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Yee Y, Ellegood J, French L, Lerch JP. Organization of thalamocortical structural covariance and a corresponding 3D atlas of the mouse thalamus. Neuroimage 2024; 285:120453. [PMID: 37979895 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023] Open
Abstract
For information from sensory organs to be processed by the brain, it is usually passed to appropriate areas of the cerebral cortex. Almost all of this information passes through the thalamus, a relay structure that reciprocally connects to the vast majority of the cortex. The thalamus facilitates this information transfer through a set of thalamocortical connections that vary in cellular structure, molecular profiles, innervation patterns, and firing rates. Additionally, corticothalamic connections allow for intracortical information transfer through the thalamus. These efferent and afferent connections between the thalamus and cortex have been the focus of many studies, and the importance of cortical connectivity in defining thalamus anatomy is demonstrated by multiple studies that parcellate the thalamus based on cortical connectivity profiles. Here, we examine correlated morphological variation between the thalamus and cortex, or thalamocortical structural covariance. For each voxel in the thalamus as a seed, we construct a cortical structural covariance map that represents correlated cortical volume variation, and examine whether high structural covariance is observed in cortical areas that are functionally relevant to the seed. Then, using these cortical structural covariance maps as features, we subdivide the thalamus into six non-overlapping regions (clusters of voxels), and assess whether cortical structural covariance is associated with cortical connectivity that specifically originates from these regions. We show that cortical structural covariance is high in areas of the cortex that are functionally related to the seed voxel, cortical structural covariance varies along cortical depth, and sharp transitions in cortical structural covariance profiles are observed when varying seed locations in the thalamus. Subdividing the thalamus based on structural covariance, we additionally demonstrate that the six thalamic clusters of voxels stratify cortical structural covariance along the dorsal-ventral, medial-lateral, and anterior-posterior axes. These cluster-associated structural covariance patterns are prominently detected in cortical regions innervated by fibers projecting out of their related thalamic subdivisions. Together, these results advance our understanding of how the thalamus and the cortex couple in their volumes. Our results indicate that these volume correlations reflect functional organization and structural connectivity, and further provides a novel segmentation of the mouse thalamus that can be used to examine thalamic structural variation and thalamocortical structural covariation in disease models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yohan Yee
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
| | - Jacob Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Leon French
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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2
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Goodman SJ, Luperchio TR, Ellegood J, Chater-Diehl E, Lerch JP, Bjornsson HT, Weksberg R. Peripheral blood DNA methylation and neuroanatomical responses to HDACi treatment that rescues neurological deficits in a Kabuki syndrome mouse model. Clin Epigenetics 2023; 15:172. [PMID: 37884963 PMCID: PMC10605417 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-023-01582-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent findings from studies of mouse models of Mendelian disorders of epigenetic machinery strongly support the potential for postnatal therapies to improve neurobehavioral and cognitive deficits. As several of these therapies move into human clinical trials, the search for biomarkers of treatment efficacy is a priority. A potential postnatal treatment of Kabuki syndrome type 1 (KS1), caused by pathogenic variants in KMT2D encoding a histone-lysine methyltransferase, has emerged using a mouse model of KS1 (Kmt2d+/βGeo). In this mouse model, hippocampal memory deficits are ameliorated following treatment with the histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi), AR-42. Here, we investigate the effect of both Kmt2d+/βGeo genotype and AR-42 treatment on neuroanatomy and on DNA methylation (DNAm) in peripheral blood. While peripheral blood may not be considered a "primary tissue" with respect to understanding the pathophysiology of neurodevelopmental disorders, it has the potential to serve as an accessible biomarker of disease- and treatment-related changes in the brain. METHODS Half of the KS1 and wildtype mice were treated with 14 days of AR-42. Following treatment, fixed brain samples were imaged using MRI to calculate regional volumes. Blood was assayed for genome-wide DNAm at over 285,000 CpG sites using the Illumina Infinium Mouse Methylation array. DNAm patterns and brain volumes were analyzed in the four groups of animals: wildtype untreated, wildtype AR-42 treated, KS1 untreated and KS1 AR-42 treated. RESULTS We defined a DNAm signature in the blood of KS1 mice, that overlapped with the human KS1 DNAm signature. We also found a striking 10% decrease in total brain volume in untreated KS1 mice compared to untreated wildtype, which correlated with DNAm levels in a subset KS1 signature sites, suggesting that disease severity may be reflected in blood DNAm. Treatment with AR-42 ameliorated DNAm aberrations in KS1 mice at a small number of signature sites. CONCLUSIONS As this treatment impacts both neurological deficits and blood DNAm in mice, future KS clinical trials in humans could be used to assess blood DNAm as an early biomarker of therapeutic efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Teresa Romeo Luperchio
- McKusick-Nathans Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Jacob Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Eric Chater-Diehl
- Genetics and Genome Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, The University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, The University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Hans Tomas Bjornsson
- McKusick-Nathans Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
- Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Rosanna Weksberg
- Genetics and Genome Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.
- Division of Clinical and Metabolic Genetics, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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3
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Warren EB, Briano JA, Ellegood J, DeYoung T, Lerch JP, Morrow EM. 17q12 deletion syndrome mouse model shows defects in craniofacial, brain and kidney development, and glucose homeostasis. Dis Model Mech 2022; 15:dmm049752. [PMID: 36373506 PMCID: PMC10655816 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.049752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
17q12 deletion (17q12Del) syndrome is a copy number variant (CNV) disorder associated with neurodevelopmental disorders and renal cysts and diabetes syndrome (RCAD). Using CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, we generated a mouse model of 17q12Del syndrome on both inbred (C57BL/6N) and outbred (CD-1) genetic backgrounds. On C57BL/6N, the 17q12Del mice had severe head development defects, potentially mediated by haploinsufficiency of Lhx1, a gene within the interval that controls head development. Phenotypes included brain malformations, particularly disruption of the telencephalon and craniofacial defects. On the CD-1 background, the 17q12Del mice survived to adulthood and showed milder craniofacial and brain abnormalities. We report postnatal brain defects using automated magnetic resonance imaging-based morphometry. In addition, we demonstrate renal and blood glucose abnormalities relevant to RCAD. On both genetic backgrounds, we found sex-specific presentations, with male 17q12Del mice exhibiting higher penetrance and more severe phenotypes. Results from these experiments pinpoint specific developmental defects and pathways that guide clinical studies and a mechanistic understanding of the human 17q12Del syndrome. This mouse mutant represents the first and only experimental model to date for the 17q12 CNV disorder. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily B. Warren
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Center for Translational Neuroscience, Carney Institute for Brain Science and Brown Institute for Translational Science, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Juan A. Briano
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Center for Translational Neuroscience, Carney Institute for Brain Science and Brown Institute for Translational Science, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Jacob Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5T 3H7, Canada
| | - Taylor DeYoung
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5T 3H7, Canada
| | - Jason P. Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5T 3H7, Canada
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, The University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Eric M. Morrow
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Center for Translational Neuroscience, Carney Institute for Brain Science and Brown Institute for Translational Science, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
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4
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Bakalar D, O’Reilly JJ, Lacaille H, Salzbank J, Ellegood J, Lerch JP, Sasaki T, Imamura Y, Hashimoto-Torii K, Vacher CM, Penn AA. Lack of placental neurosteroid alters cortical development and female somatosensory function. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:972033. [PMID: 36313771 PMCID: PMC9606442 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.972033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Placental endocrine function is essential to fetal brain development. Placental hormones include neurosteroids such as allopregnanolone (ALLO), a regulator of neurodevelopmental processes via positive allosteric modulation of the GABAA receptor (GABAA-R). Using a mouse model (plKO) in which the gene encoding the ALLO synthesis enzyme is specifically deleted in trophoblasts, we previously showed that placental ALLO insufficiency alters cerebellar white matter development and leads to male-specific autistic-like behavior. We now demonstrate that the lack of placental ALLO causes female-predominant alterations of cortical development and function. Placental ALLO insufficiency disrupts cell proliferation in the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) in a sex-linked manner. Early changes are seen in plKO embryos of both sexes, but persist primarily in female offspring after birth. Adolescent plKO females show significant reduction in pyramidal neuron density, as well as somatosensory behavioral deficits as compared with plKO males and control littermates. Assessment of layer-specific markers in human postmortem cortices suggests that preterm infants may also have female-biased abnormalities in cortical layer specification as compared with term infants. This study establishes a novel and fundamental link between placental function and sex-linked long-term neurological outcomes, emphasizing the importance of the growing field of neuroplacentology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana Bakalar
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s Research Institute, Children’s National Health System, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Jiaqi J. O’Reilly
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Helene Lacaille
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Jacquelyn Salzbank
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Jacob Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jason P. Lerch
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging (WIN), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Toru Sasaki
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s Research Institute, Children’s National Health System, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Yuka Imamura
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States
| | - Kazue Hashimoto-Torii
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s Research Institute, Children’s National Health System, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Claire-Marie Vacher
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Anna A. Penn
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
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5
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MusMorph, a database of standardized mouse morphology data for morphometric meta-analyses. Sci Data 2022; 9:230. [PMID: 35614082 PMCID: PMC9133120 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-022-01338-x] [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: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Complex morphological traits are the product of many genes with transient or lasting developmental effects that interact in anatomical context. Mouse models are a key resource for disentangling such effects, because they offer myriad tools for manipulating the genome in a controlled environment. Unfortunately, phenotypic data are often obtained using laboratory-specific protocols, resulting in self-contained datasets that are difficult to relate to one another for larger scale analyses. To enable meta-analyses of morphological variation, particularly in the craniofacial complex and brain, we created MusMorph, a database of standardized mouse morphology data spanning numerous genotypes and developmental stages, including E10.5, E11.5, E14.5, E15.5, E18.5, and adulthood. To standardize data collection, we implemented an atlas-based phenotyping pipeline that combines techniques from image registration, deep learning, and morphometrics. Alongside stage-specific atlases, we provide aligned micro-computed tomography images, dense anatomical landmarks, and segmentations (if available) for each specimen (N = 10,056). Our workflow is open-source to encourage transparency and reproducible data collection. The MusMorph data and scripts are available on FaceBase ( www.facebase.org , https://doi.org/10.25550/3-HXMC ) and GitHub ( https://github.com/jaydevine/MusMorph ).
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Kenney JW, Steadman PE, Young O, Shi MT, Polanco M, Dubaishi S, Covert K, Mueller T, Frankland PW. A 3D adult zebrafish brain atlas (AZBA) for the digital age. eLife 2021; 10:69988. [PMID: 34806976 PMCID: PMC8639146 DOI: 10.7554/elife.69988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Zebrafish have made significant contributions to our understanding of the vertebrate brain and the neural basis of behavior, earning a place as one of the most widely used model organisms in neuroscience. Their appeal arises from the marriage of low cost, early life transparency, and ease of genetic manipulation with a behavioral repertoire that becomes more sophisticated as animals transition from larvae to adults. To further enhance the use of adult zebrafish, we created the first fully segmented three-dimensional digital adult zebrafish brain atlas (AZBA). AZBA was built by combining tissue clearing, light-sheet fluorescence microscopy, and three-dimensional image registration of nuclear and antibody stains. These images were used to guide segmentation of the atlas into over 200 neuroanatomical regions comprising the entirety of the adult zebrafish brain. As an open source, online (azba.wayne.edu), updatable digital resource, AZBA will significantly enhance the use of adult zebrafish in furthering our understanding of vertebrate brain function in both health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin W Kenney
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, United States.,Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Patrick E Steadman
- Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Olivia Young
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, United States
| | - Meng Ting Shi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, United States
| | - Maris Polanco
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, United States
| | - Saba Dubaishi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, United States
| | - Kristopher Covert
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, United States
| | - Thomas Mueller
- Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, United States
| | - Paul W Frankland
- Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.,Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.,Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.,Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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7
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MCP-1 Signaling Disrupts Social Behavior by Modulating Brain Volumetric Changes and Microglia Morphology. Mol Neurobiol 2021; 59:932-949. [PMID: 34797523 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-021-02649-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a disease characterized by reduced social interaction and stereotypic behaviors and related to macroscopic volumetric changes in cerebellar and somatosensory cortices (SPP). Epidemiological and preclinical models have confirmed that a proinflammatory profile during fetal development increases ASD susceptibility after birth. Here, we aimed to globally identify the effect of maternal exposure to high-energy dense diets, which we refer to as cafeteria diet (CAF) on peripheral and central proinflammatory profiles, microglia reactivity, and volumetric brain changes related to assisting defective social interaction in the mice offspring. We found a sex-dependent effect of maternal exposure to CAF diet or inoculation of the dsARN mimetic Poly (I:C) on peripheral proinflammatory and social interaction in the offspring. Notably, maternal exposure to CAF diet impairs social interaction and favors an increase in anxiety in male but not female offspring. Also, CAF diet exposure or Poly (I:C) inoculation during fetal programming promote peripheral proinflammatory profile in the ASD-diagnosed male but not in females. Selectively, we found a robust accumulation of the monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) in plasma of ASD-diagnosed males exposed to CAF during fetal development. Biological assessment of MCP-1 signaling in brain confirms that systemic injection of MCP-1-neutralizing antibody reestablished social interaction and blocked anxiety, accompanied by a reduction in cerebellar lobule X (CbX) volume and an increase volume of the primary somatosensory (SSP) cortex in male offspring. These data highlight the contribution of diet-dependent MCP-1 signaling on volumetric brain changes and microglia morphology promoting ASD-like behavior in male mice.
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8
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Guma E, Snook E, Spring S, Lerch JP, Nieman BJ, Devenyi GA, Chakravarty MM. Subtle alterations in neonatal neurodevelopment following early or late exposure to prenatal maternal immune activation in mice. Neuroimage Clin 2021; 32:102868. [PMID: 34749289 PMCID: PMC8573196 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2021.102868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal exposure to maternal immune activation (MIA) is a risk factor for a variety of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. The timing of MIA-exposure has been shown to affect adolescent and adult offspring neurodevelopment, however, less is known about these effects in the neonatal period. To better understand the impact of MIA-exposure on neonatal brain development in a mouse model, we assess neonate communicative abilities with the ultrasonic vocalization task, followed by high-resolution ex vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on the neonatal (postnatal day 8) mouse brain. Early exposed offspring displayed decreased communicative ability, while brain anatomy appeared largely unaffected, apart from some subtle alterations. By integrating MRI and behavioural assays to investigate the effects of MIA-exposure on neonatal neurodevelopment we show that offspring neuroanatomy and behaviour are only subtly affected by both early and late exposure. This suggests that the deficits often observed in later stages of life may be dormant, not yet developed in the neonatal period, or not as easily detectable using a cross-sectional approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Guma
- Computational Brain Anatomy Laboratory, Cerebral Imaging Center, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
| | - Emily Snook
- Computational Brain Anatomy Laboratory, Cerebral Imaging Center, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Shoshana Spring
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, The 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
| | - Brian J Nieman
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Translational Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Gabriel A Devenyi
- Computational Brain Anatomy Laboratory, Cerebral Imaging Center, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - M Mallar Chakravarty
- Computational Brain Anatomy Laboratory, Cerebral Imaging Center, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Biological and Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
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9
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Excessive Laughter-like Vocalizations, Microcephaly, and Translational Outcomes in the Ube3a Deletion Rat Model of Angelman Syndrome. J Neurosci 2021; 41:8801-8814. [PMID: 34475199 PMCID: PMC8528495 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0925-21.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Angelman syndrome (AS) is a rare genetic neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by intellectual disabilities, motor and balance deficits, impaired communication, and a happy, excitable demeanor with frequent laughter. We sought to elucidate a preclinical outcome measure in male and female rats that addressed communication abnormalities of AS and other neurodevelopmental disorders in which communication is atypical and/or lack of speech is a core feature. We discovered, and herein report for the first time, excessive laughter-like 50 kHz ultrasonic emissions in the Ube3a mat-/pat+ rat model of AS, which suggests an excitable, playful demeanor and elevated positive affect, similar to the demeanor of individuals with AS. Also in line with the AS phenotype, Ube3a mat-/pat+ rats demonstrated aberrant social interactions with a novel partner, distinctive gait abnormalities, impaired cognition, an underlying LTP deficit, and profound reductions in brain volume. These unique, robust phenotypes provide advantages compared with currently available mouse models and will be highly valuable as outcome measures in the evaluation of therapies for AS.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Angelman syndrome (AS) is a severe neurogenetic disorder for which there is no cure, despite decades of research using mouse models. This study used a recently developed rat model of AS to delineate disease-relevant outcome measures to facilitate therapeutic development. We found the rat to be a strong model of AS, offering several advantages over mouse models by exhibiting numerous AS-relevant phenotypes, including overabundant laughter-like vocalizations, reduced hippocampal LTP, and volumetric anomalies across the brain. These findings are unconfounded by detrimental motor abilities and background strain, issues plaguing mouse models. This rat model represents an important advancement in the field of AS, and the outcome metrics reported herein will be central to the therapeutic pipeline.
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10
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Vacher CM, Lacaille H, O'Reilly JJ, Salzbank J, Bakalar D, Sebaoui S, Liere P, Clarkson-Paredes C, Sasaki T, Sathyanesan A, Kratimenos P, Ellegood J, Lerch JP, Imamura Y, Popratiloff A, Hashimoto-Torii K, Gallo V, Schumacher M, Penn AA. Placental endocrine function shapes cerebellar development and social behavior. Nat Neurosci 2021; 24:1392-1401. [PMID: 34400844 PMCID: PMC8481124 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-021-00896-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Compromised placental function or premature loss has been linked to diverse neurodevelopmental disorders. Here we show that placenta allopregnanolone (ALLO), a progesterone-derived GABA-A receptor (GABAAR) modulator, reduction alters neurodevelopment in a sex-linked manner. A new conditional mouse model, in which the gene encoding ALLO's synthetic enzyme (akr1c14) is specifically deleted in trophoblasts, directly demonstrated that placental ALLO insufficiency led to cerebellar white matter abnormalities that correlated with autistic-like behavior only in male offspring. A single injection of ALLO or muscimol, a GABAAR agonist, during late gestation abolished these alterations. Comparison of male and female human preterm infant cerebellum also showed sex-linked myelination marker alteration, suggesting similarities between mouse placental ALLO insufficiency and human preterm brain development. This study reveals a new role for a placental hormone in shaping brain regions and behaviors in a sex-linked manner. Placental hormone replacement might offer novel therapeutic opportunities to prevent later neurobehavioral disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire-Marie Vacher
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University, New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Helene Lacaille
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University, New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jiaqi J O'Reilly
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University, New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jacquelyn Salzbank
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University, New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, New York, NY, USA
| | - Dana Bakalar
- National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Sonia Sebaoui
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Health System, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Philippe Liere
- U1195 INSERM, Paris-Saclay University, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre Cedex, France
| | | | - Toru Sasaki
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Health System, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Aaron Sathyanesan
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Health System, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Panagiotis Kratimenos
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Health System, Washington, DC, USA
- The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Pediatrics, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Jacob Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging (WIN), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Yuka Imamura
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Anastas Popratiloff
- The George Washington University, Nanofabrication and Imaging Center, Washington, DC, USA
- The George Washington University, SMHS, Anatomy & Cell Biology, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Kazue Hashimoto-Torii
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Health System, Washington, DC, USA
- The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Pediatrics, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Vittorio Gallo
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Health System, Washington, DC, USA
- The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Pediatrics, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Anna A Penn
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University, New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, New York, NY, USA.
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11
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Unger CM, Devine J, Hallgrímsson B, Rolian C. Selection for increased tibia length in mice alters skull shape through parallel changes in developmental mechanisms. eLife 2021; 10:e67612. [PMID: 33899741 PMCID: PMC8118654 DOI: 10.7554/elife.67612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Bones in the vertebrate cranial base and limb skeleton grow by endochondral ossification, under the control of growth plates. Mechanisms of endochondral ossification are conserved across growth plates, which increases covariation in size and shape among bones, and in turn may lead to correlated changes in skeletal traits not under direct selection. We used micro-CT and geometric morphometrics to characterize shape changes in the cranium of the Longshanks mouse, which was selectively bred for longer tibiae. We show that Longshanks skulls became longer, flatter, and narrower in a stepwise process. Moreover, we show that these morphological changes likely resulted from developmental changes in the growth plates of the Longshanks cranial base, mirroring changes observed in its tibia. Thus, indirect and non-adaptive morphological changes can occur due to developmental overlap among distant skeletal elements, with important implications for interpreting the evolutionary history of vertebrate skeletal form.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colton M Unger
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of CalgaryCalgaryCanada
- McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint HealthCalgaryCanada
| | - Jay Devine
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of CalgaryCalgaryCanada
| | - Benedikt Hallgrímsson
- McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint HealthCalgaryCanada
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of CalgaryCalgaryCanada
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute for Child and Maternal Health, University of CalgaryCalgaryCanada
| | - Campbell Rolian
- McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint HealthCalgaryCanada
- Department of Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of CalgaryCalgaryCanada
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12
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Misquitta KA, Miles A, Prevot TD, Knoch JK, Fee C, Newton DF, Ellegood J, Lerch JP, Sibille E, Nikolova YS, Banasr M. Reduced anterior cingulate cortex volume induced by chronic stress correlates with increased behavioral emotionality and decreased synaptic puncta density. Neuropharmacology 2021; 190:108562. [PMID: 33864799 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Clinical and preclinical studies report that chronic stress induces behavioral deficits as well as volumetric and synaptic alterations in corticolimbic brain regions including the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), amygdala (AMY), nucleus accumbens (NAc) and hippocampus (HPC). Here, we aimed to investigate the volumetric changes associated with chronic restraint stress (CRS) and link these changes to the CRS-induced behavioral and synaptic deficits. We first confirmed that CRS increases behavioral emotionality, defined as collective scoring of anxiety- and anhedonia-like behaviors. We then demonstrated that CRS induced a reduction of total brain volume which negatively correlated with behavioral emotionality. Region-specific analysis identified that only the ACC showed significant decrease in volume following CRS (p < 0.05). Reduced ACC correlated with increased behavioral emotionality (r = -0.56; p = 0.0003). Although not significantly altered by CRS, AMY and NAc (but not the HPC) volumes were negatively correlated with behavioral emotionality. Finally, using structural covariance network analysis to assess shared volumetric variances between the corticolimbic brain regions and associated structures, we found a progressive decreased ACC degree and increased AMY degree following CRS. At the cellular level, reduced ACC volume correlated with decreased PSD95 (but not VGLUT1) puncta density (r = 0.35, p < 0.05), which also correlated with increased behavioral emotionality (r = -0.44, p < 0.01), suggesting that altered synaptic strength is an underlying substrate of CRS volumetric and behavioral effects. Our results demonstrate that CRS effects on ACC volume and synaptic density are linked to behavioral emotionality and highlight key ACC structural and morphological alterations relevant to stress-related illnesses including mood and anxiety disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith A Misquitta
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, Canada; Departments of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Amy Miles
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, Canada
| | - Thomas D Prevot
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jaime K Knoch
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, Canada; Departments of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Corey Fee
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, Canada; Departments of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Dwight F Newton
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, Canada; Departments of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jacob Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada; Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, The University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Department of Medical Biophysics, The University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Etienne Sibille
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, Canada; Departments of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Yuliya S Nikolova
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Mounira Banasr
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, Canada; Departments of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
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13
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Ellegood J, Petkova SP, Kinman A, Qiu LR, Adhikari A, Wade AA, Fernandes D, Lindenmaier Z, Creighton A, Nutter LMJ, Nord AS, Silverman JL, Lerch JP. Neuroanatomy and behavior in mice with a haploinsufficiency of AT-rich interactive domain 1B (ARID1B) throughout development. Mol Autism 2021; 12:25. [PMID: 33757588 PMCID: PMC7986278 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-021-00432-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND One of the causal mechanisms underlying neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) is chromatin modification and the genes that regulate chromatin. AT-rich interactive domain 1B (ARID1B), a chromatin modifier, has been linked to autism spectrum disorder and to affect rare and inherited genetic variation in a broad set of NDDs. METHODS A novel preclinical mouse model of Arid1b deficiency was created and validated to characterize and define neuroanatomical, behavioral and transcriptional phenotypes. Neuroanatomy was assessed ex vivo in adult animals and in vivo longitudinally from birth to adulthood. Behavioral testing was also performed throughout development and tested all aspects of motor, learning, sociability, repetitive behaviors, seizure susceptibility, and general milestones delays. RESULTS We validated decreased Arid1b mRNA and protein in Arid1b+/- mice, with signatures of increased axonal and synaptic gene expression, decreased transcriptional regulator and RNA processing expression in adult Arid1b+/- cerebellum. During neonatal development, Arid1b+/- mice exhibited robust impairments in ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) and metrics of developmental growth. In addition, a striking sex effect was observed neuroanatomically throughout development. Behaviorally, as adults, Arid1b+/- mice showed low motor skills in open field exploration and normal three-chambered approach. Arid1b+/- mice had learning and memory deficits in novel object recognition but not in visual discrimination and reversal touchscreen tasks. Social interactions in the male-female social dyad with USVs revealed social deficits on some but not all parameters. No repetitive behaviors were observed. Brains of adult Arid1b+/- mice had a smaller cerebellum and a larger hippocampus and corpus callosum. The corpus callosum increase seen here contrasts previous reports which highlight losses in corpus callosum volume in mice and humans. LIMITATIONS The behavior and neuroimaging analyses were done on separate cohorts of mice, which did not allow a direct correlation between the imaging and behavioral findings, and the transcriptomic analysis was exploratory, with no validation of altered expression beyond Arid1b. CONCLUSIONS This study represents a full validation and investigation of a novel model of Arid1b+/- haploinsufficiency throughout development and highlights the importance of examining both sexes throughout development in NDDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, 25 Orde Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 3H7, Canada.
| | - S P Petkova
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, MIND Institute, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of California - Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - A Kinman
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, 25 Orde Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 3H7, Canada
| | - L R Qiu
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, The University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - A Adhikari
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, MIND Institute, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - A A Wade
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of California - Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - D Fernandes
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, 25 Orde Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 3H7, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Z Lindenmaier
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, 25 Orde Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 3H7, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - A Creighton
- The Centre for Phenogenomics, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - L M J Nutter
- The Centre for Phenogenomics, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - A S Nord
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, MIND Institute, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of California - Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California - Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - J L Silverman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, MIND Institute, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - J P Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, 25 Orde Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 3H7, Canada
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, The University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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14
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Kweon H, Jung WB, Im GH, Ryoo J, Lee JH, Do H, Choi Y, Song YH, Jung H, Park H, Qiu LR, Ellegood J, Shim HJ, Yang E, Kim H, Lerch JP, Lee SH, Chung WS, Kim D, Kim SG, Kim E. Excitatory neuronal CHD8 in the regulation of neocortical development and sensory-motor behaviors. Cell Rep 2021; 34:108780. [PMID: 33626347 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.108780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
CHD8 (chromodomain helicase DNA-binding protein 8) is a chromatin remodeler associated with autism spectrum disorders. Homozygous Chd8 deletion in mice leads to embryonic lethality, making it difficult to assess whether CHD8 regulates brain development and whether CHD8 haploinsufficiency-related macrocephaly reflects normal CHD8 functions. Here, we report that homozygous conditional knockout of Chd8 restricted to neocortical glutamatergic neurons causes apoptosis-dependent near-complete elimination of neocortical structures. These mice, however, display normal survival and hyperactivity, anxiolytic-like behavior, and increased social interaction. They also show largely normal auditory function and moderately impaired visual and motor functions but enhanced whisker-related somatosensory function. These changes accompany thalamic hyperactivity, revealed by 15.2-Tesla fMRI, and increased intrinsic excitability and decreased inhibitory synaptic transmission in thalamic ventral posterior medial (VPM) neurons involved in somatosensation. These results suggest that excitatory neuronal CHD8 critically regulates neocortical development through anti-apoptotic mechanisms, neocortical elimination distinctly affects cognitive behaviors and sensory-motor functions in mice, and Chd8 haploinsufficiency-related macrocephaly might represent compensatory responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanseul Kweon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Won Beom Jung
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research (CNIR), Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Suwon 16419, Korea; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Korea
| | - Geun Ho Im
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research (CNIR), Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Suwon 16419, Korea
| | - Jia Ryoo
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Joon-Hyuk Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Hogyeong Do
- Center for Synaptic Brain Dysfunctions, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Yeonsoo Choi
- Center for Synaptic Brain Dysfunctions, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - You-Hyang Song
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Hwajin Jung
- Center for Synaptic Brain Dysfunctions, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Haram Park
- Center for Synaptic Brain Dysfunctions, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Lily R Qiu
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5T 3H7, Canada; Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, The University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Jacob Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5T 3H7, Canada; Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, The University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Hyun-Ji Shim
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research (CNIR), Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Suwon 16419, Korea
| | - Esther Yang
- Department of Anatomy and Division of Brain Korea 21, Biomedical Science, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Korea
| | - Hyun Kim
- Department of Anatomy and Division of Brain Korea 21, Biomedical Science, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Korea
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5T 3H7, Canada; Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, The University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Seung-Hee Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Won-Suk Chung
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Daesoo Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Seong-Gi Kim
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research (CNIR), Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Suwon 16419, Korea; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Korea.
| | - Eunjoon Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Korea; Center for Synaptic Brain Dysfunctions, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon 34141, Korea.
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15
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Touj S, Gallino D, Chakravarty MM, Bronchti G, Piché M. Structural brain plasticity induced by early blindness. Eur J Neurosci 2020; 53:778-795. [PMID: 33113245 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2020] [Revised: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
It is well established that early blindness results in behavioural adaptations. While the functional effects of visual deprivation have been well researched, anatomical studies are scarce. The aim of this study was to investigate whole brain structural plasticity in a mouse model of congenital blindness. Volumetric analyses were conducted on high-resolution MRI images and histological sections from the same brains. These morphometric measurements were compared between anophthalmic and sighted ZRDBA mice obtained by breeding ZRDCT and DBA mice. Results from MRI analyses using the Multiple Automatically Generated Templates (MAGeT) method showed smaller volume for the primary visual cortex and superior colliculi in anophthalmic compared with sighted mice. Deformation-based morphometry revealed smaller volumes within the dorsal lateral geniculate nuclei and the lateral secondary visual cortex and larger volumes within olfactory areas, piriform cortex, orbital areas and the amygdala, in anophthalmic compared with sighted mice. Histological analyses revealed a larger volume for the amygdala and smaller volume for the superior colliculi, primary visual cortex and medial secondary visual cortex, in anophthalmic compared with sighted mice. The absence of superficial visual layers of the superior colliculus and the thinner cortical layer IV of the primary and secondary visual cortices may explain the smaller volume of these areas, although this was observed in a limited sample. The present study shows large-scale brain plasticity in a mouse model of congenital blindness. In addition, the congruence of MRI and histological findings support the use of MRI to investigate structural brain plasticity in the mouse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Touj
- Department of Anatomy, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada.,CogNAC Research Group, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada
| | - Daniel Gallino
- Computational Brain Anatomy Laboratory, Brain Imaging Center, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Verdun, QC, Canada
| | - Mallar M Chakravarty
- Computational Brain Anatomy Laboratory, Brain Imaging Center, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Verdun, QC, Canada.,Department of Biological and Biomedical Engineering, McGill, Montréal, QC, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, McGill, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Gilles Bronchti
- Department of Anatomy, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada.,CogNAC Research Group, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada
| | - Mathieu Piché
- Department of Anatomy, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada.,CogNAC Research Group, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada
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16
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The γ-Protocadherins Regulate the Survival of GABAergic Interneurons during Developmental Cell Death. J Neurosci 2020; 40:8652-8668. [PMID: 33060174 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1636-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Revised: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Inhibitory interneurons integrate into developing circuits in specific ratios and distributions. In the neocortex, inhibitory network formation occurs concurrently with the apoptotic elimination of a third of GABAergic interneurons. The cell surface molecules that select interneurons to survive or die are unknown. Here, we report that members of the clustered Protocadherins (cPCDHs) control GABAergic interneuron survival during developmentally-regulated cell death. Conditional deletion of the gene cluster encoding the γ-Protocadherins (Pcdhgs) from developing GABAergic neurons in mice of either sex causes a severe loss of inhibitory populations in multiple brain regions and results in neurologic deficits such as seizures. By focusing on the neocortex and the cerebellar cortex, we demonstrate that reductions of inhibitory interneurons result from elevated apoptosis during the critical postnatal period of programmed cell death (PCD). By contrast, cortical interneuron (cIN) populations are not affected by removal of Pcdhgs from pyramidal neurons or glial cells. Interneuron loss correlates with reduced AKT signaling in Pcdhg mutant interneurons, and is rescued by genetic blockade of the pro-apoptotic factor BAX. Together, these findings identify the PCDHGs as pro-survival transmembrane proteins that select inhibitory interneurons for survival and modulate the extent of PCD. We propose that the PCDHGs contribute to the formation of balanced inhibitory networks by controlling the size of GABAergic interneuron populations in the developing brain.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT A pivotal step for establishing appropriate excitatory-inhibitory ratios is adjustment of neuronal populations by cell death. In the mouse neocortex, a third of GABAergic interneurons are eliminated by BAX-dependent apoptosis during the first postnatal week. Interneuron cell death is modulated by neural activity and pro-survival pathways but the cell-surface molecules that select interneurons for survival or death are unknown. We demonstrate that members of the cadherin superfamily, the clustered γ-Protocadherins (PCDHGs), regulate the survival of inhibitory interneurons and the balance of cell death. Deletion of the Pcdhgs in mice causes inhibitory interneuron loss in the cortex and cerebellum, and leads to motor deficits and seizures. Our findings provide a molecular basis for controlling inhibitory interneuron population size during circuit formation.
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17
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Trujillo Villarreal LA, Cárdenas-Tueme M, Maldonado-Ruiz R, Reséndez-Pérez D, Camacho-Morales A. Potential role of primed microglia during obesity on the mesocorticolimbic circuit in autism spectrum disorder. J Neurochem 2020; 156:415-434. [PMID: 32902852 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Revised: 07/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disease which involves functional and structural defects in selective central nervous system (CNS) regions that harm function and individual ability to process and respond to external stimuli. Individuals with ASD spend less time engaging in social interaction compared to non-affected subjects. Studies employing structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging reported morphological and functional abnormalities in the connectivity of the mesocorticolimbic reward pathway between the nucleus accumbens and the ventral tegmental area (VTA) in response to social stimuli, as well as diminished medial prefrontal cortex in response to visual cues, whereas stronger reward system responses for the non-social realm (e.g., video games) than social rewards (e.g., approval), associated with caudate nucleus responsiveness in ASD children. Defects in the mesocorticolimbic reward pathway have been modulated in transgenic murine models using D2 dopamine receptor heterozygous (D2+/-) or dopamine transporter knockout mice, which exhibit sociability deficits and repetitive behaviors observed in ASD phenotypes. Notably, the mesocorticolimbic reward pathway is modulated by systemic and central inflammation, such as primed microglia, which occurs during obesity or maternal overnutrition. Therefore, we propose that a positive energy balance during obesity/maternal overnutrition coordinates a systemic and central inflammatory crosstalk that modulates the dopaminergic neurotransmission in selective brain areas of the mesocorticolimbic reward pathway. Here, we will describe how obesity/maternal overnutrition may prime microglia, causing abnormalities in dopamine neurotransmission of the mesocorticolimbic reward pathway, postulating a possible immune role in the development of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis A- Trujillo Villarreal
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, San Nicolas de los Garza, México.,Unidad de Neurometabolismo, Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, San Nicolas de los Garza, México
| | - Marcela Cárdenas-Tueme
- Departamento de Biología Celular y Genética, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, San Nicolas de los Garza, México
| | - Roger Maldonado-Ruiz
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, San Nicolas de los Garza, México.,Unidad de Neurometabolismo, Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, San Nicolas de los Garza, México
| | - Diana Reséndez-Pérez
- Departamento de Biología Celular y Genética, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, San Nicolas de los Garza, México
| | - Alberto Camacho-Morales
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, San Nicolas de los Garza, México.,Unidad de Neurometabolismo, Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, San Nicolas de los Garza, México
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18
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Kelly E, Meng F, Fujita H, Morgado F, Kazemi Y, Rice LC, Ren C, Escamilla CO, Gibson JM, Sajadi S, Pendry RJ, Tan T, Ellegood J, Basson MA, Blakely RD, Dindot SV, Golzio C, Hahn MK, Katsanis N, Robins DM, Silverman JL, Singh KK, Wevrick R, Taylor MJ, Hammill C, Anagnostou E, Pfeiffer BE, Stoodley CJ, Lerch JP, du Lac S, Tsai PT. Regulation of autism-relevant behaviors by cerebellar-prefrontal cortical circuits. Nat Neurosci 2020; 23:1102-1110. [PMID: 32661395 PMCID: PMC7483861 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-020-0665-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Cerebellar dysfunction has been demonstrated in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs); however, the circuits underlying cerebellar contributions to ASD-relevant behaviors remain unknown. In this study, we demonstrated functional connectivity between the cerebellum and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in mice; showed that the mPFC mediates cerebellum-regulated social and repetitive/inflexible behaviors; and showed disruptions in connectivity between these regions in multiple mouse models of ASD-linked genes and in individuals with ASD. We delineated a circuit from cerebellar cortical areas Right crus 1 (Rcrus1) and posterior vermis through the cerebellar nuclei and ventromedial thalamus and culminating in the mPFC. Modulation of this circuit induced social deficits and repetitive behaviors, whereas activation of Purkinje cells (PCs) in Rcrus1 and posterior vermis improved social preference impairments and repetitive/inflexible behaviors, respectively, in male PC-Tsc1 mutant mice. These data raise the possibility that these circuits might provide neuromodulatory targets for the treatment of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elyza Kelly
- Department of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Fantao Meng
- Department of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Hirofumi Fujita
- Departments of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Neurology and Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Felipe Morgado
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Toronto Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Yasaman Kazemi
- Department of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Laura C Rice
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, American University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Chongyu Ren
- Department of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Christine Ochoa Escamilla
- Department of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Jennifer M Gibson
- Department of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Sanaz Sajadi
- Department of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Robert J Pendry
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Tommy Tan
- Department of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Jacob Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Toronto Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - M Albert Basson
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology and MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Randy D Blakely
- Department of Biomedical Science, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine and Brain Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, Florida, USA
| | - Scott V Dindot
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Christelle Golzio
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale; Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France
| | - Maureen K Hahn
- Department of Biomedical Science, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine and Brain Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, Florida, USA
| | - Nicholas Katsanis
- ACT-GeM, Department of Human Genetics at Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute; Department of Pediatrics and Cellular and Molecular Biology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Diane M Robins
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Jill L Silverman
- MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Karun K Singh
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Rachel Wevrick
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Margot J Taylor
- Department of Medical Imaging and Psychology, University of Toronto; Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, USA
| | - Christopher Hammill
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Toronto Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Evdokia Anagnostou
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, ON, USA
| | - Brad E Pfeiffer
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Catherine J Stoodley
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, American University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Toronto Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Sascha du Lac
- Departments of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Neurology and Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Peter T Tsai
- Department of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
- Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
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19
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Gravelle MNK, Vandewouw MM, Young JM, Dunkley BT, Shroff MM, Taylor MJ. More than meets the eye: Longitudinal visual system neurodevelopment in very preterm children and anophthalmia. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2020; 28:102373. [PMID: 32798909 PMCID: PMC7451448 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2020.102373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Revised: 07/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Anophthalmia, characterized by the absence of an eye(s), is a rare major birth defect with a relatively unexplored neuroanatomy. Longitudinal comparison of white matter development in an anophthalmic (AC) very preterm (VPT) child with both binocular VPT and full-term (FT) children provides unique insights into early neurodevelopment of the visual system. VPT-born neonates (<32wks gestational age), including the infant with unilateral anophthalmia, underwent neuroimaging every two years from birth until 8 years. DTI images (N = 168) of the optic radiation (OR) and a control track, the posterior limb of the internal capsule (PLIC), were analysed. The diameter of the optic nerves (ON) were analysed using T1-weighted images. Significant group differences in FA and AD were found bilaterally in the OR and PLIC. This extends the literature on altered white matter development in VPT children, being the first longitudinal study showing stable group differences across the 4, 6 and 8 year timepoints. AC showed greater deficits in FA and AD bilaterally, but recovered towards VPT group means from 4 to 8 years-of-age. Complete lack of binocular input would be responsible for these early deficits; compensatory mechanisms may facilitate structural improvement over time. AC's ON exhibited significant atrophy ipsilateral to the anophthalmic eye. Functionally, AC displayed normal visual acuity and form perception, but naso-temporal bias in motion perception. Following these groups and AC longitudinally enabled novel understanding of the joint influence of monocular vision and VPT birth on neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madelaine N K Gravelle
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Neurosciences & Mental Health Program, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marlee M Vandewouw
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Neurosciences & Mental Health Program, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Julia M Young
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Neurosciences & Mental Health Program, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Benjamin T Dunkley
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Neurosciences & Mental Health Program, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - Manohar M Shroff
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Margot J Taylor
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Neurosciences & Mental Health Program, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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20
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Reduced axonal caliber and structural changes in a rat model of Fragile X syndrome with a deletion of a K-Homology domain of Fmr1. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:280. [PMID: 32788572 PMCID: PMC7423986 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-00943-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Revised: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is caused by mutations in the FMR1 gene. Neuroanatomical alterations have been reported in both male and female individuals with FXS, yet the morphological underpinnings of these alterations have not been elucidated. In the current study, we found structural changes in both male and female rats that model FXS, some of which are similarly impaired in both sexes, including the superior colliculus and periaqueductal gray, and others that show sex-specific changes. The splenium of the corpus callosum, for example, was only impaired in males. We also found reduced axonal caliber in the splenium, offering a mechanism for its structural changes. Furthermore, we found that overall, male rats have higher brain-wide diffusion than female rats. Our results provide insight into which brain regions are vulnerable to a loss of Fmr1 expression and reveal an impairment at the level of the axon that could cause structural changes in white matter regions.
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21
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Anderson RJ, Cook JJ, Delpratt N, Nouls JC, Gu B, McNamara JO, Avants BB, Johnson GA, Badea A. Small Animal Multivariate Brain Analysis (SAMBA) - a High Throughput Pipeline with a Validation Framework. Neuroinformatics 2020; 17:451-472. [PMID: 30565026 PMCID: PMC6584586 DOI: 10.1007/s12021-018-9410-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
While many neuroscience questions aim to understand the human brain, much current knowledge has been gained using animal models, which replicate genetic, structural, and connectivity aspects of the human brain. While voxel-based analysis (VBA) of preclinical magnetic resonance images is widely-used, a thorough examination of the statistical robustness, stability, and error rates is hindered by high computational demands of processing large arrays, and the many parameters involved therein. Thus, workflows are often based on intuition or experience, while preclinical validation studies remain scarce. To increase throughput and reproducibility of quantitative small animal brain studies, we have developed a publicly shared, high throughput VBA pipeline in a high-performance computing environment, called SAMBA. The increased computational efficiency allowed large multidimensional arrays to be processed in 1–3 days—a task that previously took ~1 month. To quantify the variability and reliability of preclinical VBA in rodent models, we propose a validation framework consisting of morphological phantoms, and four metrics. This addresses several sources that impact VBA results, including registration and template construction strategies. We have used this framework to inform the VBA workflow parameters in a VBA study for a mouse model of epilepsy. We also present initial efforts towards standardizing small animal neuroimaging data in a similar fashion with human neuroimaging. We conclude that verifying the accuracy of VBA merits attention, and should be the focus of a broader effort within the community. The proposed framework promotes consistent quality assurance of VBA in preclinical neuroimaging, thus facilitating the creation and communication of robust results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J Anderson
- Center for In Vivo Microscopy, Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - James J Cook
- Center for In Vivo Microscopy, Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Natalie Delpratt
- Center for In Vivo Microscopy, Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University Medical Center, 3302, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - John C Nouls
- Center for In Vivo Microscopy, Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Bin Gu
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.,Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - James O McNamara
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.,Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.,Department of Neurology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | | | - G Allan Johnson
- Center for In Vivo Microscopy, Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University Medical Center, 3302, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Alexandra Badea
- Center for In Vivo Microscopy, Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA. .,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University Medical Center, 3302, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
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22
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Structural Variant in Mitochondrial-Associated Gene (MRPL3) Induces Adult-Onset Neurodegeneration with Memory Impairment in the Mouse. J Neurosci 2020; 40:4576-4585. [PMID: 32341096 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0013-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2020] [Revised: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
An impediment to the development of effective therapies for neurodegenerative disease is that available animal models do not reproduce important clinical features such as adult-onset and stereotypical patterns of progression. Using in vivo magnetic resonance imaging and behavioral testing to study male and female decrepit mice, we found a stereotypical neuroanatomical pattern of progression of the lesion along the limbic system network and an associated memory impairment. Using structural variant analysis, we identified an intronic mutation in a mitochondrial-associated gene (Mrpl3) that is responsible for the decrepit phenotype. While the function of this gene is unknown, embryonic lethality in Mrpl3 knock-out mice suggests it is critical for early development. The observation that a mutation linked to energy metabolism precipitates a pattern of neurodegeneration via cell death across disparate but linked brain regions may explain how stereotyped patterns of neurodegeneration arise in humans or define a not yet identified human disease.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The development of novel therapies for adult-onset neurodegenerative disease has been impeded by the limitations of available animal models in reproducing many of the clinical features. Here, we present a novel spontaneous mutation in a mitochondrial-associated gene in a mouse (termed decrepit) that results in adult-onset neurodegeneration with a stereotypical neuroanatomical pattern of progression and an associated memory impairment. The decrepit mouse model may represent a heretofore undiagnosed human disease and could serve as a new animal model to study neurodegenerative disease.
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23
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Rallapalli H, Tan IL, Volkova E, Wojcinski A, Darwin BC, Lerch JP, Joyner AL, Turnbull DH. MEMRI-based imaging pipeline for guiding preclinical studies in mouse models of sporadic medulloblastoma. Magn Reson Med 2020; 83:214-227. [PMID: 31403226 PMCID: PMC6778701 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.27904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2019] [Revised: 06/20/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Genetically engineered mouse models of sporadic cancers are critical for studying tumor biology and for preclinical testing of therapeutics. We present an MRI-based pipeline designed to produce high resolution, quantitative information about tumor progression and response to novel therapies in mouse models of medulloblastoma (MB). METHODS Sporadic MB was modeled in mice by inducing expression of an activated form of the Smoothened gene (aSmo) in a small number of cerebellar granule cell precursors. aSmo mice were imaged and analyzed at defined time-points using a 3D manganese-enhanced MRI-based pipeline optimized for high-throughput. RESULTS A semi-automated segmentation protocol was established that estimates tumor volume in a time-frame compatible with a high-throughput pipeline. Both an empirical, volume-based classifier and a linear discriminant analysis-based classifier were tested to distinguish progressing from nonprogressing lesions at early stages of tumorigenesis. Tumor centroids measured at early stages revealed that there is a very specific location of the probable origin of the aSmo MB tumors. The efficacy of the manganese-enhanced MRI pipeline was demonstrated with a small-scale experimental drug trial designed to reduce the number of tumor associated macrophages and microglia. CONCLUSION Our results revealed a high level of heterogeneity between tumors within and between aSmo MB models, indicating that meaningful studies of sporadic tumor progression and response to therapy could not be conducted without an imaging-based pipeline approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harikrishna Rallapalli
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine
- Department of Radiology, New York University School of Medicine
- Biomedical Imaging Graduate Program, New York University School of Medicine
| | - I-Li Tan
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute
- Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology Program, Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University
| | - Eugenia Volkova
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine
| | | | - Benjamin C. Darwin
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jason P. Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Alexandra L. Joyner
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute
- Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology Program, Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University
| | - Daniel H. Turnbull
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine
- Department of Radiology, New York University School of Medicine
- Biomedical Imaging Graduate Program, New York University School of Medicine
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24
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Lackie RE, Razzaq AR, Farhan SMK, Qiu LR, Moshitzky G, Beraldo FH, Lopes MH, Maciejewski A, Gros R, Fan J, Choy WY, Greenberg DS, Martins VR, Duennwald ML, Lerch JP, Soreq H, Prado VF, Prado MAM. Modulation of hippocampal neuronal resilience during aging by the Hsp70/Hsp90 co-chaperone STI1. J Neurochem 2019; 153:727-758. [PMID: 31562773 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.14882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Revised: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Chaperone networks are dysregulated with aging, but whether compromised Hsp70/Hsp90 chaperone function disturbs neuronal resilience is unknown. Stress-inducible phosphoprotein 1 (STI1; STIP1; HOP) is a co-chaperone that simultaneously interacts with Hsp70 and Hsp90, but whose function in vivo remains poorly understood. We combined in-depth analysis of chaperone genes in human datasets, analysis of a neuronal cell line lacking STI1 and of a mouse line with a hypomorphic Stip1 allele to investigate the requirement for STI1 in aging. Our experiments revealed that dysfunctional STI1 activity compromised Hsp70/Hsp90 chaperone network and neuronal resilience. The levels of a set of Hsp90 co-chaperones and client proteins were selectively affected by reduced levels of STI1, suggesting that their stability depends on functional Hsp70/Hsp90 machinery. Analysis of human databases revealed a subset of co-chaperones, including STI1, whose loss of function is incompatible with life in mammals, albeit they are not essential in yeast. Importantly, mice expressing a hypomorphic STI1 allele presented spontaneous age-dependent hippocampal neurodegeneration and reduced hippocampal volume, with consequent spatial memory deficit. We suggest that impaired STI1 function compromises Hsp70/Hsp90 chaperone activity in mammals and can by itself cause age-dependent hippocampal neurodegeneration in mice. Cover Image for this issue: doi: 10.1111/jnc.14749.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel E Lackie
- Robarts Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Program in Neuroscience, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Abdul R Razzaq
- Robarts Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Program in Neuroscience, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sali M K Farhan
- Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and The Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Lily R Qiu
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Gilli Moshitzky
- Department of Biological Chemistry, The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Flavio H Beraldo
- Robarts Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marilene H Lopes
- Robarts Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Laboratory of Neurobiology and Stem cells, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Andrzej Maciejewski
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Robert Gros
- Robarts Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jue Fan
- Robarts Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Wing-Yiu Choy
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - David S Greenberg
- Department of Biological Chemistry, The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Vilma R Martins
- International Research Center, A.C. Camargo Cancer Center, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Martin L Duennwald
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Hermona Soreq
- Department of Biological Chemistry, The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Vania F Prado
- Robarts Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Program in Neuroscience, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marco A M Prado
- Robarts Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Program in Neuroscience, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
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25
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Aged hind-limb clasping experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis models aspects of the neurodegenerative process seen in multiple sclerosis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:22710-22720. [PMID: 31641069 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1915141116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is the most common model of multiple sclerosis (MS). This model has been instrumental in understanding the events that lead to the initiation of central nervous system (CNS) autoimmunity. Though EAE has been an effective screening tool for identifying novel therapies for relapsing-remitting MS, it has proven to be less successful in identifying therapies for progressive forms of this disease. Though axon injury occurs in EAE, it is rapid and acute, making it difficult to intervene for the purpose of evaluating neuroprotective therapies. Here, we describe a variant of spontaneous EAE in the 2D2 T cell receptor transgenic mouse (2D2+ mouse) that presents with hind-limb clasping upon tail suspension and is associated with T cell-mediated inflammation in the posterior spinal cord and spinal nerve roots. Due to the mild nature of clinical signs in this model, we were able to maintain cohorts of mice into middle age. Over 9 mo, these mice exhibited a relapsing-remitting course of hind-limb clasping with the development of progressive motor deficits. Using a combined approach of ex vivo magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and histopathological analysis, we observed neurological progression to associate with spinal cord atrophy, synapse degradation, and neuron loss in the gray matter, as well as ongoing axon injury in the white matter of the spinal cord. These findings suggest that mild EAE coupled with natural aging may be a solution to better modeling the neurodegenerative processes seen in MS.
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26
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Arbogast T, Razaz P, Ellegood J, McKinstry SU, Erdin S, Currall B, Aneichyk T, Lerch JP, Qiu LR, Rodriguiz RM, Henkelman RM, Talkowski ME, Wetsel WC, Golzio C, Katsanis N. Kctd13-deficient mice display short-term memory impairment and sex-dependent genetic interactions. Hum Mol Genet 2019; 28:1474-1486. [PMID: 30590535 PMCID: PMC6489413 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddy436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2018] [Revised: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 12/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The 16p11.2 BP4-BP5 deletion and duplication syndromes are associated with a complex spectrum of neurodevelopmental phenotypes that includes developmental delay and autism spectrum disorder, with a reciprocal effect on head circumference, brain structure and body mass index. Mouse models of the 16p11.2 copy number variant have recapitulated some of the patient phenotypes, while studies in flies and zebrafish have uncovered several candidate contributory genes within the region, as well as complex genetic interactions. We evaluated one of these loci, KCTD13, by modeling haploinsufficiency and complete knockout in mice. In contrast to the zebrafish model, and in agreement with recent data, we found normal brain structure in heterozygous and homozygous mutants. However, recapitulating previously observed genetic interactions, we discovered sex-specific brain volumetric alterations in double heterozygous Kctd13xMvp and Kctd13xLat mice. Behavioral testing revealed a significant deficit in novel object recognition, novel location recognition and social transmission of food preference in Kctd13 mutants. These phenotypes were concomitant with a reduction in density of mature spines in the hippocampus, but potentially independent of RhoA abundance, which was unperturbed postnatally in our mutants. Furthermore, transcriptome analyses from cortex and hippocampus highlighted the dysregulation of pathways important in neurodevelopment, the most significant of which was synaptic formation. Together, these data suggest that KCTD13 contributes to the neurocognitive aspects of patients with the BP4-BP5 deletion, likely through genetic interactions with other loci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Arbogast
- Center for Human Disease Modeling and Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Parisa Razaz
- Center for Genomic Medicine and Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jacob Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging Center, the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Spencer U McKinstry
- Center for Human Disease Modeling and Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Serkan Erdin
- Center for Genomic Medicine and Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Benjamin Currall
- Center for Genomic Medicine and Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tanya Aneichyk
- Center for Genomic Medicine and Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Center, the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Lily R Qiu
- Mouse Imaging Center, the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ramona M Rodriguiz
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Mouse Behavioral and Neuroendocrine Analysis Core Facility, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - R M Henkelman
- Mouse Imaging Center, the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Michael E Talkowski
- Center for Genomic Medicine and Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - William C Wetsel
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Mouse Behavioral and Neuroendocrine Analysis Core Facility, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
- Departments of Neurobiology and Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Christelle Golzio
- UMR 7104/INSERM U1258 and Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Illkirch, France
| | - Nicholas Katsanis
- Center for Human Disease Modeling and Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
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27
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Percival CJ, Devine J, Darwin BC, Liu W, van Eede M, Henkelman RM, Hallgrimsson B. The effect of automated landmark identification on morphometric analyses. J Anat 2019; 234:917-935. [PMID: 30901082 DOI: 10.1111/joa.12973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Morphometric analysis of anatomical landmarks allows researchers to identify specific morphological differences between natural populations or experimental groups, but manually identifying landmarks is time-consuming. We compare manually and automatically generated adult mouse skull landmarks and subsequent morphometric analyses to elucidate how switching from manual to automated landmarking will impact morphometric analysis results for large mouse (Mus musculus) samples (n = 1205) that represent a wide range of 'normal' phenotypic variation (62 genotypes). Other studies have suggested that the use of automated landmarking methods is feasible, but this study is the first to compare the utility of current automated approaches to manual landmarking for a large dataset that allows the quantification of intra- and inter-strain variation. With this unique sample, we investigated how switching to a non-linear image registration-based automated landmarking method impacts estimated differences in genotype mean shape and shape variance-covariance structure. In addition, we tested whether an initial registration of specimen images to genotype-specific averages improves automatic landmark identification accuracy. Our results indicated that automated landmark placement was significantly different than manual landmark placement but that estimated skull shape covariation was correlated across methods. The addition of a preliminary genotype-specific registration step as part of a two-level procedure did not substantially improve on the accuracy of one-level automatic landmark placement. The landmarks with the lowest automatic landmark accuracy are found in locations with poor image registration alignment. The most serious outliers within morphometric analysis of automated landmarks displayed instances of stochastic image registration error that are likely representative of errors common when applying image registration methods to micro-computed tomography datasets that were initially collected with manual landmarking in mind. Additional efforts during specimen preparation and image acquisition can help reduce the number of registration errors and improve registration results. A reduction in skull shape variance estimates were noted for automated landmarking methods compared with manual landmarking. This partially reflects an underestimation of more extreme genotype shapes and loss of biological signal, but largely represents the fact that automated methods do not suffer from intra-observer landmarking error. For appropriate samples and research questions, our image registration-based automated landmarking method can eliminate the time required for manual landmarking and have a similar power to identify shape differences between inbred mouse genotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jay Devine
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Benjamin C Darwin
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Wei Liu
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Matthijs van Eede
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - R Mark Henkelman
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Benedikt Hallgrimsson
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute for Child and Maternal Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,The McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
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Behavioral and neuroanatomical approaches in models of neurodevelopmental disorders: opportunities for translation. Curr Opin Neurol 2019; 31:126-133. [PMID: 29493556 DOI: 10.1097/wco.0000000000000537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review highlights the invaluable contribution of in-vivo rodent models in dissecting the underlying neurobiology for numerous neurodevelopmental disorders. Currently, models are routinely generated with precision genomics and characterized for research on neurodevelopmental disorders. In order to impact translation, outcome measures that are translationally relevant are essential. This review emphasizes the importance of accurate neurobehavioral and anatomical analyses. RECENT FINDINGS Numerous well validated assays for testing alterations across behavioral domains with sensitivity and throughput have become important tools for studying the effects of genetic mutations on neurodevelopment. Recent work has highlighted relationships and links between behavioral outcomes and various anatomical metrics from neuroimaging via magnetic resonance. These readouts are biological markers and outcome measures for translational research and will be have important roles for genetic or pharmacologic intervention strategies. SUMMARY Combinatorial approaches that leverage translationally relevant behavior and neuroanatomy can be used to develop a platform for assessment of cutting edge preclinical models. Reliable, robust behavioral phenotypes in preclinical model systems, with clustering of brain disease will lead to well informed, precise biochemical mechanistic hypotheses. Ultimately, these steadfast workhorse techniques will accelerate the progress of developing and testing targeted treatments for multiple neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Beera KG, Li YQ, Dazai J, Stewart J, Egan S, Ahmed M, Wong CS, Jaffray DA, Nieman BJ. Altered brain morphology after focal radiation reveals impact of off-target effects: implications for white matter development and neurogenesis. Neuro Oncol 2019; 20:788-798. [PMID: 29228390 PMCID: PMC5961122 DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/nox211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Children with brain tumors treated with cranial radiation therapy (RT) often exhibit cognitive late effects, commonly associated with reduced white matter (WM) volume and decreased neurogenesis. The impact of radiation damage in particular regions or tissues on brain development as a whole has not been elucidated. Methods We delivered whole-brain or focal radiation (8 Gy single dose) to infant mice. Focal treatments targeted white matter (anterior commissure), neuronal (olfactory bulbs), or neurogenic (subventricular zone) regions. High-resolution ex vivo MRI was used to assess radiation-induced volume differences. Immunohistochemistry for myelin basic protein and doublecortin was performed to assess associated cellular changes within white matter and related to neurogenesis, respectively. Results Both whole-brain and focal RT in infancy resulted in volume deficits in young adulthood, with whole-brain RT resulting in the largest deficits. RT of the anterior commissure, surprisingly, showed no impact on its volume or on brain development as a whole. In contrast, RT of the olfactory bulbs resulted in off-target volume reduction in the anterior commissure and decreased subventricular zone neurogenesis. RT of the subventricular zone likewise produced volume deficits in both the olfactory bulbs and the anterior commissure. Similar off-target effects were found in the corpus callosum and parietal cortex. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that radiation damage locally can have important off-target consequences for brain development. These data suggest that WM may be less radiosensitive than volume change alone would indicate and have implications for region-sparing radiation treatments aimed at reducing cognitive late effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiran G Beera
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Yu-Qing Li
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jun Dazai
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - James Stewart
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Shannon Egan
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physics, University of McGill, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Mashal Ahmed
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, 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.,Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - David A Jaffray
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Radiation Medicine Program, Techna Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Brian J Nieman
- Mouse Imaging Centre, 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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30
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Sexually dimorphic behavior, neuronal activity, and gene expression in Chd8-mutant mice. Nat Neurosci 2018; 21:1218-1228. [DOI: 10.1038/s41593-018-0208-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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31
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Yee Y, Fernandes DJ, French L, Ellegood J, Cahill LS, Vousden DA, Spencer Noakes L, Scholz J, van Eede MC, Nieman BJ, Sled JG, Lerch JP. Structural covariance of brain region volumes is associated with both structural connectivity and transcriptomic similarity. Neuroimage 2018; 179:357-372. [PMID: 29782994 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.05.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2017] [Revised: 04/13/2018] [Accepted: 05/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
An organizational pattern seen in the brain, termed structural covariance, is the statistical association of pairs of brain regions in their anatomical properties. These associations, measured across a population as covariances or correlations usually in cortical thickness or volume, are thought to reflect genetic and environmental underpinnings. Here, we examine the biological basis of structural volume covariance in the mouse brain. We first examined large scale associations between brain region volumes using an atlas-based approach that parcellated the entire mouse brain into 318 regions over which correlations in volume were assessed, for volumes obtained from 153 mouse brain images via high-resolution MRI. We then used a seed-based approach and determined, for 108 different seed regions across the brain and using mouse gene expression and connectivity data from the Allen Institute for Brain Science, the variation in structural covariance data that could be explained by distance to seed, transcriptomic similarity to seed, and connectivity to seed. We found that overall, correlations in structure volumes hierarchically clustered into distinct anatomical systems, similar to findings from other studies and similar to other types of networks in the brain, including structural connectivity and transcriptomic similarity networks. Across seeds, this structural covariance was significantly explained by distance (17% of the variation, up to a maximum of 49% for structural covariance to the visceral area of the cortex), transcriptomic similarity (13% of the variation, up to maximum of 28% for structural covariance to the primary visual area) and connectivity (15% of the variation, up to a maximum of 36% for structural covariance to the intermediate reticular nucleus in the medulla) of covarying structures. Together, distance, connectivity, and transcriptomic similarity explained 37% of structural covariance, up to a maximum of 63% for structural covariance to the visceral area. Additionally, this pattern of explained variation differed spatially across the brain, with transcriptomic similarity playing a larger role in the cortex than subcortex, while connectivity explains structural covariance best in parts of the cortex, midbrain, and hindbrain. These results suggest that both gene expression and connectivity underlie structural volume covariance, albeit to different extents depending on brain region, and this relationship is modulated by distance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yohan Yee
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Darren J Fernandes
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Leon French
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jacob Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lindsay S Cahill
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Dulcie A Vousden
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Jan Scholz
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Matthijs C van Eede
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, 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
| | - John G Sled
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Young JM, Morgan BR, Whyte HEA, Lee W, Smith ML, Raybaud C, Shroff MM, Sled JG, Taylor MJ. Longitudinal Study of White Matter Development and Outcomes in Children Born Very Preterm. Cereb Cortex 2018; 27:4094-4105. [PMID: 27600850 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhw221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2016] [Accepted: 06/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying trajectories of early white matter development is important for understanding atypical brain development and impaired functional outcomes in children born very preterm (<32 weeks gestational age [GA]). In this study, 161 diffusion images were acquired in children born very preterm (median GA: 29 weeks) shortly following birth (75), term-equivalent (39), 2 years (18), and 4 years of age (29). Diffusion tensors were computed to obtain measures of fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD), which were aligned and averaged. A paediatric atlas was applied to obtain diffusion metrics within 12 white matter tracts. Developmental trajectories across time points demonstrated age-related changes which plateaued between term-equivalent and 2 years of age in the majority of posterior tracts and between 2 and 4 years of age in anterior tracts. Between preterm and term-equivalent scans, FA rates of change were slower in anterior than posterior tracts. Partial least squares analyses revealed associations between slower MD and RD rates of change within the external and internal capsule with lower intelligence quotients and language scores at 4 years of age. These results uniquely demonstrate early white matter development and its linkage to cognitive functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia M Young
- 1 Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X8.,Program in Neurosciences & Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X8.,Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Benjamin R Morgan
- 1Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X8
| | - Hilary E A Whyte
- Program in Neurosciences & Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X8.,Department of Neonatology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X8
| | - Wayne Lee
- 1Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X8
| | - Mary Lou Smith
- Program in Neurosciences & Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X8.,Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Psychology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X8
| | - Charles Raybaud
- 1 Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X8.,Department of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Manohar M Shroff
- 1 Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X8.,Department of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - John G Sled
- Program in Physiology and Experimental Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X8.,Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Margot J Taylor
- 1 Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X8.,Program in Neurosciences & Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X8.,Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto, 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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Impact of X/Y genes and sex hormones on mouse neuroanatomy. Neuroimage 2018; 173:551-563. [PMID: 29501873 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.02.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2017] [Revised: 02/05/2018] [Accepted: 02/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological sex influences brain anatomy across many species. Sex differences in brain anatomy have classically been attributed to differences in sex chromosome complement (XX versus XY) and/or in levels of gonadal sex steroids released from ovaries and testes. Using the four core genotype (4CG) mouse model in which gonadal sex and sex chromosome complement are decoupled, we previously found that sex hormones and chromosomes influence the volume of distinct brain regions. However, recent studies suggest there may be more complex interactions between hormones and chromosomes, and that circulating steroids can compensate for and/or mask underlying chromosomal effects. Moreover, the impact of pre vs post-pubertal sex hormone exposure on this sex hormone/sex chromosome interplay is not well understood. Thus, we used whole brain high-resolution ex-vivo MRI of intact and pre-pubertally gonadectomized 4CG mice to investigate two questions: 1) Do circulating steroids mask sex differences in brain anatomy driven by sex chromosome complement? And 2) What is the contribution of pre- versus post-pubertal hormones to sex-hormone-dependent differences in brain anatomy? We found evidence of both cooperative and compensatory interactions between sex chromosomes and sex hormones in several brain regions, but the interaction effects were of low magnitude. Additionally, most brain regions affected by sex hormones were sensitive to both pre- and post-pubertal hormones. This data provides further insight into the biological origins of sex differences in brain anatomy.
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35
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Vousden DA, Cox E, Allemang-Grand R, Laliberté C, Qiu LR, Lindenmaier Z, Nieman BJ, Lerch JP. Continuous manganese delivery via osmotic pumps for manganese-enhanced mouse MRI does not impair spatial learning but leads to skin ulceration. Neuroimage 2018; 173:411-420. [PMID: 29505831 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.02.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2018] [Accepted: 02/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Manganese-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MEMRI) is a widely used technique in rodent neuroimaging studies. Traditionally, Mn2+ is delivered to animals via a systemic injection; however, this can lead to toxic effects at high doses. Recent studies have shown that subcutaneously implanted mini-osmotic pumps can be used to continuously deliver manganese chloride (MnCl2), and that they produce satisfactory contrast while circumventing many of the toxic side effects. However, neither the time-course of signal enhancement nor the effect of continuous Mn2+ delivery on behaviour, particularly learning and memory, have been well-characterized. Here, we investigated the effect of MnCl2 dose and route of administration on a) spatial learning in the Morris Water Maze and b) tissue signal enhancement in the mouse brain. Even as early as 3 days after pump implantation, infusion of 25-50 mg/kg/day MnCl2 via osmotic pump produced signal enhancement as good as or better than that achieved 24 h after a single 50 mg/kg intraperitoneal injection. Neither route of delivery nor MnCl2 dose adversely affected spatial learning and memory on the water maze. However, especially at higher doses, mice receiving MnCl2 via osmotic pumps developed skin ulceration which limited the imaging window. With these findings, we provide recommendations for route and dose of MnCl2 to use for different study designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dulcie A Vousden
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, 25 Orde Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 3H7, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, 101 College Street Suite 15-701, Toronto, ON, M5G 1L7, Canada.
| | - Elizabeth Cox
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, 25 Orde Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 3H7, Canada
| | - Rylan Allemang-Grand
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, 25 Orde Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 3H7, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, 101 College Street Suite 15-701, Toronto, ON, M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Christine Laliberté
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, 25 Orde Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 3H7, Canada
| | - Lily R Qiu
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, 25 Orde Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 3H7, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Zsuzsa Lindenmaier
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, 25 Orde Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 3H7, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, 101 College Street Suite 15-701, Toronto, ON, M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Brian J Nieman
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, 25 Orde Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 3H7, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, 101 College Street Suite 15-701, Toronto, ON, M5G 1L7, Canada; Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, MaRS Centre, 661 University Ave, Suite 510, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A3, Canada
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, 25 Orde Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 3H7, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, 101 College Street Suite 15-701, Toronto, ON, M5G 1L7, Canada
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Zhang TY, Keown CL, Wen X, Li J, Vousden DA, Anacker C, Bhattacharyya U, Ryan R, Diorio J, O'Toole N, Lerch JP, Mukamel EA, Meaney MJ. Environmental enrichment increases transcriptional and epigenetic differentiation between mouse dorsal and ventral dentate gyrus. Nat Commun 2018; 9:298. [PMID: 29352183 PMCID: PMC5775256 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-02748-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2017] [Accepted: 12/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Early life experience influences stress reactivity and mental health through effects on cognitive-emotional functions that are, in part, linked to gene expression in the dorsal and ventral hippocampus. The hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) is a major site for experience-dependent plasticity associated with sustained transcriptional alterations, potentially mediated by epigenetic modifications. Here, we report comprehensive DNA methylome, hydroxymethylome and transcriptome data sets from mouse dorsal and ventral DG. We find genome-wide transcriptional and methylation differences between dorsal and ventral DG, including at key developmental transcriptional factors. Peripubertal environmental enrichment increases hippocampal volume and enhances dorsal DG-specific differences in gene expression. Enrichment also enhances dorsal-ventral differences in DNA methylation, including at binding sites of the transcription factor NeuroD1, a regulator of adult neurogenesis. These results indicate a dorsal-ventral asymmetry in transcription and methylation that parallels well-known functional and anatomical differences, and that may be enhanced by environmental enrichment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tie-Yuan Zhang
- Sackler Program for Epigenetics and Psychobiology, McGill University, Montréal, H4H 1R3, Canada.
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, McGill University, Montréal, H4H 1R3, Canada.
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, 6875 boul. Lasalle, Montréal, H4H 1R3, Canada.
| | - Christopher L Keown
- Department of Cognitive Science, University of California, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, San Diego, 92093, CA, USA
| | - Xianglan Wen
- Sackler Program for Epigenetics and Psychobiology, McGill University, Montréal, H4H 1R3, Canada
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, McGill University, Montréal, H4H 1R3, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, 6875 boul. Lasalle, Montréal, H4H 1R3, Canada
| | - Junhao Li
- Department of Cognitive Science, University of California, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, San Diego, 92093, CA, USA
| | - Dulcie A Vousden
- Department of Medical Biophysics, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5G 1X8, Canada
| | - Christoph Anacker
- Sackler Program for Epigenetics and Psychobiology, McGill University, Montréal, H4H 1R3, Canada
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, McGill University, Montréal, H4H 1R3, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, 6875 boul. Lasalle, Montréal, H4H 1R3, Canada
| | - Urvashi Bhattacharyya
- Department of Cognitive Science, University of California, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, San Diego, 92093, CA, USA
| | - Richard Ryan
- Sackler Program for Epigenetics and Psychobiology, McGill University, Montréal, H4H 1R3, Canada
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, McGill University, Montréal, H4H 1R3, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, 6875 boul. Lasalle, Montréal, H4H 1R3, Canada
| | - Josie Diorio
- Sackler Program for Epigenetics and Psychobiology, McGill University, Montréal, H4H 1R3, Canada
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, McGill University, Montréal, H4H 1R3, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, 6875 boul. Lasalle, Montréal, H4H 1R3, Canada
| | - Nicholas O'Toole
- Sackler Program for Epigenetics and Psychobiology, McGill University, Montréal, H4H 1R3, Canada
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, McGill University, Montréal, H4H 1R3, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, 6875 boul. Lasalle, Montréal, H4H 1R3, Canada
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Department of Medical Biophysics, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5G 1X8, Canada
| | - Eran A Mukamel
- Department of Cognitive Science, University of California, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, San Diego, 92093, CA, USA.
| | - Michael J Meaney
- Sackler Program for Epigenetics and Psychobiology, McGill University, Montréal, H4H 1R3, Canada
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, McGill University, Montréal, H4H 1R3, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, 6875 boul. Lasalle, Montréal, H4H 1R3, Canada
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Singapore, 117609, Singapore
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Nasseef MT, Devenyi GA, Mechling AE, Harsan LA, Chakravarty MM, Kieffer BL, Darcq E. Deformation-based Morphometry MRI Reveals Brain Structural Modifications in Living Mu Opioid Receptor Knockout Mice. Front Psychiatry 2018; 9:643. [PMID: 30559685 PMCID: PMC6287113 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00643] [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: 07/01/2018] [Accepted: 11/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Mu opioid receptor (MOR) activation facilitates reward processing and reduces pain, and brain networks underlying these effects are under intense investigation. Mice lacking the MOR gene (MOR KO mice) show lower drug and social reward, enhanced pain sensitivity and altered emotional responses. Our previous neuroimaging analysis using Resting-state (Rs) functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) showed significant alterations of functional connectivity (FC) within reward/aversion networks in these mice, in agreement with their behavioral deficits. Here we further used a structural MRI approach to determine whether volumetric alterations also occur in MOR KO mice. We acquired anatomical images using a 7-Tesla MRI scanner and measured deformation-based morphometry (DBM) for each voxel in subjects from MOR KO and control groups. Our analysis shows marked anatomical differences in mutant animals. We observed both local volumetric contraction (striatum, nucleus accumbens, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, hippocampus, hypothalamus and periacqueducal gray) and expansion (prefrontal cortex, amygdala, habenula, and periacqueducal gray) at voxel level. Volumetric modifications occurred mainly in MOR-enriched regions and across reward/aversion centers, consistent with our prior FC findings. Specifically, several regions with volume differences corresponded to components showing highest FC changes in our previous Rs-fMRI study, suggesting a possible function-structure relationship in MOR KO-related brain differences. In conclusion, both Rs-fMRI and volumetric MRI in live MOR KO mice concur to disclose functional and structural whole-brain level mechanisms that likely drive MOR-controlled behaviors in animals, and may translate to MOR-associated endophenotypes or disease in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Taufiq Nasseef
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Douglas Hospital Research Center, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Gabriel A Devenyi
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Douglas Hospital Research Center, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Anna E Mechling
- Engineering Science, Computer Science and Imaging Laboratory (ICube), Integrative Multimodal Imaging in Healthcare, CNRS, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France.,Department of Radiology, Medical Physics, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Center University of Freiburg, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Laura-Adela Harsan
- Engineering Science, Computer Science and Imaging Laboratory (ICube), Integrative Multimodal Imaging in Healthcare, CNRS, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France.,Department of Radiology, Medical Physics, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Center University of Freiburg, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - M Mallar Chakravarty
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Douglas Hospital Research Center, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Biological and Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Brigitte Lina Kieffer
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Douglas Hospital Research Center, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Emmanuel Darcq
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Douglas Hospital Research Center, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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Meyer CE, Kurth F, Lepore S, Gao JL, Johnsonbaugh H, Oberoi MR, Sawiak SJ, MacKenzie-Graham A. In vivo magnetic resonance images reveal neuroanatomical sex differences through the application of voxel-based morphometry in C57BL/6 mice. Neuroimage 2017; 163:197-205. [PMID: 28923275 PMCID: PMC5716897 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.09.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2017] [Revised: 09/07/2017] [Accepted: 09/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Behaviorally relevant sex differences are often associated with structural differences in the brain and many diseases are sexually dimorphic in prevalence and progression. Characterizing sex differences is imperative to gaining a complete understanding of behavior and disease which will, in turn, allow for a balanced approach to scientific research and the development of therapies. In this study, we generated novel tissue probability maps (TPMs) based on 30 male and 30 female in vivo C57BL/6 mouse brain magnetic resonance images and used voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to analyze sex differences. Females displayed larger anterior hippocampus, basolateral amygdala, and lateral cerebellar cortex volumes, while males exhibited larger cerebral cortex, medial amygdala, and medial cerebellar cortex volumes. Atlas-based morphometry (ABM) revealed a statistically significant sex difference in cortical volume and no difference in whole cerebellar volume. This validated our VBM findings that showed a larger cerebral cortex in male mice and a pattern of dimorphism in the cerebellum where the lateral portion was larger in females and the medial portion was larger in males. These results are consonant with previous ex vivo studies examining sex differences, but also suggest further regions of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra E Meyer
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, 635 Charles Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Florian Kurth
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, 635 Charles Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Stefano Lepore
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, 635 Charles Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Josephine L Gao
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, 635 Charles Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Hadley Johnsonbaugh
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, 635 Charles Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Mandavi R Oberoi
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, 635 Charles Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Stephen J Sawiak
- Wolfson Brain Imaging Centre, University of Cambridge, Box 65 Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Allan MacKenzie-Graham
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, 635 Charles Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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39
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Whittaker DE, Kasah S, Donovan APA, Ellegood J, Riegman KLH, Volk HA, McGonnell I, Lerch JP, Basson MA. Distinct cerebellar foliation anomalies in a CHD7 haploinsufficient mouse model of CHARGE syndrome. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS PART C-SEMINARS IN MEDICAL GENETICS 2017; 175. [PMID: 29168327 PMCID: PMC5765394 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.c.31595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2017] [Revised: 09/22/2017] [Accepted: 09/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Mutations in the gene encoding the ATP dependent chromatin‐remodeling factor, CHD7 are the major cause of CHARGE (Coloboma, Heart defects, Atresia of the choanae, Retarded growth and development, Genital‐urinary anomalies, and Ear defects) syndrome. Neurodevelopmental defects and a range of neurological signs have been identified in individuals with CHARGE syndrome, including developmental delay, lack of coordination, intellectual disability, and autistic traits. We previously identified cerebellar vermis hypoplasia and abnormal cerebellar foliation in individuals with CHARGE syndrome. Here, we report mild cerebellar hypoplasia and distinct cerebellar foliation anomalies in a Chd7 haploinsufficient mouse model. We describe specific alterations in the precise spatio‐temporal sequence of fissure formation during perinatal cerebellar development responsible for these foliation anomalies. The altered cerebellar foliation pattern in Chd7 haploinsufficient mice show some similarities to those reported in mice with altered Engrailed, Fgf8 or Zic1 gene expression and we propose that mutations or polymorphisms in these genes may modify the cerebellar phenotype in CHARGE syndrome. Our findings in a mouse model of CHARGE syndrome indicate that a careful analysis of cerebellar foliation may be warranted in patients with CHARGE syndrome, particularly in patients with cerebellar hypoplasia and developmental delay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle E Whittaker
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.,Department of Clinical Science and Services, Royal Veterinary College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sahrunizam Kasah
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alex P A Donovan
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jacob Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kimberley L H Riegman
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Holger A Volk
- Department of Clinical Science and Services, Royal Veterinary College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Imelda McGonnell
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - M Albert Basson
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.,MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
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40
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Usui N, Araujo DJ, Kulkarni A, Co M, Ellegood J, Harper M, Toriumi K, Lerch JP, Konopka G. Foxp1 regulation of neonatal vocalizations via cortical development. Genes Dev 2017; 31:2039-2055. [PMID: 29138280 PMCID: PMC5733496 DOI: 10.1101/gad.305037.117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2017] [Accepted: 10/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Usui et al. show that deletion of Foxp1 in the developing forebrain leads to impairments in neonatal vocalizations as well as neocortical cytoarchitectonic alterations via neuronal positioning and migration. Sumoylation of Foxp1 affects neuronal differentiation and migration in the developing neocortex. The molecular mechanisms driving brain development at risk in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) remain mostly unknown. Previous studies have implicated the transcription factor FOXP1 in both brain development and ASD pathophysiology. However, the specific molecular pathways both upstream of and downstream from FOXP1 are not fully understood. To elucidate the contribution of FOXP1-mediated signaling to brain development and, in particular, neocortical development, we generated forebrain-specific Foxp1 conditional knockout mice. We show that deletion of Foxp1 in the developing forebrain leads to impairments in neonatal vocalizations as well as neocortical cytoarchitectonic alterations via neuronal positioning and migration. Using a genomics approach, we identified the transcriptional networks regulated by Foxp1 in the developing neocortex and found that such networks are enriched for downstream targets involved in neurogenesis and neuronal migration. We also uncovered mechanistic insight into Foxp1 function by demonstrating that sumoylation of Foxp1 during embryonic brain development is necessary for mediating proper interactions between Foxp1 and the NuRD complex. Furthermore, we demonstrated that sumoylation of Foxp1 affects neuronal differentiation and migration in the developing neocortex. Together, these data provide critical mechanistic insights into the function of FOXP1 in the developing neocortex and may reveal molecular pathways at risk in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noriyoshi Usui
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA.,Division of Development of Mental Functions, Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, Fukui 910-1193, Japan.,Division of Developmental Higher Brain Functions, Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University, and University of Fukui, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Daniel J Araujo
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
| | - Ashwinikumar Kulkarni
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
| | - Marissa Co
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
| | - Jacob Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A1, Canada
| | - Matthew Harper
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
| | - Kazuya Toriumi
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA.,Project for Schizophrenia Research, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A1, Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A1, Canada
| | - Genevieve Konopka
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
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41
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Spencer Noakes TL, Henkelman RM, Nieman BJ. Partitioning k-space for cylindrical three-dimensional rapid acquisition with relaxation enhancement imaging in the mouse brain. NMR IN BIOMEDICINE 2017; 30:e3802. [PMID: 28902423 DOI: 10.1002/nbm.3802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2017] [Revised: 08/04/2017] [Accepted: 08/11/2017] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Three-dimensional rapid acquisition with relaxation enhancement (RARE) scans require the assignment of each phase encode step in two dimensions to an echo in the echo train. Although this assignment is frequently made across the entire Cartesian grid, collection of only the central cylinder of k-space by eliminating the corners in each phase encode dimension reduces the scan time by ~22% with negligible impact on image quality. The recipe for the assignment of echoes to grid points for such an acquisition is less straightforward than for the simple full Cartesian acquisition case, and has important implications for image quality. We explored several methods of partitioning k-space-exploiting angular symmetry in one extreme or emulating a cropped Cartesian acquisition in the other-and acquired three-dimensional RARE magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the ex vivo mouse brain. We evaluated each partitioning method for sensitivity to artifacts and then further considered strategies to minimize these through averaging or interleaving of echoes and by empirical phase correction. All scans were collected 16 at a time with multiple-mouse MRI. Although all schemes considered could be used to generate images, the results indicate that the emulation of a standard Cartesian echo assignment, by partitioning preferentially along one dimension within the cylinder, is more robust to artifacts. Samples at the periphery of the bore showed larger phase deviations and higher sensitivity to artifacts, but images of good quality could still be obtained with an optimized acquisition protocol. A protocol for high-resolution (40 μm) ex vivo images using this approach is presented, and has been used routinely with a success rate of 99% in over 1000 images.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - R Mark Henkelman
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Brian J Nieman
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, ON, Canada
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42
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Kctd13 deletion reduces synaptic transmission via increased RhoA. Nature 2017; 551:227-231. [PMID: 29088697 DOI: 10.1038/nature24470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2016] [Accepted: 10/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Copy-number variants of chromosome 16 region 16p11.2 are linked to neuropsychiatric disorders and are among the most prevalent in autism spectrum disorders. Of many 16p11.2 genes, Kctd13 has been implicated as a major driver of neurodevelopmental phenotypes. The function of KCTD13 in the mammalian brain, however, remains unknown. Here we delete the Kctd13 gene in mice and demonstrate reduced synaptic transmission. Reduced synaptic transmission correlates with increased levels of Ras homolog gene family, member A (RhoA), a KCTD13/CUL3 ubiquitin ligase substrate, and is reversed by RhoA inhibition, suggesting increased RhoA as an important mechanism. In contrast to a previous knockdown study, deletion of Kctd13 or kctd13 does not increase brain size or neurogenesis in mice or zebrafish, respectively. These findings implicate Kctd13 in the regulation of neuronal function relevant to neuropsychiatric disorders and clarify the role of Kctd13 in neurogenesis and brain size. Our data also reveal a potential role for RhoA as a therapeutic target in disorders associated with KCTD13 deletion.
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43
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Donovan APA, Yu T, Ellegood J, Riegman KLH, de Geus C, van Ravenswaaij-Arts C, Fernandes C, Lerch JP, Basson MA. Cerebellar Vermis and Midbrain Hypoplasia Upon Conditional Deletion of Chd7 from the Embryonic Mid-Hindbrain Region. Front Neuroanat 2017; 11:86. [PMID: 29046629 PMCID: PMC5632662 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2017.00086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2017] [Accepted: 09/14/2017] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Reduced fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling from the mid-hindbrain or isthmus organizer (IsO) during early embryonic development results in hypoplasia of the midbrain and cerebellar vermis. We previously reported evidence for reduced Fgf8 expression and FGF signaling in the mid-hindbrain region of embryos heterozygous for Chd7, the gene mutated in CHARGE (Coloboma, Heart defects, choanal Atresia, Retarded growth and development, Genitourinary anomalies and Ear defects) syndrome. However, Chd7+/- animals only exhibit mild cerebellar vermis anomalies. As homozygous deletion of Chd7 is embryonic lethal, we conditionally deleted Chd7 from the early embryonic mid-hindbrain region to identify the function of CHD7 in mid-hindbrain development. Using a combination of high resolution structural MRI and histology, we report striking midbrain and cerebellar vermis hypoplasia in the homozygous conditional mutants. We show that cerebellar vermis hypoplasia is associated with reduced embryonic Fgf8 expression and an expanded roof plate in rhombomere 1 (r1). These findings identify an essential role for Chd7 in regulating mid-hindbrain development via Fgf8.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex P A Donovan
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Tian Yu
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jacob Ellegood
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Kimberley L H Riegman
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Christa de Geus
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Conny van Ravenswaaij-Arts
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Cathy Fernandes
- MRC Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.,MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - M Albert Basson
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.,MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
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44
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Copping NA, Christian SGB, Ritter DJ, Islam MS, Buscher N, Zolkowska D, Pride MC, Berg EL, LaSalle JM, Ellegood J, Lerch JP, Reiter LT, Silverman JL, Dindot SV. Neuronal overexpression of Ube3a isoform 2 causes behavioral impairments and neuroanatomical pathology relevant to 15q11.2-q13.3 duplication syndrome. Hum Mol Genet 2017; 26:3995-4010. [PMID: 29016856 PMCID: PMC5886211 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddx289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2017] [Revised: 06/21/2017] [Accepted: 07/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Maternally derived copy number gains of human chromosome 15q11.2-q13.3 (Dup15q syndrome or Dup15q) cause intellectual disability, epilepsy, developmental delay, hypotonia, speech impairments, and minor dysmorphic features. Dup15q syndrome is one of the most common and penetrant chromosomal abnormalities observed in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although ∼40 genes are located in the 15q11.2-q13.3 region, overexpression of the ubiquitin-protein E3A ligase (UBE3A) gene is thought to be the predominant molecular cause of the phenotypes observed in Dup15q syndrome. The UBE3A gene demonstrates maternal-specific expression in neurons and loss of maternal UBE3A causes Angelman syndrome, a neurodevelopmental disorder with some overlapping neurological features to Dup15q. To directly test the hypothesis that overexpression of UBE3A is an important underlying molecular cause of neurodevelopmental dysfunction, we developed and characterized a mouse overexpressing Ube3a isoform 2 in excitatory neurons. Ube3a isoform 2 is conserved between mouse and human and known to play key roles in neuronal function. Transgenic mice overexpressing Ube3a isoform 2 in excitatory forebrain neurons exhibited increased anxiety-like behaviors, learning impairments, and reduced seizure thresholds. However, these transgenic mice displayed normal social approach, social interactions, and repetitive motor stereotypies that are relevant to ASD. Reduced forebrain, hippocampus, striatum, amygdala, and cortical volume were also observed. Altogether, these findings show neuronal overexpression of Ube3a isoform 2 causes phenotypes translatable to neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nycole A Copping
- MIND Institute, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | | | - Dylan J Ritter
- MIND Institute, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
- Texas A&M, College Station, TX, USA
| | - M Saharul Islam
- MIND Institute, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Nathalie Buscher
- MIND Institute, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Dorota Zolkowska
- MIND Institute, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Michael C Pride
- MIND Institute, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Elizabeth L Berg
- MIND Institute, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Janine M LaSalle
- MIND Institute, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Jacob Ellegood
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Mouse Imaging Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jason P Lerch
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Mouse Imaging Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Lawrence T Reiter
- Departments of Neurology, Pediatrics and Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Jill L Silverman
- MIND Institute, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
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45
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Foxp1 in Forebrain Pyramidal Neurons Controls Gene Expression Required for Spatial Learning and Synaptic Plasticity. J Neurosci 2017; 37:10917-10931. [PMID: 28978667 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1005-17.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2017] [Revised: 09/12/2017] [Accepted: 09/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic perturbations of the transcription factor Forkhead Box P1 (FOXP1) are causative for severe forms of autism spectrum disorder that are often comorbid with intellectual disability. Recent work has begun to reveal an important role for FoxP1 in brain development, but the brain-region-specific contributions of Foxp1 to autism and intellectual disability phenotypes have yet to be determined fully. Here, we describe Foxp1 conditional knock-out (Foxp1cKO) male and female mice with loss of Foxp1 in the pyramidal neurons of the neocortex and the CA1/CA2 subfields of the hippocampus. Foxp1cKO mice exhibit behavioral phenotypes that are of potential relevance to autism spectrum disorder, including hyperactivity, increased anxiety, communication impairments, and decreased sociability. In addition, Foxp1cKO mice have gross deficits in learning and memory tasks of relevance to intellectual disability. Using a genome-wide approach, we identified differentially expressed genes in the hippocampus of Foxp1cKO mice associated with synaptic function and development. Furthermore, using magnetic resonance imaging, we uncovered a significant reduction in the volumes of both the entire hippocampus as well as individual hippocampal subfields of Foxp1cKO mice. Finally, we observed reduced maintenance of LTP in area CA1 of the hippocampus in these mutant mice. Together, these data suggest that proper expression of Foxp1 in the pyramidal neurons of the forebrain is important for regulating gene expression pathways that contribute to specific behaviors reminiscent of those seen in autism and intellectual disability. In particular, Foxp1 regulation of gene expression appears to be crucial for normal hippocampal development, CA1 plasticity, and spatial learning.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Loss-of-function mutations in the transcription factor Forkhead Box P1 (FOXP1) lead to autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability. Understanding the potential brain-region-specific contributions of FOXP1 to disease-relevant phenotypes could be a critical first step in the management of patients with these mutations. Here, we report that Foxp1 conditional knock-out (Foxp1cKO) mice with loss of Foxp1 in the neocortex and hippocampus display autism and intellectual-disability-relevant behaviors. We also show that these phenotypes correlate with changes in both the genomic and physiological profiles of the hippocampus in Foxp1cKO mice. Our work demonstrates that brain-region-specific FOXP1 expression may relate to distinct, clinically relevant phenotypes.
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46
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Spatial gene expression analysis of neuroanatomical differences in mouse models. Neuroimage 2017; 163:220-230. [PMID: 28882630 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.08.065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2017] [Revised: 08/08/2017] [Accepted: 08/29/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
MRI is a powerful modality to detect neuroanatomical differences that result from mutations and treatments. Knowing which genes drive these differences is important in understanding etiology, but candidate genes are often difficult to identify. We tested whether spatial gene expression data from the Allen Brain Institute can be used to inform us about genes that cause neuroanatomical differences. For many single-gene-mutation mouse models, we found that affected neuroanatomy was not strongly associated with the spatial expression of the altered gene and there are specific caveats for each model. However, among models with significant neuroanatomical differences from their wildtype controls, the mutated genes had preferential spatial expression in affected neuroanatomy. In mice exposed to environmental enrichment, candidate genes could be identified by a genome-wide search for genes with preferential spatial expression in the altered neuroanatomical regions. These candidates have functions related to learning and plasticity. We demonstrate that spatial gene expression of single-genes is a poor predictor of altered neuroanatomy, but altered neuroanatomy can identify candidate genes responsible for neuroanatomical phenotypes.
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47
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Medina CS, Manifold-Wheeler B, Gonzales A, Bearer EL. Automated Computational Processing of 3-D MR Images of Mouse Brain for Phenotyping of Living Animals. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 119:29A.5.1-29A.5.38. [PMID: 28678440 DOI: 10.1002/cpmb.40] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging provides a method to obtain anatomical information from the brain in vivo that is not typically available by optical imaging because of this organ's opacity. MR is nondestructive and obtains deep tissue contrast with 100-µm3 voxel resolution or better. Manganese-enhanced MRI (MEMRI) may be used to observe axonal transport and localized neural activity in the living rodent and avian brain. Such enhancement enables researchers to investigate differences in functional circuitry or neuronal activity in images of brains of different animals. Moreover, once MR images of a number of animals are aligned into a single matrix, statistical analysis can be done comparing MR intensities between different multi-animal cohorts comprising individuals from different mouse strains or different transgenic animals, or at different time points after an experimental manipulation. Although preprocessing steps for such comparisons (including skull stripping and alignment) are automated for human imaging, no such automated processing has previously been readily available for mouse or other widely used experimental animals, and most investigators use in-house custom processing. This protocol describes a stepwise method to perform such preprocessing for mouse. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Aaron Gonzales
- University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Elaine L Bearer
- University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico.,Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
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Allemang-Grand R, Ellegood J, Spencer Noakes L, Ruston J, Justice M, Nieman BJ, Lerch JP. Neuroanatomy in mouse models of Rett syndrome is related to the severity of Mecp2 mutation and behavioral phenotypes. Mol Autism 2017; 8:32. [PMID: 28670438 PMCID: PMC5485541 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-017-0138-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2016] [Accepted: 04/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Rett syndrome (RTT) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that predominantly affects girls. The majority of RTT cases are caused by de novo mutations in methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MECP2), and several mouse models have been created to further understand the disorder. In the current literature, many studies have focused their analyses on the behavioral abnormalities and cellular and molecular impairments that arise from Mecp2 mutations. However, limited efforts have been placed on understanding how Mecp2 mutations disrupt the neuroanatomy and networks of the brain. Methods In this study, we examined the neuroanatomy of male and female mice from the Mecp2tm1Hzo, Mecp2tm1.1Bird/J, and Mecp2tm2Bird/J mouse lines using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) paired with deformation-based morphometry to determine the brain regions susceptible to Mecp2 disruptions. Results We found that many cortical and subcortical regions were reduced in volume within the brains of mutant mice regardless of mutation type, highlighting regions that are susceptible to Mecp2 disruptions. We also found that the volume within these regions correlated with behavioral metrics. Conversely, regions of the cerebellum were differentially affected by the type of mutation, showing an increase in volume in the mutant Mecp2tm1Hzo brain relative to controls and a decrease in the Mecp2tm1.1Bird/J and Mecp2tm2Bird/J lines. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate that the direction and magnitude of the neuroanatomical differences between control and mutant mice carrying Mecp2 mutations are driven by the severity of the mutation and the stage of behavioral impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rylan Allemang-Grand
- Mouse Imaging Centre, 25 Orde Street, Toronto, M5T 3H7 Ontario Canada.,Neurosciences and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Ave, Toronto, M5G 1X8 Ontario Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 101 College Street, Suite 15-701, Toronto, M5G 1L7 Ontario Canada
| | - Jacob Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging Centre, 25 Orde Street, Toronto, M5T 3H7 Ontario Canada.,Neurosciences and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Ave, Toronto, M5G 1X8 Ontario Canada
| | - Leigh Spencer Noakes
- Mouse Imaging Centre, 25 Orde Street, Toronto, M5T 3H7 Ontario Canada.,Physiology and Experimental Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Ave, Toronto, M5G 1X8 Ontario Canada
| | - Julie Ruston
- Genetics and Genome Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Ave, Toronto, M5G 1X8 Ontario Canada
| | - Monica Justice
- Genetics and Genome Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Ave, Toronto, M5G 1X8 Ontario Canada
| | - Brian J Nieman
- Mouse Imaging Centre, 25 Orde Street, Toronto, M5T 3H7 Ontario Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 101 College Street, Suite 15-701, Toronto, M5G 1L7 Ontario Canada.,Ontario Institute of Cancer Research, 661 University Ave, Toronto, Suite 510, M5G 0A3 Ontario Canada
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre, 25 Orde Street, Toronto, M5T 3H7 Ontario Canada.,Neurosciences and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Ave, Toronto, M5G 1X8 Ontario Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 101 College Street, Suite 15-701, Toronto, M5G 1L7 Ontario Canada
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Cahill LS, Bishop J, Gazdzinski LM, Dorr A, Stefanovic B, Sled JG. Altered cerebral blood flow and cerebrovascular function after voluntary exercise in adult mice. Brain Struct Funct 2017; 222:3395-3405. [PMID: 28391400 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-017-1409-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2016] [Accepted: 03/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The beneficial effects of physical exercise on brain health are well documented, yet how exercise modulates cerebrovascular function is not well understood. This study used continuous arterial spin labeling magnetic resonance imaging with a hypercapnic challenge to examine changes in cerebral blood flow and vascular function after voluntary exercise in healthy, adult mice. Thirty exercise mice and twenty-one control mice were imaged prior to the start of the exercise regime (at 12 weeks of age) and after 4 weeks of voluntary exercise. After the second in vivo imaging session, we performed high-resolution ex vivo anatomical brain imaging to correlate the structural brain changes with functional measures of flow and vascular reserve. We found that exercise resulted in increases in the normocapnic and hypercapnic blood flow in the hippocampus. Moreover, the change in normocapnic blood flow between pre-exercise and post-exercise was positively correlated to the hippocampal structure volume following exercise. There was no overall effect of voluntary exercise on blood flow in the motor cortex. Surprisingly, the hypercapnic hippocampal blood flow when measured prior to the start of exercise was predictive of subsequent exercise activity. Moreover, exercise was found to normalize this pre-existing difference in hypercapnic blood flow between mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay S Cahill
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, 25 Orde Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 2H7, Canada.
| | - Jonathan Bishop
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, 25 Orde Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 2H7, Canada
| | - Lisa M Gazdzinski
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, 25 Orde Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 2H7, Canada
| | | | - Bojana Stefanovic
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - John G Sled
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, 25 Orde Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 2H7, Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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50
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Holmes HE, Powell NM, Ma D, Ismail O, Harrison IF, Wells JA, Colgan N, O'Callaghan JM, Johnson RA, Murray TK, Ahmed Z, Heggenes M, Fisher A, Cardoso MJ, Modat M, O'Neill MJ, Collins EC, Fisher EMC, Ourselin S, Lythgoe MF. Comparison of In Vivo and Ex Vivo MRI for the Detection of Structural Abnormalities in a Mouse Model of Tauopathy. Front Neuroinform 2017; 11:20. [PMID: 28408879 PMCID: PMC5374887 DOI: 10.3389/fninf.2017.00020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2016] [Accepted: 02/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
With increasingly large numbers of mouse models of human disease dedicated to MRI studies, compromises between in vivo and ex vivo MRI must be fully understood in order to inform the choice of imaging methodology. We investigate the application of high resolution in vivo and ex vivo MRI, in combination with tensor-based morphometry (TBM), to uncover morphological differences in the rTg4510 mouse model of tauopathy. The rTg4510 mouse also offers a novel paradigm by which the overexpression of mutant tau can be regulated by the administration of doxycycline, providing us with a platform on which to investigate more subtle alterations in morphology with morphometry. Both in vivo and ex vivo MRI allowed the detection of widespread bilateral patterns of atrophy in the rTg4510 mouse brain relative to wild-type controls. Regions of volume loss aligned with neuronal loss and pathological tau accumulation demonstrated by immunohistochemistry. When we sought to investigate more subtle structural alterations in the rTg4510 mice relative to a subset of doxycycline-treated rTg4510 mice, ex vivo imaging enabled the detection of more regions of morphological brain changes. The disadvantages of ex vivo MRI may however mitigate this increase in sensitivity: we observed a 10% global shrinkage in brain volume of the post-mortem tissues due to formalin fixation, which was most notable in the cerebellum and olfactory bulbs. However, many central brain regions were not adversely affected by the fixation protocol, perhaps due to our “in-skull” preparation. The disparity between our TBM findings from in vivo and ex vivo MRI underlines the importance of appropriate study design, given the trade-off between these two imaging approaches. We support the utility of in vivo MRI for morphological phenotyping of mouse models of disease; however, for subtler phenotypes, ex vivo offers enhanced sensitivity to discrete morphological changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holly E Holmes
- Division of Medicine, UCL Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging, University College LondonLondon, UK
| | - Nick M Powell
- Division of Medicine, UCL Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging, University College LondonLondon, UK.,Centre for Medical Image Computing, University College LondonLondon, UK
| | - Da Ma
- Division of Medicine, UCL Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging, University College LondonLondon, UK.,Centre for Medical Image Computing, University College LondonLondon, UK
| | - Ozama Ismail
- Division of Medicine, UCL Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging, University College LondonLondon, UK
| | - Ian F Harrison
- Division of Medicine, UCL Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging, University College LondonLondon, UK
| | - Jack A Wells
- Division of Medicine, UCL Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging, University College LondonLondon, UK
| | - Niall Colgan
- Division of Medicine, UCL Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging, University College LondonLondon, UK
| | - James M O'Callaghan
- Division of Medicine, UCL Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging, University College LondonLondon, UK
| | - Ross A Johnson
- Tailored Therapeutics, Eli Lilly and Company, Lilly Corporate CenterIndianapolis, IN, USA
| | | | - Zeshan Ahmed
- Molecular Pathology, Eli Lilly & Co. LtdWindlesham, UK
| | | | - Alice Fisher
- Molecular Pathology, Eli Lilly & Co. LtdWindlesham, UK
| | - M Jorge Cardoso
- Centre for Medical Image Computing, University College LondonLondon, UK
| | - Marc Modat
- Centre for Medical Image Computing, University College LondonLondon, UK
| | | | - Emily C Collins
- Tailored Therapeutics, Eli Lilly and Company, Lilly Corporate CenterIndianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Elizabeth M C Fisher
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Institute of Neurology, University College LondonLondon, UK
| | | | - Mark F Lythgoe
- Division of Medicine, UCL Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging, University College LondonLondon, UK
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