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Hiraki-Kajiyama T, Miyasaka N, Ando R, Wakisaka N, Itoga H, Onami S, Yoshihara Y. An atlas and database of neuropeptide gene expression in the adult zebrafish forebrain. J Comp Neurol 2024; 532:e25619. [PMID: 38831653 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Zebrafish is a useful model organism in neuroscience; however, its gene expression atlas in the adult brain is not well developed. In the present study, we examined the expression of 38 neuropeptides, comparing with GABAergic and glutamatergic neuron marker genes in the adult zebrafish brain by comprehensive in situ hybridization. The results are summarized as an expression atlas in 19 coronal planes of the forebrain. Furthermore, the scanned data of all brain sections were made publicly available in the Adult Zebrafish Brain Gene Expression Database (https://ssbd.riken.jp/azebex/). Based on these data, we performed detailed comparative neuroanatomical analyses of the hypothalamus and found that several regions previously described as one nucleus in the reference zebrafish brain atlas contain two or more subregions with significantly different neuropeptide/neurotransmitter expression profiles. Subsequently, we compared the expression data in zebrafish telencephalon and hypothalamus obtained in this study with those in mice, by performing a cluster analysis. As a result, several nuclei in zebrafish and mice were clustered in close vicinity. The present expression atlas, database, and anatomical findings will contribute to future neuroscience research using zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Towako Hiraki-Kajiyama
- Laboratory for Systems Molecular Ethology, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Saitama, Japan
- Laboratory of Molecular Ethology, Graduate School of Life Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Nobuhiko Miyasaka
- Laboratory for Systems Molecular Ethology, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Saitama, Japan
| | - Reiko Ando
- Support Unit for Bio-Material Analysis, Research Resources Division, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Saitama, Japan
| | - Noriko Wakisaka
- Laboratory for Systems Molecular Ethology, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Saitama, Japan
| | - Hiroya Itoga
- Laboratory for Developmental Dynamics, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Shuichi Onami
- Laboratory for Developmental Dynamics, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
- Life Science Data Sharing Unit, RIKEN Information R&D and Strategy Headquarters, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Yoshihara
- Laboratory for Systems Molecular Ethology, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Saitama, Japan
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2
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Moisan GJ, Kamath N, Apgar S, Schwehr M, Vedmurthy P, Conner O, Hayes K, Toro CP. Alternative Splicing and Nonsense-Mediated Decay of a Zebrafish GABA Receptor Subunit Transcript. Zebrafish 2024; 21:198-205. [PMID: 37751193 DOI: 10.1089/zeb.2023.0044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The superfamily of Cys-loop ionotropic neurotransmitter receptors includes those that detect GABA, glutamate, glycine, and acetylcholine. There is ample evidence that many Cys-loop receptor subunit genes include alternatively spliced exons. In this study, we report a novel example of alternative splicing (AS): we show that the 68-bp exon 3 in the zebrafish gabrr2b gene-which codes for the ρ2b GABAAR subunit-is an alternative cassette exon. Skipping of gabrr2b exon 3 results in a downstream frame shift and a premature termination codon (PTC). We provide evidence in larval zebrafish that transcripts containing the PTC are subject to degradation through nonsense-mediated decay. We also compile reports of AS of homologous exons in other Cys-loop receptor genes in multiple species. Our data add to a large body of research demonstrating that exon 3 in Cys-loop receptor genes is a conserved site for AS, the effects of which can vary from novel splice-isoform generation to downregulation of gene expression through transcript degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaia J Moisan
- Biology Department, Sarah Lawrence College, Bronxville, New York, USA
| | - Nitika Kamath
- Biology Department, Sarah Lawrence College, Bronxville, New York, USA
| | - Shannon Apgar
- Biology Department, Linfield University, McMinnville, Oregon, USA
| | - Megan Schwehr
- Biology Department, Linfield University, McMinnville, Oregon, USA
| | - Pooja Vedmurthy
- Biology Department, Sarah Lawrence College, Bronxville, New York, USA
| | - Olivya Conner
- Biology Department, Sarah Lawrence College, Bronxville, New York, USA
| | - Kyler Hayes
- Biology Department, Linfield University, McMinnville, Oregon, USA
| | - Cecilia Phillips Toro
- Biology Department, Sarah Lawrence College, Bronxville, New York, USA
- Biology Department, Linfield University, McMinnville, Oregon, USA
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Roy D, Subramaniam B, Chong WC, Bornhorst M, Packer RJ, Nazarian J. Zebrafish-A Suitable Model for Rapid Translation of Effective Therapies for Pediatric Cancers. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1361. [PMID: 38611039 PMCID: PMC11010887 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16071361] [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: 03/15/2024] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Pediatric cancers are the leading cause of disease-related deaths in children and adolescents. Most of these tumors are difficult to treat and have poor overall survival. Concerns have also been raised about drug toxicity and long-term detrimental side effects of therapies. In this review, we discuss the advantages and unique attributes of zebrafish as pediatric cancer models and their importance in targeted drug discovery and toxicity assays. We have also placed a special focus on zebrafish models of pediatric brain cancers-the most common and difficult solid tumor to treat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debasish Roy
- Center for Genetic Medicine Research, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC 20012, USA; (D.R.)
| | - Bavani Subramaniam
- Center for Genetic Medicine Research, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC 20012, USA; (D.R.)
| | - Wai Chin Chong
- Center for Genetic Medicine Research, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC 20012, USA; (D.R.)
| | - Miriam Bornhorst
- Center for Genetic Medicine Research, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC 20012, USA; (D.R.)
| | - Roger J. Packer
- Center for Genetic Medicine Research, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC 20012, USA; (D.R.)
| | - Javad Nazarian
- Center for Genetic Medicine Research, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC 20012, USA; (D.R.)
- DIPG/DMG Research Center Zurich, Children’s Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, University Children’s Hospital Zürich, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland
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Anadón R, Rodríguez-Moldes I, Adrio F. Distribution of gamma-aminobutyric acid immunoreactivity in the brain of the Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baeri): Comparison with other fishes. J Comp Neurol 2024; 532:e25590. [PMID: 38335045 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system (CNS) of vertebrates. Immunohistochemical techniques with specific antibodies against GABA or against its synthesizing enzyme, glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) allowed characterizing GABAergic neurons and fibers in the CNS. However, studies on the CNS distribution of GABAergic neurons and fibers of bony fishes are scant and were done in teleost species. With the aim of understanding the early evolution of this system in bony vertebrates, we analyzed the distribution of GABA-immunoreactive (-ir) and GAD-ir neurons and fibers in the CNS of a basal ray-finned fish, the Siberian sturgeon (Chondrostei, Acipenseriformes), using immunohistochemical techniques. Our results revealed the presence and distribution of GABA/GAD-ir cells in different regions of the CNS such as olfactory bulbs, pallium and subpallium, hypothalamus, thalamus, pretectum, optic tectum, tegmentum, cerebellum, central grey, octavolateralis area, vagal lobe, rhombencephalic reticular areas, and the spinal cord. Abundant GABAergic innervation was observed in most brain regions, and GABAergic fibers were very abundant in the hypothalamic floor along the hypothalamo-hypophyseal tract and neurohypophysis. In addition, GABA-ir cerebrospinal fluid-contacting cells were observed in the alar and basal hypothalamus, saccus vasculosus, and spinal cord central canal. The distribution of GABAergic systems in the sturgeon brain shows numerous similarities to that observed in lampreys, but also to those of teleosts and tetrapods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramón Anadón
- Área de Bioloxía Celular, Departamento de Bioloxía Funcional, CIBUS, Facultade de Bioloxía, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Isabel Rodríguez-Moldes
- Área de Bioloxía Celular, Departamento de Bioloxía Funcional, CIBUS, Facultade de Bioloxía, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Fátima Adrio
- Área de Bioloxía Celular, Departamento de Bioloxía Funcional, CIBUS, Facultade de Bioloxía, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
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Kelly JJ, Wen H, Brehm P. Single-cell RNAseq analysis of spinal locomotor circuitry in larval zebrafish. eLife 2023; 12:RP89338. [PMID: 37975797 PMCID: PMC10656102 DOI: 10.7554/elife.89338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Identification of the neuronal types that form the specialized circuits controlling distinct behaviors has benefited greatly from the simplicity offered by zebrafish. Electrophysiological studies have shown that in addition to connectivity, understanding of circuitry requires identification of functional specializations among individual circuit components, such as those that regulate levels of transmitter release and neuronal excitability. In this study, we use single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) to identify the molecular bases for functional distinctions between motoneuron types that are causal to their differential roles in swimming. The primary motoneuron, in particular, expresses high levels of a unique combination of voltage-dependent ion channel types and synaptic proteins termed functional 'cassettes.' The ion channel types are specialized for promoting high-frequency firing of action potentials and augmented transmitter release at the neuromuscular junction, both contributing to greater power generation. Our transcriptional profiling of spinal neurons further assigns expression of this cassette to specific interneuron types also involved in the central circuitry controlling high-speed swimming and escape behaviors. Our analysis highlights the utility of scRNAseq in functional characterization of neuronal circuitry, in addition to providing a gene expression resource for studying cell type diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jimmy J Kelly
- Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science UniversityPortlandUnited States
| | - Hua Wen
- Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science UniversityPortlandUnited States
| | - Paul Brehm
- Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science UniversityPortlandUnited States
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6
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Kelly JJ, Wen H, Brehm P. Single cell RNA-seq analysis of spinal locomotor circuitry in larval zebrafish. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.06.543939. [PMID: 37333232 PMCID: PMC10274715 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.06.543939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Identification of the neuronal types that form the specialized circuits controlling distinct behaviors has benefited greatly from the simplicity offered by zebrafish. Electrophysiological studies have shown that additional to connectivity, understanding of circuitry requires identification of functional specializations among individual circuit components, such as those that regulate levels of transmitter release and neuronal excitability. In this study we use single cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) to identify the molecular bases for functional distinctions between motoneuron types that are causal to their differential roles in swimming. The primary motoneuron (PMn) in particular, expresses high levels of a unique combination of voltage-dependent ion channel types and synaptic proteins termed functional 'cassettes'. The ion channel types are specialized for promoting high frequency firing of action potentials and augmented transmitter release at the neuromuscular junction, both contributing to greater power generation. Our transcriptional profiling of spinal neurons further assigns expression of this cassette to specific interneuron types also involved in the central circuitry controlling high speed swimming and escape behaviors. Our analysis highlights the utility of scRNAseq in functional characterization of neuronal circuitry, in addition to providing a gene expression resource for studying cell type diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jimmy J. Kelly
- Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Hua Wen
- Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Paul Brehm
- Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
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Jay M, MacIver MA, McLean DL. Spinal Basis of Direction Control during Locomotion in Larval Zebrafish. J Neurosci 2023; 43:4062-4074. [PMID: 37127363 PMCID: PMC10255127 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0703-22.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Navigation requires steering and propulsion, but how spinal circuits contribute to direction control during ongoing locomotion is not well understood. Here, we use drifting vertical gratings to evoke directed "fictive" swimming in intact but immobilized larval zebrafish while performing electrophysiological recordings from spinal neurons. We find that directed swimming involves unilateral changes in the duration of motor output and increased recruitment of motor neurons, without impacting the timing of spiking across or along the body. Voltage-clamp recordings from motor neurons reveal increases in phasic excitation and inhibition on the side of the turn. Current-clamp recordings from premotor interneurons that provide phasic excitation or inhibition reveal two types of recruitment patterns. A direction-agnostic pattern with balanced recruitment on the turning and nonturning sides is primarily observed in excitatory V2a neurons with ipsilateral descending axons, while a direction-sensitive pattern with preferential recruitment on the turning side is dominated by V2a neurons with ipsilateral bifurcating axons. Inhibitory V1 neurons are also divided into direction-sensitive and direction-agnostic subsets, although there is no detectable morphologic distinction. Our findings support the modular control of steering and propulsion by spinal premotor circuits, where recruitment of distinct subsets of excitatory and inhibitory interneurons provide adjustments in direction while on the move.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Spinal circuits play an essential role in coordinating movements during locomotion. However, it is unclear how they participate in adjustments in direction that do not interfere with coordination. Here we have developed a system using larval zebrafish that allows us to directly record electrical signals from spinal neurons during "fictive" swimming guided by visual cues. We find there are subsets of spinal interneurons for coordination and others that drive unilateral asymmetries in motor neuron recruitment for direction control. Our findings suggest a modular organization of spinal premotor circuits that enables uninterrupted adjustments in direction during ongoing locomotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Jay
- Department of Neurobiology, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208
| | - Malcolm A MacIver
- Department of Neurobiology, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, McCormick School of Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, McCormick School of Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208
| | - David L McLean
- Department of Neurobiology, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208
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Natsaridis E, Perdikaris P, Fokos S, Dermon CR. Neuronal and Astroglial Localization of Glucocorticoid Receptor GRα in Adult Zebrafish Brain ( Danio rerio). Brain Sci 2023; 13:861. [PMID: 37371341 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13060861] [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: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Glucocorticoid receptor α (GRα), a ligand-regulated transcription factor, mainly activated by cortisol in humans and fish, mediates neural allostatic and homeostatic functions induced by different types of acute and chronic stress, and systemic inflammation. Zebrafish GRα is suggested to have multiple transcriptional effects essential for normal development and survival, similarly to mammals. While sequence alignments of human, monkey, rat, and mouse GRs have shown many GRα isoforms, we questioned the protein expression profile of GRα in the adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) brain using an alternative model for stress-related neuropsychiatric research, by means of Western blot, immunohistochemistry and double immunofluorescence. Our results identified four main GRα-like immunoreactive bands (95 kDa, 60 kDa, 45 kDa and 35 kDa), with the 95 kDa protein showing highest expression in forebrain compared to midbrain and hindbrain. GRα showed a wide distribution throughout the antero-posterior zebrafish brain axis, with the most prominent labeling within the telencephalon, preoptic, hypothalamus, midbrain, brain stem, central grey, locus coeruleus and cerebellum. Double immunofluorescence revealed that GRα is coexpressed in TH+, β2-AR+ and vGLUT+ neurons, suggesting the potential of GRα influences on adrenergic and glutamatergic transmission. Moreover, GRα was co-localized in midline astroglial cells (GFAP+) within the telencephalon, hypothalamus and hindbrain. Interestingly, GRα expression was evident in the brain regions involved in adaptive stress responses, social behavior, and sensory and motor integration, supporting the evolutionarily conserved features of glucocorticoid receptors in the zebrafish brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evangelos Natsaridis
- Laboratory of Human and Animal Physiology, Department of Biology, University of Patras, Rion, 26504 Patras, Greece
| | - Panagiotis Perdikaris
- Laboratory of Human and Animal Physiology, Department of Biology, University of Patras, Rion, 26504 Patras, Greece
| | - Stefanos Fokos
- Laboratory of Human and Animal Physiology, Department of Biology, University of Patras, Rion, 26504 Patras, Greece
| | - Catherine R Dermon
- Laboratory of Human and Animal Physiology, Department of Biology, University of Patras, Rion, 26504 Patras, Greece
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Wilson AC, Sweeney LB. Spinal cords: Symphonies of interneurons across species. Front Neural Circuits 2023; 17:1146449. [PMID: 37180760 PMCID: PMC10169611 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2023.1146449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Vertebrate movement is orchestrated by spinal inter- and motor neurons that, together with sensory and cognitive input, produce dynamic motor behaviors. These behaviors vary from the simple undulatory swimming of fish and larval aquatic species to the highly coordinated running, reaching and grasping of mice, humans and other mammals. This variation raises the fundamental question of how spinal circuits have changed in register with motor behavior. In simple, undulatory fish, exemplified by the lamprey, two broad classes of interneurons shape motor neuron output: ipsilateral-projecting excitatory neurons, and commissural-projecting inhibitory neurons. An additional class of ipsilateral inhibitory neurons is required to generate escape swim behavior in larval zebrafish and tadpoles. In limbed vertebrates, a more complex spinal neuron composition is observed. In this review, we provide evidence that movement elaboration correlates with an increase and specialization of these three basic interneuron types into molecularly, anatomically, and functionally distinct subpopulations. We summarize recent work linking neuron types to movement-pattern generation across fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lora B. Sweeney
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria), Klosterneuburg, Lower Austria, Austria
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Liu S, Qiu W, Li R, Chen B, Wu X, Magnuson JT, Xu B, Luo S, Xu EG, Zheng C. Perfluorononanoic Acid Induces Neurotoxicity via Synaptogenesis Signaling in Zebrafish. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:3783-3793. [PMID: 36797597 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c06739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), commonly used as an alternative polyfluorinated compound (PFC) of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), has been widely detected in the aquatic environment. Previous ecotoxicological and epidemiological results suggested that some neurobehavioral effects were associated with PFC exposure; however, the ecological impacts and underlying neurotoxicity mechanisms remain unclear, particularly in aquatic organisms during sensitive, early developmental stages. In this study, zebrafish embryos were exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of PFNA for 120 h, and the neurological effects of PFNA were comprehensively assessed using transcriptional, biochemical, morphological, and behavioral assays. RNA sequencing and advanced bioinformatics analyses predicted and characterized the key biological processes and pathways affected by PFNA exposure, which included the synaptogenesis signaling pathway, neurotransmitter synapse, and CREB signaling in neurons. Neurotransmitter levels (acetylcholine, glutamate, 5-hydroxytryptamine, γ-aminobutyric acid, dopamine, and noradrenaline) were significantly decreased in zebrafish larvae, and the Tg(gad67:GFP) transgenic line revealed a decreased number of GABAergic neurons in PFNA-treated larvae. Moreover, the swimming distance, rotation frequency, and activity degree were also significantly affected by PFNA, linking molecular-level changes to behavioral consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Liu
- Institute of Microbiology, Jiangxi Academy of Sciences, Changdong Avenue 7777, Qingshan Lake District, Nanchang 330012, China
| | - Wenhui Qiu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Xueyuandadao 1088, Nanshan District, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Rongzhen Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Xueyuandadao 1088, Nanshan District, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Bei Chen
- Fisheries Research Institute of Fujian, Haishan Road 7, Huli District, Xiamen 361000, China
| | - Xin Wu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Xueyuandadao 1088, Nanshan District, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Jason T Magnuson
- Department of Chemistry, Bioscience and Environmental Engineering, University of Stavanger, Måltidets Hus-Richard Johnsens gate 4, Stavanger 4021, Norway
| | - Bentuo Xu
- National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Ecological Treatment Technology for Urban Water Pollution, School of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Chashan University Town, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Shusheng Luo
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Xueyuandadao 1088, Nanshan District, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Elvis Genbo Xu
- Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, Odense 5230, Denmark
| | - Chunmiao Zheng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Xueyuandadao 1088, Nanshan District, Shenzhen 518055, China
- EIT Institute for Advanced Study, Tongxin Road 568, Zhenhai District, Ningbo 315200, China
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11
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Barker CM, Miles KD, Doll CA. Fmrp regulates neuronal balance in embryonic motor circuit formation. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:962901. [PMID: 36408418 PMCID: PMC9669763 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.962901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Motor behavior requires the balanced production and integration of a variety of neural cell types. Motor neurons are positioned in discrete locations in the spinal cord, targeting specific muscles to drive locomotive contractions. Specialized spinal interneurons modulate and synchronize motor neuron activity to achieve coordinated motor output. Changes in the ratios and connectivity of spinal interneurons could drastically alter motor output by tipping the balance of inhibition and excitation onto target motor neurons. Importantly, individuals with Fragile X syndrome (FXS) and associated autism spectrum disorders often have significant motor challenges, including repetitive behaviors and epilepsy. FXS stems from the transcriptional silencing of the gene Fragile X Messenger Ribonucleoprotein 1 (FMR1), which encodes an RNA binding protein that is implicated in a multitude of crucial neurodevelopmental processes, including cell specification. Our work shows that Fmrp regulates the formation of specific interneurons and motor neurons that comprise early embryonic motor circuits. We find that zebrafish fmr1 mutants generate surplus ventral lateral descending (VeLD) interneurons, an early-born cell derived from the motor neuron progenitor domain (pMN). As VeLD interneurons are hypothesized to act as central pattern generators driving the earliest spontaneous movements, this imbalance could influence the formation and long-term function of motor circuits driving locomotion. fmr1 embryos also show reduced expression of proteins associated with inhibitory synapses, including the presynaptic transporter vGAT and the postsynaptic scaffold Gephyrin. Taken together, we show changes in embryonic motor circuit formation in fmr1 mutants that could underlie persistent hyperexcitability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chase M. Barker
- Section of Developmental Biology, Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Kaleb D. Miles
- Section of Developmental Biology, Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States
- Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnology Program, Graduate School, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Caleb A. Doll
- Section of Developmental Biology, Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States
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Cho HJ, Lee WS, Jeong J, Lee JS. A review on the impacts of nanomaterials on neuromodulation and neurological dysfunction using a zebrafish animal model. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2022; 261:109428. [PMID: 35940544 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2022.109428] [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: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Nanomaterials have been widely employed from industrial to medical fields due to their small sizes and versatile characteristics. However, nanomaterials can also induce unexpected adverse effects on health. In particular, exposure of the nervous system to nanomaterials can cause serious neurological dysfunctions and neurodegenerative diseases. A number of studies have adopted various animal models to evaluate the neurotoxic effects of nanomaterials. Among them, zebrafish has become an attractive animal model for neurotoxicological studies due to several advantages, including the well-characterized nervous system, efficient genome editing, convenient generation of transgenic lines, high-resolution in vivo imaging, and an array of behavioral assays. In this review, we summarize recent studies on the neurotoxicological effects of nanomaterials, particularly engineered nanomaterials and nanoplastics, using zebrafish and discuss key findings with advantages and limitations of the zebrafish model in neurotoxicological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun-Ju Cho
- Microbiome Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Wang Sik Lee
- Environmental Disease Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinyoung Jeong
- Environmental Disease Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea; KRIBB School, University of Science and Technology, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.
| | - Jeong-Soo Lee
- Microbiome Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea; KRIBB School, University of Science and Technology, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.
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13
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Hussan MT, Sakai A, Matsui H. Glutamatergic pathways in the brains of turtles: A comparative perspective among reptiles, birds, and mammals. Front Neuroanat 2022; 16:937504. [PMID: 36059432 PMCID: PMC9428285 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2022.937504] [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: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Glutamate acts as the main excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain and plays a vital role in physiological and pathological neuronal functions. In mammals, glutamate can cause detrimental excitotoxic effects under anoxic conditions. In contrast, Trachemys scripta, a freshwater turtle, is one of the most anoxia-tolerant animals, being able to survive up to months without oxygen. Therefore, turtles have been investigated to assess the molecular mechanisms of neuroprotective strategies used by them in anoxic conditions, such as maintaining low levels of glutamate, increasing adenosine and GABA, upregulating heat shock proteins, and downregulating KATP channels. These mechanisms of anoxia tolerance of the turtle brain may be applied to finding therapeutics for human glutamatergic neurological disorders such as brain injury or cerebral stroke due to ischemia. Despite the importance of glutamate as a neurotransmitter and of the turtle as an ideal research model, the glutamatergic circuits in the turtle brain remain less described whereas they have been well studied in mammalian and avian brains. In reptiles, particularly in the turtle brain, glutamatergic neurons have been identified by examining the expression of vesicular glutamate transporters (VGLUTs). In certain areas of the brain, some ionotropic glutamate receptors (GluRs) have been immunohistochemically studied, implying that there are glutamatergic target areas. Based on the expression patterns of these glutamate-related molecules and fiber connection data of the turtle brain that is available in the literature, many candidate glutamatergic circuits could be clarified, such as the olfactory circuit, hippocampal–septal pathway, corticostriatal pathway, visual pathway, auditory pathway, and granule cell–Purkinje cell pathway. This review summarizes the probable glutamatergic pathways and the distribution of glutamatergic neurons in the pallium of the turtle brain and compares them with those of avian and mammalian brains. The integrated knowledge of glutamatergic pathways serves as the fundamental basis for further functional studies in the turtle brain, which would provide insights on physiological and pathological mechanisms of glutamate regulation as well as neural circuits in different species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Tufazzal Hussan
- Department of Neuroscience of Disease, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
- Department of Anatomy and Histology, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Barishal, Bangladesh
- *Correspondence: Mohammad Tufazzal Hussan,
| | - Akiko Sakai
- Department of Neuroscience of Disease, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Hideaki Matsui
- Department of Neuroscience of Disease, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
- Hideaki Matsui,
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14
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Chen Z, Long H, Guo J, Wang Y, He K, Tao C, Li X, Jiang K, Guo S, Pi Y. Autism-Risk Gene necab2 Regulates Psychomotor and Social Behavior as a Neuronal Modulator of mGluR1 Signaling. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:901682. [PMID: 35909444 PMCID: PMC9326220 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.901682] [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: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BackgroundDe novo deletion of the neuronal calcium-binding protein 2 (NECAB2) locus is associated with idiopathic autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). The in vivo function of NECAB2 in the brain remains largely elusive.MethodsWe investigated the morphological and behavioral profiles of both necab2 knock-out and overexpression zebrafish models. The expression pattern and molecular role of necab2 were probed through a combination of in vitro and in vivo assays.ResultsWe show that Necab2 is a neuronal specific, cytoplasmic, and membrane-associated protein, abundantly expressed in the telencephalon, habenula, and cerebellum. Necab2 is distributed peri-synaptically in subsets of glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons. CRISPR/Cas9-generated necab2 knock-out zebrafish display normal morphology but exhibit a decrease in locomotor activity and thigmotaxis with impaired social interaction only in males. Conversely, necab2 overexpression yields behavioral phenotypes opposite to the loss-of-function. Proteomic profiling uncovers a role of Necab2 in modulating signal transduction of G-protein coupled receptors. Specifically, co-immunoprecipitation, immunofluorescence, and confocal live-cell imaging suggest a complex containing NECAB2 and the metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 (mGluR1). In vivo measurement of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate further substantiates that Necab2 promotes mGluR1 signaling.ConclusionsNecab2 regulates psychomotor and social behavior via modulating a signaling cascade downstream of mGluR1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zexu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Biology Education, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia (Fudan University), Key Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Han Long
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Biology Education, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianhua Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Biology Education, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yiran Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Biology Education, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- School of Clinical Medicine, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, Programs in Human Genetics and Biological Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Kezhe He
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Biology Education, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chenchen Tao
- School of Clinical Medicine, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Biology Education, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, Programs in Human Genetics and Biological Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Keji Jiang
- East China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Su Guo
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, Programs in Human Genetics and Biological Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Su Guo,
| | - Yan Pi
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Biology Education, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Yan Pi,
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15
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Turner KJ, Hawkins TA, Henriques PM, Valdivia LE, Bianco IH, Wilson SW, Folgueira M. A Structural Atlas of the Developing Zebrafish Telencephalon Based on Spatially-Restricted Transgene Expression. Front Neuroanat 2022; 16:840924. [PMID: 35721460 PMCID: PMC9198225 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2022.840924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Zebrafish telencephalon acquires an everted morphology by a two-step process that occurs from 1 to 5 days post-fertilization (dpf). Little is known about how this process affects the positioning of discrete telencephalic cell populations, hindering our understanding of how eversion impacts telencephalic structural organization. In this study, we characterize the neurochemistry, cycle state and morphology of an EGFP positive (+) cell population in the telencephalon of Et(gata2:EGFP)bi105 transgenic fish during eversion and up to 20dpf. We map the transgene insertion to the early-growth-response-gene-3 (egr3) locus and show that EGFP expression recapitulates endogenous egr3 expression throughout much of the pallial telencephalon. Using the gata2:EGFPbi105 transgene, in combination with other well-characterized transgenes and structural markers, we track the development of various cell populations in the zebrafish telencephalon as it undergoes the morphological changes underlying eversion. These datasets were registered to reference brains to form an atlas of telencephalic development at key stages of the eversion process (1dpf, 2dpf, and 5dpf) and compared to expression in adulthood. Finally, we registered gata2:EGFPbi105 expression to the Zebrafish Brain Browser 6dpf reference brain (ZBB, see Marquart et al., 2015, 2017; Tabor et al., 2019), to allow comparison of this expression pattern with anatomical data already in ZBB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine J. Turner
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas A. Hawkins
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Pedro M. Henriques
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Leonardo E. Valdivia
- Center for Integrative Biology, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile
- Escuela de Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile
| | - Isaac H. Bianco
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen W. Wilson
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Stephen W. Wilson,
| | - Mónica Folgueira
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Neurover Group, Centro de Investigacións Científicas Avanzadas (CICA), Facultade de Ciencias, Department of Biology, University of A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain
- Mónica Folgueira,
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16
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Canzian J, Gonçalves FLS, Müller TE, Franscescon F, Santos LW, Adedara IA, Rosemberg DB. Zebrafish as a potential non-traditional model organism in translational bipolar disorder research: Genetic and behavioral insights. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 136:104620. [PMID: 35300991 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Bipolar disorder (BD) is a severe and debilitating illness that affects 1-2% of the population worldwide. BD is characterized by recurrent and extreme mood swings, including mania/hypomania and depression. Animal experimental models have been used to elucidate the mechanisms underlying BD and different strategies have been proposed to assess BD-like symptoms. The zebrafish (Danio rerio) has been considered a suitable vertebrate system for modeling BD-like responses, due to the genetic tractability, molecular/physiological conservation, and well-characterized behavioral responses. In this review, we discuss how zebrafish-based models can be successfully used to understand molecular, biochemical, and behavioral alterations paralleling those found in BD. We also outline some advantages and limitations of this aquatic species to examine BD-like phenotypes in translational neurobehavioral research. Overall, we reinforce the use of zebrafish as a promising tool to investigate the neural basis associated with BD-like behaviors, which may foster the discovery of novel pharmacological therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Canzian
- Laboratory of Experimental Neuropsychobiology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Natural and Exact Sciences Center, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil; Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Falco L S Gonçalves
- Laboratory of Experimental Neuropsychobiology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Natural and Exact Sciences Center, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Talise E Müller
- Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Francini Franscescon
- Laboratory of Experimental Neuropsychobiology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Natural and Exact Sciences Center, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil; Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Laura W Santos
- Laboratory of Experimental Neuropsychobiology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Natural and Exact Sciences Center, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Isaac A Adedara
- Laboratory of Experimental Neuropsychobiology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Natural and Exact Sciences Center, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil; Drug Metabolism and Toxicology Research Laboratories, Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
| | - Denis B Rosemberg
- Laboratory of Experimental Neuropsychobiology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Natural and Exact Sciences Center, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil; Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil; The International Zebrafish Neuroscience Research Consortium (ZNRC), 309 Palmer Court, Slidell, LA 70458, USA.
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17
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Niemeyer JE, Gadamsetty P, Chun C, Sylvester S, Lucas JP, Ma H, Schwartz TH, Aksay ERF. Seizures initiate in zones of relative hyperexcitation in a zebrafish epilepsy model. Brain 2022; 145:2347-2360. [PMID: 35196385 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awac073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Seizures are thought to arise from an imbalance of excitatory and inhibitory neuronal activity. While most classical studies suggest excessive excitatory neural activity plays a generative role, some recent findings challenge this view and instead argue that excessive activity in inhibitory neurons initiates seizures. We investigated this question of imbalance in a zebrafish seizure model with two-photon imaging of excitatory and inhibitory neuronal activity throughout the brain using a nuclear-localized calcium sensor. We found that seizures consistently initiated in circumscribed zones of the midbrain before propagating to other brain regions. Excitatory neurons were both more prevalent and more likely to be recruited than inhibitory neurons in initiation as compared with propagation zones. These findings support a mechanistic picture whereby seizures initiate in a region of hyper-excitation, then propagate more broadly once inhibitory restraint in the surround is overcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- James E Niemeyer
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA.,Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Poornima Gadamsetty
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Chanwoo Chun
- Institute for Computational Biomedicine and the Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Sherika Sylvester
- Institute for Computational Biomedicine and the Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Jacob P Lucas
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Hongtao Ma
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA.,Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Theodore H Schwartz
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA.,Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Emre R F Aksay
- Institute for Computational Biomedicine and the Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
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18
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Hadjivasiliou Z, Hunter G. Talking to your neighbors across scales: Long-distance Notch signaling during patterning. Curr Top Dev Biol 2022; 150:299-334. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2022.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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19
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Liu M, Zheng M, Zhang W, Yang F, Hong L, Yu X, Xu H. Cuprizone-induced dopaminergic hyperactivity and locomotor deficit in zebrafish larvae. Brain Res 2022; 1780:147802. [PMID: 35085574 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2022.147802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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20
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Naderi M, Puar P, JavadiEsfahani R, Kwong RWM. Early developmental exposure to bisphenol A and bisphenol S disrupts socio-cognitive function, isotocin equilibrium, and excitation-inhibition balance in developing zebrafish. Neurotoxicology 2021; 88:144-154. [PMID: 34808222 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2021.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Dysregulation of the oxytocinergic system and excitation/inhibition (E/I) balance in synaptic transmission and neural circuits are common hallmarks of various neurodevelopmental disorders. Several experimental and epidemiological studies have shown that perinatal exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals bisphenol A (BPA) and bisphenol S (BPS) may contribute to a range of childhood neurodevelopmental disorders. However, the effects of BPA and BPS on social-cognitive development and the associated mechanisms remain largely unknown. In this study, we explored the impacts of early developmental exposure (2hpf-5dpf) to environmentally relevant concentrations of BPA, and its analog BPS (0.001, 0.01, and 0.1 μM), on anxiety, social behaviors, and memory performance in 21 dpf zebrafish larvae. Our results revealed that early-life exposure to low concentrations of BPA and BPS elevated anxiety-like behavior, while fish exposed to higher concentrations of these chemicals displayed social deficits and impaired object recognition memory. Additionally, we found that co-exposure with an aromatase inhibitor antagonized BPA- and BPS-induced effects on anxiety levels and social behaviors, while the co-exposure to an estrogen receptor antagonist restored recognition memory in zebrafish larvae. These results indicate that BPA and BPS may affect social-cognitive function through distinct mechanisms. On the other hand, exposure to low BPA/BPS concentrations increased both the mRNA and protein levels of isotocin (zebrafish oxytocin) in the zebrafish brain, whereas a reduction in its mRNA level was observed at higher concentrations. Further, alterations in the transcript abundance of chloride transporters, and molecular markers of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamatergic systems, were observed in the zebrafish brain, suggesting possible E/I imbalance following BPA or BPS exposure. Collectively, the results of this study demonstrate that early-life exposure to low concentrations of the environmental contaminants BPA and BPS can interfere with the isotocinergic signaling pathway and disrupts the establishment of E/I balance in the developing brain, subsequently leading to the onset of a suite of behavioral deficits and neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Naderi
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, Canada.
| | - Pankaj Puar
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, Canada
| | | | - Raymond W M Kwong
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, Canada
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21
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The presynaptic glycine transporter GlyT2 is regulated by the Hedgehog pathway in vitro and in vivo. Commun Biol 2021; 4:1197. [PMID: 34663888 PMCID: PMC8523746 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02718-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The identity of a glycinergic synapse is maintained presynaptically by the activity of a surface glycine transporter, GlyT2, which recaptures glycine back to presynaptic terminals to preserve vesicular glycine content. GlyT2 loss-of-function mutations cause Hyperekplexia, a rare neurological disease in which loss of glycinergic neurotransmission causes generalized stiffness and strong motor alterations. However, the molecular underpinnings controlling GlyT2 activity remain poorly understood. In this work, we identify the Hedgehog pathway as a robust controller of GlyT2 expression and transport activity. Modulating the activation state of the Hedgehog pathway in vitro in rodent primary spinal cord neurons or in vivo in zebrafish embryos induced a selective control in GlyT2 expression, regulating GlyT2 transport activity. Our results indicate that activation of Hedgehog reduces GlyT2 expression by increasing its ubiquitination and degradation. This work describes a new molecular link between the Hedgehog signaling pathway and presynaptic glycine availability. By modulating the activation state of the Hedgehog pathway, de la Rocha-Muñoz et al demonstrate that Hedgehog signaling controls the expression and transport activity of the neuronal glycine transporter GlyT2. This work begins to reveal a potential link between the Hedgehog signaling pathway and presynaptic glycine availability.
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22
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Roussel Y, Gaudreau SF, Kacer ER, Sengupta M, Bui TV. Modeling spinal locomotor circuits for movements in developing zebrafish. eLife 2021; 10:e67453. [PMID: 34473059 PMCID: PMC8492062 DOI: 10.7554/elife.67453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Many spinal circuits dedicated to locomotor control have been identified in the developing zebrafish. How these circuits operate together to generate the various swimming movements during development remains to be clarified. In this study, we iteratively built models of developing zebrafish spinal circuits coupled to simplified musculoskeletal models that reproduce coiling and swimming movements. The neurons of the models were based upon morphologically or genetically identified populations in the developing zebrafish spinal cord. We simulated intact spinal circuits as well as circuits with silenced neurons or altered synaptic transmission to better understand the role of specific spinal neurons. Analysis of firing patterns and phase relationships helped to identify possible mechanisms underlying the locomotor movements of developing zebrafish. Notably, our simulations demonstrated how the site and the operation of rhythm generation could transition between coiling and swimming. The simulations also underlined the importance of contralateral excitation to multiple tail beats. They allowed us to estimate the sensitivity of spinal locomotor networks to motor command amplitude, synaptic weights, length of ascending and descending axons, and firing behavior. These models will serve as valuable tools to test and further understand the operation of spinal circuits for locomotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yann Roussel
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Centre for Neural Dynamics, Department of Biology, University of OttawaOttawaCanada
- Blue Brain Project, École Polytechnique Fédérale de LausanneGenèveSwitzerland
| | - Stephanie F Gaudreau
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Centre for Neural Dynamics, Department of Biology, University of OttawaOttawaCanada
| | - Emily R Kacer
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Centre for Neural Dynamics, Department of Biology, University of OttawaOttawaCanada
| | - Mohini Sengupta
- Washington University School of Medicine, Department of NeuroscienceSt LouisUnited States
| | - Tuan V Bui
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Centre for Neural Dynamics, Department of Biology, University of OttawaOttawaCanada
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23
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Muniz MS, Halbach K, Alves Araruna IC, Martins RX, Seiwert B, Lechtenfeld O, Reemtsma T, Farias D. Moxidectin toxicity to zebrafish embryos: Bioaccumulation and biomarker responses. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 283:117096. [PMID: 33866217 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 03/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Moxidectin is an antiparasitic drug belonging to the class of the macrocyclic lactones, subgroup mylbemicins. It is used worldwide in veterinary practice, but little is known about its potential environmental risks. Thus, we used the zebrafish embryo as a model system to study the potential effects of moxidectin on aquatic non-target organisms. The analyses were performed in two experimental sets: (1) acute toxicity and apical endpoints were characterized, with biomarker assays providing information on the activity levels of catalase (CAT), glutathione S-transferase (GST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and acetylcholinesterase (AChE); and (2) internal concentration and spatial distribution of moxidectin were determined using ultraperformance liquid chromatography quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QToF-MS) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-MS imaging (MALDI-MSi). The acute toxicity to zebrafish embryos (96 hpf) appeared mainly as a decrease in hatching rates (EC50 = 20.75 μg/L). It also altered the enzymatic activity of biomarker enzymes related to xenobiotic processing, anaerobic metabolism, and oxidative stress (GST, LDH, and CAT, respectively) and strongly accumulated in the embryos, as internal concentrations were 4 orders of magnitude higher than those detected in exposure solutions. MALDI-MSi revealed accumulations of the drug mainly in the head and eyes of the embryos (72 and 96 hpf). Thus, our results show that exposure to moxidectin decreases hatching success by 96 h and alters biochemical parameters in the early life stages of zebrafish while accumulating in the head and eye regions of the animals, demonstrating the need to prioritize this compound for environmental studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Silva Muniz
- Laboratory for Risk Assessment of Novel Technologies (LabRisk), Department of Molecular Biology, Federal University of Paraiba, João Pessoa, Brazil
| | - Katharina Halbach
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Igor Cauê Alves Araruna
- Laboratory for Risk Assessment of Novel Technologies (LabRisk), Department of Molecular Biology, Federal University of Paraiba, João Pessoa, Brazil
| | - Rafael Xavier Martins
- Laboratory for Risk Assessment of Novel Technologies (LabRisk), Department of Molecular Biology, Federal University of Paraiba, João Pessoa, Brazil
| | - Bettina Seiwert
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Oliver Lechtenfeld
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Thorsten Reemtsma
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany; Institute of Analytical Chemistry, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Davi Farias
- Laboratory for Risk Assessment of Novel Technologies (LabRisk), Department of Molecular Biology, Federal University of Paraiba, João Pessoa, Brazil.
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24
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Montgomery JE, Wahlstrom‐Helgren S, Vanpelt KT, Masino MA. Repetitive optogenetic stimulation of glutamatergic neurons: An alternative to NMDA treatment for generating locomotor activity in spinalized zebrafish larvae. Physiol Rep 2021; 9:e14774. [PMID: 33769694 PMCID: PMC7995545 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.14774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) application has conventionally been used to activate spinal networks to induce locomotion in spinalized animals. We recently described an alternative approach in which application of continuous blue light activates channelrhodopsin-2 in vesicular glutamate transporter 2a (vglut2a)-expressing spinal neurons to produce organized, rhythmic locomotor activity in spinally-transected larval zebrafish. This technique arguably enhances research validity, because endogenous glutamate is released into existing synapses instead of activating only a subset of glutamatergic (NMDA) receptors with an exogenous compound. Here, we explored the viability of this approach in the context of using it for longer-term experiments. Fictive swimming was induced through repetitive application of 10-s blue light stimuli to spinalized preparations for up to 60 min at intervals of 1, 3, or 15 min. Locomotor activity was maintained throughout the experimental timecourse, demonstrating the robustness of the system. Although locomotor bursts remained organized into episodes of activity, the number of bursts elicited during each successive stimulus decreased. This was in contrast to NMDA bath application, in which bursts became less episodically organized while the overall number of bursts remained unchanged. The efficacy of the repetitive optogenetic stimulation paradigm was demonstrated through application of exogenous dopamine, which reversibly decreased the number of bursts produced per stimulus compared with untreated preparations. Finally, increasing the stimulus interval to 15 min lessened, but did not eliminate locomotor fatigue from repetitive activation. Altogether, we established repetitive optogenetic stimulation of vglut2a-expressing neurons as a viable alternative to NMDA application for activation of the zebrafish spinal locomotor network.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kayce T. Vanpelt
- Department of NeuroscienceUniversity of MinnesotaMinneapolisMNUSA
| | - Mark A. Masino
- Department of NeuroscienceUniversity of MinnesotaMinneapolisMNUSA
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England SJ, Cerda GA, Kowalchuk A, Sorice T, Grieb G, Lewis KE. Hmx3a Has Essential Functions in Zebrafish Spinal Cord, Ear and Lateral Line Development. Genetics 2020; 216:1153-1185. [PMID: 33077489 PMCID: PMC7768253 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.120.303748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcription factors that contain a homeodomain DNA-binding domain have crucial functions in most aspects of cellular function and embryonic development in both animals and plants. Hmx proteins are a subfamily of NK homeodomain-containing proteins that have fundamental roles in development of sensory structures such as the eye and the ear. However, Hmx functions in spinal cord development have not been analyzed. Here, we show that zebrafish (Danio rerio) hmx2 and hmx3a are coexpressed in spinal dI2 and V1 interneurons, whereas hmx3b, hmx1, and hmx4 are not expressed in spinal cord. Using mutational analyses, we demonstrate that, in addition to its previously reported role in ear development, hmx3a is required for correct specification of a subset of spinal interneuron neurotransmitter phenotypes, as well as correct lateral line progression and survival to adulthood. Surprisingly, despite similar expression patterns of hmx2 and hmx3a during embryonic development, zebrafish hmx2 mutants are viable and have no obviously abnormal phenotypes in sensory structures or neurons that require hmx3a In addition, embryos homozygous for deletions of both hmx2 and hmx3a have identical phenotypes to severe hmx3a single mutants. However, mutating hmx2 in hypomorphic hmx3a mutants that usually develop normally, results in abnormal ear and lateral line phenotypes. This suggests that while hmx2 cannot compensate for loss of hmx3a, it does function in these developmental processes, although to a much lesser extent than hmx3a More surprisingly, our mutational analyses suggest that Hmx3a may not require its homeodomain DNA-binding domain for its roles in viability or embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gustavo A Cerda
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, CB2 3DY, UK
| | | | - Taylor Sorice
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, New York 13244
| | - Ginny Grieb
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, New York 13244
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Moore RE, Clarke J, Alexandre P. Protrusion-Mediated Signaling Regulates Patterning of the Developing Nervous System. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:579073. [PMID: 33134296 PMCID: PMC7550624 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.579073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
During brain development, the tissue pattern and specification are the foundation of neuronal circuit formation. Contact-mediated lateral inhibition is well known to play an important role in determining cell fate decisions in the nervous system by either regulating tissue boundary formation or the classical salt-and-pepper pattern of differentiation that results from direct neighboring cell contacts. In many systems, however, such as the Drosophila notum, Drosophila wing, zebrafish pigmented cells, and zebrafish spinal cord, the differentiation pattern occurs at multiple-cell diameter distances. In this review, we discuss the evidence and characteristics of long-distance patterning mechanisms mediated by cellular protrusions. In the nervous system, cellular protrusions deliver the Notch ligand Delta at long range to prevent cells from differentiating in their vicinity. By temporal control of protrusive activity, this mechanism can pattern differentiation in both space and time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel E Moore
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jon Clarke
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Paula Alexandre
- Developmental Biology and Cancer, UCL GOS Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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Audira G, Siregar P, Chen JR, Lai YH, Huang JC, Hsiao CD. Systematical exploration of the common solvent toxicity at whole organism level by behavioral phenomics in adult zebrafish. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 266:115239. [PMID: 32795887 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2020] [Revised: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Common solvents are frequently used as carriers to dissolve chemicals with a hydrophobic property that is extensively applied in the industrial and biomedical fields. In this study, we aimed to systematically study the sub-chronic effect of ten common solvents at low concentration exposure in adult zebrafish and perform neurobehavioral assessments for mechanistic exploration. After exposed to ten common solvents, including methanol, ethanol (EtOH), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), isopropanol, acetone, polyethylene glycol-400 (PEG-400), glycerol, butanol, pentane, and tetrahydrofuran for continuous 10 day at 0.1% concentration level, adult zebrafish were subjected to perform a serial of behavioral tests, such as novel tank, mirror biting, predator avoidance, social interaction and shoaling. Later, 20 behavioral endpoints obtained from these five tests were transformed into a scoring matrix. Principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchy clustering were performed to evaluate and compare the zebrafish behavior profiling. By using this phenomic approach, we were able to systematically evaluate the toxicity of the common solvents in zebrafish at a neurobehavioral level for the first time and found each common solvent-induced unique behavioral alteration to produce fingerprint-like patterns in hierarchy clustering and heatmap analysis. Among all tested common solvents, acetone and PEG-400 displayed better biocompatibility and less toxicity since they triggered less behavioral and biochemical alterations while methanol and DMSO caused severe behavior alterations in zebrafish after chronic exposure of these solvents. We conclude the behavioral phenomic approach conducted in this study providing a powerful tool to a systematical exploration of the common solvent toxicity at the whole organism level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilbert Audira
- Department of Bioscience Technology, Chung Yuan Christian University, Chung-Li, 320314, Taiwan; Department of Chemistry, Chung Yuan Christian University, Chung-Li, 320314, Taiwan
| | - Petrus Siregar
- Department of Chemistry, Chung Yuan Christian University, Chung-Li, 320314, Taiwan
| | - Jung-Ren Chen
- Department of Biological Science & Technology, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, 82445, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Heng Lai
- Department of Chemistry, Chinese Culture University, 11114, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jong-Chin Huang
- Department of Applied Chemistry, National Pingtung University, Pingtung, 900391, Taiwan
| | - Chung-Der Hsiao
- Department of Bioscience Technology, Chung Yuan Christian University, Chung-Li, 320314, Taiwan; Department of Chemistry, Chung Yuan Christian University, Chung-Li, 320314, Taiwan; Center of Nanotechnology, Chung Yuan Christian University, Chung-Li, 320314, Taiwan.
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de Abreu MS, Genario R, Giacomini AC, Demin KA, Lakstygal AM, Amstislavskaya TG, Fontana BD, Parker MO, Kalueff AV. Zebrafish as a Model of Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Neuroscience 2020; 445:3-11. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.08.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2019] [Revised: 07/21/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Dynamic regulation of the cholinergic system in the spinal central nervous system. Sci Rep 2020; 10:15338. [PMID: 32948826 PMCID: PMC7501295 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-72524-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
While the role of cholinergic neurotransmission from motoneurons is well established during neuromuscular development, whether it regulates central nervous system development in the spinal cord is unclear. Zebrafish presents a powerful model to investigate how the cholinergic system is set up and evolves during neural circuit formation. In this study, we carried out a detailed spatiotemporal analysis of the cholinergic system in embryonic and larval zebrafish. In 1-day-old embryos, we show that spinal motoneurons express presynaptic cholinergic genes including choline acetyltransferase (chata), vesicular acetylcholine transporters (vachta, vachtb), high-affinity choline transporter (hacta) and acetylcholinesterase (ache), while nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subunits are mainly expressed in interneurons. However, in 3-day-old embryos, we found an unexpected decrease in presynaptic cholinergic transcript expression in a rostral to caudal gradient in the spinal cord, which continued during development. On the contrary, nAChR subunits remained highly expressed throughout the spinal cord. We found that protein and enzymatic activities of presynaptic cholinergic genes were also reduced in the rostral spinal cord. Our work demonstrating that cholinergic genes are initially expressed in the embryonic spinal cord, which is dynamically downregulated during development suggests that cholinergic signaling may play a pivotal role during the formation of intra-spinal locomotor circuit.
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Hughes AN, Appel B. Microglia phagocytose myelin sheaths to modify developmental myelination. Nat Neurosci 2020; 23:1055-1066. [PMID: 32632287 PMCID: PMC7483351 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-020-0654-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 172] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2019] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
During development, oligodendrocytes contact and wrap neuronal axons with myelin. Similarly to neurons and synapses, excess myelin sheaths are produced and selectively eliminated, but how elimination occurs is unknown. Microglia, the resident immune cells of the central nervous system, engulf surplus neurons and synapses. To determine whether microglia also prune myelin sheaths, we used zebrafish to visualize and manipulate interactions between microglia, oligodendrocytes, and neurons during development. We found that microglia closely associate with oligodendrocytes and specifically phagocytose myelin sheaths. By using a combination of optical, genetic, chemogenetic, and behavioral approaches, we reveal that neuronal activity bidirectionally balances microglial association with neuronal cell bodies and myelin phagocytosis in the optic tectum. Furthermore, multiple strategies to deplete microglia resulted in oligodendrocytes maintaining excessive and ectopic myelin. Our work reveals a neuronal activity-regulated role for microglia in modifying developmental myelin targeting by oligodendrocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bruce Appel
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA.
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31
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Cellot G, Vranic S, Shin Y, Worsley R, Rodrigues AF, Bussy C, Casiraghi C, Kostarelos K, McDearmid JR. Graphene oxide nanosheets modulate spinal glutamatergic transmission and modify locomotor behaviour in an in vivo zebrafish model. NANOSCALE HORIZONS 2020; 5:1250-1263. [PMID: 32558850 DOI: 10.1039/c9nh00777f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Graphene oxide (GO), an oxidised form of graphene, is widely used for biomedical applications, due to its dispersibility in water and simple surface chemistry tunability. In particular, small (less than 500 nm in lateral dimension) and thin (1-3 carbon monolayers) graphene oxide nanosheets (s-GO) have been shown to selectively inhibit glutamatergic transmission in neuronal cultures in vitro and in brain explants obtained from animals injected with the nanomaterial. This raises the exciting prospect that s-GO can be developed as a platform for novel nervous system therapeutics. It has not yet been investigated whether the interference of the nanomaterial with neurotransmission may have a downstream outcome in modulation of behaviour depending specifically on the activation of those synapses. To address this problem we use early stage zebrafish as an in vivo model to study the impact of s-GO on nervous system function. Microinjection of s-GO into the embryonic zebrafish spinal cord selectively reduces the excitatory synaptic transmission of the spinal network, monitored in vivo through patch clamp recordings, without affecting spinal cell survival. This effect is accompanied by a perturbation in the swimming activity of larvae, which is the locomotor behaviour generated by the neuronal network of the spinal cord. Such results indicate that the impact of s-GO on glutamate based neuronal transmission is preserved in vivo and can induce changes in animal behaviour. These findings pave the way for use of s-GO as a modulator of nervous system function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giada Cellot
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour, College of Life Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK
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Gawel K, Langlois M, Martins T, van der Ent W, Tiraboschi E, Jacmin M, Crawford AD, Esguerra CV. Seizing the moment: Zebrafish epilepsy models. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 116:1-20. [PMID: 32544542 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Revised: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Zebrafish are now widely accepted as a valuable animal model for a number of different central nervous system (CNS) diseases. They are suitable both for elucidating the origin of these disorders and the sequence of events culminating in their onset, and for use as a high-throughput in vivo drug screening platform. The availability of powerful and effective techniques for genome manipulation allows the rapid modelling of different genetic epilepsies and of conditions with seizures as a core symptom. With this review, we seek to summarize the current knowledge about existing epilepsy/seizures models in zebrafish (both pharmacological and genetic) and compare them with equivalent rodent and human studies. New findings obtained from the zebrafish models are highlighted. We believe that this comprehensive review will highlight the value of zebrafish as a model for investigating different aspects of epilepsy and will help researchers to use these models to their full extent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kinga Gawel
- Chemical Neuroscience Group, Centre for Molecular Medicine Norway (NCMM), University of Oslo, Gaustadalléen 21, Forskningsparken, 0349, Oslo, Norway; Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Lublin, Jaczewskiego St. 8b, 20-090, Lublin, Poland
| | | | - Teresa Martins
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Belval, Luxembourg
| | - Wietske van der Ent
- Chemical Neuroscience Group, Centre for Molecular Medicine Norway (NCMM), University of Oslo, Gaustadalléen 21, Forskningsparken, 0349, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ettore Tiraboschi
- Chemical Neuroscience Group, Centre for Molecular Medicine Norway (NCMM), University of Oslo, Gaustadalléen 21, Forskningsparken, 0349, Oslo, Norway; Neurophysics Group, Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Piazza Manifattura 1, Building 14, 38068, Rovereto, TN, Italy
| | - Maxime Jacmin
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Belval, Luxembourg
| | - Alexander D Crawford
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Belval, Luxembourg; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Oslo, Norway
| | - Camila V Esguerra
- Chemical Neuroscience Group, Centre for Molecular Medicine Norway (NCMM), University of Oslo, Gaustadalléen 21, Forskningsparken, 0349, Oslo, Norway.
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Visuomotor deficiency in panx1a knockout zebrafish is linked to dopaminergic signaling. Sci Rep 2020; 10:9538. [PMID: 32533080 PMCID: PMC7293225 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-66378-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2019] [Accepted: 05/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Pannexin 1 (Panx1) forms ATP-permeable membrane channels that play roles in the nervous system. The analysis of roles in both standard and pathological conditions benefits from a model organism with rapid development and early onset of behaviors. Such a model was developed by ablating the zebrafish panx1a gene using TALEN technology. Here, RNA-seq analysis of 6 days post fertilization larvae were confirmed by Real-Time PCR and paired with testing visual-motor behavior and in vivo electrophysiology. Results demonstrated that loss of panx1a specifically affected the expression of gene classes representing the development of the visual system and visual processing. Abnormal swimming behavior in the dark and the expression regulation of pre-and postsynaptic biomarkers suggested changes in dopaminergic signaling. Indeed, altered visuomotor behavior in the absence of functional Panx1a was evoked through D1/D2-like receptor agonist treatment and rescued with the D2-like receptor antagonist Haloperidol. Local field potentials recorded from superficial areas of the optic tectum receiving input from the retina confirmed abnormal responses to visual stimuli, which resembled treatments with a dopamine receptor agonist or pharmacological blocking of Panx1a. We conclude that Panx1a functions are relevant at a time point when neuronal networks supporting visual-motor functions undergo modifications preparing for complex behaviors of freely swimming fish.
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Hadjivasiliou Z, Moore RE, McIntosh R, Galea GL, Clarke JDW, Alexandre P. Basal Protrusions Mediate Spatiotemporal Patterns of Spinal Neuron Differentiation. Dev Cell 2020; 49:907-919.e10. [PMID: 31211994 PMCID: PMC6584357 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2019.05.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2018] [Revised: 02/26/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
During early spinal cord development, neurons of particular subtypes differentiate with a sparse periodic pattern while later neurons differentiate in the intervening space to eventually produce continuous columns of similar neurons. The mechanisms that regulate this spatiotemporal pattern are unknown. In vivo imaging in zebrafish reveals that differentiating spinal neurons transiently extend two long protrusions along the basal surface of the spinal cord before axon initiation. These protrusions express Delta protein, consistent with the hypothesis they influence Notch signaling at a distance of several cell diameters. Experimental reduction of Laminin expression leads to smaller protrusions and shorter distances between differentiating neurons. The experimental data and a theoretical model support the proposal that neuronal differentiation pattern is regulated by transient basal protrusions that deliver temporally controlled lateral inhibition mediated at a distance. This work uncovers a stereotyped protrusive activity of newborn neurons that organize long-distance spatiotemporal patterning of differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zena Hadjivasiliou
- Department of Biochemistry, Science II, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Centre for Mathematics and Physics in the Life Sciences and Experimental Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Rachel E Moore
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Rebecca McIntosh
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK; Developmental Biology and Cancer, UCL GOS Institute of Child Health, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Gabriel L Galea
- Developmental Biology and Cancer, UCL GOS Institute of Child Health, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Jonathan D W Clarke
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK.
| | - Paula Alexandre
- Developmental Biology and Cancer, UCL GOS Institute of Child Health, London WC1N 1EH, UK.
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DeMarco E, Xu N, Baier H, Robles E. Neuron types in the zebrafish optic tectum labeled by an id2b transgene. J Comp Neurol 2019; 528:1173-1188. [PMID: 31725916 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Revised: 10/31/2019] [Accepted: 11/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
The larval zebrafish optic tectum has emerged as a prominent model for understanding how neural circuits control visually guided behaviors. Further advances in this area will require tools to monitor and manipulate tectal neurons with cell type specificity. Here, we characterize the morphology and neurotransmitter phenotype of tectal neurons labeled by an id2b:gal4 transgene. Whole-brain imaging of stable transgenic id2b:gal4 larvae revealed labeling in a subset of neurons in optic tectum, cerebellum, and hindbrain. Genetic mosaic labeling of single neurons within the id2b:gal4 expression pattern enabled us to characterize three tectal neuron types with distinct morphologies and connectivities. The first is a neuron type previously identified in the optic tectum of other teleost fish: the tectal pyramidal neuron (PyrN). PyrNs are local interneurons that form two stratified dendritic arbors and one stratified axonal arbor in the tectal neuropil. The second tectal neuron type labeled by the id2b:gal4 transgene is a projection neuron that forms a stratified dendritic arbor in the tectal neuropil and an axon that exits tectum to form a topographic projection to torus longitudinalis (TL). A third neuron type labeled is a projection neuron with a nonstratified dendritic arbor and a descending axonal projection to tegmentum. These findings establish the id2b:gal4 transgenic as a useful tool for future studies aimed at elucidating the functional role of tectum, TL, and tegmentum in visually guided behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth DeMarco
- Department of Biological Sciences and Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
| | - Nina Xu
- Department of Biological Sciences and Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
| | - Herwig Baier
- Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Estuardo Robles
- Department of Biological Sciences and Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
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Analysis of Metabolite Profiling in Human Endothelial Cells after Plasma Jet Treatment. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2019; 2019:3015150. [PMID: 31781609 PMCID: PMC6875299 DOI: 10.1155/2019/3015150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2019] [Revised: 09/07/2019] [Accepted: 09/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is a novel technology, which has been widely applied in biomedicine, especially in wound healing, dermatological treatment, hemostasis, and cancer treatment. In most cases, CAP treatment will interact with innumerable blood capillaries. Therefore, it is important and necessary to understand the effects of CAP treatment on endothelial cell metabolism. In this study, the metabolite profiling of plasma treatment on endothelial cells was measured by gas chromatography tandem time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF-MS). We found that 695 signals (metabolites) were detected by GC-TOF-MS and then evaluated using orthogonal projections to latent structures discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA). All the differential metabolites were listed, and proline and xanthosine were the two of the most downregulated metabolites by plasma treatment. By comprehensive metabolic pathway analysis with the KEGG pathway, we showed that alanine, aspartate, glutamate, and purine metabolism pathways were the most significantly suppressed after gas plasma treatment in human endothelial cells. Our finding gives an overall picture of the metabolic pathways affected by plasma treatment in endothelial cells.
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Wahlstrom-Helgren S, Montgomery JE, Vanpelt KT, Biltz SL, Peck JH, Masino MA. Glutamate receptor subtypes differentially contribute to optogenetically activated swimming in spinally transected zebrafish larvae. J Neurophysiol 2019; 122:2414-2426. [PMID: 31642404 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00337.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The spinal cord (SC) contains neural networks that are capable of producing organized locomotor activity autonomously from the brain. Locomotor activity can be induced in spinally transected (spinalized) animals by adding a source of tonic excitation to activate spinal networks. This is commonly accomplished by activating N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptors through bath application of NMDA. More recently, optogenetic approaches have enabled both activation and inactivation of neuronal cell populations to control the activity of locomotor networks. Larval zebrafish are exceptionally amenable to optogenetic techniques due to their transparency, which permits noninvasive light delivery. In this study, we induced locomotor activity in spinalized transgenic zebrafish larvae that expressed channelrhodopsin-2 in all subtypes of spinal vesicular glutamate transporter 2a (vglut2a)-expressing neurons by applying 10 s of constant blue light to the preparations. The resultant locomotor activity possessed all of the characteristics of swimming: bilateral alternation, rostrocaudal progression, and organization into discrete swimming episodes. Spatially restricted light application revealed that illumination of the rostral SC produced more robust activity than illumination of the caudal SC. Moreover, illumination of only three body segments was sufficient to produce fictive swimming. Intriguingly, organized swimming activity persisted during NMDA receptor antagonism but was disrupted by α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptor antagonism. Hence, AMPA receptor signaling is required for episodically-organized swimming, whereas NMDA receptor signaling is not necessary.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Spinal locomotor networks have the intrinsic capacity to transform unpatterned excitatory input into patterned output. Conventionally, spinally mediated fictive locomotor activity is experimentally elicited by N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) application to bias the network toward activation. We present a novel experimental paradigm that permits spatially and temporally controllable activation of spinal vesicular glutamate transporter 2a-expressing neurons in larval zebrafish, eliciting patterned locomotor activity that is not dependent on NMDA receptor signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jacob E Montgomery
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Kayce T Vanpelt
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Samantha L Biltz
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Jack H Peck
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Mark A Masino
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
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Large-Scale Analysis of the Diversity and Complexity of the Adult Spinal Cord Neurotransmitter Typology. iScience 2019; 19:1189-1201. [PMID: 31542702 PMCID: PMC6831849 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2019.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2018] [Revised: 04/24/2019] [Accepted: 09/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of nervous system atlases is a fundamental pursuit in neuroscience, since they constitute a fundamental tool to improve our understanding of the nervous system and behavior. As such, neurotransmitter maps are valuable resources to decipher the nervous system organization and functionality. We present here the first comprehensive quantitative map of neurons found in the adult zebrafish spinal cord. Our study overlays detailed information regarding the anatomical positions, sizes, neurotransmitter phenotypes, and the projection patterns of the spinal neurons. We also show that neurotransmitter co-expression is much more extensive than previously assumed, suggesting that spinal networks are more complex than first recognized. As a first direct application, we investigated the neurotransmitter diversity in the putative glutamatergic spinal V2a-interneuron assembly. These studies shed new light on the diverse and complex functions of this important interneuron class in the neuronal interplay governing the precise operation of the central pattern generators.
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Callahan RA, Roberts R, Sengupta M, Kimura Y, Higashijima SI, Bagnall MW. Spinal V2b neurons reveal a role for ipsilateral inhibition in speed control. eLife 2019; 8:e47837. [PMID: 31355747 PMCID: PMC6701946 DOI: 10.7554/elife.47837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2019] [Accepted: 07/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The spinal cord contains a diverse array of interneurons that govern motor output. Traditionally, models of spinal circuits have emphasized the role of inhibition in enforcing reciprocal alternation between left and right sides or flexors and extensors. However, recent work has shown that inhibition also increases coincident with excitation during contraction. Here, using larval zebrafish, we investigate the V2b (Gata3+) class of neurons, which contribute to flexor-extensor alternation but are otherwise poorly understood. Using newly generated transgenic lines we define two stable subclasses with distinct neurotransmitter and morphological properties. These V2b subclasses synapse directly onto motor neurons with differential targeting to speed-specific circuits. In vivo, optogenetic manipulation of V2b activity modulates locomotor frequency: suppressing V2b neurons elicits faster locomotion, whereas activating V2b neurons slows locomotion. We conclude that V2b neurons serve as a brake on axial motor circuits. Together, these results indicate a role for ipsilateral inhibition in speed control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca A Callahan
- Department of NeuroscienceWashington University School of MedicineSt LouisUnited States
| | - Richard Roberts
- Department of NeuroscienceWashington University School of MedicineSt LouisUnited States
| | - Mohini Sengupta
- Department of NeuroscienceWashington University School of MedicineSt LouisUnited States
| | | | | | - Martha W Bagnall
- Department of NeuroscienceWashington University School of MedicineSt LouisUnited States
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Félix L, Coimbra AM, Valentim AM, Antunes L. Review on the use of zebrafish embryos to study the effects of anesthetics during early development. Crit Rev Toxicol 2019; 49:357-370. [PMID: 31314655 DOI: 10.1080/10408444.2019.1617236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Over the years, the potential toxicity of anesthetics has raised serious concerns about its safe use during pregnancy. As evidence emerged from research in animal models, showing that some anesthetic drugs are potential teratogenic, the determination of the risk of exposures to anesthetic drugs at early life stages became mandatory. However, due to inaccessibility and ethical constrains related to experimental conditions, the use of early life stages in mammalian models is limited. In this regard, some animal and nonanimal models have been suggested to surpass mammalian use in experimentation. Among them, the zebrafish embryo test has been recognized as a promising alternative in toxicology research, as well as an inexpensive and practical test. Substantial information collected from developmental research following compounds exposure, has contributed to the application of zebrafish assays in research, although only a few studies have focused on the use of early life stages of zebrafish to evaluate the developmental effects of anesthetics. Based on the recent advances of science and technology, there is a clear potential for zebrafish early life stages to provide new insights into anesthetics teratogenicity. This review provides an overview of recent anesthesia research using zebrafish embryos, demonstrating its usefulness to the anesthesia field, discussing the recent findings on various aspects related to the effects of anesthetics during early life development and the strengths and limitations of this model system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luís Félix
- Institute for Research and Innovation in Health, Laboratory Animal Science, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Porto , Porto , Portugal.,Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro , Vila Real , Portugal
| | - Ana Maria Coimbra
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro , Vila Real , Portugal
| | - Ana Maria Valentim
- Institute for Research and Innovation in Health, Laboratory Animal Science, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Porto , Porto , Portugal.,Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro , Vila Real , Portugal
| | - Luís Antunes
- Institute for Research and Innovation in Health, Laboratory Animal Science, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Porto , Porto , Portugal.,Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro , Vila Real , Portugal
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Fontana BD, Franscescon F, Rosemberg DB, Norton WH, Kalueff AV, Parker MO. Zebrafish models for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 100:9-18. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Revised: 02/15/2019] [Accepted: 02/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
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Distribution and neuronal circuit of spexin 1/2 neurons in the zebrafish CNS. Sci Rep 2019; 9:5025. [PMID: 30903017 PMCID: PMC6430828 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-41431-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Spexin (SPX) is a highly conserved neuropeptide that is widely expressed in mammalian brain and peripheral tissue. In teleost, SPX1 is mainly expressed in the brain and ovary, and is involved in reproduction and food intake. A second form of SPX, SPX2, was recently identified in chick, Xenopus, and zebrafish. The expression pattern and roles of SPX2 are unknown. SPX (spx1) is highly expressed in the vertebrate brain, but its distribution, circuits, and interactions with its putative receptor are unknown. Here, we observed expression of spx1 in the midbrain and hindbrain, and spx2 in the hypothalamic preoptic area using in situ RNA hybridization in zebrafish. Analysis of transgenic reporter zebrafish revealed that hindbrain SPX1 neurons are PAX2+ inhibitory interneurons and project to the spinal cord, where they interact with galanin receptor 2b (GALR2b) neurons, suggesting that hindbrain SPX1 neurons are reticulospinal neurons. spx1 mRNA and SPX1 reporter expression were observed in dorsal habenula (dHb). SPX1 neurons in the dHb project to the interpeduncular nucleus (IPN), where GALR2a and GALR2b expression was also observed, suggesting that habenula SPX1 neurons may interact with GALR2a/2b in the IPN.
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Vaz R, Hofmeister W, Lindstrand A. Zebrafish Models of Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Limitations and Benefits of Current Tools and Techniques. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20061296. [PMID: 30875831 PMCID: PMC6471844 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20061296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2019] [Revised: 02/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
For the past few years there has been an exponential increase in the use of animal models to confirm the pathogenicity of candidate disease-causing genetic variants found in patients. One such animal model is the zebrafish. Despite being a non-mammalian animal, the zebrafish model has proven its potential in recapitulating the phenotypes of many different human genetic disorders. This review will focus on recent advances in the modeling of neurodevelopmental disorders in zebrafish, covering aspects from early brain development to techniques used for modulating gene expression, as well as how to best characterize the resulting phenotypes. We also review other existing models of neurodevelopmental disorders, and the current efforts in developing and testing compounds with potential therapeutic value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Vaz
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 171 76 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Wolfgang Hofmeister
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Odense University Hospital, 5000 Odense, Denmark and the Novo Nordisk Foundation for Stem cell Biology (Danstem), University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Anna Lindstrand
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Center for Molecular Medicine and Clinical Genetics, Karolinska University Laboratory, Karolinska University Hospital, 171 76 Stockholm, Sweden.
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O’Connor MJ, Beebe LL, Deodato D, Ball RE, Page AT, VanLeuven AJ, Harris KT, Park S, Hariharan V, Lauderdale JD, Dore TM. Bypassing Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase 1 (Gad1) Induced Craniofacial Defects with a Photoactivatable Translation Blocker Morpholino. ACS Chem Neurosci 2019; 10:266-278. [PMID: 30200754 PMCID: PMC6337688 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.8b00231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
![]()
γ-Amino
butyric acid (GABA) mediated signaling is critical
in the central and enteric nervous systems, pancreas, lungs, and other
tissues. It is associated with many neurological disorders and craniofacial
development. Glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) synthesizes GABA from
glutamate, and knockdown of the gad1 gene results
in craniofacial defects that are lethal in zebrafish. To bypass this
and enable observation of the neurological defects resulting from
knocking down gad1 expression, a photoactivatable
morpholino oligonucleotide (MO) against gad1 was
prepared by cyclization with a photocleavable linker rendering the
MO inactive. The cyclized MO was stable in the dark and toward degradative
enzymes and was completely linearized upon brief exposure to 405 nm
light. In the course of investigating the function of the ccMOs in
zebrafish, we discovered that zebrafish possess paralogous gad1 genes, gad1a and gad1b. A gad1b MO injected at the 1–4 cell stage
caused severe morphological defects in head development, which could
be bypassed, enabling the fish to develop normally, if the fish were
injected with a photoactivatable, cyclized gad1b MO
and grown in the dark. At 1 day post fertilization (dpf), light activation
of the gad1b MO followed by observation at 3 and
7 dpf led to increased and abnormal electrophysiological brain activity
compared to wild type animals. The photocleavable linker can be used
to cyclize and inactivate any MO, and represents a general strategy
to parse the function of developmentally important genes in a spatiotemporal
manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J. O’Connor
- New York University Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Lindsey L. Beebe
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Davide Deodato
- New York University Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Rebecca E. Ball
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - A. Tyler Page
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Ariel J. VanLeuven
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Kyle T. Harris
- Department of Chemistry, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602 United States
| | - Sungdae Park
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Vani Hariharan
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - James D. Lauderdale
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
- Neuroscience
Division
of the Biomedical and Health Sciences Institute, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Timothy M. Dore
- New York University Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Chemistry, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602 United States
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Berg EM, Björnfors ER, Pallucchi I, Picton LD, El Manira A. Principles Governing Locomotion in Vertebrates: Lessons From Zebrafish. Front Neural Circuits 2018; 12:73. [PMID: 30271327 PMCID: PMC6146226 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2018.00073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2018] [Accepted: 08/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Locomotor behaviors are critical for survival and enable animals to navigate their environment, find food and evade predators. The circuits in the brain and spinal cord that initiate and maintain such different modes of locomotion in vertebrates have been studied in numerous species for over a century. In recent decades, the zebrafish has emerged as one of the main model systems for the study of locomotion, owing to its experimental amenability, and work in zebrafish has revealed numerous new insights into locomotor circuit function. Here, we review the literature that has led to our current understanding of the neural circuits controlling swimming and escape in zebrafish. We highlight recent studies that have enriched our comprehension of key topics, such as the interactions between premotor excitatory interneurons (INs) and motoneurons (MNs), supraspinal and spinal circuits that coordinate escape maneuvers, and developmental changes in overall circuit composition. We also discuss roles for neuromodulators and sensory inputs in modifying the relative strengths of constituent circuit components to provide flexibility in zebrafish behavior, allowing the animal to accommodate changes in the environment. We aim to provide a coherent framework for understanding the circuitry in the brain and spinal cord of zebrafish that allows the animal to flexibly transition between different speeds, and modes, of locomotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva M Berg
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute (KI), Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Irene Pallucchi
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute (KI), Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Laurence D Picton
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute (KI), Stockholm, Sweden
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Severi KE, Böhm UL, Wyart C. Investigation of hindbrain activity during active locomotion reveals inhibitory neurons involved in sensorimotor processing. Sci Rep 2018; 8:13615. [PMID: 30206288 PMCID: PMC6134141 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-31968-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2018] [Accepted: 08/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Locomotion in vertebrates relies on motor circuits in the spinal cord receiving inputs from the hindbrain to execute motor commands while dynamically integrating proprioceptive sensory feedback. The spatial organization of the neuronal networks driving locomotion in the hindbrain and role of inhibition has not been extensively investigated. Here, we mapped neuronal activity with single-cell resolution in the hindbrain of restrained transgenic Tg(HuC:GCaMP5G) zebrafish larvae swimming in response to whole-field visual motion. We combined large-scale population calcium imaging in the hindbrain with simultaneous high-speed recording of the moving tail in animals where specific markers label glycinergic inhibitory neurons. We identified cells whose activity preferentially correlates with the visual stimulus or motor activity and used brain registration to compare data across individual larvae. We then morphed calcium imaging data onto the zebrafish brain atlas to compare with known transgenic markers. We report cells localized in the cerebellum whose activity is shut off by the onset of the visual stimulus, suggesting these cells may be constitutively active and silenced during sensorimotor processing. Finally, we discover that the activity of a medial stripe of glycinergic neurons in the domain of expression of the transcription factor engrailed1b is highly correlated with the onset of locomotion. Our efforts provide a high-resolution, open-access dataset for the community by comparing our functional map of the hindbrain to existing open-access atlases and enabling further investigation of this population's role in locomotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen E Severi
- Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière, ICM, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, CNRS, AP-HP, F-75013, Paris, France
- Federated Department of Biological Sciences, New Jersey Institute of Technology, University Heights, Newark, NJ, 07102, USA
| | - Urs L Böhm
- Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière, ICM, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, CNRS, AP-HP, F-75013, Paris, France
- Dept. of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Claire Wyart
- Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière, ICM, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, CNRS, AP-HP, F-75013, Paris, France.
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Neural Cotransmission in Spinal Circuits Governing Locomotion. Trends Neurosci 2018; 41:540-550. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2018.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2017] [Revised: 04/06/2018] [Accepted: 04/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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48
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Miller GW, Chandrasekaran V, Yaghoobi B, Lein PJ. Opportunities and challenges for using the zebrafish to study neuronal connectivity as an endpoint of developmental neurotoxicity. Neurotoxicology 2018; 67:102-111. [PMID: 29704525 PMCID: PMC6177215 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2018.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2018] [Revised: 04/23/2018] [Accepted: 04/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Chemical exposures have been implicated as environmental risk factors that interact with genetic susceptibilities to influence individual risk for complex neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and intellectual disabilities. Altered patterns of neuronal connectivity represent a convergent mechanism of pathogenesis for these and other neurodevelopmental disorders, and growing evidence suggests that chemicals can interfere with specific signaling pathways that regulate the development of neuronal connections. There is, therefore, a growing interest in developing screening platforms to identify chemicals that alter neuronal connectivity. Cell-cell, cell-matrix interactions and systemic influences are known to be important in defining neuronal connectivity in the developing brain, thus, a systems-based model offers significant advantages over cell-based models for screening chemicals for effects on neuronal connectivity. The embryonic zebrafish represents a vertebrate model amenable to higher throughput chemical screening that has proven useful in characterizing conserved mechanisms of neurodevelopment. Moreover, the zebrafish is readily amenable to gene editing to integrate genetic susceptibilities. Although use of the zebrafish model in toxicity testing has increased in recent years, the diverse tools available for imaging structural differences in the developing zebrafish brain have not been widely applied to studies of the influence of gene by environment interactions on neuronal connectivity in the developing zebrafish brain. Here, we discuss tools available for imaging of neuronal connectivity in the developing zebrafish, review what has been published in this regard, and suggest a path forward for applying this information to developmental neurotoxicity testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Galen W. Miller
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Vidya Chandrasekaran
- Department of Biology, Saint Mary’s College of California, Moraga, CA 94575, USA
| | - Bianca Yaghoobi
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Pamela J. Lein
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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49
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Berg EM, Bertuzzi M, Ampatzis K. Complementary expression of calcium binding proteins delineates the functional organization of the locomotor network. Brain Struct Funct 2018; 223:2181-2196. [PMID: 29423637 PMCID: PMC5968073 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-018-1622-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 01/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Neuronal networks in the spinal cord generate and execute all locomotor-related movements by transforming descending signals from supraspinal areas into appropriate rhythmic activity patterns. In these spinal networks, neurons that arise from the same progenitor domain share similar distribution patterns, neurotransmitter phenotypes, morphological and electrophysiological features. However, subgroups of them participate in different functionally distinct microcircuits to produce locomotion at different speeds and of different modalities. To better understand the nature of this network complexity, here we characterized the distribution of parvalbumin (PV), calbindin D-28 k (CB) and calretinin (CR) which are regulators of intracellular calcium levels and can serve as anatomical markers for morphologically and potential functionally distinct neuronal subpopulations. We observed wide expression of CBPs in the adult zebrafish, in several spinal and reticulospinal neuronal populations with a diverse neurotransmitter phenotype. We also found that several spinal motoneurons express CR and PV. However, only the motoneuron pools that are responsible for generation of fast locomotion were CR-positive. CR can thus be used as a marker for fast motoneurons and might potentially label the fast locomotor module. Moreover, CB was mainly observed in the neuronal progenitor cells that are distributed around the central canal. Thus, our results suggest that during development the spinal neurons utilize CB and as the neurons mature and establish a neurotransmitter phenotype they use CR or/and PV. The detailed characterization of CBPs expression, in the spinal cord and brainstem neurons, is a crucial step toward a better understanding of the development and functionality of neuronal locomotor networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva M Berg
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Maria Bertuzzi
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden
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Monesson-Olson B, McClain JJ, Case AE, Dorman HE, Turkewitz DR, Steiner AB, Downes GB. Expression of the eight GABAA receptor α subunits in the developing zebrafish central nervous system. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0196083. [PMID: 29702678 PMCID: PMC5922542 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0196083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2018] [Accepted: 04/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
GABA is a robust regulator of both developing and mature neural networks. It exerts many of its effects through GABAA receptors, which are heteropentamers assembled from a large array of subunits encoded by distinct genes. In mammals, there are 19 different GABAA subunit types, which are divided into the α, β, γ, δ, ε, π, θ and ρ subfamilies. The immense diversity of GABAA receptors is not fully understood. However, it is known that specific isoforms, with their distinct biophysical properties and expression profiles, tune responses to GABA. Although larval zebrafish are well-established as a model system for neural circuit analysis, little is known about GABAA receptors diversity and expression in this system. Here, using database analysis, we show that the zebrafish genome contains at least 23 subunits. All but the mammalian θ and ε subunits have at least one zebrafish ortholog, while five mammalian GABAA receptor subunits have two zebrafish orthologs. Zebrafish contain one subunit, β4, which does not have a clear mammalian ortholog. Similar to mammalian GABAA receptors, the zebrafish α subfamily is the largest and most diverse of the subfamilies. In zebrafish there are eight α subunits, and RNA in situ hybridization across early zebrafish development revealed that they demonstrate distinct patterns of expression in the brain, spinal cord, and retina. Some subunits were very broadly distributed, whereas others were restricted to small populations of cells. Subunit-specific expression patterns in zebrafish resembled were those found in frogs and rodents, which suggests that the roles of different GABAA receptor isoforms are largely conserved among vertebrates. This study provides a platform to examine isoform specific roles of GABAA receptors within zebrafish neural circuits and it highlights the potential of this system to better understand the remarkable heterogeneity of GABAA receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan Monesson-Olson
- Neuroscience and Behavior Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States of America
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States of America
| | - Jon J. McClain
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States of America
| | - Abigail E. Case
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States of America
| | - Hanna E. Dorman
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States of America
| | - Daniel R. Turkewitz
- Department of Biology and Health Sciences, Pace University, Pleasantville, NY, United States of America
| | - Aaron B. Steiner
- Department of Biology and Health Sciences, Pace University, Pleasantville, NY, United States of America
| | - Gerald B. Downes
- Neuroscience and Behavior Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States of America
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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