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Kaller MS, Lazari A, Feng Y, van der Toorn A, Rühling S, Thomas CW, Shimizu T, Bannerman D, Vyazovskiy V, Richardson WD, Sampaio-Baptista C, Johansen-Berg H. Ablation of oligodendrogenesis in adult mice alters brain microstructure and activity independently of behavioral deficits. Glia 2024. [PMID: 38982743 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024]
Abstract
Oligodendrocytes continue to differentiate from their precursor cells even in adulthood, a process that can be modulated by neuronal activity and experience. Previous work has indicated that conditional ablation of oligodendrogenesis in adult mice leads to learning and memory deficits in a range of behavioral tasks. The current study replicated and re-evaluated evidence for a role of oligodendrogenesis in motor learning, using a complex running wheel task. Further, we found that ablating oligodendrogenesis alters brain microstructure (ex vivo MRI) and brain activity (in vivo EEG) independent of experience with the task. This suggests a role for adult oligodendrocyte formation in the maintenance of brain function and indicates that task-independent changes due to oligodendrogenesis ablation need to be considered when interpreting learning and memory deficits in this model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malte S Kaller
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Alberto Lazari
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Yingshi Feng
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Annette van der Toorn
- Biomedical MR Imaging and Spectroscopy Group, Center for Image Sciences, University Medical Center Utrecht & Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Sebastian Rühling
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Christopher W Thomas
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Takahiro Shimizu
- The Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College London, London, UK
| | - David Bannerman
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Vladyslav Vyazovskiy
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Sir Jules Thorn Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- The Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - William D Richardson
- The Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College London, London, UK
| | - Cassandra Sampaio-Baptista
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Heidi Johansen-Berg
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Patel Y, Woo A, Shi S, Ayoub R, Shin J, Botta A, Ketela T, Sung HK, Lerch J, Nieman B, Paus T, Pausova Z. Obesity and the cerebral cortex: Underlying neurobiology in mice and humans. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 119:637-647. [PMID: 38663773 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.04.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Obesity is a major modifiable risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD), characterized by progressive atrophy of the cerebral cortex. The neurobiology of obesity contributions to AD is poorly understood. Here we show with in vivo MRI that diet-induced obesity decreases cortical volume in mice, and that higher body adiposity associates with lower cortical volume in humans. Single-nuclei transcriptomics of the mouse cortex reveals that dietary obesity promotes an array of neuron-adverse transcriptional dysregulations, which are mediated by an interplay of excitatory neurons and glial cells, and which involve microglial activation and lowered neuronal capacity for neuritogenesis and maintenance of membrane potential. The transcriptional dysregulations of microglia, more than of other cell types, are like those in AD, as assessed with single-nuclei cortical transcriptomics in a mouse model of AD and two sets of human donors with the disease. Serial two-photon tomography of microglia demonstrates microgliosis throughout the mouse cortex. The spatial pattern of adiposity-cortical volume associations in human cohorts interrogated together with in silico bulk and single-nucleus transcriptomic data from the human cortex implicated microglia (along with other glial cells and subtypes of excitatory neurons), and it correlated positively with the spatial profile of cortical atrophy in patients with mild cognitive impairment and AD. Thus, multi-cell neuron-adverse dysregulations likely contribute to the loss of cortical tissue in obesity. The dysregulations of microglia may be pivotal to the obesity-related risk of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yash Patel
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Translational Medicine Program, Toronto, ON, Canada; Departments of Physiology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Anita Woo
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Translational Medicine Program, Toronto, ON, Canada; Departments of Physiology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sammy Shi
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Translational Medicine Program, Toronto, ON, Canada; Departments of Physiology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ramy Ayoub
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Translational Medicine Program, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jean Shin
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Translational Medicine Program, Toronto, ON, Canada; Departments of Physiology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Amy Botta
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Translational Medicine Program, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Troy Ketela
- Princess Margaret Genomics Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Hoon-Ki Sung
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Translational Medicine Program, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jason Lerch
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Oxford University, Oxford, Great Britton
| | - Brian Nieman
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Translational Medicine Program, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Tomas Paus
- Department of Psychiatry and Addictology and Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, University of Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Zdenka Pausova
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Translational Medicine Program, Toronto, ON, Canada; Departments of Physiology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Pediatrics and Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, University of Montreal, QC, Canada.
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Hoops D, Yee Y, Hammill C, Wong S, Manitt C, Bedell BJ, Cahill L, Lerch JP, Flores C, Sled JG. Disproportionate neuroanatomical effects of DCC haploinsufficiency in adolescence compared with adulthood: links to dopamine, connectivity, covariance, and gene expression brain maps in mice. J Psychiatry Neurosci 2024; 49:E157-E171. [PMID: 38692693 PMCID: PMC11068426 DOI: 10.1503/jpn.230106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Critical adolescent neural refinement is controlled by the DCC (deleted in colorectal cancer) protein, a receptor for the netrin-1 guidance cue. We sought to describe the effects of reduced DCC on neuroanatomy in the adolescent and adult mouse brain. METHODS We examined neuronal connectivity, structural covariance, and molecular processes in a DCC-haploinsufficient mouse model, compared with wild-type mice, using new, custom analytical tools designed to leverage publicly available databases from the Allen Institute. RESULTS We included 11 DCC-haploinsufficient mice and 16 wild-type littermates. Neuroanatomical effects of DCC haploinsufficiency were more severe in adolescence than adulthood and were largely restricted to the mesocorticolimbic dopamine system. The latter finding was consistent whether we identified the regions of the mesocorticolimbic dopamine system a priori or used connectivity data from the Allen Brain Atlas to determine de novo where these dopamine axons terminated. Covariance analyses found that DCC haploinsufficiency disrupted the coordinated development of the brain regions that make up the mesocorticolimbic dopamine system. Gene expression maps pointed to molecular processes involving the expression of DCC, UNC5C (encoding DCC's co-receptor), and NTN1 (encoding its ligand, netrin-1) as underlying our structural findings. LIMITATIONS Our study involved a single sex (males) at only 2 ages. CONCLUSION The neuroanatomical phenotype of DCC haploinsufficiency described in mice parallels that observed in DCC-haploinsufficient humans. It is critical to understand the DCC-haploinsufficient mouse as a clinically relevant model system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Hoops
- From the Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Hammill, Wong, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Flores); the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Manitt, Flores); the Department of Chemistry, Memorial University, St. John's, N.L. (Hoops, Cahill); the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Bedell, Flores); the Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, U.K. (Lerch); the Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics & Mental Health, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Flores)
| | - Yohan Yee
- From the Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Hammill, Wong, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Flores); the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Manitt, Flores); the Department of Chemistry, Memorial University, St. John's, N.L. (Hoops, Cahill); the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Bedell, Flores); the Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, U.K. (Lerch); the Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics & Mental Health, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Flores)
| | - Christopher Hammill
- From the Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Hammill, Wong, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Flores); the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Manitt, Flores); the Department of Chemistry, Memorial University, St. John's, N.L. (Hoops, Cahill); the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Bedell, Flores); the Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, U.K. (Lerch); the Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics & Mental Health, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Flores)
| | - Sammi Wong
- From the Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Hammill, Wong, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Flores); the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Manitt, Flores); the Department of Chemistry, Memorial University, St. John's, N.L. (Hoops, Cahill); the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Bedell, Flores); the Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, U.K. (Lerch); the Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics & Mental Health, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Flores)
| | - Colleen Manitt
- From the Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Hammill, Wong, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Flores); the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Manitt, Flores); the Department of Chemistry, Memorial University, St. John's, N.L. (Hoops, Cahill); the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Bedell, Flores); the Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, U.K. (Lerch); the Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics & Mental Health, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Flores)
| | - Barry J Bedell
- From the Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Hammill, Wong, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Flores); the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Manitt, Flores); the Department of Chemistry, Memorial University, St. John's, N.L. (Hoops, Cahill); the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Bedell, Flores); the Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, U.K. (Lerch); the Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics & Mental Health, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Flores)
| | - Lindsay Cahill
- From the Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Hammill, Wong, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Flores); the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Manitt, Flores); the Department of Chemistry, Memorial University, St. John's, N.L. (Hoops, Cahill); the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Bedell, Flores); the Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, U.K. (Lerch); the Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics & Mental Health, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Flores)
| | - Jason P Lerch
- From the Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Hammill, Wong, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Flores); the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Manitt, Flores); the Department of Chemistry, Memorial University, St. John's, N.L. (Hoops, Cahill); the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Bedell, Flores); the Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, U.K. (Lerch); the Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics & Mental Health, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Flores)
| | - Cecilia Flores
- From the Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Hammill, Wong, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Flores); the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Manitt, Flores); the Department of Chemistry, Memorial University, St. John's, N.L. (Hoops, Cahill); the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Bedell, Flores); the Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, U.K. (Lerch); the Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics & Mental Health, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Flores)
| | - John G Sled
- From the Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Hammill, Wong, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Ont. (Hoops, Yee, Lerch, Sled); the Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Flores); the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Que. (Hoops, Manitt, Flores); the Department of Chemistry, Memorial University, St. John's, N.L. (Hoops, Cahill); the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Bedell, Flores); the Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, U.K. (Lerch); the Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics & Mental Health, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Flores)
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Dhume SH, Balogun K, Sarkar A, Acosta S, Mount HTJ, Cahill LS, Sled JG, Serghides L. Perinatal exposure to atazanavir-based antiretroviral regimens in a mouse model leads to differential long-term motor and cognitive deficits dependent on the NRTI backbone. Front Mol Neurosci 2024; 17:1376681. [PMID: 38646101 PMCID: PMC11027900 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2024.1376681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) use in pregnancy has been pivotal in improving maternal health and reducing perinatal HIV transmission. However, children born HIV-exposed uninfected fall behind their unexposed peers in several areas including neurodevelopment. The contribution of in utero ART exposure to these deficits is not clear. Here we present our findings of neurocognitive outcomes in adult mice exposed in utero to ART. Methods Dams were treated with a combination of ritonavir-boosted atazanavir with either abacavir plus lamivudine (ABC/3TC + ATV/r) or tenofovir disoproxil fumarate plus emtricitabine (TDF/FTC + ATV/r), or water as a control, administered daily from day of plug detection to birth. Offspring underwent a battery of behavioral tests that investigated motor performance and cognition starting at 6-weeks of age and ending at 8 months. Changes in brain structure were assessed using magnetic resonance imaging and immunohistochemistry. Expression of genes involved in neural circuitry and synaptic transmission were assessed in the hippocampus, a region strongly associated with memory formation, using qPCR. Findings Pups exposed to TDF/FTC + ATV/r showed increased motor activity and exploratory drive, and deficits in hippocampal-dependent working memory and social interaction, while pups exposed to ABC/3TC + ATV/r showed increased grooming, and deficits in working memory and social interaction. Significant volumetric reductions in the brain were seen only in the ABC/3TC + ATV/r group and were associated with reduced neuronal counts in the hippocampus. Altered neurotransmitter receptor mRNA expression as well as changes in expression of the neurotrophic factor BDNF and its receptors were observed in both ART-exposed groups in a sex-dependent manner. Interpretation In our model, in utero ART exposure had long-term effects on brain development and cognitive and motor outcomes in adulthood. Our data show that neurological outcomes can be influenced by the type of nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor backbone of the regimen and not just the base drug, and display sex differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shreya H. Dhume
- Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Kayode Balogun
- Department of Pathology, Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Ambalika Sarkar
- Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sebastian Acosta
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Howard T. J. Mount
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Psychiatry and Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Lindsay S. Cahill
- Department of Chemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, Canada
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Toronto Centre for Phenogenomics, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - John G. Sled
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Toronto Centre for Phenogenomics, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Lena Serghides
- Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Women’s College Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Kebschull JM, Casoni F, Consalez GG, Goldowitz D, Hawkes R, Ruigrok TJH, Schilling K, Wingate R, Wu J, Yeung J, Uusisaari MY. Cerebellum Lecture: the Cerebellar Nuclei-Core of the Cerebellum. CEREBELLUM (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2024; 23:620-677. [PMID: 36781689 PMCID: PMC10951048 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-022-01506-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/15/2023]
Abstract
The cerebellum is a key player in many brain functions and a major topic of neuroscience research. However, the cerebellar nuclei (CN), the main output structures of the cerebellum, are often overlooked. This neglect is because research on the cerebellum typically focuses on the cortex and tends to treat the CN as relatively simple output nuclei conveying an inverted signal from the cerebellar cortex to the rest of the brain. In this review, by adopting a nucleocentric perspective we aim to rectify this impression. First, we describe CN anatomy and modularity and comprehensively integrate CN architecture with its highly organized but complex afferent and efferent connectivity. This is followed by a novel classification of the specific neuronal classes the CN comprise and speculate on the implications of CN structure and physiology for our understanding of adult cerebellar function. Based on this thorough review of the adult literature we provide a comprehensive overview of CN embryonic development and, by comparing cerebellar structures in various chordate clades, propose an interpretation of CN evolution. Despite their critical importance in cerebellar function, from a clinical perspective intriguingly few, if any, neurological disorders appear to primarily affect the CN. To highlight this curious anomaly, and encourage future nucleocentric interpretations, we build on our review to provide a brief overview of the various syndromes in which the CN are currently implicated. Finally, we summarize the specific perspectives that a nucleocentric view of the cerebellum brings, move major outstanding issues in CN biology to the limelight, and provide a roadmap to the key questions that need to be answered in order to create a comprehensive integrated model of CN structure, function, development, and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justus M Kebschull
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
| | - Filippo Casoni
- Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, and San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - G Giacomo Consalez
- Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, and San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Daniel Goldowitz
- Department of Medical Genetics, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Richard Hawkes
- Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy and Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Tom J H Ruigrok
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Karl Schilling
- Department of Anatomy, Anatomy & Cell Biology, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität, 53115, Bonn, Federal Republic of Germany
| | - Richard Wingate
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Joshua Wu
- Department of Medical Genetics, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Joanna Yeung
- Department of Medical Genetics, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Marylka Yoe Uusisaari
- Neuronal Rhythms in Movement Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-Son, Kunigami-Gun, Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan.
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6
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Willekens SMA, Morini F, Mediavilla T, Nilsson E, Orädd G, Hahn M, Chotiwan N, Visa M, Berggren PO, Ilegems E, Överby AK, Ahlgren U, Marcellino D. An MR-based brain template and atlas for optical projection tomography and light sheet fluorescence microscopy in neuroscience. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1328815. [PMID: 38601090 PMCID: PMC11004350 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1328815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Optical Projection Tomography (OPT) and light sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) are high resolution optical imaging techniques, ideally suited for ex vivo 3D whole mouse brain imaging. Although they exhibit high specificity for their targets, the anatomical detail provided by tissue autofluorescence remains limited. Methods T1-weighted images were acquired from 19 BABB or DBE cleared brains to create an MR template using serial longitudinal registration. Afterwards, fluorescent OPT and LSFM images were coregistered/normalized to the MR template to create fusion images. Results Volumetric calculations revealed a significant difference between BABB and DBE cleared brains, leading to develop two optimized templates, with associated tissue priors and brain atlas, for BABB (OCUM) and DBE (iOCUM). By creating fusion images, we identified virus infected brain regions, mapped dopamine transporter and translocator protein expression, and traced innervation from the eye along the optic tract to the thalamus and superior colliculus using cholera toxin B. Fusion images allowed for precise anatomical identification of fluorescent signal in the detailed anatomical context provided by MR. Discussion The possibility to anatomically map fluorescent signals on magnetic resonance (MR) images, widely used in clinical and preclinical neuroscience, would greatly benefit applications of optical imaging of mouse brain. These specific MR templates for cleared brains enable a broad range of neuroscientific applications integrating 3D optical brain imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie M. A. Willekens
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Department of Medical and Translational Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Federico Morini
- Department of Medical and Translational Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Tomas Mediavilla
- Department of Medical and Translational Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Emma Nilsson
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Greger Orädd
- Department of Medical and Translational Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Max Hahn
- Department of Medical and Translational Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Nunya Chotiwan
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Montse Visa
- The Rolf Luft Research Centre for Diabetes and Endocrinology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Per-Olof Berggren
- The Rolf Luft Research Centre for Diabetes and Endocrinology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Erwin Ilegems
- The Rolf Luft Research Centre for Diabetes and Endocrinology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anna K. Överby
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Ulf Ahlgren
- Department of Medical and Translational Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Daniel Marcellino
- Department of Medical and Translational Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
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7
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Guma E, Beauchamp A, Liu S, Levitis E, Ellegood J, Pham L, Mars RB, Raznahan A, Lerch JP. Comparative neuroimaging of sex differences in human and mouse brain anatomy. eLife 2024; 13:RP92200. [PMID: 38488854 PMCID: PMC10942785 DOI: 10.7554/elife.92200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
In vivo neuroimaging studies have established several reproducible volumetric sex differences in the human brain, but the causes of such differences are hard to parse. While mouse models are useful for understanding the cellular and mechanistic bases of sex-specific brain development, there have been no attempts to formally compare human and mouse neuroanatomical sex differences to ascertain how well they translate. Addressing this question would shed critical light on the use of the mouse as a translational model for sex differences in the human brain and provide insights into the degree to which sex differences in brain volume are conserved across mammals. Here, we use structural magnetic resonance imaging to conduct the first comparative neuroimaging study of sex-specific neuroanatomy of the human and mouse brain. In line with previous findings, we observe that in humans, males have significantly larger and more variable total brain volume; these sex differences are not mirrored in mice. After controlling for total brain volume, we observe modest cross-species congruence in the volumetric effect size of sex across 60 homologous regions (r=0.30). This cross-species congruence is greater in the cortex (r=0.33) than non-cortex (r=0.16). By incorporating regional measures of gene expression in both species, we reveal that cortical regions with greater cross-species congruence in volumetric sex differences also show greater cross-species congruence in the expression profile of 2835 homologous genes. This phenomenon differentiates primary sensory regions with high congruence of sex effects and gene expression from limbic cortices where congruence in both these features was weaker between species. These findings help identify aspects of sex-biased brain anatomy present in mice that are retained, lost, or inverted in humans. More broadly, our work provides an empirical basis for targeting mechanistic studies of sex-specific brain development in mice to brain regions that best echo sex-specific brain development in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Guma
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Antoine Beauchamp
- Mouse Imaging CentreTorontoCanada
- The Hospital for Sick ChildrenTorontoCanada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of TorontoTorontoCanada
| | - Siyuan Liu
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Elizabeth Levitis
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Jacob Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging CentreTorontoCanada
- The Hospital for Sick ChildrenTorontoCanada
| | - Linh Pham
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Nuffield Department of Clinical 15 Neurosciences, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Rogier B Mars
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Nuffield Department of Clinical 15 Neurosciences, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University NijmegenNijmegenNetherlands
| | - Armin Raznahan
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Mouse Imaging CentreTorontoCanada
- The Hospital for Sick ChildrenTorontoCanada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of TorontoTorontoCanada
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Nuffield Department of Clinical 15 Neurosciences, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
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8
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Gibson JM, Vazquez AH, Yamashiro K, Jakkamsetti V, Ren C, Lei K, Dentel B, Pascual JM, Tsai PT. Cerebellar contribution to autism-relevant behaviors in fragile X syndrome models. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113533. [PMID: 38048226 PMCID: PMC10831814 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cerebellar dysfunction has been linked to autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Although cerebellar pathology has been observed in individuals with fragile X syndrome (FXS) and in mouse models of the disorder, a cerebellar functional contribution to ASD-relevant behaviors in FXS has yet to be fully characterized. In this study, we demonstrate a critical cerebellar role for Fmr1 (fragile X messenger ribonucleoprotein 1) in ASD-relevant behaviors. First, we identify reduced social behaviors, sensory hypersensitivity, and cerebellar dysfunction, with loss of cerebellar Fmr1. We then demonstrate that cerebellar-specific expression of Fmr1 is sufficient to impact social, sensory, cerebellar dysfunction, and cerebro-cortical hyperexcitability phenotypes observed in global Fmr1 mutants. Moreover, we demonstrate that targeting the ASD-implicated cerebellar region Crus1 ameliorates behaviors in both cerebellar-specific and global Fmr1 mutants. Together, these results demonstrate a critical role for the cerebellar contribution to FXS-related behaviors, with implications for future therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer M Gibson
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Anthony Hernandez Vazquez
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Kunihiko Yamashiro
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Vikram Jakkamsetti
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Chongyu Ren
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Katherine Lei
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Brianne Dentel
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Juan M Pascual
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Peter T Tsai
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
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9
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Gill K, Rajan JRS, Chow E, Ashbrook DG, Williams RW, Zwicker JG, Goldowitz D. Developmental coordination disorder: What can we learn from RI mice using motor learning tasks and QTL analysis. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2023; 22:e12859. [PMID: 37553802 PMCID: PMC10733574 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder of unknown etiology that affects one in 20 children. There is an indication that DCD has an underlying genetic component due to its high heritability. Therefore, we explored the use of a recombinant inbred family of mice known as the BXD panel to understand the genetic basis of complex traits (i.e., motor learning) through identification of quantitative trait loci (QTLs). The overall aim of this study was to utilize the QTL approach to evaluate the genome-to-phenome correlation in BXD strains of mice in order to better understand the human presentation of DCD. Results of this current study confirm differences in motor learning in selected BXD strains and strains with altered cerebellar volume. Five strains - BXD15, BXD27, BXD28, BXD75, and BXD86 - exhibited the most DCD-like phenotype when compared with other BXD strains of interest. Results indicate that BXD15 and BXD75 struggled primarily with gross motor skills, BXD28 primarily had difficulties with fine motor skills, and BXD27 and BXD86 strains struggled with both fine and gross motor skills. The functional roles of genes within significant QTLs were assessed in relation to DCD-like behavior. Only Rab3a (Ras-related protein Rab-3A) emerged as a high likelihood candidate gene for the horizontal ladder rung task. This gene is associated with brain and skeletal muscle development, but lacked nonsynonymous polymorphisms. This study along with Gill et al. (same issue) is the first studies to specifically examine the genetic linkage of DCD using BXD strains of mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamaldeep Gill
- Rehabilitation Sciences, University of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
- British Columbia Children's Hospital Research InstituteVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Jeffy Rajan Soundara Rajan
- Department of Medical GeneticsUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and TherapeuticsDepartment of Medical Genetics, University of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Eric Chow
- British Columbia Children's Hospital Research InstituteVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and TherapeuticsDepartment of Medical Genetics, University of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - David G. Ashbrook
- Department of GeneticsGenomics and Informatics, University of Tennessee Health Science CenterMemphisTennesseeUSA
| | - Robert W. Williams
- Department of GeneticsGenomics and Informatics, University of Tennessee Health Science CenterMemphisTennesseeUSA
| | - Jill G. Zwicker
- British Columbia Children's Hospital Research InstituteVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Department of Occupational Science & Occupational TherapyUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Department of PediatricsUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Daniel Goldowitz
- British Columbia Children's Hospital Research InstituteVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Department of Medical GeneticsUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and TherapeuticsDepartment of Medical Genetics, University of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
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10
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Szulc-Lerch K, Yeung J, de Guzman AE, Egan S, Yee Y, Fernandes D, Lerch JP, Mabbott DJ, Nieman BJ. Exercise promotes growth and rescues volume deficits in the hippocampus after cranial radiation in young mice. NMR IN BIOMEDICINE 2023; 36:e5015. [PMID: 37548099 DOI: 10.1002/nbm.5015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Human and animal studies suggest that exercise promotes healthy brain development and function, including promoting hippocampal growth. Childhood cancer survivors that have received cranial radiotherapy exhibit hippocampal volume deficits and are at risk of impaired cognitive function, thus they may benefit from regular exercise. While morphological changes induced by exercise have been characterized using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in humans and animal models, evaluation of changes across the brain through development and following cranial radiation is lacking. In this study, we used high-resolution longitudinal MRI through development to evaluate the effects of exercise in a pediatric mouse model of cranial radiation. Female mice received whole-brain radiation (7 Gy) or sham radiation (0 Gy) at an infant equivalent age (P16). One week after irradiation, mice were housed in either a regular cage or a cage equipped with a running wheel. In vivo MRI was performed prior to irradiation, and at three subsequent timepoints to evaluate the effects of radiation and exercise. We used a linear mixed-effects model to assess volumetric and cortical thickness changes. Exercise caused substantial increases in the volumes of certain brain regions, notably the hippocampus in both irradiated and nonirradiated mice. Volume increases exceeded the deficits induced by cranial irradiation. The effect of exercise and irradiation on subregional hippocampal volumes was also characterized. In addition, we characterized cortical thickness changes across development and found that it peaked between P23 and P43, depending on the region. Exercise also induced regional alterations in cortical thickness after 3 weeks of voluntary exercise, while irradiation did not substantially alter cortical thickness. Our results show that exercise has the potential to alter neuroanatomical outcomes in both irradiated and nonirradiated mice. This supports ongoing research exploring exercise as a strategy for improving neurocognitive development for children, particularly those treated with cranial radiotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamila Szulc-Lerch
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jonas Yeung
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- Translational Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - A Elizabeth de Guzman
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- Translational Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Functional Neuroimaging Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Shannon Egan
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- Translational Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Yohan Yee
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Darren Fernandes
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Donald J Mabbott
- Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Psychology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Brian J Nieman
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- Translational Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, Canada
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11
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Nisar S, Haris M. Neuroimaging genetics approaches to identify new biomarkers for the early diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:4995-5008. [PMID: 37069342 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02060-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023]
Abstract
Autism-spectrum disorders (ASDs) are developmental disabilities that manifest in early childhood and are characterized by qualitative abnormalities in social behaviors, communication skills, and restrictive or repetitive behaviors. To explore the neurobiological mechanisms in ASD, extensive research has been done to identify potential diagnostic biomarkers through a neuroimaging genetics approach. Neuroimaging genetics helps to identify ASD-risk genes that contribute to structural and functional variations in brain circuitry and validate biological changes by elucidating the mechanisms and pathways that confer genetic risk. Integrating artificial intelligence models with neuroimaging data lays the groundwork for accurate diagnosis and facilitates the identification of early diagnostic biomarkers for ASD. This review discusses the significance of neuroimaging genetics approaches to gaining a better understanding of the perturbed neurochemical system and molecular pathways in ASD and how these approaches can detect structural, functional, and metabolic changes and lead to the discovery of novel biomarkers for the early diagnosis of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabah Nisar
- Laboratory of Molecular and Metabolic Imaging, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Mohammad Haris
- Laboratory of Molecular and Metabolic Imaging, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar.
- Center for Advanced Metabolic Imaging in Precision Medicine, Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Laboratory Animal Research Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.
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12
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Goodman SJ, Luperchio TR, Ellegood J, Chater-Diehl E, Lerch JP, Bjornsson HT, Weksberg R. Peripheral blood DNA methylation and neuroanatomical responses to HDACi treatment that rescues neurological deficits in a Kabuki syndrome mouse model. Clin Epigenetics 2023; 15:172. [PMID: 37884963 PMCID: PMC10605417 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-023-01582-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent findings from studies of mouse models of Mendelian disorders of epigenetic machinery strongly support the potential for postnatal therapies to improve neurobehavioral and cognitive deficits. As several of these therapies move into human clinical trials, the search for biomarkers of treatment efficacy is a priority. A potential postnatal treatment of Kabuki syndrome type 1 (KS1), caused by pathogenic variants in KMT2D encoding a histone-lysine methyltransferase, has emerged using a mouse model of KS1 (Kmt2d+/βGeo). In this mouse model, hippocampal memory deficits are ameliorated following treatment with the histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi), AR-42. Here, we investigate the effect of both Kmt2d+/βGeo genotype and AR-42 treatment on neuroanatomy and on DNA methylation (DNAm) in peripheral blood. While peripheral blood may not be considered a "primary tissue" with respect to understanding the pathophysiology of neurodevelopmental disorders, it has the potential to serve as an accessible biomarker of disease- and treatment-related changes in the brain. METHODS Half of the KS1 and wildtype mice were treated with 14 days of AR-42. Following treatment, fixed brain samples were imaged using MRI to calculate regional volumes. Blood was assayed for genome-wide DNAm at over 285,000 CpG sites using the Illumina Infinium Mouse Methylation array. DNAm patterns and brain volumes were analyzed in the four groups of animals: wildtype untreated, wildtype AR-42 treated, KS1 untreated and KS1 AR-42 treated. RESULTS We defined a DNAm signature in the blood of KS1 mice, that overlapped with the human KS1 DNAm signature. We also found a striking 10% decrease in total brain volume in untreated KS1 mice compared to untreated wildtype, which correlated with DNAm levels in a subset KS1 signature sites, suggesting that disease severity may be reflected in blood DNAm. Treatment with AR-42 ameliorated DNAm aberrations in KS1 mice at a small number of signature sites. CONCLUSIONS As this treatment impacts both neurological deficits and blood DNAm in mice, future KS clinical trials in humans could be used to assess blood DNAm as an early biomarker of therapeutic efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Teresa Romeo Luperchio
- McKusick-Nathans Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Jacob Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Eric Chater-Diehl
- Genetics and Genome Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, The University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, The University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Hans Tomas Bjornsson
- McKusick-Nathans Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
- Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Rosanna Weksberg
- Genetics and Genome Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.
- Division of Clinical and Metabolic Genetics, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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13
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He B, Wang Y, Li H, Huang Y. The role of integrin beta in schizophrenia: a preliminary exploration. CNS Spectr 2023; 28:561-570. [PMID: 36274632 DOI: 10.1017/s1092852922001080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Integrins are transmembrane heterodimeric (αβ) receptors that transduce mechanical signals between the extracellular milieu and the cell in a bidirectional manner. Extensive research has shown that the integrin beta (β) family is widely expressed in the brain and that they control various aspects of brain development and function. Schizophrenia is a relatively common neurological disorder of unknown etiology and has been found to be closely related to neurodevelopment and neurochemicals in neuropathological studies of schizophrenia. Here, we review literature from recent years that shows that schizophrenia involves multiple signaling pathways related to neuronal migration, axon guidance, cell adhesion, and actin cytoskeleton dynamics, and that dysregulation of these processes affects the normal function of neurons and synapses. In fact, alterations in integrin β structure, expression and signaling for neural circuits, cortex, and synapses are likely to be associated with schizophrenia. We explored several aspects of the possible association between integrin β and schizophrenia in an attempt to demonstrate the role of integrin β in schizophrenia, which may help to provide new insights into the study of the pathogenesis and treatment of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binshan He
- Department of Blood Transfusion, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Yuhan Wang
- Department of Blood Transfusion, Ya'an People's Hospital, Ya'an, China
| | - Huang Li
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Yuanshuai Huang
- Department of Blood Transfusion, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
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14
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Guma E, Beauchamp A, Liu S, Levitis E, Ellegood J, Pham L, Mars RB, Raznahan A, Lerch JP. Comparative neuroimaging of sex differences in human and mouse brain anatomy. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.23.554334. [PMID: 37662398 PMCID: PMC10473765 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.23.554334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
In vivo neuroimaging studies have established several reproducible volumetric sex differences in the human brain, but the causes of such differences are hard to parse. While mouse models are useful for understanding the cellular and mechanistic bases of sex-biased brain development in mammals, there have been no attempts to formally compare mouse and human sex differences across the whole brain to ascertain how well they translate. Addressing this question would shed critical light on use of the mouse as a translational model for sex differences in the human brain and provide insights into the degree to which sex differences in brain volume are conserved across mammals. Here, we use cross-species structural magnetic resonance imaging to carry out the first comparative neuroimaging study of sex-biased neuroanatomical organization of the human and mouse brain. In line with previous findings, we observe that in humans, males have significantly larger and more variable total brain volume; these sex differences are not mirrored in mice. After controlling for total brain volume, we observe modest cross-species congruence in the volumetric effect size of sex across 60 homologous brain regions (r=0.30; e.g.: M>F amygdala, hippocampus, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, and hypothalamus and F>M anterior cingulate, somatosensory, and primary auditory cortices). This cross-species congruence is greater in the cortex (r=0.33) than non-cortex (r=0.16). By incorporating regional measures of gene expression in both species, we reveal that cortical regions with greater cross-species congruence in volumetric sex differences also show greater cross-species congruence in the expression profile of 2835 homologous genes. This phenomenon differentiates primary sensory regions with high congruence of sex effects and gene expression from limbic cortices where congruence in both these features was weaker between species. These findings help identify aspects of sex-biased brain anatomy present in mice that are retained, lost, or inverted in humans. More broadly, our work provides an empirical basis for targeting mechanistic studies of sex-biased brain development in mice to brain regions that best echo sex-biased brain development in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Guma
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Antoine Beauchamp
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Siyuan Liu
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Elizabeth Levitis
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jacob Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Linh Pham
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Rogier B Mars
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Armin Raznahan
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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15
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Tillotson R, Yan K, Ruston J, DeYoung T, Córdova A, Turcotte-Cardin V, Yee Y, Taylor C, Visuvanathan S, Babbs C, Ivakine EA, Sled JG, Nieman BJ, Picketts DJ, Justice MJ. A new mouse model of ATR-X syndrome carrying a common patient mutation exhibits neurological and morphological defects. Hum Mol Genet 2023; 32:2485-2501. [PMID: 37171606 PMCID: PMC10360390 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddad075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
ATRX is a chromatin remodelling ATPase that is involved in transcriptional regulation, DNA damage repair and heterochromatin maintenance. It has been widely studied for its role in ALT-positive cancers, but its role in neurological function remains elusive. Hypomorphic mutations in the X-linked ATRX gene cause a rare form of intellectual disability combined with alpha-thalassemia called ATR-X syndrome in hemizygous males. Clinical features also include facial dysmorphism, microcephaly, short stature, musculoskeletal defects and genital abnormalities. As complete deletion of ATRX in mice results in early embryonic lethality, the field has largely relied on conditional knockout models to assess the role of ATRX in multiple tissues. Given that null alleles are not found in patients, a more patient-relevant model was needed. Here, we have produced and characterized the first patient mutation knock-in model of ATR-X syndrome, carrying the most common causative mutation, R246C. This is one of a cluster of missense mutations located in the chromatin-binding domain and disrupts its function. The knock-in mice recapitulate several aspects of the patient disorder, including craniofacial defects, microcephaly, reduced body size and impaired neurological function. They provide a powerful model for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying ATR-X syndrome and testing potential therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebekah Tillotson
- Genetics and Genome Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, The Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital/Headley Way, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Keqin Yan
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - Julie Ruston
- Genetics and Genome Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, The Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Taylor DeYoung
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5T 3H7, Canada
| | - Alex Córdova
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - Valérie Turcotte-Cardin
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada
- Cellular & Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Yohan Yee
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5T 3H7, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Christine Taylor
- Genetics and Genome Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, The Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Shagana Visuvanathan
- Genetics and Genome Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, The Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Christian Babbs
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital/Headley Way, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Evgueni A Ivakine
- Genetics and Genome Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, The Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - John G Sled
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5T 3H7, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada
- Translational Medicine Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, The Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Brian J Nieman
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5T 3H7, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada
- Translational Medicine Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, The Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, ON M5G 0A3, Canada
| | - David J Picketts
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada
- Cellular & Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Monica J Justice
- Genetics and Genome Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, The Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A1, Canada
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16
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Clifford KP, Miles AE, Prevot TD, Misquitta KA, Ellegood J, Lerch JP, Sibille E, Nikolova YS, Banasr M. Brain structure and working memory adaptations associated with maturation and aging in mice. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1195748. [PMID: 37484693 PMCID: PMC10359104 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1195748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction As the population skews toward older age, elucidating mechanisms underlying human brain aging becomes imperative. Structural MRI has facilitated non-invasive investigation of lifespan brain morphology changes, yet this domain remains uncharacterized in rodents despite increasing use as models of disordered human brain aging. Methods Young (2m, n = 10), middle-age (10m, n = 10) and old (22m, n = 9) mice were utilized for maturational (young vs. middle-age) and aging-related (middle-age vs. old mice) comparisons. Regional brain volume was averaged across hemispheres and reduced to 32 brain regions. Pairwise group differences in regional volume were tested using general linear models, with total brain volume as a covariate. Sample-wide associations between regional brain volume and Y-maze performance were assessed using logistic regression, residualized for total brain volume. Both analyses corrected for multiple comparisons. Structural covariance networks were generated using the R package "igraph." Group differences in network centrality (degree), integration (mean distance), and segregation (transitivity, modularity) were tested across network densities (5-40%), using 5,000 (1,000 for degree) permutations with significance criteria of p < 0.05 at ≥5 consecutive density thresholds. Results Widespread significant maturational changes in volume occurred in 18 brain regions, including considerable loss in isocortex regions and increases in brainstem regions and white matter tracts. The aging-related comparison yielded 6 significant changes in brain volume, including further loss in isocortex regions and increases in white matter tracts. No significant volume changes were observed across either comparison for subcortical regions. Additionally, smaller volume of the anterior cingulate area (χ2 = 2.325, pBH = 0.044) and larger volume of the hippocampal formation (χ2 = -2.180, pBH = 0.044) were associated with poorer cognitive performance. Maturational network comparisons yielded significant degree changes in 9 regions, but no aging-related changes, aligning with network stabilization trends in humans. Maturational decline in modularity occurred (24-29% density), mirroring human trends of decreased segregation in young adulthood, while mean distance and transitivity remained stable. Conclusion/Implications These findings offer a foundational account of age effects on brain volume, structural brain networks, and working memory in mice, informing future work in facilitating translation between rodent models and human brain aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevan P. Clifford
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Amy E. Miles
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Thomas D. Prevot
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Keith A. Misquitta
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON, Canada
- Departments of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jacob Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jason P. Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Oxford Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Etienne Sibille
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Departments of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Yuliya S. Nikolova
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mounira Banasr
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Departments of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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17
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Donovan APA, Rosko L, Ellegood J, Redhead Y, Green JBA, Lerch JP, Huang JK, Basson MA. Pervasive cortical and white matter anomalies in a mouse model for CHARGE syndrome. J Anat 2023; 243:51-65. [PMID: 36914558 PMCID: PMC10273342 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
CHARGE (Coloboma of the eye, Heart defects, Atresia of the choanae, Retardation of growth, Genital anomalies and Ear abnormalities) syndrome is a disorder caused by mutations in the gene encoding CHD7, an ATP dependent chromatin remodelling factor, and is characterised by a diverse array of congenital anomalies. These include a range of neuroanatomical comorbidities which likely underlie the varied neurodevelopmental disorders associated with CHARGE syndrome, which include intellectual disability, motor coordination deficits, executive dysfunction, and autism spectrum disorder. Cranial imaging studies are challenging in CHARGE syndrome patients, but high-throughput magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques in mouse models allow for the unbiased identification of neuroanatomical defects. Here, we present a comprehensive neuroanatomical survey of a Chd7 haploinsufficient mouse model of CHARGE syndrome. Our study uncovered widespread brain hypoplasia and reductions in white matter volume across the brain. The severity of hypoplasia appeared more pronounced in posterior areas of the neocortex compared to anterior regions. We also perform the first assessment of white matter tract integrity in this model through diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to assess the potential functional consequences of widespread reductions in myelin, which suggested the presence of white matter integrity defects. To determine if white matter alterations correspond to cellular changes, we quantified oligodendrocyte lineage cells in the postnatal corpus callosum, uncovering reduced numbers of mature oligodendrocytes. Together, these results present a range of promising avenues of focus for future cranial imaging studies in CHARGE syndrome patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex P. A. Donovan
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative BiologyKing's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Lauren Rosko
- Department of BiologyGeorgetown UniversityWashingtonDCUSA
- Interdisciplinary Program in NeuroscienceGeorgetown UniversityWashingtonDCUSA
| | - Jacob Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging CentreThe Hospital for Sick ChildrenTorontoOntarioCanada
| | - Yushi Redhead
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative BiologyKing's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Jeremy B. A. Green
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative BiologyKing's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Jason P. Lerch
- Mouse Imaging CentreThe Hospital for Sick ChildrenTorontoOntarioCanada
- Department of Medical BiophysicsThe University of TorontoTorontoOntarioCanada
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental HealthThe Hospital for Sick ChildrenTorontoOntarioCanada
- Department of Preclinical Imaging, Wellcome Centre for Integrative NeuroimagingUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
| | - Jeffrey K. Huang
- Department of BiologyGeorgetown UniversityWashingtonDCUSA
- Interdisciplinary Program in NeuroscienceGeorgetown UniversityWashingtonDCUSA
- Centre for Cell ReprogrammingGeorgetown UniversityWashingtonDCUSA
| | - M. Albert Basson
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative BiologyKing's College LondonLondonUK
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental DisordersKing's College LondonLondonUK
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18
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Arefin TM, Lee CH, Liang Z, Rallapalli H, Wadghiri YZ, Turnbull DH, Zhang J. Towards reliable reconstruction of the mouse brain corticothalamic connectivity using diffusion MRI. Neuroimage 2023; 273:120111. [PMID: 37060936 PMCID: PMC10149621 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) tractography has yielded intriguing insights into brain circuits and their relationship to behavior in response to gene mutations or neurological diseases across a number of species. Still, existing tractography approaches suffer from limited sensitivity and specificity, leading to uncertain interpretation of the reconstructed connections. Hence, in this study, we aimed to optimize the imaging and computational pipeline to achieve the best possible spatial overlaps between the tractography and tracer-based axonal projection maps within the mouse brain corticothalamic network. We developed a dMRI-based atlas of the mouse forebrain with structural labels imported from the Allen Mouse Brain Atlas (AMBA). Using the atlas and dMRI tractography, we first reconstructed detailed node-to-node mouse brain corticothalamic structural connectivity matrices using different imaging and tractography parameters. We then investigated the effects of each condition for accurate reconstruction of the corticothalamic projections by quantifying the similarities between the tractography and the tracer data from the Allen Mouse Brain Connectivity Atlas (AMBCA). Our results suggest that these parameters significantly affect tractography outcomes and our atlas can be used to investigate macroscopic structural connectivity in the mouse brain. Furthermore, tractography in mouse brain gray matter still face challenges and need improved imaging and tractography methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanzil Mahmud Arefin
- Bernard and Irene Schwartz Center for Biomedical Imaging (CBI), Center for Advanced Imaging Innovation and Research (CAI2R), Department of Radiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 660 First Ave., New York City, NY, United States; Center for Neurotechnology in Mental Health Research, Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Choong Heon Lee
- Bernard and Irene Schwartz Center for Biomedical Imaging (CBI), Center for Advanced Imaging Innovation and Research (CAI2R), Department of Radiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 660 First Ave., New York City, NY, United States
| | - Zifei Liang
- Bernard and Irene Schwartz Center for Biomedical Imaging (CBI), Center for Advanced Imaging Innovation and Research (CAI2R), Department of Radiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 660 First Ave., New York City, NY, United States
| | - Harikrishna Rallapalli
- Bernard and Irene Schwartz Center for Biomedical Imaging (CBI), Center for Advanced Imaging Innovation and Research (CAI2R), Department of Radiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 660 First Ave., New York City, NY, United States
| | - Youssef Z Wadghiri
- Bernard and Irene Schwartz Center for Biomedical Imaging (CBI), Center for Advanced Imaging Innovation and Research (CAI2R), Department of Radiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 660 First Ave., New York City, NY, United States
| | - Daniel H Turnbull
- Bernard and Irene Schwartz Center for Biomedical Imaging (CBI), Center for Advanced Imaging Innovation and Research (CAI2R), Department of Radiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 660 First Ave., New York City, NY, United States
| | - Jiangyang Zhang
- Bernard and Irene Schwartz Center for Biomedical Imaging (CBI), Center for Advanced Imaging Innovation and Research (CAI2R), Department of Radiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 660 First Ave., New York City, NY, United States.
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19
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Lin CW, Ellegood J, Tamada K, Miura I, Konda M, Takeshita K, Atarashi K, Lerch JP, Wakana S, McHugh TJ, Takumi T. An old model with new insights: endogenous retroviruses drive the evolvement toward ASD susceptibility and hijack transcription machinery during development. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:1932-1945. [PMID: 36882500 PMCID: PMC10575786 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-01999-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
The BTBR T+Itpr3tf/J (BTBR/J) strain is one of the most valid models of idiopathic autism, serving as a potent forward genetics tool to dissect the complexity of autism. We found that a sister strain with an intact corpus callosum, BTBR TF/ArtRbrc (BTBR/R), showed more prominent autism core symptoms but moderate ultrasonic communication/normal hippocampus-dependent memory, which may mimic autism in the high functioning spectrum. Intriguingly, disturbed epigenetic silencing mechanism leads to hyperactive endogenous retrovirus (ERV), a mobile genetic element of ancient retroviral infection, which increases de novo copy number variation (CNV) formation in the two BTBR strains. This feature makes the BTBR strain a still evolving multiple-loci model toward higher ASD susceptibility. Furthermore, active ERV, analogous to virus infection, evades the integrated stress response (ISR) of host defense and hijacks the transcriptional machinery during embryonic development in the BTBR strains. These results suggest dual roles of ERV in the pathogenesis of ASD, driving host genome evolution at a long-term scale and managing cellular pathways in response to viral infection, which has immediate effects on embryonic development. The wild-type Draxin expression in BTBR/R also makes this substrain a more precise model to investigate the core etiology of autism without the interference of impaired forebrain bundles as in BTBR/J.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Wen Lin
- Laboratory for Mental Biology, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako, 351-0198, Saitama, Japan
- Laboratory for Circuit and Behavioral Physiology, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, 351-0198, Saitama, Japan
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Kobe University School of Medicine, Chuo, 650-0017, Kobe, Japan
| | - Jacob Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 3H7, Canada
| | - Kota Tamada
- Laboratory for Mental Biology, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako, 351-0198, Saitama, Japan
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Kobe University School of Medicine, Chuo, 650-0017, Kobe, Japan
| | - Ikuo Miura
- Technology and Development Team for Mouse Phenotype Analysis, Japan Mouse Clinic, RIKEN BioResource Research Center, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0074, Japan
| | - Mikiko Konda
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku, 160-8582, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kozue Takeshita
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku, 160-8582, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Koji Atarashi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku, 160-8582, Tokyo, Japan
- RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Tsurumi, 230-0045, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 3H7, Canada
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX39DU, UK
| | - Shigeharu Wakana
- Technology and Development Team for Mouse Phenotype Analysis, Japan Mouse Clinic, RIKEN BioResource Research Center, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0074, Japan
| | - Thomas J McHugh
- Laboratory for Circuit and Behavioral Physiology, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, 351-0198, Saitama, Japan
| | - Toru Takumi
- Laboratory for Mental Biology, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako, 351-0198, Saitama, Japan.
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Kobe University School of Medicine, Chuo, 650-0017, Kobe, Japan.
- RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Chuo, 650-0047, Kobe, Japan.
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20
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Célestine M, Jacquier-Sarlin M, Borel E, Petit F, Perot JB, Hérard AS, Bousset L, Buisson A, Dhenain M. Long term worsening of amyloid pathology, cerebral function, and cognition after a single inoculation of beta-amyloid seeds with Osaka mutation. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2023; 11:66. [PMID: 37087498 PMCID: PMC10122826 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-023-01559-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2023] [Indexed: 04/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by intracerebral deposition of abnormal proteinaceous assemblies made of amyloid-β (Aß) peptides or tau proteins. These peptides and proteins induce synaptic dysfunctions that are strongly correlated with cognitive decline. Intracerebral infusion of well-defined Aβ seeds from non-mutated Aβ1-40 or Aβ1-42 peptides can increase Aβ depositions several months after the infusion. Familial forms of AD are associated with mutations in the amyloid precursor protein (APP) that induce the production of Aβ peptides with different structures. The Aβ Osaka (Aβosa mutation (E693Δ)) is located within the Aβ sequence and thus the Aβosa peptides have different structures and properties as compared to non-mutated Aβ1-42 peptides (Aβwt). Here, we wondered if a single exposure to this mutated Aβ can worsen AD pathology as well as downstream events including cognition, cerebral connectivity and synaptic health several months after the inoculation. To answer this question we inoculated Aβ1-42-bearing Osaka mutation (Aβosa) in the dentate gyrus of APPswe/PS1dE9 mice at the age of two months. Their cognition and cerebral connectivity were analyzed at 4 months post-inoculation by behavioral evaluation and functional MRI. Aβ pathology as well as synaptic density were evaluated by histology. The impact of Aβosa peptides on synaptic health was also measured on primary cortical neurons. Remarkably, the intracerebral administration of Aβosa induced cognitive and synaptic impairments as well as a reduction of functional connectivity between different brain regions, 4 months post-inoculation. It increased Aβ plaque depositions and increased Aβ oligomers. This is the first study showing that a single, sporadic event as Aβosa inoculation can worsen the fate of the pathology and clinical outcome several months after the event. It suggests that a single inoculation of Aβ regulates a large cascade of events for a long time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Célestine
- Laboratoire Des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, 18 Route du Panorama, 92265, Fontenay-Aux-Roses, France
- Commissariat À L'Energie Atomique Et Aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA), Direction de La Recherche Fondamentale (DRF), Institut François Jacob, MIRCen, 18 Route du Panorama, 92265, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Muriel Jacquier-Sarlin
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Inserm, U1216, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, GIN, 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Eve Borel
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Inserm, U1216, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, GIN, 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Fanny Petit
- Laboratoire Des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, 18 Route du Panorama, 92265, Fontenay-Aux-Roses, France
- Commissariat À L'Energie Atomique Et Aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA), Direction de La Recherche Fondamentale (DRF), Institut François Jacob, MIRCen, 18 Route du Panorama, 92265, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Jean-Baptiste Perot
- Laboratoire Des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, 18 Route du Panorama, 92265, Fontenay-Aux-Roses, France
- Commissariat À L'Energie Atomique Et Aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA), Direction de La Recherche Fondamentale (DRF), Institut François Jacob, MIRCen, 18 Route du Panorama, 92265, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Anne-Sophie Hérard
- Laboratoire Des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, 18 Route du Panorama, 92265, Fontenay-Aux-Roses, France
- Commissariat À L'Energie Atomique Et Aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA), Direction de La Recherche Fondamentale (DRF), Institut François Jacob, MIRCen, 18 Route du Panorama, 92265, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Luc Bousset
- Laboratoire Des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, 18 Route du Panorama, 92265, Fontenay-Aux-Roses, France
- Commissariat À L'Energie Atomique Et Aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA), Direction de La Recherche Fondamentale (DRF), Institut François Jacob, MIRCen, 18 Route du Panorama, 92265, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Alain Buisson
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Inserm, U1216, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, GIN, 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Marc Dhenain
- Laboratoire Des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, 18 Route du Panorama, 92265, Fontenay-Aux-Roses, France.
- Commissariat À L'Energie Atomique Et Aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA), Direction de La Recherche Fondamentale (DRF), Institut François Jacob, MIRCen, 18 Route du Panorama, 92265, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.
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21
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Examining litter specific variability in mice and its impact on neurodevelopmental studies. Neuroimage 2023; 269:119888. [PMID: 36681136 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.119888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Our current understanding of litter variability in neurodevelopmental studies using mice may limit translation of neuroscientific findings. Higher variance of measures across litters than within, often termed intra-litter likeness, may be attributable to both pre- and postnatal environment. This study aimed to assess the litter-effect within behavioral assessments (2 timepoints) and anatomy using T1-weighted magnetic resonance images across 72 brain region volumes (4 timepoints) (36 C57bl/6J inbred mice; 7 litters: 19F/17M). Between-litter comparisons of brain and behavioral measures and their associations were evaluated using univariate and multivariate techniques. A power analysis using simulation methods was then performed on modeled neurodevelopment and to evaluate trade-offs between number-of-litters, number-of-mice-per-litter, and sample size. Our results show litter-specific developmental effects, from the adolescent period to adulthood for brain structure volumes and behaviors, and for their associations in adulthood. Our power simulation analysis suggests increasing the number-of-litters in experimental designs to achieve the smallest total sample size necessary for detecting different rates of change in specific brain regions. Our results demonstrate how litter-specific effects may influence development and that increasing the litters to the total sample size ratio should be strongly considered when designing neurodevelopmental studies.
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22
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Rawlings-Mortimer F, Lazari A, Tisca C, Tachrount M, Martins-Bach AB, Miller KL, Lerch JP, Johansen-Berg H. 7,8-dihydroxyflavone enhances long-term spatial memory and alters brain volume in wildtype mice. Front Syst Neurosci 2023; 17:1134594. [PMID: 37008453 PMCID: PMC10057119 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2023.1134594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: 7,8-dihydroxyflavone (7,8-DHF) is a low molecular weight compound that can cross the blood brain barrier and has been implicated in numerous functions and behaviours. It is thought to have neuroprotective capability and has been shown to alleviate symptoms in a wide range of diseases.Methods: 7,8-DHF was administered systemically to wildtype mice during Morris water maze training. Long-term spatial memory was assessed 28 days later. Ex-vivo T2-weighted (T2w) imaging was undertaken on a subset of these mice to assess brain-wide changes in volume.Results: We found that systemic 7,8-DHF administration during the training period enhanced spatial memory 28 days later. Volumetric changes were observed in numerous brain regions associated with a broad range of functions including cognition, sensory, and motor processing.Discussion: Our findings give the first whole brain overview of long-term anatomical changes following 7,8-DHF administration providing valuable information for assessing and understanding the widespread effects this drug has been shown to have in behaviour and disease.
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23
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Soltwedel J, Suckert T, Beyreuther E, Schneider M, Boucsein M, Bodenstein E, Nexhipi S, Stolz-Kieslich L, Krause M, von Neubeck C, Haase R, Lühr A, Dietrich A. Slice2Volume: Fusion of multimodal medical imaging and light microscopy data of irradiation-injured brain tissue in 3D. Radiother Oncol 2023; 182:109591. [PMID: 36858201 DOI: 10.1016/j.radonc.2023.109591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023]
Abstract
Comprehending cellular changes of radiation-induced brain injury is crucial to prevent and treat the pathology. We provide a unique open dataset of proton-irradiated mouse brains consisting of medical imaging, radiation dose simulations, and large-scale microscopy images, all registered into a common coordinate system. This allows dose-dependent analyses on single-cell level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Soltwedel
- OncoRay - National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technical University Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden 01309, Germany; Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiooncology - OncoRay, Dresden 01309, Germany; DFG Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life, TU Dresden, Dresden 01307, Germany
| | - Theresa Suckert
- OncoRay - National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technical University Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden 01309, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Dresden, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg 69120, Germany; Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Elke Beyreuther
- OncoRay - National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technical University Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden 01309, Germany; Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiation Physics, Dresden 01328, Germany
| | - Moritz Schneider
- OncoRay - National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technical University Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden 01309, Germany; Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiation Physics, Dresden 01328, Germany
| | - Marc Boucsein
- Im Neuenheimer Feld 223, E050 Clinical Cooperation Unit Radiation Oncology, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Bodenstein
- OncoRay - National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technical University Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden 01309, Germany; Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiooncology - OncoRay, Dresden 01309, Germany
| | - Sindi Nexhipi
- OncoRay - National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technical University Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden 01309, Germany; Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiooncology - OncoRay, Dresden 01309, Germany
| | - Liane Stolz-Kieslich
- OncoRay - National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technical University Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden 01309, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Dresden, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Mechthild Krause
- OncoRay - National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technical University Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden 01309, Germany; Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiooncology - OncoRay, Dresden 01309, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Dresden, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg 69120, Germany; Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden 01307, Germany; National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Partner Site Dresden, Dresden 01307, Germany
| | - Cläre von Neubeck
- OncoRay - National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technical University Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden 01309, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Dresden, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg 69120, Germany; Department of Particle Therapy, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen 45147, Germany
| | - Robert Haase
- DFG Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life, TU Dresden, Dresden 01307, Germany
| | - Armin Lühr
- OncoRay - National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technical University Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden 01309, Germany; Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiooncology - OncoRay, Dresden 01309, Germany; Medical Physics and Radiotherapy, Department of Physics, TU Dortmund University, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Antje Dietrich
- OncoRay - National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technical University Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden 01309, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Dresden, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg 69120, Germany.
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24
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Guma E, Beauchamp A, Liu S, Levitis E, Clasen LS, Torres E, Blumenthal J, Lalonde F, Qiu LR, Hrncir H, MacKenzie-Graham A, Yang X, Arnold AP, Lerch JP, Raznahan A. A Cross-Species Neuroimaging Study of Sex Chromosome Dosage Effects on Human and Mouse Brain Anatomy. J Neurosci 2023; 43:1321-1333. [PMID: 36631267 PMCID: PMC9987571 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1761-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
All eutherian mammals show chromosomal sex determination with contrasting sex chromosome dosages (SCDs) between males (XY) and females (XX). Studies in transgenic mice and humans with sex chromosome trisomy (SCT) have revealed direct SCD effects on regional mammalian brain anatomy, but we lack a formal test for cross-species conservation of these effects. Here, we develop a harmonized framework for comparative structural neuroimaging and apply this to systematically profile SCD effects on regional brain anatomy in both humans and mice by contrasting groups with SCT (XXY and XYY) versus XY controls. Total brain size was substantially altered by SCT in humans (significantly decreased by XXY and increased by XYY), but not in mice. Robust and spatially convergent effects of XXY and XYY on regional brain volume were observed in humans, but not mice, when controlling for global volume differences. However, mice do show subtle effects of XXY and XYY on regional volume, although there is not a general spatial convergence in these effects within mice or between species. Notwithstanding this general lack of conservation in SCT effects, we detect several brain regions that show overlapping effects of XXY and XYY both within and between species (cerebellar, parietal, and orbitofrontal cortex), thereby nominating high priority targets for future translational dissection of SCD effects on the mammalian brain. Our study introduces a generalizable framework for comparative neuroimaging in humans and mice and applies this to achieve a cross-species comparison of SCD effects on the mammalian brain through the lens of SCT.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Sex chromosome dosage (SCD) affects neuroanatomy and risk for psychopathology in humans. Performing mechanistic studies in the human brain is challenging but possible in mouse models. Here, we develop a framework for cross-species neuroimaging analysis and use this to show that an added X- or Y-chromosome significantly alters human brain anatomy but has muted effects in the mouse brain. However, we do find evidence for conserved cross-species impact of an added chromosome in the fronto-parietal cortices and cerebellum, which point to regions for future mechanistic dissection of sex chromosome dosage effects on brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Guma
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, 20892, Maryland
| | - Antoine Beauchamp
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Toronto, Ontario M5T 3H7, Canada
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1X8, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Siyuan Liu
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, 20892, Maryland
| | - Elizabeth Levitis
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, 20892, Maryland
| | - Liv S. Clasen
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, 20892, Maryland
| | - Erin Torres
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, 20892, Maryland
| | - Jonathan Blumenthal
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, 20892, Maryland
| | - Francois Lalonde
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, 20892, Maryland
| | - Lily R. Qiu
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Toronto, Ontario M5T 3H7, Canada
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1X8, Canada
| | - Haley Hrncir
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | - Allan MacKenzie-Graham
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | - Xia Yang
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | - Arthur P. Arnold
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | - Jason P. Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Toronto, Ontario M5T 3H7, Canada
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1X8, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DU, United Kingdom
| | - Armin Raznahan
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, 20892, Maryland
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25
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Liu P, Zhao Y, Xiong W, Pan Y, Zhu M, Zhu X. Degradation of Perineuronal Nets in the Cerebellar Interpositus Nucleus Ameliorated Social Deficits in Shank3-deficient Mice. Neuroscience 2023; 511:29-38. [PMID: 36587867 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.12.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Perineuronal nets (PNNs) are structures that contain extracellular matrix chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan and surround the soma and dendrites of various neuronal cell types. They are involved in synaptic plasticity and undertake important physiological functions. Altered expression of PNNs has been demonstrated in the brains of autism-related animal models. However, the underlying mechanism is still unknown. In this study, we demonstrated that the PNNs in the cerebellum are involved in modulating social and repetitive/inflexible behaviors in Shank3B-/- mice, an established animal model of autism spectrum disorder. First, we performed wisteria floribunda agglutinin staining of the whole brain of Shank3B-/- mice, and found wisteria floribunda agglutinin-positive PNNs are significantly increased in the cerebellar interpositus nucleus (IntP) in Shank3B-/- mice compared to control littermates. After degradation of PNNs in the IntP by chondroitinase ABC, the repetitive behaviors of Shank3B-/- mice were decreased, while their social behaviors were ameliorated. These results suggested that PNNs homeostasis is involved in the regulation of social behavior, revealing a potential therapeutic strategy targeting PNNs in the IntP for the treatment of autism spectrum disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Liu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Yulu Zhao
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Wenchao Xiong
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
| | - Yida Pan
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Minzhen Zhu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Xinhong Zhu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; Research Center for Brain Health, Pazhou Lab, Guangzhou 510330, China.
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26
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Warren EB, Briano JA, Ellegood J, DeYoung T, Lerch JP, Morrow EM. 17q12 deletion syndrome mouse model shows defects in craniofacial, brain and kidney development, and glucose homeostasis. Dis Model Mech 2022; 15:dmm049752. [PMID: 36373506 PMCID: PMC10655816 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.049752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
17q12 deletion (17q12Del) syndrome is a copy number variant (CNV) disorder associated with neurodevelopmental disorders and renal cysts and diabetes syndrome (RCAD). Using CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, we generated a mouse model of 17q12Del syndrome on both inbred (C57BL/6N) and outbred (CD-1) genetic backgrounds. On C57BL/6N, the 17q12Del mice had severe head development defects, potentially mediated by haploinsufficiency of Lhx1, a gene within the interval that controls head development. Phenotypes included brain malformations, particularly disruption of the telencephalon and craniofacial defects. On the CD-1 background, the 17q12Del mice survived to adulthood and showed milder craniofacial and brain abnormalities. We report postnatal brain defects using automated magnetic resonance imaging-based morphometry. In addition, we demonstrate renal and blood glucose abnormalities relevant to RCAD. On both genetic backgrounds, we found sex-specific presentations, with male 17q12Del mice exhibiting higher penetrance and more severe phenotypes. Results from these experiments pinpoint specific developmental defects and pathways that guide clinical studies and a mechanistic understanding of the human 17q12Del syndrome. This mouse mutant represents the first and only experimental model to date for the 17q12 CNV disorder. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily B. Warren
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Center for Translational Neuroscience, Carney Institute for Brain Science and Brown Institute for Translational Science, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Juan A. Briano
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Center for Translational Neuroscience, Carney Institute for Brain Science and Brown Institute for Translational Science, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Jacob Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5T 3H7, Canada
| | - Taylor DeYoung
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5T 3H7, Canada
| | - Jason P. Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5T 3H7, Canada
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, The University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Eric M. Morrow
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Center for Translational Neuroscience, Carney Institute for Brain Science and Brown Institute for Translational Science, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
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27
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George H, Mercer GV, Stapleton D, Dawson L, MacCallum PE, Spring S, Sled JG, Blundell J, Cahill LS. Structural brain abnormalities in endothelial nitric oxide synthase-deficient mice revealed by high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging. Brain Behav 2022; 12:e2801. [PMID: 36259950 PMCID: PMC9660425 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) produces nitric oxide, which is essential for a variety of physiological functions in the brain. Previous work has demonstrated the detrimental effects of eNOS deficiency on brain function in male eNOS knockout (eNOS KO) mice. However, the effect of eNOS deficiency on brain structure and any association between these effects and sex is unknown. METHODS This study used three-dimensional high-resolution ex vivo magnetic resonance imaging and behavioral tests of anxiety and cognitive performance to investigate structure-function relationships in the brain of female and male eNOS KO mice in young adulthood. RESULTS While there were no differences in anxiety-like behavior or locomotion, there was a sex-specific deficit in contextual fear memory retention in male, but not in female, eNOS mice compared to wild-type controls. Moreover, we found that eNOS deficiency induced changes in multiple brain regions that are involved in learning and fear memory including the hippocampus, amygdala, hypothalamus, and areas of the cortex. Several of these MRI-detectable neuroanatomical changes were dependent on sex. CONCLUSION The observation that eNOS deficiency impacts brain structure at an early age demonstrates the importance of eNOS for healthy brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah George
- Department of Chemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Canada
| | - Grace V Mercer
- Department of Chemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Canada
| | - Darcie Stapleton
- Department of Chemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Canada
| | - Laura Dawson
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Canada
| | - Phillip E MacCallum
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Canada
| | - Shoshana Spring
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - John G Sled
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.,Translational Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jacqueline Blundell
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Canada
| | - Lindsay S Cahill
- Department of Chemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Canada.,Discipline of Radiology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Canada
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28
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Klein L, Van Steenwinckel J, Fleiss B, Scheuer T, Bührer C, Faivre V, Lemoine S, Blugeon C, Schwendimann L, Csaba Z, Bokobza C, Vousden DA, Lerch JP, Vernon AC, Gressens P, Schmitz T. A unique cerebellar pattern of microglia activation in a mouse model of encephalopathy of prematurity. Glia 2022; 70:1699-1719. [PMID: 35579329 PMCID: PMC9545095 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Preterm infants often show pathologies of the cerebellum, which are associated with impaired motor performance, lower IQ and poor language skills at school ages. Using a mouse model of inflammation-induced encephalopathy of prematurity driven by systemic administration of pro-inflammatory IL-1β, we sought to uncover causes of cerebellar damage. In this model, IL-1β is administered between postnatal day (P) 1 to day 5, a timing equivalent to the last trimester for brain development in humans. Structural MRI analysis revealed that systemic IL-1β treatment induced specific reductions in gray and white matter volumes of the mouse cerebellar lobules I and II (5% false discovery rate [FDR]) from P15 onwards. Preceding these MRI-detectable cerebellar volume changes, we observed damage to oligodendroglia, with reduced proliferation of OLIG2+ cells at P10 and reduced levels of the myelin proteins myelin basic protein (MBP) and myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) at P10 and P15. Increased density of IBA1+ cerebellar microglia were observed both at P5 and P45, with evidence for increased microglial proliferation at P5 and P10. Comparison of the transcriptome of microglia isolated from P5 cerebellums and cerebrums revealed significant enrichment of pro-inflammatory markers in microglia from both regions, but cerebellar microglia displayed a unique type I interferon signaling dysregulation. Collectively, these data suggest that perinatal inflammation driven by systemic IL-1β leads to specific cerebellar volume deficits, which likely reflect oligodendrocyte pathology downstream of microglial activation. Further studies are now required to confirm the potential of protective strategies aimed at preventing sustained type I interferon signaling driven by cerebellar microglia as an important therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Klein
- Department of NeonatologyCharité University Medicine BerlinBerlinGermany
| | | | - Bobbi Fleiss
- NeuroDiderot, InsermUniversité de ParisParisFrance
- School of Health and Biomedical SciencesRMIT UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Till Scheuer
- Department of NeonatologyCharité University Medicine BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Christoph Bührer
- Department of NeonatologyCharité University Medicine BerlinBerlinGermany
| | | | - Sophie Lemoine
- Genomics Core Facility, Département de Biologie, École Normale Supérieure, Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), CNRS, INSERMUniversité PSLParisFrance
| | - Corinne Blugeon
- Genomics Core Facility, Département de Biologie, École Normale Supérieure, Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), CNRS, INSERMUniversité PSLParisFrance
| | | | - Zsolt Csaba
- NeuroDiderot, InsermUniversité de ParisParisFrance
| | | | - Dulcie A. Vousden
- Mouse Imaging CentreThe Hospital for Sick ChildrenTorontoOntarioCanada
| | - Jason P. Lerch
- Mouse Imaging CentreThe Hospital for Sick ChildrenTorontoOntarioCanada
- Department of Medical BiophysicsUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioCanada
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Integrative NeuroimagingUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
| | - Anthony C. Vernon
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and NeuroscienceKing's College LondonLondonUK
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental DisordersKing's College LondonLondonUK
| | | | - Thomas Schmitz
- Department of NeonatologyCharité University Medicine BerlinBerlinGermany
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Schneider M, Bodenstein E, Bock J, Dietrich A, Gantz S, Heuchel L, Krause M, Lühr A, von Neubeck C, Nexhipi S, Schürer M, Tillner F, Beyreuther E, Suckert T, Müller JR. Combined proton radiography and irradiation for high-precision preclinical studies in small animals. Front Oncol 2022; 12:982417. [PMID: 36419890 PMCID: PMC9677333 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.982417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Proton therapy has become a popular treatment modality in the field of radiooncology due to higher spatial dose conformity compared to conventional radiotherapy, which holds the potential to spare normal tissue. Nevertheless, unresolved research questions, such as the much debated relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of protons, call for preclinical research, especially regarding in vivo studies. To mimic clinical workflows, high-precision small animal irradiation setups with image-guidance are needed. MATERIAL AND METHODS A preclinical experimental setup for small animal brain irradiation using proton radiographies was established to perform planning, repositioning, and irradiation of mice. The image quality of proton radiographies was optimized regarding the resolution, contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), and minimal dose deposition in the animal. Subsequently, proof-of-concept histological analysis was conducted by staining for DNA double-strand breaks that were then correlated to the delivered dose. RESULTS The developed setup and workflow allow precise brain irradiation with a lateral target positioning accuracy of<0.26mm for in vivo experiments at minimal imaging dose of<23mGy per mouse. The custom-made software for image registration enables the fast and precise animal positioning at the beam with low observer-variability. DNA damage staining validated the successful positioning and irradiation of the mouse hippocampus. CONCLUSION Proton radiography enables fast and effective high-precision lateral alignment of proton beam and target volume in mouse irradiation experiments with limited dose exposure. In the future, this will enable irradiation of larger animal cohorts as well as fractionated proton irradiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moritz Schneider
- OncoRay, National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus- Technische Universitat Dresden-Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiation Physics, Dresden, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Bodenstein
- OncoRay, National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus- Technische Universitat Dresden-Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiooncology - OncoRay, Dresden, Germany
| | - Johanna Bock
- OncoRay, National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus- Technische Universitat Dresden-Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany
| | - Antje Dietrich
- OncoRay, National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus- Technische Universitat Dresden-Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium Deutsches Konsortium für Translationale Krebsforschung (DKTK), partner site Dresden- German Cancer Research Center DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Gantz
- OncoRay, National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus- Technische Universitat Dresden-Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiooncology - OncoRay, Dresden, Germany
| | - Lena Heuchel
- Technical University (TU) Dortmund- Faculty of Physics, Medical Physics and Radiotherapy, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Mechthild Krause
- OncoRay, National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus- Technische Universitat Dresden-Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiooncology - OncoRay, Dresden, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium Deutsches Konsortium für Translationale Krebsforschung (DKTK), partner site Dresden- German Cancer Research Center DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Partner Site Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universitat Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Armin Lühr
- OncoRay, National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus- Technische Universitat Dresden-Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiooncology - OncoRay, Dresden, Germany
- Technical University (TU) Dortmund- Faculty of Physics, Medical Physics and Radiotherapy, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Cläre von Neubeck
- OncoRay, National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus- Technische Universitat Dresden-Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium Deutsches Konsortium für Translationale Krebsforschung (DKTK), partner site Dresden- German Cancer Research Center DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Particle Therapy, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Sindi Nexhipi
- OncoRay, National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus- Technische Universitat Dresden-Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiooncology - OncoRay, Dresden, Germany
| | - Michael Schürer
- OncoRay, National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus- Technische Universitat Dresden-Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Partner Site Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Falk Tillner
- OncoRay, National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus- Technische Universitat Dresden-Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiooncology - OncoRay, Dresden, Germany
- Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universitat Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Elke Beyreuther
- OncoRay, National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus- Technische Universitat Dresden-Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiation Physics, Dresden, Germany
| | - Theresa Suckert
- OncoRay, National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus- Technische Universitat Dresden-Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium Deutsches Konsortium für Translationale Krebsforschung (DKTK), partner site Dresden- German Cancer Research Center DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Johannes Richard Müller
- OncoRay, National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus- Technische Universitat Dresden-Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft Cluster of Excellence 'Physics of Life', Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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Tsurugizawa T. Translational Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Autism Spectrum Disorder From the Mouse Model to Human. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:872036. [PMID: 35585926 PMCID: PMC9108701 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.872036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous syndrome characterized by behavioral features such as impaired social communication, repetitive behavior patterns, and a lack of interest in novel objects. A multimodal neuroimaging using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with ASD shows highly heterogeneous abnormalities in function and structure in the brain associated with specific behavioral features. To elucidate the mechanism of ASD, several ASD mouse models have been generated, by focusing on some of the ASD risk genes. A specific behavioral feature of an ASD mouse model is caused by an altered gene expression or a modification of a gene product. Using these mouse models, a high field preclinical MRI enables us to non-invasively investigate the neuronal mechanism of the altered brain function associated with the behavior and ASD risk genes. Thus, MRI is a promising translational approach to bridge the gap between mice and humans. This review presents the evidence for multimodal MRI, including functional MRI (fMRI), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and volumetric analysis, in ASD mouse models and in patients with ASD and discusses the future directions for the translational study of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomokazu Tsurugizawa
- Human Informatics and Interaction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Japan
- Faculty of Engineering, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
- *Correspondence: Tomokazu Tsurugizawa,
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Lindenmaier Z, Ellegood J, Stuive M, Easson K, Yee Y, Fernandes D, Foster J, Anagnostou E, Lerch JP. Examining the effect of chronic intranasal oxytocin administration on the neuroanatomy and behavior of three autism-related mouse models. Neuroimage 2022; 257:119243. [PMID: 35508216 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Although initially showing great potential, oxytocin treatment has encountered a translational hurdle in its promise of treating the social deficits of autism. Some debate surrounds the ability of oxytocin to successfully enter the brain, and therefore modify neuroanatomy. Moreover, given the heterogeneous nature of autism, treatment will only amerliorate symptoms in a subset of patients. Therefore, to determine whether oxytocin changes brain circuitry, and whether it does so variably, depending on genotype, we implemented a large randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled, preclinical study on chronic intranasal oxytocin treatment in three different mouse models related to autism with a focus on using neuroanatomical phenotypes to assess and subset treatment response. Intranasal oxytocin (0.6IU) was administered daily, for 28 days, starting at 5 weeks of age to the 16p11.2 deletion, Shank3 (exon 4-9) knockout, and Fmr1 knockout mouse models. Given the sensitivity of structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to the neurological effects of interventions like drugs, along with many other advantages, the mice underwent in vivo longitudinal and high-resolution ex vivo imaging with MRI. The scans included three in vivo T1weighted, 90um isotropic resolution scans and a T2-weighted, 3D fast spin echo with 40um isotropic resolution ex vivo scan to assess the changes in neuroanatomy using established automated image registration and deformation based morphometry approaches in response to oxytocin treatment. The behavior of the mice was assessed in multiple domains, including social behaviours and repetitive behaviours, among others. Treatment effect on the neuroanatomy did not reach significance, although the pattern of trending effects was promising. No significant effect of treatment was found on social behavior in any of the strains, although a significant effect of treatment was found in the Fmr1 mouse, with treatment normalizing a grooming deficit. No other treatment effect on behavior was observed that survived multiple comparisons correction. Overall, chronic treatment with oxytocin had limited effects on the three mouse models related to autism, and no promising pattern of response susceptibility emerged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zsuzsa Lindenmaier
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Jacob Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Monique Stuive
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kaitlyn Easson
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Yohan Yee
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Darren Fernandes
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jane Foster
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, McMaster University, St.Joseph's Healthcare, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Evdokia Anagnostou
- Autism Research Center, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Wellcome Centre for Integrative NeuroImaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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Adhikari A, Buchanan FKB, Fenton TA, Cameron DL, Halmai JANM, Copping NA, Fink KD, Silverman JL. Touchscreen Cognitive Deficits, Hyperexcitability, and Hyperactivity in Males and Females Using Two Models of Cdkl5 Deficiency. Hum Mol Genet 2022; 31:3032-3050. [PMID: 35445702 PMCID: PMC9476626 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddac091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Many neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are the result of mutations on the X chromosome. One severe NDD resulting from mutations on the X chromosome is CDKL5 deficiency disorder (CDD). CDD is an epigenetic, X-linked NDD characterized by intellectual disability (ID), pervasive seizures and severe sleep disruption, including recurring hospitalizations. CDD occurs at a 4:1 ratio, with a female bias. CDD is driven by the loss of cyclin-dependent kinase-like 5 (CDKL5), a serine/threonine kinase that is essential for typical brain development, synapse formation and signal transmission. Previous studies focused on male subjects from animal models, likely to avoid the complexity of X mosaicism. For the first time, we report translationally relevant behavioral phenotypes in young adult (8–20 weeks) females and males with robust signal size, including impairments in learning and memory, substantial hyperactivity and increased susceptibility to seizures/reduced seizure thresholds, in both sexes, and in two models of CDD preclinical mice, one with a general loss-of-function mutation and one that is a patient-derived mutation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Adhikari
- MIND Institute, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA
| | - Fiona K B Buchanan
- Department of Neurology, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA.,Stem Cell Program and Gene Therapy Center, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA
| | - Timothy A Fenton
- MIND Institute, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA
| | - David L Cameron
- Department of Neurology, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA.,Stem Cell Program and Gene Therapy Center, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA
| | - Julian A N M Halmai
- Department of Neurology, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA.,Stem Cell Program and Gene Therapy Center, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA
| | - Nycole A Copping
- MIND Institute, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA
| | - Kyle D Fink
- MIND Institute, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA.,Department of Neurology, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA.,Stem Cell Program and Gene Therapy Center, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA
| | - Jill L Silverman
- MIND Institute, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA
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Lopuch AJ, Swinehart BD, Widener EL, Holley ZL, Bland KM, Handwerk CJ, Brett CA, Cook HN, Kalinowski AR, Rodriguez HV, Song MI, Vidal GS. Integrin β3 in forebrain Emx1-expressing cells regulates repetitive self-grooming and sociability in mice. BMC Neurosci 2022; 23:12. [PMID: 35247972 PMCID: PMC8897866 DOI: 10.1186/s12868-022-00691-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by repetitive behaviors, deficits in communication, and overall impaired social interaction. Of all the integrin subunit mutations, mutations in integrin β3 (Itgb3) may be the most closely associated with ASD. Integrin β3 is required for normal structural plasticity of dendrites and synapses specifically in excitatory cortical and hippocampal circuitry. However, the behavioral consequences of Itgb3 function in the forebrain have not been assessed. We tested the hypothesis that behaviors that are typically abnormal in ASD—such as self-grooming and sociability behaviors—are disrupted with conditional Itgb3 loss of function in forebrain circuitry in male and female mice. Methods We generated male and female conditional knockouts (cKO) and conditional heterozygotes (cHET) of Itgb3 in excitatory neurons and glia that were derived from Emx1-expressing forebrain cells during development. We used several different assays to determine whether male and female cKO and cHET mice have repetitive self-grooming behaviors, anxiety-like behaviors, abnormal locomotion, compulsive-like behaviors, or abnormal social behaviors, when compared to male and female wildtype (WT) mice. Results Our findings indicate that only self-grooming and sociability are altered in cKO, but not cHET or WT mice, suggesting that Itgb3 is specifically required in forebrain Emx1-expressing cells for normal repetitive self-grooming and social behaviors. Furthermore, in cKO (but not cHET or WT), we observed an interaction effect for sex and self-grooming environment and an interaction effect for sex and sociability test chamber. Limitations While this study demonstrated a role for forebrain Itgb3 in specific repetitive and social behaviors, it was unable to determine whether forebrain Itgb3 is required for a preference for social novelty, whether cHET are haploinsufficient with respect to repetitive self-grooming and social behaviors, or the nature of the interaction effect for sex and environment/chamber in affected behaviors of cKO. Conclusions Together, these findings strengthen the idea that Itgb3 has a specific role in shaping forebrain circuitry that is relevant to endophenotypes of autism spectrum disorder. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12868-022-00691-2.
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Arbabi A, Spencer Noakes L, Vousden D, Dazai J, Spring S, Botelho O, Keshavarzian T, Mattingly M, Ellegood JE, Nutter LMJ, Wissmann R, Sled JG, Lerch JP, Henkelman RM, Nieman BJ. Multiple-mouse magnetic resonance imaging with cryogenic radiofrequency probes for evaluation of brain development. Neuroimage 2022; 252:119008. [PMID: 35245675 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple-mouse magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) increases scan throughput by imaging several mice simultaneously in the same magnet bore, enabling multiple images to be obtained in the same time as a single scan. This increase in throughput enables larger studies than otherwise feasible and is particularly advantageous in longitudinal study designs where frequent imaging time points result in high demand for MRI resources. Cryogenically-cooled radiofrequency probes (CryoProbes) have been demonstrated to have significant signal-to-noise ratio benefits over comparable room temperature coils for in vivo mouse imaging. In this work, we demonstrate implementation of a multiple-mouse MRI system using CryoProbes, achieved by mounting four such coils in a 30-cm, 7-Tesla magnet bore. The approach is demonstrated for longitudinal quantification of brain structure from infancy to early adulthood in a mouse model of Sanfilippo syndrome (mucopolysaccharidosis type III), generated by knockout of the Hgsnat gene. We find that Hgsnat-/- mice have regionally increased growth rates compared to Hgsnat+/+ mice in a number of brain regions, notably including the ventricles, amygdala and superior colliculus. A strong sex dependence was also noted, with the lateral ventricle volume growing at an accelerated rate in males, but several structures in the brain parenchyma growing faster in females. This approach is broadly applicable to other mouse models of human disease and the increased throughput may be particularly beneficial in studying mouse models of neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Arbabi
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - L Spencer Noakes
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Pre-Therapeutic Target Discovery, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Tarrytown, NY, United States
| | - D Vousden
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; DataKind UK, London, UK
| | - J Dazai
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - S Spring
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - O Botelho
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - T Keshavarzian
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - M Mattingly
- Bruker BioSpin Corporation, Billerica, MA, United States
| | - J E Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - L M J Nutter
- The Centre for Phenogenomics, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - R Wissmann
- Bruker BioSpin Corporation, Ettlingen, Germany
| | - J G Sled
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Translational Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - J P Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - R M Henkelman
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Translational Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - B J Nieman
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Translational Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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35
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Kong Y, Li QB, Yuan ZH, Jiang XF, Zhang GQ, Cheng N, Dang N. Multimodal Neuroimaging in Rett Syndrome With MECP2 Mutation. Front Neurol 2022; 13:838206. [PMID: 35280272 PMCID: PMC8904872 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.838206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Rett syndrome (RTT) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by severe cognitive, social, and physical impairments resulting from de novo mutations in the X-chromosomal methyl-CpG binding protein gene 2 (MECP2). While there is still no cure for RTT, exploring up-to date neurofunctional diagnostic markers, discovering new potential therapeutic targets, and searching for novel drug efficacy evaluation indicators are fundamental. Multiple neuroimaging studies on brain structure and function have been carried out in RTT-linked gene mutation carriers to unravel disease-specific imaging features and explore genotype-phenotype associations. Here, we reviewed the neuroimaging literature on this disorder. MRI morphologic studies have shown global atrophy of gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) and regional variations in brain maturation. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies have demonstrated reduced fractional anisotropy (FA) in left peripheral WM areas, left major WM tracts, and cingulum bilaterally, and WM microstructural/network topology changes have been further found to be correlated with behavioral abnormalities in RTT. Cerebral blood perfusion imaging studies using single-photon emission CT (SPECT) or PET have evidenced a decreased global cerebral blood flow (CBF), particularly in prefrontal and temporoparietal areas, while magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and PET studies have contributed to unraveling metabolic alterations in patients with RTT. The results obtained from the available reports confirm that multimodal neuroimaging can provide new insights into a complex interplay between genes, neurotransmitter pathway abnormalities, disease-related behaviors, and clinical severity. However, common limitations related to the available studies include small sample sizes and hypothesis-based and region-specific approaches. We, therefore, conclude that this field is still in its early development phase and that multimodal/multisequence studies with improved post-processing technologies as well as combined PET–MRI approaches are urgently needed to further explore RTT brain alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Kong
- Department of Medical Imaging, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University, Jining, China
- *Correspondence: Yu Kong
| | - Qiu-bo Li
- Department of Pediatrics, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University, Jining, China
| | - Zhao-hong Yuan
- Department of Pediatric Rehabilitation, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University, Jining, China
| | - Xiu-fang Jiang
- Department of Pediatric Rehabilitation, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University, Jining, China
| | - Gu-qing Zhang
- Department of Medical Imaging, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University, Jining, China
- Gu-qing Zhang
| | - Nan Cheng
- Department of Medical Imaging, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University, Jining, China
| | - Na Dang
- Department of Medical Imaging, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University, Jining, China
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Whole-brain opto-fMRI map of mouse VTA dopaminergic activation reflects structural projections with small but significant deviations. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:60. [PMID: 35165257 PMCID: PMC8844000 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-01812-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 10/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Ascending dopaminergic projections from neurons located in the Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA) are key to the etiology, dysfunction, and control of motivation, learning, and addiction. Due to the evolutionary conservation of this nucleus and the extensive use of mice as disease models, establishing an assay for VTA dopaminergic signaling in the mouse brain is crucial for the translational investigation of motivational control as well as of neuronal function phenotypes for diseases and interventions. In this article we use optogenetic stimulation directed at VTA dopaminergic neurons in combination with functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), a method widely used in human deep brain imaging. We present a comprehensive assay producing the first whole-brain opto-fMRI map of dopaminergic activation in the mouse, and show that VTA dopaminergic system function is consistent with its structural VTA projections, diverging only in a few key aspects. While the activation map predominantly highlights target areas according to their relative projection densities (e.g., strong activation of the nucleus accumbens and low activation of the hippocampus), it also includes areas for which a structural connection is not well established (such as the dorsomedial striatum). We further detail the variability of the assay with regard to multiple experimental parameters, including stimulation protocol and implant position, and provide evidence-based recommendations for assay reuse, publishing both reference results and a reference analysis workflow implementation.
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Frosch IR, Mittal VA, D’Mello AM. Cerebellar Contributions to Social Cognition in ASD: A Predictive Processing Framework. Front Integr Neurosci 2022; 16:810425. [PMID: 35153691 PMCID: PMC8832100 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2022.810425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Functional, structural, and cytoarchitectural differences in the cerebellum are consistently reported in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Despite this, the mechanisms governing cerebellar contributions to ASD, particularly within the sociocognitive domain, are not well understood. Recently, it has been suggested that several core features of ASD may be associated with challenges creating and using prior expectations or predictions to rapidly adapt to changing stimuli or situations, also known as adaptive prediction. Importantly, neuroimaging, clinical, and animal work find that the cerebellum supports adaptive prediction in both motor and non-motor domains. Perturbations to the cerebellum via injury or neuromodulation have been associated with impairments in predictive skills. Here, we review evidence for a cerebellar role in social cognition and adaptive prediction across individuals with and without ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle R. Frosch
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States
| | - Vijay A. Mittal
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States
- Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Northwestern University, Evanston and Chicago, IL, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
- Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Anila M. D’Mello
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
- *Correspondence: Anila M. D’Mello
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Mouse models of immune dysfunction: their neuroanatomical differences reflect their anxiety-behavioural phenotype. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:3047-3055. [PMID: 35422470 PMCID: PMC9205773 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01535-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Extensive evidence supports the role of the immune system in modulating brain function and behaviour. However, past studies have revealed striking heterogeneity in behavioural phenotypes produced from immune system dysfunction. Using magnetic resonance imaging, we studied the neuroanatomical differences among 11 distinct genetically modified mouse lines (n = 371), each deficient in a different element of the immune system. We found a significant and heterogeneous effect of immune dysfunction on the brains of both male and female mice. However, by imaging the whole brain and using Bayesian hierarchical modelling, we were able to identify patterns within the heterogeneous phenotype. Certain structures-such as the corpus callosum, midbrain, and thalamus-were more likely to be affected by immune dysfunction. A notable brain-behaviour relationship was identified with neuroanatomy endophenotypes across mouse models clustering according to anxiety-like behaviour phenotypes reported in literature, such as altered volume in brains regions associated with promoting fear response (e.g., the lateral septum and cerebellum). Interestingly, genes with preferential spatial expression in the most commonly affected regions are also associated with multiple sclerosis and other immune-mediated diseases. In total, our data suggest that the immune system modulates anxiety behaviour through well-established brain networks.
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Stress-inducible phosphoprotein 1 (HOP/STI1/STIP1) regulates the accumulation and toxicity of α-synuclein in vivo. Acta Neuropathol 2022; 144:881-910. [PMID: 36121476 PMCID: PMC9547791 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-022-02491-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
The predominantly pre-synaptic intrinsically disordered protein α-synuclein is prone to misfolding and aggregation in synucleinopathies, such as Parkinson's disease (PD) and Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Molecular chaperones play important roles in protein misfolding diseases and members of the chaperone machinery are often deposited in Lewy bodies. Here, we show that the Hsp90 co-chaperone STI1 co-immunoprecipitated α-synuclein, and co-deposited with Hsp90 and Hsp70 in insoluble protein fractions in two mouse models of α-synuclein misfolding. STI1 and Hsp90 also co-localized extensively with filamentous S129 phosphorylated α-synuclein in ubiquitin-positive inclusions. In PD human brains, STI1 transcripts were increased, and in neurologically healthy brains, STI1 and α-synuclein transcripts correlated. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) analyses revealed direct interaction of α-synuclein with STI1 and indicated that the STI1 TPR2A, but not TPR1 or TPR2B domains, interacted with the C-terminal domain of α-synuclein. In vitro, the STI1 TPR2A domain facilitated S129 phosphorylation by Polo-like kinase 3. Moreover, mice over-expressing STI1 and Hsp90ß presented elevated α-synuclein S129 phosphorylation accompanied by inclusions when injected with α-synuclein pre-formed fibrils. In contrast, reduced STI1 function decreased protein inclusion formation, S129 α-synuclein phosphorylation, while mitigating motor and cognitive deficits as well as mesoscopic brain atrophy in α-synuclein-over-expressing mice. Our findings reveal a vicious cycle in which STI1 facilitates the generation and accumulation of toxic α-synuclein conformers, while α-synuclein-induced proteostatic stress increased insoluble STI1 and Hsp90.
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Trigiani LJ, Bourourou M, Lacalle-Aurioles M, Lecrux C, Hynes A, Spring S, Fernandes DJ, Sled JG, Lesage F, Schwaninger M, Hamel E. A functional cerebral endothelium is necessary to protect against cognitive decline. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 2022; 42:74-89. [PMID: 34515549 PMCID: PMC8721775 DOI: 10.1177/0271678x211045438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
A vascular insult occurring early in disease onset may initiate cognitive decline leading to dementia, while pharmacological and lifestyle interventions can prevent this progression. Mice with a selective, tamoxifen-inducible deletion of NF-κB essential modulator (Nemo) in brain endothelial cells were studied as a model of vascular cognitive impairment. Groups included NemoFl controls and three NemobeKO groups: One untreated, and two treated with simvastatin or exercise. Social preference and nesting were impaired in NemobeKO mice and were not countered by treatments. Cerebrovascular function was compromised in NemobeKO groups regardless of treatment, with decreased changes in sensory-evoked cerebral blood flow and total hemoglobin levels, and impaired endothelium-dependent vasodilation. NemobeKO mice had increased string vessel pathology, blood-brain barrier disruption, neuroinflammation, and reduced cortical somatostatin-containing interneurons. These alterations were reversed when endothelial function was recovered. Findings strongly suggest that damage to the cerebral endothelium can trigger pathologies associated with dementia and its functional integrity should be an effective target in future therapeutic efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lianne J Trigiani
- Laboratory of Cerebrovascular Research, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montréal, Canada
| | - Miled Bourourou
- Laboratory of Cerebrovascular Research, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montréal, Canada
| | - María Lacalle-Aurioles
- Laboratory of Cerebrovascular Research, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montréal, Canada
| | - Clotilde Lecrux
- Laboratory of Cerebrovascular Research, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montréal, Canada
| | - Amy Hynes
- Laboratory of Cerebrovascular Research, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montréal, Canada
| | - Shoshana Spring
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Darren J Fernandes
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - John G Sled
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Frédéric Lesage
- Biomedical Engineering Institute, École Polytechnique de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Markus Schwaninger
- Institute for Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Edith Hamel
- Laboratory of Cerebrovascular Research, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montréal, Canada
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A ketogenic diet affects brain volume and metabolome in juvenile mice. Neuroimage 2021; 244:118542. [PMID: 34530134 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Ketogenic diet (KD) is a high-fat and low-carbohydrate therapy for medically intractable epilepsy, and its applications in other neurological conditions, including those occurring in children, have been increasingly tested. However, how KD affects childhood neurodevelopment, a highly sensitive and plastic process, is not clear. In this study, we explored structural, metabolic, and functional consequences of a brief treatment of a strict KD (weight ratio of fat to carbohydrate plus protein is approximately 6.3:1) in naive juvenile mice of different inbred strains, using a multidisciplinary approach. Systemic measurements using magnetic resonance imaging revealed that unexpectedly, the volumes of most brain structures in KD-fed mice were about 90% of those in mice of the same strain but fed a standard diet. The reductions in volumes were nonselective, including different regions throughout the brain, the ventricles, and the white matter. The relative volumes of different brain structures were unaltered. Additionally, as KD is a metabolism-based treatment, we performed untargeted metabolomic profiling to explore potential means by which KD affected brain growth and to identify metabolic changes in the brain. We found that brain metabolomic profile was significantly impacted by KD, through both distinct and common pathways in different mouse strains. To explore whether the volumetric and metabolic changes induced by this KD treatment were associated with functional consequences, we recorded spontaneous EEG to measure brain network activity. Results demonstrated limited alterations in EEG patterns in KD-fed animals. In addition, we observed that cortical levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a critical molecule in neurodevelopment, did not change in KD-fed animals. Together, these findings indicate that a strict KD could affect volumetric development and metabolic profile of the brain in inbred juvenile mice, while global network activities and BDNF signaling in the brain were mostly preserved. Whether the volumetric and metabolic changes are related to any core functional consequences during neurodevelopment and whether they are also observed in humans need to be further investigated. In addition, our results indicate that certain outcomes of KD are specific to the individual mouse strains tested, suggesting that the physiological profiles of individuals may need to be examined to maximize the clinical benefit of KD.
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Kenney JW, Steadman PE, Young O, Shi MT, Polanco M, Dubaishi S, Covert K, Mueller T, Frankland PW. A 3D adult zebrafish brain atlas (AZBA) for the digital age. eLife 2021; 10:69988. [PMID: 34806976 PMCID: PMC8639146 DOI: 10.7554/elife.69988] [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: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Zebrafish have made significant contributions to our understanding of the vertebrate brain and the neural basis of behavior, earning a place as one of the most widely used model organisms in neuroscience. Their appeal arises from the marriage of low cost, early life transparency, and ease of genetic manipulation with a behavioral repertoire that becomes more sophisticated as animals transition from larvae to adults. To further enhance the use of adult zebrafish, we created the first fully segmented three-dimensional digital adult zebrafish brain atlas (AZBA). AZBA was built by combining tissue clearing, light-sheet fluorescence microscopy, and three-dimensional image registration of nuclear and antibody stains. These images were used to guide segmentation of the atlas into over 200 neuroanatomical regions comprising the entirety of the adult zebrafish brain. As an open source, online (azba.wayne.edu), updatable digital resource, AZBA will significantly enhance the use of adult zebrafish in furthering our understanding of vertebrate brain function in both health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin W Kenney
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, United States.,Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Patrick E Steadman
- Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Olivia Young
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, United States
| | - Meng Ting Shi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, United States
| | - Maris Polanco
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, United States
| | - Saba Dubaishi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, United States
| | - Kristopher Covert
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, United States
| | - Thomas Mueller
- Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, United States
| | - Paul W Frankland
- Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.,Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.,Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.,Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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Accurate Localization of Linear Probe Electrode Arrays across Multiple Brains. eNeuro 2021; 8:ENEURO.0241-21.2021. [PMID: 34697075 PMCID: PMC8597948 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0241-21.2021] [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: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently developed probes for extracellular electrophysiological recordings have large numbers of electrodes on long linear shanks. Linear electrode arrays, such as Neuropixels probes, have hundreds of recording electrodes distributed over linear shanks that span several millimeters. Because of the length of the probes, linear probe recordings in rodents usually cover multiple brain areas. Typical studies collate recordings across several recording sessions and animals. Neurons recorded in different sessions and animals thus have to be aligned to each other and to a standardized brain coordinate system. Here, we evaluate two typical workflows for localization of individual electrodes in standardized coordinates. These workflows rely on imaging brains with fluorescent probe tracks and warping 3D image stacks to standardized brain atlases. One workflow is based on tissue clearing and selective plane illumination microscopy (SPIM), whereas the other workflow is based on serial block-face two-photon (SBF2P) microscopy. In both cases electrophysiological features are then used to anchor particular electrodes along the reconstructed tracks to specific locations in the brain atlas and therefore to specific brain structures. We performed groundtruth experiments, in which motor cortex outputs are labeled with ChR2 and a fluorescence protein. Light-evoked electrical activity and fluorescence can be independently localized. Recordings from brain regions targeted by the motor cortex reveal better than 0.1-mm accuracy for electrode localization, independent of workflow used.
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44
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Excessive Laughter-like Vocalizations, Microcephaly, and Translational Outcomes in the Ube3a Deletion Rat Model of Angelman Syndrome. J Neurosci 2021; 41:8801-8814. [PMID: 34475199 PMCID: PMC8528495 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0925-21.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Angelman syndrome (AS) is a rare genetic neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by intellectual disabilities, motor and balance deficits, impaired communication, and a happy, excitable demeanor with frequent laughter. We sought to elucidate a preclinical outcome measure in male and female rats that addressed communication abnormalities of AS and other neurodevelopmental disorders in which communication is atypical and/or lack of speech is a core feature. We discovered, and herein report for the first time, excessive laughter-like 50 kHz ultrasonic emissions in the Ube3a mat-/pat+ rat model of AS, which suggests an excitable, playful demeanor and elevated positive affect, similar to the demeanor of individuals with AS. Also in line with the AS phenotype, Ube3a mat-/pat+ rats demonstrated aberrant social interactions with a novel partner, distinctive gait abnormalities, impaired cognition, an underlying LTP deficit, and profound reductions in brain volume. These unique, robust phenotypes provide advantages compared with currently available mouse models and will be highly valuable as outcome measures in the evaluation of therapies for AS.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Angelman syndrome (AS) is a severe neurogenetic disorder for which there is no cure, despite decades of research using mouse models. This study used a recently developed rat model of AS to delineate disease-relevant outcome measures to facilitate therapeutic development. We found the rat to be a strong model of AS, offering several advantages over mouse models by exhibiting numerous AS-relevant phenotypes, including overabundant laughter-like vocalizations, reduced hippocampal LTP, and volumetric anomalies across the brain. These findings are unconfounded by detrimental motor abilities and background strain, issues plaguing mouse models. This rat model represents an important advancement in the field of AS, and the outcome metrics reported herein will be central to the therapeutic pipeline.
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Vacher CM, Lacaille H, O'Reilly JJ, Salzbank J, Bakalar D, Sebaoui S, Liere P, Clarkson-Paredes C, Sasaki T, Sathyanesan A, Kratimenos P, Ellegood J, Lerch JP, Imamura Y, Popratiloff A, Hashimoto-Torii K, Gallo V, Schumacher M, Penn AA. Placental endocrine function shapes cerebellar development and social behavior. Nat Neurosci 2021; 24:1392-1401. [PMID: 34400844 PMCID: PMC8481124 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-021-00896-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Compromised placental function or premature loss has been linked to diverse neurodevelopmental disorders. Here we show that placenta allopregnanolone (ALLO), a progesterone-derived GABA-A receptor (GABAAR) modulator, reduction alters neurodevelopment in a sex-linked manner. A new conditional mouse model, in which the gene encoding ALLO's synthetic enzyme (akr1c14) is specifically deleted in trophoblasts, directly demonstrated that placental ALLO insufficiency led to cerebellar white matter abnormalities that correlated with autistic-like behavior only in male offspring. A single injection of ALLO or muscimol, a GABAAR agonist, during late gestation abolished these alterations. Comparison of male and female human preterm infant cerebellum also showed sex-linked myelination marker alteration, suggesting similarities between mouse placental ALLO insufficiency and human preterm brain development. This study reveals a new role for a placental hormone in shaping brain regions and behaviors in a sex-linked manner. Placental hormone replacement might offer novel therapeutic opportunities to prevent later neurobehavioral disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire-Marie Vacher
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University, New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Helene Lacaille
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University, New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jiaqi J O'Reilly
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University, New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jacquelyn Salzbank
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University, New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, New York, NY, USA
| | - Dana Bakalar
- National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Sonia Sebaoui
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Health System, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Philippe Liere
- U1195 INSERM, Paris-Saclay University, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre Cedex, France
| | | | - Toru Sasaki
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Health System, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Aaron Sathyanesan
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Health System, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Panagiotis Kratimenos
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Health System, Washington, DC, USA
- The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Pediatrics, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Jacob Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging (WIN), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Yuka Imamura
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Anastas Popratiloff
- The George Washington University, Nanofabrication and Imaging Center, Washington, DC, USA
- The George Washington University, SMHS, Anatomy & Cell Biology, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Kazue Hashimoto-Torii
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Health System, Washington, DC, USA
- The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Pediatrics, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Vittorio Gallo
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Health System, Washington, DC, USA
- The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Pediatrics, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Anna A Penn
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University, New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, New York, NY, USA.
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Yuen N, Szulc-Lerch KU, Li YQ, Morshead CM, Mabbott DJ, Wong CS, Nieman BJ. Metformin effects on brain development following cranial irradiation in a mouse model. Neuro Oncol 2021; 23:1523-1536. [PMID: 34042964 PMCID: PMC8408860 DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noab131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cranial radiation therapy (CRT) is a mainstay of treatment for malignant pediatric brain tumors and high-risk leukemia. Although CRT improves survival, it has been shown to disrupt normal brain development and result in cognitive impairments in cancer survivors. Animal studies suggest that there is potential to promote brain recovery after injury using metformin. Our aim was to evaluate whether metformin can restore brain volume outcomes in a mouse model of CRT. METHODS C57BL/6J mice were irradiated with a whole-brain radiation dose of 7 Gy during infancy. Two weeks of metformin treatment started either on the day of or 3 days after irradiation. In vivo magnetic resonance imaging was performed prior to irradiation and at 3 subsequent time points to evaluate the effects of radiation and metformin on brain development. RESULTS Widespread volume loss in the irradiated brain appeared within 1 week of irradiation with limited subsequent recovery in volume outcomes. In many structures, metformin administration starting on the day of irradiation exacerbated radiation-induced injury, particularly in male mice. Metformin treatment starting 3 days after irradiation improved brain volume outcomes in subcortical regions, the olfactory bulbs, and structures of the brainstem and cerebellum. CONCLUSIONS Our results show that metformin treatment has the potential to improve neuroanatomical outcomes after CRT. However, both timing of metformin administration and subject sex affect structure outcomes, and metformin may also be deleterious. Our results highlight important considerations in determining the potential benefits of metformin treatment after CRT and emphasize the need for caution in repurposing metformin in clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nili Yuen
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Translational Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kamila U Szulc-Lerch
- Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Yu-Qing Li
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Cindi M Morshead
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Terrence Donelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Anatomy, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Donald J Mabbott
- Department of Neurosciences & Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - C Shun Wong
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Brian J Nieman
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Translational Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Ayoub R, Lau K, Yuen N, Fernandes D, Elder M, Yeung J, Wong SC, Nieman BJ. Spatiotemporal Mapping of Early Volume Loss in the Mouse Brain after Cranial Irradiation. Radiat Res 2021; 196:394-403. [PMID: 34270782 DOI: 10.1667/rade-21-00013.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Sequelae after pediatric cranial radiotherapy (CRT) result in long-term changes in brain structure. While past evidence indicates regional differences in brain volume change, it remains unclear how these manifest in the time course of change after CRT. In this study, we spatiotemporally characterized volume losses induced by cranial irradiation in a mouse model, with a dense sampling of measurements over the first week postirradiation. Wild-type mice received whole-brain irradiation (7 Gy) or sham irradiation (0 Gy) at 16 days of age. In vivo magnetic resonance imaging was performed at one time point before, and 2-4 time points postirradiation in each mouse, with a particular focus on sampling during the first week after cranial irradiation. Volume changes across the brain were measured, and the degree and timing of volume loss were quantified across structures from a predefined atlas. Volume measurements across the brain after cranial irradiation revealed a ∼2-day delay in which volume is not significantly altered, after which time volume change proceeds over the course of four days. Volume losses were 3% larger and emerged 40% slower in white matter than in gray matter. Large volume loss was also observed in the ventricles. Differences in the timing and magnitude of volume change between gray and white matter after cranial irradiation were observed. These results suggest differences in the mechanism and/or kinetics underlying the associated radio-response, which may have implications in development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramy Ayoub
- Departments of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Translational Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kaylie Lau
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nili Yuen
- Departments of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Translational Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Darren Fernandes
- Departments of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Madeline Elder
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jonas Yeung
- Departments of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Translational Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Shun C Wong
- Departments of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,The Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Brian J Nieman
- Departments of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Translational Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Amar M, Pramod AB, Yu NK, Herrera VM, Qiu LR, Moran-Losada P, Zhang P, Trujillo CA, Ellegood J, Urresti J, Chau K, Diedrich J, Chen J, Gutierrez J, Sebat J, Ramanathan D, Lerch JP, Yates JR, Muotri AR, Iakoucheva LM. Autism-linked Cullin3 germline haploinsufficiency impacts cytoskeletal dynamics and cortical neurogenesis through RhoA signaling. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:3586-3613. [PMID: 33727673 PMCID: PMC8443683 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01052-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
E3-ubiquitin ligase Cullin3 (Cul3) is a high confidence risk gene for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and developmental delay (DD). To investigate how Cul3 mutations impact brain development, we generated a haploinsufficient Cul3 mouse model using CRISPR/Cas9 genome engineering. Cul3 mutant mice exhibited social and cognitive deficits and hyperactive behavior. Brain MRI found decreased volume of cortical regions and changes in many other brain regions of Cul3 mutant mice starting from early postnatal development. Spatiotemporal transcriptomic and proteomic profiling of embryonic, early postnatal and adult brain implicated neurogenesis and cytoskeletal defects as key drivers of Cul3 functional impact. Specifically, dendritic growth, filamentous actin puncta, and spontaneous network activity were reduced in Cul3 mutant mice. Inhibition of small GTPase RhoA, a molecular substrate of Cul3 ligase, rescued dendrite length and network activity phenotypes. Our study identified defects in neuronal cytoskeleton and Rho signaling as the primary targets of Cul3 mutation during brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megha Amar
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Akula Bala Pramod
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Nam-Kyung Yu
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | - Lily R Qiu
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, The University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Pan Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Cleber A Trujillo
- Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics/Rady Children's Hospital San Diego, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Jacob Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jorge Urresti
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Kevin Chau
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Jolene Diedrich
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Jiaye Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Jessica Gutierrez
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Jonathan Sebat
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Beyster Center for Psychiatric Genomics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Dhakshin Ramanathan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, The University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - John R Yates
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Alysson R Muotri
- Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics/Rady Children's Hospital San Diego, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
- Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
- Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny (CARTA), La Jolla, CA, USA.
| | - Lilia M Iakoucheva
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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Gileadi TE, Swamy AK, Hore Z, Horswell S, Ellegood J, Mohan C, Mizuno K, Lundebye AK, Giese KP, Stockinger B, Hogstrand C, Lerch JP, Fernandes C, Basson MA. Effects of Low-Dose Gestational TCDD Exposure on Behavior and on Hippocampal Neuron Morphology and Gene Expression in Mice. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2021; 129:57002. [PMID: 33956508 PMCID: PMC8101924 DOI: 10.1289/ehp7352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is a persistent and toxic environmental pollutant. Gestational exposure to TCDD has been linked to cognitive and motor deficits, and increased incidence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) traits in children. Most animal studies of these neurodevelopmental effects involve acute TCDD exposure, which does not model typical exposure in humans. OBJECTIVES The aim of the study was to establish a dietary low-dose gestational TCDD exposure protocol and performed an initial characterization of the effects on offspring behavior, neurodevelopmental phenotypes, and gene expression. METHODS Throughout gestation, pregnant C57BL/6J mice were fed a diet containing a low dose of TCDD (9 ng TCDD/kg body weight per day) or a control diet. The offspring were tested in a battery of behavioral tests, and structural brain alterations were investigated by magnetic resonance imaging. The dendritic morphology of pyramidal neurons in the hippocampal Cornu Ammonis (CA)1 area was analyzed. RNA sequencing was performed on hippocampi of postnatal day 14 TCDD-exposed and control offspring. RESULTS TCDD-exposed females displayed subtle deficits in motor coordination and reversal learning. Volumetric difference between diet groups were observed in regions of the hippocampal formation, mammillary bodies, and cerebellum, alongside higher dendritic arborization of pyramidal neurons in the hippocampal CA1 region of TCDD-exposed females. RNA-seq analysis identified 405 differentially expressed genes in the hippocampus, enriched for genes with functions in regulation of microtubules, axon guidance, extracellular matrix, and genes regulated by SMAD3. DISCUSSION Exposure to 9 ng TCDD/kg body weight per day throughout gestation was sufficient to cause specific behavioral and structural brain phenotypes in offspring. Our data suggest that alterations in SMAD3-regulated microtubule polymerization in the developing postnatal hippocampus may lead to an abnormal morphology of neuronal dendrites that persists into adulthood. These findings show that environmental low-dose gestational exposure to TCDD can have significant, long-term impacts on brain development and function. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP7352.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talia E. Gileadi
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Abhyuday K. Swamy
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Zoe Hore
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Stuart Horswell
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Jacob Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Conor Mohan
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Keiko Mizuno
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | | | - K. Peter Giese
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | | | | | - Jason P. Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Cathy Fernandes
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - M. Albert Basson
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, King’s College London, London, UK
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King’s College London, London, UK
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50
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Tamming RJ, Dumeaux V, Jiang Y, Shafiq S, Langlois L, Ellegood J, Qiu LR, Lerch JP, Bérubé NG. Atrx Deletion in Neurons Leads to Sexually Dimorphic Dysregulation of miR-137 and Spatial Learning and Memory Deficits. Cell Rep 2021; 31:107838. [PMID: 32610139 PMCID: PMC7326465 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.107838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2019] [Revised: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
ATRX gene mutations have been identified in syndromic and non-syndromic intellectual disabilities in humans. ATRX is known to maintain genomic stability in neuroprogenitor cells, but its function in differentiated neurons and memory processes remains largely unresolved. Here, we show that the deletion of neuronal Atrx in mice leads to distinct hippocampal structural defects, fewer presynaptic vesicles, and an enlarged postsynaptic area at CA1 apical dendrite-axon junctions. We identify male-specific impairments in long-term contextual memory and in synaptic gene expression, linked to altered miR-137 levels. We show that ATRX directly binds to the miR-137 locus and that the enrichment of the suppressive histone mark H3K27me3 is significantly reduced upon the loss of ATRX. We conclude that the ablation of ATRX in excitatory forebrain neurons leads to sexually dimorphic effects on miR-137 expression and on spatial memory, identifying a potential therapeutic target for neurological defects caused by ATRX dysfunction. Loss of ATRX in neurons has sexually dimorphic effects on long-term spatial memory Targeted deletion of neuronal ATRX in mice causes ultrastructural synaptic defects ATRX null neurons show sex-specific changes in miR-137 and target synaptic transcripts ATRX directly binds and suppresses miR-137 in males via enrichment of H3K27me3
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Affiliation(s)
- Renee J Tamming
- Children's Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada; Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Vanessa Dumeaux
- Department of Paediatrics, Western University, London, ON, Canada; PERFORM Centre, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Yan Jiang
- Children's Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada; Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada
| | - Sarfraz Shafiq
- Children's Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada; Department of Paediatrics, Western University, London, ON, Canada; Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Luana Langlois
- Children's Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada; Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada; Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Jacob Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Lily R Qiu
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, The University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, The University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, The University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Nathalie G Bérubé
- Children's Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada; Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada; Department of Paediatrics, Western University, London, ON, Canada; Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Western University, London, ON, Canada; Department of Oncology, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
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