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Farzanehfar P. Comparative review of adult midbrain and striatum neurogenesis with classical neurogenesis. Neurosci Res 2018; 134:1-9. [PMID: 29339103 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2018.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2017] [Revised: 01/10/2018] [Accepted: 01/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Parkinson's Disease (PD) motor symptoms are caused by loss of dopamine (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) of the midbrain. Dopamine cell replacement therapy (DA CRT), either by cell transplantation or endogenous repair, has been a potential treatment to replace dead cells and improve PD motor symptoms. Adult midbrain and striatum have been studied for many years to find evidence of neurogenesis. Although the literature is controversial, recent research has revived the possibility of neurogenesis here. This paper aims to review the process of neurogenesis (by focusing on gene expression patterns) in the adult midbrain/striatum and compare it with classical neurogenesis that occurs in developing midbrain, Sub Ventricular Zone (SVZ) and Sub Granular Zone (SGZ) of the adult brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parisa Farzanehfar
- Florey Institute for Neuroscience & Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia; St Vincent's Hospital, Fitzroy, Victoria 3065, Australia.
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Mesman S, Smidt MP. Tcf12 Is Involved in Early Cell-Fate Determination and Subset Specification of Midbrain Dopamine Neurons. Front Mol Neurosci 2017; 10:353. [PMID: 29163030 PMCID: PMC5671939 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2017.00353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2017] [Accepted: 10/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) protein family has previously been shown to be involved in the development of mesodiencephalic dopaminergic (mdDA) neurons in the murine midbrain. Specifically, Ngn2 and Mash1 are known to have a role in the specification of neural progenitors in the ventricular zone (VZ) of the midbrain towards an mdDA neuronal cell-fate. Furthermore, other members of the bHLH protein family, the E-box factors, are expressed in the developing midbrain and are thought to have a role in neuronal differentiation. Here we show that the E-box factor Tcf12 is implicated in early and late development of mdDA neurons. Tcf12 is expressed in the midbrain and in young TH-expressing mdDA neurons throughout development. Tcf12lox/lox;En1cre/+ embryos, that lose Tcf12 at ~embryonic day (E)9 throughout the En1 expression domain, have a changed spatial expression of Lmx1a and Nurr1 and a consistent loss of rostral TH expression. Expression of the subset marker Ahd2 is initially delayed, but recovers during development, eventually showing an ~10% increase in AHD2-expressing cells at postnatal day (P)30. Tcf12lox/lox;Pitx3cre/+ embryos, that lose Tcf12 at ~E12 in post-mitotic mdDA neurons, show no effect on the amount of TH-expressing neurons in the developing midbrain. However, similar as to Tcf12lox/lox;En1cre/+ embryos, subset specification is delayed during development. Taken together, we have identified Tcf12 as a novel factor in mdDA neuronal development. It serves a dual function; one in early cell-fate commitment of neural progenitors and one late in subset specification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Mesman
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, FNWI University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Marten P Smidt
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, FNWI University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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53
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Chabrat A, Brisson G, Doucet-Beaupré H, Salesse C, Schaan Profes M, Dovonou A, Akitegetse C, Charest J, Lemstra S, Côté D, Pasterkamp RJ, Abrudan MI, Metzakopian E, Ang SL, Lévesque M. Transcriptional repression of Plxnc1 by Lmx1a and Lmx1b directs topographic dopaminergic circuit formation. Nat Commun 2017; 8:933. [PMID: 29038581 PMCID: PMC5643336 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-01042-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2016] [Accepted: 08/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Mesodiencephalic dopamine neurons play central roles in the regulation of a wide range of brain functions, including voluntary movement and behavioral processes. These functions are served by distinct subtypes of mesodiencephalic dopamine neurons located in the substantia nigra pars compacta and the ventral tegmental area, which form the nigrostriatal, mesolimbic, and mesocortical pathways. Until now, mechanisms involved in dopaminergic circuit formation remained largely unknown. Here, we show that Lmx1a, Lmx1b, and Otx2 transcription factors control subtype-specific mesodiencephalic dopamine neurons and their appropriate axon innervation. Our results revealed that the expression of Plxnc1, an axon guidance receptor, is repressed by Lmx1a/b and enhanced by Otx2. We also found that Sema7a/Plxnc1 interactions are responsible for the segregation of nigrostriatal and mesolimbic dopaminergic pathways. These findings identify Lmx1a/b, Otx2, and Plxnc1 as determinants of dopaminergic circuit formation and should assist in engineering mesodiencephalic dopamine neurons capable of regenerating appropriate connections for cell therapy.Midbrain dopaminergic neurons (mDAs) in the VTA and SNpc project to different regions and form distinct circuits. Here the authors show that transcription factors Lmx1a, Lmx1b, and Otx2 control the axon guidance of mDAs and the segregation of mesolimbic and nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey Chabrat
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, G1V 0A6, Canada
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, 2601, chemin de la Canardière, Québec, Quebec, Canada, G1J 2G3
| | - Guillaume Brisson
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, G1V 0A6, Canada
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, 2601, chemin de la Canardière, Québec, Quebec, Canada, G1J 2G3
| | - Hélène Doucet-Beaupré
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, G1V 0A6, Canada
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, 2601, chemin de la Canardière, Québec, Quebec, Canada, G1J 2G3
| | - Charleen Salesse
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, G1V 0A6, Canada
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, 2601, chemin de la Canardière, Québec, Quebec, Canada, G1J 2G3
| | - Marcos Schaan Profes
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, G1V 0A6, Canada
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, 2601, chemin de la Canardière, Québec, Quebec, Canada, G1J 2G3
| | - Axelle Dovonou
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, G1V 0A6, Canada
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, 2601, chemin de la Canardière, Québec, Quebec, Canada, G1J 2G3
| | - Cléophace Akitegetse
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, G1V 0A6, Canada
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, 2601, chemin de la Canardière, Québec, Quebec, Canada, G1J 2G3
| | - Julien Charest
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, G1V 0A6, Canada
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, 2601, chemin de la Canardière, Québec, Quebec, Canada, G1J 2G3
| | - Suzanne Lemstra
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Daniel Côté
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, 2601, chemin de la Canardière, Québec, Quebec, Canada, G1J 2G3
- Département de Physique, Genie Physique et Optique, Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - R Jeroen Pasterkamp
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Monica I Abrudan
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Public Health, Imperial College, London, W2 1PG, UK
| | - Emmanouil Metzakopian
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Siew-Lan Ang
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Martin Lévesque
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, G1V 0A6, Canada.
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, 2601, chemin de la Canardière, Québec, Quebec, Canada, G1J 2G3.
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Morales-García JA, de la Fuente Revenga M, Alonso-Gil S, Rodríguez-Franco MI, Feilding A, Perez-Castillo A, Riba J. The alkaloids of Banisteriopsis caapi, the plant source of the Amazonian hallucinogen Ayahuasca, stimulate adult neurogenesis in vitro. Sci Rep 2017; 7:5309. [PMID: 28706205 PMCID: PMC5509699 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-05407-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2017] [Accepted: 06/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Banisteriopsis caapi is the basic ingredient of ayahuasca, a psychotropic plant tea used in the Amazon for ritual and medicinal purposes, and by interested individuals worldwide. Animal studies and recent clinical research suggests that B. caapi preparations show antidepressant activity, a therapeutic effect that has been linked to hippocampal neurogenesis. Here we report that harmine, tetrahydroharmine and harmaline, the three main alkaloids present in B. caapi, and the harmine metabolite harmol, stimulate adult neurogenesis in vitro. In neurospheres prepared from progenitor cells obtained from the subventricular and the subgranular zones of adult mice brains, all compounds stimulated neural stem cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation into adult neurons. These findings suggest that modulation of brain plasticity could be a major contribution to the antidepressant effects of ayahuasca. They also expand the potential application of B. caapi alkaloids to other brain disorders that may benefit from stimulation of endogenous neural precursor niches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose A Morales-García
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (CSIC-UAM), Arturo Duperier 4, 28029, Madrid, Spain.,Center for Networked Biomedical Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), 28031, Madrid, Spain.,Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Medicina, UCM, Plaza Ramón y Cajal s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Mario de la Fuente Revenga
- Human Neuropsychopharmacology Research Group. Sant Pau Institute of Biomedical Research (IIB-Sant Pau). Sant Antoni María Claret, 167. 08025, Barcelona, Spain.,Instituto de Química Médica (IQM-CSIC), Juan de la Cierva 3, 28006, Madrid, Spain.,MFR currently at: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - Sandra Alonso-Gil
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (CSIC-UAM), Arturo Duperier 4, 28029, Madrid, Spain.,Center for Networked Biomedical Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), 28031, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Amanda Feilding
- The Beckley Foundation, Beckley Park, Oxford, OX3 9SY, United Kingdom
| | - Ana Perez-Castillo
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (CSIC-UAM), Arturo Duperier 4, 28029, Madrid, Spain. .,Center for Networked Biomedical Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), 28031, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Jordi Riba
- Human Neuropsychopharmacology Research Group. Sant Pau Institute of Biomedical Research (IIB-Sant Pau). Sant Antoni María Claret, 167. 08025, Barcelona, Spain. .,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, CIBERSAM, Planta, 028029, Madrid, Spain.
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Nouri N, Awatramani R. A novel floor plate boundary defined by adjacent En1 and Dbx1 microdomains distinguishes midbrain dopamine and hypothalamic neurons. Development 2017; 144:916-927. [PMID: 28174244 DOI: 10.1242/dev.144949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2016] [Accepted: 01/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The mesodiencephalic floor plate (mdFP) is the source of diverse neuron types. Yet, how this structure is compartmentalized has not been clearly elucidated. Here, we identify a novel boundary subdividing the mdFP into two microdomains, defined by engrailed 1 (En1) and developing brain homeobox 1 (Dbx1). Utilizing simultaneous dual and intersectional fate mapping, we demonstrate that this boundary is precisely formed with minimal overlap between En1 and Dbx1 microdomains, unlike many other boundaries. We show that the En1 microdomain gives rise to dopaminergic (DA) neurons, whereas the Dbx1 microdomain gives rise to subthalamic (STN), premammillary (PM) and posterior hypothalamic (PH) populations. To determine whether En1 is sufficient to induce DA neuron production beyond its normal limit, we generated a mouse strain that expresses En1 in the Dbx1 microdomain. In mutants, we observed ectopic production of DA neurons derived from the Dbx1 microdomain, at the expense of STN and PM populations. Our findings provide new insights into subdivisions in the mdFP, and will impact current strategies for the conversion of stem cells into DA neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Navid Nouri
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Rajeshwar Awatramani
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
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56
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Current Opinion on the Role of Neurogenesis in the Therapeutic Strategies for Alzheimer Disease, Parkinson Disease, and Ischemic Stroke; Considering Neuronal Voiding Function. Int Neurourol J 2016; 20:276-287. [PMID: 28043116 PMCID: PMC5209581 DOI: 10.5213/inj.1632776.388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2016] [Accepted: 12/12/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurological diseases such as Alzheimer, Parkinson, and ischemic stroke have increased in occurrence and become important health issues throughout the world. There is currently no effective therapeutic strategy for addressing neurological deficits after the development of these major neurological disorders. In recent years, it has become accepted that adult neural stem cells located in the subventricular and subgranular zones have the ability to proliferate and differentiate in order to replace lost or damaged neural cells. There have been many limitations in the clinical application of both endogenous and exogenous neurogenesis for neurological disorders. However, many studies have investigated novel mechanisms in neurogenesis and have shown that these limitations can potentially be overcome with appropriate stimulation and various approaches. We will review concepts related to possible therapeutic strategies focused on the perspective of neurogenesis for the treatment of patients diagnosed with Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, and ischemic stroke based on current reports.
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57
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New Insights Into the Roles of Retinoic Acid Signaling in Nervous System Development and the Establishment of Neurotransmitter Systems. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2016; 330:1-84. [PMID: 28215529 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2016.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Secreted chiefly from the underlying mesoderm, the morphogen retinoic acid (RA) is well known to contribute to the specification, patterning, and differentiation of neural progenitors in the developing vertebrate nervous system. Furthermore, RA influences the subtype identity and neurotransmitter phenotype of subsets of maturing neurons, although relatively little is known about how these functions are mediated. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the roles played by RA signaling during the formation of the central and peripheral nervous systems of vertebrates and highlights its effects on the differentiation of several neurotransmitter systems. In addition, the evolutionary history of the RA signaling system is discussed, revealing both conserved properties and alternate modes of RA action. It is proposed that comparative approaches should be employed systematically to expand our knowledge of the context-dependent cellular mechanisms controlled by the multifunctional signaling molecule RA.
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58
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Dhanesh SB, Subashini C, James J. Hes1: the maestro in neurogenesis. Cell Mol Life Sci 2016; 73:4019-42. [PMID: 27233500 PMCID: PMC11108451 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-016-2277-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2016] [Revised: 05/12/2016] [Accepted: 05/12/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The process of neurogenesis is well orchestrated by the harmony of multiple cues in a spatiotemporal manner. In this review, we focus on how a dynamic gene, Hes1, is involved in neurogenesis with the view of its regulation and functional implications. Initially, we have reviewed the immense functional significance drawn by this maestro during neural development in a context-dependent manner. How this indispensable role of Hes1 in conferring the competency for neural differentiation partly relies on the direct/indirect mode of repression mediated by very specific structural and functional arms of this protein has also been outlined here. We also review the detailed molecular mechanisms behind the well-tuned oscillatory versus sustained expression of this antineurogenic bHLH repressor, which indeed makes it a master gene to implement the elusive task of neural progenitor propensity. Apart from the functional aspects of Hes1, we also discuss the molecular insights into the endogenous regulatory machinery that regulates its expression. Though Hes1 is a classical target of the Notch signaling pathway, we discuss here its differential expression at the molecular, cellular, and/or regional level. Moreover, we describe how its expression is fine-tuned by all possible ways of gene regulation such as epigenetic, transcriptional, post-transcriptional, post-translational, and environmental factors during vertebrate neurogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sivadasan Bindu Dhanesh
- Neuro Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, Neurobiology Division, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thycaud PO, Thiruvananthapuram, 695 014, Kerala, India
| | - Chandramohan Subashini
- Neuro Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, Neurobiology Division, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thycaud PO, Thiruvananthapuram, 695 014, Kerala, India
| | - Jackson James
- Neuro Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, Neurobiology Division, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thycaud PO, Thiruvananthapuram, 695 014, Kerala, India.
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59
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Kee N, Volakakis N, Kirkeby A, Dahl L, Storvall H, Nolbrant S, Lahti L, Björklund ÅK, Gillberg L, Joodmardi E, Sandberg R, Parmar M, Perlmann T. Single-Cell Analysis Reveals a Close Relationship between Differentiating Dopamine and Subthalamic Nucleus Neuronal Lineages. Cell Stem Cell 2016; 20:29-40. [PMID: 28094018 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2016.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2016] [Revised: 06/23/2016] [Accepted: 10/01/2016] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Stem cell engineering and grafting of mesencephalic dopamine (mesDA) neurons is a promising strategy for brain repair in Parkinson's disease (PD). Refinement of differentiation protocols to optimize this approach will require deeper understanding of mesDA neuron development. Here, we studied this process using transcriptome-wide single-cell RNA sequencing of mouse neural progenitors expressing the mesDA neuron determinant Lmx1a. This approach resolved the differentiation of mesDA and neighboring neuronal lineages and revealed a remarkably close relationship between developing mesDA and subthalamic nucleus (STN) neurons, while also highlighting a distinct transcription factor set that can distinguish between them. While previous hESC mesDA differentiation protocols have relied on markers that are shared between the two lineages, we found that application of these highlighted markers can help to refine current stem cell engineering protocols, increasing the proportion of appropriately patterned mesDA progenitors. Our results, therefore, have important implications for cell replacement therapy in PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nigel Kee
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Box 240, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | | | - Agnete Kirkeby
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund Stem Cell Centre, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Lina Dahl
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Box 240, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Helena Storvall
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Box 240, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sara Nolbrant
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund Stem Cell Centre, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Laura Lahti
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Box 240, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Åsa K Björklund
- Department for Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, 751 24 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Linda Gillberg
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Box 240, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Eliza Joodmardi
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Box 240, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Rickard Sandberg
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Box 240, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Malin Parmar
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund Stem Cell Centre, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Thomas Perlmann
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Box 240, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.
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60
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Doucet-Beaupré H, Gilbert C, Profes MS, Chabrat A, Pacelli C, Giguère N, Rioux V, Charest J, Deng Q, Laguna A, Ericson J, Perlmann T, Ang SL, Cicchetti F, Parent M, Trudeau LE, Lévesque M. Lmx1a and Lmx1b regulate mitochondrial functions and survival of adult midbrain dopaminergic neurons. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:E4387-96. [PMID: 27407143 PMCID: PMC4968767 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1520387113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The LIM-homeodomain transcription factors Lmx1a and Lmx1b play critical roles during the development of midbrain dopaminergic progenitors, but their functions in the adult brain remain poorly understood. We show here that sustained expression of Lmx1a and Lmx1b is required for the survival of adult midbrain dopaminergic neurons. Strikingly, inactivation of Lmx1a and Lmx1b recreates cellular features observed in Parkinson's disease. We found that Lmx1a/b control the expression of key genes involved in mitochondrial functions, and their ablation results in impaired respiratory chain activity, increased oxidative stress, and mitochondrial DNA damage. Lmx1a/b deficiency caused axonal pathology characterized by α-synuclein(+) inclusions, followed by a progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons. These results reveal the key role of these transcription factors beyond the early developmental stages and provide mechanistic links between mitochondrial dysfunctions, α-synuclein aggregation, and the survival of dopaminergic neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hélène Doucet-Beaupré
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec QC G1V 0A6, Canada; Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Québec, Quebec, QC G1J 2G3, Canada
| | - Catherine Gilbert
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec QC G1V 0A6, Canada; Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Québec, Quebec, QC G1J 2G3, Canada
| | - Marcos Schaan Profes
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec QC G1V 0A6, Canada; Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Québec, Quebec, QC G1J 2G3, Canada
| | - Audrey Chabrat
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec QC G1V 0A6, Canada; Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Québec, Quebec, QC G1J 2G3, Canada
| | - Consiglia Pacelli
- Department of Pharmacology, Central Nervous System Research Group, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada; Department of Neurosciences, Central Nervous System Research Group, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Nicolas Giguère
- Department of Pharmacology, Central Nervous System Research Group, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada; Department of Neurosciences, Central Nervous System Research Group, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Véronique Rioux
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec QC G1V 0A6, Canada; Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Québec, Quebec, QC G1J 2G3, Canada
| | - Julien Charest
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec QC G1V 0A6, Canada; Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Québec, Quebec, QC G1J 2G3, Canada
| | - Qiaolin Deng
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ariadna Laguna
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden; The Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Johan Ericson
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Thomas Perlmann
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden; The Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Siew-Lan Ang
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 2BE, United Kingdom
| | - Francesca Cicchetti
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec QC G1V 0A6, Canada; Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec, Quebec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada
| | - Martin Parent
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec QC G1V 0A6, Canada; Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Québec, Quebec, QC G1J 2G3, Canada
| | - Louis-Eric Trudeau
- Department of Pharmacology, Central Nervous System Research Group, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada; Department of Neurosciences, Central Nervous System Research Group, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Martin Lévesque
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec QC G1V 0A6, Canada; Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Québec, Quebec, QC G1J 2G3, Canada;
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61
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Kim S, Zhao Y, Lee JM, Kim WR, Gorivodsky M, Westphal H, Geum D. Ldb1 Is Essential for the Development of Isthmic Organizer and Midbrain Dopaminergic Neurons. Stem Cells Dev 2016; 25:986-94. [PMID: 27171818 DOI: 10.1089/scd.2015.0307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
LIM domain-binding protein 1 (Ldb1) is a nuclear cofactor that interacts with LIM homeodomain proteins to form multiprotein complexes that are important for transcription regulation. Ldb1 has been shown to play essential roles in various processes during mouse embryogenesis. To determine the role of Ldb1 in mid- and hindbrain development, we have generated a conditional mutant with a specific deletion of the Ldb1 in the Engrailed-1-expressing region of the developing mid- and hindbrain. Our study showed that the deletion impaired the expression of signaling molecules, such as fibroblast growth factor 8 (FGF8) and Wnt1, in the isthmic organizer and the expression of Shh in the ventral midbrain. The midbrain and the cerebellum were severely reduced in size, and the midbrain dopaminergic (mDA) neurons were missing in the mutant. These defects are identical to the phenotype that has been observed previously in mice with a deletion of the LIM homeodomain gene Lmx1b. Our results thus provide genetic evidence supporting that Ldb1 and Lmx1b function cooperatively to regulate mid- and hindbrain development. In addition, we found that mouse embryonic stem cells lacking Ldb1 failed to generate several types of differentiated neurons, including the mDA neurons, serotonergic neurons, cholinergic neurons, and olfactory bulb neurons, indicating an essential cell-autonomous role for Ldb1 in the development of these neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soojin Kim
- 1 Department of Biomedical Sciences, Korea University Medical School , Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yangu Zhao
- 2 Program on Genomics of Differentiation, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Ja-Myong Lee
- 1 Department of Biomedical Sciences, Korea University Medical School , Seoul, South Korea
| | - Woon Ryoung Kim
- 1 Department of Biomedical Sciences, Korea University Medical School , Seoul, South Korea
| | - Marat Gorivodsky
- 2 Program on Genomics of Differentiation, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Heiner Westphal
- 2 Program on Genomics of Differentiation, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Dongho Geum
- 1 Department of Biomedical Sciences, Korea University Medical School , Seoul, South Korea
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Mackenroth L, Hackmann K, Klink B, Weber JS, Mayer B, Schröck E, Tzschach A. Interstitial 1q23.3q24.1 deletion in a patient with renal malformation, congenital heart disease, and mild intellectual disability. Am J Med Genet A 2016; 170:2394-9. [PMID: 27255444 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.37785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2015] [Accepted: 05/17/2016] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Interstitial deletions including chromosome region 1q23.3q24.1 are rare. Only eight patients with molecularly characterized deletions have been reported to date. Their phenotype included intellectual disability/developmental delay, growth retardation, microcephaly, congenital heart disease, and renal malformations. We report on a female patient with mild developmental delay, congenital heart disease, and bilateral renal hypoplasia in whom an interstitial de novo deletion of approximately 2.7 Mb in 1q23.3q24.1 was detected by array CGH. This is the smallest deletion described in this region so far. Genotype-phenotype comparison with previously published patients allowed us to propose LMX1A and RXRG as potential candidate genes for intellectual disability, PBX1 as a probable candidate gene for renal malformation, and enabled us to narrow down a chromosome region associated with microcephaly. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Mackenroth
- Institut für Klinische Genetik, Medizinische Fakultät Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Karl Hackmann
- Institut für Klinische Genetik, Medizinische Fakultät Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Barbara Klink
- Institut für Klinische Genetik, Medizinische Fakultät Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Julia Sara Weber
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden, Germany
| | - Brigitte Mayer
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden, Germany
| | - Evelin Schröck
- Institut für Klinische Genetik, Medizinische Fakultät Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Andreas Tzschach
- Institut für Klinische Genetik, Medizinische Fakultät Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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Dopamine Receptor Antagonists Enhance Proliferation and Neurogenesis of Midbrain Lmx1a-expressing Progenitors. Sci Rep 2016; 6:26448. [PMID: 27246266 PMCID: PMC4887985 DOI: 10.1038/srep26448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2015] [Accepted: 04/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Degeneration of dopamine neurons in the midbrain causes symptoms of the movement disorder, Parkinson disease. Dopamine neurons are generated from proliferating progenitor cells localized in the embryonic ventral midbrain. However, it remains unclear for how long cells with dopamine progenitor character are retained and if there is any potential for reactivation of such cells after cessation of normal dopamine neurogenesis. We show here that cells expressing Lmx1a and other progenitor markers remain in the midbrain aqueductal zone beyond the major dopamine neurogenic period. These cells express dopamine receptors, are located in regions heavily innervated by midbrain dopamine fibres and their proliferation can be stimulated by antagonizing dopamine receptors, ultimately leading to increased neurogenesis in vivo. Furthermore, treatment with dopamine receptor antagonists enhances neurogenesis in vitro, both from embryonic midbrain progenitors as well as from embryonic stem cells. Altogether our results indicate a potential for reactivation of resident midbrain cells with dopamine progenitor potential beyond the normal period of dopamine neurogenesis.
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Metzakopian E, Bouhali K, Alvarez-Saavedra M, Whitsett JA, Picketts DJ, Ang SL. Genome-wide characterisation of Foxa1 binding sites reveals several mechanisms for regulating neuronal differentiation in midbrain dopamine cells. Development 2016; 142:1315-24. [PMID: 25804738 PMCID: PMC4378246 DOI: 10.1242/dev.115808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Midbrain dopamine neuronal progenitors develop into heterogeneous subgroups of neurons, such as substantia nigra pars compacta, ventral tegmental area and retrorubal field, that regulate motor control, motivated and addictive behaviours. The development of midbrain dopamine neurons has been extensively studied, and these studies indicate that complex cross-regulatory interactions between extrinsic and intrinsic molecules regulate a precise temporal and spatial programme of neurogenesis in midbrain dopamine progenitors. To elucidate direct molecular interactions between multiple regulatory factors during neuronal differentiation in mice, we characterised genome-wide binding sites of the forkhead/winged helix transcription factor Foxa1, which functions redundantly with Foxa2 to regulate the differentiation of mDA neurons. Interestingly, our studies identified a rostral brain floor plate Neurog2 enhancer that requires direct input from Otx2, Foxa1, Foxa2 and an E-box transcription factor for its transcriptional activity. Furthermore, the chromatin remodelling factor Smarca1 was shown to function downstream of Foxa1 and Foxa2 to regulate differentiation from immature to mature midbrain dopaminergic neurons. Our genome-wide Foxa1-bound cis-regulatory sequences from ChIP-Seq and Foxa1/2 candidate target genes from RNA-Seq analyses of embryonic midbrain dopamine cells also provide an excellent resource for probing mechanistic insights into gene regulatory networks involved in the differentiation of midbrain dopamine neurons. Summary: ChIP-Seq and RNA-Seq experiments identify novel molecular mechanisms underlying midbrain dopaminergic neuron production downstream of Foxa1 and Foxa2 during mouse neurogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kamal Bouhali
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, NIMR, The Ridgeway, London NW7 1AA, UK
| | - Matías Alvarez-Saavedra
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1H 8L6 Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1H 8M5
| | - Jeffrey A Whitsett
- Division of Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - David J Picketts
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1H 8L6 Departments of Biochemistry, Microbiology & Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1H 8M5
| | - Siew-Lan Ang
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, NIMR, The Ridgeway, London NW7 1AA, UK
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Dickkopf 3 Promotes the Differentiation of a Rostrolateral Midbrain Dopaminergic Neuronal Subset In Vivo and from Pluripotent Stem Cells In Vitro in the Mouse. J Neurosci 2015; 35:13385-401. [PMID: 26424886 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1722-15.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Wingless-related MMTV integration site 1 (WNT1)/β-catenin signaling plays a crucial role in the generation of mesodiencephalic dopaminergic (mdDA) neurons, including the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) subpopulation that preferentially degenerates in Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the precise functions of WNT1/β-catenin signaling in this context remain unknown. Stem cell-based regenerative (transplantation) therapies for PD have not been implemented widely in the clinical context, among other reasons because of the heterogeneity and incomplete differentiation of the transplanted cells. This might result in tumor formation and poor integration of the transplanted cells into the dopaminergic circuitry of the brain. Dickkopf 3 (DKK3) is a secreted glycoprotein implicated in the modulation of WNT/β-catenin signaling. Using mutant mice, primary ventral midbrain cells, and pluripotent stem cells, we show that DKK3 is necessary and sufficient for the correct differentiation of a rostrolateral mdDA neuron subset. Dkk3 transcription in the murine ventral midbrain coincides with the onset of mdDA neurogenesis and is required for the activation and/or maintenance of LMX1A (LIM homeobox transcription factor 1α) and PITX3 (paired-like homeodomain transcription factor 3) expression in the corresponding mdDA precursor subset, without affecting the proliferation or specification of their progenitors. Notably, the treatment of differentiating pluripotent stem cells with recombinant DKK3 and WNT1 proteins also increases the proportion of mdDA neurons with molecular SNc DA cell characteristics in these cultures. The specific effects of DKK3 on the differentiation of rostrolateral mdDA neurons in the murine ventral midbrain, together with its known prosurvival and anti-tumorigenic properties, make it a good candidate for the improvement of regenerative and neuroprotective strategies in the treatment of PD. Significance statement: We show here that Dickkopf 3 (DKK3), a secreted modulator of WNT (Wingless-related MMTV integration site)/β-catenin signaling, is both necessary and sufficient for the proper differentiation and survival of a rostrolateral (parabrachial pigmented nucleus and dorsomedial substantia nigra pars compacta) mesodiencephalic dopaminergic neuron subset, using Dkk3 mutant mice and murine primary ventral midbrain and pluripotent stem cells. The progressive loss of these dopamine-producing mesodiencephalic neurons is a hallmark of human Parkinson's disease, which can up to now not be halted by clinical treatments of this disease. Thus, the soluble DKK3 protein might be a promising new agent for the improvement of current protocols for the directed differentiation of pluripotent and multipotent stem cells into mesodiencephalic dopaminergic neurons and for the promotion of their survival in situ.
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Gazea M, Tasouri E, Tolve M, Bosch V, Kabanova A, Gojak C, Kurtulmus B, Novikov O, Spatz J, Pereira G, Hübner W, Brodski C, Tucker KL, Blaess S. Primary cilia are critical for Sonic hedgehog-mediated dopaminergic neurogenesis in the embryonic midbrain. Dev Biol 2015; 409:55-71. [PMID: 26542012 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2015.10.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2015] [Revised: 10/21/2015] [Accepted: 10/30/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Midbrain dopaminergic (mDA) neurons modulate various motor and cognitive functions, and their dysfunction or degeneration has been implicated in several psychiatric diseases. Both Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) and Wnt signaling pathways have been shown to be essential for normal development of mDA neurons. Primary cilia are critical for the development of a number of structures in the brain by serving as a hub for essential developmental signaling cascades, but their role in the generation of mDA neurons has not been examined. We analyzed mutant mouse lines deficient in the intraflagellar transport protein IFT88, which is critical for primary cilia function. Conditional inactivation of Ift88 in the midbrain after E9.0 results in progressive loss of primary cilia, a decreased size of the mDA progenitor domain, and a reduction in mDA neurons. We identified Shh signaling as the primary cause of these defects, since conditional inactivation of the Shh signaling pathway after E9.0, through genetic ablation of Gli2 and Gli3 in the midbrain, results in a phenotype basically identical to the one seen in Ift88 conditional mutants. Moreover, the expansion of the mDA progenitor domain observed when Shh signaling is constitutively activated does not occur in absence of Ift88. In contrast, clusters of Shh-responding progenitors are maintained in the ventral midbrain of the hypomorphic Ift88 mouse mutant, cobblestone. Despite the residual Shh signaling, the integrity of the mDA progenitor domain is severely disturbed, and consequently very few mDA neurons are generated in cobblestone mutants. Our results identify for the first time a crucial role of primary cilia in the induction of mDA progenitors, define a narrow time window in which Shh-mediated signaling is dependent upon normal primary cilia function for this purpose, and suggest that later Wnt signaling-dependent events act independently of primary cilia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Gazea
- Institute of Reconstructive Neurobiology, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Evangelia Tasouri
- Interdisciplinary Center for Neurosciences, University of Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marianna Tolve
- Institute of Reconstructive Neurobiology, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Viktoria Bosch
- Institute of Reconstructive Neurobiology, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Anna Kabanova
- Institute of Reconstructive Neurobiology, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Christian Gojak
- Department of Biophysical Chemistry, University of Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Department of New Materials and Biosystems, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Bahtiyar Kurtulmus
- Molecular Biology of Centrosomes and Cilia, German Cancer Research Center, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Orna Novikov
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Joachim Spatz
- Department of Biophysical Chemistry, University of Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Department of New Materials and Biosystems, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Gislene Pereira
- Molecular Biology of Centrosomes and Cilia, German Cancer Research Center, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Hübner
- Molecular Biophotonics, University of Bielefeld, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Claude Brodski
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Kerry L Tucker
- Interdisciplinary Center for Neurosciences, University of Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; University of New England, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Center for Excellence in the Neurosciences, Biddeford, ME 04005, USA.
| | - Sandra Blaess
- University of New England, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Center for Excellence in the Neurosciences, Biddeford, ME 04005, USA.
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Cell fate determination, neuronal maintenance and disease state: The emerging role of transcription factors Lmx1a and Lmx1b. FEBS Lett 2015; 589:3727-38. [PMID: 26526610 DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2015.10.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2015] [Revised: 10/06/2015] [Accepted: 10/15/2015] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
LIM-homeodomain (LIM-HD) proteins are evolutionary conserved developmental transcription factors. LIM-HD Lmx1a and Lmx1b orchestrate complex temporal and spatial gene expression of the dopaminergic pathway, and evidence shows they are also involved in adult neuronal homeostasis. In this review, the multiple roles played by Lmx1a and Lmx1b will be discussed. Controlled Lmx1a and Lmx1b expression and activities ensure the proper formation of critical signaling centers, including the embryonic ventral mesencephalon floor plate and sharp boundaries between lineage-specific cells. Lmx1a and Lmx1b expression persists in mature dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra pars compacta and the ventral tegmental area, and their role in the adult brain is beginning to be revealed. Notably, LMX1B expression was lower in brain tissue affected by Parkinson's disease. Actual and future applications of Lmx1a and Lmx1b transcription factors in stem cell production as well as in direct conversion of fibroblast into dopaminergic neurons are also discussed. A thorough understanding of the role of LMX1A and LMX1B in a number of disease states, including developmental diseases, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, could lead to significant benefits for human healthcare.
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68
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Sherf O, Nashelsky Zolotov L, Liser K, Tilleman H, Jovanovic VM, Zega K, Jukic MM, Brodski C. Otx2 Requires Lmx1b to Control the Development of Mesodiencephalic Dopaminergic Neurons. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0139697. [PMID: 26444681 PMCID: PMC4596855 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0139697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2015] [Accepted: 09/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Studying the development of mesodiencephalic dopaminergic (mdDA) neurons provides an important basis for better understanding dopamine-associated brain functions and disorders and is critical for establishing cell replacement therapy for Parkinson’s disease. The transcription factors Otx2 and Lmx1b play a key role in the development of mdDA neurons. However, little is known about the genes downstream of Otx2 and Lmx1b in the pathways controlling the formation of mdDA neurons in vivo. Here we report on our investigation of Lmx1b as downstream target of Otx2 in the formation of mdDA neurons. Mouse mutants expressing Otx2 under the control of the En1 promoter (En1+/Otx2) showed increased Otx2 expression in the mid-hindbrain region, resulting in upregulation of Lmx1b and expansion of mdDA neurons there. In contrast, Lmx1b-/- mice showed decreased expression of Otx2 and impairments in several aspects of mdDA neuronal formation. To study the functional interaction between Otx2 and Lmx1b, we generated compound mutants in which Otx2 expression was restored in mice lacking Lmx1b (En1+/Otx2;Lmx1b-/-). In these animals Otx2 was not sufficient to rescue any of the aberrations in the formation of mdDA neurons caused by the loss of Lmx1b, but rescued the loss of ocular motor neurons. Gene expression studies in Lmx1b-/- embryos indicated that in these mutants Wnt1, En1 and Fgf8 expression are induced but subsequently lost in the mdDA precursor domain and the mid-hindbrain organizer in a specific, spatio-temporal manner. In summary, we demonstrate that Otx2 critically depends on Lmx1b for the formation of mdDA neurons, but not for the generation of ocular motor neurons. Moreover, our data suggest that Lmx1b precisely maintains the expression pattern of Wnt1, Fgf8 and En1, which are essential for mid-hindbrain organizer function and the formation of mdDA neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orna Sherf
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be’erSheva 84105, Israel
| | - Limor Nashelsky Zolotov
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be’erSheva 84105, Israel
| | - Keren Liser
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be’erSheva 84105, Israel
| | - Hadas Tilleman
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be’erSheva 84105, Israel
| | - Vukasin M. Jovanovic
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be’erSheva 84105, Israel
| | - Ksenija Zega
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be’erSheva 84105, Israel
| | - Marin M. Jukic
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be’erSheva 84105, Israel
| | - Claude Brodski
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be’erSheva 84105, Israel
- * E-mail:
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69
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Cisbani G, Drouin-Ouellet J, Gibrat C, Saint-Pierre M, Lagacé M, Badrinarayanan S, Lavallée-Bourget M, Charest J, Chabrat A, Boivin L, Lebel M, Bousquet M, Lévesque M, Cicchetti F. Cystamine/cysteamine rescues the dopaminergic system and shows neurorestorative properties in an animal model of Parkinson's disease. Neurobiol Dis 2015; 82:430-444. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2015.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2015] [Revised: 07/08/2015] [Accepted: 07/22/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
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70
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Bodea GO, Blaess S. Establishing diversity in the dopaminergic system. FEBS Lett 2015; 589:3773-85. [PMID: 26431946 DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2015.09.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2015] [Revised: 09/13/2015] [Accepted: 09/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Midbrain dopaminergic neurons (MbDNs) modulate cognitive processes, regulate voluntary movement, and encode reward prediction errors and aversive stimuli. While the degeneration of MbDNs underlies the motor defects in Parkinson's disease, imbalances in dopamine levels are associated with neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression, schizophrenia and substance abuse. In recent years, progress has been made in understanding how MbDNs, which constitute a relatively small neuronal population in the brain, can contribute to such diverse functions and dysfunctions. In particular, important insights have been gained regarding the distinct molecular, neurochemical and network properties of MbDNs. How this diversity of MbDNs is established during brain development is only starting to be unraveled. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the diversity in MbDN progenitors and differentiated MbDNs in the developing rodent brain. We discuss the signaling pathways, transcription factors and transmembrane receptors that contribute to setting up these diverse MbDN subpopulations. A better insight into the processes that establish diversity in MbDNs will ultimately improve the understanding of the architecture and function of the dopaminergic system in the adult brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela O Bodea
- Mater Research Institute - University of Queensland, Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia; Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Sandra Blaess
- Institute of Reconstructive Neurobiology, Life and Brain Center, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
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71
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Tian C, Li Y, Huang Y, Wang Y, Chen D, Liu J, Deng X, Sun L, Anderson K, Qi X, Li Y, Lee Mosley R, Chen X, Huang J, Zheng JC. Selective Generation of Dopaminergic Precursors from Mouse Fibroblasts by Direct Lineage Conversion. Sci Rep 2015. [PMID: 26224135 PMCID: PMC4519786 DOI: 10.1038/srep12622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Degeneration of midbrain dopaminergic (DA) neurons is a key pathological event of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Limited adult dopaminergic neurogenesis has led to novel therapeutic strategies such as transplantation of dopaminergic precursors (DPs). However, this strategy is currently restrained by a lack of cell source, the tendency for the DPs to become a glial-restricted state, and the tumor formation after transplantation. Here, we demonstrate the direct conversion of mouse fibroblasts into induced DPs (iDPs) by ectopic expression of Brn2, Sox2 and Foxa2. Besides expression with neural progenitor markers and midbrain genes including Corin, Otx2 and Lmx1a, the iDPs were restricted to dopaminergic neuronal lineage upon differentiation. After transplantation into MPTP-lesioned mice, iDPs differentiated into DA neurons, functionally alleviated the motor deficits, and reduced the loss of striatal DA neuronal axonal termini. Importantly, no iDPs-derived astroctyes and neoplasia were detected in mouse brains after transplantation. We propose that the iDPs from direct reprogramming provides a safe and efficient cell source for PD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changhai Tian
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China.,Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience.,University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Yuju Li
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China.,Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience.,University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Yunlong Huang
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China.,Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience.,University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Yongxiang Wang
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience.,University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Dapeng Chen
- Department of Nephrology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, P. R. China
| | - Jinxu Liu
- Department of Emergency Medicine.,University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Xiaobei Deng
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Lijun Sun
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology.,University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Kristi Anderson
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience.,University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Xinrui Qi
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Yulong Li
- Department of Emergency Medicine.,University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - R Lee Mosley
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience.,University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Xiangmei Chen
- Department of Nephrology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, P. R. China
| | - Jian Huang
- Chinese National Human Genome Center at Shanghai, Shanghai 201203, P.R. China
| | - Jialin C Zheng
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China.,Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience.,Department of Pathology and Microbiology.,University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
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Niederkofler V, Asher TE, Dymecki SM. Functional Interplay between Dopaminergic and Serotonergic Neuronal Systems during Development and Adulthood. ACS Chem Neurosci 2015; 6:1055-1070. [PMID: 25747116 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.5b00021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The complex integration of neurotransmitter signals in the nervous system contributes to the shaping of behavioral and emotional constitutions throughout development. Imbalance among these signals may result in pathological behaviors and psychiatric illnesses. Therefore, a better understanding of the interplay between neurotransmitter systems holds potential to facilitate therapeutic development. Of particular clinical interest are the dopaminergic and serotonergic systems, as both modulate a broad array of behaviors and emotions and have been implicated in a wide range of affective disorders. Here we review evidence speaking to an interaction between the dopaminergic and serotonergic neuronal systems across development. We highlight data stemming from developmental, functional, and clinical studies, reflecting the importance of this transmonoaminergic interplay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vera Niederkofler
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Tedi E. Asher
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Susan M. Dymecki
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
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Abstract
ABSTRACT
Midbrain dopaminergic (mDA) neuron development has been an intense area of research during recent years. This is due in part to a growing interest in regenerative medicine and the hope that treatment for diseases affecting mDA neurons, such as Parkinson's disease (PD), might be facilitated by a better understanding of how these neurons are specified, differentiated and maintained in vivo. This knowledge might help to instruct efforts to generate mDA neurons in vitro, which holds promise not only for cell replacement therapy, but also for disease modeling and drug discovery. In this Primer, we will focus on recent developments in understanding the molecular mechanisms that regulate the development of mDA neurons in vivo, and how they have been used to generate human mDA neurons in vitro from pluripotent stem cells or from somatic cells via direct reprogramming. Current challenges and future avenues in the development of a regenerative medicine for PD will be identified and discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ernest Arenas
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Dept. Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Center of Developmental Biology for Regenerative Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm 171 77, Sweden
| | - Mark Denham
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Dept. Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Center of Developmental Biology for Regenerative Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm 171 77, Sweden
- Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience, Nordic EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus 8000, Denmark
| | - J. Carlos Villaescusa
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Dept. Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Center of Developmental Biology for Regenerative Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm 171 77, Sweden
- Institute of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno 61137, Czech Republic
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Morales-Garcia JA, Alonso-Gil S, Gil C, Martinez A, Santos A, Perez-Castillo A. Phosphodiesterase 7 inhibition induces dopaminergic neurogenesis in hemiparkinsonian rats. Stem Cells Transl Med 2015; 4:564-75. [PMID: 25925836 DOI: 10.5966/sctm.2014-0277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2014] [Accepted: 03/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Parkinson's disease is characterized by a loss of dopaminergic neurons in a specific brain region, the ventral midbrain. Parkinson's disease is diagnosed when approximately 50% of the dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) have degenerated and the others are already affected by the disease. Thus, it is conceivable that all therapeutic strategies, aimed at neuroprotection, start too late. Therefore, an urgent medical need exists to discover new pharmacological targets and novel drugs with disease-modifying properties. In this regard, modulation of endogenous adult neurogenesis toward a dopaminergic phenotype might provide a new strategy to target Parkinson's disease by partially ameliorating the dopaminergic cell loss that occurs in this disorder. We have previously shown that a phosphodiesterase 7 (PDE7) inhibitor, S14, exerts potent neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects in different rodent models of Parkinson's disease, indicating that this compound could represent a novel therapeutic agent to stop the dopaminergic cell loss that occurs during the progression of the disease. In this report we show that, in addition to its neuroprotective effect, the PDE7 inhibitor S14 is also able to induce endogenous neuroregenerative processes toward a dopaminergic phenotype. We describe a population of actively dividing cells that give rise to new neurons in the SNpc of hemiparkinsonian rats after treatment with S14. In conclusion, our data identify S14 as a novel regulator of dopaminergic neuron generation. SIGNIFICANCE Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the ventral midbrain. Currently, no cure and no effective disease-modifying therapy are available for Parkinson's disease; therefore, an urgent medical need exists to discover new pharmacological targets and novel drugs for the treatment of this disorder. The present study reports that an inhibitor of the enzyme phosphodiesterase 7 (S14) induces proliferation in vitro and in vivo of neural stem cells, promoting its differentiation toward a dopaminergic phenotype and therefore enhancing dopaminergic neuron generation. Because this drug is also able to confer neuroprotection of these cells in animal models of Parkinson's disease, S14 holds great promise as a therapeutic new strategy for this disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose A Morales-Garcia
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Medicina, UCM, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sandra Alonso-Gil
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Medicina, UCM, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmen Gil
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Medicina, UCM, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Martinez
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Medicina, UCM, Madrid, Spain
| | - Angel Santos
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Medicina, UCM, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Perez-Castillo
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Medicina, UCM, Madrid, Spain
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75
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Laguna A, Schintu N, Nobre A, Alvarsson A, Volakakis N, Jacobsen JK, Gómez-Galán M, Sopova E, Joodmardi E, Yoshitake T, Deng Q, Kehr J, Ericson J, Svenningsson P, Shupliakov O, Perlmann T. Dopaminergic control of autophagic-lysosomal function implicates Lmx1b in Parkinson's disease. Nat Neurosci 2015; 18:826-35. [PMID: 25915474 DOI: 10.1038/nn.4004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2015] [Accepted: 03/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The role of developmental transcription factors in maintenance of neuronal properties and in disease remains poorly understood. Lmx1a and Lmx1b are key transcription factors required for the early specification of ventral midbrain dopamine (mDA) neurons. Here we show that conditional ablation of Lmx1a and Lmx1b after mDA neuron specification resulted in abnormalities that show striking resemblance to early cellular abnormalities seen in Parkinson's disease. We found that Lmx1b was required for the normal execution of the autophagic-lysosomal pathway and for the integrity of dopaminergic nerve terminals and long-term mDA neuronal survival. Notably, human LMX1B expression was decreased in mDA neurons in brain tissue affected by Parkinson's disease. Thus, these results reveal a sustained and essential requirement of Lmx1b for the function of midbrain mDA neurons and suggest that its dysfunction is associated with Parkinson's disease pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariadna Laguna
- 1] Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Stockholm, Sweden. [2] Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. [3] Neurodegenerative Diseases Group, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute-CIBERNED, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Nicoletta Schintu
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - André Nobre
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Alexandra Alvarsson
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | | | - Marta Gómez-Galán
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Elena Sopova
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Takashi Yoshitake
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Qiaolin Deng
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jan Kehr
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Johan Ericson
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Per Svenningsson
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Oleg Shupliakov
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Thomas Perlmann
- 1] Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Stockholm, Sweden. [2] Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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76
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Anderegg A, Awatramani R. Making a mes: A transcription factor-microRNA pair governs the size of the midbrain and the dopaminergic progenitor pool. NEUROGENESIS 2015; 2:e998101. [PMID: 27502145 PMCID: PMC4973584 DOI: 10.1080/23262133.2014.998101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2014] [Revised: 12/04/2014] [Accepted: 12/10/2014] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Canonical Wnt signaling is critical for midbrain dopaminergic progenitor specification, proliferation, and neurogenesis. Yet mechanisms that control Wnt signaling remain to be fully elucidated. Wnt1 is a key ligand in the embryonic midbrain, and directs proliferation, survival, specification and neurogenesis. In a recent study, we reveal that the transcription factor Lmx1b promotes Wnt1/Wnt signaling, and dopaminergic progenitor expansion, consistent with earlier studies. Additionally, Lmx1b drives expression of a non-coding RNA called Rmst, which harbors miR135a2 in its last intron. miR135a2 in turn targets Lmx1b as well as several Wnt pathway targets. Conditional overexpression of miR135a2 in the midbrain, particularly during an early time, results in a decreased dopaminergic progenitor pool, and less dopaminergic neurons, consistent with decreased Wnt signaling. We propose a model in which Lmx1b and miR135a2 influence levels of Wnt1 and Wnt signaling, and expansion of the dopaminergic progenitor pool. Further loss of function experiments and biochemical validation of targets will be critical to verify this model. Wnt agonists have recently been utilized for programming stem cells toward a dopaminergic fate in vitro, highlighting the importance of agents that modulate the Wnt pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Anderegg
- Department of Neurology; Northwestern University ; Chicago, IL USA
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77
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Interaction between Oc-1 and Lmx1a promotes ventral midbrain dopamine neural stem cells differentiation into dopamine neurons. Brain Res 2015; 1608:40-50. [PMID: 25747864 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2015.02.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2014] [Revised: 02/23/2015] [Accepted: 02/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies have shown that Onecut (Oc) transcription factors may be involved in the early development of midbrain dopaminergic neurons (mdDA). The expression profile of Oc factors matches that of Lmx1a, an important intrinsic transcription factor in the development of mDA neuron. Moreover, the Wnt1-Lmx1a pathway controls the mdDA differentiation. However, their expression dynamics and molecular mechanisms remain to be determined. To address these issues, we hypothesize that cross-talk between Oc-1 and Lmx1a regulates the mdDA specification and differentiation through the canonical Wnt-β-catenin pathway. We found that Oc-1 and Lmx1a displayed a very similar expression profile from embryonic to adult ventral midbrain (VM) tissues. Oc-1 regulated the proliferation and differentiation of ventral midbrain neural stem cells (vmNSCs). Downregulation of Oc-1 decreased both transcript and protein level of Lmx1a. Oc-1 interacted with lmx1a in vmNSCs in vitro and in VM tissues in vivo. Knockdown of Lmx1a reduced the expression of Oc-1 and Wnt1 in vmNSCs. Inhibiting Wnt1 signaling in vmNSCs provoked similar responses. Our data suggested that Oc-1 interacts with Lmx1a to promote vmNSCs differentiation into dopamine neuron through Wnt1-Lmx1a pathway.
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78
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Blaess S, Ang SL. Genetic control of midbrain dopaminergic neuron development. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2015; 4:113-34. [PMID: 25565353 DOI: 10.1002/wdev.169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2014] [Revised: 10/31/2014] [Accepted: 11/16/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Midbrain dopaminergic neurons are involved in regulating motor control, reward behavior, and cognition. Degeneration or dysfunction of midbrain dopaminergic neurons is implicated in several neuropsychiatric disorders such as Parkinson's disease, substance use disorders, depression, and schizophrenia. Understanding the developmental processes that generate midbrain dopaminergic neurons will facilitate the generation of dopaminergic neurons from stem cells for cell replacement therapies to substitute degenerating cells in Parkinson's disease patients and will forward our understanding on how functional diversity of dopaminergic neurons in the adult brain is established. Midbrain dopaminergic neurons develop in a multistep process. Following the induction of the ventral midbrain, a distinct dopaminergic progenitor domain is specified and dopaminergic progenitors undergo proliferation, neurogenesis, and differentiation. Subsequently, midbrain dopaminergic neurons acquire a mature dopaminergic phenotype, migrate to their final position and establish projections and connections to their forebrain targets. This review will discuss insights gained on the signaling network of secreted molecules, cell surface receptors, and transcription factors that regulate specification and differentiation of midbrain dopaminergic progenitors and neurons, from the induction of the ventral midbrain to the migration of dopaminergic neurons. For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website. CONFLICT OF INTEREST The authors have declared no conflicts of interest for this article.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Blaess
- Institute of Reconstructive Neurobiology, Life and Brain Center, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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79
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Veenvliet JV, Smidt MP. Molecular mechanisms of dopaminergic subset specification: fundamental aspects and clinical perspectives. Cell Mol Life Sci 2014; 71:4703-27. [PMID: 25064061 PMCID: PMC11113784 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-014-1681-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2014] [Revised: 07/04/2014] [Accepted: 07/10/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the ventral mesodiencephalon control locomotion and emotion and are affected in psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease (PD). A clinical hallmark of PD is the specific degeneration of DA neurons located within the substantia nigra (SNc), whereas neurons in the ventral tegmental area remain unaffected. Recent advances have highlighted that the selective vulnerability of the SNc may originate in subset-specific molecular programming during DA neuron development, and significantly increased our understanding of the molecular code that drives specific SNc development. We here present an up-to-date overview of molecular mechanisms that direct DA subset specification, integrating our current knowledge about subset-specific roles of transcription factors, signaling pathways and morphogenes. We discuss strategies to further unravel subset-specific gene-regulatory networks, and the clinical promise of fundamental knowledge about subset specification of DA neurons, with regards to cell replacement therapy and cell-type-specific vulnerability in PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse V. Veenvliet
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Center for Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marten P. Smidt
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Center for Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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80
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Ganz J, Arie I, Buch S, Zur TB, Barhum Y, Pour S, Araidy S, Pitaru S, Offen D. Dopaminergic-like neurons derived from oral mucosa stem cells by developmental cues improve symptoms in the hemi-parkinsonian rat model. PLoS One 2014; 9:e100445. [PMID: 24945922 PMCID: PMC4063966 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0100445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2013] [Accepted: 05/28/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Achieving safe and readily accessible sources for cell replacement therapy in Parkinson’s disease (PD) is still a challenging unresolved issue. Recently, a primitive neural crest stem cell population (hOMSC) was isolated from the adult human oral mucosa and characterized in vitro and in vivo. In this study we assessed hOMSC ability to differentiate into dopamine-secreting cells with a neuronal-dopaminergic phenotype in vitro in response to dopaminergic developmental cues and tested their therapeutic potential in the hemi-Parkinsonian rat model. We found that hOMSC express constitutively a repertoire of neuronal and dopaminergic markers and pivotal transcription factors. Soluble developmental factors induced a reproducible neuronal-like morphology in the majority of hOMSC, downregulated stem cells markers, upregulated the expression of the neuronal and dopaminergic markers that resulted in dopamine release capabilities. Transplantation of these dopaminergic-induced hOMSC into the striatum of hemi-Parkinsonian rats improved their behavioral deficits as determined by amphetamine-induced rotational behavior, motor asymmetry and motor coordination tests. Human TH expressing cells and increased levels of dopamine in the transplanted hemispheres were observed 10 weeks after transplantation. These results demonstrate for the first time that soluble factors involved in the development of DA neurons, induced a DA phenotype in hOMSC in vitro that significantly improved the motor function of hemiparkinsonian rats. Based on their neural-related origin, their niche accessibility by minimal-invasive procedures and their propensity for DA differentiation, hOMSC emerge as an attractive tool for autologous cell replacement therapy in PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Ganz
- Neurosciences Laboratory, Felsenstein Medical Research Center-Rabin Medical Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Ina Arie
- Oral Biology Dept., School of Dental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Sigal Buch
- Oral Biology Dept., School of Dental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Tali Ben Zur
- Neurosciences Laboratory, Felsenstein Medical Research Center-Rabin Medical Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Yael Barhum
- Neurosciences Laboratory, Felsenstein Medical Research Center-Rabin Medical Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Sammy Pour
- Oral & Maxillofacial Dept., Baruch Padeh Medical Center, Poria, Lower Galilee, Israel
| | - Shareef Araidy
- Oral & Maxillofacial Dept., Baruch Padeh Medical Center, Poria, Lower Galilee, Israel
| | - Sandu Pitaru
- Oral Biology Dept., School of Dental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Daniel Offen
- Neurosciences Laboratory, Felsenstein Medical Research Center-Rabin Medical Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- * E-mail:
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81
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Bodea GO, Spille JH, Abe P, Andersson AS, Acker-Palmer A, Stumm R, Kubitscheck U, Blaess S. Reelin and CXCL12 regulate distinct migratory behaviors during the development of the dopaminergic system. Development 2014; 141:661-73. [PMID: 24449842 DOI: 10.1242/dev.099937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The proper functioning of the dopaminergic system requires the coordinated formation of projections extending from dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN), ventral tegmental area (VTA) and retrorubral field to a wide array of forebrain targets including the striatum, nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex. The mechanisms controlling the assembly of these distinct dopaminergic cell clusters are not well understood. Here, we have investigated in detail the migratory behavior of dopaminergic neurons giving rise to either the SN or the medial VTA using genetic inducible fate mapping, ultramicroscopy, time-lapse imaging, slice culture and analysis of mouse mutants. We demonstrate that neurons destined for the SN migrate first radially and then tangentially, whereas neurons destined for the medial VTA undergo primarily radial migration. We show that tangentially migrating dopaminergic neurons express the components of the reelin signaling pathway, whereas dopaminergic neurons in their initial, radial migration phase express CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4), the receptor for the chemokine CXC motif ligand 12 (CXCL12). Perturbation of reelin signaling interferes with the speed and orientation of tangentially, but not radially, migrating dopaminergic neurons and results in severe defects in the formation of the SN. By contrast, CXCR4/CXCL12 signaling modulates the initial migration of dopaminergic neurons. With this study, we provide the first molecular and functional characterization of the distinct migratory pathways taken by dopaminergic neurons destined for SN and VTA, and uncover mechanisms that regulate different migratory behaviors of dopaminergic neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Oana Bodea
- Institute of Reconstructive Neurobiology, Life and Brain Center, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Strasse 25, 53127 Bonn, Germany
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82
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Arenas E. Wnt signaling in midbrain dopaminergic neuron development and regenerative medicine for Parkinson's disease. J Mol Cell Biol 2014; 6:42-53. [DOI: 10.1093/jmcb/mju001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
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83
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Bae CJ, Park BY, Lee YH, Tobias JW, Hong CS, Saint-Jeannet JP. Identification of Pax3 and Zic1 targets in the developing neural crest. Dev Biol 2013; 386:473-83. [PMID: 24360908 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2013.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2013] [Revised: 10/07/2013] [Accepted: 12/10/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The neural crest (NC) is a multipotent population of migratory cells unique to the vertebrate embryo, contributing to the development of multiple organ systems. Transcription factors pax3 and zic1 are among the earliest genes activated in NC progenitors, and they are both necessary and sufficient to promote NC fate. In order to further characterize the function of these transcription factors during NC development we have used hormone inducible fusion proteins in a Xenopus animal cap assay, and DNA microarray to identify downstream targets of Pax3 and Zic1. Here we present the results of this screen and the initial validation of these targets using quantitative RT-PCR, in situ hybridization and morpholinos-mediated knockdown. Among the targets identified we found several well-characterized NC-specific genes, including snail2, foxd3, gbx2, twist, sox8 and sox9, which validate our approach. We also obtained several factors with no known function in Xenopus NC, which represent novel regulators of NC fate. The comprehensive characterization of Pax3 and Zic1 targets function in the NC gene regulatory network, are essential to understanding the mechanisms regulating the emergence of this important cell population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang-Joon Bae
- Department of Basic Science & Craniofacial Biology, College of Dentistry, New York University, New York, USA
| | - Byung-Yong Park
- Department of Anatomy, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Hoon Lee
- Department of Oral Anatomy, School of Dentistry & Institute of Oral Biosciences, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Republic of Korea
| | - John W Tobias
- Bioinformatics Group, Molecular Profiling Facility, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Chang-Soo Hong
- Department of Basic Science & Craniofacial Biology, College of Dentistry, New York University, New York, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Daegu University, Gyeongsan, Republic of Korea.
| | - Jean-Pierre Saint-Jeannet
- Department of Basic Science & Craniofacial Biology, College of Dentistry, New York University, New York, USA; Department of Animal Biology, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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84
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Anderegg A, Lin HP, Chen JA, Caronia-Brown G, Cherepanova N, Yun B, Joksimovic M, Rock J, Harfe BD, Johnson R, Awatramani R. An Lmx1b-miR135a2 regulatory circuit modulates Wnt1/Wnt signaling and determines the size of the midbrain dopaminergic progenitor pool. PLoS Genet 2013; 9:e1003973. [PMID: 24348261 PMCID: PMC3861205 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1003973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2012] [Accepted: 10/09/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs regulate gene expression in diverse physiological scenarios. Their role in the control of morphogen related signaling pathways has been less studied, particularly in the context of embryonic Central Nervous System (CNS) development. Here, we uncover a role for microRNAs in limiting the spatiotemporal range of morphogen expression and function. Wnt1 is a key morphogen in the embryonic midbrain, and directs proliferation, survival, patterning and neurogenesis. We reveal an autoregulatory negative feedback loop between the transcription factor Lmx1b and a newly characterized microRNA, miR135a2, which modulates the extent of Wnt1/Wnt signaling and the size of the dopamine progenitor domain. Conditional gain of function studies reveal that Lmx1b promotes Wnt1/Wnt signaling, and thereby increases midbrain size and dopamine progenitor allocation. Conditional removal of Lmx1b has the opposite effect, in that expansion of the dopamine progenitor domain is severely compromised. Next, we provide evidence that microRNAs are involved in restricting dopamine progenitor allocation. Conditional loss of Dicer1 in embryonic stem cells (ESCs) results in expanded Lmx1a/b+ progenitors. In contrast, forced elevation of miR135a2 during an early window in vivo phenocopies the Lmx1b conditional knockout. When En1::Cre, but not Shh::Cre or Nes::Cre, is used for recombination, the expansion of Lmx1a/b+ progenitors is selectively reduced. Bioinformatics and luciferase assay data suggests that miR135a2 targets Lmx1b and many genes in the Wnt signaling pathway, including Ccnd1, Gsk3b, and Tcf7l2. Consistent with this, we demonstrate that this mutant displays reductions in the size of the Lmx1b/Wnt1 domain and range of canonical Wnt signaling. We posit that microRNA modulation of the Lmx1b/Wnt axis in the early midbrain/isthmus could determine midbrain size and allocation of dopamine progenitors. Since canonical Wnt activity has recently been recognized as a key ingredient for programming ESCs towards a dopaminergic fate in vitro, these studies could impact the rational design of such protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Anderegg
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Neurology and Center for Genetic Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Hsin-Pin Lin
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Neurology and Center for Genetic Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Jun-An Chen
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Giuliana Caronia-Brown
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Neurology and Center for Genetic Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Natalya Cherepanova
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Neurology and Center for Genetic Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Beth Yun
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Neurology and Center for Genetic Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Milan Joksimovic
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Neurology and Center for Genetic Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Jason Rock
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Brian D. Harfe
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Randy Johnson
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Rajeshwar Awatramani
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Neurology and Center for Genetic Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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85
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Wurst W, Prakash N. Wnt1-regulated genetic networks in midbrain dopaminergic neuron development. J Mol Cell Biol 2013; 6:34-41. [DOI: 10.1093/jmcb/mjt046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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86
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Hong S, Chung S, Leung K, Hwang I, Moon J, Kim KS. Functional roles of Nurr1, Pitx3, and Lmx1a in neurogenesis and phenotype specification of dopamine neurons during in vitro differentiation of embryonic stem cells. Stem Cells Dev 2013; 23:477-87. [PMID: 24172139 DOI: 10.1089/scd.2013.0406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
To elucidate detailed functional mechanisms of key fate-determining transcription factors (eg, Nurr1, Pitx3, and Lmx1a) and their functional interplay for midbrain dopamine (mDA) neurons, we developed highly efficient gain-of-function system by transducing the neural progenitors (NPs) derived from embryonic stem cells (ESCs) with retroviral vectors, allowing the analysis of downstream molecular and cellular effects. Overexpression of each factors, Nurr1, Pitx3, and Lmx1a robustly promoted the dopaminergic differentiation of ESC-NP cells exposed to sonic hedgehog (SHH) and fibroblast growth factor 8 (FGF8). In addition, each of these factors directly interacts with potential binding sites within the tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) gene and activated its promoter activity. Interestingly, however, overexpression of Nurr1, but not of Pitx3 or Lmx1a, generated a significant number of nonneuronal TH-positive cells. In line with this, Pitx3 and Lmx1a, but not Nurr1, induced expression of the Ngn2 gene, which is critical for neurogenesis. We also observed that Pitx3 directly bound to its potential binding sites within the Ngn2 gene and the pan-neuronal marker β-tubulin III gene, suggesting that Pitx3 contributes to mDA neurogenesis by directly regulating these genes. Taken together, our data demonstrate that key mDA regulators (Nurr1, Pitx3, and Lmx1a) play overlapping as well as distinct roles during neurogenesis and neurotransmitter phenotype determination of mDA neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunghoi Hong
- 1 Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Program in Neuroscience, McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School , Belmont, Massachusetts
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87
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Joksimovic M, Awatramani R. Wnt/ -catenin signaling in midbrain dopaminergic neuron specification and neurogenesis. J Mol Cell Biol 2013; 6:27-33. [DOI: 10.1093/jmcb/mjt043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
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88
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Burzynski GM, Reed X, Maragh S, Matsui T, McCallion AS. Integration of genomic and functional approaches reveals enhancers at LMX1A and LMX1B. Mol Genet Genomics 2013; 288:579-89. [PMID: 23942840 PMCID: PMC3812808 DOI: 10.1007/s00438-013-0771-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2012] [Accepted: 07/25/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
LMX1A and LMX1B encode two closely related members of the LIM homeobox family of transcription factors. These genes play significant, and frequently overlapping, roles in the development of many structures in the nervous system, including the cerebellum, hindbrain, spinal cord roof plate, sensory systems and dopaminergic midbrain neurons. Little is known about the cis-acting regulatory elements (REs) that dictate their temporal and spatial expression or about the regulatory landscape surrounding them. The availability of comparative sequence data and the advent of genomic technologies such as ChIP-seq have revolutionized our capacity to identify regulatory sequences like enhancers. Despite this wealth of data, the vast majority of loci lack any significant in vivo functional exploration of their non-coding regions. We have completed a significant functional screen of conserved non-coding sequences (putative REs) scattered across these critical human loci, assaying the temporal and spatial control using zebrafish transgenesis. We first identify and describe the LMX1A paralogs lmx1a and lmx1a-like, comparing their expression during embryogenesis with that in mammals, along with lmx1ba and lmx1bb genes. Consistent with their prominent neuronal expression, 47/71 sequences selected within and flanking LMX1A and LMX1B exert spatial control of reporter expression in the central nervous system (CNS) of mosaic zebrafish embryos. Upon germline transmission, we identify CNS reporter expression in multiple independent founders for 22 constructs (LMX1A, n = 17; LMX1B, n = 5). The identified enhancers display significant overlap in their spatial control and represent only a fraction of the conserved non-coding sequences at these critical genes. Our data reveal the abundance of regulatory instruction located near these developmentally important genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grzegorz M. Burzynski
- McKusick–Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Xylena Reed
- McKusick–Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Predoctoral Training Program in Human Genetics, McKusick – Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Samantha Maragh
- McKusick–Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Predoctoral Training Program in Human Genetics, McKusick – Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Biochemical Science Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA
| | - Takeshi Matsui
- McKusick–Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Andrew S. McCallion
- McKusick–Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
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89
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Lakhina V, Subramanian L, Huilgol D, Shetty AS, Vaidya VA, Tole S. Seizure evoked regulation of LIM-HD genes and co-factors in the postnatal and adult hippocampus. F1000Res 2013; 2:205. [PMID: 25110573 PMCID: PMC4111125 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.2-205.v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/01/2013] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The LIM-homeodomain (LIM-HD) family of transcription factors is well known for its functions during several developmental processes including cell fate specification, cell migration and axon guidance, and its members play fundamental roles in hippocampal development. The hippocampus is a structure that displays striking activity dependent plasticity. We examined whether LIM-HD genes and their co-factors are regulated during kainic acid induced seizure in the adult rat hippocampus as well as in early postnatal rats, when the hippocampal circuitry is not fully developed. We report a distinct and field-specific regulation of LIM-HD genes
Lhx1,Lhx2, and
Lhx9, LIM-only gene
Lmo4, and cofactor
Clim1a in the adult hippocampus after seizure induction. In contrast none of these genes displayed altered levels upon induction of seizure in postnatal animals. Our results provide evidence of temporal and spatial seizure mediated regulation of LIM-HD family members and suggest that LIM-HD gene function may be involved in activity dependent plasticity in the adult hippocampus
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanisha Lakhina
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India ; Current affiliation: Lewis Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, NJ, USA
| | - Lakshmi Subramanian
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India ; Current affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Dhananjay Huilgol
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India ; Current affiliation: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, NY, USA
| | - Ashwin S Shetty
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India
| | - Vidita A Vaidya
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India
| | - Shubha Tole
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India
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90
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Hoekstra EJ, von Oerthel L, van der Heide LP, Kouwenhoven WM, Veenvliet JV, Wever I, Jin YR, Yoon JK, van der Linden AJA, Holstege FCP, Groot Koerkamp MJ, Smidt MP. Lmx1a encodes a rostral set of mesodiencephalic dopaminergic neurons marked by the Wnt/B-catenin signaling activator R-spondin 2. PLoS One 2013; 8:e74049. [PMID: 24066094 PMCID: PMC3774790 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0074049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2013] [Accepted: 07/25/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent developments in molecular programming of mesodiencephalic dopaminergic (mdDA) neurons have led to the identification of many transcription factors playing a role in mdDA specification. LIM homeodomain transcription factor Lmx1a is essential for chick mdDA development, and for the efficient differentiation of ES-cells towards a dopaminergic phenotype. In this study, we aimed towards a more detailed understanding of the subtle phenotype in Lmx1a-deficient (dreher) mice, by means of gene expression profiling. Transcriptome analysis was performed, to elucidate the exact molecular programming underlying the neuronal deficits after loss of Lmx1a. Subsequent expression analysis on brain sections, confirmed that Nurr1 is regulated by Lmx1a, and additional downstream targets were identified, like Pou4f1, Pbx1, Pitx2, C130021l20Rik, Calb2 and Rspo2. In line with a specific, rostral-lateral (prosomer 2/3) loss of expression of most of these genes during development, Nurr1 and C130021l20Rik were affected in the SNc of the mature mdDA system. Interestingly, this deficit was marked by the complete loss of the Wnt/b-catenin signaling activator Rspo2 in this domain. Subsequent analysis of Rspo2-/- embryos revealed affected mdDA neurons, partially phenocopying the Lmx1a mutant. To conclude, our study revealed that Lmx1a is essential for a rostral-lateral subset of the mdDA neuronal field, where it might serve a critical function in modulating proliferation and differentiation of mdDA progenitors through the regulation of the Wnt activator Rspo2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa J. Hoekstra
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Lars von Oerthel
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Lars P. van der Heide
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Jesse V. Veenvliet
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Iris Wever
- Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Yong-Ri Jin
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Maine Medical Center Research Institute, Maine, United States of America
| | - Jeong K. Yoon
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Maine Medical Center Research Institute, Maine, United States of America
| | - Annemarie J. A. van der Linden
- Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Frank C. P. Holstege
- Molecular Cancer Research, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Marten P. Smidt
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- * E-mail:
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91
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Foxa1 and foxa2 are required for the maintenance of dopaminergic properties in ventral midbrain neurons at late embryonic stages. J Neurosci 2013; 33:8022-34. [PMID: 23637192 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.4774-12.2013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The maintained expression of transcription factors throughout the development of mesodiencephalic dopaminergic (mDA) neurons suggests multiple roles at various stages in development. Two members of the forkhead/winged helix transcription factor family, Foxa1 and Foxa2, have been recently shown to have an important influence in the early development of mDA neurons. Here we present data demonstrating that these genes are also involved in the later maintenance of the mDA system. We conditionally removed both genes in postmitotic mDA neurons using the dopamine transporter-cre mouse. Deletion of both Foxa1 and Foxa2 resulted in a significant reduction in the number of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive mDA neurons. The decrease was predominantly observed in the substantia nigra region of the mDA system, which led to a loss of TH+ fibers innervating the striatum. Further analysis demonstrated that the reduction in the number of TH+ cells in the mutant mice was not due to apoptosis or cell-fate change. Using reporter mouse lines, we found that the mDA neurons were still present in the ventral midbrain, but that they had lost much of their dopaminergic phenotype. The majority of these neurons remained in the ventral mesencephalon until at least 18 months of age. Chromatin immunoprecipitation suggested that the loss of the mDA phenotype is due to a reduction in the binding of the nuclear orphan receptor, Nurr-1 to the promoter region of TH. These results extend previous findings and demonstrate a later role for Foxa genes in regulating the maintenance of dopaminergic phenotype in mDA neurons.
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92
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Yan R, Huang T, Xie Z, Xia G, Qian H, Zhao X, Cheng L. Lmx1b controls peptide phenotypes in serotonergic and dopaminergic neurons. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2013; 45:345-52. [PMID: 23532063 DOI: 10.1093/abbs/gmt023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Serotonin (5-HT) neurons synthesize a variety of peptides. How these peptides are controlled during development remains unclear. It has been reported that the co-localization of peptides and 5-HT varies by species. In contrast to the situations in the rostral 5-HT neurons of human and rat brains, several peptides do not coexist with 5-HT in the rostral 5-HT neurons of mouse brain. In this study, we found that the peptide substance P and peptide genes, including those encoding peptides thyrotropin-releasing hormone, enkephalin, and calcitonin gene-related peptide, were expressed in the caudal 5-HT neurons of mouse brain; these findings are in line with observations in rat and monkey 5-HT neurons. We also revealed that these peptides/peptide genes partially overlapped with the transcription factor Lmx1b that specifies the 5-HT cell fate. Furthermore, we found that the peptide cholecystokinin was expressed in developing dopaminergic neurons and greatly overlapped with Lmx1b that specifies the dopaminergic cell fate. By examining the phenotype of Lmx1b deletion mice, we found that Lmx1b was required for the expression of above peptides expressed in 5-HT or dopaminergic neurons. Together, our results indicate that Lmx1b, a key transcription factor for the specification of 5-HT and dopaminergic transmitter phenotypes during embryogenesis, determines some peptide phenotypes in these neurons as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Yan
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
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93
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Midbrain dopaminergic neurons: a review of the molecular circuitry that regulates their development. Dev Biol 2013; 379:123-38. [PMID: 23603197 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2013.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2013] [Revised: 03/27/2013] [Accepted: 04/12/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Dopaminergic (DA) neurons of the ventral midbrain (VM) play vital roles in the regulation of voluntary movement, emotion and reward. They are divided into the A8, A9 and A10 subgroups. The development of the A9 group of DA neurons is an area of intense investigation to aid the generation of these neurons from stem cell sources for cell transplantation approaches to Parkinson's disease (PD). This review discusses the molecular processes that are involved in the identity, specification, maturation, target innervation and survival of VM DA neurons during development. The complex molecular interactions of a number of genetic pathways are outlined, as well as recent advances in the mechanisms that regulate subset identity within the VM DA neuronal pool. A thorough understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the development of VM DA neurons will greatly facilitate the use of cell replacement therapy for the treatment of PD.
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94
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Song L, Liu P, Han C, Liu Y, Zou W, Piao H, Wang Y, Liu J. A novel approach to facilitate dopaminergic neuron generation from stem-cells: The combination of genetic modification and signaling factors within a three-dimensional perfusion microbioreactor. Med Hypotheses 2013; 80:407-10. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2012.12.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2012] [Revised: 12/04/2012] [Accepted: 12/29/2012] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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95
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Cocaine modulates the expression of transcription factors related to the dopaminergic system in zebrafish. Neuroscience 2013; 231:258-71. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2012.11.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2012] [Revised: 11/13/2012] [Accepted: 11/28/2012] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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96
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LMX1B is part of a transcriptional complex with PSPC1 and PSF. PLoS One 2013; 8:e53122. [PMID: 23308148 PMCID: PMC3537735 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0053122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2012] [Accepted: 11/22/2012] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The LIM homeodomain transcription factor Lmx1b is essential for the development of the isthmic organizer and mesodiencephalic dopaminergic neurons. The uncoupling of Pitx3 and Th expression, in the Lmx1b null mutant, suggests that Lmx1b may act as a positional activator of the mdDA domain, eventually leading to properly differentiating mdDA neurons. In this study, we aimed to elucidate how Lmx1b functions mechanistically in this developmental process, by searching for molecular interactors of Lmx1b at the protein level. Initially, affinity-purification of LMX1B-HIS overexpressed protein in MN9D dopaminergic cells followed by mass-spectrometry analysis, resulted in the identification of PSPC1 protein as a possible binding partner of LMX1B. Subsequent immunoprecipitation experiments revealed an interaction between LMX1B and PSPC1 in a larger protein complex also containing PSF. This complex was observed in vitro and in vivo, and we hypothesize that, via PSF and PSPC1, LMX1B may be part of the previously identified Nurr1 transcriptional complex wherein interaction with the co-repressor PSF and the transcription factor Pitx3 is needed to drive expression of Nurr1 target genes in specifying the dopaminergic phenotype. Furthermore, we identified GRLF1, DHX9, MYO1C, HSP70 and TMPO as potential LMX1B interactors. DHX9 and GRLF1 are highly expressed in the developing mdDA neuronal field, and GRLF1 and MYO1C have both been linked to neurite outgrowth. The identification of these proteins suggests that Lmx1b may act directly in the transcriptional activation of Nurr1 target genes and be involved in other processes like neurite outgrowth as well.
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97
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Nissim-Eliraz E, Zisman S, Schatz O, Ben-Arie N. Nato3 Integrates with the Shh-Foxa2 Transcriptional Network Regulating the Differentiation of Midbrain Dopaminergic Neurons. J Mol Neurosci 2012; 51:13-27. [DOI: 10.1007/s12031-012-9939-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2012] [Accepted: 12/06/2012] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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98
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Rabe TI, Griesel G, Blanke S, Kispert A, Leitges M, van der Zwaag B, Burbach JPH, Varoqueaux F, Mansouri A. The transcription factor Uncx4.1 acts in a short window of midbrain dopaminergic neuron differentiation. Neural Dev 2012; 7:39. [PMID: 23217170 PMCID: PMC3558320 DOI: 10.1186/1749-8104-7-39] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2012] [Accepted: 11/13/2012] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The homeobox containing transcription factor Uncx4.1 is, amongst others, expressed in the mouse midbrain. The early expression of this transcription factor in the mouse, as well as in the chick midbrain, points to a conserved function of Uncx4.1, but so far a functional analysis in this brain territory is missing. The goal of the current study was to analyze in which midbrain neuronal subgroups Uncx4.1 is expressed and to examine whether this factor plays a role in the early development of these neuronal subgroups. Results We have shown that Uncx4.1 is expressed in GABAergic, glutamatergic and dopaminergic neurons in the mouse midbrain. In midbrain dopaminergic (mDA) neurons Uncx4.1 expression is particularly high around E11.5 and strongly diminished already at E17.5. The analysis of knockout mice revealed that the loss of Uncx4.1 is accompanied with a 25% decrease in the population of mDA neurons, as marked by tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), dopamine transporter (DAT), Pitx3 and Ngn2. In contrast, the number of glutamatergic Pax6-positive cells was augmented, while the GABAergic neuron population appears not affected in Uncx4.1-deficient embryos. Conclusion We conclude that Uncx4.1 is implicated in the development of mDA neurons where it displays a unique temporal expression profile in the early postmitotic stage. Our data indicate that the mechanism underlying the role of Uncx4.1 in mDA development is likely related to differentiation processes in postmitotic stages, and where Ngn2 is engaged. Moreover, Uncx4.1 might play an important role during glutamatergic neuronal differentiation in the mouse midbrain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara I Rabe
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Max Planck Institute of Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, Goettingen, 37077, Germany
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99
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Mutanlallemand (mtl) and Belly Spot and Deafness (bsd) are two new mutations of Lmx1a causing severe cochlear and vestibular defects. PLoS One 2012; 7:e51065. [PMID: 23226461 PMCID: PMC3511360 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0051065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2012] [Accepted: 10/29/2012] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutanlallemand (mtl) and Belly Spot and Deafness (bsd) are two new spontaneous alleles of the Lmx1a gene in mice. Homozygous mutants show head tossing and circling behaviour, indicative of vestibular defects, and they have short tails and white belly patches of variable size. The analysis of auditory brainstem responses (ABR) showed that mtl and bsd homozygotes are deaf, whereas heterozygous and wildtype littermates have normal hearing. Paint-filled inner ears at E16.5 revealed that mtl and bsd homozygotes lack endolymphatic ducts and semicircular canals and have short cochlear ducts. These new alleles show similarities with dreher (Lmx1a) mutants. Complementation tests between mtl and dreher and between mtl and bsd suggest that mtl and bsd are new mutant alleles of the Lmx1a gene. To determine the Lmx1a mutation in mtl and bsd mutant mice we performed PCR followed by sequencing of genomic DNA and cDNA. The mtl mutation is a single point mutation in the 3′ splice site of exon 4 leading to an exon extension and the activation of a cryptic splice site 44 base pairs downstream, whereas the bsd mutation is a genomic deletion that includes exon 3. Both mutations lead to a truncated LMX1A protein affecting the homeodomain (mtl) or LIM2-domain (bsd), which is critical for LMX1A protein function. Moreover, the levels of Lmx1a transcript in mtl and bsd mutants are significantly down-regulated. Hmx2/3 and Pax2 expression are also down-regulated in mtl and bsd mutants, suggesting a role of Lmx1a upstream of these transcription factors in early inner ear morphogenesis. We have found that these mutants develop sensory patches although they are misshapen. The characterization of these two new Lmx1a alleles highlights the critical role of this gene in the development of the cochlea and vestibular system.
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100
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Hoekstra EJ, von Oerthel L, van der Linden AJA, Schellevis RD, Scheppink G, Holstege FCP, Groot-Koerkamp MJ, van der Heide LP, Smidt MP. Lmx1a is an activator of Rgs4 and Grb10 and is responsible for the correct specification of rostral and medial mdDA neurons. Eur J Neurosci 2012; 37:23-32. [PMID: 23106268 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2012] [Revised: 09/12/2012] [Accepted: 09/13/2012] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The LIM homeodomain transcription factor Lmx1a is a very potent inducer of stem cells towards dopaminergic neurons. Despite several studies on the function of this gene, the exact in vivo role of Lmx1a in mesodiencephalic dopamine (mdDA) neuronal specification is still not understood. To analyse the genes functioning downstream of Lmx1a, we performed expression microarray analysis of LMX1A-overexpressing MN9D dopaminergic cells. Several interesting regulated genes were identified, based on their regulation in other previously generated expression arrays and on their expression pattern in the developing mdDA neuronal field. Post analysis through in vivo expression analysis in Lmx1a mouse mutant (dr/dr) embryos demonstrated a clear decrease in expression of the genes Grb10 and Rgs4, in and adjacent to the rostral and dorsal mdDA neuronal field and within the Lmx1a expression domain. Interestingly, the DA marker Vmat2 was significantly up-regulated as a consequence of increased LMX1A dose, and subsequent analysis on Lmx1a-mutant E14.5 and adult tissue revealed a significant decrease in Vmat2 expression in mdDA neurons. Taken together, microarray analysis of an LMX1A-overexpression cell system resulted in the identification of novel direct or indirect downstream targets of Lmx1a in mdDA neurons: Grb10, Rgs4 and Vmat2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa J Hoekstra
- Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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