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Lindenmaier Z, Ellegood J, Stuive M, Easson K, Yee Y, Fernandes D, Foster J, Anagnostou E, Lerch JP. Examining the effect of chronic intranasal oxytocin administration on the neuroanatomy and behavior of three autism-related mouse models. Neuroimage 2022; 257:119243. [PMID: 35508216 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Although initially showing great potential, oxytocin treatment has encountered a translational hurdle in its promise of treating the social deficits of autism. Some debate surrounds the ability of oxytocin to successfully enter the brain, and therefore modify neuroanatomy. Moreover, given the heterogeneous nature of autism, treatment will only amerliorate symptoms in a subset of patients. Therefore, to determine whether oxytocin changes brain circuitry, and whether it does so variably, depending on genotype, we implemented a large randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled, preclinical study on chronic intranasal oxytocin treatment in three different mouse models related to autism with a focus on using neuroanatomical phenotypes to assess and subset treatment response. Intranasal oxytocin (0.6IU) was administered daily, for 28 days, starting at 5 weeks of age to the 16p11.2 deletion, Shank3 (exon 4-9) knockout, and Fmr1 knockout mouse models. Given the sensitivity of structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to the neurological effects of interventions like drugs, along with many other advantages, the mice underwent in vivo longitudinal and high-resolution ex vivo imaging with MRI. The scans included three in vivo T1weighted, 90um isotropic resolution scans and a T2-weighted, 3D fast spin echo with 40um isotropic resolution ex vivo scan to assess the changes in neuroanatomy using established automated image registration and deformation based morphometry approaches in response to oxytocin treatment. The behavior of the mice was assessed in multiple domains, including social behaviours and repetitive behaviours, among others. Treatment effect on the neuroanatomy did not reach significance, although the pattern of trending effects was promising. No significant effect of treatment was found on social behavior in any of the strains, although a significant effect of treatment was found in the Fmr1 mouse, with treatment normalizing a grooming deficit. No other treatment effect on behavior was observed that survived multiple comparisons correction. Overall, chronic treatment with oxytocin had limited effects on the three mouse models related to autism, and no promising pattern of response susceptibility emerged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zsuzsa Lindenmaier
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Jacob Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Monique Stuive
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kaitlyn Easson
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Yohan Yee
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Darren Fernandes
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jane Foster
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, McMaster University, St.Joseph's Healthcare, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Evdokia Anagnostou
- Autism Research Center, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Wellcome Centre for Integrative NeuroImaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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2
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Yuen N, Szulc-Lerch KU, Li YQ, Morshead CM, Mabbott DJ, Wong CS, Nieman BJ. Metformin effects on brain development following cranial irradiation in a mouse model. Neuro Oncol 2021; 23:1523-1536. [PMID: 34042964 PMCID: PMC8408860 DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noab131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cranial radiation therapy (CRT) is a mainstay of treatment for malignant pediatric brain tumors and high-risk leukemia. Although CRT improves survival, it has been shown to disrupt normal brain development and result in cognitive impairments in cancer survivors. Animal studies suggest that there is potential to promote brain recovery after injury using metformin. Our aim was to evaluate whether metformin can restore brain volume outcomes in a mouse model of CRT. METHODS C57BL/6J mice were irradiated with a whole-brain radiation dose of 7 Gy during infancy. Two weeks of metformin treatment started either on the day of or 3 days after irradiation. In vivo magnetic resonance imaging was performed prior to irradiation and at 3 subsequent time points to evaluate the effects of radiation and metformin on brain development. RESULTS Widespread volume loss in the irradiated brain appeared within 1 week of irradiation with limited subsequent recovery in volume outcomes. In many structures, metformin administration starting on the day of irradiation exacerbated radiation-induced injury, particularly in male mice. Metformin treatment starting 3 days after irradiation improved brain volume outcomes in subcortical regions, the olfactory bulbs, and structures of the brainstem and cerebellum. CONCLUSIONS Our results show that metformin treatment has the potential to improve neuroanatomical outcomes after CRT. However, both timing of metformin administration and subject sex affect structure outcomes, and metformin may also be deleterious. Our results highlight important considerations in determining the potential benefits of metformin treatment after CRT and emphasize the need for caution in repurposing metformin in clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nili Yuen
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Translational Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kamila U Szulc-Lerch
- Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Yu-Qing Li
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Cindi M Morshead
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Terrence Donelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Anatomy, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Donald J Mabbott
- Department of Neurosciences & Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - C Shun Wong
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Brian J Nieman
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Translational Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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3
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Schoen M, Asoglu H, Bauer HF, Müller HP, Abaei A, Sauer AK, Zhang R, Song TJ, Bockmann J, Kassubek J, Rasche V, Grabrucker AM, Boeckers TM. Shank3 Transgenic and Prenatal Zinc-Deficient Autism Mouse Models Show Convergent and Individual Alterations of Brain Structures in MRI. Front Neural Circuits 2019; 13:6. [PMID: 30853900 PMCID: PMC6395436 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2019.00006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2018] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Research efforts over the past decades have unraveled both genetic and environmental factors, which contribute to the development of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). It is, to date, largely unknown how different underlying causes result in a common phenotype. However, the individual course of development and the different comorbidities might reflect the heterogeneous genetic and non-genetic contributions. Therefore, it is reasonable to identify commonalities and differences in models of these disorders at the different hierarchical levels of brain function, including genetics/environment, cellular/synaptic functions, brain regions, connectivity, and behavior. To that end, we investigated Shank3 transgenic mouse lines and compared them with a prenatal zinc-deficient (PZD) mouse model of ASD at the level of brain structural alterations in an 11,7 T small animal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Animals were measured at 4 and 9 weeks of age. We identified a decreased total brain volume (TBV) and hippocampal size of Shank3−/− mice but a convergent increase of basal ganglia (striatum and globus pallidus) in most mouse lines. Moreover, Shank3 transgenic mice had smaller thalami, whereas PZD mice had this region enlarged. Intriguingly, Shank3 heterozygous knockout mice mostly showed minor abnormalities to full knockouts, which might reflect the importance of proper Shank3 dosage in neuronal cells. Most reported volume changes seemed to be more pronounced at younger age. Our results indicate both convergent and divergent brain region abnormalities in genetic and non-genetic models of ASD. These alterations of brain structures might be mirrored in the reported behavior of both models, which have not been assessed in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Schoen
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Harun Asoglu
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Helen F Bauer
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Alireza Abaei
- Core Facility Small Animal MRI, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Ann Katrin Sauer
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Rong Zhang
- Neuroscience Research Institute, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education/National Health and Family Planning Commission, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Tian-Jia Song
- Neuroscience Research Institute, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education/National Health and Family Planning Commission, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Juergen Bockmann
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Jan Kassubek
- Neurology Department, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Volker Rasche
- Core Facility Small Animal MRI, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Andreas M Grabrucker
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.,Bernal Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.,Health Research Institute (HRI), University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Tobias M Boeckers
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
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Spencer Noakes TL, Przybycien TS, Forwell A, Nicholls C, Zhou YQ, Butcher DT, Weksberg R, Guger SL, Spiegler BJ, Schachar RJ, Hitzler J, Ito S, van der Plas E, Nieman BJ. Brain Development and Heart Function after Systemic Single-Agent Chemotherapy in a Mouse Model of Childhood Leukemia Treatment. Clin Cancer Res 2018; 24:6040-6052. [PMID: 30054283 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-18-0551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Revised: 06/19/2018] [Accepted: 07/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Chemotherapy for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) can cause late-appearing side effects in survivors that affect multiple organs, including the heart and brain. However, the complex ALL treatment regimen makes it difficult to isolate the causes of these side effects and impossible to separate the contributions of individual chemotherapy agents by clinical observation. Using a mouse model, we therefore assessed each of eight representative, systemically-administered ALL chemotherapy agents for their impact on postnatal brain development and heart function. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Mice were treated systemically with a single chemotherapy agent at an infant equivalent age, then allowed to age to early adulthood (9 weeks). Cardiac structure and function were assessed using in vivo high-frequency ultrasound, and brain anatomy was assessed using high-resolution volumetric ex vivo MRI. In addition, longitudinal in vivo MRI was used to determine the time course of developmental change after vincristine treatment. RESULTS Vincristine, doxorubicin, and methotrexate were observed to produce the greatest deficiencies in brain development as determined by volumes measured on MRI, whereas doxorubicin, methotrexate, and l-asparaginase altered heart structure or function. Longitudinal studies of vincristine revealed widespread volume loss immediately following treatment and impaired growth over time in several brain regions. CONCLUSIONS Multiple ALL chemotherapy agents can affect postnatal brain development or heart function. This study provides a ranking of agents based on potential toxicity, and thus highlights a subset likely to cause side effects in early adulthood for further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Leigh Spencer Noakes
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- Translational Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Thomas S Przybycien
- Haematology/Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Amanda Forwell
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- The University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - Connor Nicholls
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- The University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - Yu-Qing Zhou
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research, Translational Biology and Engineering Program, The University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Darci T Butcher
- Genetics & Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Rosanna Weksberg
- Haematology/Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Genetics & Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Clinical and Metabolic Genetics, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, The University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Medical Sciences, The University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sharon L Guger
- Department of Molecular Genetics, The University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Brenda J Spiegler
- Department of Psychology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Russell J Schachar
- Department of Psychiatry, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Psychiatry Research, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Johann Hitzler
- Translational Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Development and Stem Cell Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Shinya Ito
- Translational Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ellen van der Plas
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Brian J Nieman
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Translational Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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5
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de Guzman AE, Ahmed M, Li YQ, Wong CS, Nieman BJ. p53 Loss Mitigates Early Volume Deficits in the Brains of Irradiated Young Mice. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2018; 103:511-520. [PMID: 30243572 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2018.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2018] [Revised: 08/25/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Pediatric cranial radiation therapy results in lasting changes in brain structure. Though different facets of radiation response have been characterized, the relative contributions of each to altered development is unclear. We sought to determine the role of radiation-induced programmed cell death, as mediated by the Trp53 (p53) gene, on neuroanatomic development. METHODS AND MATERIALS Mice having a conditional knockout of p53 (p53KO) or wildtype p53 (WT) were irradiated with a whole-brain dose of 7 Gy (IR; n = 30) or 0 Gy (sham; n = 28) at 16 days of age. In vivo magnetic resonance imaging was performed before irradiation and at 4 time points after irradiation, until 3 months posttreatment, followed by ex vivo magnetic resonance imaging and immunohistochemistry. The role of p53 in development was assessed at 6 weeks of age in another group of untreated mice (n = 37). RESULTS Neuroanatomic development in p53KO mice was normal. After cranial irradiation, alterations in neuroanatomy were detectable in WT mice and emerged through 2 stages: an early volume loss within 1 week and decreased growth through development. In many structures, the early volume loss was partially mitigated by p53KO. However, p53KO had a neutral or negative impact on growth; thus, p53KO did not widely improve volume at endpoint. Partial volume recovery was observed in the dentate gyrus and olfactory bulbs of p53KO-IR mice, with corresponding increases in neurogenesis compared with WT-IR mice. CONCLUSIONS Although p53 is known to play an important role in mediating radiation-induced apoptosis, this is the first study to look at the cumulative effect of p53KO through development after cranial irradiation across the entire brain. It is clear that apoptosis plays an important role in volume loss early after radiation therapy. This early preservation alone was insufficient to normalize brain development on the whole, but regions reliant on neurogenesis exhibited a significant benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Elizabeth de Guzman
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Translational Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mashal Ahmed
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Translational Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Yu-Qing Li
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Odette Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - C Shun Wong
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Radiation Oncology, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Odette Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Brian J Nieman
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Translational Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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Ellegood J, Yee Y, Kerr TM, Muller CL, Blakely RD, Henkelman RM, Veenstra-VanderWeele J, Lerch JP. Analysis of neuroanatomical differences in mice with genetically modified serotonin transporters assessed by structural magnetic resonance imaging. Mol Autism 2018; 9:24. [PMID: 29651330 PMCID: PMC5894125 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-018-0210-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2017] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The serotonin (5-HT) system has long been implicated in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as indicated by elevated whole blood and platelet 5-HT, altered platelet and brain receptor and transporter binding, and genetic linkage and association findings. Based upon work in genetically modified mice, 5-HT is known to influence several aspects of brain development, but systematic neuroimaging studies have not previously been reported. In particular, the 5-HT transporter (serotonin transporter, SERT; 5-HTT) gene, Slc6a4, has been extensively studied. Methods Using a 7-T MRI and deformation-based morphometry, we assessed neuroanatomical differences in an Slc6a4 knockout mouse on a C57BL/6 genetic background, along with an Slc6a4 Ala56 knockin mouse on two different genetic backgrounds (129S and C57BL/6). Results Individually (same sex, same background, same genotype), the only differences found were in the female Slc6a4 knockout mouse; all the others had no significant differences. However, an analysis of variance across the whole study sample revealed a significant effect of Slc6a4 on the amygdala, thalamus, dorsal raphe nucleus, and lateral and frontal cortices. Conclusions This work shows that an increase or decrease in SERT function has a significant effect on the neuroanatomy in 5-HT relevant regions, particularly the raphe nuclei. Notably, the Slc6a4 Ala56 knockin alone appears to have an insignificant, but suggestive, effect compared to the KO, which is consistent with Slc6a4 function. Despite the small number of 5-HT neurons and their localization to the brainstem, it is clear that 5-HT plays an important role in neuroanatomical organization. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13229-018-0210-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Ellegood
- 1Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, 25 Orde Street, Toronto, Ontario M5T 3H7 Canada
| | - Yohan Yee
- 1Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, 25 Orde Street, Toronto, Ontario M5T 3H7 Canada.,4Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S Canada
| | - Travis M Kerr
- 3Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235 USA
| | | | - Randy D Blakely
- 2Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235 USA.,3Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235 USA.,5Department of Biomedical Science and Brain Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL 33431 USA
| | - R Mark Henkelman
- 1Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, 25 Orde Street, Toronto, Ontario M5T 3H7 Canada.,4Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S Canada
| | - Jeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele
- 2Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235 USA.,6Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 USA
| | - Jason P Lerch
- 1Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, 25 Orde Street, Toronto, Ontario M5T 3H7 Canada.,4Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S Canada
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Sasaki K, Hall FS, Uhl GR, Sora I. Larger Numbers of Glial and Neuronal Cells in the Periaqueductal Gray Matter of μ-Opioid Receptor Knockout Mice. Front Psychiatry 2018; 9:441. [PMID: 30283366 PMCID: PMC6156378 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2018] [Accepted: 08/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: μ-opioid receptor knockout (MOP-KO) mice display baseline hyperalgesia. We have recently identified changes in tissue volume in the periaqueductal gray matter (PAG) using magnetic resonance imaging voxel-based morphometry. Changes in the structure and connectivity of this region might account for some behavior phenotypes in MOP-KO mice, including hyperalgesia. Methods: Adult male MOP-KO and wild-type (WT) mice were studied. Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect microglia, astrocytes, and neurons in the PAG using specific markers: ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba-1) for microglia, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) for astrocytes, and the neuronal nuclei antigen (NeuN; product of the Rbfox3 gene) for neurons, respectively. Cell counting was performed in the four parallel longitudinal columns of the PAG (dorsomedial, dorsolateral, lateral, and ventrolateral) at three different locations from bregma (-3.5, -4.0, and -4.5 mm). Results: The quantitative analysis showed larger numbers of well-distributed Iba1-IR cells (microglia), NeuN-IR cells (neurons), and GFAP-IR areas (astrocytes) at all the anatomically distinct regions examined, namely, the dorsomedial (DM) PAG, dorsolateral (DL) PAG, lateral (L) PAG, and ventrolateral (VL) PAG, in MOP-KO mice than in control mice. Conclusions: The cellular changes in the PAG identified in this paper may underlie aspects of the behavioral alterations produced by MOP receptor deletion, and suggest that alterations in the cellular structure of the PAG may contribute to hyperalgesic states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazumasu Sasaki
- Department of Preclinical Evaluation, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Frank Scott Hall
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, United States
| | - George R Uhl
- Raymond G Murphy VA Medical Center, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Ichiro Sora
- Department of Psychiatry, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan
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8
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Dickinson ME, Flenniken AM, Ji X, Teboul L, Wong MD, White JK, Meehan TF, Weninger WJ, Westerberg H, Adissu H, Baker CN, Bower L, Brown JM, Caddle LB, Chiani F, Clary D, Cleak J, Daly MJ, Denegre JM, Doe B, Dolan ME, Edie SM, Fuchs H, Gailus-Durner V, Galli A, Gambadoro A, Gallegos J, Guo S, Horner NR, Hsu CW, Johnson SJ, Kalaga S, Keith LC, Lanoue L, Lawson TN, Lek M, Mark M, Marschall S, Mason J, McElwee ML, Newbigging S, Nutter LM, Peterson KA, Ramirez-Solis R, Rowland DJ, Ryder E, Samocha KE, Seavitt JR, Selloum M, Szoke-Kovacs Z, Tamura M, Trainor AG, Tudose I, Wakana S, Warren J, Wendling O, West DB, Wong L, Yoshiki A, MacArthur DG, Tocchini-Valentini GP, Gao X, Flicek P, Bradley A, Skarnes WC, Justice MJ, Parkinson HE, Moore M, Wells S, Braun RE, Svenson KL, de Angelis MH, Herault Y, Mohun T, Mallon AM, Henkelman RM, Brown SD, Adams DJ, Lloyd KK, McKerlie C, Beaudet AL, Bucan M, Murray SA. High-throughput discovery of novel developmental phenotypes. Nature 2016; 537:508-514. [PMID: 27626380 PMCID: PMC5295821 DOI: 10.1038/nature19356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 799] [Impact Index Per Article: 99.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2015] [Accepted: 08/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Approximately one-third of all mammalian genes are essential for life. Phenotypes resulting from knockouts of these genes in mice have provided tremendous insight into gene function and congenital disorders. As part of the International Mouse Phenotyping Consortium effort to generate and phenotypically characterize 5,000 knockout mouse lines, here we identify 410 lethal genes during the production of the first 1,751 unique gene knockouts. Using a standardized phenotyping platform that incorporates high-resolution 3D imaging, we identify phenotypes at multiple time points for previously uncharacterized genes and additional phenotypes for genes with previously reported mutant phenotypes. Unexpectedly, our analysis reveals that incomplete penetrance and variable expressivity are common even on a defined genetic background. In addition, we show that human disease genes are enriched for essential genes, thus providing a dataset that facilitates the prioritization and validation of mutations identified in clinical sequencing efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary E. Dickinson
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Ann M. Flenniken
- The Centre for Phenogenomics, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Xiao Ji
- Genomics and Computational Biology Program, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA 19104
| | - Lydia Teboul
- Medical Research Council Harwell (Mammalian Genetics Unit and Mary Lyon Centre), Harwell, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Michael D. Wong
- The Centre for Phenogenomics, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jacqueline K. White
- The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | - Terrence F. Meehan
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory- European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | - Wolfgang J. Weninger
- Centre for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Henrik Westerberg
- Medical Research Council Harwell (Mammalian Genetics Unit and Mary Lyon Centre), Harwell, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Hibret Adissu
- The Centre for Phenogenomics, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Lynette Bower
- Mouse Biology Program, University of California, Davis
| | - James M. Brown
- Medical Research Council Harwell (Mammalian Genetics Unit and Mary Lyon Centre), Harwell, Oxfordshire, UK
| | | | - Francesco Chiani
- Monterotondo Mouse Clinic, Italian National Research Council (CNR), Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Monterotondo Scalo, Itally
| | - Dave Clary
- Mouse Biology Program, University of California, Davis
| | - James Cleak
- Medical Research Council Harwell (Mammalian Genetics Unit and Mary Lyon Centre), Harwell, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Mark J. Daly
- Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Brendan Doe
- The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | | | | | - Helmut Fuchs
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Experimental Genetics and German Mouse Clinic, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Valerie Gailus-Durner
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Experimental Genetics and German Mouse Clinic, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Antonella Galli
- The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | - Alessia Gambadoro
- Monterotondo Mouse Clinic, Italian National Research Council (CNR), Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Monterotondo Scalo, Itally
| | - Juan Gallegos
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX USA
| | - Shiying Guo
- SKL of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Model Animal Research Center, Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, Nanjing Biomedical Research Institute, Nanjing University, China
| | - Neil R. Horner
- Medical Research Council Harwell (Mammalian Genetics Unit and Mary Lyon Centre), Harwell, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Chih-wei Hsu
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Sara J. Johnson
- Medical Research Council Harwell (Mammalian Genetics Unit and Mary Lyon Centre), Harwell, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Sowmya Kalaga
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Lance C. Keith
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Louise Lanoue
- Mouse Biology Program, University of California, Davis
| | - Thomas N. Lawson
- Medical Research Council Harwell (Mammalian Genetics Unit and Mary Lyon Centre), Harwell, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Monkol Lek
- Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Manuel Mark
- Infrastructure Nationale PHENOMIN, Institut Clinique de la Souris (ICS), et Institut de Génétique Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC) CNRS, INSERM, University of Strasbourg, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, France
| | - Susan Marschall
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Experimental Genetics and German Mouse Clinic, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Jeremy Mason
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory- European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Susan Newbigging
- The Centre for Phenogenomics, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lauryl M.J. Nutter
- The Centre for Phenogenomics, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Ramiro Ramirez-Solis
- The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Edward Ryder
- The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | - Kaitlin E. Samocha
- Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - John R. Seavitt
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX USA
| | - Mohammed Selloum
- Infrastructure Nationale PHENOMIN, Institut Clinique de la Souris (ICS), et Institut de Génétique Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC) CNRS, INSERM, University of Strasbourg, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, France
| | - Zsombor Szoke-Kovacs
- Medical Research Council Harwell (Mammalian Genetics Unit and Mary Lyon Centre), Harwell, Oxfordshire, UK
| | | | | | - Ilinca Tudose
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory- European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Jonathan Warren
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory- European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | - Olivia Wendling
- Infrastructure Nationale PHENOMIN, Institut Clinique de la Souris (ICS), et Institut de Génétique Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC) CNRS, INSERM, University of Strasbourg, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, France
| | - David B. West
- Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute, Oakland, CA 94609
| | - Leeyean Wong
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Houston, Texas, USA
| | | | | | - Daniel G. MacArthur
- Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Glauco P. Tocchini-Valentini
- Monterotondo Mouse Clinic, Italian National Research Council (CNR), Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Monterotondo Scalo, Itally
| | - Xiang Gao
- SKL of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Model Animal Research Center, Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, Nanjing Biomedical Research Institute, Nanjing University, China
| | - Paul Flicek
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory- European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | - Allan Bradley
- The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | - William C. Skarnes
- The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | - Monica J. Justice
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX USA
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Helen E. Parkinson
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory- European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Sara Wells
- Medical Research Council Harwell (Mammalian Genetics Unit and Mary Lyon Centre), Harwell, Oxfordshire, UK
| | | | | | - Martin Hrabe de Angelis
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Experimental Genetics and German Mouse Clinic, Neuherberg, Germany
- Chair of Experimental Genetics, School of Life Science Weihenstephan, Technische Universität München, Freising
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Yann Herault
- Infrastructure Nationale PHENOMIN, Institut Clinique de la Souris (ICS), et Institut de Génétique Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC) CNRS, INSERM, University of Strasbourg, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, France
| | - Tim Mohun
- The Francis Crick Institute Mill Hill Laboratory, The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, London, UK
| | - Ann-Marie Mallon
- Medical Research Council Harwell (Mammalian Genetics Unit and Mary Lyon Centre), Harwell, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - R. Mark Henkelman
- The Centre for Phenogenomics, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Steve D.M. Brown
- Medical Research Council Harwell (Mammalian Genetics Unit and Mary Lyon Centre), Harwell, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - David J. Adams
- The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Colin McKerlie
- The Centre for Phenogenomics, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Arthur L. Beaudet
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX USA
| | - Maja Bucan
- Departments of Genetics and Psychiatry, Perlman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA 19104
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9
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Nieman BJ, de Guzman AE, Gazdzinski LM, Lerch JP, Chakravarty MM, Pipitone J, Strother D, Fryer C, Bouffet E, Laughlin S, Laperriere N, Riggs L, Skocic J, Mabbott DJ. White and Gray Matter Abnormalities After Cranial Radiation in Children and Mice. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2015; 93:882-91. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2015.07.2293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2015] [Revised: 07/27/2015] [Accepted: 07/29/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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10
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Delora A, Gonzales A, Medina CS, Mitchell A, Mohed AF, Jacobs RE, Bearer EL. A simple rapid process for semi-automated brain extraction from magnetic resonance images of the whole mouse head. J Neurosci Methods 2015; 257:185-93. [PMID: 26455644 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2015.09.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2015] [Revised: 09/28/2015] [Accepted: 09/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a well-developed technique in neuroscience. Limitations in applying MRI to rodent models of neuropsychiatric disorders include the large number of animals required to achieve statistical significance, and the paucity of automation tools for the critical early step in processing, brain extraction, which prepares brain images for alignment and voxel-wise statistics. NEW METHOD This novel timesaving automation of template-based brain extraction ("skull-stripping") is capable of quickly and reliably extracting the brain from large numbers of whole head images in a single step. The method is simple to install and requires minimal user interaction. RESULTS This method is equally applicable to different types of MR images. Results were evaluated with Dice and Jacquard similarity indices and compared in 3D surface projections with other stripping approaches. Statistical comparisons demonstrate that individual variation of brain volumes are preserved. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS A downloadable software package not otherwise available for extraction of brains from whole head images is included here. This software tool increases speed, can be used with an atlas or a template from within the dataset, and produces masks that need little further refinement. CONCLUSIONS Our new automation can be applied to any MR dataset, since the starting point is a template mask generated specifically for that dataset. The method reliably and rapidly extracts brain images from whole head images, rendering them useable for subsequent analytical processing. This software tool will accelerate the exploitation of mouse models for the investigation of human brain disorders by MRI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Delora
- Department of Pathology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States
| | - Aaron Gonzales
- Department of Pathology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States
| | - Christopher S Medina
- Department of Pathology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States
| | - Adam Mitchell
- Department of Pathology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States
| | - Abdul Faheem Mohed
- Department of Pathology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States
| | - Russell E Jacobs
- Beckman Institute, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, United States
| | - Elaine L Bearer
- Department of Pathology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States; Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, United States.
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11
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Abstract
In order to understand the consequences of the mutation on behavioral and biological phenotypes relevant to autism, mutations in many of the risk genes for autism spectrum disorder have been experimentally generated in mice. Here, we summarize behavioral outcomes and neuroanatomical abnormalities, with a focus on high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging of postmortem mouse brains. Results are described from multiple mouse models of autism spectrum disorder and comorbid syndromes, including the 15q11-13, 16p11.2, 22q11.2, Cntnap2, Engrailed2, Fragile X, Integrinβ3, MET, Neurexin1a, Neuroligin3, Reelin, Rett, Shank3, Slc6a4, tuberous sclerosis, and Williams syndrome models, and inbred strains with strong autism-relevant behavioral phenotypes, including BTBR and BALB. Concomitant behavioral and neuroanatomical abnormalities can strengthen the interpretation of results from a mouse model, and may elevate the usefulness of the model system for therapeutic discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Ellegood
- />Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, 25 Orde Street, Toronto, ON M5T 3H7 Canada
| | - Jacqueline N. Crawley
- />MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, 4625 2nd Avenue, Sacramento, CA 95817 USA
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12
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de Guzman AE, Gazdzinski LM, Alsop RJ, Stewart JM, Jaffray DA, Wong CS, Nieman BJ. Treatment Age, Dose and Sex Determine Neuroanatomical Outcome in Irradiated Juvenile Mice. Radiat Res 2015; 183:541-9. [DOI: 10.1667/rr13854.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Lisa M. Gazdzinski
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Richard J. Alsop
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - James M. Stewart
- Radiation Medicine Program and Techna Institute, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - David A. Jaffray
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - C. Shun Wong
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Brian J. Nieman
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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13
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Rilett KC, Friedel M, Ellegood J, MacKenzie RN, Lerch JP, Foster JA. Loss of T cells influences sex differences in behavior and brain structure. Brain Behav Immun 2015; 46:249-60. [PMID: 25725160 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2015.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2014] [Revised: 02/10/2015] [Accepted: 02/18/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical and animal studies demonstrate that immune-brain communication influences behavior and brain function. Mice lacking T cell receptor β and δ chains were tested in the elevated plus maze, open field, and light-dark test and showed reduced anxiety-like behavior compared to wild type. Interestingly sex differences were observed in the behavioural phenotype of TCRβ-/-δ- mice. Specifically, female TCRβ-/-δ- mice spent more time in the light chamber compared to wild type females, whereas male TCRβ-/-δ- spent more time in the center of the open field compared to wild type males. In addition, TCRβ-/-δ- mice did not show sex differences in activity-related behaviors observed in WT mice. Ex vivo brain imaging (7 Tesla MRI) revealed volume changes in hippocampus, hypothalamus, amygdala, periaqueductal gray, and dorsal raphe and other brain regions between wild type and T cell receptor knockout mice. There was also a loss of sexual dimorphism in brain volume in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, normally the most sexually dimorphic region in the brain, in immune compromised mice. These data demonstrate the presence of T cells is important in the development of sex differences in CNS circuitry and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly C Rilett
- Neurosci. Grad Program, McMaster Univ., Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Miriam Friedel
- Mouse Imaging Ctr., Hosp. for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jacob Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging Ctr., Hosp. for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Robyn N MacKenzie
- Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster Univ., Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Ctr., Hosp. for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jane A Foster
- Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster Univ., Hamilton, ON, Canada; Brain-Body Institute, St. Joseph's Healthcare, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
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14
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Sussman D, Germann J, Henkelman M. Gestational ketogenic diet programs brain structure and susceptibility to depression & anxiety in the adult mouse offspring. Brain Behav 2015; 5:e00300. [PMID: 25642385 PMCID: PMC4309881 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2014] [Revised: 10/12/2014] [Accepted: 11/10/2014] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The ketogenic diet (KD) has seen an increase in popularity for clinical and non-clinical purposes, leading to rise in concern about the diet's impact on following generations. The KD is known to have a neurological effect, suggesting that exposure to it during prenatal brain development may alter neuro-anatomy. Studies have also indicated that the KD has an anti-depressant effect on the consumer. However, it is unclear whether any neuro-anatomical and/or behavioral changes would occur in the offspring and persist into adulthood. METHODS To fill this knowledge gap we assessed the brain morphology and behavior of 8-week-old young-adult CD-1 mice, who were exposed to the KD in utero, and were fed only a standard-diet (SD) in postnatal life. Standardized neuro-behavior tests included the Open-Field, Forced-Swim, and Exercise Wheel tests, and were followed by post-mortem Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to assess brain anatomy. RESULTS The adult KD offspring exhibit reduced susceptibility to anxiety and depression, and elevated physical activity level when compared with controls exposed to the SD both in utero and postnatally. Many neuro-anatomical differences exist between the KD offspring and controls, including, for example, a cerebellar volumetric enlargement by 4.8%, a hypothalamic reduction by 1.39%, and a corpus callosum reduction by 4.77%, as computed relative to total brain volume. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that prenatal exposure to the KD programs the offspring neuro-anatomy and influences their behavior in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dafna Sussman
- Physiology and Experimental Medicine, The Hospital for Sick ChildrenToronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jurgen Germann
- Mouse Imaging Center (MICe), The Hospital for Sick ChildrenToronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mark Henkelman
- Mouse Imaging Center (MICe), The Hospital for Sick ChildrenToronto, Ontario, Canada
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15
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Clustering autism: using neuroanatomical differences in 26 mouse models to gain insight into the heterogeneity. Mol Psychiatry 2015; 20:118-25. [PMID: 25199916 PMCID: PMC4426202 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2014.98] [Citation(s) in RCA: 200] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2014] [Revised: 07/14/2014] [Accepted: 07/15/2014] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Autism is a heritable disorder, with over 250 associated genes identified to date, yet no single gene accounts for >1-2% of cases. The clinical presentation, behavioural symptoms, imaging and histopathology findings are strikingly heterogeneous. A more complete understanding of autism can be obtained by examining multiple genetic or behavioural mouse models of autism using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based neuroanatomical phenotyping. Twenty-six different mouse models were examined and the consistently found abnormal brain regions across models were parieto-temporal lobe, cerebellar cortex, frontal lobe, hypothalamus and striatum. These models separated into three distinct clusters, two of which can be linked to the under and over-connectivity found in autism. These clusters also identified previously unknown connections between Nrxn1α, En2 and Fmr1; Nlgn3, BTBR and Slc6A4; and also between X monosomy and Mecp2. With no single treatment for autism found, clustering autism using neuroanatomy and identifying these strong connections may prove to be a crucial step in predicting treatment response.
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16
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Sasaki K, Sumiyoshi A, Nonaka H, Kasahara Y, Ikeda K, Hall FS, Uhl GR, Watanabe M, Kawashima R, Sora I. Specific regions display altered grey matter volume in μ-opioid receptor knockout mice: MRI voxel-based morphometry. Br J Pharmacol 2014; 172:654-67. [PMID: 24913308 DOI: 10.1111/bph.12807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2013] [Revised: 05/09/2014] [Accepted: 05/24/2014] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE μ Opioid receptor knockout (MOP-KO) mice display several behavioural differences from wild-type (WT) littermates including differential responses to nociceptive stimuli. Brain structural changes have been tied to behavioural alterations noted in transgenic mice with targeting of different genes. Hence, we assess the brain structure of MOP-KO mice. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and histological methods were used to identify structural differences between extensively backcrossed MOP-KO mice and WT mice. KEY RESULTS MOP-KO mice displayed robust increases in regional grey matter volume in olfactory bulb, several hypothalamic nuclei, periaqueductal grey (PAG) and several cerebellar areas, most confirmed by VBM analysis. The largest increases in grey matter volume were detected in the glomerular layer of the olfactory bulb, arcuate nucleus of hypothalamus, ventrolateral PAG (VLPAG) and cerebellar regions including paramedian and cerebellar lobules. Histological analyses confirm several of these results, with increased VLPAG cell numbers and increased thickness of the olfactory bulb granule cell layer and cerebellar molecular and granular cell layers. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS MOP deletion causes previously undescribed structural changes in specific brain regions, but not in all regions with high MOP receptor densities (e.g. thalamus, nucleus accumbens) or that exhibit adult neurogenesis (e.g. hippocampus). Volume differences in hypothalamus and PAG may reflect behavioural changes including hyperalgesia. Although the precise relationship between volume change and MOP receptor deletion was not determined from this study alone, these findings suggest that levels of MOP receptor expression may influence a broader range of neural structure and function in humans than previously supposed. LINKED ARTICLES This article is part of a themed section on Opioids: New Pathways to Functional Selectivity. To view the other articles in this section visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bph.2015.172.issue-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazumasu Sasaki
- Department of Biological Psychiatry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan; Department of Functional Brain Imaging, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
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17
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Portmann T, Yang M, Mao R, Panagiotakos G, Ellegood J, Dolen G, Bader PL, Grueter BA, Goold C, Fisher E, Clifford K, Rengarajan P, Kalikhman D, Loureiro D, Saw NL, Zhengqui Z, Miller MA, Lerch JP, Henkelman M, Shamloo M, Malenka RC, Crawley JN, Dolmetsch RE. Behavioral abnormalities and circuit defects in the basal ganglia of a mouse model of 16p11.2 deletion syndrome. Cell Rep 2014; 7:1077-1092. [PMID: 24794428 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2014.03.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 165] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2013] [Revised: 02/06/2014] [Accepted: 03/07/2014] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
A deletion on human chromosome 16p11.2 is associated with autism spectrum disorders. We deleted the syntenic region on mouse chromosome 7F3. MRI and high-throughput single-cell transcriptomics revealed anatomical and cellular abnormalities, particularly in cortex and striatum of juvenile mutant mice (16p11(+/-)). We found elevated numbers of striatal medium spiny neurons (MSNs) expressing the dopamine D2 receptor (Drd2(+)) and fewer dopamine-sensitive (Drd1(+)) neurons in deep layers of cortex. Electrophysiological recordings of Drd2(+) MSN revealed synaptic defects, suggesting abnormal basal ganglia circuitry function in 16p11(+/-) mice. This is further supported by behavioral experiments showing hyperactivity, circling, and deficits in movement control. Strikingly, 16p11(+/-) mice showed a complete lack of habituation reminiscent of what is observed in some autistic individuals. Our findings unveil a fundamental role of genes affected by the 16p11.2 deletion in establishing the basal ganglia circuitry and provide insights in the pathophysiology of autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Portmann
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5345, USA.,School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5345, USA
| | - Mu Yang
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-9663, USA
| | - Rong Mao
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5345, USA.,School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5345, USA
| | - Georgia Panagiotakos
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5345, USA.,School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5345, USA.,Neurosciences Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5345, USA
| | - Jacob Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5T 3H7, Canada
| | - Gul Dolen
- Department of Neuroscience, Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Patrick L Bader
- School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5345, USA.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5345, USA
| | - Brad A Grueter
- School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5345, USA.,Nancy Pritzker Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5345, USA
| | - Carleton Goold
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5345, USA.,School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5345, USA
| | - Elaine Fisher
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5345, USA.,School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5345, USA
| | - Katherine Clifford
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5345, USA.,School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5345, USA
| | - Pavitra Rengarajan
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5345, USA.,School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5345, USA
| | - David Kalikhman
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-9663, USA
| | - Darren Loureiro
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-9663, USA
| | - Nay L Saw
- Stanford Behavioral and Functional Neuroscience Laboratory, Stanford, CA 94305-5345, USA
| | - Zhou Zhengqui
- Stanford Behavioral and Functional Neuroscience Laboratory, Stanford, CA 94305-5345, USA
| | - Michael A Miller
- Stanford Behavioral and Functional Neuroscience Laboratory, Stanford, CA 94305-5345, USA
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5T 3H7, Canada.,Deparment of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Mark Henkelman
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5T 3H7, Canada.,Deparment of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Mehrdad Shamloo
- School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5345, USA.,Stanford Behavioral and Functional Neuroscience Laboratory, Stanford, CA 94305-5345, USA.,Stanford Institute for Neuro-Innovation and Translational Neurosciences, Stanford, CA 94305-5345, USA
| | - Robert C Malenka
- School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5345, USA.,Nancy Pritzker Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5345, USA
| | - Jacqueline N Crawley
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-9663, USA
| | - Ricardo E Dolmetsch
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5345, USA.,Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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18
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Ellegood J, Markx S, Lerch J, Steadman P, Genç C, Provenzano F, Kushner S, Henkelman R, Karayiorgou M, Gogos J. Neuroanatomical phenotypes in a mouse model of the 22q11.2 microdeletion. Mol Psychiatry 2014; 19:99-107. [PMID: 23999526 PMCID: PMC3872255 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2013.112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2013] [Revised: 07/21/2013] [Accepted: 07/22/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Recurrent deletions at the 22q11.2 locus have been established as a strong genetic risk factor for the development of schizophrenia and cognitive dysfunction. Individuals with 22q11.2 deletions have a range of well-defined volumetric abnormalities in a number of critical brain structures. A mouse model of the 22q11.2 deletion (Df(16)A(+/-)) has previously been utilized to characterize disease-associated abnormalities on synaptic, cellular, neurocircuitry, and behavioral levels. We performed a high-resolution MRI analysis of mutant mice compared with wild-type littermates. Our analysis revealed a striking similarity in the specific volumetric changes of Df(16)A(+/-) mice compared with human 22q11.2 deletion carriers, including in cortico-cerebellar, cortico-striatal and cortico-limbic circuits. In addition, higher resolution magnetic resonance imaging compared with neuroimaging in human subjects allowed the detection of previously unknown subtle local differences. The cerebellar findings in Df(16)A(+/-) mice are particularly instructive as they are localized to specific areas within both the deep cerebellar nuclei and the cerebellar cortex. Our study indicates that the Df(16)A(+/-)mouse model recapitulates most of the hallmark neuroanatomical changes observed in 22q11.2 deletion carriers. Our findings will help guide the design and interpretation of additional complementary studies and thereby advance our understanding of the abnormal brain development underlying the emergence of 22q11.2 deletion-associated psychiatric and cognitive symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - S. Markx
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - J.P. Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
,Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario Canada
| | - P.E. Steadman
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
,Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario Canada
| | - C. Genç
- Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus Medical Center, The Netherlands
| | - F Provenzano
- Department of Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - S.A. Kushner
- Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus Medical Center, The Netherlands
| | - R.M. Henkelman
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
,Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario Canada
| | - M. Karayiorgou
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - J.A. Gogos
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
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Steadman PE, Ellegood J, Szulc KU, Turnbull DH, Joyner AL, Henkelman RM, Lerch JP. Genetic effects on cerebellar structure across mouse models of autism using a magnetic resonance imaging atlas. Autism Res 2013; 7:124-37. [PMID: 24151012 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2013] [Accepted: 09/17/2013] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of autism populations is confounded by the inherent heterogeneity in the individuals' genetics and environment, two factors difficult to control for. Imaging genetic animal models that recapitulate a mutation associated with autism quantify the impact of genetics on brain morphology and mitigate the confounding factors in human studies. Here, we used MRI to image three genetic mouse models with single mutations implicated in autism: Neuroligin-3 R451C knock-in, Methyl-CpG binding protein-2 (MECP2) 308-truncation and integrin β3 homozygous knockout. This study identified the morphological differences specific to the cerebellum, a structure repeatedly linked to autism in human neuroimaging and postmortem studies. To accomplish a comparative analysis, a segmented cerebellum template was created and used to segment each study image. This template delineated 39 different cerebellar structures. For Neuroligin-3 R451C male mutants, the gray (effect size (ES) = 1.94, FDR q = 0.03) and white (ES = 1.84, q = 0.037) matter of crus II lobule and the gray matter of the paraflocculus (ES = 1.45, q = 0.045) were larger in volume. The MECP2 mutant mice had cerebellar volume changes that increased in scope depending on the genotype: hemizygous males to homozygous females. The integrin β3 mutant mouse had a drastically smaller cerebellum than controls with 28 out of 39 cerebellar structures smaller. These imaging results are discussed in relation to repetitive behaviors, sociability, and learning in the context of autism. This work further illuminates the cerebellum's role in autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick E Steadman
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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20
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Nie J, Shen D. Automated segmentation of mouse brain images using multi-atlas multi-ROI deformation and label fusion. Neuroinformatics 2013; 11:35-45. [PMID: 23055043 DOI: 10.1007/s12021-012-9163-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
We propose an automated multi-atlas and multi-ROI based segmentation method for both skull-stripping of mouse brain and the ROI-labeling of mouse brain structures from the three dimensional (3D) magnetic resonance images (MRI). Three main steps are involved in our method. First, a region of interest (ROI) guided warping algorithm is designed to register multi-atlas images to the subject space, by considering more on the matching of image contents around the ROI boundaries which are more important for ROI labeling. Then, a multi-atlas and multi-ROI based deformable segmentation method is adopted to refine the ROI labeling result by deforming each ROI surface via boundary recognizers (i.e., SVM classifiers) trained on local surface patches. Finally, a local-mutual-information (MI) based multi-label fusion technique is proposed for allowing the atlases with better local image similarity with the subject to have more contributions in label fusion. The experimental results show that our method works better than the conventional methods on both in vitro and in vivo mouse brain datasets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingxin Nie
- Department of Radiology and BRIC, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
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21
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Szulc KU, Nieman BJ, Houston EJ, Bartelle BB, Lerch JP, Joyner AL, Turnbull DH. MRI analysis of cerebellar and vestibular developmental phenotypes in Gbx2 conditional knockout mice. Magn Reson Med 2013; 70:1707-17. [PMID: 23400959 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.24597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2012] [Revised: 11/20/2012] [Accepted: 11/21/2012] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Our aim in this study was to apply three-dimensional MRI methods to analyze early postnatal morphological phenotypes in a Gbx2 conditional knockout (Gbx2-CKO) mouse that has variable midline deletions in the central cerebellum, reminiscent of many human cerebellar hypoplasia syndromes. METHODS In vivo three-dimensional manganese-enhanced MRI at 100-µm isotropic resolution was used to visualize mouse brains between postnatal days 3 and 11, when cerebellum morphology undergoes dramatic changes. Deformation-based morphometry and volumetric analysis of manganese-enhanced MRI images were used to, respectively, detect and quantify morphological phenotypes in Gbx2-CKO mice. Ex vivo micro-MRI was performed after perfusion-fixation with supplemented gadolinium for higher resolution (50-µm) analysis. RESULTS In vivo manganese-enhanced MRI and deformation-based morphometry correctly identified known cerebellar defects in Gbx2-CKO mice, and novel phenotypes were discovered in the deep cerebellar nuclei and the vestibulo-cerebellum, both validated using histology. Ex vivo micro-MRI revealed subtle phenotypes in both the vestibulo-cerebellum and the vestibulo-cochlear organ, providing an interesting example of complementary phenotypes in a sensory organ and its associated brain region. CONCLUSION These results show the potential of three-dimensional MRI for detecting and analyzing developmental defects in mouse models of neurodevelopmental diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamila U Szulc
- Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine at the Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA; Biomedical Imaging Program, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
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22
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Gaser C, Schmidt S, Metzler M, Herrmann KH, Krumbein I, Reichenbach JR, Witte OW. Deformation-based brain morphometry in rats. Neuroimage 2012; 63:47-53. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2012.06.066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2012] [Revised: 06/26/2012] [Accepted: 06/28/2012] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
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Gleave JA, Wong MD, Dazai J, Altaf M, Henkelman RM, Lerch JP, Nieman BJ. Neuroanatomical phenotyping of the mouse brain with three-dimensional autofluorescence imaging. Physiol Genomics 2012; 44:778-85. [PMID: 22718750 DOI: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00055.2012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The structural organization of the brain is important for normal brain function and is critical to understand in order to evaluate changes that occur during disease processes. Three-dimensional (3D) imaging of the mouse brain is necessary to appreciate the spatial context of structures within the brain. In addition, the small scale of many brain structures necessitates resolution at the ∼10 μm scale. 3D optical imaging techniques, such as optical projection tomography (OPT), have the ability to image intact large specimens (1 cm(3)) with ∼5 μm resolution. In this work we assessed the potential of autofluorescence optical imaging methods, and specifically OPT, for phenotyping the mouse brain. We found that both specimen size and fixation methods affected the quality of the OPT image. Based on these findings we developed a specimen preparation method to improve the images. Using this method we assessed the potential of optical imaging for phenotyping. Phenotypic differences between wild-type male and female mice were quantified using computer-automated methods. We found that optical imaging of the endogenous autofluorescence in the mouse brain allows for 3D characterization of neuroanatomy and detailed analysis of brain phenotypes. This will be a powerful tool for understanding mouse models of disease and development and is a technology that fits easily within the workflow of biology and neuroscience labs.
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Nieman BJ, Wong MD, Henkelman RM. Genes into geometry: imaging for mouse development in 3D. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2011; 21:638-46. [PMID: 21907568 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2011.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2011] [Revised: 08/19/2011] [Accepted: 08/23/2011] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Mammalian development is a sophisticated program coordinated by a complex set of genetic and physiological factors. Alterations in anatomy or morphology provide intrinsic measures of progress in or deviations from this program. Emerging three-dimensional imaging methods now allow for more sophisticated morphological assessment than ever before, enabling comprehensive phenotyping, visualization of anatomical context and patterns, automated and quantitative morphological analysis, as well as improved understanding of the developmental time course. Furthermore, these imaging tools are becoming increasingly available and will consequently play a prominent role in elucidating the factors that direct and influence mammalian development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian J Nieman
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, and Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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25
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Mouse phenotyping with MRI. Methods Mol Biol 2011. [PMID: 21874500 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-61779-219-9_31] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
Abstract
The field of mouse phenotyping with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is rapidly growing, motivated by the need for improved tools for characterizing and evaluating mouse models of human disease. Image results can provide important comparisons of human conditions with mouse disease models, evaluations of treatment, development or disease progression, as well as direction for histological or other investigations. Effective mouse MRI studies require attention to many aspects of experiment design. In this chapter, we provide details and discussion of important practical considerations: hardware requirements, mouse handling for in vivo imaging, specimen preparation for ex vivo imaging, sequence and contrast agent selection, study size, and quantitative image analysis. We focus particularly on anatomical phenotyping, an important and accessible application that has shown a high potential for impact in many mouse models at our imaging center.
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26
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Yu X, Nieman BJ, Sudarov A, Szulc KU, Abdollahian DJ, Bhatia N, Lalwani AK, Joyner AL, Turnbull DH. Morphological and functional midbrain phenotypes in Fibroblast Growth Factor 17 mutant mice detected by Mn-enhanced MRI. Neuroimage 2011; 56:1251-8. [PMID: 21356319 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2011.02.068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2010] [Revised: 02/14/2011] [Accepted: 02/17/2011] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
With increasing efforts to develop and utilize mouse models of a variety of neuro-developmental diseases, there is an urgent need for sensitive neuroimaging methods that enable in vivo analysis of subtle alterations in brain anatomy and function in mice. Previous studies have shown that the brains of Fibroblast Growth Factor 17 null mutants (Fgf17(-/-)) have anatomical abnormalities in the inferior colliculus (IC)-the auditory midbrain-and minor foliation defects in the cerebellum. In addition, changes in the expression domains of several cortical patterning genes were detected, without overt changes in forebrain morphology. Recently, it has also been reported that Fgf17(-/-) mutants have abnormal vocalization and social behaviors, phenotypes that could reflect molecular changes in the cortex and/or altered auditory processing / perception in these mice. We used manganese (Mn)-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MEMRI) to analyze the anatomical phenotype of Fgf17(-/-) mutants in more detail than achieved previously, detecting changes in IC, cerebellum, olfactory bulb, hypothalamus and frontal cortex. We also used MEMRI to characterize sound-evoked activity patterns, demonstrating a significant reduction of the active IC volume in Fgf17(-/-) mice. Furthermore, tone-specific (16- and 40-kHz) activity patterns in the IC of Fgf17(-/-) mice were observed to be largely overlapping, in contrast to the normal pattern, separated along the dorsal-ventral axis. These results demonstrate that Fgf17 plays important roles in both the anatomical and functional development of the auditory midbrain, and show the utility of MEMRI for in vivo analyses of mutant mice with subtle brain defects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Yu
- Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine at the Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
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Abstract
The completed sequencing of genomes has forced upon us the challenge of understanding how the detailed information in the genome gives rise to the specific characteristics--phenotype--of the individual. This is crucial for understanding not only normal development but also, from a medical perspective, the genetic basis of disease. Much of the mammalian genome-to-phenotype relationship will be worked out in the mouse, for which powerful genetic-manipulation tools are available. Mouse imaging combined with powerful statistical methods has a unique and growing role to play in phenotyping genetically modified mice. This review outlines the challenges for image-based phenotyping, summarizes the current state of three-dimensional imaging technologies for the mouse, and highlights new opportunities in systems biology that are opened by imaging mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Mark Henkelman
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G1X8, Canada.
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28
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Zamyadi M, Baghdadi L, Lerch JP, Bhattacharya S, Schneider JE, Henkelman RM, Sled JG. Mouse embryonic phenotyping by morphometric analysis of MR images. Physiol Genomics 2010; 42A:89-95. [PMID: 20682847 PMCID: PMC2957795 DOI: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00091.2010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
A new method is described for automatic detection of subtle morphological phenotypes in mouse embryos. Based on high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging scanning and nonlinear image alignment, this method is demonstrated by comparing the morphology of two inbred strains, C57BL/6J and 129Sv/S1ImJ, at 15.5 days postconception. Mouse embryo morphology was found to be highly amenable to this kind of analysis with very low levels (on average 110 μm) of residual anatomical variation within strains after linear differences in pose and scale are removed. Mapping of local size differences showed that C57BL/6J embryos were larger than 129Sv/S1ImJ embryos, although these differences were not uniformly distributed across the anatomy. Expressed in terms of organ volumes, heart and lung were larger in C57BL/6J embryos, while brain and liver were comparable in volume between strains. The positive relationship between organ size and embryo size was consistent for the two strains but differed by organ, with the brain and liver being the least variable. Together these findings suggest the power of this technique for detecting subtle phenotypic differences arising from mutated genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Zamyadi
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Abstract
Ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) and magnetic resonance microimaging (micro-MRI) provide noninvasive, high-resolution images in mouse embryos and neonates, enabling volumetric and functional analyses of phenotypes, including longitudinal imaging of individual mice over critical stages of in utero and early-postnatal development. In this chapter, we describe the underlying principles of UBM and micro-MRI, including the advantages and limitations of these approaches for studies of mouse development, and providing a number of examples to illustrate their use. To date, most imaging studies have focused on the developing nervous and cardiovascular systems, which are also reflected in the examples shown in this chapter, but we also discuss the future application of these methods to other organ systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian J Nieman
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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30
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Mercer RE, Kwolek EM, Bischof JM, van Eede M, Henkelman RM, Wevrick R. Regionally reduced brain volume, altered serotonin neurochemistry, and abnormal behavior in mice null for the circadian rhythm output gene Magel2. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2009; 150B:1085-99. [PMID: 19199291 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.30934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Magel2 belongs to the MAGE/necdin family of proteins, which have roles in cell cycle, differentiation, and apoptosis. The Magel2 gene is expressed in various brain regions, most notably the hypothalamus. Mice with a targeted deletion of Magel2 display hypoactivity, blunted circadian rhythm, decreased fertility, and increased adiposity. The human ortholog, MAGEL2, is one of a set of paternally expressed, imprinted genes inactivated in most cases of Prader-Willi syndrome, a complex neurodevelopmental disorder. To explore the role of Magel2, brain morphology, brain neurochemistry, and behavior were measured in Magel2-null mice. Brain volume was reduced in specific regions, particularly in the parieto-temporal lobe of the cerebral cortex, the amygdala, the hippocampus, and the nucleus accumbens, as measured by quantitative magnetic resonance imaging. Abnormal neurochemistry was detected in brain samples from adult mice, consisting of decreased serotonin and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid in the cortex and the hypothalamus, and decreased dopamine in the hypothalamus. Magel2-null mice displayed relatively normal motor and learning abilities, but exhibited abnormal behavior in novel environments. This study lends support to the important role of the circadian rhythm output gene Magel2 in brain structure and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca E Mercer
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Advances in magnetic resonance microscopy (MRM) make it practical to map gene variants responsible for structural variation in brains of many species, including mice and humans. We review results of a systematic genetic analysis of MRM data using as a case study a family of well characterized lines of mice. RECENT ADVANCES MRM has matured to the point that we can generate high contrast, high-resolution images even for species as small as a mouse, with a brain merely 1/3000th the size of humans. We generated 21.5-micron data sets for a diverse panel of BXD mouse strains to gauge the extent of genetic variation, and as a prelude to comprehensive genetic and genomic analyses. Here we review MRM capabilities and image segmentation methods; heritability of brain variation; covariation of the sizes of brain regions; and correlations between MRM and classical histological data sets. SUMMARY The combination of high throughput MRM and genomics will improve our understanding of the genetic basis of structure-function correlations. Sophisticated mouse models will be critical in converting correlations into mechanisms and in determining genetic and epigenetic causes of differences in disease susceptibility.
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Nieman BJ, Szulc KU, Turnbull DH. Three-dimensional, in vivo MRI with self-gating and image coregistration in the mouse. Magn Reson Med 2009; 61:1148-57. [PMID: 19253389 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.21945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Motion during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans routinely results in undesirable image artifact or blurring. Since high-resolution, three-dimensional (3D) imaging of the mouse requires long scan times for satisfactory signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and image quality, motion-related artifacts are likely over much of the body and limit applications of mouse MRI. In this investigation, we explored the use of self-gated imaging methods and image coregistration for improving image quality in the presence of motion. Self-gated signal results from a modified 3D gradient-echo sequence showed detection of periodic respiratory and cardiac motion in the adult mouse-with excellent comparison to traditional measurements, sensitivity to respiration-induced tissue changes in the brain, and even detection of embryonic cardiac motion in utero. Serial image coregistration with rapidly-acquired, low-SNR volumes further enabled detection and correction of bulk changes in embryo location during in utero imaging sessions and subsequent reconstruction of high-quality images. These methods, in combination, are shown to expand the range of applications for 3D mouse MRI, enabling late-stage embryonic heart imaging and introducing the possibility of longitudinal developmental studies from embryonic stages through adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian J Nieman
- Kimmel Center for Biological and Medicine at the Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
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