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Domowicz MS, Chan WC, Claudio-Vázquez P, Gonzalez T, Schwartz NB. Brain transcriptome analysis of a CLN2 mouse model as a function of disease progression. J Neuroinflammation 2021; 18:262. [PMID: 34749772 PMCID: PMC8576919 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-021-02302-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses, (NCLs or Batten disease) are a group of inherited, early onset, fatal neurodegenerative diseases associated with mutations in 13 genes. All forms of the disease are characterized by lysosomal accumulation of fluorescent storage material, as well as profound neurodegeneration, but the relationship of the various genes’ function to a single biological process is not obvious. In this study, we used a well-characterized mouse model of classical late infantile NCL (cLINCL) in which the tripeptidyl peptidase 1 (Tpp1) gene is disrupted by gene targeting, resulting in loss of detectable TPP1 activity and leading to progressive neurological phenotypes including ataxia, increased motor deficiency, and early death. Methods In order to identify genes and pathways that may contribute to progression of the neurodegenerative process, we analyzed forebrain/midbrain and cerebellar transcriptional differences at 1, 2, 3 and 4 months of age in control and TPP1-deficient mice by global RNA-sequencing. Results Progressive neurodegenerative inflammatory responses involving microglia, astrocytes and endothelial cells were observed, accompanied by activation of leukocyte extravasation signals and upregulation of nitric oxide production and reactive oxygen species. Several astrocytic (i.e., Gfap, C4b, Osmr, Serpina3n) and microglial (i.e., Ctss, Itgb2, Itgax, Lyz2) genes were identified as strong markers for assessing disease progression as they showed increased levels of expression in vivo over time. Furthermore, transient increased expression of choroid plexus genes was observed at 2 months in the lateral and fourth ventricle, highlighting an early role for the choroid plexus and cerebrospinal fluid in the disease pathology. Based on these gene expression changes, we concluded that neuroinflammation starts, for the most part, after 2 months in the Tpp1−/− brain and that activation of microglia and astrocytes occur more rapidly in cerebellum than in the rest of the brain; confirming increased severity of inflammation in this region. Conclusions These findings have led to a better understanding of cLINCL pathological onset and progression, which may aid in development of future therapeutic treatments for this disease. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12974-021-02302-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam S Domowicz
- Department of Pediatrics, Biological Sciences Division, The University of Chicago Medical Center, 5841 S. Maryland Avenue, MC 5058, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
| | - Wen-Ching Chan
- Center for Research Informatics, Biological Sciences Division, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Patricia Claudio-Vázquez
- Department of Pediatrics, Biological Sciences Division, The University of Chicago Medical Center, 5841 S. Maryland Avenue, MC 5058, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Tatiana Gonzalez
- Department of Pediatrics, Biological Sciences Division, The University of Chicago Medical Center, 5841 S. Maryland Avenue, MC 5058, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Nancy B Schwartz
- Department of Pediatrics, Biological Sciences Division, The University of Chicago Medical Center, 5841 S. Maryland Avenue, MC 5058, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biological Sciences Division, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
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202
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Duke CG, Bach SV, Revanna JS, Sultan FA, Southern NT, Davis MN, Carullo NVN, Bauman AJ, Phillips RA, Day JJ. An Improved CRISPR/dCas9 Interference Tool for Neuronal Gene Suppression. Front Genome Ed 2021; 2:9. [PMID: 34713218 PMCID: PMC8525373 DOI: 10.3389/fgeed.2020.00009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The expression of genetic material governs brain development, differentiation, and function, and targeted manipulation of gene expression is required to understand contributions of gene function to health and disease states. Although recent improvements in CRISPR/dCas9 interference (CRISPRi) technology have enabled targeted transcriptional repression at selected genomic sites, integrating these techniques for use in non-dividing neuronal systems remains challenging. Previously, we optimized a dual lentivirus expression system to express CRISPR-based activation machinery in post-mitotic neurons. Here we used a similar strategy to adapt an improved dCas9-KRAB-MeCP2 repression system for robust transcriptional inhibition in neurons. We find that lentiviral delivery of a dCas9-KRAB-MeCP2 construct driven by the neuron-selective human synapsin promoter enabled transgene expression in primary rat neurons. Next, we demonstrate transcriptional repression using CRISPR sgRNAs targeting diverse gene promoters, and show superiority of this system in neurons compared to existing RNA interference methods for robust transcript specific manipulation at the complex Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf) gene. Our findings advance this improved CRISPRi technology for use in neuronal systems for the first time, potentially enabling improved ability to manipulate gene expression states in the nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corey G Duke
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Svitlana V Bach
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Jasmin S Revanna
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Faraz A Sultan
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Nicholas T Southern
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - M Natalie Davis
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Nancy V N Carullo
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Allison J Bauman
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Robert A Phillips
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Jeremy J Day
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
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203
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Hayase S, Shao C, Kobayashi M, Mori C, Liu WC, Wada K. Seasonal regulation of singing-driven gene expression associated with song plasticity in the canary, an open-ended vocal learner. Mol Brain 2021; 14:160. [PMID: 34715888 PMCID: PMC8556994 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-021-00869-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Songbirds are one of the few animal taxa that possess vocal learning abilities. Different species of songbirds exhibit species-specific learning programs during song acquisition. Songbirds with open-ended vocal learning capacity, such as the canary, modify their songs during adulthood. Nevertheless, the neural molecular mechanisms underlying open-ended vocal learning are not fully understood. We investigated the singing-driven expression of neural activity-dependent genes (Arc, Egr1, c-fos, Nr4a1, Sik1, Dusp6, and Gadd45β) in the canary to examine a potential relationship between the gene expression level and the degree of seasonal vocal plasticity at different ages. The expression of these genes was differently regulated throughout the critical period of vocal learning in the zebra finch, a closed-ended song learner. In the canary, the neural activity-dependent genes were induced by singing in the song nuclei throughout the year. However, in the vocal motor nucleus, the robust nucleus of the arcopallium (RA), all genes were regulated with a higher induction rate by singing in the fall than in the spring. The singing-driven expression of these genes showed a similar induction rate in the fall between the first year juvenile and the second year adult canaries, suggesting a seasonal, not age-dependent, regulation of the neural activity-dependent genes. By measuring seasonal vocal plasticity and singing-driven gene expression, we found that in RA, the induction intensity of the neural activity-dependent genes was correlated with the state of vocal plasticity. These results demonstrate a correlation between vocal plasticity and the singing-driven expression of neural activity-dependent genes in RA through song development, regardless of whether a songbird species possesses an open- or closed-ended vocal learning capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shin Hayase
- Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Chengru Shao
- Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Masahiko Kobayashi
- Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Chihiro Mori
- Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.,Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Teikyo University, Kaga, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Wan-Chun Liu
- Department of Psychology, Colgate University, Hamilton, NY, USA
| | - Kazuhiro Wada
- Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. .,Department of Biological Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. .,Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, North 10, West 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.
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204
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Vallés AS, Barrantes FJ. Dendritic spine membrane proteome and its alterations in autistic spectrum disorder. ADVANCES IN PROTEIN CHEMISTRY AND STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY 2021; 128:435-474. [PMID: 35034726 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apcsb.2021.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Dendritic spines are small protrusions stemming from the dendritic shaft that constitute the primary specialization for receiving and processing excitatory neurotransmission in brain synapses. The disruption of dendritic spine function in several neurological and neuropsychiatric diseases leads to severe information-processing deficits with impairments in neuronal connectivity and plasticity. Spine dysregulation is usually accompanied by morphological alterations to spine shape, size and/or number that may occur at early pathophysiological stages and not necessarily be reflected in clinical manifestations. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is one such group of diseases involving changes in neuronal connectivity and abnormal morphology of dendritic spines on postsynaptic neurons. These alterations at the subcellular level correlate with molecular changes in the spine proteome, with alterations in the copy number, topography, or in severe cases in the phenotype of the molecular components, predominantly of those proteins involved in spine recognition and adhesion, reflected in abnormally short lifetimes of the synapse and compensatory increases in synaptic connections. Since cholinergic neurotransmission participates in the regulation of cognitive function (attention, memory, learning processes, cognitive flexibility, social interactions) brain acetylcholine receptors are likely to play an important role in the dysfunctional synapses in ASD, either directly or indirectly via the modulatory functions exerted on other neurotransmitter receptor proteins and spine-resident proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Sofía Vallés
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca (UNS-CONICET), Bahía Blanca, Argentina
| | - Francisco J Barrantes
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (BIOMED), UCA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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205
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Mahadevan V, Mitra A, Zhang Y, Yuan X, Peltekian A, Chittajallu R, Esnault C, Maric D, Rhodes C, Pelkey KA, Dale R, Petros TJ, McBain CJ. NMDARs Drive the Expression of Neuropsychiatric Disorder Risk Genes Within GABAergic Interneuron Subtypes in the Juvenile Brain. Front Mol Neurosci 2021; 14:712609. [PMID: 34630033 PMCID: PMC8500094 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.712609] [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: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Medial ganglionic eminence (MGE)-derived parvalbumin (PV)+, somatostatin (SST)+and Neurogliaform (NGFC)-type cortical and hippocampal interneurons, have distinct molecular, anatomical, and physiological properties. However, the molecular mechanisms regulating their maturation remain poorly understood. Here, via single-cell transcriptomics, we show that the obligate NMDA-type glutamate receptor (NMDAR) subunit gene Grin1 mediates transcriptional regulation of gene expression in specific subtypes of MGE-derived interneurons, leading to altered subtype abundances. Notably, MGE-specific early developmental Grin1 loss results in a broad downregulation of diverse transcriptional, synaptogenic and membrane excitability regulatory programs in the juvenile brain. These widespread gene expression abnormalities mirror aberrations that are typically associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. Our study hence provides a road map for the systematic examination of NMDAR signaling in interneuron subtypes, revealing potential MGE-specific genetic targets that could instruct future therapies of psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivek Mahadevan
- Section on Cellular and Synaptic Physiology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Apratim Mitra
- Bioinformatics and Scientific Programming Core, NICHD, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Yajun Zhang
- Unit on Cellular and Molecular Neurodevelopment, NICHD, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Xiaoqing Yuan
- Section on Cellular and Synaptic Physiology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Areg Peltekian
- Section on Cellular and Synaptic Physiology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Ramesh Chittajallu
- Section on Cellular and Synaptic Physiology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Caroline Esnault
- Bioinformatics and Scientific Programming Core, NICHD, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Dragan Maric
- Flow and Imaging Cytometry Core Facility, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Christopher Rhodes
- Unit on Cellular and Molecular Neurodevelopment, NICHD, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Kenneth A Pelkey
- Section on Cellular and Synaptic Physiology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Ryan Dale
- Bioinformatics and Scientific Programming Core, NICHD, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Timothy J Petros
- Unit on Cellular and Molecular Neurodevelopment, NICHD, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Chris J McBain
- Section on Cellular and Synaptic Physiology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), Bethesda, MD, United States
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206
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Herholt A, Sahoo VK, Popovic L, Wehr MC, Rossner MJ. Dissecting intercellular and intracellular signaling networks with barcoded genetic tools. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2021; 66:102091. [PMID: 34644670 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2021.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The power of next-generation sequencing has stimulated the development of many analysis techniques for transcriptomics and genomics. More recently, the concept of 'molecular barcoding' has broadened the spectrum of sequencing-based applications to dissect different aspects of intracellular and intercellular signaling. In these assay formats, barcode reporters replace standard reporter genes. The virtually infinitive number of expressed barcode sequences allows high levels of multiplexing, hence accelerating experimental progress. Furthermore, reporter barcodes are used to quantitatively monitor a variety of biological events in living cells which has already provided much insight into complex cellular signaling and will further increase our knowledge in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Herholt
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Nussbaumstr. 7, 80336 Munich, Germany; Systasy Bioscience GmbH, Balanstr. 6, 81669 Munich, Germany
| | - Vivek K Sahoo
- Systasy Bioscience GmbH, Balanstr. 6, 81669 Munich, Germany
| | - Luksa Popovic
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Nussbaumstr. 7, 80336 Munich, Germany; Systasy Bioscience GmbH, Balanstr. 6, 81669 Munich, Germany
| | - Michael C Wehr
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Nussbaumstr. 7, 80336 Munich, Germany; Systasy Bioscience GmbH, Balanstr. 6, 81669 Munich, Germany
| | - Moritz J Rossner
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Nussbaumstr. 7, 80336 Munich, Germany.
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207
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Inder TE, de Vries LS, Ferriero DM, Grant PE, Ment LR, Miller SP, Volpe JJ. Neuroimaging of the Preterm Brain: Review and Recommendations. J Pediatr 2021; 237:276-287.e4. [PMID: 34146549 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2021.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Terrie E Inder
- Department of Pediatric Newborn Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
| | - Linda S de Vries
- Department of Neonatology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Department of Neonatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Donna M Ferriero
- Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA; Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA; Weill Institute of Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - P Ellen Grant
- Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Laura R Ment
- Department of Pediatrics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT; Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Steven P Miller
- Department of Pediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children and the University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Joseph J Volpe
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Department of Pediatric Newborn Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
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208
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW We review recent progress in the characterization of spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs), the afferent neurons that transmit sound information from mechanosensory hair cells in the inner ear to the central nervous system. RECENT FINDINGS Single-cell ribonucleic acid sequencing studies of murine SGNs have demonstrated that SGNs consist of molecularly distinct subtypes. The molecularly defined SGN subtypes likely correspond to SGN subtypes previously identified on the basis of physiological properties, although this has not been experimentally demonstrated. Subtype maturation is completed postnatally in an activity-dependent manner and is impaired in several models of hearing loss. SUMMARY The recent molecular studies open new avenues to rigorously test whether SGN subtypes are important for the encoding of different sound features and if they show differential vulnerability to genetic factors and environmental insults. This could have important implications for the development of therapeutic strategies to treat hearing loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuohao Sun
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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209
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Sarkar D, Shariq M, Dwivedi D, Krishnan N, Naumann R, Bhalla US, Ghosh HS. Adult brain neurons require continual expression of the schizophrenia-risk gene Tcf4 for structural and functional integrity. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:494. [PMID: 34564703 PMCID: PMC8464606 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01618-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The schizophrenia-risk gene Tcf4 has been widely studied in the context of brain development using mouse models of haploinsufficiency, in utero knockdown and embryonic deletion. However, Tcf4 continues to be abundantly expressed in adult brain neurons where its functions remain unknown. Given the importance of Tcf4 in psychiatric diseases, we investigated its role in adult neurons using cell-specific deletion and genetic tracing in adult animals. Acute loss of Tcf4 in adult excitatory neurons in vivo caused hyperexcitability and increased dendritic complexity of neurons, effects that were distinct from previously observed effects in embryonic-deficiency models. Interestingly, transcriptomic analysis of genetically traced adult-deleted FACS-sorted Tcf4-knockout neurons revealed that Tcf4 targets in adult neurons are distinct from those in the embryonic brain. Meta-analysis of the adult-deleted neuronal transcriptome from our study with the existing datasets of embryonic Tcf4 deficiencies revealed plasma membrane and ciliary genes to underlie Tcf4-mediated structure-function regulation specifically in adult neurons. The profound changes both in the structure and excitability of adult neurons upon acute loss of Tcf4 indicates that proactive regulation of membrane-related processes underlies the functional and structural integrity of adult neurons. These findings not only provide insights for the functional relevance of continual expression of a psychiatric disease-risk gene in the adult brain but also identify previously unappreciated gene networks underpinning mature neuronal regulation during the adult lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dipannita Sarkar
- grid.22401.350000 0004 0502 9283National Center for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore, 560065 India ,grid.502290.cThe University of Trans-Disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology, Bangalore, 560064 India
| | - Mohammad Shariq
- grid.22401.350000 0004 0502 9283National Center for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore, 560065 India ,grid.502290.cThe University of Trans-Disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology, Bangalore, 560064 India
| | - Deepanjali Dwivedi
- grid.22401.350000 0004 0502 9283National Center for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore, 560065 India
| | - Nirmal Krishnan
- grid.22401.350000 0004 0502 9283National Center for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore, 560065 India
| | - Ronald Naumann
- grid.419537.d0000 0001 2113 4567MPI of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, 01307 Germany
| | - Upinder Singh Bhalla
- grid.22401.350000 0004 0502 9283National Center for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore, 560065 India
| | - Hiyaa Singhee Ghosh
- National Center for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore, 560065, India.
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210
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Jones NS, Watson KQ, Rebeck GW. High-fat diet increases gliosis and immediate early gene expression in APOE3 mice, but not APOE4 mice. J Neuroinflammation 2021; 18:214. [PMID: 34537055 PMCID: PMC8449905 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-021-02256-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background APOE4 is the strongest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and obesity is a strong environmental risk factor for AD. These factors result in multiple central nervous system (CNS) disturbances and significantly increase chances of AD. Since over 20% of the US population carry the APOE4 allele and over 40% are obese, it is important to understand how these risk factors interact to affect neurons and glia in the CNS. Methods We fed male and female APOE3 and APOE4 knock-in mice a high-fat diet (HFD-45% kcal fat) or a "control" diet (CD-10% kcal fat) for 12 weeks beginning at 6 months of age. At the end of the 12 weeks, brains were collected and analyzed for gliosis, neuroinflammatory genes, and neuronal integrity. Results APOE3 mice on HFD, but not APOE4 mice, experienced increases in gliosis as measured by GFAP and Iba1 immunostaining. APOE4 mice on HFD showed a stronger increase in the expression of Adora2a than APOE3 mice. Finally, APOE3 mice on HFD, but not APOE4 mice, also showed increased neuronal expression of immediate early genes cFos and Arc. Conclusions These findings demonstrate that APOE genotype and obesity interact in their effects on important processes particularly related to inflammation and neuronal plasticity in the CNS. During the early stages of obesity, the APOE3 genotype modulates a response to HFD while the APOE4 genotype does not. This supports a model where early dysregulation of inflammation in APOE4 brains could predispose to CNS damages from various insults and later result in the increased CNS damage normally associated with the APOE4 genotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nahdia S Jones
- Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, 20007, USA
| | - Katarina Q Watson
- Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, 20007, USA
| | - G William Rebeck
- Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, 20007, USA.
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211
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Vuong-Brender TT, Flynn S, Vallis Y, de Bono M. Neuronal calmodulin levels are controlled by CAMTA transcription factors. eLife 2021; 10:68238. [PMID: 34499028 PMCID: PMC8428840 DOI: 10.7554/elife.68238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The ubiquitous Ca2+ sensor calmodulin (CaM) binds and regulates many proteins, including ion channels, CaM kinases, and calcineurin, according to Ca2+-CaM levels. What regulates neuronal CaM levels, is, however, unclear. CaM-binding transcription activators (CAMTAs) are ancient proteins expressed broadly in nervous systems and whose loss confers pleiotropic behavioral defects in flies, mice, and humans. Using Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila, we show that CAMTAs control neuronal CaM levels. The behavioral and neuronal Ca2+ signaling defects in mutants lacking camt-1, the sole C. elegans CAMTA, can be rescued by supplementing neuronal CaM. CAMT-1 binds multiple sites in the CaM promoter and deleting these sites phenocopies camt-1. Our data suggest CAMTAs mediate a conserved and general mechanism that controls neuronal CaM levels, thereby regulating Ca2+ signaling, physiology, and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thanh Thi Vuong-Brender
- Cell Biology Division, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, United Kingdom.,Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria), Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Sean Flynn
- Cell Biology Division, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Yvonne Vallis
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria), Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Mario de Bono
- Cell Biology Division, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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212
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Perez JD, Fusco CM, Schuman EM. A Functional Dissection of the mRNA and Locally Synthesized Protein Population in Neuronal Dendrites and Axons. Annu Rev Genet 2021; 55:183-207. [PMID: 34460296 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genet-030321-054851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Neurons are characterized by a complex morphology that enables the generation of subcellular compartments with unique biochemical and biophysical properties, such as dendrites, axons, and synapses. To sustain these different compartments and carry a wide array of elaborate operations, neurons express a diverse repertoire of gene products. Extensive regulation at both the messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein levels allows for the differentiation of subcellular compartments as well as numerous forms of plasticity in response to variable stimuli. Among the multiple mechanisms that control cellular functions, mRNA translation is manipulated by neurons to regulate where and when a protein emerges. Interestingly, transcriptomic and translatomic profiles of both dendrites and axons have revealed that the mRNA population only partially predicts the local protein population and that this relation significantly varies between different gene groups. Here, we describe the space that local translation occupies within the large molecular and regulatory complexity of neurons, in contrast to other modes of regulation. We then discuss the specialized organization of mRNAs within different neuronal compartments, as revealed by profiles of the local transcriptome. Finally, we discuss the features and functional implications of both locally correlated-and anticorrelated-mRNA-protein relations both under baseline conditions and during synaptic plasticity. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Genetics, Volume 55 is November 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio D Perez
- Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany;
| | - Claudia M Fusco
- Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany;
| | - Erin M Schuman
- Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany;
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213
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Dileep V, Tsai LH. Three-dimensional chromatin organization in brain function and dysfunction. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2021; 69:214-221. [PMID: 34111830 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2021.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
The three-dimensional (3D) organization of chromatin within the nucleus is now recognized as a bona fide epigenetic property influencing genome function, replication, and maintenance. In the recent years, several studies have revealed how 3D chromatin organization is associated with brain function and its emerging role in disorders of the brain. 3D chromatin organization plays a crucial role in the development of different cell types of the nervous system and some neuronal cell types have adapted unique modifications to this organization that deviates from all other cell types. In post-mitotic neurons, dynamic changes in chromatin interactions in response to neuronal activity underlie learning and memory formation. Finally, new evidence directly links 3D chromatin organization to several disorders of the brain. These recent findings position 3D chromatin organization as a fundamental regulatory mechanism poised to reveal the etiology of brain function and dysfunctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vishnu Dileep
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Li-Huei Tsai
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA; Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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214
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Kim B, Luo Y, Zhan X, Zhang Z, Shi X, Yi J, Xuan Z, Wu J. Neuronal activity-induced BRG1 phosphorylation regulates enhancer activation. Cell Rep 2021; 36:109357. [PMID: 34260936 PMCID: PMC8315893 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuronal activity-induced enhancers drive gene activation. We demonstrate that BRG1, the core subunit of SWI/SNF-like BAF ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complexes, regulates neuronal activity-induced enhancers. Upon stimulation, BRG1 is recruited to enhancers in an H3K27Ac-dependent manner. BRG1 regulates enhancer basal activities and inducibility by affecting cohesin binding, enhancer-promoter looping, RNA polymerase II recruitment, and enhancer RNA expression. We identify a serine phosphorylation site in BRG1 that is induced by neuronal stimulations and is sensitive to CaMKII inhibition. BRG1 phosphorylation affects its interaction with several transcription co-factors, including the NuRD repressor complex and cohesin, possibly modulating BRG1-mediated transcription outcomes. Using mice with knockin mutations, we show that non-phosphorylatable BRG1 fails to efficiently induce activity-dependent genes, whereas phosphomimic BRG1 increases enhancer activity and inducibility. These mutant mice display anxiety-like phenotypes and altered responses to stress. Therefore, we reveal a mechanism connecting neuronal signaling to enhancer activities through BRG1 phosphorylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- BongWoo Kim
- Department of Physiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Yi Luo
- Department of Physiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Xiaoming Zhan
- Center for the Genetics of Host Defense, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Zilai Zhang
- Department of Physiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Xuanming Shi
- Department of Physiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Jiaqing Yi
- Department of Physiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Zhenyu Xuan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Systems Biology, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080, USA
| | - Jiang Wu
- Department of Physiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
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215
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Traniello IM, Robinson GE. Neural and Molecular Mechanisms of Biological Embedding of Social Interactions. Annu Rev Neurosci 2021; 44:109-128. [PMID: 34236891 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-neuro-092820-012959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Animals operate in complex environments, and salient social information is encoded in the nervous system and then processed to initiate adaptive behavior. This encoding involves biological embedding, the process by which social experience affects the brain to influence future behavior. Biological embedding is an important conceptual framework for understanding social decision-making in the brain, as it encompasses multiple levels of organization that regulate how information is encoded and used to modify behavior. The framework we emphasize here is that social stimuli provoke short-term changes in neural activity that lead to changes in gene expression on longer timescales. This process, simplified-neurons are for today and genes are for tomorrow-enables the assessment of the valence of a social interaction, an appropriate and rapid response, and subsequent modification of neural circuitry to change future behavioral inclinations in anticipation of environmental changes. We review recent research on the neural and molecular basis of biological embedding in the context of social interactions, with a special focus on the honeybee.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian M Traniello
- Neuroscience Program and Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA;
| | - Gene E Robinson
- Neuroscience Program and Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA; .,Department of Entomology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
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216
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Stott RT, Kritsky O, Tsai LH. Profiling DNA break sites and transcriptional changes in response to contextual fear learning. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0249691. [PMID: 34197463 PMCID: PMC8248687 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0249691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuronal activity generates DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) at specific loci in vitro and this facilitates the rapid transcriptional induction of early response genes (ERGs). Physiological neuronal activity, including exposure of mice to learning behaviors, also cause the formation of DSBs, yet the distribution of these breaks and their relation to brain function remains unclear. Here, following contextual fear conditioning (CFC) in mice, we profiled the locations of DSBs genome-wide in the medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus using γH2AX ChIP-Seq. Remarkably, we found that DSB formation is widespread in the brain compared to cultured primary neurons and they are predominately involved in synaptic processes. We observed increased DNA breaks at genes induced by CFC in neuronal and non-neuronal nuclei. Activity-regulated and proteostasis-related transcription factors appear to govern some of these gene expression changes across cell types. Finally, we find that glia but not neurons have a robust transcriptional response to glucocorticoids, and many of these genes are sites of DSBs. Our results indicate that learning behaviors cause widespread DSB formation in the brain that are associated with experience-driven transcriptional changes across both neuronal and glial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan T. Stott
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
| | - Oleg Kritsky
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
| | - Li-Huei Tsai
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
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217
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Ferro A, Auguste YSS, Cheadle L. Microglia, Cytokines, and Neural Activity: Unexpected Interactions in Brain Development and Function. Front Immunol 2021; 12:703527. [PMID: 34276699 PMCID: PMC8281303 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.703527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Intercellular signaling molecules such as cytokines and their receptors enable immune cells to communicate with one another and their surrounding microenvironments. Emerging evidence suggests that the same signaling pathways that regulate inflammatory responses to injury and disease outside of the brain also play powerful roles in brain development, plasticity, and function. These observations raise the question of how the same signaling molecules can play such distinct roles in peripheral tissues compared to the central nervous system, a system previously thought to be largely protected from inflammatory signaling. Here, we review evidence that the specialized roles of immune signaling molecules such as cytokines in the brain are to a large extent shaped by neural activity, a key feature of the brain that reflects active communication between neurons at synapses. We discuss the known mechanisms through which microglia, the resident immune cells of the brain, respond to increases and decreases in activity by engaging classical inflammatory signaling cascades to assemble, remodel, and eliminate synapses across the lifespan. We integrate evidence from (1) in vivo imaging studies of microglia-neuron interactions, (2) developmental studies across multiple neural circuits, and (3) molecular studies of activity-dependent gene expression in microglia and neurons to highlight the specific roles of activity in defining immune pathway function in the brain. Given that the repurposing of signaling pathways across different tissues may be an important evolutionary strategy to overcome the limited size of the genome, understanding how cytokine function is established and maintained in the brain could lead to key insights into neurological health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lucas Cheadle
- Neuroscience Department, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, United States
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218
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Regulation of GABA A Receptors Induced by the Activation of L-Type Voltage-Gated Calcium Channels. MEMBRANES 2021; 11:membranes11070486. [PMID: 34209589 PMCID: PMC8304739 DOI: 10.3390/membranes11070486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
GABAA receptors are pentameric ion channels that mediate most synaptic and tonic extrasynaptic inhibitory transmissions in the central nervous system. There are multiple GABAA receptor subtypes constructed from 19 different subunits in mammals that exhibit different regional and subcellular distributions and distinct pharmacological properties. Dysfunctional alterations of GABAA receptors are associated with various neuropsychiatric disorders. Short- and long-term plastic changes in GABAA receptors can be induced by the activation of different intracellular signaling pathways that are triggered, under physiological and pathological conditions, by calcium entering through voltage-gated calcium channels. This review discusses several mechanisms of regulation of GABAA receptor function that result from the activation of L-type voltage gated calcium channels. Calcium influx via these channels activates different signaling cascades that lead to changes in GABAA receptor transcription, phosphorylation, trafficking, and synaptic clustering, thus regulating the inhibitory synaptic strength. These plastic mechanisms regulate the interplay of synaptic excitation and inhibition that is crucial for the normal function of neuronal circuits.
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219
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Puentes-Mestril C, Delorme J, Wang L, Donnelly M, Popke D, Jiang S, Aton SJ. Sleep Loss Drives Brain Region-Specific and Cell Type-Specific Alterations in Ribosome-Associated Transcripts Involved in Synaptic Plasticity and Cellular Timekeeping. J Neurosci 2021; 41:5386-5398. [PMID: 34001629 PMCID: PMC8221591 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1883-20.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2020] [Revised: 03/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Sleep and sleep loss are thought to impact synaptic plasticity, and recent studies have shown that sleep and sleep deprivation (SD) differentially affect gene transcription and protein translation in the mammalian forebrain. However, much less is known regarding how sleep and SD affect these processes in different microcircuit elements within the hippocampus and neocortex, for example, in inhibitory versus excitatory neurons. Here, we use translating ribosome affinity purification (TRAP) and in situ hybridization to characterize the effects of sleep versus SD on abundance of ribosome-associated transcripts in Camk2a-expressing (Camk2a+) pyramidal neurons and parvalbumin-expressing (PV+) interneurons in the hippocampus and neocortex of male mice. We find that while both Camk2a+ neurons and PV+ interneurons in neocortex show concurrent SD-driven increases in ribosome-associated transcripts for activity-regulated effectors of plasticity and transcriptional regulation, these transcripts are minimally affected by SD in hippocampus. Similarly, we find that while SD alters several ribosome-associated transcripts involved in cellular timekeeping in neocortical Camk2a+ and PV+ neurons, effects on circadian clock transcripts in hippocampus are minimal, and restricted to Camk2a+ neurons. Taken together, our results indicate that SD effects on transcripts associated with translating ribosomes are both cell type-specific and brain region-specific, and that these effects are substantially more pronounced in the neocortex than the hippocampus. We conclude that SD-driven alterations in the strength of synapses, excitatory-inhibitory (E-I) balance, and cellular timekeeping are likely more heterogeneous than previously appreciated.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Sleep loss-driven changes in transcript and protein abundance have been used as a means to better understand the function of sleep for the brain. Here, we use translating ribosome affinity purification (TRAP) to characterize changes in abundance of ribosome-associated transcripts in excitatory and inhibitory neurons in mouse hippocampus and neocortex after a brief period of sleep or sleep loss. We show that these changes are not uniform, but are generally more pronounced in excitatory neurons than inhibitory neurons, and more pronounced in neocortex than in hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Puentes-Mestril
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48019
| | - James Delorme
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48019
| | - Lijing Wang
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48019
| | - Marcus Donnelly
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48019
| | - Donald Popke
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48019
| | - Sha Jiang
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48019
| | - Sara J Aton
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48019
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220
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Giorgi C, Marinelli S. Roles and Transcriptional Responses of Inhibitory Neurons in Learning and Memory. Front Mol Neurosci 2021; 14:689952. [PMID: 34211369 PMCID: PMC8239217 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.689952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence supports a model whereby memories are encoded by sparse ensembles of neurons called engrams, activated during memory encoding and reactivated upon recall. An engram consists of a network of cells that undergo long-lasting modifications of their transcriptional programs and connectivity. Ground-breaking advancements in this field have been made possible by the creative exploitation of the characteristic transcriptional responses of neurons to activity, allowing both engram labeling and manipulation. Nevertheless, numerous aspects of engram cell-type composition and function remain to be addressed. As recent transcriptomic studies have revealed, memory encoding induces persistent transcriptional and functional changes in a plethora of neuronal subtypes and non-neuronal cells, including glutamatergic excitatory neurons, GABAergic inhibitory neurons, and glia cells. Dissecting the contribution of these different cellular classes to memory engram formation and activity is quite a challenging yet essential endeavor. In this review, we focus on the role played by the GABAergic inhibitory component of the engram through two complementary lenses. On one hand, we report on available physiological evidence addressing the involvement of inhibitory neurons to different stages of memory formation, consolidation, storage and recall. On the other, we capitalize on a growing number of transcriptomic studies that profile the transcriptional response of inhibitory neurons to activity, revealing important clues on their potential involvement in learning and memory processes. The picture that emerges suggests that inhibitory neurons are an essential component of the engram, likely involved in engram allocation, in tuning engram excitation and in storing the memory trace.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corinna Giorgi
- CNR, Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, Rome, Italy.,European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Fondazione Rita Levi-Montalcini, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Marinelli
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Fondazione Rita Levi-Montalcini, Rome, Italy
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221
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Fuentes-Ramos M, Alaiz-Noya M, Barco A. Transcriptome and epigenome analysis of engram cells: Next-generation sequencing technologies in memory research. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 127:865-875. [PMID: 34097980 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Transcription and epigenetic changes are integral components of the neuronal response to stimulation and have been postulated to be drivers or substrates for enduring changes in animal behavior, including learning and memory. Memories are thought to be deposited in neuronal assemblies called engrams, i.e., groups of cells that undergo persistent physical or chemical changes during learning and are selectively reactivated to retrieve the memory. Despite the research progress made in recent years, the identity of specific epigenetic changes, if any, that occur in these cells and subsequently contribute to the persistence of memory traces remains unknown. The analysis of these changes is challenging due to the difficulty of exploring molecular alterations that only occur in a relatively small percentage of cells embedded in a complex tissue. In this review, we discuss the recent advances in this field and the promise of next-generation sequencing (NGS) and epigenome editing methods for overcoming these challenges and address long-standing questions concerning the role of epigenetic mechanisms in memory encoding, maintenance and expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Fuentes-Ramos
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernández - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Av. Santiago Ramón y Cajal s/n, Sant Joan d'Alacant, 03550, Alicante, Spain
| | - Marta Alaiz-Noya
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernández - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Av. Santiago Ramón y Cajal s/n, Sant Joan d'Alacant, 03550, Alicante, Spain
| | - Angel Barco
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernández - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Av. Santiago Ramón y Cajal s/n, Sant Joan d'Alacant, 03550, Alicante, Spain.
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222
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Walczyk-Mooradally A, Holborn J, Singh K, Tyler M, Patnaik D, Wesseling H, Brandon NJ, Steen J, Graether SP, Haggarty SJ, Lalonde J. Phosphorylation-dependent control of Activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (Arc) protein by TNIK. J Neurochem 2021. [PMID: 34077555 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (Arc) is an immediate early gene product that support neuroplastic changes important for cognitive function and memory formation. As a protein with homology to the retroviral Gag protein, a particular characteristic of Arc is its capacity to self-assemble into virus-like capsids that can package mRNAs and transfer those transcripts to other cells. Although a lot has been uncovered about the contributions of Arc to neuron biology and behavior, very little is known about how different functions of Arc are coordinately regulated both temporally and spatially in neurons. The answer to this question we hypothesized must involve the occurrence of different protein post-translational modifications acting to confer specificity. In this study, we used mass spectrometry and sequence prediction strategies to map novel Arc phosphorylation sites. Our approach led us to recognize serine 67 (S67) and threonine 278 (T278) as residues that can be modified by TNIK, which is a kinase abundantly expressed in neurons that shares many functional overlaps with Arc and has, along with its interacting proteins such as the NMDA receptor, and been implicated as a risk factor for psychiatric disorders. Furthermore, characterization of each residue using site-directed mutagenesis to create S67 and T278 mutant variants revealed that TNIK action at those amino acids can strongly influence Arc's subcellular distribution and self-assembly as capsids. Together, our findings reveal an unsuspected connection between Arc and TNIK. Better understanding of the interplay between these two proteins in neuronal cells could lead to new insights about apparition and progression of psychiatric disorders. Cover Image for this issue: https://doi.org/10.1111/jnc.15077.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jennifer Holborn
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Karamjeet Singh
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Marshall Tyler
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Centre for Genomic Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Debasis Patnaik
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Centre for Genomic Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hendrik Wesseling
- Boston Children's Hospital, F.M. Kirby Center for Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nicholas J Brandon
- Neuroscience, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca Boston, Waltham, MA, USA
| | - Judith Steen
- Boston Children's Hospital, F.M. Kirby Center for Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Steffen P Graether
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Stephen J Haggarty
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Centre for Genomic Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jasmin Lalonde
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
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223
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Walczyk-Mooradally A, Holborn J, Singh K, Tyler M, Patnaik D, Wesseling H, Brandon NJ, Steen J, Graether SP, Haggarty SJ, Lalonde J. Phosphorylation-dependent control of Activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (Arc) protein by TNIK. J Neurochem 2021; 158:1058-1073. [PMID: 34077555 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (Arc) is an immediate early gene product that support neuroplastic changes important for cognitive function and memory formation. As a protein with homology to the retroviral Gag protein, a particular characteristic of Arc is its capacity to self-assemble into virus-like capsids that can package mRNAs and transfer those transcripts to other cells. Although a lot has been uncovered about the contributions of Arc to neuron biology and behavior, very little is known about how different functions of Arc are coordinately regulated both temporally and spatially in neurons. The answer to this question we hypothesized must involve the occurrence of different protein post-translational modifications acting to confer specificity. In this study, we used mass spectrometry and sequence prediction strategies to map novel Arc phosphorylation sites. Our approach led us to recognize serine 67 (S67) and threonine 278 (T278) as residues that can be modified by TNIK, which is a kinase abundantly expressed in neurons that shares many functional overlaps with Arc and has, along with its interacting proteins such as the NMDA receptor, and been implicated as a risk factor for psychiatric disorders. Furthermore, characterization of each residue using site-directed mutagenesis to create S67 and T278 mutant variants revealed that TNIK action at those amino acids can strongly influence Arc's subcellular distribution and self-assembly as capsids. Together, our findings reveal an unsuspected connection between Arc and TNIK. Better understanding of the interplay between these two proteins in neuronal cells could lead to new insights about apparition and progression of psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jennifer Holborn
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Karamjeet Singh
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Marshall Tyler
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Centre for Genomic Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Debasis Patnaik
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Centre for Genomic Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hendrik Wesseling
- Boston Children's Hospital, F.M. Kirby Center for Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nicholas J Brandon
- Neuroscience, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca Boston, Waltham, MA, USA
| | - Judith Steen
- Boston Children's Hospital, F.M. Kirby Center for Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Steffen P Graether
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Stephen J Haggarty
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Centre for Genomic Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jasmin Lalonde
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
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224
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Marchisella F, Creutzberg KC, Begni V, Sanson A, Wearick-Silva LE, Tractenberg SG, Orso R, Kestering-Ferreira É, Grassi-Oliveira R, Riva MA. Exposure to Prenatal Stress Is Associated With an Excitatory/Inhibitory Imbalance in Rat Prefrontal Cortex and Amygdala and an Increased Risk for Emotional Dysregulation. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:653384. [PMID: 34141707 PMCID: PMC8204112 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.653384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Epidemiological studies have shown that environmental insults and maternal stress during pregnancy increase the risk of several psychiatric disorders in the offspring. Converging lines of evidence from humans, as well as from rodent models, suggest that prenatal stress (PNS) interferes with fetal development, ultimately determining changes in brain maturation and function that may lead to the onset of neuropsychiatric disorders. From a molecular standpoint, transcriptional alterations are thought to play a major role in this context and may contribute to the behavioral phenotype by shifting the expression of genes related to excitatory and inhibitory (E/I) transmission balance. Nevertheless, the exact neurophysiological mechanisms underlying the enhanced vulnerability to psychopathology following PNS exposure are not well understood. In the present study, we used a model of maternal stress in rats to investigate the distal effects of PNS on the expression of genes related to glutamatergic and GABAergic neurotransmissions. We inspected two critical brain regions involved in emotion regulation, namely, the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the amygdala (AMY), which we show to relate with the mild behavioral effects detected in adult rat offspring. We observed that PNS exposure promotes E/I imbalance in the PFC of adult males only, by dysregulating the expression of glutamatergic-related genes. Moreover, such an effect is accompanied by increased expression of the activity-dependent synaptic modulator gene Npas4 specifically in the PFC parvalbumin (PV)-positive interneurons, suggesting an altered regulation of synapse formation promoting higher PV-dependent inhibitory transmission and increased overall circuit inhibition in the PFC of males. In the AMY, PNS more evidently affects the transcription of GABAergic-related genes, shifting the balance toward inhibition. Collectively, our findings suggest that the E/I dysregulation of the PFC-to-AMY transmission may be a long-term signature of PNS and may contribute to increase the risk for mood disorder upon further stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Marchisella
- Laboratory of Psychopharmacology and Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Kerstin Camile Creutzberg
- Laboratory of Psychopharmacology and Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Veronica Begni
- Laboratory of Psychopharmacology and Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Alice Sanson
- Laboratory of Psychopharmacology and Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Luis Eduardo Wearick-Silva
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Brain Institute, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Saulo Gantes Tractenberg
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Brain Institute, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Orso
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Brain Institute, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Érika Kestering-Ferreira
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Brain Institute, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Grassi-Oliveira
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Brain Institute, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Translational Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Marco Andrea Riva
- Laboratory of Psychopharmacology and Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.,Biological Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli Brescia, Brescia, Italy
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225
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Machado L, Relaix F, Mourikis P. Stress relief: emerging methods to mitigate dissociation-induced artefacts. Trends Cell Biol 2021; 31:888-897. [PMID: 34074577 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2021.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The rapid progress of single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) at large scales has led to what seemed impossible until recently: the generation of comprehensive transcriptional maps of nearly all cells in multicellular tissues. We pinpoint three key elements as being critical to the production of these maps: scalability, spatial information, and accuracy of the transcriptome of the individual cells. Here, we discuss the ramifications of traditional cell-isolation protocols when capturing the transcriptional signature of cells as they exist in their native tissue context, the methods that have been developed to avoid these distortions, and the biological processes that have unraveled on account of these upgraded methodological approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Léo Machado
- Université Paris Est Créteil, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Mondor Institute for Biomedical Research (IMRB), F-94010 Créteil, France
| | - Frederic Relaix
- Université Paris Est Créteil, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Mondor Institute for Biomedical Research (IMRB), F-94010 Créteil, France; EnvA, IMRB, F-94700 Maisons-Alfort, France; Etablissement Français du Sang (EFS), IMRB, F-94010 Creteil, France; Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hopital Mondor, Service d'Histologie, F-94010 Creteil, France.
| | - Philippos Mourikis
- Université Paris Est Créteil, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Mondor Institute for Biomedical Research (IMRB), F-94010 Créteil, France.
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226
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Bragg-Gonzalo L, De León Reyes NS, Nieto M. Genetic and activity dependent-mechanisms wiring the cortex: Two sides of the same coin. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2021; 118:24-34. [PMID: 34030948 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2021.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
The cerebral cortex is responsible for the higher-order functions of the brain such as planning, cognition, or social behaviour. It provides us with the capacity to interact with and transform our world. The substrates of cortical functions are complex neural circuits that arise during development from the dynamic remodelling and progressive specialization of immature undefined networks. Here, we review the genetic and activity-dependent mechanisms of cortical wiring focussing on the importance of their interaction. Cortical circuits emerge from an initial set of neuronal types that engage in sequential forms of embryonic and postnatal activity. Such activities further complement the cells' genetic programs, increasing neuronal diversity and modifying the electrical properties while promoting selective connectivity. After a temporal window of enhanced plasticity, the main features of mature circuits are established. Failures in these processes can lead to neurodevelopmental disorders whose treatment remains elusive. However, a deeper dissection of cortical wiring will pave the way for innovative therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Bragg-Gonzalo
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, (CNB-CSIC) Campus de Cantoblanco, Darwin 3, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - N S De León Reyes
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, (CNB-CSIC) Campus de Cantoblanco, Darwin 3, 28049 Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, CSIC-UMH, 03550 San Juan de Alicante, Spain
| | - M Nieto
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, (CNB-CSIC) Campus de Cantoblanco, Darwin 3, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
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227
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Retinoid X Receptor α Regulates DHA-Dependent Spinogenesis and Functional Synapse Formation In Vivo. Cell Rep 2021; 31:107649. [PMID: 32433958 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.107649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2019] [Revised: 02/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Coordinated intracellular and extracellular signaling is critical to synapse development and functional neural circuit wiring. Here, we report that unesterified docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) regulates functional synapse formation in vivo via retinoid X receptor α (Rxra) signaling. Using Rxra conditional knockout (cKO) mice and virus-mediated transient gene expression, we show that endogenous Rxra plays important roles in regulating spinogenesis and excitatory synaptic transmission in cortical pyramidal neurons. We further show that the effects of RXRA are mediated through its DNA-binding domain in a cell-autonomous and reversible manner. Moreover, unesterified DHA increases spine formation and excitatory synaptic transmission in vivo in an Rxra-dependent fashion. Rxra cKO mice generally behave normally but show deficits in behavior tasks associated with social memory. Together, these results demonstrate that unesterified DHA signals through RXRA to regulate spinogenesis and functional synapse formation, providing insight into the mechanism through which DHA promotes brain development and cognitive function.
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228
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Tripp JA, Feng NY, Bass AH. To hum or not to hum: Neural transcriptome signature of male courtship vocalization in a teleost fish. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2021; 20:e12740. [PMID: 33960645 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Revised: 01/31/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
For many animal species, vocal communication is a critical social behavior and often a necessary component of reproductive success. Additionally, vocalizations are often demanding motor acts. Wanting to know whether a specific molecular toolkit might be required for vocalization, we used RNA-sequencing to investigate neural gene expression underlying the performance of an extreme vocal behavior, the courtship hum of the plainfin midshipman fish (Porichthys notatus). Single hums can last up to 2 h and may be repeated throughout an evening of courtship activity. We asked whether vocal behavioral states are associated with specific gene expression signatures in key brain regions that regulate vocalization by comparing transcript expression levels in humming versus non-humming males. We find that the circadian-related genes period3 and Clock are significantly upregulated in the vocal motor nucleus and preoptic area-anterior hypothalamus, respectively, in humming compared with non-humming males, indicating that internal circadian clocks may differ between these divergent behavioral states. In addition, we identify suites of differentially expressed genes related to synaptic transmission, ion channels and transport, neuropeptide and hormone signaling, and metabolism and antioxidant activity that together may support the neural and energetic demands of humming behavior. Comparisons of transcript expression across regions stress regional differences in brain gene expression, while also showing coordinated gene regulation in the vocal motor circuit in preparation for courtship behavior. These results underscore the role of differential gene expression in shifts between behavioral states, in this case neuroendocrine, motor and circadian control of courtship vocalization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel A Tripp
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas-Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Ni Y Feng
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Andrew H Bass
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
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229
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Peter M, Aschauer DF, Rose R, Sinning A, Grössl F, Kargl D, Kraitsy K, Burkard TR, Luhmann HJ, Haubensak W, Rumpel S. Rapid nucleus-scale reorganization of chromatin in neurons enables transcriptional adaptation for memory consolidation. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0244038. [PMID: 33951054 PMCID: PMC8099114 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0244038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The interphase nucleus is functionally organized in active and repressed territories defining the transcriptional status of the cell. However, it remains poorly understood how the nuclear architecture of neurons adapts in response to behaviorally relevant stimuli that trigger fast alterations in gene expression patterns. Imaging of fluorescently tagged nucleosomes revealed that pharmacological manipulation of neuronal activity in vitro and auditory cued fear conditioning in vivo induce nucleus-scale restructuring of chromatin within minutes. Furthermore, the acquisition of auditory fear memory is impaired after infusion of a drug into auditory cortex which blocks chromatin reorganization in vitro. We propose that active chromatin movements at the nucleus scale act together with local gene-specific modifications to enable transcriptional adaptations at fast time scales. Introducing a transgenic mouse line for photolabeling of histones, we extend the realm of systems available for imaging of chromatin dynamics to living animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Peter
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology, Vienna Biocenter, Vienna, Austria
| | - Dominik F. Aschauer
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology, Vienna Biocenter, Vienna, Austria
- Institute of Physiology, Focus Program Translational Neurosciences, University Medical Center, Johannes-Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Renata Rose
- Institute of Physiology, Focus Program Translational Neurosciences, University Medical Center, Johannes-Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Anne Sinning
- Institute of Physiology, Focus Program Translational Neurosciences, University Medical Center, Johannes-Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Florian Grössl
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology, Vienna Biocenter, Vienna, Austria
| | - Dominic Kargl
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology, Vienna Biocenter, Vienna, Austria
| | - Klaus Kraitsy
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology, Vienna Biocenter, Vienna, Austria
- Preclinical Phenotyping, Vienna Biocenter Core Facilities, Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas R. Burkard
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology, Vienna Biocenter, Vienna, Austria
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter, Vienna, Austria
| | - Heiko J. Luhmann
- Institute of Physiology, Focus Program Translational Neurosciences, University Medical Center, Johannes-Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Wulf Haubensak
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology, Vienna Biocenter, Vienna, Austria
| | - Simon Rumpel
- Institute of Physiology, Focus Program Translational Neurosciences, University Medical Center, Johannes-Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
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230
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Ricci R, Colasante G. CRISPR/dCas9 as a Therapeutic Approach for Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Innovations and Limitations Compared to Traditional Strategies. Dev Neurosci 2021; 43:253-261. [PMID: 33940579 DOI: 10.1159/000515845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain development is a complex process that requires a series of precise and coordinated events to take place. When alterations in some of those events occur, neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) may appear, with their characteristic symptoms, including cognitive, social motor deficits, and epilepsy. While pharmacologic treatments have been the only therapeutic options for many years, more recently the research is turning to the direct removal of the underlying genetic cause of each specific NDD. This is possible thanks to the increased knowledge of genetic basis of those diseases and the enormous advances in genome-editing tools. Together with clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9-based strategies, there is a great development also of nuclease defective Cas9 (dCas9) tools that, with an extreme flexibility, allow the recruitment of specific protein functions to the desired genomic sites. In this work, we review dCas9-based tools and discuss all the published applications in the setting of therapeutic approaches for NDDs at the preclinical level. In particular, dCas9-based therapeutic strategies for Dravet syndrome, transcallosal dysconnectivity caused by mutations in C11orf46 gene, and Fragile X syndrome are presented and discussed. A direct comparison with other possible therapeutic strategies, such as classic gene replacement or CRISPR/Cas9-based strategies, is provided. We also highlight not only those aspects that constitute a clear advantage compared to previous strategies but also the main technical hurdles related to their applications that need to be overcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raffaele Ricci
- Stem Cell and Neurogenesis Unit, Division of Neuroscience, Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy.,Translational and Molecular Medicine PhD Program, DIMET, University of Milan-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Gaia Colasante
- Stem Cell and Neurogenesis Unit, Division of Neuroscience, Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
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231
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Constantin S, Pizano K, Matson K, Shan Y, Reynolds D, Wray S. An Inhibitory Circuit From Brainstem to GnRH Neurons in Male Mice: A New Role for the RFRP Receptor. Endocrinology 2021; 162:6132086. [PMID: 33564881 PMCID: PMC8016070 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqab030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
RFamide-related peptides (RFRPs, mammalian orthologs of gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone) convey circadian, seasonal, and social cues to the reproductive system. They regulate gonadotropin secretion by modulating gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons via the RFRP receptor. Mice lacking this receptor are fertile but exhibit abnormal gonadotropin responses during metabolic challenges, such as acute fasting, when the normal drop in gonadotropin levels is delayed. Although it is known that these food intake signals to the reproductive circuit originate in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) in the brainstem, the phenotype of the neurons conveying the signal remains unknown. Given that neuropeptide FF (NPFF), another RFamide peptide, resides in the NTS and can bind to the RFRP receptor, we hypothesized that NPFF may regulate GnRH neurons. To address this question, we used a combination of techniques: cell-attached electrophysiology on GnRH-driven green fluorescent protein-tagged neurons in acute brain slices; calcium imaging on cultured GnRH neurons; and immunostaining on adult brain tissue. We found (1) NPFF inhibits GnRH neuron excitability via the RFRP receptor and its canonical signaling pathway (Gi/o protein and G protein-coupled inwardly rectifying potassium channels), (2) NPFF-like fibers in the vicinity of GnRH neurons coexpress neuropeptide Y, (3) the majority of NPFF-like cell bodies in the NTS also coexpress neuropeptide Y, and (4) acute fasting increased NPFF-like immunoreactivity in the NTS. Together these data indicate that NPFF neurons within the NTS inhibit GnRH neurons, and thus reproduction, during fasting but prior to the energy deficit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Constantin
- Cellular and Developmental Neurobiology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke/National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-3703, USA
| | - Katherine Pizano
- Cellular and Developmental Neurobiology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke/National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-3703, USA
| | - Kaya Matson
- Cellular and Developmental Neurobiology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke/National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-3703, USA
| | - Yufei Shan
- Cellular and Developmental Neurobiology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke/National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-3703, USA
| | - Daniel Reynolds
- Cellular and Developmental Neurobiology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke/National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-3703, USA
| | - Susan Wray
- Cellular and Developmental Neurobiology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke/National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-3703, USA
- Correspondence: Dr. Susan Wray, Cellular and Developmental Neurobiology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, 35 Convent Drive MSC 3703, Building 35, Room 3A1012, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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232
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Kim SK, Liu X, Park J, Um D, Kilaru G, Chiang CM, Kang M, Huber KM, Kang K, Kim TK. Functional coordination of BET family proteins underlies altered transcription associated with memory impairment in fragile X syndrome. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/21/eabf7346. [PMID: 34138732 PMCID: PMC8133748 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abf7346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Bromodomain and extraterminal proteins (BET) are epigenetic readers that play critical roles in gene regulation. Pharmacologic inhibition of the bromodomain present in all BET family members is a promising therapeutic strategy for various diseases, but its impact on individual family members has not been well understood. Using a transcriptional induction paradigm in neurons, we have systematically demonstrated that three major BET family proteins (BRD2/3/4) participated in transcription with different recruitment kinetics, interdependency, and sensitivity to a bromodomain inhibitor, JQ1. In a mouse model of fragile X syndrome (FXS), BRD2/3 and BRD4 showed oppositely altered expression and chromatin binding, correlating with transcriptional dysregulation. Acute inhibition of CBP/p300 histone acetyltransferase (HAT) activity restored the altered binding patterns of BRD2 and BRD4 and rescued memory impairment in FXS. Our study emphasizes the importance of understanding the BET coordination controlled by a balanced action between HATs with different substrate specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung-Kyoon Kim
- Department of Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Gyeongbuk 37673, Korea
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Xihui Liu
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Jongmin Park
- Department of Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Gyeongbuk 37673, Korea
| | - Dahun Um
- Department of Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Gyeongbuk 37673, Korea
| | - Gokhul Kilaru
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Cheng-Ming Chiang
- Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Biochemistry, and Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Mingon Kang
- Department of Computer Science, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USA
| | - Kimberly M Huber
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Keunsoo Kang
- Department of Microbiology, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Korea.
| | - Tae-Kyung Kim
- Department of Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Gyeongbuk 37673, Korea.
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
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233
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Yiannakas A, Kolatt Chandran S, Kayyal H, Gould N, Khamaisy M, Rosenblum K. Parvalbumin interneuron inhibition onto anterior insula neurons projecting to the basolateral amygdala drives aversive taste memory retrieval. Curr Biol 2021; 31:2770-2784.e6. [PMID: 33930301 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Memory retrieval refers to the fundamental ability of organisms to make use of acquired, sometimes inconsistent, information about the world. Although memory acquisition has been studied extensively, the neurobiological mechanisms underlying memory retrieval remain largely unknown. Conditioned taste aversion (CTA) is a robust associative paradigm, through which animals can be trained to express aversion toward innately appetitive tastants. The anterior insula (aIC) is indispensable in the ability of mammals to retrieve associative information regarding tastants that have been previously linked with gastric malaise. Here, we show that CTA memory retrieval promotes cell-type-specific activation in the aIC. Using chemogenetic tools in the aIC, we found that CTA memory acquisition requires activation of excitatory neurons and inhibition of inhibitory neurons, whereas retrieval necessitates activation of both excitatory and inhibitory aIC circuits. CTA memory retrieval at the aIC activates parvalbumin (PV) interneurons and increases synaptic inhibition onto activated pyramidal neurons projecting to the basolateral amygdala (aIC-BLA). Unlike innately appetitive taste memory retrieval, CTA retrieval increases synaptic inhibition onto aIC-BLA-projecting neurons that is dependent on activity in aIC PV interneurons. PV aIC interneurons coordinate CTA memory retrieval and are necessary for its dominance when conflicting internal representations are encountered over time. The reinstatement of CTA memories following extinction is also dependent on activation of aIC PV interneurons, which increase the frequency of inhibition onto aIC-BLA-projecting neurons. This newly described interaction of PV and a subset of excitatory neurons can explain the coherency of aversive memory retrieval, an evolutionary pre-requisite for animal survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adonis Yiannakas
- Sagol Department of Neuroscience, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Haifa, Israel.
| | | | - Haneen Kayyal
- Sagol Department of Neuroscience, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Haifa, Israel
| | - Nathaniel Gould
- Sagol Department of Neuroscience, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Haifa, Israel
| | - Mohammad Khamaisy
- Sagol Department of Neuroscience, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Haifa, Israel
| | - Kobi Rosenblum
- Sagol Department of Neuroscience, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Haifa, Israel; Center for Gene Manipulation in the Brain, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Haifa, Israel.
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234
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Klejchova M, Silva-Alvim FAL, Blatt MR, Alvim JC. Membrane voltage as a dynamic platform for spatiotemporal signaling, physiological, and developmental regulation. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 185:1523-1541. [PMID: 33598675 PMCID: PMC8133626 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiab032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Membrane voltage arises from the transport of ions through ion-translocating ATPases, ion-coupled transport of solutes, and ion channels, and is an integral part of the bioenergetic "currency" of the membrane. The dynamics of membrane voltage-so-called action, systemic, and variation potentials-have also led to a recognition of their contributions to signal transduction, both within cells and across tissues. Here, we review the origins of our understanding of membrane voltage and its place as a central element in regulating transport and signal transmission. We stress the importance of understanding voltage as a common intermediate that acts both as a driving force for transport-an electrical "substrate"-and as a product of charge flux across the membrane, thereby interconnecting all charge-carrying transport across the membrane. The voltage interconnection is vital to signaling via second messengers that rely on ion flux, including cytosolic free Ca2+, H+, and the synthesis of reactive oxygen species generated by integral membrane, respiratory burst oxidases. These characteristics inform on the ways in which long-distance voltage signals and voltage oscillations give rise to unique gene expression patterns and influence physiological, developmental, and adaptive responses such as systemic acquired resistance to pathogens and to insect herbivory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Klejchova
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biophysics, Bower Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Fernanda A L Silva-Alvim
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biophysics, Bower Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Michael R Blatt
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biophysics, Bower Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
- Author for communication:
| | - Jonas Chaves Alvim
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biophysics, Bower Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
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235
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Tiwari NK, Sathyanesan M, Kumar V, Newton SS. A Comparative Analysis of Erythropoietin and Carbamoylated Erythropoietin Proteome Profiles. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11040359. [PMID: 33921564 PMCID: PMC8073529 DOI: 10.3390/life11040359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, erythropoietin (EPO) has emerged as a useful neuroprotective and neurotrophic molecule that produces antidepressant and cognitive-enhancing effects in psychiatric disorders. However, EPO robustly induces erythropoiesis and elevates red blood cell counts. Chronic administration is therefore likely to increase blood viscosity and produce adverse effects in non-anemic populations. Carbamoylated erythropoietin (CEPO), a chemically engineered modification of EPO, is non-erythropoietic but retains the neurotrophic and neurotrophic activity of EPO. Blood profile analysis after EPO and CEPO administration showed that CEPO has no effect on red blood cell or platelet counts. We conducted an unbiased, quantitative, mass spectrometry-based proteomics study to comparatively investigate EPO and CEPO-induced protein profiles in neuronal phenotype PC12 cells. Bioinformatics enrichment analysis of the protein expression profiles revealed the upregulation of protein functions related to memory formation such as synaptic plasticity, long term potentiation (LTP), neurotransmitter transport, synaptic vesicle priming, and dendritic spine development. The regulated proteins, with roles in LTP and synaptic plasticity, include calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase type 1 (Camk1), Synaptosomal-Associated Protein, 25 kDa (SNAP-25), Sectretogranin-1 (Chgb), Cortactin (Cttn), Elongation initiation factor 3a (Eif3a) and 60S acidic ribosomal protein P2 (Rplp2). We examined the expression of a subset of regulated proteins, Cortactin, Grb2 and Pleiotrophin, by immunofluorescence analysis in the rat brain. Grb2 was increased in the dentate gyrus by EPO and CEPO. Cortactin was induced by CEPO in the molecular layer, and pleiotrophin was increased in the vasculature by EPO. The results of our study shed light on potential mechanisms whereby EPO and CEPO produce cognitive-enhancing effects in clinical and preclinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neeraj K. Tiwari
- Pediatrics and Rare Disease Group, Sanford Research, Sioux Falls, SD 57104, USA;
| | - Monica Sathyanesan
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD 57069, USA;
| | - Vikas Kumar
- Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Core Facility, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA;
| | - Samuel S. Newton
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD 57069, USA;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-605-658-6313
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236
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Sergeeva EG, Rosenberg PA, Benowitz LI. Non-Cell-Autonomous Regulation of Optic Nerve Regeneration by Amacrine Cells. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:666798. [PMID: 33935656 PMCID: PMC8085350 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.666798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Visual information is conveyed from the eye to the brain through the axons of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) that course through the optic nerve and synapse onto neurons in multiple subcortical visual relay areas. RGCs cannot regenerate their axons once they are damaged, similar to most mature neurons in the central nervous system (CNS), and soon undergo cell death. These phenomena of neurodegeneration and regenerative failure are widely viewed as being determined by cell-intrinsic mechanisms within RGCs or to be influenced by the extracellular environment, including glial or inflammatory cells. However, a new concept is emerging that the death or survival of RGCs and their ability to regenerate axons are also influenced by the complex circuitry of the retina and that the activation of a multicellular signaling cascade involving changes in inhibitory interneurons - the amacrine cells (AC) - contributes to the fate of RGCs. Here, we review our current understanding of the role that interneurons play in cell survival and axon regeneration after optic nerve injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena G. Sergeeva
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Kirby Center for Neuroscience, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Paul A. Rosenberg
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Kirby Center for Neuroscience, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Larry I. Benowitz
- Kirby Center for Neuroscience, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Laboratories for Neuroscience Research in Neurosurgery, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Neurosurgery, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Neurosurgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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237
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Mapping Astrocyte Transcriptional Signatures in Response to Neuroactive Compounds. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22083975. [PMID: 33921461 PMCID: PMC8069033 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22083975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes play central roles in normal brain function and are critical components of synaptic networks that oversee behavioral outputs. Despite their close affiliation with neurons, how neuronal-derived signals influence astrocyte function at the gene expression level remains poorly characterized, largely due to difficulties associated with dissecting neuron- versus astrocyte-specific effects. Here, we use an in vitro system of stem cell-derived astrocytes to identify gene expression profiles in astrocytes that are influenced by neurons and regulate astrocyte development. Furthermore, we show that neurotransmitters and neuromodulators induce distinct transcriptomic and chromatin accessibility changes in astrocytes that are unique to each of these neuroactive compounds. These findings are highlighted by the observation that noradrenaline has a more profound effect on transcriptional profiles of astrocytes compared to glutamate, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), acetylcholine, and serotonin. This is demonstrated through enhanced noradrenaline-induced transcriptomic and chromatin accessibility changes in vitro and through enhanced calcium signaling in vivo. Taken together, our study reveals distinct transcriptomic and chromatin architecture signatures in astrocytes in response to neuronal-derived neuroactive compounds. Since astrocyte function is affected in all neurological disorders, this study provides a new entry point for exploring genetic mechanisms of astrocyte-neuron communication that may be dysregulated in disease.
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238
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Fujita Y, Yamashita T. Mechanisms and significance of microglia-axon interactions in physiological and pathophysiological conditions. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:3907-3919. [PMID: 33507328 PMCID: PMC11072252 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-03758-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Revised: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Microglia are the resident immune cells of the central nervous system, and are important for cellular processes. In addition to their classical roles in pathophysiological conditions, these immune cells also dynamically interact with neurons and influence their structure and function in physiological conditions. Microglia have been shown to contact neurons at various points, including the dendrites, cell bodies, synapses, and axons, and support various developmental functions, such as neuronal survival, axon elongation, and maturation of the synaptic circuit. This review summarizes the current knowledge regarding the roles of microglia in brain development, with particular emphasis on microglia-axon interactions. We will review recent findings regarding the functions and signaling pathways involved in the reciprocal interactions between microglia and neurons. Moreover, as these interactions are altered in disease and injury conditions, we also discuss the effect and alteration of microglia-axon interactions in disease progression and the potential role of microglia in developmental brain disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Fujita
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 2-2, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
- WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, 3-1, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
| | - Toshihide Yamashita
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 2-2, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
- WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, 3-1, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
- Graduate School of Frontier Bioscience, Osaka University, 2-2, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
- Department of Neuro-Medical Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 2-2, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
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239
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Hantak MP, Einstein J, Kearns RB, Shepherd JD. Intercellular Communication in the Nervous System Goes Viral. Trends Neurosci 2021; 44:248-259. [PMID: 33485691 PMCID: PMC8041237 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2020.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Viruses and transposable elements are major drivers of evolution and make up over half the sequences in the human genome. In some cases, these elements are co-opted to perform biological functions for the host. Recent studies made the surprising observation that the neuronal gene Arc forms virus-like protein capsids that can transfer RNA between neurons to mediate a novel intercellular communication pathway. Phylogenetic analyses showed that mammalian Arc is derived from an ancient retrotransposon of the Ty3/gypsy family and contains homology to the retroviral Gag polyproteins. The Drosophila Arc homologs, which are independently derived from the same family of retrotransposons, also mediate cell-to-cell signaling of RNA at the neuromuscular junction; a striking example of convergent evolution. Here we propose an Arc 'life cycle', based on what is known about retroviral Gag, and discuss how elucidating these biological processes may lead to novel insights into brain plasticity and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael P Hantak
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Jenifer Einstein
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Rachel B Kearns
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Jason D Shepherd
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
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240
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Zhu Y, Uytiepo M, Bushong E, Haberl M, Beutter E, Scheiwe F, Zhang W, Chang L, Luu D, Chui B, Ellisman M, Maximov A. Nanoscale 3D EM reconstructions reveal intrinsic mechanisms of structural diversity of chemical synapses. Cell Rep 2021; 35:108953. [PMID: 33826888 PMCID: PMC8354523 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.108953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Revised: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemical synapses of shared cellular origins have remarkably heterogeneous structures, but how this diversity is generated is unclear. Here, we use three-dimensional (3D) electron microscopy and artificial intelligence algorithms for image processing to reconstruct functional excitatory microcircuits in the mouse hippocampus and microcircuits in which neurotransmitter signaling is permanently suppressed with genetic tools throughout the lifespan. These nanoscale analyses reveal that experience is dispensable for morphogenesis of synapses with different geometric shapes and contents of membrane organelles and that arrangement of morphologically distinct connections in local networks is stochastic. Moreover, loss of activity increases the variability in sizes of opposed pre- and postsynaptic structures without disrupting their alignments, suggesting that inherently variable weights of naive connections become progressively matched with repetitive use. These results demonstrate that mechanisms for the structural diversity of neuronal synapses are intrinsic and provide insights into how circuits essential for memory storage assemble and integrate information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongchuan Zhu
- Department of Neuroscience, The Dorris Neuroscience Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Marco Uytiepo
- Department of Neuroscience, The Dorris Neuroscience Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Eric Bushong
- National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research, University of California, San Diego, CA 92037, USA; Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Matthias Haberl
- National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research, University of California, San Diego, CA 92037, USA; Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Elizabeth Beutter
- Department of Neuroscience, The Dorris Neuroscience Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Frederieke Scheiwe
- Department of Neuroscience, The Dorris Neuroscience Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Weiheng Zhang
- Department of Neuroscience, The Dorris Neuroscience Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Lyanne Chang
- Department of Neuroscience, The Dorris Neuroscience Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Danielle Luu
- Department of Neuroscience, The Dorris Neuroscience Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Brandon Chui
- Department of Neuroscience, The Dorris Neuroscience Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Mark Ellisman
- National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research, University of California, San Diego, CA 92037, USA; Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
| | - Anton Maximov
- Department of Neuroscience, The Dorris Neuroscience Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
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241
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Rocks D, Jaric I, Tesfa L, Greally JM, Suzuki M, Kundakovic M. Cell type-specific chromatin accessibility analysis in the mouse and human brain. Epigenetics 2021; 17:202-219. [PMID: 33775205 PMCID: PMC8865312 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2021.1896983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
The Assay for Transposase Accessible Chromatin by sequencing (ATAC-seq) is becoming popular in the neuroscience field where chromatin regulation is thought to be involved in neurodevelopment, activity-dependent gene regulation, hormonal and environmental responses, and pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders. The advantages of using ATAC-seq include a small amount of material needed, fast protocol, and the ability to capture a range of gene regulatory elements with a single assay. With increasing interest in chromatin research, it is an imperative to have feasible, reliable assays that are compatible with a range of neuroscience study designs. Here we tested three protocols for neuronal chromatin accessibility analysis, including a varying brain tissue freezing method followed by fluorescence-activated nuclei sorting (FANS) and ATAC-seq. Our study shows that the cryopreservation method impacts the number of open chromatin regions identified from frozen brain tissue using ATAC-seq. However, we show that all protocols generate consistent and robust data and enable the identification of functional regulatory elements in neuronal cells. Our study implies that the broad biological interpretation of chromatin accessibility data is not significantly affected by the freezing condition. We also reveal additional challenges of doing chromatin analysis on post-mortem human brain tissue. Overall, ATAC-seq coupled with FANS is a powerful method to capture cell-type-specific chromatin accessibility information in mouse and human brain. Our study provides alternative brain preservation methods that generate high-quality ATAC-seq data while fitting in different study designs, and further encourages the use of this method to uncover the role of epigenetic (dys)regulation in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devin Rocks
- Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Ivana Jaric
- Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Lydia Tesfa
- Flow Cytometry Core Facility, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - John M Greally
- Center for Epigenomics, Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Masako Suzuki
- Center for Epigenomics, Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Marija Kundakovic
- Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY, USA
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242
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Sas-Nowosielska H, Magalska A. Long Noncoding RNAs-Crucial Players Organizing the Landscape of the Neuronal Nucleus. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22073478. [PMID: 33801737 PMCID: PMC8037058 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22073478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to regulate chromatin organization is particularly important in neurons, which dynamically respond to external stimuli. Accumulating evidence shows that lncRNAs play important architectural roles in organizing different nuclear domains like inactive chromosome X, splicing speckles, paraspeckles, and Gomafu nuclear bodies. LncRNAs are abundantly expressed in the nervous system where they may play important roles in compartmentalization of the cell nucleus. In this review we will describe the architectural role of lncRNAs in the nuclei of neuronal cells.
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243
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Gan L, Sun J, Yang S, Zhang X, Chen W, Sun Y, Wu X, Cheng C, Yuan J, Li A, Corbett MA, Dixon MP, Thomas T, Voss AK, Gécz J, Wang GZ, Bonni A, Li Q, Huang J. Chromatin-Binding Protein PHF6 Regulates Activity-Dependent Transcriptional Networks to Promote Hunger Response. Cell Rep 2021; 30:3717-3728.e6. [PMID: 32187544 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.02.085] [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: 08/26/2019] [Revised: 12/22/2019] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the mechanisms of activity-dependent gene transcription underlying adaptive behaviors is challenging at neuronal-subtype resolution. Using cell-type specific molecular analysis in agouti-related peptide (AgRP) neurons, we reveal that the profound hunger-induced transcriptional changes greatly depend on plant homeodomain finger protein 6 (PHF6), a transcriptional repressor enriched in AgRP neurons. Loss of PHF6 in the satiated mice results in a hunger-state-shifting transcriptional profile, while hunger fails to further induce a rapid and robust activity-dependent gene transcription in PHF6-deficient AgRP neurons. We reveal that PHF6 binds to the promoters of a subset of immediate-early genes (IEGs) and that this chromatin binding is dynamically regulated by hunger state. Depletion of PHF6 decreases hunger-driven feeding motivation and makes the mice resistant to body weight gain under repetitive fasting-refeeding conditions. Our work identifies a neuronal subtype-specific transcriptional repressor that modulates transcriptional profiles in different nutritional states and enables adaptive eating behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linhua Gan
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Jingjing Sun
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Shuo Yang
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Xiaocui Zhang
- Core Facility of Basic Medical Sciences, Basic Medicine Faculty of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Wu Chen
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China
| | - Yiyu Sun
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 201999, China
| | - Xiaohua Wu
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Cheng Cheng
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Jing Yuan
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China; HUST-Suzhou Institute for Brainmatics, Suzhou 215125, China
| | - Anan Li
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China; HUST-Suzhou Institute for Brainmatics, Suzhou 215125, China
| | - Mark A Corbett
- Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Mathew P Dixon
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Tim Thomas
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Anne K Voss
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Jozef Gécz
- Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Guang-Zhong Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, CAS-MPG Partner Institute for Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Azad Bonni
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Qian Li
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China; Shanghai Research Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Shanghai 201210, China.
| | - Ju Huang
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China; Shanghai Research Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Shanghai 201210, China.
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244
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Mukherjee D, Gonzales BJ, Ashwal-Fluss R, Turm H, Groysman M, Citri A. Egr2 induction in spiny projection neurons of the ventrolateral striatum contributes to cocaine place preference in mice. eLife 2021; 10:65228. [PMID: 33724178 PMCID: PMC8057818 DOI: 10.7554/elife.65228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug addiction develops due to brain-wide plasticity within neuronal ensembles, mediated by dynamic gene expression. Though the most common approach to identify such ensembles relies on immediate early gene expression, little is known of how the activity of these genes is linked to modified behavior observed following repeated drug exposure. To address this gap, we present a broad-to-specific approach, beginning with a comprehensive investigation of brain-wide cocaine-driven gene expression, through the description of dynamic spatial patterns of gene induction in subregions of the striatum, and finally address functionality of region-specific gene induction in the development of cocaine preference. Our findings reveal differential cell-type specific dynamic transcriptional recruitment patterns within two subdomains of the dorsal striatum following repeated cocaine exposure. Furthermore, we demonstrate that induction of the IEG Egr2 in the ventrolateral striatum, as well as the cells within which it is expressed, are required for the development of cocaine seeking. The human brain is ever changing, constantly rewiring itself in response to new experiences, knowledge or information from the environment. Addictive drugs such as cocaine can hijack the genetic mechanisms responsible for this plasticity, creating dangerous, obsessive drug-seeking and consuming behaviors. Cocaine-induced plasticity is difficult to apprehend, however, as brain regions or even cell populations can react differently to the compound. For instance, sub-regions in the striatum – the brain area that responds to rewards and helps to plan movement – show distinct responses during progressive exposure to cocaine. And while researchers know that the drug immediately changes how neurons switch certain genes on and off, it is still unclear how these genetic modifications later affect behavior. Mukherjee, Gonzales et al. explored these questions at different scales, first focusing on how progressive cocaine exposure changed the way various gene programs were activated across the entire brain. This revealed that programs in the striatum were the most affected by the drug. Examining this region more closely showed that cocaine switches on genes in specific ‘spiny projection’ neuron populations, depending on where these cells are located and the drug history of the mouse. Finally, Mukherjee, Gonzales et al. used genetically modified mice to piece together cocaine exposure, genetic changes and modifications in behavior. These experiments revealed that the drive to seek cocaine depended on activation of the Egr2 gene in populations of spiny projection neurons in a specific sub-region of the striatum. The gene, which codes for a protein that regulates how genes are switched on and off, was itself strongly activated by cocaine intake. Cocaine addiction can have devastating consequences for individuals. Grasping how this drug alters the brain could pave the way for new treatments, while also providing information on the basic mechanisms underlying brain plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diptendu Mukherjee
- The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, Jerusalem, Israel.,Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Ben Jerry Gonzales
- The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, Jerusalem, Israel.,Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Reut Ashwal-Fluss
- The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Hagit Turm
- The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, Jerusalem, Israel.,Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Maya Groysman
- The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Ami Citri
- The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, Jerusalem, Israel.,Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.,Program in Child and Brain Development, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, MaRS Centre, Toronto, Canada
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245
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Tereshko L, Gao Y, Cary BA, Turrigiano GG, Sengupta P. Ciliary neuropeptidergic signaling dynamically regulates excitatory synapses in postnatal neocortical pyramidal neurons. eLife 2021; 10:e65427. [PMID: 33650969 PMCID: PMC7952091 DOI: 10.7554/elife.65427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary cilia are compartmentalized sensory organelles present on the majority of neurons in the mammalian brain throughout adulthood. Recent evidence suggests that cilia regulate multiple aspects of neuronal development, including the maintenance of neuronal connectivity. However, whether ciliary signals can dynamically modulate postnatal circuit excitability is unknown. Here we show that acute cell-autonomous knockdown of ciliary signaling rapidly strengthens glutamatergic inputs onto cultured rat neocortical pyramidal neurons and increases spontaneous firing. This increased excitability occurs without changes to passive neuronal properties or intrinsic excitability. Further, the neuropeptide receptor somatostatin receptor 3 (SSTR3) is localized nearly exclusively to excitatory neuron cilia both in vivo and in culture, and pharmacological manipulation of SSTR3 signaling bidirectionally modulates excitatory synaptic inputs onto these neurons. Our results indicate that ciliary neuropeptidergic signaling dynamically modulates excitatory synapses and suggest that defects in this regulation may underlie a subset of behavioral and cognitive disorders associated with ciliopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Tereshko
- Department of Biology, Brandeis UniversityWalthamUnited States
| | - Ya Gao
- Department of Biology, Brandeis UniversityWalthamUnited States
| | - Brian A Cary
- Department of Biology, Brandeis UniversityWalthamUnited States
| | | | - Piali Sengupta
- Department of Biology, Brandeis UniversityWalthamUnited States
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246
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Kitazawa T, Machlab D, Joshi O, Maiorano N, Kohler H, Ducret S, Kessler S, Gezelius H, Soneson C, Papasaikas P, López-Bendito G, Stadler MB, Rijli FM. A unique bipartite Polycomb signature regulates stimulus-response transcription during development. Nat Genet 2021; 53:379-391. [PMID: 33603234 PMCID: PMC7610396 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-021-00789-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Rapid cellular responses to environmental stimuli are fundamental for development and maturation. Immediate early genes can be transcriptionally induced within minutes in response to a variety of signals. How their induction levels are regulated and their untimely activation by spurious signals prevented during development is poorly understood. We found that in developing sensory neurons, before perinatal sensory-activity-dependent induction, immediate early genes are embedded into a unique bipartite Polycomb chromatin signature, carrying active H3K27ac on promoters but repressive Ezh2-dependent H3K27me3 on gene bodies. This bipartite signature is widely present in developing cell types, including embryonic stem cells. Polycomb marking of gene bodies inhibits mRNA elongation, dampening productive transcription, while still allowing for fast stimulus-dependent mark removal and bipartite gene induction. We reveal a developmental epigenetic mechanism regulating the rapidity and amplitude of the transcriptional response to relevant stimuli, while preventing inappropriate activation of stimulus-response genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taro Kitazawa
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Dania Machlab
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland,Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Basel, Switzerland,University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Onkar Joshi
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Nicola Maiorano
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Hubertus Kohler
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Sebastien Ducret
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Sandra Kessler
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Henrik Gezelius
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (UMH-CSIC), Sant Joan d’Alacant, Spain
| | - Charlotte Soneson
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland,Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Panagiotis Papasaikas
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland,Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Guillermina López-Bendito
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (UMH-CSIC), Sant Joan d’Alacant, Spain
| | - Michael B. Stadler
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland,Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Filippo M. Rijli
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland,University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland,Correspondence to:
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247
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HUZARD D, RAPPENEAU V, MEIJER OC, TOUMA C, ARANGO-LIEVANO M, GARABEDIAN MJ, JEANNETEAU F. Experience and activity-dependent control of glucocorticoid receptors during the stress response in large-scale brain networks. Stress 2021; 24:130-153. [PMID: 32755268 PMCID: PMC7907260 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2020.1806226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The diversity of actions of the glucocorticoid stress hormones among individuals and within organs, tissues and cells is shaped by age, gender, genetics, metabolism, and the quantity of exposure. However, such factors cannot explain the heterogeneity of responses in the brain within cells of the same lineage, or similar tissue environment, or in the same individual. Here, we argue that the stress response is continuously updated by synchronized neural activity on large-scale brain networks. This occurs at the molecular, cellular and behavioral levels by crosstalk communication between activity-dependent and glucocorticoid signaling pathways, which updates the diversity of responses based on prior experience. Such a Bayesian process determines adaptation to the demands of the body and external world. We propose a framework for understanding how the diversity of glucocorticoid actions throughout brain networks is essential for supporting optimal health, while its disruption may contribute to the pathophysiology of stress-related disorders, such as major depression, and resistance to therapeutic treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damien HUZARD
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Montpellier, France
| | - Virginie RAPPENEAU
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Osnabrück, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Onno C. MEIJER
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Chadi TOUMA
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Osnabrück, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Margarita ARANGO-LIEVANO
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Freddy JEANNETEAU
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Montpellier, France
- Corresponding author:
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248
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Molecular and cellular mechanisms of engram allocation and maintenance. Brain Res Bull 2021; 170:274-282. [PMID: 33647419 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2021.02.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Understanding how we learn and remember has been a long-standing question in neuroscience. Technological developments of the past 15 years have allowed for dramatically increased access to the neurons that hold the physical representation of memory, also known as a memory trace or engram. Such developments have tremendously facilitated advancement of the memory field, since they made possible interrogation of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying memory formation with unprecedented cellular specificity. Here, we discuss the studies that have investigated rules governing neuronal recruitment to a particular memory engram. Furthermore, we provide an overview of the evidence that functional and structural changes associated with memory consolidation occur in engram neurons. Moreover, we summarize the expanding literature showing that transcriptional regulatory factors such as transcription factors and epigenetic mechanisms play an important role in the maintained allocation of behaviorally-selected neurons to an engram. Together, these studies have begun elucidating how neuronal networks are selected and modified in order to support memory formation and storage.
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249
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Pease-Raissi SE, Chan JR. Building a (w)rapport between neurons and oligodendroglia: Reciprocal interactions underlying adaptive myelination. Neuron 2021; 109:1258-1273. [PMID: 33621477 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Myelin, multilayered lipid-rich membrane extensions formed by oligodendrocytes around neuronal axons, is essential for fast and efficient action potential propagation in the central nervous system. Initially thought to be a static and immutable process, myelination is now appreciated to be a dynamic process capable of responding to and modulating neuronal function throughout life. While the importance of this type of plasticity, called adaptive myelination, is now well accepted, we are only beginning to understand the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms by which neurons communicate experience-driven circuit activation to oligodendroglia and precisely how changes in oligodendrocytes and their myelin refine neuronal function. Here, we review recent findings addressing this reciprocal relationship in which neurons alter oligodendroglial form and oligodendrocytes conversely modulate neuronal function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Pease-Raissi
- Weill Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
| | - Jonah R Chan
- Weill Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
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250
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Salery M, Godino A, Nestler EJ. Drug-activated cells: From immediate early genes to neuronal ensembles in addiction. ADVANCES IN PHARMACOLOGY (SAN DIEGO, CALIF.) 2021; 90:173-216. [PMID: 33706932 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apha.2020.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Beyond their rapid rewarding effects, drugs of abuse can durably alter an individual's response to their environment as illustrated by the compulsive drug seeking and risk of relapse triggered by drug-associated stimuli. The persistence of these associations even long after cessation of drug use demonstrates the enduring mark left by drugs on brain reward circuits. However, within these circuits, neuronal populations are differently affected by drug exposure and growing evidence indicates that relatively small subsets of neurons might be involved in the encoding and expression of drug-mediated associations. The identification of sparse neuronal populations recruited in response to drug exposure has benefited greatly from the study of immediate early genes (IEGs) whose induction is critical in initiating plasticity programs in recently activated neurons. In particular, the development of technologies to manipulate IEG-expressing cells has been fundamental to implicate broadly distributed neuronal ensembles coincidently activated by either drugs or drug-associated stimuli and to then causally establish their involvement in drug responses. In this review, we summarize the literature regarding IEG regulation in different learning paradigms and addiction models to highlight their role as a marker of activity and plasticity. As the exploration of neuronal ensembles in addiction improves our understanding of drug-associated memory encoding, it also raises several questions regarding the cellular and molecular characteristics of these discrete neuronal populations as they become incorporated in drug-associated neuronal ensembles. We review recent efforts towards this goal and discuss how they will offer a more comprehensive understanding of addiction pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marine Salery
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Arthur Godino
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Eric J Nestler
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States.
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