151
|
RNA Localization and Local Translation in Glia in Neurological and Neurodegenerative Diseases: Lessons from Neurons. Cells 2021; 10:cells10030632. [PMID: 33809142 PMCID: PMC8000831 DOI: 10.3390/cells10030632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell polarity is crucial for almost every cell in our body to establish distinct structural and functional domains. Polarized cells have an asymmetrical morphology and therefore their proteins need to be asymmetrically distributed to support their function. Subcellular protein distribution is typically achieved by localization peptides within the protein sequence. However, protein delivery to distinct cellular compartments can rely, not only on the transport of the protein itself but also on the transport of the mRNA that is then translated at target sites. This phenomenon is known as local protein synthesis. Local protein synthesis relies on the transport of mRNAs to subcellular domains and their translation to proteins at target sites by the also localized translation machinery. Neurons and glia specially depend upon the accurate subcellular distribution of their proteome to fulfil their polarized functions. In this sense, local protein synthesis has revealed itself as a crucial mechanism that regulates proper protein homeostasis in subcellular compartments. Thus, deregulation of mRNA transport and/or of localized translation can lead to neurological and neurodegenerative diseases. Local translation has been more extensively studied in neurons than in glia. In this review article, we will summarize the state-of-the art research on local protein synthesis in neuronal function and dysfunction, and we will discuss the possibility that local translation in glia and deregulation thereof contributes to neurological and neurodegenerative diseases.
Collapse
|
152
|
Preman P, Alfonso-Triguero M, Alberdi E, Verkhratsky A, Arranz AM. Astrocytes in Alzheimer's Disease: Pathological Significance and Molecular Pathways. Cells 2021; 10:540. [PMID: 33806259 PMCID: PMC7999452 DOI: 10.3390/cells10030540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes perform a wide variety of essential functions defining normal operation of the nervous system and are active contributors to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's among others. Recent data provide compelling evidence that distinct astrocyte states are associated with specific stages of Alzheimer´s disease. The advent of transcriptomics technologies enables rapid progress in the characterisation of such pathological astrocyte states. In this review, we provide an overview of the origin, main functions, molecular and morphological features of astrocytes in physiological as well as pathological conditions related to Alzheimer´s disease. We will also explore the main roles of astrocytes in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer´s disease and summarize main transcriptional changes and altered molecular pathways observed in astrocytes during the course of the disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pranav Preman
- VIB Center for Brain & Disease Research, 3000 Leuven, Belgium;
- Laboratory for the Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven (University of Leuven), 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Maria Alfonso-Triguero
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, 48940 Leioa, Spain; (M.A.-T.); (E.A.)
- Department of Neurosciences, Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Spain
| | - Elena Alberdi
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, 48940 Leioa, Spain; (M.A.-T.); (E.A.)
- Department of Neurosciences, Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 48940 Leioa, Spain
| | - Alexei Verkhratsky
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, 48940 Leioa, Spain; (M.A.-T.); (E.A.)
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
- Ikerbasque Basque Foundation for Science, 48009 Bilbao, Spain
| | - Amaia M. Arranz
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, 48940 Leioa, Spain; (M.A.-T.); (E.A.)
- Ikerbasque Basque Foundation for Science, 48009 Bilbao, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
153
|
Escartin C, Galea E, Lakatos A, O'Callaghan JP, Petzold GC, Serrano-Pozo A, Steinhäuser C, Volterra A, Carmignoto G, Agarwal A, Allen NJ, Araque A, Barbeito L, Barzilai A, Bergles DE, Bonvento G, Butt AM, Chen WT, Cohen-Salmon M, Cunningham C, Deneen B, De Strooper B, Díaz-Castro B, Farina C, Freeman M, Gallo V, Goldman JE, Goldman SA, Götz M, Gutiérrez A, Haydon PG, Heiland DH, Hol EM, Holt MG, Iino M, Kastanenka KV, Kettenmann H, Khakh BS, Koizumi S, Lee CJ, Liddelow SA, MacVicar BA, Magistretti P, Messing A, Mishra A, Molofsky AV, Murai KK, Norris CM, Okada S, Oliet SHR, Oliveira JF, Panatier A, Parpura V, Pekna M, Pekny M, Pellerin L, Perea G, Pérez-Nievas BG, Pfrieger FW, Poskanzer KE, Quintana FJ, Ransohoff RM, Riquelme-Perez M, Robel S, Rose CR, Rothstein JD, Rouach N, Rowitch DH, Semyanov A, Sirko S, Sontheimer H, Swanson RA, Vitorica J, Wanner IB, Wood LB, Wu J, Zheng B, Zimmer ER, Zorec R, Sofroniew MV, Verkhratsky A. Reactive astrocyte nomenclature, definitions, and future directions. Nat Neurosci 2021; 24:312-325. [PMID: 33589835 PMCID: PMC8007081 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-020-00783-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1098] [Impact Index Per Article: 366.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Reactive astrocytes are astrocytes undergoing morphological, molecular, and functional remodeling in response to injury, disease, or infection of the CNS. Although this remodeling was first described over a century ago, uncertainties and controversies remain regarding the contribution of reactive astrocytes to CNS diseases, repair, and aging. It is also unclear whether fixed categories of reactive astrocytes exist and, if so, how to identify them. We point out the shortcomings of binary divisions of reactive astrocytes into good-vs-bad, neurotoxic-vs-neuroprotective or A1-vs-A2. We advocate, instead, that research on reactive astrocytes include assessment of multiple molecular and functional parameters-preferably in vivo-plus multivariate statistics and determination of impact on pathological hallmarks in relevant models. These guidelines may spur the discovery of astrocyte-based biomarkers as well as astrocyte-targeting therapies that abrogate detrimental actions of reactive astrocytes, potentiate their neuro- and glioprotective actions, and restore or augment their homeostatic, modulatory, and defensive functions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carole Escartin
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, MIRCen, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.
| | - Elena Galea
- Institut de Neurociències and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Unitat de Bioquímica de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
- ICREA, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - András Lakatos
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair and Division of Stem Cell Neurobiology, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Wellcome Trust-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - James P O'Callaghan
- Health Effects Laboratory Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Gabor C Petzold
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
- Division of Vascular Neurology, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Alberto Serrano-Pozo
- Alzheimer Research Unit, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Christian Steinhäuser
- Institute of Cellular Neurosciences, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Andrea Volterra
- Department of Fundamental Neuroscience, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Giorgio Carmignoto
- Neuroscience Institute, Italian National Research Council (CNR), Padua, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Amit Agarwal
- The Chica and Heinz Schaller Research Group, Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nicola J Allen
- Salk Institute for Biological Studies, Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Alfonso Araque
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | | | - Ari Barzilai
- Department of Neurobiology, George S. Wise, Faculty of Life Sciences and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Dwight E Bergles
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Gilles Bonvento
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, MIRCen, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Arthur M Butt
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Science, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK
| | - Wei-Ting Chen
- Center for Brain and Disease Research, VIB and University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Martine Cohen-Salmon
- 'Physiology and Physiopathology of the Gliovascular Unit' Research Group, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), College de France, Unité Mixte de Recherche 7241 CNRS, Unité1050 INSERM, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Colm Cunningham
- Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute & Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, School of Biochemistry & Immunology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Republic of Ireland
| | - Benjamin Deneen
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Bart De Strooper
- Center for Brain and Disease Research, VIB and University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- UK Dementia Research Institute at the University College London, London, UK
| | - Blanca Díaz-Castro
- UK Dementia Research Institute at the University of Edinburgh, Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Cinthia Farina
- Institute of Experimental Neurology (INSpe) and Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Vittorio Gallo
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Research Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - James E Goldman
- Department of Pathology & Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Steven A Goldman
- University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Copenhagen Faculty of Health and Medical Science and Rigshospitalet, Kobenhavn N, Denmark
| | - Magdalena Götz
- Physiological Genomics, Biomedical Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet & Institute of Stem Cell Research, Helmholtz Center Munich, Munich, Germany
- Synergy, Excellence Cluster of Systems Neurology, Biomedical Center, Munich, Germany
| | - Antonia Gutiérrez
- Dpto. Biología Celular, Genética y Fisiología, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga-IBIMA, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Philip G Haydon
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Dieter H Heiland
- Microenvironment and Immunology Research Laboratory, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Elly M Hol
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Matthew G Holt
- Laboratory of Glia Biology, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Masamitsu Iino
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ksenia V Kastanenka
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Helmut Kettenmann
- Cellular Neurosciences, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - Baljit S Khakh
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Schuichi Koizumi
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - C Justin Lee
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science 55, Expo-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Korea
| | - Shane A Liddelow
- Neuroscience Institute, Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Department of Ophthalmology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, USA
| | - Brian A MacVicar
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Pierre Magistretti
- Division of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- Centre de Neurosciences Psychiatriques, University of Lausanne and CHUV, Site de Cery, Prilly-Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Albee Messing
- Waisman Center and School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Anusha Mishra
- Department of Neurology Jungers Center for Neurosciences Research and Knight Cardiovascular Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Anna V Molofsky
- Departments of Psychiatry/Weill Institute for Neuroscience University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Keith K Murai
- Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery, Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Christopher M Norris
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Seiji Okada
- Department of Immunobiology and Neuroscience, Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Stéphane H R Oliet
- Université de Bordeaux, Inserm, Neurocentre Magendie, U1215, Bordeaux, France
| | - João F Oliveira
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's -PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
- IPCA-EST-2Ai, Polytechnic Institute of Cávado and Ave, Applied Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Campus of IPCA, Barcelos, Portugal
| | - Aude Panatier
- Université de Bordeaux, Inserm, Neurocentre Magendie, U1215, Bordeaux, France
| | - Vladimir Parpura
- Department of Neurobiology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Marcela Pekna
- Laboratory of Regenerative Neuroimmunology, Center for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Milos Pekny
- Laboratory of Astrocyte Biology and CNS Regeneration, Center for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Luc Pellerin
- INSERM U1082, Université de Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Gertrudis Perea
- Department of Functional and Systems Neurobiology, Cajal Institute, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Beatriz G Pérez-Nievas
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Frank W Pfrieger
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Strasbourg, France
| | - Kira E Poskanzer
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Francisco J Quintana
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School. Associate Member, The Broad Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Miriam Riquelme-Perez
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, MIRCen, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Stefanie Robel
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, School of Neuroscience Virginia Tech, Riverside Circle, Roanoke, Virginia, USA
| | - Christine R Rose
- Institute of Neurobiology, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Jeffrey D Rothstein
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Nathalie Rouach
- Neuroglial Interactions in Cerebral Physiology and Pathologies, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS UMR 7241, INSERM U1050, Labex Memolife, PSL Research University Paris, Paris, France
| | - David H Rowitch
- Wellcome Trust-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Alexey Semyanov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, Russia
- Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Swetlana Sirko
- Physiological Genomics, Biomedical Center, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Institute for Stem Cell Research, Helmholtz Zentrum Munich, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Harald Sontheimer
- Virginia Tech School of Neuroscience and Center for Glial Biology in Health, Disease and Cancer, Virginia Tech at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, Roanoke, Virginia, USA
| | - Raymond A Swanson
- Dept. of Neurology, University of California San Francisco and San Francisco Veterans Affairs Health Care System, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Javier Vitorica
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
- Dept. Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, Universidad de Sevilla, Hospital Virgen del Rocío/CSIC, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Ina-Beate Wanner
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior, IDDRC, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Levi B Wood
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory, and Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering & Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Jiaqian Wu
- The Vivian L. Smith Department of Neurosurgery, Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, McGovern Medical School, UTHealth, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Binhai Zheng
- Department of Neurosciences, UC San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla; VA San Diego Research Service, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Eduardo R Zimmer
- Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Robert Zorec
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Molecular Cell Physiology, Institute of Pathophysiology, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Medicine, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Celica Biomedical, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Michael V Sofroniew
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA.
| | - Alexei Verkhratsky
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
- Achúcarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
154
|
Brymer KJ, Barnes JR, Parsons MP. Entering a new era of quantifying glutamate clearance in health and disease. J Neurosci Res 2021; 99:1598-1617. [PMID: 33618436 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Revised: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Glutamate transporter proteins, expressed on both neurons and glia, serve as the main gatekeepers that dictate the spatial and temporal actions of extracellular glutamate. Glutamate is essential to the function of the healthy brain yet paradoxically contributes to the toxicity associated with many neurodegenerative diseases. Rapid transporter-mediated glutamate uptake, primarily occurring at astrocytic processes, tightens the efficiency of excitatory network activity and prevents toxic glutamate build-up in the extracellular space. Glutamate transporter dysfunction is thought to underlie myriad central nervous system (CNS) diseases including Alzheimer and Huntington disease. Over the past few decades, techniques such as biochemical uptake assays and electrophysiological recordings of transporter currents from individual astrocytes have revealed the remarkable ability of the CNS to efficiently clear extracellular glutamate. In more recent years, the rapidly evolving glutamate-sensing "sniffers" now allow researchers to visualize real-time glutamate transients on a millisecond time scale with single synapse spatial resolution in defined cell populations. As we transition to an increased reliance on optical-based methods of glutamate visualization and quantification, it is of utmost importance to understand not only the advantages that glutamate biosensors bring to the table but also the associated caveats and their implications for data interpretation. In this review, we summarize the strengths and limitations of the commonly used methods to quantify glutamate uptake. We then discuss what these techniques, when viewed as a complementary whole, have told us about the brain's ability to regulate glutamate levels, in both health and in the context of neurodegenerative disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kyle J Brymer
- Faculty of Medicine, Division of Biomedical Sciences, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada
| | - Jocelyn R Barnes
- Faculty of Medicine, Division of Biomedical Sciences, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada
| | - Matthew P Parsons
- Faculty of Medicine, Division of Biomedical Sciences, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
155
|
Prinz M, Masuda T, Wheeler MA, Quintana FJ. Microglia and Central Nervous System-Associated Macrophages-From Origin to Disease Modulation. Annu Rev Immunol 2021; 39:251-277. [PMID: 33556248 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-immunol-093019-110159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 235] [Impact Index Per Article: 78.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The immune system of the central nervous system (CNS) consists primarily of innate immune cells. These are highly specialized macrophages found either in the parenchyma, called microglia, or at the CNS interfaces, such as leptomeningeal, perivascular, and choroid plexus macrophages. While they were primarily thought of as phagocytes, their function extends well beyond simple removal of cell debris during development and diseases. Brain-resident innate immune cells were found to be plastic, long-lived, and host to an outstanding number of risk genes for multiple pathologies. As a result, they are now considered the most suitable targets for modulating CNS diseases. Additionally, recent single-cell technologies enhanced our molecular understanding of their origins, fates, interactomes, and functional cell statesduring health and perturbation. Here, we review the current state of our understanding and challenges of the myeloid cell biology in the CNS and treatment options for related diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marco Prinz
- Institute of Neuropathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, D-79106 Freiburg, Germany; .,Center for Basics in NeuroModulation (NeuroModulBasics), Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, D-79106 Freiburg, Germany.,BIOSS Centre for Biological Signalling Studies and Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies (CIBSS), University of Freiburg, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Takahiro Masuda
- Department of Molecular and System Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University, 812-8582 Fukuoka, Japan;
| | - Michael A Wheeler
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA; , .,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA
| | - Francisco J Quintana
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA; , .,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA
| |
Collapse
|
156
|
Patterson KC, Kahanovitch U, Gonçalves CM, Hablitz JJ, Staruschenko A, Mulkey DK, Olsen ML. K ir 5.1-dependent CO 2 /H + -sensitive currents contribute to astrocyte heterogeneity across brain regions. Glia 2021; 69:310-325. [PMID: 32865323 PMCID: PMC8665280 DOI: 10.1002/glia.23898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Revised: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/26/2020] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
Astrocyte heterogeneity is an emerging concept in which astrocytes within or between brain regions show variable morphological and/or gene expression profiles that presumably reflect different functional roles. Recent evidence indicates that retrotrapezoid nucleus (RTN) astrocytes sense changes in tissue CO2/ H+ to regulate respiratory activity; however, mechanism(s) by which they do so remain unclear. Alterations in inward K+ currents represent a potential mechanism by which CO2 /H+ signals may be conveyed to neurons. Here, we use slice electrophysiology in rats of either sex to show that RTN astrocytes intrinsically respond to CO2 /H+ by inhibition of an inward rectifying potassium (Kir ) conductance and depolarization of the membrane, while cortical astrocytes do not exhibit such CO2 /H+ -sensitive properties. Application of Ba2+ mimics the effect of CO2 /H+ on RTN astrocytes as measured by reductions in astrocyte Kir -like currents and increased RTN neuronal firing. These CO2 /H+ -sensitive currents increase developmentally, in parallel to an increased expression in Kir 4.1 and Kir 5.1 in the brainstem. Finally, the involvement of Kir 5.1 in the CO2 /H+ -sensitive current was verified using a Kir5.1 KO rat. These data suggest that Kir inhibition by CO2 /H+ may govern the degree to which astrocytes mediate downstream chemoreceptive signaling events through cell-autonomous mechanisms. These results identify Kir channels as potentially important regional CO2 /H+ sensors early in development, thus expanding our understanding of how astrocyte heterogeneity may uniquely support specific neural circuits and behaviors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey C Patterson
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294, USA
| | - Uri Kahanovitch
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | | | - John J Hablitz
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294, USA
| | - Alexander Staruschenko
- Department of Physiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
- Cardiovascular Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Daniel K Mulkey
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | - Michelle L Olsen
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
157
|
Astrocyte-immune cell interactions in physiology and pathology. Immunity 2021; 54:211-224. [DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2021.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
|
158
|
Hill SA, Fu M, Garcia ADR. Sonic hedgehog signaling in astrocytes. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:1393-1403. [PMID: 33079226 PMCID: PMC7904711 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-020-03668-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Revised: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes are complex cells that perform a broad array of essential functions in the healthy and injured nervous system. The recognition that these cells are integral components of various processes, including synapse formation, modulation of synaptic activity, and response to injury, underscores the need to identify the molecular signaling programs orchestrating these diverse functional properties. Emerging studies have identified the Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling pathway as an essential regulator of the molecular identity and functional properties of astrocytes. Well established as a powerful regulator of diverse neurodevelopmental processes in the embryonic nervous system, its functional significance in astrocytes is only beginning to be revealed. Notably, Shh signaling is active only in discrete subpopulations of astrocytes distributed throughout the brain, a feature that has potential to yield novel insights into functional specialization of astrocytes. Here, we discuss Shh signaling and emerging data that point to essential roles for this pleiotropic signaling pathway in regulating various functional properties of astrocytes in the healthy and injured brain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Steven A Hill
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Marissa Fu
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - A Denise R Garcia
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19129, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
159
|
Nagai J, Yu X, Papouin T, Cheong E, Freeman MR, Monk KR, Hastings MH, Haydon PG, Rowitch D, Shaham S, Khakh BS. Behaviorally consequential astrocytic regulation of neural circuits. Neuron 2020; 109:576-596. [PMID: 33385325 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2020.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes are a large and diverse population of morphologically complex cells that exist throughout nervous systems of multiple species. Progress over the last two decades has shown that astrocytes mediate developmental, physiological, and pathological processes. However, a long-standing open question is how astrocytes regulate neural circuits in ways that are behaviorally consequential. In this regard, we summarize recent studies using Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster, Danio rerio, and Mus musculus. The data reveal diverse astrocyte mechanisms operating in seconds or much longer timescales within neural circuits and shaping multiple behavioral outputs. We also refer to human diseases that have a known primary astrocytic basis. We suggest that including astrocytes in mechanistic, theoretical, and computational studies of neural circuits provides new perspectives to understand behavior, its regulation, and its disease-related manifestations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jun Nagai
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA; RIKEN Center for Brain Science, 2-1 Hirosawa Wako City, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Xinzhu Yu
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA; Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 514 Burrill Hall, 407 S. Goodwin Ave, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Thomas Papouin
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis, School of Medicine, Campus Box 8108, 660 South Euclid Ave., St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Eunji Cheong
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, South Korea
| | - Marc R Freeman
- The Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Kelly R Monk
- The Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Michael H Hastings
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Philip G Haydon
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - David Rowitch
- Department of Paediatrics, Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Departments of Pediatrics and Neurosurgery, Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Shai Shaham
- Laboratory of Developmental Genetics, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Baljit S Khakh
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA; Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
160
|
Anti-Kir4.1 Antibodies in Multiple Sclerosis: Specificity and Pathogenicity. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21249632. [PMID: 33348803 PMCID: PMC7765826 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21249632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The glial cells in the central nervous system express diverse inward rectifying potassium channels (Kir). They express multiple Kir channel subtypes that are likely to have distinct functional roles related to their differences in conductance, and sensitivity to intracellular and extracellular factors. Dysfunction in a major astrocyte potassium channel, Kir4.1, appears as an early pathological event underlying neuronal phenotypes in several neurological diseases. The autoimmune effects on the potassium channel have not yet been fully described in the literature. However, several research groups have reported that the potassium channels are an immune target in patients with various neurological disorders. In 2012, Srivastava et al. reported about Kir4.1, a new immune target for autoantibodies in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Follow-up studies have been conducted by several research groups, but no clear conclusion has been reached. Most follow-up studies, including ours, have reported that the prevalence of Kir4.1-seropositive patients with MS was lower than that in the initial study. Therefore, we extensively review studies on the method of antibody testing, seroprevalence of MS, and other neurological diseases in patients with MS. Finally, based on the role of Kir4.1 in MS, we consider whether it could be an immune target in this disease.
Collapse
|
161
|
Lago-Baldaia I, Fernandes VM, Ackerman SD. More Than Mortar: Glia as Architects of Nervous System Development and Disease. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:611269. [PMID: 33381506 PMCID: PMC7767919 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.611269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Glial cells are an essential component of the nervous system of vertebrates and invertebrates. In the human brain, glia are as numerous as neurons, yet the importance of glia to nearly every aspect of nervous system development has only been expounded over the last several decades. Glia are now known to regulate neural specification, synaptogenesis, synapse function, and even broad circuit function. Given their ubiquity, it is not surprising that the contribution of glia to neuronal disease pathogenesis is a growing area of research. In this review, we will summarize the accumulated evidence of glial participation in several distinct phases of nervous system development and organization-neural specification, circuit wiring, and circuit function. Finally, we will highlight how these early developmental roles of glia contribute to nervous system dysfunction in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Inês Lago-Baldaia
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Vilaiwan M. Fernandes
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah D. Ackerman
- Institute of Neuroscience, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, United States
| |
Collapse
|
162
|
Franklin H, Clarke BE, Patani R. Astrocytes and microglia in neurodegenerative diseases: Lessons from human in vitro models. Prog Neurobiol 2020; 200:101973. [PMID: 33309801 PMCID: PMC8052192 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2020.101973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 12/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes and microglia key fulfil homeostatic and immune functions in the CNS. Dysfunction of these cell types is implicated in neurodegenerative diseases. Understanding cellular autonomy and early pathogenic changes is a key goal. New human iPSC models will inform on disease mechanisms and therapy development.
Both astrocytes and microglia fulfil homeostatic and immune functions in the healthy CNS. Dysfunction of these cell types have been implicated in the pathomechanisms of several neurodegenerative diseases. Understanding the cellular autonomy and early pathological changes in these cell types may inform drug screening and therapy development. While animal models and post-mortem tissue have been invaluable in understanding disease processes, the advent of human in vitro models provides a unique insight into disease biology as a manipulable model system obtained directly from patients. Here, we discuss the different human in vitro models of astrocytes and microglia and outline the phenotypes that have been recapitulated in these systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Franklin
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK; Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, UK
| | - Benjamin E Clarke
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK; Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, UK
| | - Rickie Patani
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK; Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
163
|
Glia in Neurodegeneration: The Housekeeper, the Defender and the Perpetrator. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21239188. [PMID: 33276471 PMCID: PMC7730416 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21239188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the past decade, research has unveiled the intimate relationship between neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. Microglia and astrocytes react to brain insult by setting up a multimodal inflammatory state and act as the primary defenders and executioners of neuroinflammatory structural and functional changes. Microglia and astrocytes also play critical roles in the maintenance of normal brain function. This intricate balance of homeostatic and neuroinflammatory functions can influence the onset and the course of neurodegenerative diseases. The emergent role of the microglial-astrocytic axis in neurodegenerative disease presents many druggable targets that may have broad therapeutic benefits across neurodegenerative disease. Here, we provide a brief review of the basal function of both microglia and astrocytes, how they are changed in disease states, the significant differences between mouse and human glia, and use of human induced pluripotent stem cells derived from patients to study cell autonomous changes in human astrocytes and microglia.
Collapse
|
164
|
Cepeda C, Levine MS. Synaptic Dysfunction in Huntington's Disease: Lessons from Genetic Animal Models. Neuroscientist 2020; 28:20-40. [PMID: 33198566 DOI: 10.1177/1073858420972662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The understanding of the functional and structural changes occurring in the cerebral cortex and basal ganglia in Huntington's disease (HD) has benefited considerably from the generation of genetic animal models. Most studies of synaptic alterations in HD models have focused on the striatum, but a more complete picture of synaptic dysfunction in the cortico-basal ganglia-cortical loop is emerging. Here, we provide a review and analysis of current developments in the study of synaptic alterations in these areas using HD rodent models. Recent evidence indicates that cortical maldevelopment plays a role in synaptic dysfunction along the corticostriatal pathway that may have its roots in the way mutant huntingtin interacts with synaptic proteins. Furthermore, a progressive disconnection in the corticostriatal pathway leads to abnormal function engaging extrasynaptic N-methyl-D-aspartate glutamate receptors that contribute to eventual cell degeneration. In addition, biphasic increases followed by decreases in glutamate and dopamine release in the striatum could explain contrasting symptomatology in early and late stages of the disease. Changes in striatal output regions also are beginning to be examined. Finally, we highlight some therapeutic avenues aimed at rescuing synaptic dysfunction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Cepeda
- IDDRC, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Michael S Levine
- IDDRC, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
165
|
Jeon YM, Kwon Y, Jo M, Lee S, Kim S, Kim HJ. The Role of Glial Mitochondria in α-Synuclein Toxicity. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:548283. [PMID: 33262983 PMCID: PMC7686475 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.548283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The abnormal accumulation of alpha-synuclein (α-syn) aggregates in neurons and glial cells is widely known to be associated with many neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease (PD), Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and Multiple system atrophy (MSA). Mitochondrial dysfunction in neurons and glia is known as a key feature of α-syn toxicity. Studies aimed at understanding α-syn-induced toxicity and its role in neurodegenerative diseases have primarily focused on neurons. However, a growing body of evidence demonstrates that glial cells such as microglia and astrocytes have been implicated in the initial pathogenesis and the progression of α-Synucleinopathy. Glial cells are important for supporting neuronal survival, synaptic functions, and local immunity. Furthermore, recent studies highlight the role of mitochondrial metabolism in the normal function of glial cells. In this work, we review the complex relationship between glial mitochondria and α-syn-mediated neurodegeneration, which may provide novel insights into the roles of glial cells in α-syn-associated neurodegenerative diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Mi Jeon
- Dementia Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Younghwi Kwon
- Dementia Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, South Korea
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, DGIST, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Myungjin Jo
- Dementia Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Shinrye Lee
- Dementia Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Seyeon Kim
- Dementia Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, South Korea
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, DGIST, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Hyung-Jun Kim
- Dementia Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, South Korea
| |
Collapse
|
166
|
Yu X, Nagai J, Marti-Solano M, Soto JS, Coppola G, Babu MM, Khakh BS. Context-Specific Striatal Astrocyte Molecular Responses Are Phenotypically Exploitable. Neuron 2020; 108:1146-1162.e10. [PMID: 33086039 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2020.09.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2020] [Revised: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes tile the central nervous system and are widely implicated in brain diseases, but the molecular mechanisms by which astrocytes contribute to brain disorders remain incompletely explored. By performing astrocyte gene expression analyses following 14 experimental perturbations of relevance to the striatum, we discovered that striatal astrocytes mount context-specific molecular responses at the level of genes, pathways, and upstream regulators. Through data mining, we also identified astrocyte pathways in Huntington's disease (HD) that were reciprocally altered with respect to the activation of striatal astrocyte G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling. Furthermore, selective striatal astrocyte stimulation of the Gi-GPCR pathway in vivo corrected several HD-associated astrocytic, synaptic, and behavioral phenotypes, with accompanying improvement of HD-associated astrocyte signaling pathways, including those related to synaptogenesis and neuroimmune functions. Overall, our data show that astrocytes are malleable, using context-specific responses that can be dissected molecularly and used for phenotypic benefit in brain disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xinzhu Yu
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA
| | - Jun Nagai
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA
| | - Maria Marti-Solano
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Joselyn S Soto
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA
| | - Giovanni Coppola
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA; Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA
| | - M Madan Babu
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK; Department of Structural Biology and Center for Data Driven Discovery, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105-3678, USA
| | - Baljit S Khakh
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA; Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
167
|
Trujillo-Estrada L, Gomez-Arboledas A, Forner S, Martini AC, Gutierrez A, Baglietto-Vargas D, LaFerla FM. Astrocytes: From the Physiology to the Disease. Curr Alzheimer Res 2020; 16:675-698. [PMID: 31470787 DOI: 10.2174/1567205016666190830110152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2019] [Revised: 04/12/2019] [Accepted: 05/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes are key cells for adequate brain formation and regulation of cerebral blood flow as well as for the maintenance of neuronal metabolism, neurotransmitter synthesis and exocytosis, and synaptic transmission. Many of these functions are intrinsically related to neurodegeneration, allowing refocusing on the role of astrocytes in physiological and neurodegenerative states. Indeed, emerging evidence in the field indicates that abnormalities in the astrocytic function are involved in the pathogenesis of multiple neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's Disease (AD), Parkinson's Disease (PD), Huntington's Disease (HD) and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). In the present review, we highlight the physiological role of astrocytes in the CNS, including their communication with other cells in the brain. Furthermore, we discuss exciting findings and novel experimental approaches that elucidate the role of astrocytes in multiple neurological disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Trujillo-Estrada
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND), University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-4545, United States
| | - Angela Gomez-Arboledas
- Department of Cell Biology, Genetic and Physiology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Malaga, Malaga, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Malaga-IBIMA, Malaga, Spain.,Networking Research Center on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Stefânia Forner
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND), University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-4545, United States
| | - Alessandra Cadete Martini
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND), University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-4545, United States
| | - Antonia Gutierrez
- Department of Cell Biology, Genetic and Physiology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Malaga, Malaga, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Malaga-IBIMA, Malaga, Spain.,Networking Research Center on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - David Baglietto-Vargas
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND), University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-4545, United States.,Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, United States
| | - Frank M LaFerla
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND), University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-4545, United States.,Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, United States
| |
Collapse
|
168
|
Rasmussen R, O'Donnell J, Ding F, Nedergaard M. Interstitial ions: A key regulator of state-dependent neural activity? Prog Neurobiol 2020; 193:101802. [PMID: 32413398 PMCID: PMC7331944 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2020.101802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Revised: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Throughout the nervous system, ion gradients drive fundamental processes. Yet, the roles of interstitial ions in brain functioning is largely forgotten. Emerging literature is now revitalizing this area of neuroscience by showing that interstitial cations (K+, Ca2+ and Mg2+) are not static quantities but change dynamically across states such as sleep and locomotion. In turn, these state-dependent changes are capable of sculpting neuronal activity; for example, changing the local interstitial ion composition in the cortex is sufficient for modulating the prevalence of slow-frequency neuronal oscillations, or potentiating the gain of visually evoked responses. Disturbances in interstitial ionic homeostasis may also play a central role in the pathogenesis of central nervous system diseases. For example, impairments in K+ buffering occur in a number of neurodegenerative diseases, and abnormalities in neuronal activity in disease models disappear when interstitial K+ is normalized. Here we provide an overview of the roles of interstitial ions in physiology and pathology. We propose the brain uses interstitial ion signaling as a global mechanism to coordinate its complex activity patterns, and ion homeostasis failure contributes to central nervous system diseases affecting cognitive functions and behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rune Rasmussen
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - John O'Donnell
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, 14642, United States
| | - Fengfei Ding
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, 14642, United States
| | - Maiken Nedergaard
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark; Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, 14642, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
169
|
Mechanical pain of the lower extremity after compression of the upper spinal cord involves signal transducer and activator of transcription 3-dependent reactive astrocytes and interleukin-6. Brain Behav Immun 2020; 89:389-399. [PMID: 32717400 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2020.07.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic pain is one of the main symptoms of spinal disorders such as spinal canal stenosis. A major cause of this pain is related to compression of the spinal cord, and chronic pain can develop at the level of the compressed spinal segment. However, in many patients chronic pain arises in an area that does not correspond to the compressed segment, and the underlying mechanism involved remains unknown. This was investigated in the present study using a mouse model of spinal cord compression in which mechanical pain of the hindpaws develops after compression of the first lumbar segment (L1) of the spinal cord. Compression induced the activation of astrocytes in the L1 spinal dorsal horn (SDH)-but not the L4 SDH that corresponds to the hindpaws-and activated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3). Suppressing reactive astrocytes by expressing a dominant negative form of STAT3 (dnSTAT3) in the compressed SDH prevented mechanical pain. Expression of interleukin (IL)-6 was also upregulated in the compressed SDH, and it was inhibited by astrocytic expression of dnSTAT3. Intrathecal administration of a neutralizing anti-IL-6 antibody reversed the compression-induced mechanical pain. These results suggest that astrocytic STAT3 and IL-6 in the compressed SDH are involved in remote mechanical pain observed in the lower extremity, and may provide a target for treating chronic pain associated with spinal cord compression such as spinal canal stenosis.
Collapse
|
170
|
Linnerbauer M, Rothhammer V. Protective Functions of Reactive Astrocytes Following Central Nervous System Insult. Front Immunol 2020; 11:573256. [PMID: 33117368 PMCID: PMC7561408 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.573256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes play important roles in numerous central nervous system disorders including autoimmune inflammatory, hypoxic, and degenerative diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis, ischemic stroke, and Alzheimer’s disease. Depending on the spatial and temporal context, activated astrocytes may contribute to the pathogenesis, progression, and recovery of disease. Recent progress in the dissection of transcriptional responses to varying forms of central nervous system insult has shed light on the mechanisms that govern the complexity of reactive astrocyte functions. While a large body of research focuses on the pathogenic effects of reactive astrocytes, little is known about how they limit inflammation and contribute to tissue regeneration. However, these protective astrocyte pathways might be of relevance for the understanding of the underlying pathology in disease and may lead to novel targeted approaches to treat autoimmune inflammatory and degenerative disorders of the central nervous system. In this review article, we have revisited the emerging concept of protective astrocyte functions and discuss their role in the recovery from inflammatory and ischemic disease as well as their role in degenerative disorders. Focusing on soluble astrocyte derived mediators, we aggregate the existing knowledge on astrocyte functions in the maintenance of homeostasis as well as their reparative and tissue-protective function after acute lesions and in neurodegenerative disorders. Finally, we give an outlook of how these mediators may guide future therapeutic strategies to tackle yet untreatable disorders of the central nervous system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mathias Linnerbauer
- Department of Neurology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.,Department of Neurology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Veit Rothhammer
- Department of Neurology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.,Department of Neurology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
171
|
Linnerbauer M, Wheeler MA, Quintana FJ. Astrocyte Crosstalk in CNS Inflammation. Neuron 2020; 108:608-622. [PMID: 32898475 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2020.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 455] [Impact Index Per Article: 113.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Revised: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes control multiple processes in the nervous system in health and disease. It is now clear that specific astrocyte subsets or activation states are associated with specific genomic programs and functions. The advent of novel genomic technologies has enabled rapid progress in the characterization of astrocyte heterogeneity and its control by astrocyte interactions with other cells in the central nervous system (CNS). In this review, we provide an overview of the multifaceted roles of astrocytes in the context of CNS inflammation, highlighting recent discoveries on astrocyte subsets and their regulation. We explore mechanisms of crosstalk between astrocytes and other cells in the CNS in the context of neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration and discuss how these interactions shape pathological outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mathias Linnerbauer
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Michael A Wheeler
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Francisco J Quintana
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
172
|
Barry J, Sarafian TA, Watson JB, Cepeda C, Levine MS. Mechanisms underlying the enhancement of γ-aminobutyric acid responses in the external globus pallidus of R6/2 Huntington's disease model mice. J Neurosci Res 2020; 98:2349-2356. [PMID: 32856336 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2020] [Revised: 07/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
In Huntington's disease (HD), the output of striatal indirect pathway medium-sized spiny neurons (MSNs) is altered in its target region, the external globus pallidus (GPe). In a previous study we demonstrated that selective optogenetic stimulation of indirect pathway MSNs induced prolonged decay time of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) responses in GPe neurons. Here we identified the mechanism underlying this alteration. Electrophysiological recordings in slices from symptomatic R6/2 and wildtype (WT) mice were used to evaluate, primarily, the effects of GABA transporter (GAT) antagonists on responses evoked by optogenetic activation of indirect pathway MSNs. In addition, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Western blots (WBs) were used to examine GAT-3 expression in HD and WT mice. A GAT-3 blocker (SNAP5114) increased decay time of GABA responses in WT and HD GPe neurons, but the effect was significantly greater in WT neurons. In contrast, a GAT-1 antagonist (NO-711) or a GABAB receptor antagonist (CGP 54626) produced small increases in decay time but no differential effects between genotypes. IHC and WBs showed reduction of GAT-3 expression in the GPe of HD mice. Thus, reduced expression or dysfunction of GAT-3 could underlie alterations of GPe responses to GABA inputs from striatum and could be a target for therapeutic intervention.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Barry
- IDDRC, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Theodore A Sarafian
- IDDRC, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Joseph B Watson
- IDDRC, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Carlos Cepeda
- IDDRC, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Michael S Levine
- IDDRC, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
173
|
Stevenson R, Samokhina E, Rossetti I, Morley JW, Buskila Y. Neuromodulation of Glial Function During Neurodegeneration. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:278. [PMID: 32973460 PMCID: PMC7473408 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.00278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Glia, a non-excitable cell type once considered merely as the connective tissue between neurons, is nowadays acknowledged for its essential contribution to multiple physiological processes including learning, memory formation, excitability, synaptic plasticity, ion homeostasis, and energy metabolism. Moreover, as glia are key players in the brain immune system and provide structural and nutritional support for neurons, they are intimately involved in multiple neurological disorders. Recent advances have demonstrated that glial cells, specifically microglia and astroglia, are involved in several neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Epilepsy, Parkinson's disease (PD), Alzheimer's disease (AD), and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). While there is compelling evidence for glial modulation of synaptic formation and regulation that affect neuronal signal processing and activity, in this manuscript we will review recent findings on neuronal activity that affect glial function, specifically during neurodegenerative disorders. We will discuss the nature of each glial malfunction, its specificity to each disorder, overall contribution to the disease progression and assess its potential as a future therapeutic target.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Stevenson
- School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, NSW, Australia
| | - Evgeniia Samokhina
- School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, NSW, Australia
| | - Ilaria Rossetti
- School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, NSW, Australia
| | - John W. Morley
- School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, NSW, Australia
| | - Yossi Buskila
- School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, NSW, Australia
- International Centre for Neuromorphic Systems, The MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
174
|
Sofroniew MV. Astrocyte Reactivity: Subtypes, States, and Functions in CNS Innate Immunity. Trends Immunol 2020; 41:758-770. [PMID: 32819810 DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2020.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 355] [Impact Index Per Article: 88.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2020] [Revised: 07/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes are neural parenchymal cells that ubiquitously tile the central nervous system (CNS). In addition to playing essential roles in healthy tissue, astrocytes exhibit an evolutionarily ancient response to all CNS insults, referred to as astrocyte reactivity. Long regarded as passive and homogeneous, astrocyte reactivity is being revealed as a heterogeneous and functionally powerful component of mammalian CNS innate immunity. Nevertheless, concepts about what astrocyte reactivity comprises and what it does are incomplete and sometimes controversial. This review discusses the goal of differentiating reactive astrocyte subtypes and states based on composite pictures of molecular expression, cell morphology, cellular interactions, proliferative state, normal functions, and disease-induced dysfunctions. A working model and conceptual framework is presented for characterizing the diversity of astrocyte reactivity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael V Sofroniew
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
175
|
Adami R, Bottai D. Spinal Muscular Atrophy Modeling and Treatment Advances by Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Studies. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2020; 15:795-813. [PMID: 31863335 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-019-09910-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by specific and predominantly lower motor neuron (MN) loss. SMA is the main reason for infant death, while about one in 40 children born is a healthy carrier. SMA is caused by decreased levels of production of a ubiquitously expressed gene: the survival motor neuron (SMN). All SMA patients present mutations of the telomeric SMN1 gene, but many copies of a centromeric, partially functional paralog gene, SMN2, can somewhat compensate for the SMN1 deficiency, scaling inversely with phenotypic harshness. Because the study of neural tissue in and from patients presents too many challenges and is very often not feasible; the use of animal models, such as the mouse, had a pivotal impact in our understanding of SMA pathology but could not portray totally satisfactorily the elaborate regulatory mechanisms that are present in higher animals, particularly in humans. And while recent therapeutic achievements have been substantial, especially for very young infants, some issues should be considered for the treatment of older patients. An alternative way to study SMA, and other neurological pathologies, is the use of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from patients. In this work, we will present a wide analysis of the uses of iPSCs in SMA pathology, starting from basic science to their possible roles as therapeutic tools.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Raffaella Adami
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, via A. di Rudinì 8, 20142, Milan, Italy
| | - Daniele Bottai
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, via A. di Rudinì 8, 20142, Milan, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
176
|
Dysregulated Glial Differentiation in Schizophrenia May Be Relieved by Suppression of SMAD4- and REST-Dependent Signaling. Cell Rep 2020; 27:3832-3843.e6. [PMID: 31242417 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.05.088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2018] [Revised: 04/04/2019] [Accepted: 05/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Astrocytic differentiation is developmentally impaired in patients with childhood-onset schizophrenia (SCZ). To determine why, we used genetic gain- and loss-of-function studies to establish the contributions of differentially expressed transcriptional regulators to the defective differentiation of glial progenitor cells (GPCs) produced from SCZ patient-derived induced pluripotent cells (iPSCs). Negative regulators of the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) pathway were upregulated in SCZ GPCs, including BAMBI, FST, and GREM1, whose overexpression retained SCZ GPCs at the progenitor stage. SMAD4 knockdown (KD) suppressed the production of these BMP inhibitors by SCZ GPCs and rescued normal astrocytic differentiation. In addition, the BMP-regulated transcriptional repressor REST was upregulated in SCZ GPCs, and its KD similarly restored normal glial differentiation. REST KD also rescued potassium-transport-associated gene expression and K+ uptake, which were otherwise deficient in SCZ glia. These data suggest that the glial differentiation defect in childhood-onset SCZ, and its attendant disruption in K+ homeostasis, may be rescued by targeting BMP/SMAD4- and REST-dependent transcription.
Collapse
|
177
|
Hao T, Du X, Yang S, Zhang Y, Liang F. Astrocytes-induced neuronal inhibition contributes to depressive-like behaviors during chronic stress. Life Sci 2020; 258:118099. [PMID: 32682917 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2020.118099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Revised: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Although emerging evidence has highlighted the heterogeneities of astrocytes under physiological versus pathological conditions, little is known regarding these processes in different brain regions during stress. Thus, the present study established a mouse model of chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) and isolated astrocytes from the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and hippocampus. The results revealed dramatic A1-specific (neurotoxic phenotype) astrocytic responses, depressive-like behaviors, and significant inhibition of neuronal activities in both the mPFC and hippocampus according to electrophysiological data. Subsequently, astrocytes in the mPFC and hippocampus of CSDS mice were suppressed and this reversed the astrocytic responses and rescued depressive-like behaviors. Furthermore, when astrocytes were activated in the mPFC and hippocampus in healthy mice, there was a non-specific phenotypic activation of astrocytes in the absence of depressive-like behaviors. Next, microglia were depleted and the mice subsequently performed in the CSDS model; this reduced astrocyte responses and restored depressive-like behaviors. On the other hand, when microglia were depleted but astrocytes were activated in CSDS mice, this abolished the restoration of microglia depletion-induced depressive-like behaviors. Taken together, these results indicate that neuronal inhibition by astrocytes in the mPFC and hippocampus contributed to depressive-like behaviors mediated by activated microglia. This study provides evidence regarding the interaction of microglia and astrocytes during stress and how that relationship can trigger depressive-like behaviors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tianpao Hao
- Department of Emergency, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China
| | - Xiaohong Du
- Department of geriatric medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China
| | - Shen Yang
- Departments of Neurology, Tai'an City Central Hospital, Tai'an 271000, China
| | - Yang Zhang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China
| | - Feiyu Liang
- Department of geriatric medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China.
| |
Collapse
|
178
|
Octeau JC, Gangwani MR, Allam SL, Tran D, Huang S, Hoang-Trong TM, Golshani P, Rumbell TH, Kozloski JR, Khakh BS. Transient, Consequential Increases in Extracellular Potassium Ions Accompany Channelrhodopsin2 Excitation. Cell Rep 2020; 27:2249-2261.e7. [PMID: 31116972 PMCID: PMC6582980 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.04.078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2018] [Revised: 03/04/2019] [Accepted: 04/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Channelrhodopsin2 (ChR2) optogenetic excitation is widely used to study neurons, astrocytes, and circuits. Using complementary approaches in situ and in vivo, we found that ChR2 stimulation leads to significant transient elevation of extracellular potassium ions by ~5 mM. Such elevations were detected in ChR2-expressing mice, following local in vivo expression of ChR2(H134R) with adeno-associated viruses (AAVs), in different brain areas and when ChR2 was expressed in neurons or astrocytes. In particular, ChR2-mediated excitation of striatal astrocytes was sufficient to increase medium spiny neuron (MSN) excitability and immediate early gene expression. The effects on MSN excitability were recapitulated in silico with a computational MSN model and detected in vivo as increased action potential firing in awake, behaving mice. We show that transient, physiologically consequential increases in extracellular potassium ions accompany ChR2 optogenetic excitation. This coincidental effect may be important to consider during astrocyte studies employing ChR2 to interrogate neural circuits and animal behavior. Using multiple approaches, Octeau et al. discover that optogenetic excitation of ChR2-expressing cells leads to significant transient extracellular potassium ion elevations that increase neuronal excitability and immediate early gene expression in neurons following in vivo stimulation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J Christopher Octeau
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA
| | - Mohitkumar R Gangwani
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA
| | - Sushmita L Allam
- IBM T.J. Watson Research Center, P.O. Box 218, 1101 Kitchawan Road, Yorktown Heights, NY 10598, USA
| | - Duy Tran
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA
| | - Shuhan Huang
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA
| | - Tuan M Hoang-Trong
- IBM T.J. Watson Research Center, P.O. Box 218, 1101 Kitchawan Road, Yorktown Heights, NY 10598, USA
| | - Peyman Golshani
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA; Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA; Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA
| | - Timothy H Rumbell
- IBM T.J. Watson Research Center, P.O. Box 218, 1101 Kitchawan Road, Yorktown Heights, NY 10598, USA
| | - James R Kozloski
- IBM T.J. Watson Research Center, P.O. Box 218, 1101 Kitchawan Road, Yorktown Heights, NY 10598, USA
| | - Baljit S Khakh
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA; Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
179
|
Kulsi G, Sannigrahi A, Mishra S, Das Saha K, Datta S, Chattopadhyay P, Chattopadhyay K. A Novel Cyclic Mobile Transporter Can Induce Apoptosis by Facilitating Chloride Anion Transport into Cells. ACS OMEGA 2020; 5:16395-16405. [PMID: 32685802 PMCID: PMC7364434 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.0c00438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
We report here the preparation of an aminoxy amide-based pseudopeptide-derived building block using furanoid sugar molecules. Through the cyclo-oligomerization reaction, we generate a hybrid triazole/aminoxy amide macrocycle using the as-prepared building block. The novel conformation of the macrocycle has been characterized using NMR and molecular modeling studies, which show a strong resemblance of our synthesized compound to d-,l-α-aminoxy acid-based cyclic peptides that contain uniform backbone chirality. We observe that the macrocycle can efficiently and selectively bind Cl- ion and transport Cl- ion across a lipid bilayer. 1H NMR anion binding studies suggest a coherent relationship between the acidity of aminoxy amide N-H and triazole C-H proton binding strength. Using time-based fluorescence assay, we show that the macrocycle acts as a mobile transporter and follows an antiport mechanism. Our synthesized macrocycle imposes cancer cell death by disrupting ionic homeostasis through Cl- ion transport. The macrocycle induced cytochrome c leakage and changes in mitochondrial membrane potential along with activation of family of caspases, suggesting that the cellular apoptosis occurs through a caspase-dependent intrinsic pathway. The present results suggest the possibility of using the macrocycle as a biological tool of high therapeutic value.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Goutam Kulsi
- Structural
Biology and Bioinformatics Division, CSIR-
Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (IICB), Kolkata 700032, India
- Organic
and Medicinal Chemistry Division, CSIR-
Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (IICB), Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Achinta Sannigrahi
- Structural
Biology and Bioinformatics Division, CSIR-
Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (IICB), Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Snehasis Mishra
- Cancer
Biology and Inflammatory Disorder Division, CSIR- Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (IICB), Kolkata 700032, India
- Department
of Chemical Technology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata 700009, India
| | - Krishna Das Saha
- Cancer
Biology and Inflammatory Disorder Division, CSIR- Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (IICB), Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Sriparna Datta
- Department
of Chemical Technology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata 700009, India
| | - Partha Chattopadhyay
- Organic
and Medicinal Chemistry Division, CSIR-
Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (IICB), Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Krishnananda Chattopadhyay
- Structural
Biology and Bioinformatics Division, CSIR-
Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (IICB), Kolkata 700032, India
| |
Collapse
|
180
|
Boni JL, Kahanovitch U, Nwaobi SE, Floyd CL, Olsen ML. DNA methylation: A mechanism for sustained alteration of KIR4.1 expression following central nervous system insult. Glia 2020; 68:1495-1512. [PMID: 32068308 PMCID: PMC8665281 DOI: 10.1002/glia.23797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Revised: 01/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Kir4.1, a glial-specific inwardly rectifying potassium channel, is implicated in astrocytic maintenance of K+ homeostasis. Underscoring the role of Kir4.1 in central nervous system (CNS) functioning, genetic mutations in KCNJ10, the gene which encodes Kir4.1, causes seizures, ataxia and developmental disability in humans. Kir4.1 protein and mRNA loss are consistently observed in CNS injury and neurological diseases linked to hyperexcitability and neuronal dysfunction, leading to the notion that Kir4.1 represents an attractive therapeutic target. Despite this, little is understood regarding the mechanisms that underpin this downregulation. Previous work by our lab revealed that DNA hypomethylation of the Kcnj10 gene functions to regulate mRNA levels during astrocyte maturation whereas hypermethylation in vitro led to decreased promoter activity. In the present study, we utilized two vastly different injury models with known acute and chronic loss of Kir4.1 protein and mRNA to evaluate the methylation status of Kcnj10 as a candidate molecular mechanism for reduced transcription and subsequent protein loss. Examining whole hippocampal tissue and isolated astrocytes, in a lithium-pilocarpine model of epilepsy, we consistently identified hypermethylation of CpG island two, which resides in the large intronic region spanning the Kcnj10 gene. Strikingly similar results were observed using the second injury paradigm, a fifth cervical (C5) vertebral hemi-contusion model of spinal cord injury. Our previous work indicates the same gene region is significantly hypomethylated when transcription increases during astrocyte maturation. Our results suggest that DNA methylation can bidirectionally modulate Kcnj10 transcription and may represent a targetable molecular mechanism for the restoring astroglial Kir4.1 expression following CNS insult.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L Boni
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia
| | - Uri Kahanovitch
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia
| | - Sinifunanya E Nwaobi
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
- Division of Pediatric Neurology, UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Candace L Floyd
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Utah Health, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Michelle L Olsen
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia
| |
Collapse
|
181
|
Wilton DK, Stevens B. The contribution of glial cells to Huntington's disease pathogenesis. Neurobiol Dis 2020; 143:104963. [PMID: 32593752 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.104963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Glial cells play critical roles in the normal development and function of neural circuits, but in many neurodegenerative diseases, they become dysregulated and may contribute to the development of brain pathology. In Huntington's disease (HD), glial cells both lose normal functions and gain neuropathic phenotypes. In addition, cell-autonomous dysfunction elicited by mutant huntingtin (mHTT) expression in specific glial cell types is sufficient to induce both pathology and Huntington's disease-related impairments in motor and cognitive performance, suggesting that these cells may drive the development of certain aspects of Huntington's disease pathogenesis. In support of this imaging studies in pre-symptomatic HD patients and work on mouse models have suggested that glial cell dysfunction occurs at a very early stage of the disease, prior to the onset of motor and cognitive deficits. Furthermore, selectively ablating mHTT from specific glial cells or correcting for HD-induced changes in their transcriptional profile rescues some HD-related phenotypes, demonstrating the potential of targeting these cells for therapeutic intervention. Here we review emerging research focused on understanding the involvement of different glial cell types in specific aspects of HD pathogenesis. This work is providing new insight into how HD impacts biological functions of glial cells in the healthy brain as well as how HD induced dysfunction in these cells might change the way they integrate into biological circuits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel K Wilton
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Beth Stevens
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Stanley Center, Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
182
|
A constricted opening in Kir channels does not impede potassium conduction. Nat Commun 2020; 11:3024. [PMID: 32541684 PMCID: PMC7295778 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16842-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The canonical mechanistic model explaining potassium channel gating is of a conformational change that alternately dilates and constricts a collar-like intracellular entrance to the pore. It is based on the premise that K+ ions maintain a complete hydration shell while passing between the transmembrane cavity and cytosol, which must be accommodated. To put the canonical model to the test, we locked the conformation of a Kir K+ channel to prevent widening of the narrow collar. Unexpectedly, conduction was unimpaired in the locked channels. In parallel, we employed all-atom molecular dynamics to simulate K+ ions moving along the conduction pathway between the lower cavity and cytosol. During simulations, the constriction did not significantly widen. Instead, transient loss of some water molecules facilitated K+ permeation through the collar. The low free energy barrier to partial dehydration in the absence of conformational change indicates Kir channels are not gated by the canonical mechanism.
Collapse
|
183
|
Romanos J, Benke D, Pietrobon D, Zeilhofer HU, Santello M. Astrocyte dysfunction increases cortical dendritic excitability and promotes cranial pain in familial migraine. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eaaz1584. [PMID: 32548257 PMCID: PMC7274778 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aaz1584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2019] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes are essential contributors to neuronal function. As a consequence, disturbed astrocyte-neuron interactions are involved in the pathophysiology of several neurological disorders, with a strong impact on brain circuits and behavior. Here, we describe altered cortical physiology in a genetic mouse model of familial hemiplegic migraine type 2 (FHM2), with reduced expression of astrocytic Na+,K+-ATPases. We used whole-cell electrophysiology, two-photon microscopy, and astrocyte gene rescue to demonstrate that an impairment in astrocytic glutamate uptake promotes NMDA spike generation in dendrites of cingulate cortex pyramidal neurons and enhances output firing of these neurons. Astrocyte compensation of the defective ATPase in the cingulate cortex rescued glutamate uptake, prevented abnormal NMDA spikes, and reduced sensitivity to cranial pain triggers. Together, our results demonstrate that impaired astrocyte function alters neuronal activity in the cingulate cortex and facilitates migraine-like cranial pain states in a mouse model of migraine.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Romanos
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Dietmar Benke
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Daniela Pietrobon
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
- CNR Institute of Neuroscience, Via Ugo Bassi 58/B, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Hanns Ulrich Zeilhofer
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Mirko Santello
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Corresponding author.
| |
Collapse
|
184
|
Goldman SA. Glial evolution as a determinant of human behavior and its disorders. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2020; 1471:72-85. [PMID: 32449961 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2020] [Revised: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Astroglial complexity and pleomorphism have increased significantly with hominid evolution. This suggests a potential association between glial evolution and the development of human cognition, as well as between glial evolution and the advent of human-selective neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Steven A Goldman
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York.,Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Copenhagen Faculty of Health and Medical Science, Copenhagen N, Denmark.,Neuroscience Center, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
185
|
Pfalzer AC, Wages PA, Porter NA, Bowman AB. Striatal Cholesterol Precursors Are Altered with Age in Female Huntington's Disease Model Mice. J Huntingtons Dis 2020; 8:161-169. [PMID: 30958310 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-180321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cholesterol is necessary for proper neurodevelopment and neuronal health. The brain relies on neural and astrocytic de novo cholesterol synthesis. Huntington's disease presents with altered levels of cholesterol precursors however it is unknown when the disruption in this molecular pathway occurs and whether Manganese (Mn) may alter these metabolic alterations. OBJECTIVE To examine the effect of Mn exposure on cholesterol biosynthesis in pre-manifest and manifest Huntington's disease mice. METHODS 12-week (pre-manifest) male and female and 42-week old (manifest) female YAC128 and littermate control (WT) mice received 3 subcutaneous Mn or vehicle injections. Animals were sacrificed 24 hours after the final injection and striatum, cerebral cortex and cerebellum were collected to measure cholesterol and cholesterol precursors using LC/MS-MS. RESULTS Striatal desmosterol and cholesterol are increased in pre-manifest HD females compared to age-matched WT female mice. Striatal lanosterol, 8-DHC and desmosterol and cholesterol are reduced in manifest HD females compared to age-and sex-matched WT mice with minimal effects in the cortex and cerebellum. Mn treatment had no effect in the pre-manifest or manifest female brain except reduced lanosterol levels in the cortex of pre-manifest female mice. Neither Mn or HD altered brain cholesterol precursor levels in the pre-manifest HD or WT male mouse. CONCLUSIONS Cholesterol biosynthesis is impaired in early disease stage in female HD mice only and continues throughout disease. These alterations appear largely striatal-specific. Acute systemic exposure to Mn did not significantly alter cholesterol biosynthesis in the striatum at any disease stage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna C Pfalzer
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.,Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Phillip A Wages
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Ned A Porter
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Aaron B Bowman
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.,Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt Center in Molecular Toxicology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.,School of Health Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| |
Collapse
|
186
|
Abstract
Astrocytes, initially described as merely support cells, are now known as a heterogeneous population of cells actively involved in a variety of biological functions such as: neuronal migration and differentiation; regulation of cerebral blood flow; metabolic control of extracellular potassium concentration; and modulation of synapse formation and elimination; among others. Cerebellar glial cells have been shown to play a significant role in proliferation, differentiation, migration, and synaptogenesis. However, less evidence is available about the role of neuron-astrocyte interactions during cerebellar development and their impact on diseases of the cerebellum. In this review, we will focus on the mechanisms underlying cellular interactions, specifically neuron-astrocyte interactions, during cerebellar development, function, and disease. We will discuss how cerebellar glia, astrocytes, and Bergmann glia play a fundamental role in several steps of cerebellar development, such as granule cell migration, axonal growth, neuronal differentiation, and synapse formation, and in diseases associated with the cerebellum. We will focus on how astrocytes and thyroid hormones impact cerebellar development. Furthermore, we will provide evidence of how growth factors secreted by glial cells, such as epidermal growth factor and transforming growth factors, control cerebellar organogenesis. Finally, we will argue that glia are a key mediator of cerebellar development and that identification of molecules and pathways involved in neuron-glia interactions may contribute to a better understanding of cerebellar development and associated disorders.
Collapse
|
187
|
Sánchez OF, Rodríguez AV, Velasco-España JM, Murillo LC, Sutachan JJ, Albarracin SL. Role of Connexins 30, 36, and 43 in Brain Tumors, Neurodegenerative Diseases, and Neuroprotection. Cells 2020; 9:E846. [PMID: 32244528 PMCID: PMC7226843 DOI: 10.3390/cells9040846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2019] [Revised: 02/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Gap junction (GJ) channels and their connexins (Cxs) are complex proteins that have essential functions in cell communication processes in the central nervous system (CNS). Neurons, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and microglial cells express an extraordinary repertory of Cxs that are important for cell to cell communication and diffusion of metabolites, ions, neurotransmitters, and gliotransmitters. GJs and Cxs not only contribute to the normal function of the CNS but also the pathological progress of several diseases, such as cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. Besides, they have important roles in mediating neuroprotection by internal or external molecules. However, regulation of Cx expression by epigenetic mechanisms has not been fully elucidated. In this review, we provide an overview of the known mechanisms that regulate the expression of the most abundant Cxs in the central nervous system, Cx30, Cx36, and Cx43, and their role in brain cancer, CNS disorders, and neuroprotection. Initially, we focus on describing the Cx gene structure and how this is regulated by epigenetic mechanisms. Then, the posttranslational modifications that mediate the activity and stability of Cxs are reviewed. Finally, the role of GJs and Cxs in glioblastoma, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's diseases, and neuroprotection are analyzed with the aim of shedding light in the possibility of using Cx regulators as potential therapeutic molecules.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Oscar F. Sánchez
- Department of Nutrition and Biochemistry, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, 110911 Bogota, Colombia; (A.V.R.); (J.M.V.-E.); (L.C.M.); (J.-J.S.)
| | | | | | | | | | - Sonia-Luz Albarracin
- Department of Nutrition and Biochemistry, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, 110911 Bogota, Colombia; (A.V.R.); (J.M.V.-E.); (L.C.M.); (J.-J.S.)
| |
Collapse
|
188
|
Wu YY, Chiu FL, Yeh CS, Kuo HC. Opportunities and challenges for the use of induced pluripotent stem cells in modelling neurodegenerative disease. Open Biol 2020; 9:180177. [PMID: 30958120 PMCID: PMC6367134 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.180177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Adult-onset neurodegenerative diseases are among the most difficult human health conditions to model for drug development. Most genetic or toxin-induced cell and animal models cannot faithfully recapitulate pathology in disease-relevant cells, making it excessively challenging to explore the potential mechanisms underlying sporadic disease. Patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can be differentiated into disease-relevant neurons, providing an unparalleled platform for in vitro modelling and development of therapeutic strategies. Here, we review recent progress in generating Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Huntington's disease models from patient-derived iPSCs. We also describe novel discoveries of pathological mechanisms and drug evaluations that have used these patient iPSC-derived neuronal models. Additionally, current human iPSC technology allows researchers to model diseases with 3D brain organoids, which are more representative of tissue architecture than traditional neuronal cultures. We discuss remaining challenges and emerging opportunities for the use of three-dimensional brain organoids in modelling brain development and neurodegeneration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Ying Wu
- 1 Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica , Taipei 11529 , Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Feng-Lan Chiu
- 1 Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica , Taipei 11529 , Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Chan-Shien Yeh
- 1 Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica , Taipei 11529 , Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Hung-Chih Kuo
- 1 Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica , Taipei 11529 , Taiwan, Republic of China.,2 Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica , Taipei 11529 , Taiwan, Republic of China.,3 Graduate Institute of Medical Genomics and Proteomics, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University , Taipei , Taiwan, Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
189
|
Choi DJ, Yang H, Gaire S, Lee KA, An J, Kim BG, Jou I, Park SM, Joe EH. Critical roles of astrocytic-CCL2-dependent monocyte infiltration in a DJ-1 knockout mouse model of delayed brain repair. Glia 2020; 68:2086-2101. [PMID: 32176388 DOI: 10.1002/glia.23828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Revised: 01/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Monocyte-derived macrophages play a role in the repair of the injured brain. We previously reported that a deficiency of the Parkinson's disease (PD)-associated gene DJ-1 delays repair of brain injury produced by stereotaxic injection of ATP, a component of damage-associated molecular patterns. Here, we show that a DJ-1 deficiency attenuates monocyte infiltration into the damaged brain owing to a decrease in C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) expression in astrocytes. Like DJ-1-knockout (KO) mice, CCL2 receptor (CCR2)-KO mice showed defects in monocyte infiltration and delayed recovery of brain injury, as determined by 9.4 T magnetic resonance imaging analysis and immunostaining for tyrosine hydroxylase and glial fibrillary acid protein. Notably, transcriptome analyses showed that genes related to regeneration and synapse formation were similarly downregulated in injured brains of DJ-1-KO and CCR2-KO mice compared with the injured wild-type brain. These results indicate that defective astrogliosis in DJ-1-KO mice is associated with decreased CCL2 expression and attenuated monocyte infiltration, resulting in delayed repair of brain injury. Thus, delayed repair of brain injury could contribute to the development of PD. MAIN POINTS: A DJ-1 deficiency attenuates infiltration of monocytes owing to a decrease in CCL2 expression in astrocytes, which in turn led to delay in repair of brain injury.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dong-Joo Choi
- Department of Pharmacology, National Research Lab of Brain Inflammation, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Kyunggi-do, South Korea.,Chronic Inflammatory Disease Research Center, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Kyunggi-do, South Korea
| | - Hajie Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, National Research Lab of Brain Inflammation, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Kyunggi-do, South Korea.,Department of Brain Science, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Kyunggi-do, South Korea
| | - Sushil Gaire
- Department of Pharmacology, National Research Lab of Brain Inflammation, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Kyunggi-do, South Korea.,Department of Brain Science, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Kyunggi-do, South Korea.,Neuroscience Graduate Program, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Kyunggi-do, South Korea
| | - Keon Ah Lee
- Department of Pharmacology, National Research Lab of Brain Inflammation, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Kyunggi-do, South Korea.,Department of Brain Science, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Kyunggi-do, South Korea
| | - Jiawei An
- Department of Pharmacology, National Research Lab of Brain Inflammation, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Kyunggi-do, South Korea.,Department of Brain Science, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Kyunggi-do, South Korea.,Neuroscience Graduate Program, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Kyunggi-do, South Korea
| | - Byung Gon Kim
- Chronic Inflammatory Disease Research Center, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Kyunggi-do, South Korea.,Department of Brain Science, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Kyunggi-do, South Korea.,Neuroscience Graduate Program, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Kyunggi-do, South Korea.,Department of Neurology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Kyunggi-do, South Korea
| | - Ilo Jou
- Department of Pharmacology, National Research Lab of Brain Inflammation, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Kyunggi-do, South Korea.,Chronic Inflammatory Disease Research Center, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Kyunggi-do, South Korea.,Neuroscience Graduate Program, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Kyunggi-do, South Korea
| | - Sang Myun Park
- Department of Pharmacology, National Research Lab of Brain Inflammation, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Kyunggi-do, South Korea.,Chronic Inflammatory Disease Research Center, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Kyunggi-do, South Korea.,Neuroscience Graduate Program, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Kyunggi-do, South Korea
| | - Eun-Hye Joe
- Department of Pharmacology, National Research Lab of Brain Inflammation, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Kyunggi-do, South Korea.,Chronic Inflammatory Disease Research Center, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Kyunggi-do, South Korea.,Department of Brain Science, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Kyunggi-do, South Korea.,Neuroscience Graduate Program, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Kyunggi-do, South Korea
| |
Collapse
|
190
|
Wu Z, Parry M, Hou XY, Liu MH, Wang H, Cain R, Pei ZF, Chen YC, Guo ZY, Abhijeet S, Chen G. Gene therapy conversion of striatal astrocytes into GABAergic neurons in mouse models of Huntington's disease. Nat Commun 2020; 11:1105. [PMID: 32107381 PMCID: PMC7046613 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-14855-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is caused by Huntingtin (Htt) gene mutation resulting in the loss of striatal GABAergic neurons and motor functional deficits. We report here an in vivo cell conversion technology to reprogram striatal astrocytes into GABAergic neurons in both R6/2 and YAC128 HD mouse models through AAV-mediated ectopic expression of NeuroD1 and Dlx2 transcription factors. We found that the astrocyte-to-neuron (AtN) conversion rate reached 80% in the striatum and >50% of the converted neurons were DARPP32+ medium spiny neurons. The striatal astrocyte-converted neurons showed action potentials and synaptic events, and projected their axons to the targeted globus pallidus and substantia nigra in a time-dependent manner. Behavioral analyses found that NeuroD1 and Dlx2-treated R6/2 mice showed a significant extension of life span and improvement of motor functions. This study demonstrates that in vivo AtN conversion may be a disease-modifying gene therapy to treat HD and other neurodegenerative disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Wu
- Department of Biology, Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Matthew Parry
- Department of Biology, Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Xiao-Yi Hou
- Department of Biology, Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Min-Hui Liu
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Department of Biology, Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.,Department of Neurology, Affiliated ZhongDa Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Rachel Cain
- Department of Biology, Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Zi-Fei Pei
- Department of Biology, Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Yu-Chen Chen
- Department of Biology, Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Zi-Yuan Guo
- Department of Biology, Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Sambangi Abhijeet
- Department of Biology, Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Gong Chen
- Department of Biology, Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA. .,Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
| |
Collapse
|
191
|
Al-Dalahmah O, Sosunov AA, Shaik A, Ofori K, Liu Y, Vonsattel JP, Adorjan I, Menon V, Goldman JE. Single-nucleus RNA-seq identifies Huntington disease astrocyte states. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2020; 8:19. [PMID: 32070434 PMCID: PMC7029580 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-020-0880-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 143] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2019] [Accepted: 01/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington Disease (HD) is an inherited movement disorder caused by expanded CAG repeats in the Huntingtin gene. We have used single nucleus RNASeq (snRNASeq) to uncover cellular phenotypes that change in the disease, investigating single cell gene expression in cingulate cortex of patients with HD and comparing the gene expression to that of patients with no neurological disease. In this study, we focused on astrocytes, although we found significant gene expression differences in neurons, oligodendrocytes, and microglia as well. In particular, the gene expression profiles of astrocytes in HD showed multiple signatures, varying in phenotype from cells that had markedly upregulated metallothionein and heat shock genes, but had not completely lost the expression of genes associated with normal protoplasmic astrocytes, to astrocytes that had substantially upregulated glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and had lost expression of many normal protoplasmic astrocyte genes as well as metallothionein genes. When compared to astrocytes in control samples, astrocyte signatures in HD also showed downregulated expression of a number of genes, including several associated with protoplasmic astrocyte function and lipid synthesis. Thus, HD astrocytes appeared in variable transcriptional phenotypes, and could be divided into several different “states”, defined by patterns of gene expression. Ultimately, this study begins to fill the knowledge gap of single cell gene expression in HD and provide a more detailed understanding of the variation in changes in gene expression during astrocyte “reactions” to the disease.
Collapse
|
192
|
Yu X, Nagai J, Khakh BS. Improved tools to study astrocytes. Nat Rev Neurosci 2020; 21:121-138. [DOI: 10.1038/s41583-020-0264-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
|
193
|
Blumenstock S, Dudanova I. Cortical and Striatal Circuits in Huntington's Disease. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:82. [PMID: 32116525 PMCID: PMC7025546 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a hereditary neurodegenerative disorder that typically manifests in midlife with motor, cognitive, and/or psychiatric symptoms. The disease is caused by a CAG triplet expansion in exon 1 of the huntingtin gene and leads to a severe neurodegeneration in the striatum and cortex. Classical electrophysiological studies in genetic HD mouse models provided important insights into the disbalance of excitatory, inhibitory and neuromodulatory inputs, as well as progressive disconnection between the cortex and striatum. However, the involvement of local cortical and striatal microcircuits still remains largely unexplored. Here we review the progress in understanding HD-related impairments in the cortical and basal ganglia circuits, and outline new opportunities that have opened with the development of modern circuit analysis methods. In particular, in vivo imaging studies in mouse HD models have demonstrated early structural and functional disturbances within the cortical network, and optogenetic manipulations of striatal cell types have started uncovering the causal roles of certain neuronal populations in disease pathogenesis. In addition, the important contribution of astrocytes to HD-related circuit defects has recently been recognized. In parallel, unbiased systems biology studies are providing insights into the possible molecular underpinnings of these functional defects at the level of synaptic signaling and neurotransmitter metabolism. With these approaches, we can now reach a deeper understanding of circuit-based HD mechanisms, which will be crucial for the development of effective and targeted therapeutic strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sonja Blumenstock
- Department of Molecules – Signaling – Development, Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Martinsried, Germany
- Molecular Neurodegeneration Group, Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Irina Dudanova
- Molecular Neurodegeneration Group, Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Martinsried, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
194
|
Westergard T, Rothstein JD. Astrocyte Diversity: Current Insights and Future Directions. Neurochem Res 2020; 45:1298-1305. [PMID: 32006215 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-020-02959-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Revised: 12/26/2019] [Accepted: 01/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes make up 20-40% of glial cells within the central nervous system (CNS) and provide several crucial functions, ranging from metabolic and structural support to regulation of synaptogenesis and synaptic transmission. Although these cells are morphologically and functionally complex, astrocytes have been historically regarded as homogenous cell populations and studied as one population of cells. Fortunately, recent evidence in RNA profiling and imaging data has begun to refute this view. These studies suggest heterogeneity of astrocytes across brain regions, differing in many aspects such as morphology, function, physiological properties, developmental origins, and response to disease. Increased understanding of astrocyte heterogeneity is critical for investigations into the function of astrocytes in the brain and neuro-glia interactions. Furthermore, insights into astrocyte heterogeneity can help better understand their role in neurological disorders and potentially produce novel approaches to treating these diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Westergard
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Cellular & Molecular Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Jeffrey D Rothstein
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Cellular & Molecular Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
195
|
Juneja DS, Nasuto S, Delivopoulos E. Fast and Efficient Differentiation of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells Into ATP-Responsive Astrocytes. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 13:579. [PMID: 32038173 PMCID: PMC6985097 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes are multifunctional cells in the CNS, involved in the regulation of neurovascular coupling, the modulation of electrolytes, and the cycling of neurotransmitters at synapses. Induction of astrocytes from stem cells remains a largely underdeveloped area, as current protocols are time consuming, lack granularity in astrocytic subtype generation, and often are not as efficient as neural induction methods. In this paper we present an efficient method to differentiate astrocytes from mouse embryonic stem cells. Our technique uses a cell suspension protocol to produce embryoid bodies (EBs) that are neurally inducted and seeded onto laminin coated surfaces. Plated EBs attach to the surface and release migrating cells to their surrounding environment, which are further inducted into the astrocytic lineage, through an optimized, heparin-based media. Characterization and functional assessment of the cells consists of immunofluorescent labeling for specific astrocytic proteins and sensitivity to adenosine triphosphate (ATP) stimulation. Our experimental results show that even at the earliest stages of the protocol, cells are positive for astrocytic markers (GFAP, ALDH1L1, S100β, and GLAST) with variant expression patterns and purinergic receptors (P2Y). Generated astrocytes also exhibit differential Ca2+ transients upon stimulation with ATP, which evolve over the differentiation period. Metabotropic purinoceptors P2Y1R are expressed and we offer preliminary evidence that metabotropic purinoceptors contribute to Ca2+ transients. Our protocol is simple, efficient and fast, facilitating its use in multiple investigations, particularly in vitro studies of engineered neural networks.
Collapse
|
196
|
Limbad C, Oron TR, Alimirah F, Davalos AR, Tracy TE, Gan L, Desprez PY, Campisi J. Astrocyte senescence promotes glutamate toxicity in cortical neurons. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0227887. [PMID: 31945125 PMCID: PMC6964973 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0227887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Accepted: 12/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegeneration is a major age-related pathology. Cognitive decline is characteristic of patients with Alzheimer’s and related dementias and cancer patients after chemo- or radio-therapies. A recently emerged driver of these and other age-related pathologies is cellular senescence, a cell fate that entails a permanent cell cycle arrest and pro-inflammatory senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). Although there is a link between inflammation and neurodegenerative diseases, there are many open questions regarding how cellular senescence affects neurodegenerative pathologies. Among the various cell types in the brain, astrocytes are the most abundant. Astrocytes have proliferative capacity and are essential for neuron survival. Here, we investigated the phenotype of primary human astrocytes made senescent by X-irradiation, and identified genes encoding glutamate and potassium transporters as specifically downregulated upon senescence. This down regulation led to neuronal cell death in co-culture assays. Unbiased RNA sequencing of transcripts expressed by non-senescent and senescent astrocytes confirmed that glutamate homeostasis pathway declines upon senescence. Our results suggest a key role for cellular senescence, particularly in astrocytes, in excitotoxicity, which may lead to neurodegeneration including Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chandani Limbad
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, California, United States of America
- Comparative Biochemistry Graduate Program, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Tal Ronnen Oron
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, California, United States of America
| | - Fatouma Alimirah
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, California, United States of America
| | - Albert R. Davalos
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, California, United States of America
| | - Tara E. Tracy
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, California, United States of America
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Department of Neurology, Weill Institute of Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Li Gan
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Department of Neurology, Weill Institute of Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Pierre-Yves Desprez
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, California, United States of America
- California Pacific Medical Center, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Judith Campisi
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, California, United States of America
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, United States of America
- * E-mail: ,
| |
Collapse
|
197
|
de Majo M, Koontz M, Rowitch D, Ullian EM. An update on human astrocytes and their role in development and disease. Glia 2020; 68:685-704. [PMID: 31926040 DOI: 10.1002/glia.23771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2019] [Revised: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Human astrocytes provide trophic as well as structural support to the surrounding brain cells. Furthermore, they have been implicated in many physiological processes important for central nervous system function. Traditionally astrocytes have been considered to be a homogeneous class of cells, however, it has increasingly become more evident that astrocytes can have very different characteristics in different regions of the brain, or even within the same region. In this review we will discuss the features of human astrocytes, their heterogeneity, and their generation during neurodevelopment and the extraordinary progress that has been made to model these fascinating cells in vitro, mainly from induced pluripotent stem cells. Astrocytes' role in disease will also be discussed with a particular focus on their role in neurodegenerative disorders. As outlined here, astrocytes are important for the homeostasis of the central nervous system and understanding their regional specificity is a priority to elucidate the complexity of the human brain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martina de Majo
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Mark Koontz
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - David Rowitch
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California.,Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California.,Department of Paediatrics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Erik M Ullian
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| |
Collapse
|
198
|
Sung K, Jimenez-Sanchez M. Autophagy in Astrocytes and its Implications in Neurodegeneration. J Mol Biol 2020; 432:2605-2621. [PMID: 31931011 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2019.12.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2019] [Revised: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Autophagy is a major degradation pathway where double-membrane vesicles called autophagosomes deliver cytoplasmic content to the lysosome. Increasing evidence suggests that autophagy dysfunction contributes to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. In addition, misfolded proteins that accumulate in these diseases and constitute a common pathological hallmark are substrates for autophagic degradation. Astrocytes, a major type of glial cells, are emerging as a critical component in most neurodegenerative diseases. This review will summarize the recent efforts to investigate the role that autophagy plays in astrocytes in the context of neurodegenerative diseases. While the field has mostly focused on the implications of autophagy in neurons, autophagy may also be involved in the clearance of disease-related proteins in astrocytes as well as in maintaining astrocyte function, which could impact the cell autonomous and non-cell autonomous contribution of astrocytes to neurodegeneration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Sung
- King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, 5 Cutcombe Road, London, SE5 9RX, UK
| | - Maria Jimenez-Sanchez
- King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, 5 Cutcombe Road, London, SE5 9RX, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
199
|
Abstract
The contribution of an impaired astrocytic K+ regulation system to epileptic neuronal hyperexcitability has been increasingly recognized in the last decade. A defective K+ regulation leads to an elevated extracellular K+ concentration ([K+]o). When [K+]o reaches peaks of 10-12 mM, it is strongly associated with seizure initiation during hypersynchronous neuronal activities. On the other hand, reactive astrocytes during a seizure attack restrict influx of K+ across the membrane both passively and actively. In addition to decreased K+ buffering, aberrant Ca2+ signaling and declined glutamate transport have also been observed in astrogliosis in epileptic specimens, precipitating an increased neuronal discharge and induction of seizures. This review aims to provide an overview of experimental findings that implicated astrocytic modulation of extracellular K+ in the mechanism of epileptogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fushun Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor Scott & White Health, Temple, TX, USA; Institute of Brain and Psychological Science, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Xiaoming Qi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor Scott & White Health, Temple, TX, USA
| | - Jun Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jason H Huang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor Scott & White Health; Department of Surgery, Texas A&M University College of Medicine, Temple, TX, USA
| |
Collapse
|
200
|
Kery R, Chen APF, Kirschen GW. Genetic targeting of astrocytes to combat neurodegenerative disease. Neural Regen Res 2020; 15:199-211. [PMID: 31552885 PMCID: PMC6905329 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.265541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes, glial cells that interact extensively with neurons and other support cells throughout the central nervous system, have recently come under the spotlight for their potential contribution to, or potential regenerative role in a host of neurodegenerative disorders. It is becoming increasingly clear that astrocytes, in concert with microglial cells, activate intrinsic immunological pathways in the setting of neurodegenerative injury, although the direct and indirect consequences of such activation are still largely unknown. We review the current literature on the astrocyte’s role in several neurodegenerative diseases, as well as highlighting recent advances in genetic manipulation of astrocytes that may prove critical to modulating their response to neurological injury, potentially combatting neurodegenerative damage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Kery
- Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), Stony Brook Medicine; Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Allen P F Chen
- Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), Stony Brook Medicine; Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Gregory W Kirschen
- Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), Stony Brook Medicine, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|