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Basu S, Ro EJ, Liu Z, Kim H, Bennett A, Kang S, Suh H. The Mef2c Gene Dose-Dependently Controls Hippocampal Neurogenesis and the Expression of Autism-Like Behaviors. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e1058232023. [PMID: 38123360 PMCID: PMC10860657 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1058-23.2023] [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: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the activity-dependent transcription factor MEF2C have been associated with several neuropsychiatric disorders. Among these, autism spectrum disorder (ASD)-related behavioral deficits are manifested. Multiple animal models that harbor mutations in Mef2c have provided compelling evidence that Mef2c is indeed an ASD gene. However, studies in mice with germline or global brain knock-out of Mef2c are limited in their ability to identify the precise neural substrates and cell types that are required for the expression of Mef2c-mediated ASD behaviors. Given the role of hippocampal neurogenesis in cognitive and social behaviors, in this study we aimed to investigate the role of Mef2c in the structure and function of newly generated dentate granule cells (DGCs) in the postnatal hippocampus and to determine whether disrupted Mef2c function is responsible for manifesting ASD behaviors. Overexpression of Mef2c (Mef2cOE ) arrested the transition of neurogenesis at progenitor stages, as indicated by sustained expression of Sox2+ in Mef2cOE DGCs. Conditional knock-out of Mef2c (Mef2ccko ) allowed neuronal commitment of Mef2ccko cells; however, Mef2ccko impaired not only dendritic arborization and spine formation but also synaptic transmission onto Mef2ccko DGCs. Moreover, the abnormal structure and function of Mef2ccko DGCs led to deficits in social interaction and social novelty recognition, which are key characteristics of ASD behaviors. Thus, our study revealed a dose-dependent requirement of Mef2c in the control of distinct steps of neurogenesis, as well as a critical cell-autonomous function of Mef2c in newborn DGCs in the expression of proper social behavior in both sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sreetama Basu
- Department of Neurosciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland 44109, Ohio
| | - Eun Jeoung Ro
- Department of Neurosciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland 44109, Ohio
| | - Zhi Liu
- Department of Neurosciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland 44109, Ohio
| | - Hyunjung Kim
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta 30912, Georgia
| | - Aubrey Bennett
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta 30912, Georgia
| | - Seungwoo Kang
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta 30912, Georgia
| | - Hoonkyo Suh
- Department of Neurosciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland 44109, Ohio
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2
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Bonfanti L, La Rosa C, Ghibaudi M, Sherwood CC. Adult neurogenesis and "immature" neurons in mammals: an evolutionary trade-off in plasticity? Brain Struct Funct 2023:10.1007/s00429-023-02717-9. [PMID: 37833544 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-023-02717-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
Neuronal plasticity can vary remarkably in its form and degree across animal species. Adult neurogenesis, namely the capacity to produce new neurons from neural stem cells through adulthood, appears widespread in non-mammalian vertebrates, whereas it is reduced in mammals. A growing body of comparative studies also report variation in the occurrence and activity of neural stem cell niches between mammals, with a general trend of reduction from small-brained to large-brained species. Conversely, recent studies have shown that large-brained mammals host large amounts of neurons expressing typical markers of neurogenesis in the absence of cell division. In layer II of the cerebral cortex, populations of prenatally generated, non-dividing neurons continue to express molecules indicative of immaturity throughout life (cortical immature neurons; cINs). After remaining in a dormant state for a very long time, these cINs retain the potential of differentiating into mature neurons that integrate within the preexisting neural circuits. They are restricted to the paleocortex in small-brained rodents, while extending into the widely expanded neocortex of highly gyrencephalic, large-brained species. The current hypothesis is that these populations of non-newly generated "immature" neurons might represent a reservoir of developmentally plastic cells for mammalian species that are characterized by reduced stem cell-driven adult neurogenesis. This indicates that there may be a trade-off between various forms of plasticity that coexist during brain evolution. This balance may be necessary to maintain a "reservoir of plasticity" in brain regions that have distinct roles in species-specific socioecological adaptations, such as the neocortex and olfactory structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Bonfanti
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, Orbassano, Italy.
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Largo Braccini 2, 10095, Turin, Grugliasco, Italy.
| | - Chiara La Rosa
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, Orbassano, Italy
| | - Marco Ghibaudi
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, Orbassano, Italy
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Largo Braccini 2, 10095, Turin, Grugliasco, Italy
| | - Chet C Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
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3
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Parsons MH, Stryjek R, Fendt M, Kiyokawa Y, Bebas P, Blumstein DT. Making a case for the free exploratory paradigm: animal welfare-friendly assays that enhance heterozygosity and ecological validity. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1228478. [PMID: 37600759 PMCID: PMC10436217 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1228478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Michael H. Parsons
- Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Rafal Stryjek
- Institute of Psychology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Markus Fendt
- Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Yasushi Kiyokawa
- Laboratory of Veterinary Ethology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Piotr Bebas
- Department of Animal Physiology, Institute of Functional Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Daniel T. Blumstein
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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4
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Hagen EH, Blackwell AD, Lightner AD, Sullivan RJ. Homo medicus: The transition to meat eating increased pathogen pressure and the use of pharmacological plants in Homo. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2023; 180:589-617. [PMID: 36815505 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
The human lineage transitioned to a more carnivorous niche 2.6 mya and evolved a large body size and slower life history, which likely increased zoonotic pathogen pressure. Evidence for this increase includes increased zoonotic infections in modern hunter-gatherers and bushmeat hunters, exceptionally low stomach pH compared to other primates, and divergence in immune-related genes. These all point to change, and probably intensification, in the infectious disease environment of Homo compared to earlier hominins and other apes. At the same time, the brain, an organ in which immune responses are constrained, began to triple in size. We propose that the combination of increased zoonotic pathogen pressure and the challenges of defending a large brain and body from pathogens in a long-lived mammal, selected for intensification of the plant-based self-medication strategies already in place in apes and other primates. In support, there is evidence of medicinal plant use by hominins in the middle Paleolithic, and all cultures today have sophisticated, plant-based medical systems, add spices to food, and regularly consume psychoactive plant substances that are harmful to helminths and other pathogens. We propose that the computational challenges of discovering effective plant-based treatments, the consequent ability to consume more energy-rich animal foods, and the reduced reliance on energetically-costly immune responses helped select for increased cognitive abilities and unique exchange relationships in Homo. In the story of human evolution, which has long emphasized hunting skills, medical skills had an equal role to play.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward H Hagen
- Department of Anthropology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Aaron D Blackwell
- Department of Anthropology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Aaron D Lightner
- Department of Anthropology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
- Department of the Study of Religion, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Roger J Sullivan
- Department of Anthropology, California State University, Sacramento, California, USA
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5
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Parsons MH, Stryjek R, Bebas P, Fendt M, Blumstein DT, Kiyokawa Y, Chrzanowski MM, Munshi-South J. Why are predator cues in the field not more evocative? A ‘real world’ assay elicits subtle, but meaningful, responses by wild rodents to predator scents. Front Ecol Evol 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.1054568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Mismatches between highly-standardized laboratory predatory assays and more realistic environmental conditions may lead to different outcomes. Understanding rodents’ natural responses to predator scents is important. Thus, field studies on the same and related species are essential to corroborate laboratory findings to better understand the contexts and motivational drives that affect laboratory responses to predator scents. However, there are too few field assays to enable researchers to study factors that influence these responses in genetically variable populations of wild rodents. Therefore, we placed laboratory-style chambers and remote-sensing devices near multiple colonies of two species of wild mice (Apodemus agrarius and Apodemus flavicollis) to test dual-motivational drives (appetitive and aversive) in a ‘familiar’, yet natural environment. A highly-palatable food reward was offered daily alongside scents from coyotes, lions, rabbits, and both wet and dry controls. In all but two instances (n = 264), animals entered chambers and remained inside for several minutes. Animals initiated flight twice, but they never froze. Rather, they visited chambers more often and stayed inside longer when predatory scents were deployed. The total time spent inside was highest for lion urine (380% longer than the dry control), followed by coyote scent (75% longer), dry control and lastly, herbivore scents (no difference). Once inside the chamber, animals spent more time physically interacting with predatory scents than the herbivore scent or controls. Our findings support the common assumption that rodents fail to respond as overtly to predatory scents in the field compared to what has been observed in the laboratory, possibly due to their varying motivational levels to obtain food. More time spent interacting with scents in the field was likely a function of ‘predator inspection’ (risk assessment) once subjects were in a presumed safe enclosure. We conclude this sort of chamber assay can be useful in understanding the contexts and motivational drives inherent to field studies, and may help interpret laboratory results. Our results also suggest more attention should be given to subtle behaviors such as scent inspection in order to better understand how, and when, environmental stimuli evoke fear in rodents.
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Sirichoat A, Anosri T, Kaewngam S, Aranarochana A, Pannangrong W, Wigmore P, Welbat JU. Neuroprotective properties of chrysin on decreases of cell proliferation, immature neurons and neuronal cell survival in the hippocampal dentate gyrus associated with cognition induced by methotrexate. Neurotoxicology 2022; 92:15-24. [PMID: 35779630 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2022.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Methotrexate (MTX) is a drug widely used for chemotherapy and can reduce cancer cell production by inhibiting dihydrofolate reductase and decreasing cancer cell growth. MTX has a neurotoxic effect on neural stem and glial cells, leading to memory deficits. Chrysin is a natural flavonoid that contains essential biological activities, such as neuroprotective and cognitive-improving properties. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the protective effect of chrysin against MTX-induced memory impairments related to hippocampal neurogenesis. Seventy-two male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into six groups: control, MTX, chrysin (10 and 30 mg/kg), and MTX+ chrysin (10 and 30 mg/kg) groups. Chrysin (10 and 30 mg/kg) was administered by oral gavage for 15 days. MTX (75 mg/kg) was administered by intravenous injection on days 8 and 15. Spatial and recognition memories were evaluated using the novel object location (NOL) and novel object recognition (NOR) tests, respectively. Moreover, cell proliferation, neuronal cell survival, and immature neurons in the subgranular zone of the hippocampal dentate gyrus were quantified by Ki-67, bromodeoxyuridine/neuronal nuclear protein (BrdU/NeuN), and doublecortin (DCX) immunohistochemistry staining. The results of the MTX group demonstrated that spatial and recognition memories were both impaired. Furthermore, cell division reduction, neuronal cell survival reduction, and immature neuron decreases were detected in the MTX group and not observed in the co-administration groups. Therefore, these results revealed that chrysin could alleviate memory and neurogenesis impairments in MTX-treated rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Apiwat Sirichoat
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand; Neurogenesis Research Group, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
| | - Tanaporn Anosri
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand; Neurogenesis Research Group, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
| | - Soraya Kaewngam
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand; Neurogenesis Research Group, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
| | - Anusara Aranarochana
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand; Neurogenesis Research Group, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
| | - Wanassanun Pannangrong
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
| | - Peter Wigmore
- School of Life Sciences, Medical School, Queen's Medical Centre, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Jariya Umka Welbat
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand; Neurogenesis Research Group, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand.
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7
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Roeder SS, Burkardt P, Rost F, Rode J, Brusch L, Coras R, Englund E, Håkansson K, Possnert G, Salehpour M, Primetzhofer D, Csiba L, Molnár S, Méhes G, Tonchev AB, Schwab S, Bergmann O, Huttner HB. Evidence for postnatal neurogenesis in the human amygdala. Commun Biol 2022; 5:366. [PMID: 35440676 PMCID: PMC9018740 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03299-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The human amygdala is involved in processing of memory, decision-making, and emotional responses. Previous studies suggested that the amygdala may represent a neurogenic niche in mammals. By combining two distinct methodological approaches, lipofuscin quantification and 14C-based retrospective birth dating of neurons, along with mathematical modelling, we here explored whether postnatal neurogenesis exists in the human amygdala. We investigated post-mortem samples of twelve neurologically healthy subjects. The average rate of lipofuscin-negative neurons was 3.4%, representing a substantial proportion of cells substantially younger than the individual. Mass spectrometry analysis of genomic 14C-concentrations in amygdala neurons compared with atmospheric 14C-levels provided evidence for postnatal neuronal exchange. Mathematical modelling identified a best-fitting scenario comprising of a quiescent and a renewing neuronal population with an overall renewal rate of >2.7% per year. In conclusion, we provide evidence for postnatal neurogenesis in the human amygdala with cell turnover rates comparable to the hippocampus. Lipofuscin labeling and 14 C retrospective birth-dating of neurons, along with mathematical modelling, here suggest continued postnatal neurogenesis in the human amygdala, rather than protracted maturation of developmentally generated neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian S Roeder
- Department of Neurology, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Petra Burkardt
- Department of Neurology, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Fabian Rost
- Center for Regenerative Therapies (CRTD), TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Dresden, Germany.,Center for Information Services and High Performance Computing (ZIH), TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering, DRESDEN-concept Genome Center, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Julian Rode
- Center for Information Services and High Performance Computing (ZIH), TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Lutz Brusch
- Center for Information Services and High Performance Computing (ZIH), TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Roland Coras
- Department of Neuropathology, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | | | - Karl Håkansson
- Tandem Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - Mehran Salehpour
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Daniel Primetzhofer
- Tandem Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - László Csiba
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.,MTA-DE Cerebrovascular and Neurodegenerative Research Group, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Sarolta Molnár
- Department of Pathology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Gábor Méhes
- Department of Pathology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Anton B Tonchev
- Departments of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Stem Cell Biology, Medical University Varna, Varna, Bulgaria
| | - Stefan Schwab
- Department of Neurology, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Olaf Bergmann
- Center for Regenerative Therapies (CRTD), TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Hagen B Huttner
- Department of Neurology, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany. .,Department of Neurology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany.
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8
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mdka Expression Is Associated with Quiescent Neural Stem Cells during Constitutive and Reactive Neurogenesis in the Adult Zebrafish Telencephalon. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12020284. [PMID: 35204047 PMCID: PMC8870249 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12020284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
In contrast to mammals, adult zebrafish display an extraordinary capacity to heal injuries and repair damage in the central nervous system. Pivotal for the regenerative capacity of the zebrafish brain at adult stages is the precise control of neural stem cell (NSC) behavior and the maintenance of the stem cell pool. The gene mdka, a member of a small family of heparin binding growth factors, was previously shown to be involved in regeneration in the zebrafish retina, heart, and fin. Here, we investigated the expression pattern of the gene mdka and its paralogue mdkb in the zebrafish adult telencephalon under constitutive and regenerative conditions. Our findings show that only mdka expression is specifically restricted to the telencephalic ventricle, a stem cell niche of the zebrafish telencephalon. In this brain region, mdka is particularly expressed in the quiescent stem cells. Interestingly, after brain injury, mdka expression remains restricted to the resting stem cell, which might suggest a role of mdka in regulating stem cell quiescence.
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Ribeiro FF, Ferreira F, Rodrigues RS, Soares R, Pedro DM, Duarte-Samartinho M, Aroeira RI, Ferreiro E, Valero J, Solá S, Mira H, Sebastião AM, Xapelli S. Regulation of hippocampal postnatal and adult neurogenesis by adenosine A 2A receptor: Interaction with brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Stem Cells 2021; 39:1362-1381. [PMID: 34043863 DOI: 10.1002/stem.3421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Adenosine A2A receptor (A2A R) activation modulates several brain processes, ranging from neuronal maturation to synaptic plasticity. Most of these actions occur through the modulation of the actions of the neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). In this work, we studied the role of A2A Rs in regulating postnatal and adult neurogenesis in the rat hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG). Here, we show that A2A R activation with CGS 21680 promoted neural stem cell self-renewal, protected committed neuronal cells from cell death and contributed to a higher density of immature and mature neuronal cells, particularly glutamatergic neurons. Moreover, A2A R endogenous activation was found to be essential for BDNF-mediated increase in cell proliferation and neuronal differentiation. Our findings contribute to further understand the role of adenosinergic signaling in the brain and may have an impact in the development of strategies for brain repair under pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipa F Ribeiro
- Instituto de Farmacologia e Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes (iMM, JLB), Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Filipa Ferreira
- Instituto de Farmacologia e Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes (iMM, JLB), Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Rui S Rodrigues
- Instituto de Farmacologia e Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes (iMM, JLB), Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Rita Soares
- Instituto de Farmacologia e Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes (iMM, JLB), Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- iMed.ULisboa, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Diogo M Pedro
- Instituto de Farmacologia e Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes (iMM, JLB), Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Marta Duarte-Samartinho
- Instituto de Farmacologia e Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes (iMM, JLB), Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Rita I Aroeira
- Instituto de Farmacologia e Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes (iMM, JLB), Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Elisabete Ferreiro
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Jorge Valero
- Laboratory of Glial Cell Biology, Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain
- Ikerbasque Foundation, Bilbao, Spain
- University of the Basque Country EHU/UPV, Leioa, Spain
| | - Susana Solá
- iMed.ULisboa, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Helena Mira
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia (IBV-CSIC), Valencia, Spain
| | - Ana M Sebastião
- Instituto de Farmacologia e Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes (iMM, JLB), Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Sara Xapelli
- Instituto de Farmacologia e Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes (iMM, JLB), Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
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10
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Bonfanti L, Seki T. The PSA-NCAM-Positive "Immature" Neurons: An Old Discovery Providing New Vistas on Brain Structural Plasticity. Cells 2021; 10:2542. [PMID: 34685522 PMCID: PMC8534119 DOI: 10.3390/cells10102542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies on brain plasticity have undertaken different roads, tackling a wide range of biological processes: from small synaptic changes affecting the contacts among neurons at the very tip of their processes, to birth, differentiation, and integration of new neurons (adult neurogenesis). Stem cell-driven adult neurogenesis is an exception in the substantially static mammalian brain, yet, it has dominated the research in neurodevelopmental biology during the last thirty years. Studies of comparative neuroplasticity have revealed that neurogenic processes are reduced in large-brained mammals, including humans. On the other hand, large-brained mammals, with respect to rodents, host large populations of special "immature" neurons that are generated prenatally but express immature markers in adulthood. The history of these "immature" neurons started from studies on adhesion molecules carried out at the beginning of the nineties. The identity of these neurons as "stand by" cells "frozen" in a state of immaturity remained un-detected for long time, because of their ill-defined features and because clouded by research ef-forts focused on adult neurogenesis. In this review article, the history of these cells will be reconstructed, and a series of nuances and confounding factors that have hindered the distinction between newly generated and "immature" neurons will be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Bonfanti
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi (NICO), 10043 Orbassano, Italy
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, 10095 Torino, Italy
| | - Tatsunori Seki
- Department of Histology and Neuroanatomy, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo 160-8402, Japan
- Department of Anatomy and Life Structure, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8402, Japan
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11
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Constitutive Neurogenesis in the Brain of Different Vertebrate Groups. NEUROPHYSIOLOGY+ 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s11062-021-09904-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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12
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Let's get wild: A review of free-ranging rat assays as context-enriched supplements to traditional laboratory models. J Neurosci Methods 2021; 362:109303. [PMID: 34352335 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2021.109303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
More than 24,000 rodent studies are published annually, with the vast majority of these studies focused on genetically undiverse animals in highly-controlled laboratory settings. However, findings from the laboratory have become increasingly unreliable for predicting outcomes in field and clinical settings, leading to a perceived crisis in translational research. One cause of this disparity might be that most human societies, in contrast to laboratory rodents, are genetically diverse and live in super-enriched environments. Methods for importing wild rats into the laboratory, and also exporting laboratory-style chambers into natural environments are not well-known outside their respective disciplines. Therefore, we have reviewed the current status of supplements to the laboratory rodent assay. We progress logically from highly-controlled experiments with natural breeding colonies to purely naturalistic approaches with free-ranging rats. We then highlight a number of approaches that allow genetically-diverse wild rats to be utilized in context-enriched paradigms. While considering the benefits and shortcomings of each available approach, we detail protocols for random sampling, remote-sensing, and deployment of laboratory chambers in the field. As supplements to standardized laboratory trials, some of these assays could offer key insights to help unify outcomes between laboratory and field studies. However, we note several outstanding questions that must be addressed such as: the trade-off between control and context, possible reductions in sample size, ramifications for the 'standardization fallacy', and ethical dilemmas of working with wild animals. Given these challenges, further innovation will be required before supplemental assays can be made broadly-accessible and thus, transferrable across disciplines.
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13
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Sorrells SF, Paredes MF, Zhang Z, Kang G, Pastor-Alonso O, Biagiotti S, Page CE, Sandoval K, Knox A, Connolly A, Huang EJ, Garcia-Verdugo JM, Oldham MC, Yang Z, Alvarez-Buylla A. Positive Controls in Adults and Children Support That Very Few, If Any, New Neurons Are Born in the Adult Human Hippocampus. J Neurosci 2021; 41:2554-2565. [PMID: 33762407 PMCID: PMC8018729 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0676-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Adult hippocampal neurogenesis was originally discovered in rodents. Subsequent studies identified the adult neural stem cells and found important links between adult neurogenesis and plasticity, behavior, and disease. However, whether new neurons are produced in the human dentate gyrus (DG) during healthy aging is still debated. We and others readily observe proliferating neural progenitors in the infant hippocampus near immature cells expressing doublecortin (DCX), but the number of such cells decreases in children and few, if any, are present in adults. Recent investigations using dual antigen retrieval find many cells stained by DCX antibodies in adult human DG. This has been interpreted as evidence for high rates of adult neurogenesis, even at older ages. However, most of these DCX-labeled cells have mature morphology. Furthermore, studies in the adult human DG have not found a germinal region containing dividing progenitor cells. In this Dual Perspectives article, we show that dual antigen retrieval is not required for the detection of DCX in multiple human brain regions of infants or adults. We review prior studies and present new data showing that DCX is not uniquely expressed by newly born neurons: DCX is present in adult amygdala, entorhinal and parahippocampal cortex neurons despite being absent in the neighboring DG. Analysis of available RNA-sequencing datasets supports the view that DG neurogenesis is rare or absent in the adult human brain. To resolve the conflicting interpretations in humans, it is necessary to identify and visualize dividing neuronal precursors or develop new methods to evaluate the age of a neuron at the single-cell level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shawn F Sorrells
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260
| | - Mercedes F Paredes
- Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143
| | - Zhuangzhi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. 200032 China
| | - Gugene Kang
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143
| | - Oier Pastor-Alonso
- Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143
| | - Sean Biagiotti
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260
| | - Chloe E Page
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260
| | - Kadellyn Sandoval
- Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143
| | - Anthony Knox
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143
| | - Andrew Connolly
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143
| | - Eric J Huang
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143
| | - Jose Manuel Garcia-Verdugo
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología Comparada, Instituto Cavanilles, Universidad de Valencia, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, Valencia 46980, Spain
| | - Michael C Oldham
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143
| | - Zhengang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. 200032 China
| | - Arturo Alvarez-Buylla
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143
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14
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Despotovski V, Vivekanandarajah A, Waters KA, Machaalani R. Expression of reelin with age in the human hippocampal formation. Hippocampus 2021; 31:493-502. [PMID: 33539623 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Reelin plays a key role in neuronal migration and lamination in the cortex and hippocampus. Animal studies have shown that reelin expression decreases with age. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of reelin in all layers of the human hippocampal formation across three age groups. We used immunohistochemistry in formalin fixed and paraffin embedded hippocampal tissue from infants (1-10 months; n = 9), children (4-10 years; n = 4), and adults (45-60 years; n = 6) to stain for reelin. Expression was quantified (measured as the number of positive reelin cells/mm2 ) in the granule cell layer of the dentate gyrus (DG), the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus (ML), the hippocampal fissure (HF), stratum lacunosum moleculare (SLM), CA4/Hilus and the stratum pyramidale layer of CA3, CA2, and CA1. Expression of reelin was highest in the HF irrespective of age, followed by the SLM and ML. Minimal to no expression was seen in the stratum pyramidale layer of CA1-3. With age, reelin expression decreased and was statistically significant from infancy to childhood in the HF (p = .02). This study confirms that reelin expression decreases with age in the human hippocampus, and shows for the first time that the major decrease occurs between infancy and early childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Despotovski
- Discipline of Medicine, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Arunnjah Vivekanandarajah
- Discipline of Medicine, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Karen A Waters
- Discipline of Medicine, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Discipline of Child and Adolescent Health, Children's Hospital at Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Rita Machaalani
- Discipline of Medicine, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Discipline of Child and Adolescent Health, Children's Hospital at Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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15
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Piotrowska M. Human Brain Surrogates: Models or Distortions? THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOETHICS : AJOB 2021; 21:66-68. [PMID: 33373559 DOI: 10.1080/15265161.2020.1845867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
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16
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Abstract
Chronic alcohol consumption results in alcohol use disorder (AUD). Interestingly, however, sudden alcohol withdrawal (AW) after chronic alcohol exposure also leads to a devastating series of symptoms, referred to as alcohol withdrawal syndromes. One key feature of AW syndromes is to produce phenotypes that are opposite to AUD. For example, while the brain is characterized by a hypoactive state in the presence of alcohol, AW induces a hyperactive state, which is manifested as seizure expression. In this review, we discuss the idea that hippocampal neurogenesis and neural circuits play a key role in neuroadaptation and establishment of allostatic states in response to alcohol exposure and AW. The intrinsic properties of dentate granule cells (DGCs), and their contribution to the formation of a potent feedback inhibitory loop, endow the dentate gyrus with a "gate" function, which can limit the entry of excessive excitatory signals from the cortex into the hippocampus. We discuss the possibility that alcohol exposure and withdrawal disrupts structural development and circuitry integration of hippocampal newborn neurons, and that this altered neurogenesis impairs the gate function of the hippocampus. Failure of this gate function is expected to alter the ratio of excitatory to inhibitory (E/I) signals in the hippocampus and to induce seizure expression during AW. Recent functional studies have shown that specific activation and inhibition of hippocampal newborn DGCs are both necessary and sufficient for the expression of AW-associated seizures, further supporting the concept that neurogenesis-induced neuroadaptation is a critical target to understand and treat AUD and AW-associated seizures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sreetama Basu
- Department of Neurosciences, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Hoonkyo Suh
- Department of Neurosciences, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
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17
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Numerical Analysis of the Cerebral Cortex in Diprotodontids (Marsupialia; Australidelphia) and Comparison with Eutherian Brains. ZOOLOGY 2020; 143:125845. [DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2020.125845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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18
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Diotel N, Lübke L, Strähle U, Rastegar S. Common and Distinct Features of Adult Neurogenesis and Regeneration in the Telencephalon of Zebrafish and Mammals. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:568930. [PMID: 33071740 PMCID: PMC7538694 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.568930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In contrast to mammals, the adult zebrafish brain shows neurogenic activity in a multitude of niches present in almost all brain subdivisions. Irrespectively, constitutive neurogenesis in the adult zebrafish and mouse telencephalon share many similarities at the cellular and molecular level. However, upon injury during tissue repair, the situation is entirely different. In zebrafish, inflammation caused by traumatic brain injury or by induced neurodegeneration initiates specific and distinct neurogenic programs that, in combination with signaling pathways implicated in constitutive neurogenesis, quickly, and efficiently overcome the loss of neurons. In the mouse brain, injury-induced inflammation promotes gliosis leading to glial scar formation and inhibition of regeneration. A better understanding of the regenerative mechanisms occurring in the zebrafish brain could help to develop new therapies to combat the debilitating consequences of brain injury, stroke, and neurodegeneration. The aim of this review is to compare the properties of neural progenitors and the signaling pathways, which control adult neurogenesis and regeneration in the zebrafish and mammalian telencephalon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Diotel
- INSERM, UMR 1188, Diabète athérothrombose Thérapies Réunion Océan Indien (DéTROI), Université de La Réunion, Saint-Denis, France
| | - Luisa Lübke
- Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems-Biological Information Processing (IBCS-BIP), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Uwe Strähle
- Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems-Biological Information Processing (IBCS-BIP), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Sepand Rastegar
- Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems-Biological Information Processing (IBCS-BIP), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
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19
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Vancamp P, Butruille L, Demeneix BA, Remaud S. Thyroid Hormone and Neural Stem Cells: Repair Potential Following Brain and Spinal Cord Injury. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:875. [PMID: 32982671 PMCID: PMC7479247 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by chronic neuronal and/or glial cell loss, while traumatic injury is often accompanied by the acute loss of both. Multipotent neural stem cells (NSCs) in the adult mammalian brain spontaneously proliferate, forming neuronal and glial progenitors that migrate toward lesion sites upon injury. However, they fail to replace neurons and glial cells due to molecular inhibition and the lack of pro-regenerative cues. A major challenge in regenerative biology therefore is to unveil signaling pathways that could override molecular brakes and boost endogenous repair. In physiological conditions, thyroid hormone (TH) acts on NSC commitment in the subventricular zone, and the subgranular zone, the two largest NSC niches in mammals, including humans. Here, we discuss whether TH could have beneficial actions in various pathological contexts too, by evaluating recent data obtained in mammalian models of multiple sclerosis (MS; loss of oligodendroglial cells), Alzheimer’s disease (loss of neuronal cells), stroke and spinal cord injury (neuroglial cell loss). So far, TH has shown promising effects as a stimulator of remyelination in MS models, while its role in NSC-mediated repair in other diseases remains elusive. Disentangling the spatiotemporal aspects of the injury-driven repair response as well as the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which TH acts, could unveil new ways to further exploit its pro-regenerative potential, while TH (ant)agonists with cell type-specific action could provide safer and more target-directed approaches that translate easier to clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pieter Vancamp
- Laboratory Molecular Physiology and Adaptation, CNRS UMR 7221, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Department Adaptations of Life, Paris, France
| | - Lucile Butruille
- Laboratory Molecular Physiology and Adaptation, CNRS UMR 7221, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Department Adaptations of Life, Paris, France
| | - Barbara A Demeneix
- Laboratory Molecular Physiology and Adaptation, CNRS UMR 7221, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Department Adaptations of Life, Paris, France
| | - Sylvie Remaud
- Laboratory Molecular Physiology and Adaptation, CNRS UMR 7221, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Department Adaptations of Life, Paris, France
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20
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Seki T. Understanding the Real State of Human Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis From Studies of Rodents and Non-human Primates. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:839. [PMID: 32848586 PMCID: PMC7432251 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The concept of adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) has been widely accepted, and a large number of studies have been performed in rodents using modern experimental techniques, which have clarified the nature and developmental processes of adult neural stem/progenitor cells, the functions of AHN, such as memory and learning, and its association with neural diseases. However, a fundamental problem is that it remains unclear as to what extent AHN actually occurs in humans. The answer to this is indispensable when physiological and pathological functions of human AHN are deduced from studies of rodent AHN, but there are controversial data on the extent of human AHN. In this review, studies on AHN performed in rodents and humans will be briefly reviewed, followed by a discussion of the studies in non-human primates. Then, how data of rodent and non-human primate AHN should be applied for understanding human AHN will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatsunori Seki
- Department of Histology and Neuroanatomy, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
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21
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LaDage LD. Broadening the functional and evolutionary understanding of postnatal neurogenesis using reptilian models. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 223:223/15/jeb210542. [PMID: 32788272 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.210542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The production of new neurons in the brains of adult animals was first identified by Altman and Das in 1965, but it was not until the late 20th century when methods for visualizing new neuron production improved that there was a dramatic increase in research on neurogenesis in the adult brain. We now know that adult neurogenesis is a ubiquitous process that occurs across a wide range of taxonomic groups. This process has largely been studied in mammals; however, there are notable differences between mammals and other taxonomic groups in how, why and where new neuron production occurs. This Review will begin by describing the processes of adult neurogenesis in reptiles and identifying the similarities and differences in these processes between reptiles and model rodent species. Further, this Review underscores the importance of appreciating how wild-caught animals vary in neurogenic properties compared with laboratory-reared animals and how this can be used to broaden the functional and evolutionary understanding of why and how new neurons are produced in the adult brain. Studying variation in neural processes across taxonomic groups provides an evolutionary context to adult neurogenesis while also advancing our overall understanding of neurogenesis and brain plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara D LaDage
- Division of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Penn State Altoona, 3000 Ivyside Dr., Altoona, PA 16601, USA
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22
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Fendt M, Parsons MH, Apfelbach R, Carthey AJ, Dickman CR, Endres T, Frank AS, Heinz DE, Jones ME, Kiyokawa Y, Kreutzmann JC, Roelofs K, Schneider M, Sulger J, Wotjak CT, Blumstein DT. Context and trade-offs characterize real-world threat detection systems: A review and comprehensive framework to improve research practice and resolve the translational crisis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 115:25-33. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Revised: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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23
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La Rosa C, Parolisi R, Bonfanti L. Brain Structural Plasticity: From Adult Neurogenesis to Immature Neurons. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:75. [PMID: 32116519 PMCID: PMC7010851 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2019] [Accepted: 01/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain structural plasticity is an extraordinary tool that allows the mature brain to adapt to environmental changes, to learn, to repair itself after lesions or disease, and to slow aging. A long history of neuroscience research led to fascinating discoveries of different types of plasticity, involving changes in the genetically determined structure of nervous tissue, up to the ultimate dream of neuronal replacement: a stem cell-driven “adult neurogenesis” (AN). Yet, this road does not seem a straight one, since mutable dogmas, conflicting results and conflicting interpretations continue to warm the field. As a result, after more than 10,000 papers published on AN, we still do not know its time course, rate or features with respect to other kinds of structural plasticity in our brain. The solution does not appear to be behind the next curve, as differences among mammals reveal a very complex landscape that cannot be easily understood from rodents models alone. By considering evolutionary aspects, some pitfalls in the interpretation of cell markers, and a novel population of undifferentiated cells that are not newly generated [immature neurons (INs)], we address some conflicting results and controversies in order to find the right road forward. We suggest that considering plasticity in a comparative framework might help assemble the evolutionary, anatomical and functional pieces of a very complex biological process with extraordinary translational potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara La Rosa
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, Orbassano, Italy.,Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | | | - Luca Bonfanti
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, Orbassano, Italy.,Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
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24
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Abstract
The details of adult neurogenesis, including environmental triggers, region specificity, and species homology remain an area of intense investigation. Slowing or halting age-related cognitive dysfunction, or restoring neurons lost to disease or injury represent just a fraction of potential therapeutic applications. New neurons can derive from stem cells, pluripotent neural progenitor cells, or non-neuronal glial cells, such as astrocytes. Astrocytes must be epigenetically “reprogrammed” to become neurons, which can occur both naturally in vivo, and via artificial exogenous treatments. While neural progenitor cells are localized to a few neurogenic zones in the adult brain, astrocytes populate almost every brain structure. In this review, we will summarize recent research into neurogenesis that arises from conversion of post-mitotic astrocytes, detail the genetic and epigenetic pathways that regulate this process, and discuss the possible clinical relevance in supplementing stem-cell neurogenic therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian B Griffiths
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pain & Perioperative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Anvee Bhutani
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pain & Perioperative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Creed M Stary
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pain & Perioperative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
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25
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Mendes de Lima C, Douglas Corrêa Pereira P, Pereira Henrique E, Augusto de Oliveira M, Carvalho Paulo D, Silva de Siqueira L, Guerreiro Diniz D, Almeida Miranda D, André Damasceno de Melo M, Gyzely de Morais Magalhães N, Francis Sherry D, Wanderley Picanço Diniz C, Guerreiro Diniz C. Differential Change in Hippocampal Radial Astrocytes and Neurogenesis in Shorebirds With Contrasting Migratory Routes. Front Neuroanat 2019; 13:82. [PMID: 31680881 PMCID: PMC6798042 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2019.00082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 08/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Little is known about environmental influences on radial glia-like (RGL) α cells (radial astrocytes) and their relation to neurogenesis. Because radial glia is involved in adult neurogenesis and astrogenesis, we investigated this association in two migratory shorebird species that complete their autumnal migration using contrasting strategies. Before their flights to South America, the birds stop over at the Bay of Fundy in Canada. From there, the semipalmated sandpiper (Calidris pusilla) crosses the Atlantic Ocean in a non-stop 5-day flight, whereas the semipalmated plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) flies primarily overland with stopovers for rest and feeding. From the hierarchical cluster analysis of multimodal morphometric features, followed by the discriminant analysis, the radial astrocytes were classified into two main morphotypes, Type I and Type II. After migration, we detected differential changes in the morphology of these cells that were more intense in Type I than in Type II in both species. We also compared the number of doublecortin (DCX)-immunolabeled neurons with morphometric features of radial glial-like α cells in the hippocampal V region between C. pusilla and C. semipalmatus before and after autumn migration. Compared to migrating birds, the convex hull surface area of radial astrocytes increased significantly in wintering individuals in both C. semipalmatus and C. pusilla. Although to a different extent we found a strong correlation between the increase in the convex hull surface area and the increase in the total number of DCX immunostained neurons in both species. Despite phylogenetic differences, it is of interest to note that the increased morphological complexity of radial astrocytes in C. semipalmatus coincides with the fact that during the migratory process over the continent, the visuospatial environment changes more intensely than that associated with migration over Atlantic. The migratory flight of the semipalmated plover, with stopovers for feeding and rest, vs. the non-stop flight of the semipalmated sandpiper may differentially affect radial astrocyte morphology and neurogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Mendes de Lima
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção no Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Patrick Douglas Corrêa Pereira
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Bragança, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Ediely Pereira Henrique
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Bragança, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Marcus Augusto de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção no Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Dario Carvalho Paulo
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção no Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Lucas Silva de Siqueira
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Bragança, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Daniel Guerreiro Diniz
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção no Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil.,Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Bragança, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Diego Almeida Miranda
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Bragança, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Mauro André Damasceno de Melo
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Bragança, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Nara Gyzely de Morais Magalhães
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção no Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - David Francis Sherry
- Advanced Facility for Avian Research, Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Cristovam Wanderley Picanço Diniz
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção no Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Cristovam Guerreiro Diniz
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção no Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil.,Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Bragança, Bragança, Brazil
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26
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Reddy AP, Ravichandran J, Carkaci-Salli N. Neural regeneration therapies for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease-related disorders. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2019; 1866:165506. [PMID: 31276770 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2019.06.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2019] [Revised: 06/24/2019] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are devastating mental illnesses without a cure. Alzheimer's disease (AD) characterized by memory loss, multiple cognitive impairments, and changes in personality and behavior. Although tremendous progress has made in understanding the basic biology in disease processes in AD and PD, we still do not have early detectable biomarkers for these diseases. Just in the United States alone, federal and nonfederal funding agencies have spent billions of dollars on clinical trials aimed at finding drugs, but we still do not have a drug or an agent that can slow the AD or PD disease process. One primary reason for this disappointing result may be that the clinical trials enroll patients with AD or PD at advances stages. Although many drugs and agents are tested preclinical and are promising, in human clinical trials, they are mostly ineffective in slowing disease progression. One therapy that has been promising is 'stem cell therapy' based on cell culture and pre-clinical studies. In the few clinical studies that have investigated therapies in clinical trials with AD and PD patients at stage I. The therapies, such as stem cell transplantation - appear to delay the symptoms in AD and PD. The purpose of this article is to describe clinical trials using 1) stem cell transplantation methods in AD and PD mouse models and 2) regenerative medicine in AD and PD mouse models, and 3) the current status of investigating preclinical stem cell transplantation in patients with AD and PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arubala P Reddy
- Pharmacology & Neuroscience Department, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, 3601 4th Street, MS 9424, Lubbock, TX 79430, United States.
| | - Janani Ravichandran
- Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, 5001 El Paso Drive, El Paso, TX 79905, United States.
| | - Nurgul Carkaci-Salli
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, 500 University Drive, Hershey, PA 17033.
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La Rosa C, Ghibaudi M, Bonfanti L. Newly Generated and Non-Newly Generated "Immature" Neurons in the Mammalian Brain: A Possible Reservoir of Young Cells to Prevent Brain Aging and Disease? J Clin Med 2019; 8:jcm8050685. [PMID: 31096632 PMCID: PMC6571946 DOI: 10.3390/jcm8050685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2019] [Revised: 05/10/2019] [Accepted: 05/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain plasticity is important for translational purposes since most neurological disorders and brain aging problems remain substantially incurable. In the mammalian nervous system, neurons are mostly not renewed throughout life and cannot be replaced. In humans, the increasing life expectancy explains the increase in brain health problems, also producing heavy social and economic burden. An exception to the “static” brain is represented by stem cell niches leading to the production of new neurons. Such adult neurogenesis is dramatically reduced from fish to mammals, and in large-brained mammals with respect to rodents. Some examples of neurogenesis occurring outside the neurogenic niches have been reported, yet these new neurons actually do not integrate in the mature nervous tissue. Non-newly generated, “immature” neurons (nng-INs) are also present: Prenatally generated cells continuing to express molecules of immaturity (mostly shared with the newly born neurons). Of interest, nng-INs seem to show an inverse phylogenetic trend across mammals, being abundant in higher-order brain regions not served by neurogenesis and providing structural plasticity in rather stable areas. Both newly generated and nng-INs represent a potential reservoir of young cells (a “brain reserve”) that might be exploited for preventing the damage of aging and/or delay the onset/reduce the impact of neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara La Rosa
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi (NICO), 10043 Orbassano, Italy.
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, 10095 Torino, Italy.
| | - Marco Ghibaudi
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi (NICO), 10043 Orbassano, Italy.
| | - Luca Bonfanti
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi (NICO), 10043 Orbassano, Italy.
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, 10095 Torino, Italy.
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