1
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Tai NC, Shinmyo Y, Kawasaki H. Astrocyte diversity in the ferret cerebrum revealed with astrocyte-specific genetic manipulation. Glia 2024; 72:1862-1873. [PMID: 38884631 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 06/08/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Astrocytes in the cerebrum play important roles such as the regulation of synaptic functions, homeostasis, water transport, and the blood-brain barrier. It has been proposed that astrocytes in the cerebrum acquired diversity and developed functionally during evolution. Here, we show that like human astrocytes, ferret astrocytes in the cerebrum exhibit various morphological subtypes which mice do not have. We found that layer 1 of the ferret cerebrum contained not only protoplasmic astrocytes but also pial interlaminar astrocytes and subpial interlaminar astrocytes. Morphologically polarized astrocytes, which have a long unbranched process, were found in layer 6. Like human white matter, ferret white matter exhibited four subtypes of astrocytes. Furthermore, our quantification showed that ferret astrocytes had a larger territory size and a longer radius length than mouse astrocytes. Thus, our results indicate that, similar to the human cerebrum, the ferret cerebrum has a well-developed diversity of astrocytes. Ferrets should be useful for investigating the molecular and cellular mechanisms leading to astrocyte diversity, the functions of each astrocyte subtype and the involvement of different astrocyte subtypes in various neurological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nguyen Chi Tai
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan
- Sapiens Life Sciences, Evolution and Medicine Research Center, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan
| | - Yohei Shinmyo
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan
- Department of Neurophysiology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kawasaki
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan
- Sapiens Life Sciences, Evolution and Medicine Research Center, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan
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2
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Lendemeijer B, Unkel M, Smeenk H, Mossink B, Hijazi S, Gordillo-Sampedro S, Shpak G, Slump DE, van den Hout MCGN, van IJcken WFJ, Bindels EMJ, Hoogendijk WJG, Nadif Kasri N, de Vrij FMS, Kushner SA. Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Astrocyte Functionality Compares Favorably with Primary Rat Astrocytes. eNeuro 2024; 11:ENEURO.0148-24.2024. [PMID: 39227152 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0148-24.2024] [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: 04/03/2024] [Revised: 08/08/2024] [Accepted: 08/19/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes are essential for the formation and maintenance of neural networks. However, a major technical challenge for investigating astrocyte function and disease-related pathophysiology has been the limited ability to obtain functional human astrocytes. Despite recent advances in human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) techniques, primary rodent astrocytes remain the gold standard in coculture with human neurons. We demonstrate that a combination of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and bone morphogenetic protein-4 (BMP4) directs hPSC-derived neural precursor cells to a highly pure population of astroglia in 28 d. Using single-cell RNA sequencing, we confirm the astroglial identity of these cells and highlight profound transcriptional adaptations in cocultured hPSC-derived astrocytes and neurons, consistent with their further maturation. In coculture with human neurons, multielectrode array recordings revealed robust network activity of human neurons in a coculture with hPSC-derived or rat astrocytes [3.63 ± 0.44 min-1 (hPSC-derived), 2.86 ± 0.64 min-1 (rat); p = 0.19]. In comparison, we found increased spike frequency within network bursts of human neurons cocultured with hPSC-derived astrocytes [56.31 ± 8.56 Hz (hPSC-derived), 24.77 ± 4.04 Hz (rat); p < 0.01], and whole-cell patch-clamp recordings revealed an increase of postsynaptic currents [2.76 ± 0.39 Hz (hPSC-derived), 1.07 ± 0.14 Hz (rat); p < 0.001], consistent with a corresponding increase in synapse density [14.90 ± 1.27/100 μm2 (hPSC-derived), 8.39 ± 0.63/100 μm2 (rat); p < 0.001]. Taken together, we show that hPSC-derived astrocytes compare favorably with rat astrocytes in supporting human neural network activity and maturation, providing a fully human platform for investigating astrocyte function and neuronal-glial interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bas Lendemeijer
- Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam 3015 AA, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027
- Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Center for Precision Psychiatry & Mental Health, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027
| | - Maurits Unkel
- Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam 3015 AA, The Netherlands
| | - Hilde Smeenk
- Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam 3015 AA, The Netherlands
| | - Britt Mossink
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6525GA, The Netherlands
| | - Sara Hijazi
- Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam 3015 AA, The Netherlands
| | - Sara Gordillo-Sampedro
- Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam 3015 AA, The Netherlands
| | - Guy Shpak
- Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam 3015 AA, The Netherlands
| | - Denise E Slump
- Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam 3015 AA, The Netherlands
| | - Mirjam C G N van den Hout
- Department of Cell Biology, Center for Biomics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam 3015AA, The Netherlands
| | - Wilfred F J van IJcken
- Department of Cell Biology, Center for Biomics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam 3015AA, The Netherlands
| | - Eric M J Bindels
- Department of Hematology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam 3015AA, The Netherlands
| | - Witte J G Hoogendijk
- Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam 3015 AA, The Netherlands
| | - Nael Nadif Kasri
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6525GA, The Netherlands
| | - Femke M S de Vrij
- Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam 3015 AA, The Netherlands
- ENCORE Expertise Center for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam 3015AA, The Netherlands
| | - Steven A Kushner
- Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam 3015 AA, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027
- Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Center for Precision Psychiatry & Mental Health, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027
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3
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Mora VP, Kalergis AM, Bohmwald K. Neurological Impact of Respiratory Viruses: Insights into Glial Cell Responses in the Central Nervous System. Microorganisms 2024; 12:1713. [PMID: 39203555 PMCID: PMC11356956 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12081713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/01/2024] [Indexed: 09/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Respiratory viral infections pose a significant public health threat, particularly in children and older adults, with high mortality rates. Some of these pathogens are the human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV), severe acute respiratory coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), influenza viruses (IV), human parvovirus B19 (B19V), and human bocavirus 1 (HBoV1). These viruses cause various respiratory symptoms, including cough, fever, bronchiolitis, and pneumonia. Notably, these viruses can also impact the central nervous system (CNS), leading to acute manifestations such as seizures, encephalopathies, encephalitis, neurological sequelae, and long-term complications. The precise mechanisms by which these viruses affect the CNS are not fully understood. Glial cells, specifically microglia and astrocytes within the CNS, play pivotal roles in maintaining brain homeostasis and regulating immune responses. Exploring how these cells interact with viral pathogens, such as hRSV, SARS-CoV-2, IVs, B19V, and HBoV1, offers crucial insights into the significant impact of respiratory viruses on the CNS. This review article examines hRSV, SARS-CoV-2, IV, B19V, and HBoV1 interactions with microglia and astrocytes, shedding light on potential neurological consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina P. Mora
- Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago 8910060, Chile;
| | - Alexis M. Kalergis
- Millennium Institute on Immunology and Immunotherapy (MIII), Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8331150, Chile;
- Departamento de Endocrinología, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8331150, Chile
| | - Karen Bohmwald
- Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago 8910060, Chile;
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4
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Man JHK, Breur M, van Gelder CAGH, Marcon G, Maderna E, Giaccone G, Altelaar M, van der Knaap MS, Bugiani M. Region-specific and age-related differences in astrocytes in the human brain. Neurobiol Aging 2024; 140:102-115. [PMID: 38763075 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2024.02.016] [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: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
Astrocyte heterogeneity and its relation to aging in the normal human brain remain poorly understood. We here analyzed astrocytes in gray and white matter brain tissues obtained from donors ranging in age between the neonatal period to over 100 years. We show that astrocytes are differently distributed with higher density in the white matter. This regional difference in cellular density becomes less prominent with age. Additionally, we confirm the presence of morphologically distinct astrocytes, with gray matter astrocytes being morphologically more complex. Notably, gray matter astrocytes morphologically change with age, while white matter astrocytes remain relatively consistent in morphology. Using regional mass spectrometry-based proteomics, we did, however, identify astrocyte specific proteins with regional differences in abundance, reflecting variation in cellular density or expression level. Importantly, the expression of some astrocyte specific proteins region-dependently decreases with age. Taken together, we provide insights into region- and age-related differences in astrocytes in the human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jodie H K Man
- Department of Child Neurology, Amsterdam Leukodystrophy Center, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Marjolein Breur
- Department of Child Neurology, Amsterdam Leukodystrophy Center, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Charlotte A G H van Gelder
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Netherlands Proteomics Center, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Gabriella Marcon
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy; DAME, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Emanuela Maderna
- Division of Neurology 5 - Neuropathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Giorgio Giaccone
- Division of Neurology 5 - Neuropathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Maarten Altelaar
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Netherlands Proteomics Center, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Marjo S van der Knaap
- Department of Child Neurology, Amsterdam Leukodystrophy Center, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Marianna Bugiani
- Department of Pathology, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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5
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Zhao D, Hu M, Liu S. Glial cells in the mammalian olfactory bulb. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1426094. [PMID: 39081666 PMCID: PMC11286597 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1426094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The mammalian olfactory bulb (OB), an essential part of the olfactory system, plays a critical role in odor detection and neural processing. Historically, research has predominantly focused on the neuronal components of the OB, often overlooking the vital contributions of glial cells. Recent advancements, however, underscore the significant roles that glial cells play within this intricate neural structure. This review discus the diverse functions and dynamics of glial cells in the mammalian OB, mainly focused on astrocytes, microglia, oligodendrocytes, olfactory ensheathing cells, and radial glia cells. Each type of glial contributes uniquely to the OB's functionality, influencing everything from synaptic modulation and neuronal survival to immune defense and axonal guidance. The review features their roles in maintaining neural health, their involvement in neurodegenerative diseases, and their potential in therapeutic applications for neuroregeneration. By providing a comprehensive overview of glial cell types, their mechanisms, and interactions within the OB, this article aims to enhance our understanding of the olfactory system's complexity and the pivotal roles glial cells play in both health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Shaolin Liu
- Isakson Center for Neurological Disease Research, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, Athens, GA, United States
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6
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Floryanzia S, Lee S, Nance E. Isolation methods and characterization of primary rat neurovascular cells. J Biol Eng 2024; 18:39. [PMID: 38992711 PMCID: PMC11241874 DOI: 10.1186/s13036-024-00434-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is significant interest in isolating cells of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) for use in in vitro screening of therapeutics and analyzing cell specific roles in neurovascular pathology. Primary brain cells play an advantageous role in BBB models; however, isolation procedures often do not produce cells at high enough yields for experiments. In addition, although numerous reports provide primary cell isolation methods, the field is lacking in documentation and detail of expected morphological changes that occur throughout culturing and there are minimal troubleshooting resources. Here, we present simplified, robust, and reproducible methodology for isolating astrocytes, pericytes, and endothelial cells, and demonstrate several morphological benchmarks for each cell type throughout the process and culture timeframe. We also analyze common considerations for developing neurovascular cell isolation procedures and recommend solutions for troubleshooting. RESULTS The presented methodology isolated astrocytes, pericytes, and endothelial cells and enabled cell attachment, maturation, and cell viability. We characterized milestones in cell maturation over 12 days in culture, a common timeline for applications of these cell types in BBB models. Phase contrast microscopy was used to show initial cell plating, attachment, and daily growth of isolated cells. Confocal microscopy images were analyzed to determine the identity of cell types and changes to cell morphology. Nuclear staining was also used to show the viability and proliferation of glial cells at four time points. Astrocyte branches became numerous and complex with increased culture time. Microglia, oligodendrocytes, and neurons were present in mixed glial cultures for 12 days, though the percentage of microglia and neurons expectedly decreased after passaging, with microglia demonstrating a less branched morphology. CONCLUSIONS Neurovascular cells can be isolated through our optimized protocols that minimize cell loss and encourage the adhesion and proliferation of isolated cells. By identifying timepoints of viable glia and neurons within an astrocyte-dominant mixed culture, these cells can be used to evaluate drug targeting, uptake studies, and response to pathological stimulus in the neurovascular unit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sydney Floryanzia
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Seoyoung Lee
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Elizabeth Nance
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
- Department of Molecular Engineering and Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
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7
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Ojalvo-Sanz AC, Pernia-Solanilla C, López-Mascaraque L. Spatial organization of astrocyte clones: The role of developmental progenitor timing. Glia 2024; 72:1290-1303. [PMID: 38506330 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Astrocytes represent a diverse and morphologically complex group of glial cells critical for shaping and maintaining nervous system homeostasis, as well as responding to injuries. Understanding the origins of astroglial heterogeneity, originated from a limited number of progenitors, has been the focus of many studies. Most of these investigations have centered on protoplasmic and pial astrocytes, while the clonal relationship of fibrous astrocytes or juxtavascular astrocytes has remained relatively unexplored. In this study, we sought to elucidate the morphological diversity and clonal distribution of astrocytes across adult cortical layers, with particular emphasis on their ontogenetic origins. Using the StarTrack lineage tracing tool, we explored the characteristics of adult astroglial clones derived from single and specific progenitors at various embryonic stages. Our results revealed a heterogeneous spatial distribution of astroglial clones, characterized by variations in location, clonal size, and rostro-caudal dispersion. While a considerable proportion of clones were confined within specific cortical layers, others displayed sibling cells crossing layer boundaries. Notably, we observed a correlation between clone location and developmental stage at earlier embryonic stages, although this relationship diminished in later stages. Fibrous astrocyte clones were exclusively confined to the corpus callosum. In contrast, protoplasmic or juxtavascular clones were located in either the upper or lower cortical layers, with certain clones displayed sibling cells distributed across both regions. Our findings underscore the developmental origins and spatial distribution of astroglial clones within cortical layers, providing new insights into the interplay between their morphology, clonal sizes, and progenitor heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Cristina Ojalvo-Sanz
- Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Neurobiology Department, Instituto Cajal-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Laura López-Mascaraque
- Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Neurobiology Department, Instituto Cajal-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
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8
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Bailey HM, Cookson MR. How Parkinson's Disease-Linked LRRK2 Mutations Affect Different CNS Cell Types. JOURNAL OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE 2024:JPD230432. [PMID: 38905056 DOI: 10.3233/jpd-230432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
LRRK2 is a relatively common genetic risk factor for Parkinson's disease (PD), with six coding variants known to cause familial PD. Non-coding variation at the same locus is also associated with sporadic PD. LRRK2 plays a role in many different intracellular signaling cascades including those involved in endolysosomal function, cytoskeletal dynamics, and Ca2+ homeostasis. PD-causing LRRK2 mutations cause hyperactive LRRK2 kinase activity, resulting in altered cellular signaling. Importantly, LRRK2 is lowly expressed in neurons and prominently expressed in non-neuronal cells in the brain. In this review, we will summarize recent and novel findings on the effects of PD-causing LRRK2 mutations in different nervous system cell types. This review will also provide novel insight into future areas of research at the intersection of LRRK2 cell biology, cell type specificity, and PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah M Bailey
- Cell Biology and Gene Expression Section, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Mark R Cookson
- Cell Biology and Gene Expression Section, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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9
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Bansal Y, Codeluppi SA, Banasr M. Astroglial Dysfunctions in Mood Disorders and Rodent Stress Models: Consequences on Behavior and Potential as Treatment Target. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6357. [PMID: 38928062 PMCID: PMC11204179 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Astrocyte dysfunctions have been consistently observed in patients affected with depression and other psychiatric illnesses. Although over the years our understanding of these changes, their origin, and their consequences on behavior and neuronal function has deepened, many aspects of the role of astroglial dysfunction in major depressive disorder (MDD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) remain unknown. In this review, we summarize the known astroglial dysfunctions associated with MDD and PTSD, highlight the impact of chronic stress on specific astroglial functions, and how astroglial dysfunctions are implicated in the expression of depressive- and anxiety-like behaviors, focusing on behavioral consequences of astroglial manipulation on emotion-related and fear-learning behaviors. We also offer a glance at potential astroglial functions that can be targeted for potential antidepressant treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yashika Bansal
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Sierra A. Codeluppi
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 2C8, Canada
| | - Mounira Banasr
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 2C8, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M2J 4A6, Canada
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10
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Theparambil SM, Begum G, Rose CR. pH regulating mechanisms of astrocytes: A critical component in physiology and disease of the brain. Cell Calcium 2024; 120:102882. [PMID: 38631162 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceca.2024.102882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Strict homeostatic control of pH in both intra- and extracellular compartments of the brain is fundamentally important, primarily due to the profound impact of free protons ([H+]) on neuronal activity and overall brain function. Astrocytes, crucial players in the homeostasis of various ions in the brain, actively regulate their intracellular [H+] (pHi) through multiple membrane transporters and carbonic anhydrases. The activation of astroglial pHi regulating mechanisms also leads to corresponding alterations in the acid-base status of the extracellular fluid. Notably, astrocyte pH regulators are modulated by various neuronal signals, suggesting their pivotal role in regulating brain acid-base balance in both health and disease. This review presents the mechanisms involved in pH regulation in astrocytes and discusses their potential impact on extracellular pH under physiological conditions and in brain disorders. Targeting astrocytic pH regulatory mechanisms represents a promising therapeutic approach for modulating brain acid-base balance in diseases, offering a potential critical contribution to neuroprotection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shefeeq M Theparambil
- Faculty of Health and Medicine, Department of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YW, Lancaster, UK.
| | - Gulnaz Begum
- Department of Neurology, The Pittsburgh Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Christine R Rose
- Institute of Neurobiology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
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11
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Lee N, Choi JY, Ryu YH. The development status of PET radiotracers for evaluating neuroinflammation. Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2024; 58:160-176. [PMID: 38932754 PMCID: PMC11196502 DOI: 10.1007/s13139-023-00831-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Neuroinflammation is associated with the pathophysiologies of neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders. Evaluating neuroinflammation using positron emission tomography (PET) plays an important role in the early diagnosis and determination of proper treatment of brain diseases. To quantify neuroinflammatory responses in vivo, many PET tracers have been developed using translocator proteins, imidazole-2 binding site, cyclooxygenase, monoamine oxidase-B, adenosine, cannabinoid, purinergic P2X7, and CSF-1 receptors as biomarkers. In this review, we introduce the latest developments in PET tracers that can image neuroinflammation, focusing on clinical trials, and further consider their current implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Namhun Lee
- Division of Applied RI, Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences, 75 Nowon-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul, 01812 Korea
| | - Jae Yong Choi
- Division of Applied RI, Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences, 75 Nowon-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul, 01812 Korea
- Radiological and Medico-Oncological Sciences, University of Science and Technology (UST), Seoul, Korea
| | - Young Hoon Ryu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
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12
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Ortiz C, Pearson A, McCartan R, Roche S, Carothers N, Browning M, Perez S, He B, Ginsberg SD, Mullan M, Mufson EJ, Crawford F, Ojo J. Overexpression of pathogenic tau in astrocytes causes a reduction in AQP4 and GLT1, an immunosuppressed phenotype and unique transcriptional responses to repetitive mild TBI without appreciable changes in tauopathy. J Neuroinflammation 2024; 21:130. [PMID: 38750510 PMCID: PMC11096096 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-024-03117-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Epidemiological studies have unveiled a robust link between exposure to repetitive mild traumatic brain injury (r-mTBI) and elevated susceptibility to develop neurodegenerative disorders, notably chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). The pathogenic lesion in CTE cases is characterized by the accumulation of hyperphosphorylated tau in neurons around small cerebral blood vessels which can be accompanied by astrocytes that contain phosphorylated tau, the latter termed tau astrogliopathy. However, the contribution of tau astrogliopathy to the pathobiology and functional consequences of r-mTBI/CTE or whether it is merely a consequence of aging remains unclear. We addressed these pivotal questions by utilizing a mouse model harboring tau-bearing astrocytes, GFAPP301L mice, subjected to our r-mTBI paradigm. Despite the fact that r-mTBI did not exacerbate tau astrogliopathy or general tauopathy, it increased phosphorylated tau in the area underneath the impact site. Additionally, gene ontology analysis of tau-bearing astrocytes following r-mTBI revealed profound alterations in key biological processes including immunological and mitochondrial bioenergetics. Moreover, gene array analysis of microdissected astrocytes accrued from stage IV CTE human brains revealed an immunosuppressed astroglial phenotype similar to tau-bearing astrocytes in the GFAPP301L model. Additionally, hippocampal reduction of proteins involved in water transport (AQP4) and glutamate homeostasis (GLT1) was found in the mouse model of tau astrogliopathy. Collectively, these findings reveal the importance of understanding tau astrogliopathy and its role in astroglial pathobiology under normal circumstances and following r-mTBI. The identified mechanisms using this GFAPP301L model may suggest targets for therapeutic interventions in r-mTBI pathogenesis in the context of CTE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Ortiz
- The Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, FL, USA.
- The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK.
| | - Andrew Pearson
- The Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, FL, USA
- The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Bin He
- Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Stephen D Ginsberg
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA
- Departments of Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Physiology, and NYU Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | | | | | - Fiona Crawford
- The Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, FL, USA
- The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
- James A. Haley Veterans Hospital, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Joseph Ojo
- The Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, FL, USA
- The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
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13
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Leventoux N, Morimoto S, Ishikawa M, Nakamura S, Ozawa F, Kobayashi R, Watanabe H, Supakul S, Okamoto S, Zhou Z, Kobayashi H, Kato C, Hirokawa Y, Aiba I, Takahashi S, Shibata S, Takao M, Yoshida M, Endo F, Yamanaka K, Kokubo Y, Okano H. Aberrant CHCHD2-associated mitochondriopathy in Kii ALS/PDC astrocytes. Acta Neuropathol 2024; 147:84. [PMID: 38750212 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-024-02734-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis/Parkinsonism-Dementia Complex (ALS/PDC), a rare and complex neurological disorder, is predominantly observed in the Western Pacific islands, including regions of Japan, Guam, and Papua. This enigmatic condition continues to capture medical attention due to affected patients displaying symptoms that parallel those seen in either classical amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or Parkinson's disease (PD). Distinctly, postmortem examinations of the brains of affected individuals have shown the presence of α-synuclein aggregates and TDP-43, which are hallmarks of PD and classical ALS, respectively. These observations are further complicated by the detection of phosphorylated tau, accentuating the multifaceted proteinopathic nature of ALS/PDC. The etiological foundations of this disease remain undetermined, and genetic investigations have yet to provide conclusive answers. However, emerging evidence has implicated the contribution of astrocytes, pivotal cells for maintaining brain health, to neurodegenerative onset, and likely to play a significant role in the pathogenesis of ALS/PDC. Leveraging advanced induced pluripotent stem cell technology, our team cultivated multiple astrocyte lines to further investigate the Japanese variant of ALS/PDC (Kii ALS/PDC). CHCHD2 emerged as a significantly dysregulated gene when disease astrocytes were compared to healthy controls. Our analyses also revealed imbalances in the activation of specific pathways: those associated with astrocytic cilium dysfunction, known to be involved in neurodegeneration, and those related to major neurological disorders, including classical ALS and PD. Further in-depth examinations revealed abnormalities in the mitochondrial morphology and metabolic processes of the affected astrocytes. A particularly striking observation was the reduced expression of CHCHD2 in the spinal cord, motor cortex, and oculomotor nuclei of patients with Kii ALS/PDC. In summary, our findings suggest a potential reduction in the support Kii ALS/PDC astrocytes provide to neurons, emphasizing the need to explore the role of CHCHD2 in maintaining mitochondrial health and its implications for the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Leventoux
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Satoru Morimoto
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Keio Regenerative Medicine Research Centre, Keio University, Kanagawa, Japan
- Division of Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Oncologic Pathology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Mie, Japan
| | - Mitsuru Ishikawa
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shiho Nakamura
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Keio Regenerative Medicine Research Centre, Keio University, Kanagawa, Japan
- Division of Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Fumiko Ozawa
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Keio Regenerative Medicine Research Centre, Keio University, Kanagawa, Japan
- Division of Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Reona Kobayashi
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hirotaka Watanabe
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Keio Regenerative Medicine Research Centre, Keio University, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Sopak Supakul
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Satoshi Okamoto
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Zhi Zhou
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroya Kobayashi
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Keio Regenerative Medicine Research Centre, Keio University, Kanagawa, Japan
- Division of Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Chris Kato
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Keio Regenerative Medicine Research Centre, Keio University, Kanagawa, Japan
- Division of Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshifumi Hirokawa
- Department of Oncologic Pathology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Mie, Japan
| | - Ikuko Aiba
- Department of Neurology, NHO, Higashinagoya National Hospital, Aichi, Japan
| | - Shinichi Takahashi
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Keio Regenerative Medicine Research Centre, Keio University, Kanagawa, Japan
- Department of Neurology and Stroke, International Medical Centre, Saitama Medical University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Shinsuke Shibata
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Division of Microscopic Anatomy, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Masaki Takao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, National Centre of Neurology and Psychiatry (NCNP), Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mari Yoshida
- Department of Neuropathology, Institute for Medical Science of Aging, Aichi Medical University, Aichi, Japan
| | - Fumito Endo
- Department of Neuroscience and Pathobiology, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Aichi, Japan
| | - Koji Yamanaka
- Department of Neuroscience and Pathobiology, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Aichi, Japan
| | - Yasumasa Kokubo
- Kii ALS/PDC Research Centre, Mie University Graduate School of Regional Innovation Studies, Mie, Japan.
| | - Hideyuki Okano
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
- Keio Regenerative Medicine Research Centre, Keio University, Kanagawa, Japan.
- Division of Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan.
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14
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Syvänen V, Koistinaho J, Lehtonen Š. Identification of the abnormalities in astrocytic functions as potential drug targets for neurodegenerative disease. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2024; 19:603-616. [PMID: 38409817 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2024.2322988] [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: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Historically, astrocytes were seen primarily as a supportive cell population within the brain; with neurodegenerative disease research focusing exclusively on malfunctioning neurons. However, astrocytes perform numerous tasks that are essential for maintenance of the central nervous system`s complex processes. Disruption of these functions can have negative consequences; hence, it is unsurprising to observe a growing amount of evidence for the essential role of astrocytes in the development and progression of neurodegenerative diseases. Targeting astrocytic functions may serve as a potential disease-modifying drug therapy in the future. AREAS COVERED The present review emphasizes the key astrocytic functions associated with neurodegenerative diseases and explores the possibility of pharmaceutical interventions to modify these processes. In addition, the authors provide an overview of current advancement in this field by including studies of possible drug candidates. EXPERT OPINION Glial research has experienced a significant renaissance in the last quarter-century. Understanding how disease pathologies modify or are caused by astrocyte functions is crucial when developing treatments for brain diseases. Future research will focus on building advanced models that can more precisely correlate to the state in the human brain, with the goal of routinely testing therapies in these models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valtteri Syvänen
- A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Jari Koistinaho
- Neuroscience Center, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, and Drug Research Program, Division of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Šárka Lehtonen
- A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
- Neuroscience Center, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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15
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López-Murillo C, Hinestroza-Morales S, Henny P, Toledo J, Cardona-Gómez GP, Rivera-Gutiérrez H, Posada-Duque R. Differences in vocal brain areas and astrocytes between the house wren and the rufous-tailed hummingbird. Front Neuroanat 2024; 18:1339308. [PMID: 38601797 PMCID: PMC11004282 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2024.1339308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The house wren shows complex song, and the rufous-tailed hummingbird has a simple song. The location of vocal brain areas supports the song's complexity; however, these still need to be studied. The astrocytic population in songbirds appears to be associated with change in vocal control nuclei; however, astrocytic distribution and morphology have not been described in these species. Consequently, we compared the distribution and volume of the vocal brain areas: HVC, RA, Area X, and LMAN, cell density, and the morphology of astrocytes in the house wren and the rufous-tailed hummingbird. Individuals of the two species were collected, and their brains were analyzed using serial Nissl- NeuN- and MAP2-stained tissue scanner imaging, followed by 3D reconstructions of the vocal areas; and GFAP and S100β astrocytes were analyzed in both species. We found that vocal areas were located close to the cerebral midline in the house wren and a more lateralized position in the rufous-tailed hummingbird. The LMAN occupied a larger volume in the rufous-tailed hummingbird, while the RA and HVC were larger in the house wren. While Area X showed higher cell density in the house wren than the rufous-tailed hummingbird, the LMAN showed a higher density in the rufous-tailed hummingbird. In the house wren, GFAP astrocytes in the same bregma where the vocal areas were located were observed at the laminar edge of the pallium (LEP) and in the vascular region, as well as in vocal motor relay regions in the pallidum and mesencephalon. In contrast, GFAP astrocytes were found in LEP, but not in the pallidum and mesencephalon in hummingbirds. Finally, when comparing GFAP astrocytes in the LEP region of both species, house wren astrocytes exhibited significantly more complex morphology than those of the rufous-tailed hummingbird. These findings suggest a difference in the location and cellular density of vocal circuits, as well as morphology of GFAP astrocytes between the house wren and the rufous-tailed hummingbird.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina López-Murillo
- Área de Neurofisiología Celular, Grupo de Neurociencias de Antioquia, Instituto de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia
| | - Santiago Hinestroza-Morales
- Área de Neurofisiología Celular, Grupo de Neurociencias de Antioquia, Instituto de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia
| | - Pablo Henny
- Laboratorio de Neuroanatomía, Departamento de Anatomía, and Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia, NeuroUC, Escuela de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jorge Toledo
- Scientific Equipment Network REDECA, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Gloria Patricia Cardona-Gómez
- Área de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Grupo de Neurociencias de Antioquia, Facultad de Medicina, Sede de Investigaciones Universitarias, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia
| | - Héctor Rivera-Gutiérrez
- Grupo de Investigación de Ecología y Evolución de Vertebrados, Instituto de Biología, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia
| | - Rafael Posada-Duque
- Área de Neurofisiología Celular, Grupo de Neurociencias de Antioquia, Instituto de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia
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16
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Lee Y, Lee SW, Jeong D, Lee HJ, Ko K. The role of microRNA-325-3p as a critical player in cell death in NSCs and astrocytes. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 11:1223987. [PMID: 38379959 PMCID: PMC10877600 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1223987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Neural stem cells (NSCs) are defined by their ability to self-renew and generate various cell types within the nervous system. Understanding the underlying mechanism by which NSCs proliferate and differentiate is crucial for the efficient modulation of in vivo neurogenesis. MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNAs controlling gene expression concerned in post-transcriptional control by blocking messenger RNA (mRNA) translation or degrading mRNA. MicroRNAs play a role as modulators by matching target mRNAs. Recent studies have discussed the biological mechanism of microRNA regulation in neurogenesis. To investigate the role of microRNAs in NSCs and NSC-derived glial cells, we screened out NSC-specific microRNAs by using miRNome-wide screening. Then, we induced downregulation by the sponge against the specific microRNA to evaluate the functional role of the microRNA in proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis in NSCs and NSC-derived astrocytes. We found that microRNA-325-3p is highly expressed in NSCs and astrocytes. Furthermore, we showed that microRNA-325-3p is a regulator of apoptosis by targeting brain-specific angiogenesis inhibitor (BAI1), which is a receptor for apoptotic cells and expressed in the brain and cultured astrocytes. Downregulation of microRNA-325-3p using an inducible sponge system induced cell death by regulating BAI1 in NSCs and NSC-derived astrocytes. Overall, our findings can provide an insight into the potential roles of NSC-specific microRNAs in brain neurogenesis and suggest the possible usage of the microRNAs as biomarkers of neurodegenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukyeong Lee
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Seung-Won Lee
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research Center, Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Dahee Jeong
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hye Jeong Lee
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kinarm Ko
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Center for Stem Cell Research, Institute of Advanced Biomedical Science, Konkuk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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17
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Talvio K, Castrén ML. Astrocytes in fragile X syndrome. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 17:1322541. [PMID: 38259499 PMCID: PMC10800791 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1322541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes have an important role in neuronal maturation and synapse function in the brain. The interplay between astrocytes and neurons is found to be altered in many neurodevelopmental disorders, including fragile X syndrome (FXS) that is the most common inherited cause of intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder. Transcriptional, functional, and metabolic alterations in Fmr1 knockout mouse astrocytes, human FXS stem cell-derived astrocytes as well as in in vivo models suggest autonomous effects of astrocytes in the neurobiology of FXS. Abnormalities associated with FXS astrocytes include differentiation of central nervous system cell populations, maturation and regulation of synapses, and synaptic glutamate balance. Recently, FXS-specific changes were found more widely in astrocyte functioning, such as regulation of inflammatory pathways and maintenance of lipid homeostasis. Changes of FXS astrocytes impact the brain homeostasis and function both during development and in the adult brain and offer opportunities for novel types of approaches for intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maija L. Castrén
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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18
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Moubarak MM, Pagano Zottola AC, Larrieu CM, Cuvellier S, Daubon T, Martin OCB. Exploring the multifaceted role of NRF2 in brain physiology and cancer: A comprehensive review. Neurooncol Adv 2024; 6:vdad160. [PMID: 38221979 PMCID: PMC10785770 DOI: 10.1093/noajnl/vdad160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Chronic oxidative stress plays a critical role in the development of brain malignancies due to the high rate of brain oxygen utilization and concomitant production of reactive oxygen species. The nuclear factor-erythroid-2-related factor 2 (NRF2), a master regulator of antioxidant signaling, is a key factor in regulating brain physiology and the development of age-related neurodegenerative diseases. Also, NRF2 is known to exert a protective antioxidant effect against the onset of oxidative stress-induced diseases, including cancer, along with its pro-oncogenic activities through regulating various signaling pathways and downstream target genes. In glioblastoma (GB), grade 4 glioma, tumor resistance, and recurrence are caused by the glioblastoma stem cell population constituting a small bulk of the tumor core. The persistence and self-renewal capacity of these cell populations is enhanced by NRF2 expression in GB tissues. This review outlines NRF2's dual involvement in cancer and highlights its regulatory role in human brain physiology and diseases, in addition to the development of primary brain tumors and therapeutic potential, with a focus on GB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya M Moubarak
- University of Bordeaux, CNRS, IBGC, UMR 5095, Bordeaux, France
| | | | | | | | - Thomas Daubon
- University of Bordeaux, CNRS, IBGC, UMR 5095, Bordeaux, France
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19
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Rodríguez JJ, Gardenal E, Zallo F, Arrue A, Cabot J, Busquets X. Astrocyte S100β expression and selective differentiation to GFAP and GS in the entorhinal cortex during ageing in the 3xTg-Alzheimer's disease mouse model. Acta Histochem 2024; 126:152131. [PMID: 38159478 DOI: 10.1016/j.acthis.2023.152131] [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: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
The study of astrocytes and its role in the development and evolution of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD) is essential to fully understand their aetiology. The aim if this study is to deepen into the concept of the heterogeneity of astrocyte subpopulations in the EC and in particular the identification of differentially functioning astrocyte subpopulations that respond differently to AD progression. S100β protein belongs to group of small calcium regulators of cell membrane channels and pumps that are expressed by astrocytes and is hypothesised to play and have a relevant role in AD development. We analysed the selective differentiation of S100β-positive astrocytes into Glutamine synthetase (GS) and Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-positive sub-groups in the entorhinal cortex (EC) of AD triple transgenic animal model (3xTg-AD). EC is the brain region earliest affected in humans AD but also in this closest animal model regarding their pathology and time course. We observed no changes in the number of S100β-positive astrocytes between 1 and 18 months of age in the EC of 3xTg-AD mice. However, we identified relevant morphological changes in S100β/GFAP positive astrocytes showing a significant reduction in their surface and volume whilst an increase in number and percentage. Furthermore, the percentage of S100β/GS positive astrocyte population was also increased in 18 months old 3xTg-AD mice compared to the non-Tg mice. Our findings reveal the presence of differentially controlled astrocyte populations that respond differently to AD progression in the EC of 3xTg-AD mice. These results highpoints the major astrocytic role together with its early and marked affection in AD and arguing in favour of its importance in neurogenerative diseases and potential target for new therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- J J Rodríguez
- Functional Neuroanatomy Group, IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Dept. of Neurosciences, Medical Faculty, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48009 Bilbao, 48940 Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - E Gardenal
- Functional Neuroanatomy Group, IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Dept. of Neurosciences, Medical Faculty, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48009 Bilbao, 48940 Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - F Zallo
- Functional Neuroanatomy Group, IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Dept. of Neurosciences, Medical Faculty, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48009 Bilbao, 48940 Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - A Arrue
- Neurochemical Research Unit, Bizkaia Mental Health Network, Osakidetza-Basque Health Service, Barakaldo 48903, Spain
| | - Joan Cabot
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biomedicine, Department of Biology, University of the Balearic Islands, 07122 Palma, Spain
| | - X Busquets
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biomedicine, Department of Biology, University of the Balearic Islands, 07122 Palma, Spain.
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20
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Pio T, Hill EJ, Kebede N, Andersen J, Sloan SA. Neuron-Astrocyte Interactions: A Human Perspective. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2024; 39:69-93. [PMID: 39190072 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-64839-7_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/28/2024]
Abstract
This chapter explores the intricate interactions between neurons and astrocytes within the nervous system with a particular emphasis on studies conducted in human tissue or with human cells. We specifically explore how neuron-astrocyte interactions relate to processes of cellular development, morphology, migration, synapse formation, and metabolism. These findings enrich our understanding of basic neurobiology and how disruptions in these processes are relevant to human diseases.The study of human neuron-astrocyte interactions is made possible because of transformative in vitro advancements that have facilitated the generation and sustained culture of human neural cells. In addition, the rise of techniques like sequencing at single-cell resolution has enabled the exploration of numerous human cell atlases and their comparisons to other animal model systems. Thus, the innovations outlined in this chapter illuminate the convergence and divergence of neuron-astrocyte interactions across species. As technologies progress, continually more sophisticated in vitro systems will increasingly reflect in vivo environments and deepen our command of neuron-glial interactions in human biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor Pio
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Emily J Hill
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Nardos Kebede
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jimena Andersen
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Steven A Sloan
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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21
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Yarkova ES, Grigor’eva EV, Medvedev SP, Pavlova SV, Zakian SM, Malakhova AA. IPSC-Derived Astrocytes Contribute to In Vitro Modeling of Parkinson's Disease Caused by the GBA1 N370S Mutation. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 25:327. [PMID: 38203497 PMCID: PMC10779194 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that ranks second in prevalence after Alzheimer's disease. The number of PD diagnoses increases annually. Nevertheless, modern PD treatments merely mitigate symptoms rather than preventing neurodegeneration progression. The creation of an appropriate model to thoroughly study the mechanisms of PD pathogenesis remains a current challenge in biomedicine. Recently, there has been an increase in data regarding the involvement of not only dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra but also astrocytes in the pathogenesis of PD. Cell models based on induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and their differentiated derivatives are a useful tool for studying the contribution and interaction of these two cell types in PD. Here, we generated two iPSC lines, ICGi034-B and ICGi034-C, by reprogramming peripheral blood mononuclear cells of a patient with a heterozygous mutation c.1226A>G (p.N370S) in the GBA1 gene by non-integrating episomal vectors encoding OCT4, KLF4, L-MYC, SOX2, LIN28, and mp53DD. The iPSC lines demonstrate the expression of pluripotency markers and are capable of differentiating into three germ layers. We differentiated the ICGi034-B and ICGi034-C iPSC lines into astrocytes. This resulting cell model can be used to study the involvement of astrocytes in the pathogenesis of GBA-associated PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena S. Yarkova
- Department of Natural Sciences, Novosibirsk State University, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia;
| | - Elena V. Grigor’eva
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia; (S.P.M.); (S.V.P.); (S.M.Z.); (A.A.M.)
| | - Sergey P. Medvedev
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia; (S.P.M.); (S.V.P.); (S.M.Z.); (A.A.M.)
| | - Sophia V. Pavlova
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia; (S.P.M.); (S.V.P.); (S.M.Z.); (A.A.M.)
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Suren M. Zakian
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia; (S.P.M.); (S.V.P.); (S.M.Z.); (A.A.M.)
- Meshalkin National Medical Research Center, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 630055 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Anastasia A. Malakhova
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia; (S.P.M.); (S.V.P.); (S.M.Z.); (A.A.M.)
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22
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Jimenez-Vergara AC, Avina J, Block TJ, Sheldrake A, Koch C, Gonzalez A, Steele J, Díaz-Lasprilla AM, Munoz-Pinto DJ. A Bioinspired Astrocyte-Derived Coating Promotes the In Vitro Proliferation of Human Neural Stem Cells While Maintaining Their Stemness. Biomimetics (Basel) 2023; 8:589. [PMID: 38132528 PMCID: PMC10741944 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics8080589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The repair of neuronal tissue is a challenging process due to the limited proliferative capacity of neurons. Neural stem cells (NSCs) can aid in the regeneration process of neural tissue due to their high proliferation potential and capacity to differentiate into neurons. The therapeutic potential of these cells can only be achieved if sufficient cells are obtained without losing their differentiation potential. Toward this end, an astrocyte-derived coating (HAc) was evaluated as a promising substrate to promote the proliferation of NSCs. Mass spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used to characterize the HAc. The proliferation rate and the expression of stemness and differentiation markers in NSCs cultured on the HAc were evaluated and compared to the responses of these cells to commonly used coating materials including Poly-L-Ornithine (PLO), and a Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell (HiPSC)-based coating. The use of the HAc promotes the in vitro cell growth of NSCs. The expression of the stemness markers Sox2 and Nestin, and the differentiation marker DCX in the HAc group was akin to the expression of these markers in the controls. In summary, HAc supported the proliferation of NSCs while maintaining their stemness and neural differentiation potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea C. Jimenez-Vergara
- Engineering Science Department, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX 78212, USA; (A.C.J.-V.); (J.A.); (A.G.); (A.M.D.-L.)
| | - Jacob Avina
- Engineering Science Department, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX 78212, USA; (A.C.J.-V.); (J.A.); (A.G.); (A.M.D.-L.)
| | | | - Anne Sheldrake
- StemBioSys, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; (T.J.B.); (A.S.)
| | - Carson Koch
- Neuroscience Program, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX 78212, USA;
| | - Anna Gonzalez
- Engineering Science Department, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX 78212, USA; (A.C.J.-V.); (J.A.); (A.G.); (A.M.D.-L.)
| | - Jennifer Steele
- Physics and Astronomy Department, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX 78212, USA;
| | - Ana M. Díaz-Lasprilla
- Engineering Science Department, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX 78212, USA; (A.C.J.-V.); (J.A.); (A.G.); (A.M.D.-L.)
| | - Dany J. Munoz-Pinto
- Engineering Science Department, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX 78212, USA; (A.C.J.-V.); (J.A.); (A.G.); (A.M.D.-L.)
- Neuroscience Program, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX 78212, USA;
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23
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Rapaka D, Adiukwu PC, Challa SR, Bitra VR. Interplay Between Astroglial Endocannabinoid System and the Cognitive Dysfunction in Alzheimer's Disease. Physiol Res 2023; 72:575-586. [PMID: 38015757 PMCID: PMC10751057 DOI: 10.33549/physiolres.935156] [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: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Cannabinoid CB1 receptors have been shown to regulate wide array of functions ranging from homeostasis to the cognitive functioning but recent data support the hypothesis that astrocytes also operate as a mediator of synaptic plasticity and contribute to cognition and learning. The receptor heterogeneity plays a key role in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes. Despite the fact that the majority of CB1 receptors act on neurons, studies have revealed that cannabinoids have direct control over astrocytes, including energy generation and neuroprotection. The tripartite synapse connects astrocytes to neurons and allows them to interact with one another and the astrocytes are key players in synaptic plasticity, which is associated with cognitive functions. This review focuses on our growing understanding of the intricate functions of astroglial CB1 that underpin physiological brain function, and in Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Rapaka
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana. ,
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24
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Stopper G, Caudal LC, Rieder P, Gobbo D, Stopper L, Felix L, Everaerts K, Bai X, Rose CR, Scheller A, Kirchhoff F. Novel algorithms for improved detection and analysis of fluorescent signal fluctuations. Pflugers Arch 2023; 475:1283-1300. [PMID: 37700120 PMCID: PMC10567899 DOI: 10.1007/s00424-023-02855-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023]
Abstract
Fluorescent dyes and genetically encoded fluorescence indicators (GEFI) are common tools for visualizing concentration changes of specific ions and messenger molecules during intra- as well as intercellular communication. Using advanced imaging technologies, fluorescence indicators are a prerequisite for the analysis of physiological molecular signaling. Automated detection and analysis of fluorescence signals require to overcome several challenges, including correct estimation of fluorescence fluctuations at basal concentrations of messenger molecules, detection, and extraction of events themselves as well as proper segmentation of neighboring events. Moreover, event detection algorithms need to be sensitive enough to accurately capture localized and low amplitude events exhibiting a limited spatial extent. Here, we present two algorithms (PBasE and CoRoDe) for accurate baseline estimation and automated detection and segmentation of fluorescence fluctuations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gebhard Stopper
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), University of Saarland, Building 48, 66421, Homburg, Germany
| | - Laura C Caudal
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), University of Saarland, Building 48, 66421, Homburg, Germany
| | - Phillip Rieder
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), University of Saarland, Building 48, 66421, Homburg, Germany
| | - Davide Gobbo
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), University of Saarland, Building 48, 66421, Homburg, Germany
| | - Laura Stopper
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), University of Saarland, Building 48, 66421, Homburg, Germany
| | - Lisa Felix
- Institute of Neurobiology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Katharina Everaerts
- Institute of Neurobiology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Xianshu Bai
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), University of Saarland, Building 48, 66421, Homburg, Germany
| | - Christine R Rose
- Institute of Neurobiology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Anja Scheller
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), University of Saarland, Building 48, 66421, Homburg, Germany
| | - Frank Kirchhoff
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), University of Saarland, Building 48, 66421, Homburg, Germany.
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25
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Mokhtarzadeh Khanghahi A, Rayatpour A, Baharvand H, Javan M. Neuroglial components of brain lesions may provide new therapeutic strategies for multiple sclerosis. Neurol Sci 2023; 44:3795-3807. [PMID: 37410268 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-023-06915-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune and demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS) which leads to focal demyelinated lesions in the brain and spinal cord. Failure of remyelination contributes to chronic disability in young adults. Characterization of events occurring during the demyelination and remyelination processes and those of which subsequently limit remyelination or contribute to demyelination can provide the possibility of new therapies development for MS. Most of the currently available therapies and investigations modulate immune responses and mediators. Since most therapeutic strategies have unsatisfied outcomes, developing new therapies that enhance brain lesion repair is a priority. A close look at cellular and chemical components of MS lesions will pave the way to a better understanding of lesions pathology and will provide possible opportunities for repair strategies and targeted pharmacotherapy. This review summarizes the lesion components and features, particularly the detrimental elements, and discusses the possibility of suggesting new potential targets as therapies for demyelinating diseases like MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akram Mokhtarzadeh Khanghahi
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Atefeh Rayatpour
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
- Institute for Brain and Cognition, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hossein Baharvand
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Javan
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran.
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
- Institute for Brain and Cognition, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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26
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Jorstad NL, Song JH, Exposito-Alonso D, Suresh H, Castro-Pacheco N, Krienen FM, Yanny AM, Close J, Gelfand E, Long B, Seeman SC, Travaglini KJ, Basu S, Beaudin M, Bertagnolli D, Crow M, Ding SL, Eggermont J, Glandon A, Goldy J, Kiick K, Kroes T, McMillen D, Pham T, Rimorin C, Siletti K, Somasundaram S, Tieu M, Torkelson A, Feng G, Hopkins WD, Höllt T, Keene CD, Linnarsson S, McCarroll SA, Lelieveldt BP, Sherwood CC, Smith K, Walsh CA, Dobin A, Gillis J, Lein ES, Hodge RD, Bakken TE. Comparative transcriptomics reveals human-specific cortical features. Science 2023; 382:eade9516. [PMID: 37824638 PMCID: PMC10659116 DOI: 10.1126/science.ade9516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
The cognitive abilities of humans are distinctive among primates, but their molecular and cellular substrates are poorly understood. We used comparative single-nucleus transcriptomics to analyze samples of the middle temporal gyrus (MTG) from adult humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, rhesus macaques, and common marmosets to understand human-specific features of the neocortex. Human, chimpanzee, and gorilla MTG showed highly similar cell-type composition and laminar organization as well as a large shift in proportions of deep-layer intratelencephalic-projecting neurons compared with macaque and marmoset MTG. Microglia, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes had more-divergent expression across species compared with neurons or oligodendrocyte precursor cells, and neuronal expression diverged more rapidly on the human lineage. Only a few hundred genes showed human-specific patterning, suggesting that relatively few cellular and molecular changes distinctively define adult human cortical structure.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Janet H.T. Song
- Allen Discovery Center for Human Brain Evolution, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Pediatrics and Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - David Exposito-Alonso
- Allen Discovery Center for Human Brain Evolution, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Pediatrics and Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Hamsini Suresh
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | | | - Fenna M. Krienen
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | | | - Jennie Close
- Allen Institute for Brain Science; Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Emily Gelfand
- Allen Institute for Brain Science; Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Brian Long
- Allen Institute for Brain Science; Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | | | | | - Soumyadeep Basu
- LKEB, Dept of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center; Leiden, The Netherlands
- Computer Graphics and Visualization Group, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Marc Beaudin
- Allen Discovery Center for Human Brain Evolution, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Pediatrics and Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | | | - Megan Crow
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
- Stanley Institute for Cognitive Genomics, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Song-Lin Ding
- Allen Institute for Brain Science; Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Jeroen Eggermont
- LKEB, Dept of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center; Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Jeff Goldy
- Allen Institute for Brain Science; Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Katelyn Kiick
- Allen Institute for Brain Science; Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Thomas Kroes
- LKEB, Dept of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center; Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | | | | | - Kimberly Siletti
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Michael Tieu
- Allen Institute for Brain Science; Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Amy Torkelson
- Allen Institute for Brain Science; Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Guoping Feng
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - William D. Hopkins
- Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 78602, USA
| | - Thomas Höllt
- Computer Graphics and Visualization Group, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
| | - C. Dirk Keene
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 981915, USA
| | - Sten Linnarsson
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Steven A. McCarroll
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Boudewijn P. Lelieveldt
- LKEB, Dept of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center; Leiden, The Netherlands
- Pattern Recognition and Bioinformatics group, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Chet C. Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20037, USA
| | - Kimberly Smith
- Allen Institute for Brain Science; Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Christopher A. Walsh
- Allen Discovery Center for Human Brain Evolution, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Pediatrics and Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Alexander Dobin
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Jesse Gillis
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ed S. Lein
- Allen Institute for Brain Science; Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
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27
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Chameh HM, Falby M, Movahed M, Arbabi K, Rich S, Zhang L, Lefebvre J, Tripathy SJ, De Pittà M, Valiante TA. Distinctive biophysical features of human cell-types: insights from studies of neurosurgically resected brain tissue. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2023; 15:1250834. [PMID: 37860223 PMCID: PMC10584155 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2023.1250834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Electrophysiological characterization of live human tissue from epilepsy patients has been performed for many decades. Although initially these studies sought to understand the biophysical and synaptic changes associated with human epilepsy, recently, it has become the mainstay for exploring the distinctive biophysical and synaptic features of human cell-types. Both epochs of these human cellular electrophysiological explorations have faced criticism. Early studies revealed that cortical pyramidal neurons obtained from individuals with epilepsy appeared to function "normally" in comparison to neurons from non-epilepsy controls or neurons from other species and thus there was little to gain from the study of human neurons from epilepsy patients. On the other hand, contemporary studies are often questioned for the "normalcy" of the recorded neurons since they are derived from epilepsy patients. In this review, we discuss our current understanding of the distinct biophysical features of human cortical neurons and glia obtained from tissue removed from patients with epilepsy and tumors. We then explore the concept of within cell-type diversity and its loss (i.e., "neural homogenization"). We introduce neural homogenization to help reconcile the epileptogenicity of seemingly "normal" human cortical cells and circuits. We propose that there should be continued efforts to study cortical tissue from epilepsy patients in the quest to understand what makes human cell-types "human".
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Affiliation(s)
- Homeira Moradi Chameh
- Division of Clinical and Computational Neuroscience, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network (UHN), Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Madeleine Falby
- Division of Clinical and Computational Neuroscience, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network (UHN), Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mandana Movahed
- Division of Clinical and Computational Neuroscience, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network (UHN), Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Keon Arbabi
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Scott Rich
- Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Liang Zhang
- Division of Clinical and Computational Neuroscience, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network (UHN), Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jérémie Lefebvre
- Division of Clinical and Computational Neuroscience, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network (UHN), Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Mathematics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Shreejoy J. Tripathy
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Maurizio De Pittà
- Division of Clinical and Computational Neuroscience, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network (UHN), Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Physiology, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Basque Center for Applied Mathematics, Bilbao, Spain
- Faculty of Medicine, University of the Basque Country, Leioa, Spain
| | - Taufik A. Valiante
- Division of Clinical and Computational Neuroscience, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network (UHN), Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Center for Advancing Neurotechnological Innovation to Application (CRANIA), Toronto, ON, Canada
- Max Planck-University of Toronto Center for Neural Science and Technology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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28
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Gao MY, Wang JQ, He J, Gao R, Zhang Y, Li X. Single-Cell RNA-Sequencing in Astrocyte Development, Heterogeneity, and Disease. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2023; 43:3449-3464. [PMID: 37552355 DOI: 10.1007/s10571-023-01397-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes are the most plentiful cell type in the central nervous system (CNS) and perform complicated functions in health and disease. It is obvious that different astrocyte subpopulations, or activation states, are relevant with specific genomic programs and functions. In recent years, the emergence of new technologies such as single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) has made substantial advance in the characterization of astrocyte heterogeneity, astrocyte developmental trajectory, and its role in CNS diseases which has had a significant impact on neuroscience. In this review, we present an overview of astrocyte development, heterogeneity, and its essential role in the physiological and pathological environments of the CNS. We focused on the critical role of single-cell sequencing in revealing astrocyte development, heterogeneity, and its role in different CNS diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Yuan Gao
- A National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Development of Endangered Crude Drugs in Northwest China, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry (Shaanxi Normal University), The Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jia-Qi Wang
- A National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Development of Endangered Crude Drugs in Northwest China, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry (Shaanxi Normal University), The Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jin He
- A National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Development of Endangered Crude Drugs in Northwest China, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry (Shaanxi Normal University), The Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, Shaanxi, China
| | - Rui Gao
- A National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Development of Endangered Crude Drugs in Northwest China, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry (Shaanxi Normal University), The Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yuan Zhang
- A National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Development of Endangered Crude Drugs in Northwest China, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry (Shaanxi Normal University), The Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xing Li
- A National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Development of Endangered Crude Drugs in Northwest China, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry (Shaanxi Normal University), The Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, Shaanxi, China.
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29
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Panchenko PE, Hippauf L, Konsman JP, Badaut J. Do astrocytes act as immune cells after pediatric TBI? Neurobiol Dis 2023; 185:106231. [PMID: 37468048 PMCID: PMC10530000 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes are in contact with the vasculature, neurons, oligodendrocytes and microglia, forming a local network with various functions critical for brain homeostasis. One of the primary responders to brain injury are astrocytes as they detect neuronal and vascular damage, change their phenotype with morphological, proteomic and transcriptomic transformations for an adaptive response. The role of astrocytic responses in brain dysfunction is not fully elucidated in adult, and even less described in the developing brain. Children are vulnerable to traumatic brain injury (TBI), which represents a leading cause of death and disability in the pediatric population. Pediatric brain trauma, even with mild severity, can lead to long-term health complications, such as cognitive impairments, emotional disorders and social dysfunction later in life. To date, the underlying pathophysiology is still not fully understood. In this review, we focus on the astrocytic response in pediatric TBI and propose a potential immune role of the astrocyte in response to trauma. We discuss the contribution of astrocytes in the local inflammatory cascades and secretion of various immunomodulatory factors involved in the recruitment of local microglial cells and peripheral immune cells through cerebral blood vessels. Taken together, we propose that early changes in the astrocytic phenotype can alter normal development of the brain, with long-term consequences on neurological outcomes, as described in preclinical models and patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lea Hippauf
- CNRS UMR 5536 RMSB-University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | | | - Jerome Badaut
- CNRS UMR 5536 RMSB-University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France; Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, USA.
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30
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Mihailova V, Stoyanova II, Tonchev AB. Glial Populations in the Human Brain Following Ischemic Injury. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2332. [PMID: 37760773 PMCID: PMC10525766 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11092332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
There is a growing interest in glial cells in the central nervous system due to their important role in maintaining brain homeostasis under physiological conditions and after injury. A significant amount of evidence has been accumulated regarding their capacity to exert either pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory effects under different pathological conditions. In combination with their proliferative potential, they contribute not only to the limitation of brain damage and tissue remodeling but also to neuronal repair and synaptic recovery. Moreover, reactive glial cells can modulate the processes of neurogenesis, neuronal differentiation, and migration of neurons in the existing neural circuits in the adult brain. By discovering precise signals within specific niches, the regulation of sequential processes in adult neurogenesis holds the potential to unlock strategies that can stimulate the generation of functional neurons, whether in response to injury or as a means of addressing degenerative neurological conditions. Cerebral ischemic stroke, a condition falling within the realm of acute vascular disorders affecting the circulation in the brain, stands as a prominent global cause of disability and mortality. Extensive investigations into glial plasticity and their intricate interactions with other cells in the central nervous system have predominantly relied on studies conducted on experimental animals, including rodents and primates. However, valuable insights have also been gleaned from in vivo studies involving poststroke patients, utilizing highly specialized imaging techniques. Following the attempts to map brain cells, the role of various transcription factors in modulating gene expression in response to cerebral ischemia is gaining increasing popularity. Although the results obtained thus far remain incomplete and occasionally ambiguous, they serve as a solid foundation for the development of strategies aimed at influencing the recovery process after ischemic brain injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Mihailova
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University Varna, 9000 Varna, Bulgaria; (I.I.S.); (A.B.T.)
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31
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Vrapciu AD, Rusu MC, Jianu AM, Motoc AGM, Nicolescu MI. Astrocytes - friends or foes in neurodegenerative disorders. ROMANIAN JOURNAL OF MORPHOLOGY AND EMBRYOLOGY = REVUE ROUMAINE DE MORPHOLOGIE ET EMBRYOLOGIE 2023; 64:305-309. [PMID: 37867348 PMCID: PMC10720932 DOI: 10.47162/rjme.64.3.02] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes (AS) are the most abundant glial cells in the central nervous system (CNS). They have various morphologies and numerous (50-60) branching prolongations, with roles in the maintenance of the CNS function and homeostasis. AS in the optic nerve head (ONH) have specific distribution and function and are involved in the pathogenesis of glaucoma and other neural diseases, modify their morphologies, location, immune phenotype, and ultrastructure, thus being the key players in the active remodeling processes of the ONH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Diana Vrapciu
- Discipline of Anatomy, Faculty of Dentistry, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania;
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Kim JH, Afridi R, Lee WH, Suk K. Analyzing the glial proteome in Alzheimer's disease. Expert Rev Proteomics 2023; 20:197-209. [PMID: 37724426 DOI: 10.1080/14789450.2023.2260955] [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: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive cognitive decline, memory loss, and changes in behavior. Accumulating evidence indicates that dysfunction of glial cells, including astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocytes, may contribute to the development and progression of AD. Large-scale analysis of glial proteins sheds light on their roles in cellular processes and diseases. In AD, glial proteomics has been utilized to understand glia-based pathophysiology and identify potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets. AREA COVERED In this review, we provide an updated overview of proteomic analysis of glia in the context of AD. Additionally, we discuss current challenges in the field, involving glial complexity and heterogeneity, and describe some cutting-edge proteomic technologies to address them. EXPERT OPINION Unbiased comprehensive analysis of glial proteomes aids our understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms of AD pathogenesis. These investigations highlight the crucial role of glial cells and provide novel insights into the mechanisms of AD pathology. A deeper understanding of the AD-related glial proteome could offer a repertoire of potential biomarkers and therapeutics. Further technical advancement of glial proteomics will enable us to identify proteins within individual cells and specific cell types, thus significantly enhancing our comprehension of AD pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jong-Heon Kim
- Brain Science & Engineering Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Ruqayya Afridi
- Department of Pharmacology, BK21 Plus KNU Biomedical Convergence Program, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Won-Ha Lee
- Brain Science & Engineering Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
- School of Life Sciences, BK21 Plus KNU Creative BioResearch Group, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyoungho Suk
- Brain Science & Engineering Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
- Department of Pharmacology, BK21 Plus KNU Biomedical Convergence Program, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
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Pathak D, Sriram K. Neuron-astrocyte omnidirectional signaling in neurological health and disease. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1169320. [PMID: 37363320 PMCID: PMC10286832 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1169320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes are an abundantly distributed population of glial cells in the central nervous system (CNS) that perform myriad functions in the normal and injured/diseased brain. Astrocytes exhibit heterogeneous phenotypes in response to various insults, a process known as astrocyte reactivity. The accuracy and precision of brain signaling are primarily based on interactions involving neurons, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, microglia, pericytes, and dendritic cells within the CNS. Astrocytes have emerged as a critical entity within the brain because of their unique role in recycling neurotransmitters, actively modulating the ionic environment, regulating cholesterol and sphingolipid metabolism, and influencing cellular crosstalk in diverse neural injury conditions and neurodegenerative disorders. However, little is known about how an astrocyte functions in synapse formation, axon specification, neuroplasticity, neural homeostasis, neural network activity following dynamic surveillance, and CNS structure in neurological diseases. Interestingly, the tripartite synapse hypothesis came to light to fill some knowledge gaps that constitute an interaction of a subpopulation of astrocytes, neurons, and synapses. This review highlights astrocytes' role in health and neurological/neurodegenerative diseases arising from the omnidirectional signaling between astrocytes and neurons at the tripartite synapse. The review also recapitulates the disruption of the tripartite synapse with a focus on perturbations of the homeostatic astrocytic function as a key driver to modulate the molecular and physiological processes toward neurodegenerative diseases.
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O'Neill KM, Saracino E, Barile B, Mennona NJ, Mola MG, Pathak S, Posati T, Zamboni R, Nicchia GP, Benfenati V, Losert W. Decoding Natural Astrocyte Rhythms: Dynamic Actin Waves Result from Environmental Sensing by Primary Rodent Astrocytes. Adv Biol (Weinh) 2023; 7:e2200269. [PMID: 36709481 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202200269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes are key regulators of brain homeostasis, equilibrating ion, water, and neurotransmitter concentrations and maintaining essential conditions for proper cognitive function. Recently, it has been shown that the excitability of the actin cytoskeleton manifests in second-scale dynamic fluctuations and acts as a sensor of chemophysical environmental cues. However, it is not known whether the cytoskeleton is excitable in astrocytes and how the homeostatic function of astrocytes is linked to the dynamics of the cytoskeleton. Here it is shown that homeostatic regulation involves the excitable dynamics of actin in certain subcellular regions of astrocytes, especially near the cell boundary. The results further indicate that actin dynamics concentrate into "hotspot" regions that selectively respond to certain chemophysical stimuli, specifically the homeostatic challenges of ion or water concentration increases. Substrate topography makes the actin dynamics of astrocytes weaker. Super-resolution images demonstrate that surface topography is also associated with the predominant perpendicular alignment of actin filaments near the cell boundary, whereas flat substrates result in an actin cortex mainly parallel to the cell boundary. Additionally, coculture with neurons increases both the probability of actin dynamics and the strength of hotspots. The excitable systems character of actin thus makes astrocytes direct participants in neural cell network dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate M O'Neill
- Institute for Physical Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Emanuela Saracino
- Institute of Organic Synthesis and Photoreactivity, National Research Council of Italy, 40129, Bologna, Italy
| | - Barbara Barile
- Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70125, Bari, Italy
| | - Nicholas J Mennona
- Institute for Physical Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
- Physics Department, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Maria Grazia Mola
- Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70125, Bari, Italy
| | - Spandan Pathak
- Institute for Physical Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Tamara Posati
- Institute of Organic Synthesis and Photoreactivity, National Research Council of Italy, 40129, Bologna, Italy
| | - Roberto Zamboni
- Institute of Organic Synthesis and Photoreactivity, National Research Council of Italy, 40129, Bologna, Italy
| | - Grazia P Nicchia
- Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70125, Bari, Italy
| | - Valentina Benfenati
- Institute of Organic Synthesis and Photoreactivity, National Research Council of Italy, 40129, Bologna, Italy
| | - Wolfgang Losert
- Institute for Physical Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
- Physics Department, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
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Gradisnik L, Velnar T. Astrocytes in the central nervous system and their functions in health and disease: A review. World J Clin Cases 2023; 11:3385-3394. [PMID: 37383914 PMCID: PMC10294192 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v11.i15.3385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2022] [Revised: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes are key cells in the central nervous system. They are involved in many important functions under physiological and pathological conditions. As part of neuroglia, they have been recognised as cellular elements in their own right. The name astrocyte was first proposed by Mihaly von Lenhossek in 1895 because of the finely branched processes and star-like appearance of these particular cells. As early as the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Ramon y Cajal and Camillo Golgi had noted that although astrocytes have stellate features, their morphology is extremely diverse. Modern research has confirmed the morphological diversity of astrocytes both in vitro and in vivo and their complex, specific, and important roles in the central nervous system. In this review, the functions of astrocytes and their roles are described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidija Gradisnik
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Medical Faculty Maribor, Maribor 2000, Slovenia
| | - Tomaz Velnar
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
- AMEU ECM Maribor, Maribor 2000, Slovenia
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Gau YTA, Hsu E, Cha J, Pak RW, Looger LL, Kang JU, Bergles DE. Multicore fiber optic imaging reveals that astrocyte calcium activity in the cerebral cortex is modulated by internal motivational state. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.18.541390. [PMID: 37292710 PMCID: PMC10245653 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.18.541390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes are a direct target of neuromodulators and can influence neuronal activity on broad spatial and temporal scales through their close proximity to synapses. However, our knowledge about how astrocytes are functionally recruited during different animal behaviors and their diverse effects on the CNS remains limited. To enable measurement of astrocyte activity patterns in vivo during normative behaviors, we developed a high-resolution, long working distance, multi-core fiber optic imaging platform that allows visualization of cortical astrocyte calcium transients through a cranial window in freely moving mice. Using this platform, we defined the spatiotemporal dynamics of astrocytes during diverse behaviors, ranging from circadian fluctuations to novelty exploration, showing that astrocyte activity patterns are more variable and less synchronous than apparent in head-immobilized imaging conditions. Although the activity of astrocytes in visual cortex was highly synchronized during quiescence to arousal transitions, individual astrocytes often exhibited distinct thresholds and activity patterns during explorative behaviors, in accordance with their molecular diversity, allowing temporal sequencing across the astrocyte network. Imaging astrocyte activity during self-initiated behaviors revealed that noradrenergic and cholinergic systems act synergistically to recruit astrocytes during state transitions associated with arousal and attention, which was profoundly modulated by internal state. The distinct activity patterns exhibited by astrocytes in the cerebral cortex may provide a means to vary their neuromodulatory influence in response to different behaviors and internal states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yung-Tian A. Gau
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
| | - Eric Hsu
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
| | - Jaepyeong Cha
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States
| | - Rebecca W. Pak
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
| | - Loren L. Looger
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States
| | - Jin U. Kang
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
| | - Dwight E. Bergles
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
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37
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Ingiosi AM, Frank MG. Goodnight, astrocyte: waking up to astroglial mechanisms in sleep. FEBS J 2023; 290:2553-2564. [PMID: 35271767 PMCID: PMC9463397 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes mediate many important aspects of neural homeostasis, but until recently, their role in sleep was largely unknown. The situation has dramatically changed in the last decade. The use of transgenic animals, optogenetics, chemogenetics, brain imaging and sophisticated molecular assays has led to exciting discoveries. Astrocytes dynamically change their activity across the sleep-wake cycle and may encode sleep need via changes in intracellular signalling pathways. Astrocytes also exocytose/secrete sleep-inducing molecules which modulate brain activity, sleep architecture and sleep regulation. Many of these observations have been made in mice and Drosophila melanogaster, indicating that astroglial sleep mechanisms are evolutionarily conserved. We review recent findings and discuss future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley M Ingiosi
- Department of Translational Medicine and Physiology, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, USA
| | - Marcos G Frank
- Department of Translational Medicine and Physiology, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, USA
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38
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Suthard RL, Jellinger AL, Surets M, Shpokayte M, Pyo AY, Buzharsky MD, Senne RA, Dorst K, Leblanc H, Ramirez S. Chronic Gq activation of ventral hippocampal neurons and astrocytes differentially affects memory and behavior. Neurobiol Aging 2023; 125:9-31. [PMID: 36801699 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2023.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Network dysfunction is implicated in numerous diseases and psychiatric disorders, and the hippocampus serves as a common origin for these abnormalities. To test the hypothesis that chronic modulation of neurons and astrocytes induces impairments in cognition, we activated the hM3D(Gq) pathway in CaMKII+ neurons or GFAP+ astrocytes within the ventral hippocampus across 3, 6, and 9 months. CaMKII-hM3Dq activation impaired fear extinction at 3 months and acquisition at 9 months. Both CaMKII-hM3Dq manipulation and aging had differential effects on anxiety and social interaction. GFAP-hM3Dq activation impacted fear memory at 6 and 9 months. GFAP-hM3Dq activation impacted anxiety in the open field only at the earliest time point. CaMKII-hM3Dq activation modified the number of microglia, while GFAP-hM3Dq activation impacted microglial morphological characteristics, but neither affected these measures in astrocytes. Overall, our study elucidates how distinct cell types can modify behavior through network dysfunction, while adding a more direct role for glia in modulating behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca L Suthard
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The Center for Systems Neuroscience, Neurophotonics Center, and Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alexandra L Jellinger
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The Center for Systems Neuroscience, Neurophotonics Center, and Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michelle Surets
- Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Monika Shpokayte
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The Center for Systems Neuroscience, Neurophotonics Center, and Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Angela Y Pyo
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The Center for Systems Neuroscience, Neurophotonics Center, and Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Ryan A Senne
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The Center for Systems Neuroscience, Neurophotonics Center, and Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kaitlyn Dorst
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The Center for Systems Neuroscience, Neurophotonics Center, and Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Heloise Leblanc
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The Center for Systems Neuroscience, Neurophotonics Center, and Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Steve Ramirez
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The Center for Systems Neuroscience, Neurophotonics Center, and Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
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Delgado L, Navarrete M. Shining the Light on Astrocytic Ensembles. Cells 2023; 12:1253. [PMID: 37174653 PMCID: PMC10177371 DOI: 10.3390/cells12091253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
While neurons have traditionally been considered the primary players in information processing, the role of astrocytes in this mechanism has largely been overlooked due to experimental constraints. In this review, we propose that astrocytic ensembles are active working groups that contribute significantly to animal conduct and suggest that studying the maps of these ensembles in conjunction with neurons is crucial for a more comprehensive understanding of behavior. We also discuss available methods for studying astrocytes and argue that these ensembles, complementarily with neurons, code and integrate complex behaviors, potentially specializing in concrete functions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marta Navarrete
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 28002 Madrid, Spain
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40
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Stasenko SV, Hramov AE, Kazantsev VB. Loss of neuron network coherence induced by virus-infected astrocytes: a model study. Sci Rep 2023; 13:6401. [PMID: 37076526 PMCID: PMC10115799 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-33622-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Coherent activations of brain neuron networks underlie many physiological functions associated with various behavioral states. These synchronous fluctuations in the electrical activity of the brain are also referred to as brain rhythms. At the cellular level, rhythmicity can be induced by various mechanisms of intrinsic oscillations in neurons or the network circulation of excitation between synaptically coupled neurons. One specific mechanism concerns the activity of brain astrocytes that accompany neurons and can coherently modulate synaptic contacts of neighboring neurons, synchronizing their activity. Recent studies have shown that coronavirus infection (Covid-19), which enters the central nervous system and infects astrocytes, can cause various metabolic disorders. Specifically, Covid-19 can depress the synthesis of astrocytic glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid. It is also known that in the post-Covid state, patients may suffer from symptoms of anxiety and impaired cognitive functions. We propose a mathematical model of a spiking neuron network accompanied by astrocytes capable of generating quasi-synchronous rhythmic bursting discharges. The model predicts that if the release of glutamate is depressed, normal burst rhythmicity will suffer dramatically. Interestingly, in some cases, the failure of network coherence may be intermittent, with intervals of normal rhythmicity, or the synchronization can disappear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergey V Stasenko
- Scientific-educational mathematical center "Mathematics of future technologies", Lobachevsky University, Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia, 603022.
- Laboratory of neurobiomorphic technologies, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Moscow, Russia, 117303.
| | - Alexander E Hramov
- Baltic Center for Artificial Intelligence and Neurotechnology, Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Kaliningrad, Russia, 236041
- Neuroscience Research Institute, Samara State Medical University, Samara, Russia, 443099
| | - Victor B Kazantsev
- Scientific-educational mathematical center "Mathematics of future technologies", Lobachevsky University, Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia, 603022
- Laboratory of neurobiomorphic technologies, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Moscow, Russia, 117303
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Yang J, Chen J, Liu Y, Chen KH, Baraban JM, Qiu Z. Ventral tegmental area astrocytes modulate cocaine reward by tonically releasing GABA. Neuron 2023; 111:1104-1117.e6. [PMID: 36681074 PMCID: PMC10079641 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.12.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Addictive drugs increase ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine (DA) neuron activity through distinct cellular mechanisms, one of which involves disinhibition of DA neurons by inhibiting local GABA neurons. How drugs regulate VTA GABA neuron activity and drive addictive behaviors remains poorly understood. Here, we show that astrocytes control VTA GABA neuron activity in cocaine reward via tonic inhibition in mice. Repeated cocaine exposure potentiates astrocytic tonic GABA release through volume-regulated anion channels (VRACs) and augments tonic inhibition of VTA GABA neurons, thus downregulating their activities and disinhibiting nucleus accumbens (NAc) projecting DA neurons. Attenuation of tonic inhibition by either deleting Swell1 (Lrrc8a), the obligatory subunit of VRACs, in VTA astrocytes or disrupting δ subunit of GABAA receptors in VTA GABA neurons reduces cocaine-evoked changes in neuron activity, locomotion, and reward behaviors in mice. Together, our findings reveal the critical role of astrocytes in regulating the VTA local circuit and cocaine reward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junhua Yang
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Jianan Chen
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Yongqing Liu
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Kevin Hong Chen
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Jay M Baraban
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Zhaozhu Qiu
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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42
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Purnell BS, Alves M, Boison D. Astrocyte-neuron circuits in epilepsy. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 179:106058. [PMID: 36868484 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The epilepsies are a diverse spectrum of disease states characterized by spontaneous seizures and associated comorbidities. Neuron-focused perspectives have yielded an array of widely used anti-seizure medications and are able to explain some, but not all, of the imbalance of excitation and inhibition which manifests itself as spontaneous seizures. Furthermore, the rate of pharmacoresistant epilepsy remains high despite the regular approval of novel anti-seizure medications. Gaining a more complete understanding of the processes that turn a healthy brain into an epileptic brain (epileptogenesis) as well as the processes which generate individual seizures (ictogenesis) may necessitate broadening our focus to other cell types. As will be detailed in this review, astrocytes augment neuronal activity at the level of individual neurons in the form of gliotransmission and the tripartite synapse. Under normal conditions, astrocytes are essential to the maintenance of blood-brain barrier integrity and remediation of inflammation and oxidative stress, but in epilepsy these functions are impaired. Epilepsy results in disruptions in the way astrocytes relate to each other by gap junctions which has important implications for ion and water homeostasis. In their activated state, astrocytes contribute to imbalances in neuronal excitability due to their decreased capacity to take up and metabolize glutamate and an increased capacity to metabolize adenosine. Furthermore, due to their increased adenosine metabolism, activated astrocytes may contribute to DNA hypermethylation and other epigenetic changes that underly epileptogenesis. Lastly, we will explore the potential explanatory power of these changes in astrocyte function in detail in the specific context of the comorbid occurrence of epilepsy and Alzheimer's disease and the disruption in sleep-wake regulation associated with both conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benton S Purnell
- Department of Neurosurgery, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States of America
| | - Mariana Alves
- Department of Neurosurgery, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States of America; Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin D02 YN77, Ireland
| | - Detlev Boison
- Department of Neurosurgery, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States of America; Brain Health Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States of America.
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43
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Khakh BS, Goldman SA. Astrocytic contributions to Huntington's disease pathophysiology. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2023; 1522:42-59. [PMID: 36864567 PMCID: PMC10145027 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/04/2023]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a fatal, monogenic, autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease caused by a polyglutamine-encoding CAG expansion in the huntingtin (HTT) gene that results in mutant huntingtin proteins (mHTT) in cells throughout the body. Although large parts of the central nervous system (CNS) are affected, the striatum is especially vulnerable and undergoes marked atrophy. Astrocytes are abundant within the striatum and contain mHTT in HD, as well as in mouse models of the disease. We focus on striatal astrocytes and summarize how they participate in, and contribute to, molecular pathophysiology and disease-related phenotypes in HD model mice. Where possible, reference is made to pertinent astrocyte alterations in human HD. Astrocytic dysfunctions related to cellular morphology, extracellular ion and neurotransmitter homeostasis, and metabolic support all accompany the development and progression of HD, in both transgenic mouse and human cellular and chimeric models of HD. These findings reveal the potential for the therapeutic targeting of astrocytes so as to restore synaptic as well as tissue homeostasis in HD. Elucidation of the mechanisms by which astrocytes contribute to HD pathogenesis may inform a broader understanding of the role of glial pathology in neurodegenerative disorders and, by so doing, enable new strategies of glial-directed therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baljit S. Khakh
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Steven A. Goldman
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Copenhagen Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Copenhagen, Denmark
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44
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Yao D, Zhang R, Xie M, Ding F, Wang M, Wang W. Updated Understanding of the Glial-Vascular Unit in Central Nervous System Disorders. Neurosci Bull 2023; 39:503-518. [PMID: 36374471 PMCID: PMC10043098 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-022-00977-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The concept of the glial-vascular unit (GVU) was raised recently to emphasize the close associations between brain cells and cerebral vessels, and their coordinated reactions to diverse neurological insults from a "glio-centric" view. GVU is a multicellular structure composed of glial cells, perivascular cells, and perivascular space. Each component is closely linked, collectively forming the GVU. The central roles of glial and perivascular cells and their multi-level interconnections in the GVU under normal conditions and in central nervous system (CNS) disorders have not been elucidated in detail. Here, we comprehensively review the intensive interactions between glial cells and perivascular cells in the niche of perivascular space, which take part in the modulation of cerebral blood flow and angiogenesis, formation of the blood-brain barrier, and clearance of neurotoxic wastes. Next, we discuss dysfunctions of the GVU in various neurological diseases, including ischemic stroke, spinal cord injury, Alzheimer's disease, and major depression disorder. In addition, we highlight the possible therapies targeting the GVU, which may have potential clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Yao
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Ruoying Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Minjie Xie
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Fengfei Ding
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Minghuan Wang
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
- Key Laboratory of Neurological Diseases of the Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
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Köhler S, Winkler U, Junge T, Lippmann K, Eilers J, Hirrlinger J. Gray and white matter astrocytes differ in basal metabolism but respond similarly to neuronal activity. Glia 2023; 71:229-244. [PMID: 36063073 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes are a heterogeneous population of glial cells in the brain, which adapt their properties to the requirements of the local environment. Two major groups of astrocytes are protoplasmic astrocytes residing in gray matter as well as fibrous astrocytes of white matter. Here, we compared the energy metabolism of astrocytes in the cortex and corpus callosum as representative gray matter and white matter regions, in acute brain slices taking advantage of genetically encoded fluorescent nanosensors for the NADH/NAD+ redox ratio and for ATP. Astrocytes of the corpus callosum presented a more reduced basal NADH/NAD+ redox ratio, and a lower cytosolic concentration of ATP compared to cortical astrocytes. In cortical astrocytes, the neurotransmitter glutamate and increased extracellular concentrations of K+ , typical correlates of neuronal activity, induced a more reduced NADH/NAD+ redox ratio. While application of glutamate decreased [ATP], K+ as well as the combination of glutamate and K+ resulted in an increase of ATP levels. Strikingly, a very similar regulation of metabolism by K+ and glutamate was observed in astrocytes in the corpus callosum. Finally, strong intrinsic neuronal activity provoked by application of bicuculline and withdrawal of Mg2+ caused a shift of the NADH/NAD+ redox ratio to a more reduced state as well as a slight reduction of [ATP] in gray and white matter astrocytes. In summary, the metabolism of astrocytes in cortex and corpus callosum shows distinct basal properties, but qualitatively similar responses to neuronal activity, probably reflecting the different environment and requirements of these brain regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Köhler
- Faculty of Medicine, Carl-Ludwig-Institute for Physiology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ulrike Winkler
- Faculty of Medicine, Carl-Ludwig-Institute for Physiology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Tabea Junge
- Faculty of Medicine, Carl-Ludwig-Institute for Physiology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Kristina Lippmann
- Faculty of Medicine, Carl-Ludwig-Institute for Physiology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jens Eilers
- Faculty of Medicine, Carl-Ludwig-Institute for Physiology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Johannes Hirrlinger
- Faculty of Medicine, Carl-Ludwig-Institute for Physiology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany.,Department of Neurogenetics, Max-Planck-Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
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Nor Nazli NA, Muthuraju S, Ahmad F, Mohamed Yusoff AA, Jaafar H, Shamsuddin S, Abdullah JM. Characterisation of Primary Human Hippocampal Astrocyte Cell Culture Following Exposure to Hypoxia. Malays J Med Sci 2023; 30:92-106. [PMID: 36875187 PMCID: PMC9984107 DOI: 10.21315/mjms2023.30.1.8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The present study aimed to understand the characterisation of human hippocampal astrocyte following hypoxia exposure. Based on the preliminary screening, 15 min was chosen as the time point and the cells were exposed to different oxygen percentages. Methods The Trypan blue viability assay used to examine cell death. Immunofluorescence assay, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) was used to portray the morphology of astrocytes. The hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) staining was performed to confirm hypoxia induced cell death and there was a dramatic expression of HIF-1α displayed in exposed astrocyte cells compared to the control. In molecular level, genes were chosen, such as glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), GFAP, HIF-1α and B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and ran the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results Microscope revealed a filamentous and clear nucleus appearance in a control whereas the rupture nuclei with no rigid structure of the cell were found in the 3% oxygen. The control and hypoxia cells were also stained with the annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate (annexin V-FITC). Fluorescence microscope reveals astrocyte cells after hypoxia showed higher expression of nuclei but not in control. Merging PI and FITC showed the differences of nuclei expression between the control and hypoxia. In the molecular analysis, there were significant changes of GFAP, HIF-1α and Bcl-2 in hypoxia exposed cells when compared to the control group. Conclusion Cells that were exposed to hypoxia (3% oxygen for 15 min) clearly showed damage. General view of human hippocampal astrocyte genomic response to hypoxia was obtained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nurul Atikah Nor Nazli
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia.,Brain and Behaviour Cluster, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - Sangu Muthuraju
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia.,Brain and Behaviour Cluster, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - Farizan Ahmad
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia.,Brain and Behaviour Cluster, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - Abdul Aziz Mohamed Yusoff
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia.,Brain and Behaviour Cluster, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - Hasnan Jaafar
- Department of Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - Shaharum Shamsuddin
- Department of Biomedicine, School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - Jafri Malin Abdullah
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia.,Brain and Behaviour Cluster, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia
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Glutathione in the Pons Is Associated With Clinical Status Improvements in Subacute Spinal Cord Injury. Invest Radiol 2023; 58:131-138. [PMID: 35926077 DOI: 10.1097/rli.0000000000000905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES In spinal cord injury (SCI), the primary mechanical injury is followed by secondary sequelae that develop over the subsequent months and manifests in biochemical, functional, and microstructural alterations, at the site of direct injury but also in the spinal cord tissue above and below the actual lesion site. Noninvasive magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) can be used to assess biochemical modulation occurring in the secondary injury phase, in addition to and supporting conventional MRI, and might help predict and improve patient outcome. In this article, we aimed to examine the metabolic levels in the pons of subacute SCI by means of in vivo proton MRS at 3 T and explore the association to clinical scores. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this prospective study, between November 2015 and February 2018, single-voxel short-echo MRS data were acquired in healthy controls and in SCI subjects in the pons once during rehabilitation. Besides the single-point MRS examination, in addition, in participants with SCI, the clinical status (ie, motor, light touch, and pinprick scores) was assessed twice: (1) around the MRS session (approximately 10 weeks postinjury) and (2) before discharge (at approximately 9 months postinjury). The group differences were assessed with Kruskal-Wallis test, the post hoc comparison was assessed with Wilcoxon rank sum test, and the clinical correlations were conducted with Spearman rank correlation test. Bayes factor calculations completed the statistical part providing relevant evidence values. RESULTS Twenty healthy controls (median age, 50 years; interquartile range, 41-55 years; 18 men) and 18 subjects with traumatic SCI (median age, 50 years; interquartile range, 32-58 years; 16 men) are included. Group comparison showed an increase of total N -acetylaspartate and combined glutamate and glutamine levels in complete SCI and a reduction of total creatine in incomplete paraplegic SCI. The proton MRS-based glutathione levels at baseline correlate to the motor score improvement during rehabilitation in incomplete subacute SCI. CONCLUSIONS This exploratory study showed an association of the metabolite concentration of glutathione in the pons assessed at approximately 10 weeks after injury with the improvements of the motor score during the rehabilitation. Pontine glutathione levels in subjects with traumatic subacute incomplete SCI acquired remote from the injury site correlate to clinical score and might therefore be beneficial in the rehabilitation assessments.
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Metabolic Heterogeneity of Cerebral Cortical and Cerebellar Astrocytes. LIFE (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 13:life13010184. [PMID: 36676133 PMCID: PMC9860549 DOI: 10.3390/life13010184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes play critical roles in regulating neuronal synaptogenesis, maintaining blood-brain barrier integrity, and recycling neurotransmitters. Increasing numbers of studies have suggested astrocyte heterogeneity in morphology, gene profile, and function. However, metabolic phenotype of astrocytes in different brain regions have not been explored. In this paper, we investigated the metabolic signature of cortical and cerebellar astrocytes using primary astrocyte cultures. We observed that cortical astrocytes were larger than cerebellar astrocytes, whereas cerebellar astrocytes had more and longer processes than cortical astrocytes. Using a Seahorse extracellular flux analyzer, we demonstrated that cortical astrocytes had higher mitochondrial respiration and glycolysis than cerebellar astrocytes. Cerebellar astrocytes have lower spare capacity of mitochondrial respiration and glycolysis as compared with cortical astrocytes. Consistently, cortical astrocytes have higher mitochondrial oxidation and glycolysis-derived ATP content than cerebellar astrocytes. In addition, cerebellar astrocytes have a fuel preference for glutamine and fatty acid, whereas cortical astrocytes were more dependent on glucose to meet energy demands. Our study indicated that cortical and cerebellar astrocytes display distinct metabolic phenotypes. Future studies on astrocyte metabolic heterogeneity and brain function in aging and neurodegeneration may lead to better understanding of the role of astrocyte in brain aging and neurodegenerative disorders.
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Konstantinidis E, Portal B, Mothes T, Beretta C, Lindskog M, Erlandsson A. Intracellular deposits of amyloid-beta influence the ability of human iPSC-derived astrocytes to support neuronal function. J Neuroinflammation 2023; 20:3. [PMID: 36593462 PMCID: PMC9809017 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-022-02687-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Astrocytes are crucial for maintaining brain homeostasis and synaptic function, but are also tightly connected to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Our previous data demonstrate that astrocytes ingest large amounts of aggregated amyloid-beta (Aβ), but then store, rather than degrade the ingested material, which leads to severe cellular stress. However, the involvement of pathological astrocytes in AD-related synaptic dysfunction remains to be elucidated. METHODS In this study, we aimed to investigate how intracellular deposits of Aβ in astrocytes affect their interplay with neurons, focusing on neuronal function and viability. For this purpose, human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived astrocytes were exposed to sonicated Αβ42 fibrils. The direct and indirect effects of the Αβ-exposed astrocytes on hiPSC-derived neurons were analyzed by performing astrocyte-neuron co-cultures as well as additions of conditioned media or extracellular vesicles to pure neuronal cultures. RESULTS Electrophysiological recordings revealed significantly decreased frequency of excitatory post-synaptic currents in neurons co-cultured with Aβ-exposed astrocytes, while conditioned media from Aβ-exposed astrocytes had the opposite effect and resulted in hyperactivation of the synapses. Clearly, factors secreted from control, but not from Aβ-exposed astrocytes, benefited the wellbeing of neuronal cultures. Moreover, reactive astrocytes with Aβ deposits led to an elevated clearance of dead cells in the co-cultures. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, our results demonstrate that inclusions of aggregated Aβ affect the reactive state of the astrocytes, as well as their ability to support neuronal function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evangelos Konstantinidis
- grid.8993.b0000 0004 1936 9457Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Molecular Geriatrics, Uppsala University, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Benjamin Portal
- grid.8993.b0000 0004 1936 9457Department of Medical Cell Biology, Uppsala University, 751 23 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Tobias Mothes
- grid.8993.b0000 0004 1936 9457Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Molecular Geriatrics, Uppsala University, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Chiara Beretta
- grid.8993.b0000 0004 1936 9457Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Molecular Geriatrics, Uppsala University, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Maria Lindskog
- grid.8993.b0000 0004 1936 9457Department of Medical Cell Biology, Uppsala University, 751 23 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Anna Erlandsson
- grid.8993.b0000 0004 1936 9457Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Molecular Geriatrics, Uppsala University, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
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Iwata K, Ferdousi F, Arai Y, Isoda H. Interactions between Major Bioactive Polyphenols of Sugarcane Top: Effects on Human Neural Stem Cell Differentiation and Astrocytic Maturation. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232315120. [PMID: 36499441 PMCID: PMC9738893 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232315120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) is a tropical plant grown for sugar production. We recently showed that sugarcane top (ST) ameliorates cognitive decline in a mouse model of accelerated aging via promoting neuronal differentiation and neuronal energy metabolism and extending the length of the astrocytic process in vitro. Since the crude extract consists of multicomponent mixtures, it is crucial to identify bioactive compounds of interest and the affected molecular targets. In the present study, we investigated the bioactivities of major polyphenols of ST, namely 3-O-caffeoylquinic acid (3CQA), 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid (5CQA), 3-O-feruloylquinic acid (3FQA), and Isoorientin (ISO), in human fetal neural stem cells (hNSCs)- an in vitro model system for studying neural development. We found that multiple polyphenols of ST contributed synergistically to stimulate neuronal differentiation of hNSCs and induce mitochondrial activity in immature astrocytes. Mono-CQAs (3CQA and 5CQA) regulated the expression of cyclins related to G1 cell cycle arrest, whereas ISO regulated basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors related to cell fate determination. Additionally, mono-CQAs activated p38 and ISO inactivated GSK3β. In hNSC-derived immature astrocytes, the compounds upregulated mRNA expression of PGC-1α, a master regulator of astrocytic mitochondrial biogenesis. Altogether, our findings suggest that synergistic interactions between major polyphenols of ST contribute to its potential for neuronal differentiation and astrocytic maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kengo Iwata
- School of Integrative and Global Majors, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8572, Japan
- Nipoo Co., Ltd., Osaka 574-0062, Japan
| | - Farhana Ferdousi
- Alliance for Research on the Mediterranean and North Africa (ARENA), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8572, Japan
- AIST—University of Tsukuba Open Innovation Laboratory for Food and Medicinal Resource Engineering (FoodMed-OIL), Tsukuba 305-8572, Japan
| | | | - Hiroko Isoda
- School of Integrative and Global Majors, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8572, Japan
- Alliance for Research on the Mediterranean and North Africa (ARENA), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8572, Japan
- AIST—University of Tsukuba Open Innovation Laboratory for Food and Medicinal Resource Engineering (FoodMed-OIL), Tsukuba 305-8572, Japan
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8572, Japan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-29-853-5775
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