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Banerjee S, Szyszka P, Beck CW. Knockdown of NeuroD2 leads to seizure-like behavior, brain neuronal hyperactivity and a leaky blood-brain barrier in a Xenopus laevis tadpole model of DEE75. Genetics 2024; 227:iyae085. [PMID: 38788202 PMCID: PMC11228833 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyae085] [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: 04/18/2024] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathies (DEE) are a genetically diverse group of severe, early onset seizure disorders. DEE are normally identified clinically in the first six months of life by the presence of frequent, difficult to control seizures and accompanying stalling or regression of development. DEE75 results from de novo mutations of the NEUROD2 gene that result in loss of activity of the encoded transcription factor, and the seizure phenotype was shown to be recapitulated in Xenopus tropicalis tadpoles. We used CRISPR/Cas9 to make a DEE75 model in Xenopus laevis, to further investigate the developmental etiology. NeuroD2.S CRISPR/Cas9 edited tadpoles were more active, swam faster on average, and had more seizures (C-shaped contractions resembling unprovoked C-start escape responses) than their sibling controls. Live imaging of Ca2+ signaling revealed prolongued, strong signals sweeping through the brain, indicative of neuronal hyperactivity. While the resulting tadpole brain appeared grossly normal, the blood-brain barrier (BBB) was found to be leakier than that of controls. Additionally, the TGFβ antagonist Losartan was shown to have a short-term protective effect, reducing neuronal hyperactivity and reducing permeability of the BBB. Treatment of NeuroD2 CRISPant tadpoles with 5 mM Losartan decreased seizure events by more than 4-fold compared to the baseline. Our results support a model of DEE75 resulting from reduced NeuroD2 activity during vertebrate brain development, and indicate that a leaky BBB contributes to epileptogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sulagna Banerjee
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, PO Box56, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
| | - Paul Szyszka
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, PO Box56, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
- Brain Health Research Centre, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
| | - Caroline W Beck
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, PO Box56, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
- Brain Health Research Centre, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
- Genetics Otago Research Centre, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
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2
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Laçin C, Turhan DO, Güngördü A. Assessing the impact of antiviral drugs commonly utilized during the COVID-19 pandemic on the embryonic development of Xenopus laevis. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 472:134462. [PMID: 38718506 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
The antiviral drugs favipiravir and oseltamivir are widely used to treat viral infections, including coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19), and their levels are expected to increase in the aquatic environment. In this study, the potential toxic and teratogenic effects of these drugs were evaluated using the frog embryo teratogenesis assay Xenopus (FETAX). In addition, glutathione S-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GR), catalase, carboxylesterase (CaE), and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzyme activities and malondialdehyde levels were measured as biochemical markers in embryos and tadpoles for comparative assessment of the sublethal effects of the test compounds. Prior to embryo exposure, drug concentrations in the exposure medium were measured with high-performance liquid chromatography. The 96-h median lethal concentration (LC50) was 137.9 and 32.3 mg/L for favipiravir and oseltamivir, respectively. The teratogenic index for favipiravir was 4.67. Both favipiravir and oseltamivir inhibited GR, CaE, and AChE activities in embryos, while favipiravir increased the GST and CaE activities in tadpoles. In conclusion, favipiravir, for which teratogenicity data are available in mammalian test organisms and human teratogenicity is controversial, inhibited Xenopus laevis embryo development and was teratogenic. In addition, sublethal concentrations of both drugs altered the biochemical responses in embryos and tadpoles, with differences between the developmental stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cemal Laçin
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Science, Inonu University, 44280 Malatya, Turkey
| | - Duygu Ozhan Turhan
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Science, Inonu University, 44280 Malatya, Turkey
| | - Abbas Güngördü
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Science, Inonu University, 44280 Malatya, Turkey.
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El Mir J, Nasrallah A, Thézé N, Cario M, Fayyad-Kazan H, Thiébaud P, Rezvani HR. Xenopus as a model system for studying pigmentation and pigmentary disorders. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res 2024. [PMID: 38849973 DOI: 10.1111/pcmr.13178] [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: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Human pigmentary disorders encompass a broad spectrum of phenotypic changes arising from disruptions in various stages of melanocyte formation, the melanogenesis process, or the transfer of pigment from melanocytes to keratinocytes. A large number of pigmentation genes associated with pigmentary disorders have been identified, many of them awaiting in vivo confirmation. A more comprehensive understanding of the molecular basis of pigmentary disorders requires a vertebrate animal model where changes in pigmentation are easily observable in vivo and can be combined to genomic modifications and gain/loss-of-function tools. Here we present the amphibian Xenopus with its unique features that fulfill these requirements. Changes in pigmentation are particularly easy to score in Xenopus embryos, allowing whole-organism based phenotypic screening. The development and behavior of Xenopus melanocytes closely mimic those observed in mammals. Interestingly, both Xenopus and mammalian skins exhibit comparable reactions to ultraviolet radiation. This review highlights how Xenopus constitutes an alternative and complementary model to the more commonly used mouse and zebrafish, contributing to the advancement of knowledge in melanocyte cell biology and related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joudi El Mir
- University of Bordeaux, Inserm, BRIC, UMR 1312, Bordeaux, France
| | - Ali Nasrallah
- University of Bordeaux, Inserm, BRIC, UMR 1312, Bordeaux, France
| | - Nadine Thézé
- University of Bordeaux, Inserm, BRIC, UMR 1312, Bordeaux, France
| | - Muriel Cario
- University of Bordeaux, Inserm, BRIC, UMR 1312, Bordeaux, France
- Aquiderm, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Hussein Fayyad-Kazan
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Molecular Immunology, Lebanese University, Hadath, Lebanon
| | - Pierre Thiébaud
- University of Bordeaux, Inserm, BRIC, UMR 1312, Bordeaux, France
| | - Hamid-Reza Rezvani
- University of Bordeaux, Inserm, BRIC, UMR 1312, Bordeaux, France
- Aquiderm, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
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McCluskey KE, Stovell KM, Law K, Kostyanovskaya E, Schmidt J, Exner CRT, Dea J, Brimble E, State MW, Willsey AJ, Willsey HR. Autism gene variants disrupt enteric neuron migration and cause gastrointestinal dysmotility. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.28.593642. [PMID: 38854068 PMCID: PMC11160671 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.28.593642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
The comorbidity of autism spectrum disorders and severe gastrointestinal symptoms is well-established, yet the molecular underpinnings remain unknown. The identification of high-confidence large-effect autism risk genes offers the opportunity to identify convergent, underlying biology by studying these genes in the context of the gastrointestinal system. Here we show that the expression of these genes is enriched in human prenatal gut neurons as well as their migratory progenitors, suggesting that the development and/or function of these neurons may be disrupted by autism-associated pathogenic variants, leading to gastrointestinal dysfunction. Here we document the prevalence of gastrointestinal issues in patients with large-effect variants in sixteen of these genes, highlighting dysmotility, consistent with potential enteric neuron dysfunction. Using the high-throughput diploid frog Xenopus tropicalis , we individually target five of these genes ( SYNGAP1, CHD8, SCN2A, CHD2 , and DYRK1A ) and observe disrupted enteric neuronal progenitor migration for each. More extensive analysis of DYRK1A reveals that perturbation causes gut dysmotility in vivo , which can be ameliorated by treatment with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (escitalopram) or a serotonin receptor 6 agonist, identified by in vivo drug screening. This work suggests that atypical development of enteric neurons contributes to the gastrointestinal distress commonly seen in individuals with autism and that increasing serotonin signaling may be a productive therapeutic avenue.
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Bullard MR, Cervantes JCM, Quaicoe NB, Jin A, Adams DA, Lin JM, Iliadis E, Seidler TM, Cervantes-Sandoval I, He HY. Accelerated protein retention expansion microscopy using microwave radiation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.11.593228. [PMID: 38766072 PMCID: PMC11100821 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.11.593228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Protein retention expansion microscopy (ExM) retains genetically encoded fluorescent proteins or antibody-conjugated fluorescent probes in fixed tissue and isotropically expands the tissue through a swellable polymer network to allow nanoscale (<70 nm) resolution on diffraction-limited confocal microscopes. Despite numerous advantages ExM brings to biological studies, the full protocol is time-consuming and can take multiple days to complete. Here, we adapted the ExM protocol to the vibratome-sectioned brain tissue of Xenopus laevis tadpoles and implemented a microwave-assisted protocol to reduce the workflow from days to hours. In addition to the significantly accelerated processing time, our microwave-assisted ExM (M/WExM) protocol maintains the superior resolution and signal-to-noise ratio of the original ExM protocol. Furthermore, the M/WExM protocol yields higher magnitude of expansion, suggesting that in addition to accelerating the process through increased diffusion rate of reagents, microwave radiation may also facilitate the expansion process. To demonstrate the applicability of this method to other specimens and protocols, we adapted the microwave-accelerated protocol to whole mount adult brain tissue of Drosophila melanogaster fruit flies, and successfully reduced the total processing time of a widely-used Drosophila IHC-ExM protocol from 6 days to 2 days. Our results demonstrate that with appropriate adjustment of the microwave parameters (wattage, pulse duration, interval, and number of cycles), this protocol can be readily adapted to different model organisms and tissue types to greatly increase the efficiency of ExM experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Amanda Jin
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057
| | - Danya A. Adams
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057
| | - Jessica M. Lin
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057
| | - Elena Iliadis
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057
| | - Tess M. Seidler
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057
| | | | - Hai-yan He
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057
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Willsey HR, Seaby EG, Godwin A, Ennis S, Guille M, Grainger RM. Modelling human genetic disorders in Xenopus tropicalis. Dis Model Mech 2024; 17:dmm050754. [PMID: 38832520 PMCID: PMC11179720 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.050754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Recent progress in human disease genetics is leading to rapid advances in understanding pathobiological mechanisms. However, the sheer number of risk-conveying genetic variants being identified demands in vivo model systems that are amenable to functional analyses at scale. Here we provide a practical guide for using the diploid frog species Xenopus tropicalis to study many genes and variants to uncover conserved mechanisms of pathobiology relevant to human disease. We discuss key considerations in modelling human genetic disorders: genetic architecture, conservation, phenotyping strategy and rigour, as well as more complex topics, such as penetrance, expressivity, sex differences and current challenges in the field. As the patient-driven gene discovery field expands significantly, the cost-effective, rapid and higher throughput nature of Xenopus make it an essential member of the model organism armamentarium for understanding gene function in development and in relation to disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Rankin Willsey
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub - San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94518, USA
| | - Eleanor G Seaby
- Genomic Informatics Group, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Annie Godwin
- European Xenopus Resource Centre (EXRC), School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 2DY, UK
| | - Sarah Ennis
- Genomic Informatics Group, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Matthew Guille
- European Xenopus Resource Centre (EXRC), School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 2DY, UK
| | - Robert M Grainger
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
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Akbari N, Tatarsky RL, Kolkman KE, Fetcho JR, Xu C, Bass AH. Label-free, whole-brain in vivo mapping in an adult vertebrate with third harmonic generation microscopy. J Comp Neurol 2024; 532:e25614. [PMID: 38616537 PMCID: PMC11069316 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25614] [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: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Comprehensive understanding of interconnected networks within the brain requires access to high resolution information within large field of views and over time. Currently, methods that enable mapping structural changes of the entire brain in vivo are extremely limited. Third harmonic generation (THG) can resolve myelinated structures, blood vessels, and cell bodies throughout the brain without the need for any exogenous labeling. Together with deep penetration of long wavelengths, this enables in vivo brain-mapping of large fractions of the brain in small animals and over time. Here, we demonstrate that THG microscopy allows non-invasive label-free mapping of the entire brain of an adult vertebrate, Danionella dracula, which is a miniature species of cyprinid fish. We show this capability in multiple brain regions and in particular the identification of major commissural fiber bundles in the midbrain and the hindbrain. These features provide readily discernable landmarks for navigation and identification of regional-specific neuronal groups and even single neurons during in vivo experiments. We further show how this label-free technique can easily be coupled with fluorescence microscopy and used as a comparative tool for studies of other species with similar body features to Danionella, such as zebrafish (Danio rerio) and tetras (Trochilocharax ornatus). This new evidence, building on previous studies, demonstrates how small size and relative transparency, combined with the unique capabilities of THG microscopy, can enable label-free access to the entire adult vertebrate brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Najva Akbari
- School of Applied and Engineering Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY USA 14850
- Present address: Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA 94305
| | - Rose L. Tatarsky
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY USA 14850
| | - Kristine E. Kolkman
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY USA 14850
| | - Joseph R. Fetcho
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY USA 14850
| | - Chris Xu
- School of Applied and Engineering Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY USA 14850
| | - Andrew H. Bass
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY USA 14850
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Laznovsky J, Kavkova M, Helena Reis A, Robovska-Havelkova P, Maia LA, Krivanek J, Zikmund T, Kaiser J, Buchtova M, Harnos J. Unveiling vertebrate development dynamics in frog Xenopus laevis using micro-CT imaging. Gigascience 2024; 13:giae037. [PMID: 39013635 DOI: 10.1093/gigascience/giae037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Xenopus laevis, the African clawed frog, is a versatile vertebrate model organism in various biological disciplines, prominently in developmental biology to study body plan reorganization during metamorphosis. However, a notable gap exists in the availability of comprehensive datasets encompassing Xenopus' late developmental stages. FINDINGS This study utilized micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), a noninvasive 3-dimensional (3D) imaging technique with micrometer-scale resolution, to explore the developmental dynamics and morphological changes in Xenopus laevis. Our approach involved generating high-resolution images and computed 3D models of developing Xenopus specimens, spanning from premetamorphosis tadpoles to fully mature adults. This dataset enhances our understanding of vertebrate development and supports various analyses. We conducted a careful examination, analyzing body size, shape, and morphological features, focusing on skeletogenesis, teeth, and organs like the brain and gut at different stages. Our analysis yielded valuable insights into 3D morphological changes during Xenopus' development, documenting details previously unrecorded. These datasets hold the solid potential for further morphological and morphometric analyses, including segmentation of hard and soft tissues. CONCLUSIONS Our repository of micro-CT scans represents a significant resource that can enhance our understanding of Xenopus' development and the associated morphological changes in the future. The widespread utility of this amphibian species, coupled with the exceptional quality of our scans, which encompass a comprehensive series of developmental stages, opens up extensive opportunities for their broader research application. Moreover, these scans can be used in virtual reality, 3D printing, and educational contexts, further expanding their value and impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Laznovsky
- Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, 612 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Michaela Kavkova
- Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, 612 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Alice Helena Reis
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10025, USA, and Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Pavla Robovska-Havelkova
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, 370 05 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Lorena Agostini Maia
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Krivanek
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Tomas Zikmund
- Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, 612 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jozef Kaiser
- Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, 612 00 Brno, Czech Republic
- Institute of Physical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Brno University of Technology, 616 69 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Marcela Buchtova
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
- Laboratory of Molecular Morphogenesis, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, v.v.i., Czech Academy of Sciences, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jakub Harnos
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
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Virk SM, Trujillo-Provencio C, Serrano EE. Transcriptomic Analysis Identifies Candidate Genes for Differential Expression during Xenopus laevis Inner Ear Development. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.12.29.573599. [PMID: 38260420 PMCID: PMC10802236 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.29.573599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Background The genes involved in inner ear development and maintenance of the adult organ have yet to be fully characterized. Previous genetic analysis has emphasized the early development that gives rise to the otic vesicle. This study aimed to bridge the knowledge gap and identify candidate genes that are expressed as the auditory and vestibular sensory organs continue to grow and develop until the systems reach postmetamorphic maturity. Methods Affymetrix microarrays were used to assess inner ear transcriptome profiles from three Xenopus laevis developmental ages where all eight endorgans comprise mechanosensory hair cells: larval stages 50 and 56, and the post-metamorphic juvenile. Pairwise comparisons were made between the three developmental stages and the resulting differentially expressed X. laevis Probe Set IDs (Xl-PSIDs) were assigned to four groups based on differential expression patterns. DAVID analysis was undertaken to impart functional annotation to the differentially regulated Xl-PSIDs. Results Analysis identified 1510 candidate genes for differential gene expression in one or more pairwise comparison. Annotated genes not previously associated with inner ear development emerged from this analysis, as well as annotated genes with established inner ear function, such as oncomodulin, neurod1, and sp7. Notably, 36% of differentially expressed Xl-PSIDs were unannotated. Conclusions Results draw attention to the complex gene regulatory patterns that characterize Xenopus inner ear development, and underscore the need for improved annotation of the X. laevis genome. Outcomes can be utilized to select candidate inner ear genes for functional analysis, and to promote Xenopus as a model organism for biomedical studies of hearing and balance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selene M Virk
- Biology Department, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces NM USA 88003
| | | | - Elba E Serrano
- Biology Department, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces NM USA 88003
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10
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O’Brien MP, Pryzhkova MV, Lake EMR, Mandino F, Shen X, Karnik R, Atkins A, Xu MJ, Ji W, Konstantino M, Brueckner M, Ment LR, Khokha MK, Jordan PW. SMC5 Plays Independent Roles in Congenital Heart Disease and Neurodevelopmental Disability. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 25:430. [PMID: 38203602 PMCID: PMC10779392 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Up to 50% of patients with severe congenital heart disease (CHD) develop life-altering neurodevelopmental disability (NDD). It has been presumed that NDD arises in CHD cases because of hypoxia before, during, or after cardiac surgery. Recent studies detected an enrichment in de novo mutations in CHD and NDD, as well as significant overlap between CHD and NDD candidate genes. However, there is limited evidence demonstrating that genes causing CHD can produce NDD independent of hypoxia. A patient with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and gross motor delay presented with a de novo mutation in SMC5. Modeling mutation of smc5 in Xenopus tropicalis embryos resulted in reduced heart size, decreased brain length, and disrupted pax6 patterning. To evaluate the cardiac development, we induced the conditional knockout (cKO) of Smc5 in mouse cardiomyocytes, which led to the depletion of mature cardiomyocytes and abnormal contractility. To test a role for Smc5 specifically in the brain, we induced cKO in the mouse central nervous system, which resulted in decreased brain volume, and diminished connectivity between areas related to motor function but did not affect vascular or brain ventricular volume. We propose that genetic factors, rather than hypoxia alone, can contribute when NDD and CHD cases occur concurrently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew P. O’Brien
- Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Marina V. Pryzhkova
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Uniformed Services, University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Rd, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - Evelyn M. R. Lake
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Francesca Mandino
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Xilin Shen
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Ruchika Karnik
- Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Alisa Atkins
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Michelle J. Xu
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Weizhen Ji
- Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Pediatric Genomics Discovery Program, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Monica Konstantino
- Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Pediatric Genomics Discovery Program, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Martina Brueckner
- Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Laura R. Ment
- Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Mustafa K. Khokha
- Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Pediatric Genomics Discovery Program, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Philip W. Jordan
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Uniformed Services, University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Rd, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
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Manicka S, Pai VP, Levin M. Information integration during bioelectric regulation of morphogenesis of the embryonic frog brain. iScience 2023; 26:108398. [PMID: 38034358 PMCID: PMC10687303 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Spatiotemporal patterns of cellular resting potential regulate several aspects of development. One key aspect of the bioelectric code is that transcriptional and morphogenetic states are determined not by local, single-cell, voltage levels but by specific distributions of voltage across cell sheets. We constructed and analyzed a minimal dynamical model of collective gene expression in cells based on inputs of multicellular voltage patterns. Causal integration analysis revealed a higher-order mechanism by which information about the voltage pattern was spatiotemporally integrated into gene activity, as well as a division of labor among and between the bioelectric and genetic components. We tested and confirmed predictions of this model in a system in which bioelectric control of morphogenesis regulates gene expression and organogenesis: the embryonic brain of the frog Xenopus laevis. This study demonstrates that machine learning and computational integration approaches can advance our understanding of the information-processing underlying morphogenetic decision-making, with a potential for other applications in developmental biology and regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santosh Manicka
- Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Vaibhav P. Pai
- Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Michael Levin
- Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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12
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Ishii R, Yoshida M, Suzuki N, Ogino H, Suzuki M. X-ray micro-computed tomography of Xenopus tadpole reveals changes in brain ventricular morphology during telencephalon regeneration. Dev Growth Differ 2023; 65:300-310. [PMID: 37477433 DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12881] [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: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
Xenopus tadpoles serve as an exceptional model organism for studying post-embryonic development in vertebrates. During post-embryonic development, large-scale changes in tissue morphology, including organ regeneration and metamorphosis, occur at the organ level. However, understanding these processes in a three-dimensional manner remains challenging. In this study, the use of X-ray micro-computed tomography (microCT) for the three-dimensional observation of the soft tissues of Xenopus tadpoles was explored. The findings revealed that major organs, such as the brain, heart, and kidneys, could be visualized with high contrast by phosphotungstic acid staining following fixation with Bouin's solution. Then, the changes in brain shape during telencephalon regeneration were analyzed as the first example of utilizing microCT to study organ regeneration in Xenopus tadpoles, and it was found that the size of the amputated telencephalon recovered to >80% of its original length within approximately 1 week. It was also observed that the ventricles tended to shrink after amputation and maintained this state for at least 3 days. This shrinkage was transient, as the ventricles expanded to exceed their original size within the following week. Temporary shrinkage and expansion of the ventricles, which were also observed in transgenic or fluorescent dye-injected tadpoles with telencephalon amputation, may be significant in tissue homeostasis in response to massive brain injury and subsequent repair and regeneration. This established method will improve experimental analyses in developmental biology and medical science using Xenopus tadpoles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riona Ishii
- Amphibian Research Center, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Mana Yoshida
- Amphibian Research Center, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Nanoka Suzuki
- Amphibian Research Center, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Hajime Ogino
- Amphibian Research Center, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Makoto Suzuki
- Amphibian Research Center, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
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13
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Veenstra-VanderWeele J, O'Reilly KC, Dennis MY, Uribe-Salazar JM, Amaral DG. Translational Neuroscience Approaches to Understanding Autism. Am J Psychiatry 2023; 180:265-276. [PMID: 37002692 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.20230153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2023]
Abstract
While autism spectrum disorder affects nearly 2% of children in the United States, little is known with certainty concerning the etiologies and brain systems involved. This is due, in part, to the substantial heterogeneity in the presentation of the core symptoms of autism as well as the great number of co-occurring conditions that are common in autistic individuals. Understanding the neurobiology of autism is further hampered by the limited availability of postmortem brain tissue to determine the cellular and molecular alterations that take place in the autistic brain. Animal models therefore provide great translational value in helping to define the neural systems that constitute the social brain and mediate repetitive behaviors or interests. If they are based on genetic or environmental factors that contribute to autism, organisms from flies to nonhuman primates may serve as models of the neural structure or function of the autistic brain. Ultimately, successful models can also be employed to test the safety and effectiveness of potential therapeutics. This is an overview of the major animal species that are currently used as models of autism, including an appraisal of the advantages and limitations of each.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele
- New York State Psychiatric Institute and Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York (Veenstra-VanderWeele, O'Reilly); Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Genome Center (Dennis, Uribe-Salazar), MIND Institute (Dennis, Uribe-Salazar, Amaral), and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Amaral), University of California, Davis
| | - Kally C O'Reilly
- New York State Psychiatric Institute and Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York (Veenstra-VanderWeele, O'Reilly); Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Genome Center (Dennis, Uribe-Salazar), MIND Institute (Dennis, Uribe-Salazar, Amaral), and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Amaral), University of California, Davis
| | - Megan Y Dennis
- New York State Psychiatric Institute and Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York (Veenstra-VanderWeele, O'Reilly); Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Genome Center (Dennis, Uribe-Salazar), MIND Institute (Dennis, Uribe-Salazar, Amaral), and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Amaral), University of California, Davis
| | - José M Uribe-Salazar
- New York State Psychiatric Institute and Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York (Veenstra-VanderWeele, O'Reilly); Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Genome Center (Dennis, Uribe-Salazar), MIND Institute (Dennis, Uribe-Salazar, Amaral), and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Amaral), University of California, Davis
| | - David G Amaral
- New York State Psychiatric Institute and Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York (Veenstra-VanderWeele, O'Reilly); Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Genome Center (Dennis, Uribe-Salazar), MIND Institute (Dennis, Uribe-Salazar, Amaral), and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Amaral), University of California, Davis
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14
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Adebogun GT, Bachmann AE, Callan AA, Khan U, Lewis AR, Pollock AC, Alfonso SA, Arango Sumano D, Bhatt DA, Cullen AB, Hajian CM, Huang W, Jaeger EL, Li E, Maske AK, Offenberg EG, Ta V, Whiting WW, McKinney JE, Butler J, O’Connell LA. Albino Xenopus laevis tadpoles prefer dark environments compared to wild type. MICROPUBLICATION BIOLOGY 2023; 2023:10.17912/micropub.biology.000750. [PMID: 36824381 PMCID: PMC9941856 DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.000750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Tadpoles display preferences for different environments but the sensory modalities that govern these choices are not well understood. Here, we examined light preferences and associated sensory mechanisms of albino and wild-type Xenopus laevis tadpoles. We found that albino tadpoles spent more time in darker environments compared to the wild type, although they showed no differences in overall activity. This preference persisted when the tadpoles had their optic nerve severed or pineal glands removed, suggesting these sensory systems alone are not necessary for phototaxis. These experiments were conducted by an undergraduate laboratory course, highlighting how X. laevis tadpole behavior assays in a classroom setting can reveal new insights into animal behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace T Adebogun
- BIO161 Organismal Biology Lab, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States
| | - Annabelle E Bachmann
- BIO161 Organismal Biology Lab, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States
| | - Ashlyn A Callan
- BIO161 Organismal Biology Lab, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States
| | - Ummara Khan
- BIO161 Organismal Biology Lab, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States
| | - Amaris R Lewis
- BIO161 Organismal Biology Lab, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States
| | - Alexa C Pollock
- BIO161 Organismal Biology Lab, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States
| | - Sebastian A Alfonso
- BIO161 Organismal Biology Lab, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States
| | - Daniel Arango Sumano
- BIO161 Organismal Biology Lab, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States
| | - Dhruv A Bhatt
- BIO161 Organismal Biology Lab, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States
| | - Aidan B Cullen
- BIO161 Organismal Biology Lab, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States
| | - Cyrus M Hajian
- BIO161 Organismal Biology Lab, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States
| | - Winnie Huang
- BIO161 Organismal Biology Lab, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States
| | - Emma L Jaeger
- BIO161 Organismal Biology Lab, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States
| | - Emily Li
- BIO161 Organismal Biology Lab, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States
| | - A. Kaile Maske
- BIO161 Organismal Biology Lab, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States
| | - Emma G Offenberg
- BIO161 Organismal Biology Lab, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States
| | - Vy Ta
- BIO161 Organismal Biology Lab, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States
| | - Waymon W Whiting
- BIO161 Organismal Biology Lab, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States
| | - Jordan E McKinney
- BIO161 Organismal Biology Lab, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States
,
Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States
| | - Julie Butler
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States
,
Correspondence to: Julie Butler (
)
| | - Lauren A O’Connell
- BIO161 Organismal Biology Lab, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States
,
Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States
,
Correspondence to: Lauren A O’Connell (
)
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15
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Horr B, Kurtz R, Pandey A, Hoffstrom BG, Schock E, LaBonne C, Alfandari D. Production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies to Xenopus proteins. Development 2023; 150:dev201309. [PMID: 36789951 PMCID: PMC10112901 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201309] [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: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023]
Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies are powerful and versatile tools that enable the study of proteins in diverse contexts. They are often utilized to assist with identification of subcellular localization and characterization of the function of target proteins of interest. However, because there can be considerable sequence diversity between orthologous proteins in Xenopus and mammals, antibodies produced against mouse or human proteins often do not recognize Xenopus counterparts. To address this issue, we refined existing mouse monoclonal antibody production protocols to generate antibodies against Xenopus proteins of interest. Here, we describe several approaches for the generation of useful mouse anti-Xenopus antibodies to multiple Xenopus proteins and their validation in various experimental approaches. These novel antibodies are now available to the research community through the Developmental Study Hybridoma Bank (DSHB).
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett Horr
- The University of Massachusetts Amherst, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Ryan Kurtz
- The University of Massachusetts Amherst, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Ankit Pandey
- The University of Massachusetts Amherst, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Benjamin G. Hoffstrom
- Antibody Technology Resource, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Elizabeth Schock
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Carole LaBonne
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Dominique Alfandari
- The University of Massachusetts Amherst, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
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16
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Shan Z, Li S, Yu C, Bai S, Zhang J, Tang Y, Wang Y, Irwin DM, Li J, Wang Z. Embryonic and skeletal development of the albino African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis). J Anat 2023; 242:1051-1066. [PMID: 36708289 PMCID: PMC10184547 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The normal stages of embryonic development for wild-type Xenopus laevis were established by Nieuwkoop and Faber in 1956, a milestone in the history of understanding embryonic development. However, this work lacked photographic images and staining for skeleton structures from the corresponding stages. Here, we provide high-quality images of embryonic morphology and skeleton development to facilitate studies on amphibian development. On the basis of the classical work, we selected the albino mutant of X. laevis as the observation material to restudy embryonic development in this species. The lower level of pigmentation makes it easier to interpret histochemical experiments. At 23°C, albino embryos develop at the same rate as wild-type embryos, which can be divided into 66 stages as they develop into adults in about 58 days. We described the complete embryonic development system for X. laevis, supplemented with pictures of limb and skeleton development that are missing from previous studies, and summarized the characteristics and laws of limb and skeleton development. Our study should aid research into the development of X. laevis and the evolution of amphibians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhixin Shan
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - Shanshan Li
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - Chenghua Yu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Shibin Bai
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - Junpeng Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yining Tang
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yutong Wang
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - David M Irwin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jun Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Zhe Wang
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
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17
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Bolkhovitinov L, Weselman BT, Shaw GA, Dong C, Giribhattanavar J, Saha MS. Tissue Rotation of the Xenopus Anterior-Posterior Neural Axis Reveals Profound but Transient Plasticity at the Mid-Gastrula Stage. J Dev Biol 2022; 10:38. [PMID: 36135371 PMCID: PMC9503425 DOI: 10.3390/jdb10030038] [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: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The establishment of anterior-posterior (AP) regional identity is an essential step in the appropriate development of the vertebrate central nervous system. An important aspect of AP neural axis formation is the inherent plasticity that allows developing cells to respond to and recover from the various perturbations that embryos continually face during the course of development. While the mechanisms governing the regionalization of the nervous system have been extensively studied, relatively less is known about the nature and limits of early neural plasticity of the anterior-posterior neural axis. This study aims to characterize the degree of neural axis plasticity in Xenopus laevis by investigating the response of embryos to a 180-degree rotation of their AP neural axis during gastrula stages by assessing the expression of regional marker genes using in situ hybridization. Our results reveal the presence of a narrow window of time between the mid- and late gastrula stage, during which embryos are able undergo significant recovery following a 180-degree rotation of their neural axis and eventually express appropriate regional marker genes including Otx, Engrailed, and Krox. By the late gastrula stage, embryos show misregulation of regional marker genes following neural axis rotation, suggesting that this profound axial plasticity is a transient phenomenon that is lost by late gastrula stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lyuba Bolkhovitinov
- Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Bryan T. Weselman
- School of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20007, USA
| | - Gladys A. Shaw
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Chen Dong
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | | | - Margaret S. Saha
- Department of Biology, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA 23185, USA
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18
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A Focal Impact Model of Traumatic Brain Injury in Xenopus Tadpoles Reveals Behavioral Alterations, Neuroinflammation, and an Astroglial Response. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23147578. [PMID: 35886924 PMCID: PMC9323330 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23147578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a global driver of disability, and we currently lack effective therapies to promote neural repair and recovery. TBI is characterized by an initial insult, followed by a secondary injury cascade, including inflammation, excitotoxicity, and glial cellular response. This cascade incorporates molecular mechanisms that represent potential targets of therapeutic intervention. In this study, we investigate the response to focal impact injury to the optic tectum of Xenopus laevis tadpoles. This injury disrupts the blood-brain barrier, causing edema, and produces deficits in visually-driven behaviors which are resolved within one week. Within 3 h, injured brains show a dramatic transcriptional activation of inflammatory cytokines, upregulation of genes associated with inflammation, and recruitment of microglia to the injury site and surrounding tissue. Shortly afterward, astrocytes undergo morphological alterations and accumulate near the injury site, and these changes persist for at least 48 h following injury. Genes associated with astrocyte reactivity and neuroprotective functions also show elevated levels of expression following injury. Since our results demonstrate that the response to focal impact injury in Xenopus resembles the cellular alterations observed in rodents and other mammalian models, the Xenopus tadpole offers a new, scalable vertebrate model for TBI.
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19
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Spirhanzlova P, Couderq S, Le Mével S, Leemans M, Krief S, Mughal BB, Demeneix BA, Fini JB. Short- and Long-Term Effects of Chlorpyrifos on Thyroid Hormone Axis and Brain Development in Xenopus laevis. Neuroendocrinology 2022; 113:1298-1311. [PMID: 35753306 DOI: 10.1159/000525719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The extensive use of the insecticide chlorpyrifos (CPF) throughout the world has brought increased scrutiny on its environmental and health impact. CPF is a cholinergic neurotoxicant; however, exposure to low noncholinergic doses is associated with numerous neurodevelopmental effects in animal models. In this study, we aimed to assess CPF for its potential to disrupt thyroid hormone signalling and investigate the short- and long-term effects on neurodevelopment by using Xenopus laevis. METHODS The thyroid hormone (TH) disrupting potential of CPF was assessed using TH-sensitive transgenic Tg(thibz:eGFP) tadpoles. The consequences of early embryonic exposure were examined by exposing fertilized eggs for 72 h to environmentally relevant CPF concentrations (10-10 M and 10-8 M). Three endpoints were evaluated: (1) gene expression in whole embryonic brains immediately after exposure, (2) mobility and brain morphology 1 week after exposure, and (3) brain morphology and axon diameters at the end of metamorphosis (2 months after the exposure). RESULTS CPF disrupted TH signalling in Tg(thibz:eGFP) tadpoles. The expression of genes klf9, cntn4, oatp1c1, and tubb2b was downregulated in response to CPF. Tadpoles exposed to CPF exhibited increased mobility and altered brain morphology compared to control tadpoles. Early embryonic exposure of CPF affected myelinated axon diameter, with exposed animals exhibiting shifted frequency distributions of myelinated axons diameters towards smaller diameters in the hindbrain of froglets. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION This study provides more evidence of the endocrine and neurodevelopment disrupting activity of CPF. Further experimental and epidemiological studies are warranted to determine the long-term consequences of early CPF exposure on brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Spirhanzlova
- Unité PhyMA Laboratory, Adaptation du Vivant, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
- Unité Eco-Anthropologie, Hommes et Environnements, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Musée de l'Homme, Paris, France
- Laboratoire de Métrologie et d'Essais, Paris, France
| | - Stephan Couderq
- Unité PhyMA Laboratory, Adaptation du Vivant, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Sébastian Le Mével
- Unité PhyMA Laboratory, Adaptation du Vivant, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Michelle Leemans
- Unité PhyMA Laboratory, Adaptation du Vivant, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Sabrina Krief
- Unité Eco-Anthropologie, Hommes et Environnements, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Musée de l'Homme, Paris, France
| | - Bilal B Mughal
- Unité PhyMA Laboratory, Adaptation du Vivant, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Barbara A Demeneix
- Unité PhyMA Laboratory, Adaptation du Vivant, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Baptiste Fini
- Unité PhyMA Laboratory, Adaptation du Vivant, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
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20
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Willsey HR, Willsey AJ, Wang B, State MW. Genomics, convergent neuroscience and progress in understanding autism spectrum disorder. Nat Rev Neurosci 2022; 23:323-341. [PMID: 35440779 PMCID: PMC10693992 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-022-00576-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
More than a hundred genes have been identified that, when disrupted, impart large risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Current knowledge about the encoded proteins - although incomplete - points to a very wide range of developmentally dynamic and diverse biological processes. Moreover, the core symptoms of ASD involve distinctly human characteristics, presenting challenges to interpreting evolutionarily distant model systems. Indeed, despite a decade of striking progress in gene discovery, an actionable understanding of pathobiology remains elusive. Increasingly, convergent neuroscience approaches have been recognized as an important complement to traditional uses of genetics to illuminate the biology of human disorders. These methods seek to identify intersection among molecular-level, cellular-level and circuit-level functions across multiple risk genes and have highlighted developing excitatory neurons in the human mid-gestational prefrontal cortex as an important pathobiological nexus in ASD. In addition, neurogenesis, chromatin modification and synaptic function have emerged as key potential mediators of genetic vulnerability. The continued expansion of foundational 'omics' data sets, the application of higher-throughput model systems and incorporating developmental trajectories and sex differences into future analyses will refine and extend these results. Ultimately, a systems-level understanding of ASD genetic risk holds promise for clarifying pathobiology and advancing therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Rankin Willsey
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - A Jeremy Willsey
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Quantitative Biosciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Belinda Wang
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Matthew W State
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Quantitative Biosciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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21
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Topographic map formation and the effects of NMDA receptor blockade in the developing visual system. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:2107899119. [PMID: 35193956 PMCID: PMC8872792 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2107899119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Studying the emergence of topographic organization in sensory maps has been constrained by spatial limitations of traditional anatomical and physiological techniques early in development in many animal models. Here, we have applied a high-resolution, noninvasive, in vivo calcium imaging approach to study the nascent retinotopic map in the larval Xenopus laevis retinotectal system. We performed longitudinal functional imaging of the three-dimensional organization of emerging retinotopic maps and assessed the effects of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor blockade on map formation. Our results provide insights into early retinotopic map emergence and the role of NMDA receptors in the refinement of topographic gradients. The development of functional topography in the developing brain follows a progression from initially coarse to more precisely organized maps. To examine the emergence of topographically organized maps in the retinotectal system, we performed longitudinal visual receptive field mapping by calcium imaging in the optic tectum of GCaMP6-expressing transgenic Xenopus laevis tadpoles. At stage 42, just 1 d after retinal axons arrived in the optic tectum, a clear retinotopic azimuth map was evident. Animals were imaged over the following week at stages 45 and 48, over which time the tectal neuropil nearly doubled in length and exhibited more precise retinotopic organization. By microinjecting GCaMP6s messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) into one blastomere of two-cell stage embryos, we acquired bilateral mosaic tadpoles with GCaMP6s expression in postsynaptic tectal neurons on one side of the animal and in retinal ganglion cell axons crossing to the tectum on the opposite side. Longitudinal observation of retinotopic map emergence revealed the presence of orderly representations of azimuth and elevation as early as stage 42, although presynaptic inputs exhibited relatively less topographic organization than the postsynaptic component for the azimuth axis. Retinotopic gradients in the tectum became smoother between stages 42 and 45. Blocking N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor conductance by rearing tadpoles in MK-801 did not prevent the emergence of retinotopic maps, but it produced more discontinuous topographic gradients and altered receptive field characteristics. These results provide evidence that current through NMDA receptors is dispensable for coarse topographic ordering of retinotectal inputs but does contribute to the fine-scale organization of the retinotectal projection.
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22
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Rosenthal SB, Willsey HR, Xu Y, Mei Y, Dea J, Wang S, Curtis C, Sempou E, Khokha MK, Chi NC, Willsey AJ, Fisch KM, Ideker T. A convergent molecular network underlying autism and congenital heart disease. Cell Syst 2021; 12:1094-1107.e6. [PMID: 34411509 PMCID: PMC8602730 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2021.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Patients with neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism, have an elevated incidence of congenital heart disease, but the extent to which these conditions share molecular mechanisms remains unknown. Here, we use network genetics to identify a convergent molecular network underlying autism and congenital heart disease. This network is impacted by damaging genetic variants from both disorders in multiple independent cohorts of patients, pinpointing 101 genes with shared genetic risk. Network analysis also implicates risk genes for each disorder separately, including 27 previously unidentified genes for autism and 46 for congenital heart disease. For 7 genes with shared risk, we create engineered disruptions in Xenopus tropicalis, confirming both heart and brain developmental abnormalities. The network includes a family of ion channels, such as the sodium transporter SCN2A, linking these functions to early heart and brain development. This study provides a road map for identifying risk genes and pathways involved in co-morbid conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Brin Rosenthal
- Center for Computational Biology & Bioinformatics, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Helen Rankin Willsey
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Yuxiao Xu
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Yuan Mei
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Jeanselle Dea
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Sheng Wang
- Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Charlotte Curtis
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Emily Sempou
- Pediatric Genomics Discovery Program, Department of Pediatrics and Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Mustafa K Khokha
- Pediatric Genomics Discovery Program, Department of Pediatrics and Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Neil C Chi
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Arthur Jeremy Willsey
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
| | - Kathleen M Fisch
- Center for Computational Biology & Bioinformatics, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
| | - Trey Ideker
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
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23
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Naert T, Çiçek Ö, Ogar P, Bürgi M, Shaidani NI, Kaminski MM, Xu Y, Grand K, Vujanovic M, Prata D, Hildebrandt F, Brox T, Ronneberger O, Voigt FF, Helmchen F, Loffing J, Horb ME, Willsey HR, Lienkamp SS. Deep learning is widely applicable to phenotyping embryonic development and disease. Development 2021; 148:273338. [PMID: 34739029 PMCID: PMC8602947 DOI: 10.1242/dev.199664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Genome editing simplifies the generation of new animal models for congenital disorders. However, the detailed and unbiased phenotypic assessment of altered embryonic development remains a challenge. Here, we explore how deep learning (U-Net) can automate segmentation tasks in various imaging modalities, and we quantify phenotypes of altered renal, neural and craniofacial development in Xenopus embryos in comparison with normal variability. We demonstrate the utility of this approach in embryos with polycystic kidneys (pkd1 and pkd2) and craniofacial dysmorphia (six1). We highlight how in toto light-sheet microscopy facilitates accurate reconstruction of brain and craniofacial structures within X. tropicalis embryos upon dyrk1a and six1 loss of function or treatment with retinoic acid inhibitors. These tools increase the sensitivity and throughput of evaluating developmental malformations caused by chemical or genetic disruption. Furthermore, we provide a library of pre-trained networks and detailed instructions for applying deep learning to the reader's own datasets. We demonstrate the versatility, precision and scalability of deep neural network phenotyping on embryonic disease models. By combining light-sheet microscopy and deep learning, we provide a framework for higher-throughput characterization of embryonic model organisms. This article has an associated 'The people behind the papers' interview.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Naert
- Institute of Anatomy, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland; Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) Kidney Control of Homeostasis (Kidney.CH), Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Özgün Çiçek
- Department of Computer Science, Albert-Ludwigs-University, Freiburg 79100, Germany
| | - Paulina Ogar
- Institute of Anatomy, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland; Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) Kidney Control of Homeostasis (Kidney.CH), Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Max Bürgi
- Institute of Anatomy, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland; Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) Kidney Control of Homeostasis (Kidney.CH), Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Nikko-Ideen Shaidani
- National Xenopus Resource and Eugene Bell Center for Regenerative Biology and Tissue Engineering, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - Michael M Kaminski
- Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin 10115, Germany.,Department of Nephrology and Medical Intensive Care, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin 10117, Germany
| | - Yuxiao Xu
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Kelli Grand
- Institute of Anatomy, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland; Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) Kidney Control of Homeostasis (Kidney.CH), Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Marko Vujanovic
- Institute of Anatomy, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland; Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) Kidney Control of Homeostasis (Kidney.CH), Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Prata
- Institute of Anatomy, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland; Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) Kidney Control of Homeostasis (Kidney.CH), Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Friedhelm Hildebrandt
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115,USA
| | - Thomas Brox
- Department of Computer Science, Albert-Ludwigs-University, Freiburg 79100, Germany
| | - Olaf Ronneberger
- Department of Computer Science, Albert-Ludwigs-University, Freiburg 79100, Germany.,BIOSS Centre for Biological Signalling Studies, Albert-Ludwigs-University, Freiburg, Germany.,DeepMind, London WC2H 8AG , UK
| | - Fabian F Voigt
- Laboratory of Neural Circuit Dynamics, Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Fritjof Helmchen
- Laboratory of Neural Circuit Dynamics, Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Johannes Loffing
- Institute of Anatomy, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland; Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) Kidney Control of Homeostasis (Kidney.CH), Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Marko E Horb
- National Xenopus Resource and Eugene Bell Center for Regenerative Biology and Tissue Engineering, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - Helen Rankin Willsey
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Soeren S Lienkamp
- Institute of Anatomy, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland; Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) Kidney Control of Homeostasis (Kidney.CH), Zurich 8057, Switzerland
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24
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Jiménez S, Moreno N. Analysis of the Expression Pattern of Cajal-Retzius Cell Markers in the Xenopus laevis Forebrain. BRAIN, BEHAVIOR AND EVOLUTION 2021; 96:263-282. [PMID: 34614492 DOI: 10.1159/000519025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Cajal-Retzius cells are essential for cortical development in mammals, and their involvement in the evolution of this structure has been widely postulated, but very little is known about their progenitor domains in non-mammalian vertebrates. Using in situhybridization and immunofluorescence techniques we analyzed the expression of some of the main Cajal-Retzius cell markers such as Dbx1, Ebf3, ER81, Lhx1, Lhx5, p73, Reelin, Wnt3a, Zic1, and Zic2 in the forebrain of the anuran Xenopus laevis, because amphibians are the only class of anamniote tetrapods and show a tetrapartite evaginated pallium, but no layered or nuclear organization. Our results suggested that the Cajal-Retzius cell progenitor domains were comparable to those previously described in amniotes. Thus, at dorsomedial telencephalic portions a region comparable to the cortical hem was defined in Xenopus based on the expression of Wnt3a, p73, Reelin, Zic1, and Zic2. In the septum, two different domains were observed: a periventricular dorsal septum, at the limit between the pallium and the subpallium, expressing Reelin, Zic1, and Zic2, and a related septal domain, expressing Ebf3, Zic1, and Zic2. In the lateral telencephalon, the ventral pallium next to the pallio-subpallial boundary, the lack of Dbx1 and the unique expression of Reelin during development defined this territory as the most divergent with respect to mammals. Finally, we also analyzed the expression of these markers at the prethalamic eminence region, suggested as Cajal-Retzius progenitor domain in amniotes, observing there Zic1, Zic2, ER81, and Lhx1 expression. Our data show that in anurans there are different subtypes and progenitor domains of Cajal-Retzius cells, which probably contribute to the cortical regional specification and territory-specific properties. This supports the notion that the basic organization of pallial derivatives in vertebrates follows a comparable fundamental arrangement, even in those that do not have a sophisticated stratified cortical structure like the mammalian cerebral cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Jiménez
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, University Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | - Nerea Moreno
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, University Complutense, Madrid, Spain
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