisted selective plane illumination microscope (ExA-SPIM) with aberration-free 1×1×3 μm optical resolution over a large field of view (10.6×8.0 mm 2 ) and working distance (35 mm) at speeds up to 946 megavoxels/sec. Combined with new tissue clearing and expansion methods, the microscope allows imaging centimeter-scale samples with 250×250×750 nm optical resolution (4× expansion), including entire mouse brains, with high contrast and without sectioning. We illustrate ExA-SPIM by reconstructing individual neurons across the mouse brain, imaging cortico-spinal neurons in the macaque motor cortex, and visualizing axons in human white matter.
Collapse
|
10
|
Sáenz de Miera C, Bellefontaine N, Allen SJ, Myers MG, Elias CF. Glutamate neurotransmission from leptin receptor cells is required for typical puberty and reproductive function in female mice. eLife 2024; 13:RP93204. [PMID: 39007235 PMCID: PMC11249761 DOI: 10.7554/elife.93204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
The hypothalamic ventral premammillary nucleus (PMv) is a glutamatergic nucleus essential for the metabolic control of reproduction. However, conditional deletion of leptin receptor long form (LepRb) in vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (Vglut2) expressing neurons results in virtually no reproductive deficits. In this study, we determined the role of glutamatergic neurotransmission from leptin responsive PMv neurons on puberty and fertility. We first assessed if stimulation of PMv neurons induces luteinizing hormone (LH) release in fed adult females. We used the stimulatory form of designer receptor exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADDs) in LeprCre (LepRb-Cre) mice. We collected blood sequentially before and for 1 hr after intravenous clozapine-N-oxide injection. LH level increased in animals correctly targeted to the PMv, and LH level was correlated to the number of Fos immunoreactive neurons in the PMv. Next, females with deletion of Slc17a6 (Vglut2) in LepRb neurons (LeprΔVGlut2) showed delayed age of puberty, disrupted estrous cycles, increased gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) concentration in the axon terminals, and disrupted LH secretion, suggesting impaired GnRH release. To assess if glutamate is required for PMv actions in pubertal development, we generated a Cre-induced reexpression of endogenous LepRb (LeprloxTB) with concomitant deletion of Slc17a6 (Vglut2flox) mice. Rescue of Lepr and deletion of Slc17a6 in the PMv was obtained by stereotaxic injection of an adeno-associated virus vector expressing Cre recombinase. Control LeprloxTB mice with PMv LepRb rescue showed vaginal opening, follicle maturation, and became pregnant, while LeprloxTB;Vglut2flox mice showed no pubertal development. Our results indicate that glutamatergic neurotransmission from leptin sensitive neurons regulates the reproductive axis, and that leptin action on pubertal development via PMv neurons requires Vglut2.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Sáenz de Miera
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan–Ann ArborAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Nicole Bellefontaine
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan–Ann ArborAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Susan J Allen
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan–Ann ArborAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Martin G Myers
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan–Ann ArborAnn ArborUnited States
- Elizabeth W. Caswell Diabetes Institute, University of Michigan–Ann ArborAnn ArborUnited States
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes, University of Michigan–Ann ArborAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Carol F Elias
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan–Ann ArborAnn ArborUnited States
- Elizabeth W. Caswell Diabetes Institute, University of Michigan–Ann ArborAnn ArborUnited States
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan–Ann ArborAnn ArborUnited States
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Ramirez-Plascencia OD, De Luca R, Machado NLS, Eghlidi D, Khanday MA, Bandaru SS, Raffin F, Vujovic N, Arrigoni E, Saper CB. A hypothalamic circuit for circadian regulation of corticosterone secretion. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4718850. [PMID: 39041039 PMCID: PMC11261983 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4718850/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/24/2024]
Abstract
The secretion of cortisol in humans and corticosterone (Cort) in rodents follows a daily rhythm which is important in readying the individual for the daily active cycle and is impaired in chronic depression. This rhythm is orchestrated by the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) which governs the activity of neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus that produce the corticotropin-releasing hormone (PVHCRH neurons). The dorsomedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (DMH) serves as a crucial intermediary, being innervated by the SCN both directly and via relays in the subparaventricular zone, and projecting axons to the PVH, thereby exerting influence over the cortisol/corticosterone rhythm. However, the role and synaptic mechanisms by which DMH neurons regulate the daily rhythm of Cort secretion has not been explored. We found that either ablating or acutely inhibiting the DMH glutamatergic (DMHVglut2) neurons resulted in a 40-70% reduction in the daily peak of Cort. Deletion of the Vglut2 gene within the DMH produced a similar effect, highlighting the indispensable role of glutamatergic signaling. Chemogenetic stimulation of DMHVglut2 neurons led to an increase of Cort levels, and optogenetic activation of their terminals in the PVH in hypothalamic slices directly activated PVHCRH neurons through glutamate release (the DMHVglut2 → PVHCRH pathway). Similarly, ablating, inhibiting, or disrupting GABA transmission by DMH GABAergic (DMHVgat) neurons diminished the circadian peak of Cort, particularly under constant darkness conditions. Chemogenetic stimulation of DMHVgat neurons increased Cort, although with a lower magnitude compared to DMHVglut2 neuron stimulation, suggesting a role in disinhibiting PVHCRH neurons. Supporting this hypothesis, we found that rostral DMHVgat neurons project directly to GABAergic neurons in the caudal ventral part of the PVH and adjacent peri-PVH area (cvPVH), which directly inhibit PVHCRH neurons, and that activating the DMHVgat terminals in the cvPVH in brain slices reduced GABAergic afferent input onto the PVHCRH neurons. Finally, ablation of cvPVHVgat neurons resulted in increased Cort release at the onset of the active phase, affirming the pivotal role of the DMHVgat → cvPVHVgat → PVHCRH pathway in Cort secretion. In summary, our study delineates two parallel pathways transmitting temporal information to PVHCRH neurons, collectively orchestrating the daily surge in Cort in anticipation of the active phase. These findings are crucial to understand the neural circuits regulating Cort secretion, shedding light on the mechanisms governing this physiological process and the coordinated interplay between SCN, DMH, and PVH.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Oscar D. Ramirez-Plascencia
- Department of Neurology, Division of Sleep Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Roberto De Luca
- Department of Neurology, Division of Sleep Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Natalia L. S. Machado
- Department of Neurology, Division of Sleep Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Dominique Eghlidi
- Department of Neurology, Division of Sleep Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Mudasir A. Khanday
- Department of Neurology, Division of Sleep Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Sathyajit S. Bandaru
- Department of Neurology, Division of Sleep Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Francesca Raffin
- Department of Neurology, Division of Sleep Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology “Lazzaro Spallanzani”, University of Pavia, Pavia, PV 27100, Italy
| | - Nina Vujovic
- Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Departments of Medicine and Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Elda Arrigoni
- Department of Neurology, Division of Sleep Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Clifford B. Saper
- Department of Neurology, Division of Sleep Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Webster AN, Becker JJ, Li C, Schwalbe DC, Kerspern D, Karolczak EO, Godschall EN, Belmont-Rausch DM, Pers TH, Lutas A, Habib N, Güler AD, Krashes MJ, Campbell JN. Molecular Connectomics Reveals a Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Sensitive Neural Circuit for Satiety. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.10.31.564990. [PMID: 37961449 PMCID: PMC10635031 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.31.564990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Liraglutide and other agonists of the glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP-1RAs) are effective weight loss drugs, but how they suppress appetite remains unclear. One potential mechanism is by activating neurons which inhibit hunger-promoting Agouti-related peptide (AgRP) neurons of the arcuate hypothalamus (Arc). To identify these afferents, we developed a method combining rabies-based connectomics with single-nuclei transcriptomics. Applying this method to AgRP neurons predicted at least 21 afferent subtypes in the mouse mediobasal and paraventricular hypothalamus. Among these are Trh+ Arc neurons, inhibitory neurons which express the Glp1r gene and are activated by the GLP-1RA liraglutide. Activating Trh+ Arc neurons inhibits AgRP neurons and feeding in an AgRP neuron-dependent manner. Silencing Trh+ Arc neurons causes over-eating and weight gain and attenuates liraglutide's effect on body weight. Our results demonstrate a widely applicable method for molecular connectomics, comprehensively identify local inputs to AgRP neurons, and reveal a circuit through which GLP-1RAs suppress appetite.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Addison N. Webster
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, U.S.A
| | - Jordan J. Becker
- Section on Motivational Processes Underlying Appetite, Diabetes, Endocrinology, & Obesity Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, MD, U.S.A
| | - Chia Li
- Section on Motivational Processes Underlying Appetite, Diabetes, Endocrinology, & Obesity Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, MD, U.S.A
| | - Dana C. Schwalbe
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, U.S.A
| | - Damien Kerspern
- Section on Motivational Processes Underlying Appetite, Diabetes, Endocrinology, & Obesity Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, MD, U.S.A
| | - Eva O. Karolczak
- Section on Motivational Processes Underlying Appetite, Diabetes, Endocrinology, & Obesity Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, MD, U.S.A
| | | | | | - Tune H. Pers
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Andrew Lutas
- Section on Motivational Processes Underlying Appetite, Diabetes, Endocrinology, & Obesity Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, MD, U.S.A
| | - Naomi Habib
- Center for Brain Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Ali D. Güler
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, U.S.A
| | - Michael J. Krashes
- Section on Motivational Processes Underlying Appetite, Diabetes, Endocrinology, & Obesity Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, MD, U.S.A
| | - John N. Campbell
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, U.S.A
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, U.S.A
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Howe JR, Chan CL, Lee D, Blanquart M, Romero HK, Zadina AN, Lemieux ME, Mills F, Desplats PA, Tye KM, Root CM. Control of innate olfactory valence by segregated cortical amygdala circuits. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.26.600895. [PMID: 38979308 PMCID: PMC11230396 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.26.600895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
Animals perform innate behaviors that are stereotyped responses to specific evolutionarily relevant stimuli in the absence of prior learning or experience. These behaviors can be reduced to an axis of valence, whereby specific odors evoke approach or avoidance. The cortical amygdala (plCoA) mediates innate attraction and aversion to odor. However, little is known about how this brain area gives rise to behaviors of opposing motivational valence. Here, we sought to define the circuit features of plCoA that give rise to innate olfactory behaviors of valence. We characterized the physiology, gene expression, and projections of this structure, identifying a divergent, topographic organization that selectively controls innate attraction and avoidance to odor. First, we examined odor-evoked responses in these areas and found sparse encoding of odor identity, but not valence. We next considered a topographic organization and found that optogenetic stimulation of the anterior and posterior domains of plCoA elicits attraction and avoidance, respectively, suggesting a functional axis for valence. Using single cell and spatial RNA sequencing, we identified the molecular cell types in plCoA, revealing an anteroposterior gradient in cell types, whereby anterior glutamatergic neurons preferentially express Slc17a6 and posterior neurons express Slc17a7. Activation of these respective cell types recapitulates appetitive and aversive valence behaviors, and chemogenetic inhibition reveals partial necessity for valence responses to innate appetitive or aversive odors. Finally, we identified topographically organized circuits defined by projections, whereby anterior neurons preferentially project to medial amygdala, and posterior neurons preferentially project to nucleus accumbens, which are respectively sufficient and necessary for innate negative and positive olfactory valence. Together, these data advance our understanding of how the olfactory system generates stereotypic, hardwired attraction and avoidance, and supports a model whereby distinct, topographically distributed plCoA populations direct innate olfactory valence responses by signaling to divergent valence-specific targets, linking upstream olfactory identity to downstream valence behaviors, through a population code. This represents a novel circuit motif in which valence encoding is represented not by the firing properties of individual neurons, but by population level identity encoding that is routed through divergent targets to mediate distinct valence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- James R Howe
- Department of Biological Sciences, Section of Neuroscience, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Chung-Lung Chan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Section of Neuroscience, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Donghyung Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Section of Neuroscience, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Marlon Blanquart
- Department of Biological Sciences, Section of Neuroscience, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Haylie K Romero
- Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Center for Circadian Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Abigail N Zadina
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | | | - Fergil Mills
- Salk Institute for Biological Sciences, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Paula A Desplats
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Center for Circadian Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Kay M Tye
- Department of Biological Sciences, Section of Neuroscience, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Salk Institute for Biological Sciences, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Cory M Root
- Department of Biological Sciences, Section of Neuroscience, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
MacDonald A, Hebling A, Wei XP, Yackle K. The breath shape controls intonation of mouse vocalizations. eLife 2024; 13:RP93079. [PMID: 38963785 PMCID: PMC11223766 DOI: 10.7554/elife.93079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Intonation in speech is the control of vocal pitch to layer expressive meaning to communication, like increasing pitch to indicate a question. Also, stereotyped patterns of pitch are used to create distinct sounds with different denotations, like in tonal languages and, perhaps, the 10 sounds in the murine lexicon. A basic tone is created by exhalation through a constricted laryngeal voice box, and it is thought that more complex utterances are produced solely by dynamic changes in laryngeal tension. But perhaps, the shifting pitch also results from altering the swiftness of exhalation. Consistent with the latter model, we describe that intonation in most vocalization types follows deviations in exhalation that appear to be generated by the re-activation of the cardinal breathing muscle for inspiration. We also show that the brainstem vocalization central pattern generator, the iRO, can create this breath pattern. Consequently, ectopic activation of the iRO not only induces phonation, but also the pitch patterns that compose most of the vocalizations in the murine lexicon. These results reveal a novel brainstem mechanism for intonation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alastair MacDonald
- Department of Physiology, University of California-San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Alina Hebling
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California-San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Xin Paul Wei
- Department of Physiology, University of California-San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California-San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Kevin Yackle
- Department of Physiology, University of California-San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Spencer CD, Miller PA, Williams-Ikhenoba JG, Nikolova RG, Chee MJ. Regulation of the Mouse Ventral Tegmental Area by Melanin-Concentrating Hormone. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e0790232024. [PMID: 38806249 PMCID: PMC11223476 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0790-23.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) acts via its sole receptor MCHR1 in rodents and is an important regulator of homeostatic behaviors like feeding, sleep, and mood to impact overall energy balance. The loss of MCH signaling by MCH or MCHR1 deletion produces hyperactive mice with increased energy expenditure, and these effects are consistently associated with a hyperdopaminergic state. We recently showed that MCH suppresses dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens, which principally receives dopaminergic projections from the ventral tegmental area (VTA), but the mechanisms underlying MCH-regulated dopamine release are not clearly defined. MCHR1 expression is widespread and includes dopaminergic VTA cells. However, as the VTA is a neurochemically diverse structure, we assessed Mchr1 gene expression at glutamatergic, GABAergic, and dopaminergic VTA cells and determined if MCH inhibited the activity of VTA cells and/or their local microcircuit. Mchr1 expression was robust in major VTA cell types, including most dopaminergic (78%) or glutamatergic cells (52%) and some GABAergic cells (38%). Interestingly, MCH directly inhibited dopaminergic and GABAergic cells but did not regulate the activity of glutamatergic cells. Rather, MCH produced a delayed increase in excitatory input to dopamine cells and a corresponding decrease in GABAergic input to glutamatergic VTA cells. Our findings suggested that MCH may acutely suppress dopamine release while disinhibiting local glutamatergic signaling to restore dopamine levels. This indicated that the VTA is a target of MCH action, which may provide bidirectional regulation of energy balance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carl Duncan Spencer
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Persephone A Miller
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada
| | | | - Ralitsa G Nikolova
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Melissa J Chee
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Osiak-Wicha C, Kras K, Tomaszewska E, Muszyński S, Arciszewski MB. Examining the Potential Applicability of Orexigenic and Anorexigenic Peptides in Veterinary Medicine for the Management of Obesity in Companion Animals. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2024; 46:6725-6745. [PMID: 39057043 PMCID: PMC11275339 DOI: 10.3390/cimb46070401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2024] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
This review article comprehensively explores the role of orexigenic and anorexigenic peptides in the management of obesity in companion animals, with a focus on clinical applications. Obesity in domestic animals, particularly dogs and cats, is prevalent, with significant implications for their health and well-being. Factors contributing to obesity include overfeeding, poor-quality diet, lack of physical activity, and genetic predispositions. Despite the seriousness of this condition, it is often underestimated, with societal perceptions sometimes reinforcing unhealthy behaviors. Understanding the regulation of food intake and identifying factors affecting the function of food intake-related proteins are crucial in combating obesity. Dysregulations in these proteins, whether due to genetic mutations, enzymatic dysfunctions, or receptor abnormalities, can have profound health consequences. Molecular biology techniques play a pivotal role in elucidating these mechanisms, offering insights into potential therapeutic interventions. The review categorizes food intake-related proteins into anorexigenic peptides (inhibitors of food intake) and orexigenic peptides (enhancers of food intake). It thoroughly examines current research on regulating energy balance in companion animals, emphasizing the clinical application of various peptides, including ghrelin, phoenixin (PNX), asprosin, glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), leptin, and nesfatin-1, in veterinary obesity management. This comprehensive review aims to provide valuable insights into the complex interplay between peptides, energy balance regulation, and obesity in companion animals. It underscores the importance of targeted interventions and highlights the potential of peptide-based therapies in improving the health outcomes of obese pets.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cezary Osiak-Wicha
- Department of Animal Anatomy and Histology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 12, 20-950 Lublin, Poland; (C.O.-W.); (K.K.)
| | - Katarzyna Kras
- Department of Animal Anatomy and Histology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 12, 20-950 Lublin, Poland; (C.O.-W.); (K.K.)
| | - Ewa Tomaszewska
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 12, 20-950 Lublin, Poland;
| | - Siemowit Muszyński
- Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13, 20-950 Lublin, Poland;
| | - Marcin B. Arciszewski
- Department of Animal Anatomy and Histology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 12, 20-950 Lublin, Poland; (C.O.-W.); (K.K.)
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Moffa JC, Bland IN, Tooley JR, Kalyanaraman V, Heitmeier M, Creed MC, Copits BA. Cell-Specific Single Viral Vector CRISPR/Cas9 Editing and Genetically Encoded Tool Delivery in the Central and Peripheral Nervous Systems. eNeuro 2024; 11:ENEURO.0438-23.2024. [PMID: 38871457 PMCID: PMC11228695 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0438-23.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing represents an exciting avenue to study genes of unknown function and can be combined with genetically encoded tools such as fluorescent proteins, channelrhodopsins, DREADDs, and various biosensors to more deeply probe the function of these genes in different cell types. However, current strategies to also manipulate or visualize edited cells are challenging due to the large size of Cas9 proteins and the limited packaging capacity of adeno-associated viruses (AAVs). To overcome these constraints, we developed an alternative gene editing strategy using a single AAV vector and mouse lines that express Cre-dependent Cas9 to achieve efficient cell-type specific editing across the nervous system. Expressing Cre-dependent Cas9 from a genomic locus affords space to package guide RNAs for gene editing together with Cre-dependent, genetically encoded tools to manipulate, map, or monitor neurons using a single virus. We validated this strategy with three common tools in neuroscience: ChRonos, a channelrhodopsin, for studying synaptic transmission using optogenetics, GCaMP8f for recording Ca2+ transients using photometry, and mCherry for tracing axonal projections. We tested these tools in multiple brain regions and cell types, including GABAergic neurons in the nucleus accumbens, glutamatergic neurons projecting from the ventral pallidum to the lateral habenula, dopaminergic neurons in the ventral tegmental area, and proprioceptive neurons in the periphery. This flexible approach could help identify and test the function of novel genes affecting synaptic transmission, circuit activity, or morphology with a single viral injection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jamie C Moffa
- Washington University Pain Center, Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110
- Washington University Medical Scientist Training Program, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110
| | - India N Bland
- Washington University Pain Center, Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110
| | - Jessica R Tooley
- Washington University Pain Center, Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110
- Washington University Division of Biological and Behavioral Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110
| | - Vani Kalyanaraman
- Washington University Pain Center, Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110
| | - Monique Heitmeier
- Washington University Pain Center, Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110
| | - Meaghan C Creed
- Washington University Pain Center, Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110
- Departments of Neuroscience, Psychiatry, and Biomedical Engineering, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110
| | - Bryan A Copits
- Washington University Pain Center, Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Kaneko M, Hoseini MS, Waschek JA, Stryker MP. Stimulus-specific enhancement in mouse visual cortex requires GABA but not VIP-peptide release from VIP interneurons. J Neurophysiol 2024; 132:34-44. [PMID: 38774975 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00463.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024] Open
Abstract
When adult mice are repeatedly exposed to a particular visual stimulus for as little as 1 h per day for several days while their visual cortex (V1) is in the high-gain state produced by locomotion, that specific stimulus elicits much stronger responses in V1 neurons for the following several weeks, even when measured in anesthetized animals. Such stimulus-specific enhancement (SSE) is not seen if locomotion is prevented. The effect of locomotion on cortical responses is mediated by vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) positive interneurons, which can release both the peptide and the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA. Previous studies have examined the role of VIP-ergic interneurons, but none have distinguished the individual roles of peptide from GABA release. Here, we used genetic ablation to determine which of those molecules secreted by VIP-ergic neurons is responsible for SSE. SSE was not impaired by VIP deletion but was prevented by compromising release of GABA from VIP cells. This finding suggests that SSE may result from Hebbian mechanisms that remain present in adult V1.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Many neurons package and release a peptide along with a conventional neurotransmitter. The conventional view is that such peptides exert late, slow effects on plasticity. We studied a form of cortical plasticity that depends on the activity of neurons that express both vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA. GABA release accounted for their action on plasticity, with no effect of deleting the peptide on this phenomenon.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Megumi Kaneko
- Department of Physiology and Kavli Institute For Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States
| | - Mahmood S Hoseini
- Department of Physiology and Kavli Institute For Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States
| | - James A Waschek
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States
| | - Michael P Stryker
- Department of Physiology and Kavli Institute For Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Dodt S, Widdershooven NV, Dreisow ML, Weiher L, Steuernagel L, Wunderlich FT, Brüning JC, Fenselau H. NPY-mediated synaptic plasticity in the extended amygdala prioritizes feeding during starvation. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5439. [PMID: 38937485 PMCID: PMC11211344 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49766-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Efficient control of feeding behavior requires the coordinated adjustment of complex motivational and affective neurocircuits. Neuropeptides from energy-sensing hypothalamic neurons are potent feeding modulators, but how these endogenous signals shape relevant circuits remains unclear. Here, we examine how the orexigenic neuropeptide Y (NPY) adapts GABAergic inputs to the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST). We find that fasting increases synaptic connectivity between agouti-related peptide (AgRP)-expressing 'hunger' and BNST neurons, a circuit that promotes feeding. In contrast, GABAergic input from the central amygdala (CeA), an extended amygdala circuit that decreases feeding, is reduced. Activating NPY-expressing AgRP neurons evokes these synaptic adaptations, which are absent in NPY-deficient mice. Moreover, fasting diminishes the ability of CeA projections in the BNST to suppress food intake, and NPY-deficient mice fail to decrease anxiety in order to promote feeding. Thus, AgRP neurons drive input-specific synaptic plasticity, enabling a selective shift in hunger and anxiety signaling during starvation through NPY.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stephan Dodt
- Synaptic Transmission in Energy Homeostasis Group, Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, Gleueler Strasse 50, 50931, Cologne, Germany
- Department of Neuronal Control of Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, Gleueler Strasse 50, 50931, Cologne, Germany
| | - Noah V Widdershooven
- Department of Neuronal Control of Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, Gleueler Strasse 50, 50931, Cologne, Germany
| | - Marie-Luise Dreisow
- Synaptic Transmission in Energy Homeostasis Group, Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, Gleueler Strasse 50, 50931, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Preventive Medicine (CEDP), University Hospital Cologne, Kerpener Strasse 26, 50924, Cologne, Germany
| | - Lisa Weiher
- Synaptic Transmission in Energy Homeostasis Group, Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, Gleueler Strasse 50, 50931, Cologne, Germany
| | - Lukas Steuernagel
- Department of Neuronal Control of Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, Gleueler Strasse 50, 50931, Cologne, Germany
| | - F Thomas Wunderlich
- Department of Neuronal Control of Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, Gleueler Strasse 50, 50931, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Preventive Medicine (CEDP), University Hospital Cologne, Kerpener Strasse 26, 50924, Cologne, Germany
- Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Straße 26, Cologne, 50931, Germany
- Center of Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Robert-Koch-Straße 21, 50931, Cologne, Germany
| | - Jens C Brüning
- Department of Neuronal Control of Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, Gleueler Strasse 50, 50931, Cologne, Germany.
- Center for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Preventive Medicine (CEDP), University Hospital Cologne, Kerpener Strasse 26, 50924, Cologne, Germany.
- Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Straße 26, Cologne, 50931, Germany.
- Center of Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Robert-Koch-Straße 21, 50931, Cologne, Germany.
| | - Henning Fenselau
- Synaptic Transmission in Energy Homeostasis Group, Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, Gleueler Strasse 50, 50931, Cologne, Germany.
- Center for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Preventive Medicine (CEDP), University Hospital Cologne, Kerpener Strasse 26, 50924, Cologne, Germany.
- Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Straße 26, Cologne, 50931, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Zhang Z, Su J, Tang J, Chung L, Page JC, Winter CC, Liu Y, Kegeles E, Conti S, Zhang Y, Biundo J, Chalif JI, Hua CY, Yang Z, Yao X, Yang Y, Chen S, Schwab JM, Wang KH, Chen C, Prerau MJ, He Z. Spinal projecting neurons in rostral ventromedial medulla co-regulate motor and sympathetic tone. Cell 2024; 187:3427-3444.e21. [PMID: 38733990 PMCID: PMC11193620 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.04.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
Many behaviors require the coordinated actions of somatic and autonomic functions. However, the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. By opto-stimulating different populations of descending spinal projecting neurons (SPNs) in anesthetized mice, we show that stimulation of excitatory SPNs in the rostral ventromedial medulla (rVMM) resulted in a simultaneous increase in somatomotor and sympathetic activities. Conversely, opto-stimulation of rVMM inhibitory SPNs decreased both activities. Anatomically, these SPNs innervate both sympathetic preganglionic neurons and motor-related regions in the spinal cord. Fiber-photometry recording indicated that the activities of rVMM SPNs correlate with different levels of muscle and sympathetic tone during distinct arousal states. Inhibiting rVMM excitatory SPNs reduced basal muscle and sympathetic tone, impairing locomotion initiation and high-speed performance. In contrast, silencing the inhibitory population abolished muscle atonia and sympathetic hypoactivity during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Together, these results identify rVMM SPNs as descending spinal projecting pathways controlling the tone of both the somatomotor and sympathetic systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zicong Zhang
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Junfeng Su
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jing Tang
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Leeyup Chung
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jessica C Page
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Carla C Winter
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard/MIT MD-PhD Program, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yuchu Liu
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Evgenii Kegeles
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; PhD Program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sara Conti
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yu Zhang
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jason Biundo
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joshua I Chalif
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Charles Y Hua
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Zhiyun Yang
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Xue Yao
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yang Yang
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Shuqiang Chen
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jan M Schwab
- Belford Center for Spinal Cord Injury, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; Departments of Neurology and Neuroscience, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Kuan Hong Wang
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Chinfei Chen
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michael J Prerau
- Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Zhigang He
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Hao RH, Zhang TP, Jiang F, Liu JH, Dong SS, Li M, Guo Y, Yang TL. Revealing brain cell-stratified causality through dissecting causal variants according to their cell-type-specific effects on gene expression. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4890. [PMID: 38849352 PMCID: PMC11161590 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49263-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The human brain has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several complex diseases. Taking advantage of single-cell techniques, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have taken it a step further and revealed brain cell-type-specific functions for disease loci. However, genetic causal associations inferred by Mendelian randomization (MR) studies usually include all instrumental variables from GWAS, which hampers the understanding of cell-specific causality. Here, we developed an analytical framework, Cell-Stratified MR (csMR), to investigate cell-stratified causality through colocalizing GWAS signals with single-cell eQTL from different brain cells. By applying to obesity-related traits, our results demonstrate the cell-type-specific effects of GWAS variants on gene expression, and indicate the benefits of csMR to identify cell-type-specific causal effect that is often hidden from bulk analyses. We also found csMR valuable to reveal distinct causal pathways between different obesity indicators. These findings suggest the value of our approach to prioritize target cells for extending genetic causation studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ruo-Han Hao
- Biomedical Informatics & Genomics Center, Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710049, P. R. China
| | - Tian-Pei Zhang
- Biomedical Informatics & Genomics Center, Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710049, P. R. China
| | - Feng Jiang
- Biomedical Informatics & Genomics Center, Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710049, P. R. China
| | - Jun-Hui Liu
- Biomedical Informatics & Genomics Center, Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710049, P. R. China
| | - Shan-Shan Dong
- Biomedical Informatics & Genomics Center, Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710049, P. R. China
| | - Meng Li
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710061, P. R. China
| | - Yan Guo
- Biomedical Informatics & Genomics Center, Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710049, P. R. China.
| | - Tie-Lin Yang
- Biomedical Informatics & Genomics Center, Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710049, P. R. China.
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710061, P. R. China.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Escobedo A, Holloway SA, Votoupal M, Cone AL, Skelton H, Legaria AA, Ndiokho I, Floyd T, Kravitz AV, Bruchas MR, Norris AJ. Glutamatergic supramammillary nucleus neurons respond to threatening stressors and promote active coping. eLife 2024; 12:RP90972. [PMID: 38829200 PMCID: PMC11147510 DOI: 10.7554/elife.90972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Threat-response neural circuits are conserved across species and play roles in normal behavior and psychiatric diseases. Maladaptive changes in these neural circuits contribute to stress, mood, and anxiety disorders. Active coping in response to stressors is a psychosocial factor associated with resilience against stress-induced mood and anxiety disorders. The neural circuitry underlying active coping is poorly understood, but the functioning of these circuits could be key for overcoming anxiety and related disorders. The supramammillary nucleus (SuM) has been suggested to be engaged by threat. SuM has many projections and a poorly understood diversity of neural populations. In studies using mice, we identified a unique population of glutamatergic SuM neurons (SuMVGLUT2+::POA) based on projection to the preoptic area of the hypothalamus (POA) and found SuMVGLUT2+::POA neurons have extensive arborizations. SuMVGLUT2+::POA neurons project to brain areas that mediate features of the stress and threat responses including the paraventricular nucleus thalamus (PVT), periaqueductal gray (PAG), and habenula (Hb). Thus, SuMVGLUT2+::POA neurons are positioned as a hub, connecting to areas implicated in regulating stress responses. Here we report SuMVGLUT2+::POA neurons are recruited by diverse threatening stressors, and recruitment correlated with active coping behaviors. We found that selective photoactivation of the SuMVGLUT2+::POA population drove aversion but not anxiety like behaviors. Activation of SuMVGLUT2+::POA neurons in the absence of acute stressors evoked active coping like behaviors and drove instrumental behavior. Also, activation of SuMVGLUT2+::POA neurons was sufficient to convert passive coping strategies to active behaviors during acute stress. In contrast, we found activation of GABAergic (VGAT+) SuM neurons (SuMVGAT+) neurons did not alter drive aversion or active coping, but termination of photostimulation was followed by increased mobility in the forced swim test. These findings establish a new node in stress response circuitry that has projections to many brain areas and evokes flexible active coping behaviors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abraham Escobedo
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. LouisSt. LouisUnited States
| | - Salli-Ann Holloway
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. LouisSt. LouisUnited States
| | - Megan Votoupal
- Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of MedicineChicagoUnited States
| | - Aaron L Cone
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. LouisSt. LouisUnited States
| | - Hannah Skelton
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. LouisSt. LouisUnited States
| | - Alex A Legaria
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University in St. LouisSt. LouisUnited States
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. LouisSt. LouisUnited States
| | - Imeh Ndiokho
- Medical College of WisconsinMilwaukeeUnited States
| | - Tasheia Floyd
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University in St. LouisSt. LouisUnited States
| | - Alexxai V Kravitz
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. LouisSt. LouisUnited States
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University in St. LouisSt. LouisUnited States
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. LouisSt. LouisUnited States
| | - Michael R Bruchas
- Center for Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
- Department of Pharmacology University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
- Department of Bioengineering University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
| | - Aaron J Norris
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. LouisSt. LouisUnited States
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Jin H, Li M, Jeong E, Castro-Martinez F, Zuker CS. A body-brain circuit that regulates body inflammatory responses. Nature 2024; 630:695-703. [PMID: 38692285 PMCID: PMC11186780 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07469-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
The body-brain axis is emerging as a principal conductor of organismal physiology. It senses and controls organ function1,2, metabolism3 and nutritional state4-6. Here we show that a peripheral immune insult strongly activates the body-brain axis to regulate immune responses. We demonstrate that pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines communicate with distinct populations of vagal neurons to inform the brain of an emerging inflammatory response. In turn, the brain tightly modulates the course of the peripheral immune response. Genetic silencing of this body-brain circuit produced unregulated and out-of-control inflammatory responses. By contrast, activating, rather than silencing, this circuit affords neural control of immune responses. We used single-cell RNA sequencing, combined with functional imaging, to identify the circuit components of this neuroimmune axis, and showed that its selective manipulation can effectively suppress the pro-inflammatory response while enhancing an anti-inflammatory state. The brain-evoked transformation of the course of an immune response offers new possibilities in the modulation of a wide range of immune disorders, from autoimmune diseases to cytokine storm and shock.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hao Jin
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
- Laboratory of Host Immunity and Microbiome, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Mengtong Li
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Eric Jeong
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Charles S Zuker
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Silvestre M, Dempster K, Mihaylov SR, Claxton S, Ultanir SK. Cell type-specific expression, regulation and compensation of CDKL5 activity in mouse brain. Mol Psychiatry 2024; 29:1844-1856. [PMID: 38326557 PMCID: PMC11371643 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02434-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
CDKL5 is a brain-enriched serine/threonine kinase, associated with a profound developmental and epileptic encephalopathy called CDKL5 deficiency disorder (CDD). To design targeted therapies for CDD, it is essential to determine where CDKL5 is expressed and is active in the brain and test if compensatory mechanisms exist at cellular level. We generated conditional Cdkl5 knockout mice in excitatory neurons, inhibitory neurons and astrocytes. To assess CDKL5 activity, we utilized a phosphospecific antibody for phosphorylated EB2, a well-known substrate of CDKL5. We found that CDKL5 and EB2 pS222 were prominent in excitatory and inhibitory neurons but were not detected in astrocytes. We observed that approximately 15-20% of EB2 pS222 remained in Cdkl5 knockout brains and primary neurons. Surprisingly, the remaining phosphorylation was modulated by NMDA and PP1/PP2A in neuronal CDKL5 knockout cultures, indicating the presence of a compensating kinase. Using a screen of candidate kinases with highest homology to the CDKL5 kinase domain, we found that CDKL2 and ICK can phosphorylate EB2 S222 in HEK293T cells and in primary neurons. We then generated Cdkl5/Cdkl2 dual knockout mice to directly test if CDKL2 phosphorylates EB2 in vivo and found that CDKL2 phosphorylates CDKL5 substrates in the brain. This study is the first indication that CDKL2 could potentially replace CDKL5 functions in the brain, alluding to novel therapeutic possibilities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Margaux Silvestre
- Kinases and Brain Development Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Kelvin Dempster
- Kinases and Brain Development Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Simeon R Mihaylov
- Kinases and Brain Development Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Suzanne Claxton
- Kinases and Brain Development Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Sila K Ultanir
- Kinases and Brain Development Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Sucquart IE, Coyle C, Rodriguez Paris V, Prescott M, Glendining KA, Potapov K, Begg DP, Gilchrist RB, Walters KA, Campbell RE. Investigating GABA Neuron-Specific Androgen Receptor Knockout in two Hyperandrogenic Models of PCOS. Endocrinology 2024; 165:bqae060. [PMID: 38788194 PMCID: PMC11151696 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqae060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Androgen excess is a hallmark feature of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the most common form of anovulatory infertility. Clinical and preclinical evidence links developmental or chronic exposure to hyperandrogenism with programming and evoking the reproductive and metabolic traits of PCOS. While critical androgen targets remain to be determined, central GABAergic neurons are postulated to be involved. Here, we tested the hypothesis that androgen signaling in GABAergic neurons is critical in PCOS pathogenesis in 2 well-characterized hyperandrogenic mouse models of PCOS. Using cre-lox transgenics, GABA-specific androgen receptor knockout (GABARKO) mice were generated and exposed to either acute prenatal androgen excess (PNA) or chronic peripubertal androgen excess (PPA). Females were phenotyped for reproductive and metabolic features associated with each model and brains of PNA mice were assessed for elevated GABAergic input to gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons. Reproductive and metabolic dysfunction induced by PPA, including acyclicity, absence of corpora lutea, obesity, adipocyte hypertrophy, and impaired glucose homeostasis, was not different between GABARKO and wild-type (WT) mice. In PNA mice, acyclicity remained in GABARKO mice while ovarian morphology and luteinizing hormone secretion was not significantly impacted by PNA or genotype. However, PNA predictably increased the density of putative GABAergic synapses to GnRH neurons in adult WT mice, and this PNA-induced plasticity was absent in GABARKO mice. Together, these findings suggest that while direct androgen signaling in GABA neurons is largely not required for the development of PCOS-like traits in androgenized models of PCOS, developmental programming of GnRH neuron innervation is dependent upon androgen signaling in GABA neurons.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Irene E Sucquart
- Fertility & Research Centre, School of Clinical Medicine, University of New South Wales Sydney, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
| | - Chris Coyle
- Centre of Neuroendocrinology and Department of Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand 9054
| | - Valentina Rodriguez Paris
- Fertility & Research Centre, School of Clinical Medicine, University of New South Wales Sydney, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales Sydney, Randwick, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Melanie Prescott
- Centre of Neuroendocrinology and Department of Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand 9054
| | - Kelly A Glendining
- Centre of Neuroendocrinology and Department of Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand 9054
| | - Kyoko Potapov
- Centre of Neuroendocrinology and Department of Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand 9054
| | - Denovan P Begg
- Department of Behavioural Neuroscience, School of Psychology, University of New South Wales Sydney, Randwick, NSW, Australia
| | - Robert B Gilchrist
- Fertility & Research Centre, School of Clinical Medicine, University of New South Wales Sydney, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
| | - Kirsty A Walters
- Fertility & Research Centre, School of Clinical Medicine, University of New South Wales Sydney, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
| | - Rebecca E Campbell
- Centre of Neuroendocrinology and Department of Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand 9054
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Lewis LSC, Skiba NP, Hao Y, Bomze HM, Arshavsky VY, Cartoni R, Gospe SM. Compartmental Differences in the Retinal Ganglion Cell Mitochondrial Proteome. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.07.593032. [PMID: 38766051 PMCID: PMC11100734 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.07.593032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Among neurons, retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) are uniquely sensitive to mitochondrial dysfunction. The RGC is highly polarized, with a somatodendritic compartment in the inner retina and an axonal compartment projecting to targets in the brain. The drastically dissimilar functions of these compartments implies that mitochondria face different bioenergetic and other physiological demands. We hypothesized that compartmental differences in mitochondrial biology would be reflected by disparities in mitochondrial protein composition. Here, we describe a protocol to isolate intact mitochondria separately from mouse RGC somatodendritic and axonal compartments by immunoprecipitating labeled mitochondria from RGC MitoTag mice. Using mass spectrometry, 471 and 357 proteins were identified in RGC somatodendritic and axonal mitochondrial immunoprecipitates, respectively. We identified 10 mitochondrial proteins exclusively in the somatodendritic compartment and 19 enriched ≥2-fold there, while 3 proteins were exclusively identified and 18 enriched in the axonal compartment. Our observation of compartment-specific enrichment of mitochondrial proteins was validated through immunofluorescence analysis of the localization and relative abundance of superoxide dismutase ( SOD2 ), sideroflexin-3 ( SFXN3 ) and trifunctional enzyme subunit alpha ( HADHA ) in retina and optic nerve specimens. The identified compartmental differences in RGC mitochondrial composition may provide promising leads for uncovering physiologically relevant pathways amenable to therapeutic intervention for optic neuropathies.
Collapse
|
27
|
Korkutata M, De Luca R, Fitzgerald B, Arrigoni E, Scammell TE. Afferent projections to the Calca /CGRP-expressing parabrachial neurons in mice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.07.593004. [PMID: 38766214 PMCID: PMC11100666 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.07.593004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
The parabrachial nucleus (PB), located in the dorsolateral pons, contains primarily glutamatergic neurons which regulate responses to a variety of interoceptive and cutaneous sensory signals. The lateral PB subpopulation expressing the Calca gene which produces the neuropeptide calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) relays signals related to threatening stimuli such as hypercarbia, pain, and nausea, yet the afferents to these neurons are only partially understood. We mapped the afferent projections to the lateral part of the PB in mice using conventional cholera toxin B subunit (CTb) retrograde tracing, and then used conditional rabies virus retrograde tracing to map monosynaptic inputs specifically targeting the PB Calca /CGRP neurons. Using vesicular GABA (vGAT) and glutamate (vGLUT2) transporter reporter mice, we found that lateral PB neurons receive GABAergic afferents from regions such as the lateral part of the central nucleus of the amygdala, lateral dorsal subnucleus of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, substantia innominata, and the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray. Additionally, they receive glutamatergic afferents from the infralimbic and insular cortex, paraventricular nucleus, parasubthalamic nucleus, trigeminal complex, medullary reticular nucleus, and nucleus of the solitary tract. Using anterograde tracing and confocal microscopy, we then identified close axonal appositions between these afferents and PB Calca /CGRP neurons. Finally, we used channelrhodopsin-assisted circuit mapping to test whether some of these inputs directly synapse upon the PB Calca /CGRP neurons. These findings provide a comprehensive neuroanatomical framework for understanding the afferent projections regulating the PB Calca /CGRP neurons.
Collapse
|
28
|
Roy K, Zhou X, Otani R, Yuan PC, Ioka S, Vogt KE, Kondo T, Farag NHT, Ijiri H, Wu Z, Chitose Y, Amezawa M, Uygun DS, Cherasse Y, Nagase H, Li Y, Yanagisawa M, Abe M, Basheer R, Wang YQ, Saitoh T, Lazarus M. Optochemical control of slow-wave sleep in the nucleus accumbens of male mice by a photoactivatable allosteric modulator of adenosine A 2A receptors. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3661. [PMID: 38688901 PMCID: PMC11061178 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47964-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Optochemistry, an emerging pharmacologic approach in which light is used to selectively activate or deactivate molecules, has the potential to alleviate symptoms, cure diseases, and improve quality of life while preventing uncontrolled drug effects. The development of in-vivo applications for optochemistry to render brain cells photoresponsive without relying on genetic engineering has been progressing slowly. The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is a region for the regulation of slow-wave sleep (SWS) through the integration of motivational stimuli. Adenosine emerges as a promising candidate molecule for activating indirect pathway neurons of the NAc expressing adenosine A2A receptors (A2ARs) to induce SWS. Here, we developed a brain-permeable positive allosteric modulator of A2ARs (A2AR PAM) that can be rapidly photoactivated with visible light (λ > 400 nm) and used it optoallosterically to induce SWS in the NAc of freely behaving male mice by increasing the activity of extracellular adenosine derived from astrocytic and neuronal activity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Koustav Roy
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Xuzhao Zhou
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
- Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), School of Ophthalmology & Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Rintaro Otani
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Ping-Chuan Yuan
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Joint International Research Laboratory of Sleep, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- School of Pharmacy, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, China
| | - Shuji Ioka
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Kaspar E Vogt
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Tamae Kondo
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Nouran H T Farag
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Haruto Ijiri
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
- PhD Program in Humanics, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Zhaofa Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Youhei Chitose
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Hiroshima University Research Center for Photo-Drug-Delivery Systems (HiU-P-DDS), Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Mao Amezawa
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - David S Uygun
- Department of Psychiatry, Veterans Administration Boston Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School, West Roxbury, MA, USA
| | - Yoan Cherasse
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Nagase
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Yulong Li
- New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Masashi Yanagisawa
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Manabu Abe
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Hiroshima University Research Center for Photo-Drug-Delivery Systems (HiU-P-DDS), Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Radhika Basheer
- Department of Psychiatry, Veterans Administration Boston Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School, West Roxbury, MA, USA
| | - Yi-Qun Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Joint International Research Laboratory of Sleep, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Tsuyoshi Saitoh
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
- Institute of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
| | - Michael Lazarus
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
- Institute of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
MacDonald A, Hebling A, Wei XP, Yackle K. The breath shape controls intonation of mouse vocalizations. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.10.16.562597. [PMID: 37904912 PMCID: PMC10614923 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.16.562597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2023]
Abstract
Intonation in speech is the control of vocal pitch to layer expressive meaning to communication, like increasing pitch to indicate a question. Also, stereotyped patterns of pitch are used to create distinct sounds with different denotations, like in tonal languages and, perhaps, the ten sounds in the murine lexicon. A basic tone is created by exhalation through a constricted laryngeal voice box, and it is thought that more complex utterances are produced solely by dynamic changes in laryngeal tension. But perhaps, the shifting pitch also results from altering the swiftness of exhalation. Consistent with the latter model, we describe that intonation in most vocalization types follows deviations in exhalation that appear to be generated by the re-activation of the cardinal breathing muscle for inspiration. We also show that the brainstem vocalization central pattern generator, the iRO, can create this breath pattern. Consequently, ectopic activation of the iRO not only induces phonation, but also the pitch patterns that compose most of the vocalizations in the murine lexicon. These results reveal a novel brainstem mechanism for intonation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alastair MacDonald
- Department of Physiology, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143
| | - Alina Hebling
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Xin Paul Wei
- Department of Physiology, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Kevin Yackle
- Department of Physiology, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Ma J, Chu TK, Polo Prieto M, Park Y, Li Y, Chen R, Mardon G, Frankfort BJ, Tran NM. Sample multiplexing for retinal single-cell RNA-sequencing. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.23.589797. [PMID: 38712294 PMCID: PMC11071429 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.23.589797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Rare cell populations can be challenging to characterize using microfluidic single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) platforms. Typically, the population of interest must be enriched and pooled from multiple biological specimens for efficient collection. However, these practices preclude the resolution of sample origin together with phenotypic data and are problematic in experiments in which biological or technical variation is expected to be high (e.g., disease models, genetic perturbation screens, or human samples). One solution is sample multiplexing whereby each sample is tagged with a unique sequence barcode that is resolved bioinformatically. We have established a scRNA-seq sample multiplexing pipeline for mouse retinal ganglion cells using cholesterol-modified-oligos and utilized the enhanced precision to investigate cell type distribution and transcriptomic variance across retinal samples. As single cell transcriptomics are becoming more widely used to research development and disease, sample multiplexing represents a useful method to enhance the precision of scRNA-seq analysis.
Collapse
|
31
|
Upadhyay A, Gradwell MA, Vajtay TJ, Conner J, Sanyal AA, Azadegan C, Patel KR, Thackray JK, Bohic M, Imai F, Ogundare SO, Yoshida Y, Abdus-Saboor I, Azim E, Abraira VE. The Dorsal Column Nuclei Scale Mechanical Sensitivity in Naive and Neuropathic Pain States. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.20.581208. [PMID: 38712022 PMCID: PMC11071288 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.20.581208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Tactile perception relies on reliable transmission and modulation of low-threshold information as it travels from the periphery to the brain. During pathological conditions, tactile stimuli can aberrantly engage nociceptive pathways leading to the perception of touch as pain, known as mechanical allodynia. Two main drivers of peripheral tactile information, low-threshold mechanoreceptors (LTMRs) and postsynaptic dorsal column neurons (PSDCs), terminate in the brainstem dorsal column nuclei (DCN). Activity within the DRG, spinal cord, and DCN have all been implicated in mediating allodynia, yet the DCN remains understudied at the cellular, circuit, and functional levels compared to the other two. Here, we show that the gracile nucleus (Gr) of the DCN mediates tactile sensitivity for low-threshold stimuli and contributes to mechanical allodynia during neuropathic pain in mice. We found that the Gr contains local inhibitory interneurons in addition to thalamus-projecting neurons, which are differentially innervated by primary afferents and spinal inputs. Functional manipulations of these distinct Gr neuronal populations resulted in bidirectional changes to tactile sensitivity, but did not affect noxious mechanical or thermal sensitivity. During neuropathic pain, silencing Gr projection neurons or activating Gr inhibitory neurons was able to reduce tactile hypersensitivity, and enhancing inhibition was able to ameliorate paw withdrawal signatures of neuropathic pain, like shaking. Collectively, these results suggest that the Gr plays a specific role in mediating hypersensitivity to low-threshold, innocuous mechanical stimuli during neuropathic pain, and that Gr activity contributes to affective, pain-associated phenotypes of mechanical allodynia. Therefore, these brainstem circuits work in tandem with traditional spinal circuits underlying allodynia, resulting in enhanced signaling of tactile stimuli in the brain during neuropathic pain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aman Upadhyay
- W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA; Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
- Brain Health Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Neuroscience PhD program at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Mark A Gradwell
- W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA; Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
- Brain Health Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Thomas J Vajtay
- W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA; Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - James Conner
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Arnab A Sanyal
- W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA; Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Chloe Azadegan
- W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA; Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Komal R Patel
- W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA; Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Joshua K Thackray
- Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Manon Bohic
- W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA; Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
- Brain Health Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Fumiyasu Imai
- Burke Neurological Institute, White Plains, New York City, New York, USA
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Simon O Ogundare
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Yutaka Yoshida
- Burke Neurological Institute, White Plains, New York City, New York, USA
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Ishmail Abdus-Saboor
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Eiman Azim
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Victoria E Abraira
- W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA; Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
- Brain Health Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Lead contact
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Martinez de Morentin PB, Gonzalez JA, Dowsett GKC, Martynova Y, Yeo GSH, Sylantyev S, Heisler LK. A brainstem to hypothalamic arcuate nucleus GABAergic circuit drives feeding. Curr Biol 2024; 34:1646-1656.e4. [PMID: 38518777 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.02.074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/24/2024]
Abstract
The obesity epidemic is principally driven by the consumption of more calories than the body requires. It is therefore essential that the mechanisms underpinning feeding behavior are defined. Neurons within the brainstem dorsal vagal complex (DVC) receive direct information from the digestive system and project to second-order regions in the brain to regulate food intake. Although γ-aminobutyric acid is expressed in the DVC (GABADVC), its function in this region has not been defined. In order to discover the unique gene expression signature of GABADVC cells, we used single-nucleus RNA sequencing (Nuc-seq), and this revealed 19 separate clusters. We next probed the function of GABADVC cells and discovered that the selective activation of GABADVC neurons significantly controls food intake and body weight. Optogenetic interrogation of GABADVC circuitry identified GABADVC → hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC) projections as appetite suppressive without creating aversion. Electrophysiological analysis revealed that GABADVC → ARC stimulation inhibits hunger-promoting neuropeptide Y (NPY) neurons via GABA release. Adopting an intersectional genetics strategy, we clarify that the GABADVC → ARC circuit curbs food intake. These data identify GABADVC as a new modulator of feeding behavior and body weight and a controller of orexigenic NPY neuron activity, thereby providing insight into the neural underpinnings of obesity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pablo B Martinez de Morentin
- The Rowett Institute, University of Aberdeen, Ashgrove Road W, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK; School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Woodhouse LS2 9JT, UK.
| | - J Antonio Gonzalez
- The Rowett Institute, University of Aberdeen, Ashgrove Road W, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK
| | - Georgina K C Dowsett
- MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Yuliia Martynova
- The Rowett Institute, University of Aberdeen, Ashgrove Road W, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK
| | - Giles S H Yeo
- MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Sergiy Sylantyev
- The Rowett Institute, University of Aberdeen, Ashgrove Road W, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK; Odesa National Mechnikov University, Biological Department, 2 Shampansky Ln., Odesa 65015, Ukraine.
| | - Lora K Heisler
- The Rowett Institute, University of Aberdeen, Ashgrove Road W, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Gradwell MA, Ozeri-Engelhard N, Eisdorfer JT, Laflamme OD, Gonzalez M, Upadhyay A, Medlock L, Shrier T, Patel KR, Aoki A, Gandhi M, Abbas-Zadeh G, Oputa O, Thackray JK, Ricci M, George A, Yusuf N, Keating J, Imtiaz Z, Alomary SA, Bohic M, Haas M, Hernandez Y, Prescott SA, Akay T, Abraira VE. Multimodal sensory control of motor performance by glycinergic interneurons of the mouse spinal cord deep dorsal horn. Neuron 2024; 112:1302-1327.e13. [PMID: 38452762 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.01.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Sensory feedback is integral for contextually appropriate motor output, yet the neural circuits responsible remain elusive. Here, we pinpoint the medial deep dorsal horn of the mouse spinal cord as a convergence point for proprioceptive and cutaneous input. Within this region, we identify a population of tonically active glycinergic inhibitory neurons expressing parvalbumin. Using anatomy and electrophysiology, we demonstrate that deep dorsal horn parvalbumin-expressing interneuron (dPV) activity is shaped by convergent proprioceptive, cutaneous, and descending input. Selectively targeting spinal dPVs, we reveal their widespread ipsilateral inhibition onto pre-motor and motor networks and demonstrate their role in gating sensory-evoked muscle activity using electromyography (EMG) recordings. dPV ablation altered limb kinematics and step-cycle timing during treadmill locomotion and reduced the transitions between sub-movements during spontaneous behavior. These findings reveal a circuit basis by which sensory convergence onto dorsal horn inhibitory neurons modulates motor output to facilitate smooth movement and context-appropriate transitions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mark A Gradwell
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Nofar Ozeri-Engelhard
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; Neuroscience PhD program, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Jaclyn T Eisdorfer
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Olivier D Laflamme
- Dalhousie PhD program, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada; Department of Medical Neuroscience, Atlantic Mobility Action Project, Brain Repair Center, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Melissa Gonzalez
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Aman Upadhyay
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; Neuroscience PhD program, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Laura Medlock
- Neurosciences & Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Tara Shrier
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Komal R Patel
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Adin Aoki
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Melissa Gandhi
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Gloria Abbas-Zadeh
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Olisemaka Oputa
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Joshua K Thackray
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA; Tourette International Collaborative Genetics Study (TIC Genetics)
| | - Matthew Ricci
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Arlene George
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Nusrath Yusuf
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; Neuroscience PhD program, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Jessica Keating
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Zarghona Imtiaz
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Simona A Alomary
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Manon Bohic
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Michael Haas
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Yurdiana Hernandez
- W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Steven A Prescott
- Neurosciences & Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Turgay Akay
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Atlantic Mobility Action Project, Brain Repair Center, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Victoria E Abraira
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Lavoie O, Turmel A, Mattoon P, Desrosiers WJ, Plamondon J, Michael NJ, Caron A. Hypothalamic GABAergic Neurons Expressing Cellular Retinoic Acid Binding Protein 1 (CRABP1) Are Sensitive to Metabolic Status and Liraglutide in Male Mice. Neuroendocrinology 2024; 114:681-697. [PMID: 38631315 PMCID: PMC11232952 DOI: 10.1159/000538716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Owing to their privileged anatomical location, neurons of the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (ARC) play critical roles in sensing and responding to metabolic signals such as leptin and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1). In addition to the well-known proopiomelanocortin (POMC)- and agouti-related peptide (AgRP)-expressing neurons, subpopulations of GABAergic neurons are emerging as key regulators of energy balance. However, the precise identity of these metabolic neurons is still elusive. Here, we identified and characterized the molecular signature of a novel population of GABAergic neurons of the ARC expressing Cellular retinoic acid binding protein 1 (Crabp1). METHODS Using a combination of immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization techniques, we investigated the expression of Crabp1 across the mouse brain and characterized the molecular identity of Crabp1ARC neurons. We also determined whether Crabp1ARC neurons are sensitive to fasting, leptin, and GLP1R agonism by assessing cFOS immunoreactivity as a marker of neuronal activity. RESULTS Crabp1ARC neurons represent a novel GABAergic neuronal population robustly enriched in the ARC and are distinct from the prototypical melanocortin neurons. Crabp1ARC neurons overlap with three subpopulations of yet uncharacterized ARC neurons expressing Htr3b, Tbx19, and Tmem215. Notably, Crabp1ARC neurons express receptors for metabolic hormones and their activity is modulated by the nutritional state and GLP1R agonism. CONCLUSION Crabp1ARC neurons represent a novel heterogeneous population of GABAergic neurons sensitive to metabolic status.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Lavoie
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
- Quebec Heart and Lung Institute, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Audrey Turmel
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
- Quebec Heart and Lung Institute, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Paige Mattoon
- Quebec Heart and Lung Institute, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | | | | | - Natalie Jane Michael
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
- Quebec Heart and Lung Institute, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Alexandre Caron
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
- Quebec Heart and Lung Institute, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Zandawala M, Gera J. Leptin- and cytokine-like unpaired signaling in Drosophila. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2024; 584:112165. [PMID: 38266772 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2024.112165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Animals have evolved a multitude of signaling pathways that enable them to orchestrate diverse physiological processes to tightly regulate systemic homeostasis. This signaling is mediated by various families of peptide hormones and cytokines that are conserved across the animal kingdom. In this review, we primarily focus on the unpaired (Upd) family of proteins in Drosophila which are evolutionarily related to mammalian leptin and the cytokine interleukin 6. We summarize expression patterns of Upd in Drosophila and discuss the parallels in structure, signaling pathway, and functions between Upd and their mammalian counterparts. In particular, we focus on the roles of Upd in governing metabolic homeostasis, growth and development, and immune responses. We aim to stimulate future studies on leptin-like signaling in other phyla which can help bridge the evolutionary gap between insect Upd and vertebrate leptin and cytokines like interleukin 6.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Meet Zandawala
- Neurobiology and Genetics, Theodor-Boveri Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, 97074, Würzburg, Germany; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, 89557, USA.
| | - Jayati Gera
- Neurobiology and Genetics, Theodor-Boveri Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Yarmolinsky DA, Zeng X, MacKinnon-Booth N, Greene C, Kim C, Woolf CJ. Selective modification of ascending spinal outputs in acute and neuropathic pain states. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.08.588581. [PMID: 38645252 PMCID: PMC11030409 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.08.588581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Pain hypersensitivity arises from the plasticity of peripheral and spinal somatosensory neurons, which modifies nociceptive input to the brain and alters pain perception. We utilized chronic calcium imaging of spinal dorsal horn neurons to determine how the representation of somatosensory stimuli in the anterolateral tract, the principal pathway transmitting nociceptive signals to the brain, changes between distinct pain states. In healthy conditions, we identify stable, narrowly tuned outputs selective for cooling or warming, and a neuronal ensemble activated by intense/noxious thermal and mechanical stimuli. Induction of an acute peripheral sensitization with capsaicin selectively and transiently retunes nociceptive output neurons to encode low-intensity stimuli. In contrast, peripheral nerve injury-induced neuropathic pain results in a persistent suppression of innocuous spinal outputs coupled with activation of a normally silent population of high-threshold neurons. These results demonstrate the differential modulation of specific spinal outputs to the brain during nociceptive and neuropathic pain states.
Collapse
|
37
|
Bowler JC, Zakka G, Yong HC, Li W, Rao B, Liao Z, Priestley JB, Losonczy A. behaviorMate: An Intranet of Things Approach for Adaptable Control of Behavioral and Navigation-Based Experiments. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.12.04.569989. [PMID: 38116032 PMCID: PMC10729741 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.04.569989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Investigators conducting behavioral experiments often need precise control over the timing of the delivery of stimuli to subjects and to collect the precise times of the subsequent behavioral responses. Furthermore, investigators want fine-tuned control over how various multi-modal cues are presented. behaviorMate takes an "Intranet of Things" approach, using a networked system of hardware and software components for achieving these goals. The system outputs a file with integrated timestamp-event pairs that investigators can then format and process using their own analysis pipelines. We present an overview of the electronic components and GUI application that make up behaviorMate as well as mechanical designs for compatible experimental rigs to provide the reader with the ability to set up their own system. A wide variety of paradigms are supported, including goal-oriented learning, random foraging, and context switching. We demonstrate behaviorMate's utility and reliability with a range of use cases from several published studies and benchmark tests. Finally, we present experimental validation demonstrating different modalities of hippocampal place field studies. Both treadmill with burlap belt and virtual reality with running wheel paradigms were performed to confirm the efficacy and flexibility of the approach. Previous solutions rely on proprietary systems that may have large upfront costs or present frameworks that require customized software to be developed. behaviorMate uses open-source software and a flexible configuration system to mitigate both concerns. behaviorMate has a proven record for head-fixed imaging experiments and could be easily adopted for task control in a variety of experimental situations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- John C. Bowler
- Department of Neuroscience
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 USA
- Department of Neurobiology University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - George Zakka
- Department of Neuroscience
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 USA
| | - Hyun Choong Yong
- Department of Neuroscience
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 USA
| | - Wenke Li
- Aquabyte, San Francisco, CA 94111
| | - Bovey Rao
- Department of Neuroscience
- Doctoral Program in Neurobiology and Behavior
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 USA
| | - Zhenrui Liao
- Department of Neuroscience
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 USA
| | | | - Attila Losonczy
- Department of Neuroscience
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 USA
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Liu D, Webber HC, Bian F, Xu Y, Prakash M, Feng X, Yang M, Yang H, You IJ, Li L, Liu L, Liu P, Huang H, Chang CY, Liu L, Shah SH, Torre AL, Welsbie DS, Sun Y, Duan X, Goldberg JL, Braun M, Lansky Z, Hu Y. Optineurin-facilitated axonal mitochondria delivery promotes neuroprotection and axon regeneration. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.02.587832. [PMID: 38617277 PMCID: PMC11014509 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.02.587832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Optineurin (OPTN) mutations are linked to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and normal tension glaucoma (NTG), but a relevant animal model is lacking, and the molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration are unknown. We found that OPTN C-terminus truncation (OPTN∆C) causes late-onset neurodegeneration of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), optic nerve (ON), and spinal cord motor neurons, preceded by a striking decrease of axonal mitochondria. Surprisingly, we discover that OPTN directly interacts with both microtubules and the mitochondrial transport complex TRAK1/KIF5B, stabilizing them for proper anterograde axonal mitochondrial transport, in a C-terminus dependent manner. Encouragingly, overexpressing OPTN/TRAK1/KIF5B reverses not only OPTN truncation-induced, but also ocular hypertension-induced neurodegeneration, and promotes striking ON regeneration. Therefore, in addition to generating new animal models for NTG and ALS, our results establish OPTN as a novel facilitator of the microtubule-dependent mitochondrial transport necessary for adequate axonal mitochondria delivery, and its loss as the likely molecular mechanism of neurodegeneration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dong Liu
- Spencer Center for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
| | - Hannah C. Webber
- Spencer Center for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
| | - Fuyun Bian
- Spencer Center for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
| | - Yangfan Xu
- Spencer Center for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
| | - Manjari Prakash
- Institute of Biotechnology, Czech Academy of Sciences, BIOCEV, Vestec, Prague West, Czechia
| | - Xue Feng
- Spencer Center for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
| | - Ming Yang
- Spencer Center for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
| | - Hang Yang
- Spencer Center for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
| | - In-Jee You
- Spencer Center for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
| | - Liang Li
- Spencer Center for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
| | - Liping Liu
- Spencer Center for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
| | - Pingting Liu
- Spencer Center for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
| | - Haoliang Huang
- Spencer Center for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
| | - Chien-Yi Chang
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Liang Liu
- Spencer Center for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
| | - Sahil H Shah
- Spencer Center for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
| | - Anna La Torre
- Department of Cell Biology and Human Anatomy, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA; USA
| | - Derek S. Welsbie
- Viterbi Family Department of Ophthalmology, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA; USA
| | - Yang Sun
- Spencer Center for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
| | - Xin Duan
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA; USA
| | - Jeffrey Louis Goldberg
- Spencer Center for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
| | - Marcus Braun
- Institute of Biotechnology, Czech Academy of Sciences, BIOCEV, Vestec, Prague West, Czechia
| | - Zdenek Lansky
- Institute of Biotechnology, Czech Academy of Sciences, BIOCEV, Vestec, Prague West, Czechia
| | - Yang Hu
- Spencer Center for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Kim JH, Chen W, Chao ES, Rivera A, Kaku HN, Jiang K, Lee D, Chen H, Vega JM, Chin TV, Jin K, Nguyen KT, Zou SS, Moin Z, Nguyen S, Xue 薛名杉 M. GABAergic/Glycinergic and Glutamatergic Neurons Mediate Distinct Neurodevelopmental Phenotypes of STXBP1 Encephalopathy. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e1806232024. [PMID: 38360746 PMCID: PMC10993039 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1806-23.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
An increasing number of pathogenic variants in presynaptic proteins involved in the synaptic vesicle cycle are being discovered in neurodevelopmental disorders. The clinical features of these synaptic vesicle cycle disorders are diverse, but the most prevalent phenotypes include intellectual disability, epilepsy, movement disorders, cerebral visual impairment, and psychiatric symptoms ( Verhage and Sørensen, 2020; Bonnycastle et al., 2021; John et al., 2021; Melland et al., 2021). Among this growing list of synaptic vesicle cycle disorders, the most frequent is STXBP1 encephalopathy caused by de novo heterozygous pathogenic variants in syntaxin-binding protein 1 (STXBP1, also known as MUNC18-1; Verhage and Sørensen, 2020; John et al., 2021). STXBP1 is an essential protein for presynaptic neurotransmitter release. Its haploinsufficiency is the main disease mechanism and impairs both excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitter release. However, the disease pathogenesis and cellular origins of the broad spectrum of neurological phenotypes are poorly understood. Here we generate cell type-specific Stxbp1 haploinsufficient male and female mice and show that Stxbp1 haploinsufficiency in GABAergic/glycinergic neurons causes developmental delay, epilepsy, and motor, cognitive, and psychiatric deficits, recapitulating majority of the phenotypes observed in the constitutive Stxbp1 haploinsufficient mice and STXBP1 encephalopathy. In contrast, Stxbp1 haploinsufficiency in glutamatergic neurons results in a small subset of cognitive and seizure phenotypes distinct from those caused by Stxbp1 haploinsufficiency in GABAergic/glycinergic neurons. Thus, the contrasting roles of excitatory and inhibitory signaling reveal GABAergic/glycinergic dysfunction as a key disease mechanism of STXBP1 encephalopathy and suggest the possibility to selectively modulate disease phenotypes by targeting specific neurotransmitter systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joo Hyun Kim
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Wu Chen
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Eugene S Chao
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Armando Rivera
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Heet Naresh Kaku
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Kevin Jiang
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Dongwon Lee
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Hongmei Chen
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Jaimie M Vega
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Teresa V Chin
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Kevin Jin
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Kelly T Nguyen
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Sheldon S Zou
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Zain Moin
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Shawn Nguyen
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Mingshan Xue 薛名杉
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Ji NN, Cao S, Song XL, Pei B, Jin CY, Fan BF, Jiang H, Xia M. Glutamatergic neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus participate in the regulation of visceral pain induced by pancreatic cancer in mice. Hepatobiliary Surg Nutr 2024; 13:258-272. [PMID: 38617474 PMCID: PMC11007342 DOI: 10.21037/hbsn-23-442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Background Visceral pain induced by pancreatic cancer seriously affects patients' quality of life, and there is no effective treatment, because the mechanism of its neural circuit is unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore the main neural circuit mechanism regulating visceral pain induced by pancreatic cancer in mice. Methods The mouse model of pancreatic cancer visceral pain was established on C57BL/6N mice by pancreatic injection of mPAKPC-luc cells. Abdominal mechanical hyperalgesia and hunch score were performed to assess visceral pain; the pseudorabies virus (PRV) was used to identify the brain regions innervating the pancreas; the c-fos co-labeling method was used to ascertain the types of activated neurons; in vitro electrophysiological patch-clamp technique was used to record the electrophysiological activity of specific neurons; the calcium imaging technique was used to determine the calcium activity of specific neurons; specific neuron destruction and chemogenetics methods were used to explore whether specific neurons were involved in visceral pain induced by pancreatic cancer. Results The PRV injected into the pancreas was detected in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN). Immunofluorescence staining showed that the majority of c-fos were co-labeled with glutamatergic neurons in the PVN. In vitro electrophysiological results showed that the firing frequency of glutamatergic neurons in the PVN was increased. The calcium imaging results showed that the calcium activity of glutamatergic neurons in the PVN was enhanced. Both specific destruction of glutamatergic neurons and chemogenetics inhibition of glutamatergic neurons in the PVN alleviated visceral pain induced by pancreatic cancer. Conclusions Glutamatergic neurons in the PVN participate in the regulation of visceral pain induced by pancreatic cancer in mice, providing new insights for the discovery of effective targets for the treatment of pancreatic cancer visceral pain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ning-Ning Ji
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuang Cao
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xing-Lei Song
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Bei Pei
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Chen-Yu Jin
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Bi-Fa Fan
- Department of Pain, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Hong Jiang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ming Xia
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Cregg JM, Sidhu SK, Leiras R, Kiehn O. Basal ganglia-spinal cord pathway that commands locomotor gait asymmetries in mice. Nat Neurosci 2024; 27:716-727. [PMID: 38347200 PMCID: PMC11001584 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-024-01569-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
The basal ganglia are essential for executing motor actions. How the basal ganglia engage spinal motor networks has remained elusive. Medullary Chx10 gigantocellular (Gi) neurons are required for turning gait programs, suggesting that turning gaits organized by the basal ganglia are executed via this descending pathway. Performing deep brainstem recordings of Chx10 Gi Ca2+ activity in adult mice, we show that striatal projection neurons initiate turning gaits via a dominant crossed pathway to Chx10 Gi neurons on the contralateral side. Using intersectional viral tracing and cell-type-specific modulation, we uncover the principal basal ganglia-spinal cord pathway for locomotor asymmetries in mice: basal ganglia → pontine reticular nucleus, oral part (PnO) → Chx10 Gi → spinal cord. Modulating the restricted PnO → Chx10 Gi pathway restores turning competence upon striatal damage, suggesting that dysfunction of this pathway may contribute to debilitating turning deficits observed in Parkinson's disease. Our results reveal the stratified circuit architecture underlying a critical motor program.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jared M Cregg
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Simrandeep K Sidhu
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Roberto Leiras
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ole Kiehn
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Lu Y, Mu L, Elstrott J, Fu C, Sun C, Su T, Ma X, Yan J, Jiang H, Hanson JE, Geng Y, Chen Y. Differential depletion of GluN2A induces heterogeneous schizophrenia-related phenotypes in mice. EBioMedicine 2024; 102:105045. [PMID: 38471394 PMCID: PMC10943646 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2024.105045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schizophrenia, a debilitating psychiatric disorder, displays considerable interindividual variation in clinical presentations. The ongoing debate revolves around whether this heterogeneity signifies a continuum of severity linked to a singular causative factor or a collection of distinct subtypes with unique origins. Within the realm of schizophrenia, the functional impairment of GluN2A, a subtype of the NMDA receptor, has been associated with an elevated risk. Despite GluN2A's expression across various neuronal types throughout the brain, its specific contributions to schizophrenia and its involvement in particular cell types or brain regions remain unexplored. METHODS We generated age-specific, cell type-specific or brain region-specific conditional knockout mice targeting GluN2A and conducted a comprehensive analysis using tests measuring phenotypes relevant to schizophrenia. FINDINGS Through the induction of germline ablation of GluN2A, we observed the emergence of numerous schizophrenia-associated abnormalities in adult mice. Intriguingly, GluN2A knockout performed at different ages, in specific cell types and within distinct brain regions, we observed overlapping yet distinct schizophrenia-related phenotypes in mice. INTERPRETATION Our interpretation suggests that the dysfunction of GluN2A is sufficient to evoke heterogeneous manifestations associated with schizophrenia, indicating that GluN2A stands as a prominent risk factor and a potential therapeutic target for schizophrenia. FUNDING This project received support from the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Major Project (Grant No. 2019SHZDZX02) awarded to Y.C. and the Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai (Grant No. 19ZR1468600 and 201409003800) awarded to G.Y.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yi Lu
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.100 Haike Rd., Pudong New District, Shanghai 201210, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Longyu Mu
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.100 Haike Rd., Pudong New District, Shanghai 201210, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Justin Elstrott
- Department of Translational Imaging, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Chaoying Fu
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.100 Haike Rd., Pudong New District, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Cailu Sun
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.100 Haike Rd., Pudong New District, Shanghai 201210, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Tonghui Su
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.100 Haike Rd., Pudong New District, Shanghai 201210, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiaofan Ma
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Affiliated Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Jia Yan
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Affiliated Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Hong Jiang
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Affiliated Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Jesse E Hanson
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Yang Geng
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.100 Haike Rd., Pudong New District, Shanghai 201210, China.
| | - Yelin Chen
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.100 Haike Rd., Pudong New District, Shanghai 201210, China.
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Manglani K, Anika NN, Patel D, Jhaveri S, Avanthika C, Sudan S, Alimohamed Z, Tiwari K. Correlation of Leptin in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Cureus 2024; 16:e57667. [PMID: 38707092 PMCID: PMC11070180 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.57667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The exponential increase in diabetes mellitus (DM) poses serious public health concerns. In this review, we focus on the role of leptin in type 2 DM. The peripheral actions of leptin consist of upregulating proinflammatory cytokines which play an important role in the pathogenesis of type 2 DM and insulin resistance. Moreover, leptin is known to inhibit insulin secretion and plays a significant role in insulin resistance in obesity and type 2 DM. A literature search was conducted on Medline, Cochrane, Embase, and Google Scholar for relevant articles published until December 2023. The following search strings and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH terms) were used: "Diabetes Mellitus," "Leptin," "NPY," and "Biomarker." This article aims to discuss the physiology of leptin in type 2 DM, its glucoregulatory actions, its relationship with appetite, the impact that various lifestyle modifications can have on leptin levels, and, finally, explore leptin as a potential target for various treatment strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kajol Manglani
- Internal Medicine, MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, USA
| | | | - Dhriti Patel
- Medicine and Surgery, B.J. Medical College and Civil Hospital, Ahmedabad, IND
| | - Sharan Jhaveri
- Medicine and Surgery, Smt. Nathiba Hargovandas Lakhmichand Municipal Medical College, Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, IND
| | - Chaithanya Avanthika
- Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Elmhurst Hospital Center, New York, USA
- Medicine and Surgery, Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences, Hubballi, IND
| | - Sourav Sudan
- Internal Medicine, Government Medical College, Rajouri, Rajouri, IND
| | - Zainab Alimohamed
- Division of Research & Academic Affairs, Larkin Health System, South Miami, USA
| | - Kripa Tiwari
- Internal Medicine, Maimonides Medical Center, New York, USA
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Başer Ö, Yavuz Y, Özen DÖ, Özgün HB, Ağuş S, Civaş CC, Atasoy D, Yılmaz B. Effects of chronic high fat diet on mediobasal hypothalamic satiety neuron function in POMC-Cre mice. Mol Metab 2024; 82:101904. [PMID: 38395148 PMCID: PMC10910127 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2024.101904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The prevalence of obesity has increased over the past three decades. Proopiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC) play a vital role in induction of satiety. Chronic consumption of high-fat diet is known to reduce hypothalamic neuronal sensitivity to hormones like leptin, thus contributing to the development and persistence of obesity. The functional and morphological effects of a high-calorie diet on POMC neurons and how these effects contribute to the development and maintenance of the obese phenotype are not fully understood. For this purpose, POMC-Cre transgenic mice model was exposed to high-fat diet (HFD) and at the end of a 3- and 6-month period, electrophysiological and morphological changes, and the role of POMC neurons in homeostatic nutrition and their response to leptin were thoroughly investigated. METHODS Effects of HFD on POMC-satiety neurons in transgenic mice models exposed to chronic high-fat diet were investigated using electrophysiological (patch-clamp), chemogenetic and Cre recombinase advanced technological methods. Leptin, glucose and lipid profiles were determined and analyzed. RESULTS In mice exposed to a high-fat diet for 6 months, no significant changes in POMC dendritic spine number or projection density from POMC neurons to the paraventricular hypothalamus (PVN), lateral hypothalamus (LH), and bed nucleus stria terminalis (BNST) were observed. It was revealed that leptin hormone did not change the electrophysiological activities of POMC neurons in mice fed with HFD for 6 months. In addition, chemogenetic stimulation of POMC neurons increased HFD consumption. In the 3-month HFD-fed group, POMC activation induced an orexigenic response in mice, whereas switching to a standard diet was found to abolish orexigenic behavior in POMC mice. CONCLUSIONS Chronic high fat consumption disrupts the regulation of POMC neuron activation by leptin. Altered POMC neuron activation abolished the neuron's characteristic behavioral anorexigenic response. Change in nutritional content contributes to the reorganization of developing maladaptations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Özge Başer
- Yeditepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physiology, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Yavuz Yavuz
- Yeditepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physiology, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Deniz Öykü Özen
- Yeditepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physiology, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Hüseyin Buğra Özgün
- Yeditepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physiology, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Sami Ağuş
- Yeditepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physiology, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Cihan Civan Civaş
- Yeditepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physiology, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Deniz Atasoy
- University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Iowa City, USA
| | - Bayram Yılmaz
- Yeditepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physiology, Istanbul, Türkiye; Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Izmir, Türkiye.
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Takahashi K, Rensing NR, Eultgen EM, Wang SH, Nelvagal HR, Le SQ, Roberts MS, Doray B, Han EB, Dickson PI, Wong M, Sands MS, Cooper JD. GABAergic interneurons contribute to the fatal seizure phenotype of CLN2 disease mice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.29.587276. [PMID: 38585903 PMCID: PMC10996664 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.29.587276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
GABAergic interneuron deficits have been implicated in the epileptogenesis of multiple neurological diseases. While epileptic seizures are a key clinical hallmark of CLN2 disease, a childhood-onset neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disorder caused by a deficiency of tripeptidyl peptidase 1 (TPP1), the etiology of these seizures remains elusive. Given that Cln2 R207X/R207X mice display fatal spontaneous seizures and an early loss of several cortical interneuron populations, we hypothesized that those two events might be causally related. To address this hypothesis, we first generated an inducible transgenic mouse expressing lysosomal membrane-tethered TPP1 (TPP1LAMP1) on the Cln2 R207X/R207X genetic background to study the cell-autonomous effects of cell-type-specific TPP1 deficiency. We crossed the TPP1LAMP1 mice with Vgat-Cre mice to introduce interneuron-specific TPP1 deficiency. Vgat-Cre ; TPP1LAMP1 mice displayed storage material accumulation in several interneuron populations both in cortex and striatum, and increased susceptibility to die after PTZ-induced seizures. Secondly, to test the role of GABAergic interneuron activity in seizure progression, we selectively activated these cells in Cln2 R207X/R207X mice using Designer Receptor Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADDs) in in Vgat-Cre : Cln2 R207X/R207X mice. EEG monitoring revealed that DREADD-mediated activation of interneurons via chronic deschloroclozapine administration accelerated the onset of spontaneous seizures and seizure-associated death in Vgat-Cre : Cln2 R207X/R207X mice, suggesting that modulating interneuron activity can exert influence over epileptiform abnormalities in CLN2 disease. Taken together, these results provide new mechanistic insights into the underlying etiology of seizures and premature death that characterize CLN2 disease.
Collapse
|
46
|
de Miera CS, Bellefontaine N, Allen SJ, Myers MG, Elias CF. Glutamate neurotransmission from leptin receptor cells is required for typical puberty and reproductive function in female mice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.09.21.558865. [PMID: 37790549 PMCID: PMC10542178 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.21.558865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
The hypothalamic ventral premammillary nucleus (PMv) is a glutamatergic nucleus essential for the metabolic control of reproduction. However, conditional deletion of leptin receptor (LepRb) in vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (Vglut2) expressing neurons results in virtually no reproductive deficits. In this study, we determine the role of glutamatergic signaling from leptin responsive PMv neurons on puberty and fertility. We first assessed if stimulation of PMv neurons induces LH release in fed adult females. We used the stimulatory form of designer receptor exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADDs) in LepRb-Cre mice. We collected blood sequentially before and for 1h after iv. clozapine-N-oxide injection. LH level increased in animals correctly targeted to the PMv, and LH level was correlated to the number of cFos immunoreactive neurons in the PMv. Next, females with deletion of Vglut2 in LepRb neurons (LepR∆VGlut2) showed delayed age of puberty, disrupted estrous cycles, increased GnRH concentration in the axon terminals and disrupted LH responses, suggesting impaired GnRH release. To assess if glutamate is required for PMv actions in pubertal development, we generated a Cre-induced reexpression of endogenous LepRb (LepRloxTB) with concomitant deletion of Vglut2 (Vglut2-floxed) mice. Rescue of Lepr and deletion of Vglut2 in the PMv was obtained by stereotaxic injection of an adeno-associated virus vector expressing Cre recombinase. Control LepRloxTB mice with PMv LepRb rescue showed vaginal opening, follicle maturation and became pregnant, while LepRloxTB;Vglut2flox mice showed no pubertal development. Our results indicate that glutamatergic signaling from leptin sensitive neurons regulates the reproductive axis, and that leptin action on pubertal development via PMv neurons requires Vglut2.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Sáenz de Miera
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-5622, USA
| | - Nicole Bellefontaine
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-5622, USA
| | - Susan J. Allen
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-5622, USA
| | - Martin G. Myers
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-5622, USA
- Elizabeth W. Caswell Diabetes Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-5622, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-5622, USA
| | - Carol F. Elias
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-5622, USA
- Elizabeth W. Caswell Diabetes Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-5622, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-5622, USA
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Glykos V, Fujisawa S. Memory-specific encoding activities of the ventral tegmental area dopamine and GABA neurons. eLife 2024; 12:RP89743. [PMID: 38512339 PMCID: PMC10957172 DOI: 10.7554/elife.89743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Although the midbrain dopamine (DA) system plays a crucial role in higher cognitive functions, including updating and maintaining short-term memory, the encoding properties of the somatic spiking activity of ventral tegmental area (VTA) DA neurons for short-term memory computations have not yet been identified. Here, we probed and analyzed the activity of optogenetically identified DA and GABA neurons while mice engaged in short-term memory-dependent behavior in a T-maze task. Single-neuron analysis revealed that significant subpopulations of DA and GABA neurons responded differently between left and right trials in the memory delay. With a series of control behavioral tasks and regression analysis tools, we show that firing rate differences are linked to short-term memory-dependent decisions and cannot be explained by reward-related processes, motivated behavior, or motor-related activities. This evidence provides novel insights into the mnemonic encoding activities of midbrain DA and GABA neurons.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vasileios Glykos
- Laboratory for Systems Neurophysiology, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Japan
- Synapse Biology Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Shigeyoshi Fujisawa
- Laboratory for Systems Neurophysiology, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Amo R, Uchida N, Watabe-Uchida M. Glutamate inputs send prediction error of reward, but not negative value of aversive stimuli, to dopamine neurons. Neuron 2024; 112:1001-1019.e6. [PMID: 38278147 PMCID: PMC10957320 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.12.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Midbrain dopamine neurons are thought to signal reward prediction errors (RPEs), but the mechanisms underlying RPE computation, particularly the contributions of different neurotransmitters, remain poorly understood. Here, we used a genetically encoded glutamate sensor to examine the pattern of glutamate inputs to dopamine neurons in mice. We found that glutamate inputs exhibit virtually all of the characteristics of RPE rather than conveying a specific component of RPE computation, such as reward or expectation. Notably, whereas glutamate inputs were transiently inhibited by reward omission, they were excited by aversive stimuli. Opioid analgesics altered dopamine negative responses to aversive stimuli into more positive responses, whereas excitatory responses of glutamate inputs remained unchanged. Our findings uncover previously unknown synaptic mechanisms underlying RPE computations; dopamine responses are shaped by both synergistic and competitive interactions between glutamatergic and GABAergic inputs to dopamine neurons depending on valences, with competitive interactions playing a role in responses to aversive stimuli.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ryunosuke Amo
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Naoshige Uchida
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Mitsuko Watabe-Uchida
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Koga K, Kobayashi K, Tsuda M, Pickering AE, Furue H. Anterior cingulate cross-hemispheric inhibition via the claustrum resolves painful sensory conflict. Commun Biol 2024; 7:330. [PMID: 38491200 PMCID: PMC10943010 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06008-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) responds to noxious and innocuous sensory inputs, and integrates them to coordinate appropriate behavioral reactions. However, the role of the projections of ACC neurons to subcortical areas and their influence on sensory processing are not fully investigated. Here, we identified that ACC neurons projecting to the contralateral claustrum (ACC→contraCLA) preferentially respond to contralateral mechanical sensory stimulation. These sensory responses were enhanced during attending behavior. Optogenetic activation of ACC→contraCLA neurons silenced pyramidal neurons in the contralateral ACC by recruiting local circuit fast-spiking interneuron activation via an excitatory relay in the CLA. This circuit activation suppressed withdrawal behavior to mechanical stimuli ipsilateral to the ACC→contraCLA neurons. Chemogenetic silencing showed that the cross-hemispheric circuit has an important role in the suppression of contralateral nociceptive behavior during sensory-driven attending behavior. Our findings identify a cross-hemispheric cortical-subcortical-cortical arc allowing the brain to give attentional priority to competing innocuous and noxious inputs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Keisuke Koga
- Department of Neurophysiology, Hyogo Medical University, Nishinomiya, Japan.
| | - Kenta Kobayashi
- Section of Viral Vector Development, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Japan
| | - Makoto Tsuda
- Department of Molecular and System Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Anthony E Pickering
- Anesthesia, Pain and Critical Care Research, School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Hidemasa Furue
- Department of Neurophysiology, Hyogo Medical University, Nishinomiya, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Liu M, Gao Y, Xin F, Hu Y, Wang T, Xie F, Shao C, Li T, Wang N, Yuan K. Parvalbumin and Somatostatin: Biomarkers for Two Parallel Tectothalamic Pathways in the Auditory Midbrain. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e1655232024. [PMID: 38326037 PMCID: PMC10919325 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1655-23.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The inferior colliculus (IC) represents a crucial relay station in the auditory pathway, located in the midbrain's tectum and primarily projecting to the thalamus. Despite the identification of distinct cell classes based on various biomarkers in the IC, their specific contributions to the organization of auditory tectothalamic pathways have remained poorly understood. In this study, we demonstrate that IC neurons expressing parvalbumin (ICPV+) or somatostatin (ICSOM+) represent two minimally overlapping cell classes throughout the three IC subdivisions in mice of both sexes. Strikingly, regardless of their location within the IC, these neurons predominantly project to the primary and secondary auditory thalamic nuclei, respectively. Cell class-specific input tracing suggested that ICPV+ neurons primarily receive auditory inputs, whereas ICSOM+ neurons receive significantly more inputs from the periaqueductal gray and the superior colliculus (SC), which are sensorimotor regions critically involved in innate behaviors. Furthermore, ICPV+ neurons exhibit significant heterogeneity in both intrinsic electrophysiological properties and presynaptic terminal size compared with ICSOM+ neurons. Notably, approximately one-quarter of ICPV+ neurons are inhibitory neurons, whereas all ICSOM+ neurons are excitatory neurons. Collectively, our findings suggest that parvalbumin and somatostatin expression in the IC can serve as biomarkers for two functionally distinct, parallel tectothalamic pathways. This discovery suggests an alternative way to define tectothalamic pathways and highlights the potential usefulness of Cre mice in understanding the multifaceted roles of the IC at the circuit level.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mengting Liu
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001, China
| | - Yixiao Gao
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Fengyuan Xin
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Ying Hu
- Zhili College, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Tao Wang
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Fenghua Xie
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Tsinghua Laboratory of Brain and Intelligence, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Chengjun Shao
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Tianyu Li
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Ningyu Wang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100020, China
| | - Kexin Yuan
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Tsinghua Laboratory of Brain and Intelligence, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research at Tsinghua, Tsinghua University, Beijing 10084, China
| |
Collapse
|