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Brandt M, Kosmeijer C, Achterberg E, de Theije C, Nijboer C. Timed fetal inflammation and postnatal hypoxia cause cortical white matter injury, interneuron imbalances, and behavioral deficits in a double-hit rat model of encephalopathy of prematurity. Brain Behav Immun Health 2024; 40:100817. [PMID: 39188404 PMCID: PMC11345510 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2024.100817] [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: 06/29/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Extreme preterm birth-associated adversities are a major risk factor for aberrant brain development, known as encephalopathy of prematurity (EoP), which can lead to long-term neurodevelopmental impairments. Although progress in clinical care for preterm infants has markedly improved perinatal outcomes, there are currently no curative treatment options available to combat EoP. EoP has a multifactorial etiology, including but not limited to pre- or postnatal immune activation and oxygen fluctuations. Elucidating the underlying mechanisms of EoP and determining the efficacy of potential therapies relies on valid, clinically translatable experimental models that reflect the neurodevelopmental and pathophysiological hallmarks of EoP. Here, we expand on our double-hit rat model that can be used to study EoP disease mechanisms and therapeutic options in a preclinical setting. Pregnant Wistar dams were intraperitoneally injected with 10 μg/kg LPS on embryonic day (E)20 and offspring was subjected to hypoxia (140 min, 8% O2) at postnatal day 4. Rats exposed to fetal inflammation and postnatal hypoxia (FIPH) showed neurodevelopmental impairments, such as reduced nest-seeking ability, ultrasonic vocalizations, social engagement, and working memory, and increased anxiety and sensitivity. Impairments in myelination, oligodendrocyte maturation and interneuron development were examined as hallmarks for EoP, in different layers and coordinates of the cortex using histological and molecular techniques. Myelin density and complexity was decreased in the cortex, which partially coincided with a decrease in mature oligodendrocytes. Furthermore, interneuron populations (GAD67+ and PVALB+) were affected. To determine if the timing of inducing fetal inflammation affected the severity of EoP hallmarks in the cortex, multiple timepoints of fetal inflammation were compared. Inflammation at E20 combined with postnatal hypoxia gave the most severe EoP phenotype in the cortex. In conclusion, we present a double-hit rat model which displays various behavioral, anatomical and molecular hallmarks of EoP, including diffuse white matter injury. This double-hit model can be used to investigate pathophysiological mechanisms and potential therapies for EoP.
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Affiliation(s)
- M.J.V. Brandt
- Department for Developmental Origins of Disease, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center and Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, Utrecht University, Lundlaan 6, 3584 EA, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - C.M. Kosmeijer
- Department for Developmental Origins of Disease, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center and Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, Utrecht University, Lundlaan 6, 3584 EA, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - E.J.M. Achterberg
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - C.G.M. de Theije
- Department for Developmental Origins of Disease, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center and Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, Utrecht University, Lundlaan 6, 3584 EA, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - C.H. Nijboer
- Department for Developmental Origins of Disease, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center and Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, Utrecht University, Lundlaan 6, 3584 EA, Utrecht, the Netherlands
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2
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Maddaloni G, Chang YJ, Senft RA, Dymecki SM. Adaptation to photoperiod via dynamic neurotransmitter segregation. Nature 2024; 632:147-156. [PMID: 39020173 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07692-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024]
Abstract
Changes in the amount of daylight (photoperiod) alter physiology and behaviour1,2. Adaptive responses to seasonal photoperiods are vital to all organisms-dysregulation associates with disease, including affective disorders3 and metabolic syndromes4. The circadian rhythm circuitry is implicated in such responses5,6, yet little is known about the precise cellular substrates that underlie phase synchronization to photoperiod change. Here we identify a brain circuit and system of axon branch-specific and reversible neurotransmitter deployment that are critical for behavioural and sleep adaptation to photoperiod. A type of neuron called mrEn1-Pet17 in the mouse brainstem median raphe nucleus segregates serotonin from VGLUT3 (also known as SLC17A8, a proxy for glutamate) to different axonal branches that innervate specific brain regions involved in circadian rhythm and sleep-wake timing8,9. This branch-specific neurotransmitter deployment did not distinguish between daylight and dark phase; however, it reorganized with change in photoperiod. Axonal boutons, but not cell soma, changed neurochemical phenotype upon a shift away from equinox light/dark conditions, and these changes were reversed upon return to equinox conditions. When we genetically disabled Vglut3 in mrEn1-Pet1 neurons, sleep-wake periods, voluntary activity and clock gene expression did not synchronize to the new photoperiod or were delayed. Combining intersectional rabies virus tracing and projection-specific neuronal silencing, we delineated a preoptic area-to-mrEn1Pet1 connection that was responsible for decoding the photoperiodic inputs, driving the neurotransmitter reorganization and promoting behavioural synchronization. Our results reveal a brain circuit and periodic, branch-specific neurotransmitter deployment that regulates organismal adaptation to photoperiod change.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Maddaloni
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Y J Chang
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - R A Senft
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - S M Dymecki
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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3
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Machold R, Rudy B. Genetic approaches to elucidating cortical and hippocampal GABAergic interneuron diversity. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1414955. [PMID: 39113758 PMCID: PMC11303334 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1414955] [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: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
GABAergic interneurons (INs) in the mammalian forebrain represent a diverse population of cells that provide specialized forms of local inhibition to regulate neural circuit activity. Over the last few decades, the development of a palette of genetic tools along with the generation of single-cell transcriptomic data has begun to reveal the molecular basis of IN diversity, thereby providing deep insights into how different IN subtypes function in the forebrain. In this review, we outline the emerging picture of cortical and hippocampal IN speciation as defined by transcriptomics and developmental origin and summarize the genetic strategies that have been utilized to target specific IN subtypes, along with the technical considerations inherent to each approach. Collectively, these methods have greatly facilitated our understanding of how IN subtypes regulate forebrain circuitry via cell type and compartment-specific inhibition and thus have illuminated a path toward potential therapeutic interventions for a variety of neurocognitive disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Machold
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Bernardo Rudy
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
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4
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Joo B, Xu S, Park H, Kim K, Rah JC, Koo JW. Parietal-Frontal Pathway Controls Relapse of Fear Memory in a Novel Context. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY GLOBAL OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 4:100315. [PMID: 38726036 PMCID: PMC11078648 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2024.100315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Fear responses significantly affect daily life and shape our approach to uncertainty. However, the potential resurgence of fear in unfamiliar situations poses a significant challenge to exposure-based therapies for maladaptive fear responses. Nonetheless, how novel contextual stimuli are associated with the relapse of extinguished fear remains unknown. Methods Using a context-dependent fear renewal model, the functional circuits and underlying mechanisms of the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) were investigated using optogenetic, histological, in vivo, and ex vivo electrophysiological and pharmacological techniques. Results We demonstrated that the PPC-to-ACC pathway governs fear relapse in a novel context. We observed enhanced populational calcium activity in the ACC neurons that received projections from the PPC and increased synaptic activity in the basolateral amygdala-projecting PPC-to-ACC neurons upon renewal in a novel context, where excitatory postsynaptic currents amplitudes increased but inhibitory postsynaptic current amplitudes decreased. In addition, we found that parvalbumin-expressing interneurons controlled novel context-dependent fear renewal, which was blocked by the chronic administration of fluoxetine. Conclusions Our findings highlight the PPC-to-ACC pathway in mediating the relapse of extinguished fear in novel contexts, thereby contributing significant insights into the intricate neural mechanisms that govern fear renewal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bitna Joo
- Emotion, Cognition and Behavior Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, Republic of Korea
- Department of Brain Sciences, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Shijie Xu
- Medical Research Center, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan, China
| | - Hyungju Park
- Department of Brain Sciences, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, Daegu, Republic of Korea
- Neurovascular Unit Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Kipom Kim
- Research Strategy Office, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Cheol Rah
- Department of Brain Sciences, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, Daegu, Republic of Korea
- Sensory & Motor Systems Neuroscience Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Ja Wook Koo
- Emotion, Cognition and Behavior Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, Republic of Korea
- Department of Brain Sciences, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, Daegu, Republic of Korea
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5
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Scheuer KS, Jansson AM, Zhao X, Jackson MB. Inter and intralaminar excitation of parvalbumin interneurons in mouse barrel cortex. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0289901. [PMID: 38870124 PMCID: PMC11175493 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0289901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Parvalbumin (PV) interneurons are inhibitory fast-spiking cells with essential roles in directing the flow of information through cortical circuits. These neurons set the balance between excitation and inhibition and control rhythmic activity. PV interneurons differ between cortical layers in their morphology, circuitry, and function, but how their electrophysiological properties vary has received little attention. Here we investigate responses of PV interneurons in different layers of primary somatosensory barrel cortex (BC) to different excitatory inputs. With the genetically-encoded hybrid voltage sensor, hVOS, we recorded voltage changes in many L2/3 and L4 PV interneurons simultaneously, with stimulation applied to either L2/3 or L4. A semi-automated procedure was developed to identify small regions of interest corresponding to single responsive PV interneurons. Amplitude, half-width, and rise-time were greater for PV interneurons residing in L2/3 compared to L4. Stimulation in L2/3 elicited responses in both L2/3 and L4 with longer latency compared to stimulation in L4. These differences in latency between layers could influence their windows for temporal integration. Thus, PV interneurons in different cortical layers of BC respond in a layer specific and input specific manner, and these differences have potential roles in cortical computations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine S. Scheuer
- Cellular and Molecular Biology PhD Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Anna M. Jansson
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Xinyu Zhao
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Meyer B. Jackson
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
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Deng L, Jiang H, Lin J, Xu D, Qi A, Guo Q, Li PP, Wang X, Liu JS, Fu X, Li P. Clock knockout in inhibitory neurons reduces predisposition to epilepsy and influences anxiety-like behaviors in mice. Neurobiol Dis 2024; 193:106457. [PMID: 38423191 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2024.106457] [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: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Epilepsy is a brain disorder affecting up to 1 in 26 individuals. Despite its clinical importance, the molecular mechanisms of epileptogenesis are still far from clarified. Our previous study showed that disruption of Clock in excitatory neurons alters cortical circuits and leads to generation of focal epilepsy. In this study, a GAD-Cre;Clockflox/flox mouse line with conditional Clock gene knockout in inhibitory neurons was established. We observed that seizure latency was prolonged, the severity and mortality of pilocarpine-induced seizure were significantly reduced, and memory was improved in GAD-Cre;Clockflox/flox mice. We hypothesize that mice with CLOCK knockout in inhibitory neurons have increased threshold for seizure, opposite from mice with CLOCK knockout in excitatory neurons. Further investigation showed Clock knockout in inhibitory neurons upregulated the basal protein level of ARC, a synaptic plasticity-associated immediate-early gene product, likely through the BDNF-ERK pathway. Altered basal levels of ARC may play an important role in epileptogenesis after Clock deletion in inhibitory neurons. Although sEPSCs and intrinsic properties of layer 5 pyramidal neurons in the somatosensory cortex exhibit no changes, the spine density increased in apical dendrite of pyramidal neurons in CLOCK knockout group. Our results suggest an underlying mechanism by which the circadian protein CLOCK in inhibitory neurons participates in neuronal activity and regulates the predisposition to epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Deng
- Department of Geriatrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Hong Jiang
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jingjing Lin
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, Zhejiang, China
| | - Di Xu
- Department of Geriatrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Ailin Qi
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, Zhejiang, China
| | - Qing Guo
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ping-Ping Li
- Department of Neonatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Xinshi Wang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Shangcai Village, Ouhai District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Judy S Liu
- Department of Neurology, Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA.
| | - Xiaoqin Fu
- Department of Neonatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, Zhejiang Province, China.
| | - Peijun Li
- Department of Geriatrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, Zhejiang Province, China; Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, Zhejiang, China; Institute of Brain Science and Brain-inspired Research, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 250117, Jinan, Shandong, China.
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7
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Bogdańska-Chomczyk E, Równiak M, Huang ACW, Kozłowska A. Parvalbumin interneuron deficiency in the prefrontal and motor cortices of spontaneously hypertensive rats: an attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder animal model insight. Front Psychiatry 2024; 15:1359237. [PMID: 38600979 PMCID: PMC11005678 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1359237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterized by impairments in developmental-behavioral inhibition, resulting in impulsivity and hyperactivity. Recent research has underscored cortical inhibition deficiencies in ADHD via the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic system, which is crucial for maintaining excitatory-inhibitory balance in the brain. This study explored postnatal changes in parvalbumin (PV) immunoreactivity, indicating GABAergic interneuron types, in the prefrontal (PFC) and motor (MC) cortices of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs), an ADHD animal model. Methods Examining PV- positive (PV+) cells associated with dopamine D2 receptors (D2) and the impact of dopamine on GABA synthesis, we also investigated changes in the immunoreactivity of D2 and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). Brain sections from 4- to 10-week-old SHRs and Wistar Kyoto rats (WKYs) were immunohistochemically analyzed, comparing PV+, D2+ cells, and TH+ fiber densities across age-matched SHRs and WKYs in specific PFC/MC regions. Results The results revealed significantly reduced PV+ cell density in SHRs: prelimbic (~20% less), anterior cingulate (~15% less), primary (~15% less), and secondary motor (~17% less) cortices. PV+ deficits coincided with the upregulation of D2 in prepubertal SHRs and the downregulation of TH predominantly in pubertal/postpubertal SHRs. Conclusion Reduced PV+ cells in various PFC regions could contribute to inattention/behavioral alterations in ADHD, while MC deficits could manifest as motor hyperactivity. D2 upregulation and TH deficits may impact GABA synthesis, exacerbating behavioral deficits in ADHD. These findings not only shed new light on ADHD pathophysiology but also pave the way for future research endeavors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewelina Bogdańska-Chomczyk
- Department of Human Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Maciej Równiak
- Department of Animal Anatomy and Physiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland
| | | | - Anna Kozłowska
- Department of Human Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland
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Shigematsu N, Miyamoto Y, Esumi S, Fukuda T. The Anterolateral Barrel Subfield Differs from the Posteromedial Barrel Subfield in the Morphology and Cell Density of Parvalbumin-Positive GABAergic Interneurons. eNeuro 2024; 11:ENEURO.0518-22.2024. [PMID: 38438262 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0518-22.2024] [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: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Layer 4 of the rodent somatosensory cortex has unitary structures called barrels that receive tactile information from individual vibrissae. Barrels in the anterolateral barrel subfield (ALBSF) are much smaller and have gained less attention than larger barrels in the posteromedial barrel subfield (PMBSF), though the former outnumber the latter. We compared the morphological features of barrels between the ALBSF and PMBSF in male mice using deformation-free tangential sections and confocal optical slice-based, precise reconstructions of barrels. The average volume of a single barrel in the ALBSF was 34.7% of that in the PMBSF, but the numerical density of parvalbumin (PV)-positive interneurons in the former was 1.49 times higher than that in the latter. Moreover, PV neuron density in septa was 2.08 times higher in the ALBSF than that in the PMBSF. The proportions of PV neuron number to both all neuron number and all GABAergic neuron number in the ALBSF were also higher than those in the PMBSF. Somata of PV neurons in barrels and septa in the ALBSF received 1.64 and 1.50 times more vesicular glutamate transporter Type 2-labeled boutons than those in the PMBSF, suggesting more potent feedforward inhibitory circuits in the ALBSF. The mode of connectivity through dendritic gap junctions among PV neurons also differed between the ALBSF and PMBSF. Clusters of smaller unitary structures containing a higher density of representative GABAergic interneurons with differential morphological features in the ALBSF suggest a division of functional roles in the two vibrissa-barrel systems, as has been demonstrated by behavioral studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Shigematsu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan
| | - Yuta Miyamoto
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan
| | - Shigeyuki Esumi
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan
| | - Takaichi Fukuda
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan
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9
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Zhang Q, Liu X, Gong L, He M. Combinatorial genetic strategies for dissecting cell lineages, cell types, and gene function in the mouse brain. Dev Growth Differ 2023; 65:546-553. [PMID: 37963088 DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12902] [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: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
Research in neuroscience has greatly benefited from the development of genetic approaches that enable lineage tracing, cell type targeting, and conditional gene regulation. Recent advances in combinatorial strategies, which integrate multiple cellular features, have significantly enhanced the spatiotemporal precision and flexibility of these manipulations. In this minireview, we introduce the concept and design of these strategies and provide a few examples of their application in genetic fate mapping, cell type targeting, and reversible conditional gene regulation. These advancements have facilitated in-depth investigation into the developmental principles underlying the assembly of brain circuits, granting experimental access to highly specific cell lineages and subtypes, as well as offering valuable new tools for modeling and studying neurological diseases. Additionally, we discuss future directions aimed at expanding and improving the existing genetic toolkit for a better understanding of the development, structure, and function of healthy and diseased brains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Department of Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xue Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Department of Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ling Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Department of Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Miao He
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Department of Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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10
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Hijazi S, Smit AB, van Kesteren RE. Fast-spiking parvalbumin-positive interneurons in brain physiology and Alzheimer's disease. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:4954-4967. [PMID: 37419975 PMCID: PMC11041664 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02168-y] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
Fast-spiking parvalbumin (PV) interneurons are inhibitory interneurons with unique morphological and functional properties that allow them to precisely control local circuitry, brain networks and memory processing. Since the discovery in 1987 that PV is expressed in a subset of fast-spiking GABAergic inhibitory neurons, our knowledge of the complex molecular and physiological properties of these cells has been expanding. In this review, we highlight the specific properties of PV neurons that allow them to fire at high frequency and with high reliability, enabling them to control network oscillations and shape the encoding, consolidation and retrieval of memories. We next discuss multiple studies reporting PV neuron impairment as a critical step in neuronal network dysfunction and cognitive decline in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Finally, we propose potential mechanisms underlying PV neuron dysfunction in AD and we argue that early changes in PV neuron activity could be a causal step in AD-associated network and memory impairment and a significant contributor to disease pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Hijazi
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QT, UK
| | - August B Smit
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ronald E van Kesteren
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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11
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Prévost ED, Phillips A, Lauridsen K, Enserro G, Rubinstein B, Alas D, McGovern DJ, Ly A, Banks M, McNulty C, Kim YS, Fenno LE, Ramakrishnan C, Deisseroth K, Root DH. Monosynaptic inputs to ventral tegmental area glutamate and GABA co-transmitting neurons. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.06.535959. [PMID: 37066408 PMCID: PMC10104150 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.06.535959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
A unique population of ventral tegmental area (VTA) neurons co-transmits glutamate and GABA as well as functionally signals rewarding and aversive outcomes. However, the circuit inputs to VTA VGluT2+VGaT+ neurons are unknown, limiting our understanding of the functional capabilities of these neurons. To identify the inputs to VTA VGluT2+VGaT+ neurons, we coupled monosynaptic rabies tracing with intersectional genetic targeting of VTA VGluT2+VGaT+ neurons in mice. We found that VTA VGluT2+VGaT+ neurons received diverse brain-wide inputs. The largest numbers of monosynaptic inputs to VTA VGluT2+VGaT+ neurons were from superior colliculus, lateral hypothalamus, midbrain reticular nucleus, and periaqueductal gray, whereas the densest inputs relative to brain region volume were from dorsal raphe nucleus, lateral habenula, and ventral tegmental area. Based on these and prior data, we hypothesized that lateral hypothalamus and superior colliculus inputs were glutamatergic neurons. Optical activation of glutamatergic lateral hypothalamus neurons robustly activated VTA VGluT2+VGaT+ neurons regardless of stimulation frequency and resulted in flee-like ambulatory behavior. In contrast, optical activation of glutamatergic superior colliculus neurons activated VTA VGluT2+VGaT+ neurons for a brief period of time at high stimulation frequency and resulted in head rotation and arrested ambulatory behavior (freezing). For both pathways, behaviors induced by stimulation were uncorrelated with VTA VGluT2+VGaT+ neuron activity. However, stimulation of glutamatergic lateral hypothalamus neurons, but not glutamatergic superior colliculus neurons, was associated with VTA VGluT2+VGaT+ footshock-induced activity. We interpret these results such that inputs to VTA VGluT2+VGaT+ neurons may integrate diverse signals related to the detection and processing of motivationally-salient outcomes. Further, VTA VGluT2+VGaT+ neurons may signal threat-related outcomes, possibly via input from lateral hypothalamus glutamate neurons, but not threat-induced behavioral kinematics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily D. Prévost
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, 2860 Wilderness Pl, Boulder, CO 80301
| | - Alysabeth Phillips
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, 2860 Wilderness Pl, Boulder, CO 80301
| | - Kristoffer Lauridsen
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, 2860 Wilderness Pl, Boulder, CO 80301
| | - Gunnar Enserro
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, 2860 Wilderness Pl, Boulder, CO 80301
| | - Bodhi Rubinstein
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, 2860 Wilderness Pl, Boulder, CO 80301
| | - Daniel Alas
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, 2860 Wilderness Pl, Boulder, CO 80301
| | - Dillon J. McGovern
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, 2860 Wilderness Pl, Boulder, CO 80301
| | - Annie Ly
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, 2860 Wilderness Pl, Boulder, CO 80301
| | - Makaila Banks
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, 2860 Wilderness Pl, Boulder, CO 80301
| | - Connor McNulty
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, 2860 Wilderness Pl, Boulder, CO 80301
| | - Yoon Seok Kim
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Lief E. Fenno
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Current address: Department of Neuroscience, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin 78712
| | - Charu Ramakrishnan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Karl Deisseroth
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - David H. Root
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, 2860 Wilderness Pl, Boulder, CO 80301
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12
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Maddaloni G, Chang YJ, Senft RA, Dymecki SM. A brain circuit and neuronal mechanism for decoding and adapting to change in daylength. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.11.557218. [PMID: 37745319 PMCID: PMC10515809 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.11.557218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Changes in daylight amount (photoperiod) drive pronounced alterations in physiology and behaviour1,2. Adaptive responses to seasonal photoperiods are vital to all organisms - dysregulation is associated with disease, from affective disorders3 to metabolic syndromes4. Circadian rhythm circuitry has been implicated5,6 yet little is known about the precise neural and cellular substrates that underlie phase synchronization to photoperiod change. Here we present a previously unknown brain circuit and novel system of axon branch-specific and reversible neurotransmitter deployment that together prove critical for behavioural and sleep adaptation to photoperiod change. We found that the recently defined neuron type called mrEn1-Pet17 located in the mouse brainstem Median Raphe Nucleus (MRN) segregates serotonin versus VGLUT3 (here proxy for the neurotransmitter glutamate) to different axonal branches innervating specific brain regions involved in circadian rhythm and sleep/wake timing8,9. We found that whether measured during the light or dark phase of the day this branch-specific neurotransmitter deployment in mrEn1-Pet1 neurons was indistinguishable; however, it strikingly reorganizes on photoperiod change. Specifically, axonal boutons but not cell soma show a shift in neurochemical phenotype upon change away from equinox light/dark conditions that reverses upon return to equinox. When we genetically disabled the deployment of VGLUT3 in mrEn1-Pet1 neurons, we found that sleep/wake periods and voluntary activity failed to synchronize to the new photoperiod or was significantly delayed. Combining intersectional rabies virus tracing and projection-specific neuronal silencing in vivo, we delineated a Preoptic Area-to-mrEn1Pet1 connection responsible for decoding the photoperiodic inputs, driving the neurochemical shift and promoting behavioural synchronization. Our results reveal a previously unrecognized brain circuit along with a novel form of periodic, branch-specific neurotransmitter deployment that together regulate organismal adaptation to photoperiod changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Maddaloni
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston 02115 MA, USA
| | - Y J Chang
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston 02115 MA, USA
| | - R A Senft
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston 02115 MA, USA
| | - S M Dymecki
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston 02115 MA, USA
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13
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Beckinghausen J, Ortiz-Guzman J, Lin T, Bachman B, Salazar Leon LE, Liu Y, Heck DH, Arenkiel BR, Sillitoe RV. The cerebellum contributes to generalized seizures by altering activity in the ventral posteromedial nucleus. Commun Biol 2023; 6:731. [PMID: 37454228 PMCID: PMC10349834 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05100-w] [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: 06/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Thalamo-cortical networks are central to seizures, yet it is unclear how these circuits initiate seizures. We test whether a facial region of the thalamus, the ventral posteromedial nucleus (VPM), is a source of generalized, convulsive motor seizures and if convergent VPM input drives the behavior. To address this question, we devise an in vivo optogenetic mouse model to elicit convulsive motor seizures by driving these inputs and perform single-unit recordings during awake, convulsive seizures to define the local activity of thalamic neurons before, during, and after seizure onset. We find dynamic activity with biphasic properties, raising the possibility that heterogenous activity promotes seizures. Virus tracing identifies cerebellar and cerebral cortical afferents as robust contributors to the seizures. Of these inputs, only microinfusion of lidocaine into the cerebellar nuclei blocks seizure initiation. Our data reveal the VPM as a source of generalized convulsive seizures, with cerebellar input providing critical signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaclyn Beckinghausen
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute of Texas Children's Hospital, 1250 Moursund Street, Suite 1325, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Joshua Ortiz-Guzman
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute of Texas Children's Hospital, 1250 Moursund Street, Suite 1325, Houston, TX, USA
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Tao Lin
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute of Texas Children's Hospital, 1250 Moursund Street, Suite 1325, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Benjamin Bachman
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Luis E Salazar Leon
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute of Texas Children's Hospital, 1250 Moursund Street, Suite 1325, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Yu Liu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth, 103515 University Dr., Duluth, MN, USA
| | - Detlef H Heck
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth, 103515 University Dr., Duluth, MN, USA
| | - Benjamin R Arenkiel
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute of Texas Children's Hospital, 1250 Moursund Street, Suite 1325, Houston, TX, USA
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Roy V Sillitoe
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute of Texas Children's Hospital, 1250 Moursund Street, Suite 1325, Houston, TX, USA.
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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14
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Lee C, Côté SL, Raman N, Chaudhary H, Mercado BC, Chen SX. Whole-brain mapping of long-range inputs to the VIP-expressing inhibitory neurons in the primary motor cortex. Front Neural Circuits 2023; 17:1093066. [PMID: 37275468 PMCID: PMC10237295 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2023.1093066] [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: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The primary motor cortex (MOp) is an important site for motor skill learning. Interestingly, neurons in MOp possess reward-related activity, presumably to facilitate reward-based motor learning. While pyramidal neurons (PNs) and different subtypes of GABAergic inhibitory interneurons (INs) in MOp all undergo cell-type specific plastic changes during motor learning, the vasoactive intestinal peptide-expressing inhibitory interneurons (VIP-INs) in MOp have been shown to preferentially respond to reward and play a critical role in the early phases of motor learning by triggering local circuit plasticity. To understand how VIP-INs might integrate various streams of information, such as sensory, pre-motor, and reward-related inputs, to regulate local plasticity in MOp, we performed monosynaptic rabies tracing experiments and employed an automated cell counting pipeline to generate a comprehensive map of brain-wide inputs to VIP-INs in MOp. We then compared this input profile to the brain-wide inputs to somatostatin-expressing inhibitory interneurons (SST-INs) and parvalbumin-expressing inhibitory interneurons (PV-INs) in MOp. We found that while all cell types received major inputs from sensory, motor, and prefrontal cortical regions, as well as from various thalamic nuclei, VIP-INs received more inputs from the orbital frontal cortex (ORB) - a region associated with reinforcement learning and value predictions. Our findings provide insight on how the brain leverages microcircuit motifs by both integrating and partitioning different streams of long-range input to modulate local circuit activity and plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Candice Lee
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Sandrine L. Côté
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Nima Raman
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Hritvic Chaudhary
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Bryan C. Mercado
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Simon X. Chen
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Center for Neural Dynamics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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15
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Liu H, Li X, Li P, Hai R, Li J, Fan Q, Wang X, Chen Y, Cao X, Zhang X, Gao R, Wang K, Du C. Glutamatergic melanocortin-4 receptor neurons regulate body weight. FASEB J 2023; 37:e22920. [PMID: 37078546 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202201786r] [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: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023]
Abstract
The locus coeruleus (LC), enriched in vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (VGlut2) neurons, is a potential homeostasis-regulating hub. However, the identity of melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) neurons in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus, PVNVGlut2::MC4R and LCVGlut2::MC4R regulation of body weight, and axonal projections of LCVGlut2 neurons remain unclear. Conditional knockout of MC4R in chimeric mice was used to confirm the effects of VGlut2. Interscapular brown adipose tissue was injected with pseudorabies virus to study the central nervous system projections. We mapped the LCVGlut2 circuitry. Based on the Cre-LoxP recombination system, specific knockdown of MC4R in VGlut2 neurons resulted in weight gain in chimeric mice. Adeno-associated virus-mediated knockdown of MC4R expression in the PVN and LC had potential superimposed effects on weight gain, demonstrating the importance of VGlut2 neurons. Unlike these wide-ranging efferent projections, the PVN, hypothalamic arcuate nucleus, supraoptic nucleus of the lateral olfactory tegmental nuclei, and nucleus tractus solitarius send excitatory projections to LCVGlut2 neurons. The PVN → LC glutamatergic MC4R long-term neural circuit positively affected weight management and could help treat obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haodong Liu
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Basic Veterinary Science, Hohhot, China
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - Xiaojing Li
- College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - Penghui Li
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Basic Veterinary Science, Hohhot, China
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - Rihan Hai
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
- Vocational and Technical College, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Baotou, China
| | - Jiacheng Li
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Basic Veterinary Science, Hohhot, China
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - Qi Fan
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Basic Veterinary Science, Hohhot, China
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - Xing Wang
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Basic Veterinary Science, Hohhot, China
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - Yujie Chen
- Vocational and Technical College, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Baotou, China
| | - Xiaojuan Cao
- Vocational and Technical College, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Baotou, China
| | - Xiaoyu Zhang
- Vocational and Technical College, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Baotou, China
| | - Ruifeng Gao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - Kun Wang
- Institute of Cereal and Oil Crops, Hebei Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Shijiazhuang, China
- Key Laboratory of Crop Cultivation Physiology and Green Production in Hebei Province, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Chenguang Du
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Basic Veterinary Science, Hohhot, China
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
- Vocational and Technical College, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Baotou, China
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16
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Canales A, Scheuer KS, Zhao X, Jackson MB. Unitary synaptic responses of parvalbumin interneurons evoked by excitatory neurons in the mouse barrel cortex. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:5108-5121. [PMID: 36227216 PMCID: PMC10151880 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac403] [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: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The mammalian cortex integrates and processes information to transform sensory inputs into perceptions and motor outputs. These operations are performed by networks of excitatory and inhibitory neurons distributed through the cortical layers. Parvalbumin interneurons (PVIs) are the most abundant type of inhibitory cortical neuron. With axons projecting within and between layers, PVIs supply feedforward and feedback inhibition to control and modulate circuit function. Distinct populations of excitatory neurons recruit different PVI populations, but the specializations of these synapses are poorly understood. Here, we targeted a genetically encoded hybrid voltage sensor to PVIs and used fluorescence imaging in mouse somatosensory cortex slices to record their voltage changes. Stimulating a single visually identified excitatory neuron with small-tipped theta-glass electrodes depolarized multiple PVIs, and a common threshold suggested that stimulation elicited unitary synaptic potentials in response to a single excitatory neuron. Excitatory neurons depolarized PVIs in multiple layers, with the most residing in the layer of the stimulated neuron. Spiny stellate cells depolarized PVIs more strongly than pyramidal cells by up to 77%, suggesting a greater role for stellate cells in recruiting PVI inhibition and controlling cortical computations. Response half-width also varied between different excitatory inputs. These results demonstrate functional differences between excitatory synapses on PVIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandra Canales
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53705, United States
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Katherine S Scheuer
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53705, United States
| | - Xinyu Zhao
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53705, United States
| | - Meyer B Jackson
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53705, United States
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17
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Yao S, Wang Q, Hirokawa KE, Ouellette B, Ahmed R, Bomben J, Brouner K, Casal L, Caldejon S, Cho A, Dotson NI, Daigle TL, Egdorf T, Enstrom R, Gary A, Gelfand E, Gorham M, Griffin F, Gu H, Hancock N, Howard R, Kuan L, Lambert S, Lee EK, Luviano J, Mace K, Maxwell M, Mortrud MT, Naeemi M, Nayan C, Ngo NK, Nguyen T, North K, Ransford S, Ruiz A, Seid S, Swapp J, Taormina MJ, Wakeman W, Zhou T, Nicovich PR, Williford A, Potekhina L, McGraw M, Ng L, Groblewski PA, Tasic B, Mihalas S, Harris JA, Cetin A, Zeng H. A whole-brain monosynaptic input connectome to neuron classes in mouse visual cortex. Nat Neurosci 2023; 26:350-364. [PMID: 36550293 PMCID: PMC10039800 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-022-01219-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Identification of structural connections between neurons is a prerequisite to understanding brain function. Here we developed a pipeline to systematically map brain-wide monosynaptic input connections to genetically defined neuronal populations using an optimized rabies tracing system. We used mouse visual cortex as the exemplar system and revealed quantitative target-specific, layer-specific and cell-class-specific differences in its presynaptic connectomes. The retrograde connectivity indicates the presence of ventral and dorsal visual streams and further reveals topographically organized and continuously varying subnetworks mediated by different higher visual areas. The visual cortex hierarchy can be derived from intracortical feedforward and feedback pathways mediated by upper-layer and lower-layer input neurons. We also identify a new role for layer 6 neurons in mediating reciprocal interhemispheric connections. This study expands our knowledge of the visual system connectomes and demonstrates that the pipeline can be scaled up to dissect connectivity of different cell populations across the mouse brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shenqin Yao
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - Quanxin Wang
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Karla E Hirokawa
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
- Cajal Neuroscience, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Linzy Casal
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Andy Cho
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | - Tom Egdorf
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Amanda Gary
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Hong Gu
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | - Leonard Kuan
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Kyla Mace
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Kat North
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
- Cajal Neuroscience, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | - Sam Seid
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jackie Swapp
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | - Thomas Zhou
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Philip R Nicovich
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
- Cajal Neuroscience, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | - Medea McGraw
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Lydia Ng
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Julie A Harris
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
- Cajal Neuroscience, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Ali Cetin
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
- CNC Program, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Hongkui Zeng
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA.
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18
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Guy J, Möck M, Staiger JF. Direction selectivity of inhibitory interneurons in mouse barrel cortex differs between interneuron subtypes. Cell Rep 2023; 42:111936. [PMID: 36640357 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111936] [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: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
GABAergic interneurons represent ∼15% to 20% of all cortical neurons, but their diversity grants them unique roles in cortical circuits. In the barrel cortex, responses of excitatory neurons to stimulation of facial whiskers are direction selective, whereby excitation is maximized over a narrow range of angular deflections. Whether GABAergic interneurons are also direction selective is unclear. Here, we use two-photon-guided whole-cell recordings in the barrel cortex of anesthetized mice and control whisker stimulation to measure direction selectivity in defined interneuron subtypes. Selectivity is ubiquitous in interneurons, but tuning sharpness varies across populations. Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) interneurons are as selective as pyramidal neurons, but parvalbumin (PV) interneurons are more broadly tuned. Furthermore, a majority (2/3) of somatostatin (SST) interneurons receive direction-selective inhibition, with the rest receiving direction-selective excitation. Sensory evoked activity in the barrel cortex is thus cell-type specific, suggesting that interneuron subtypes make distinct contributions to cortical representations of stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Guy
- Institute for Neuroanatomy, University Medical Center, 37075 Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany
| | - Martin Möck
- Institute for Neuroanatomy, University Medical Center, 37075 Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany
| | - Jochen F Staiger
- Institute for Neuroanatomy, University Medical Center, 37075 Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany.
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19
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Qi ZX, Shen KL, Peng JY, Fan XJ, Huang HW, Jiang JL, Lu JH, Wang XQ, Fang XX, Chen L, Zhuang QX. Histamine bidirectionally regulates the intrinsic excitability of parvalbumin-positive neurons in the lateral globus pallidus and promotes motor behaviour. Br J Pharmacol 2022; 180:1379-1407. [PMID: 36512485 DOI: 10.1111/bph.16010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Parvalbumin (PV)-positive neurons are a type of neuron in the lateral globus pallidus (LGP) which plays an important role in motor control. The present study investigated the effect of histamine on LGPPV neurons and motor behaviour. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Histamine levels in LGP as well as its histaminergic innervation were determined through brain stimulation, microdialysis, anterograde tracing and immunostaining. Mechanisms of histamine action were detected by immunostaining, single-cell qPCR, whole-cell patch-clamp recording, optogenetic stimulation and CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing techniques. The effect of histamine on motor behaviour was detected by animal behavioural tests. KEY RESULTS A direct histaminergic innervation in LGP from the tuberomammillary nucleus (TMN) and a histamine-induced increase in the intrinsic excitability of LGPPV neurons were determined by pharmacological blockade or by genetic knockout of the histamine H1 receptor (H1 R)-coupled TWIK-related potassium channel-1 (TREK-1) and the small-conductance calcium-activated potassium channel (SK3), as well as by activation or overexpression of the histamine H2 receptor (H2 R)-coupled hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channel (HCN2). Histamine negatively regulated the STN → LGPGlu transmission in LGPPV neurons via the histamine H3 receptor (H3 R), whereas blockage or knockout of H3 R increased the intrinsic excitability of LGPPV neurons. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Our results indicated that the endogenous histaminergic innervation in the LGP can bidirectionally promote motor control by increasing the intrinsic excitability of LGPPV neurons through postsynaptic H1 R and H2 R, albeit its action was negatively regulated by the presynaptic H3 R, thereby suggesting possible role of histamine in motor deficits manifested in Parkinson's disease (PD).
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeng-Xin Qi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,National Center for Neurological Disorders, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function Restoration and Neural Regeneration, Shanghai, China
| | - Kang-Li Shen
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, and Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jian-Ya Peng
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, and Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiu-Juan Fan
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, and Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hui-Wei Huang
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, and Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jian-Lan Jiang
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, and Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jian-Hua Lu
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, and Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiao-Qin Wang
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, and Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiao-Xia Fang
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, and Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Liang Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,National Center for Neurological Disorders, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function Restoration and Neural Regeneration, Shanghai, China.,State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qian-Xing Zhuang
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, and Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
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20
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Michaluk P, Rusakov DA. Monitoring cell membrane recycling dynamics of proteins using whole-cell fluorescence recovery after photobleaching of pH-sensitive genetic tags. Nat Protoc 2022; 17:3056-3079. [PMID: 36064755 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-022-00732-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Population behavior of signaling molecules on the cell surface is key to their adaptive function. Live imaging of proteins tagged with fluorescent molecules has been an essential tool in understanding this behavior. Typically, genetic or chemical tags are used to target molecules present throughout the cell, whereas antibody-based tags label the externally exposed molecular domains only. Both approaches could potentially overlook the intricate process of in-out membrane recycling in which target molecules appear or disappear on the cell surface. This limitation is overcome by using a pH-sensitive fluorescent tag, such as Super-Ecliptic pHluorin (SEP), because its emission depends on whether it resides inside or outside the cell. Here we focus on the main glial glutamate transporter GLT1 and describe a genetic design that equips GLT1 molecules with SEP without interfering with the transporter's main function. Expressing GLT1-SEP in astroglia in cultures or in hippocampal slices enables monitoring of the real-time dynamics of the cell-surface and cytosolic fractions of the transporter in living cells. Whole-cell fluorescence recovery after photobleaching and quantitative image-kinetic analysis of the resulting time-lapse images enables assessment of the rate of GLT1-SEP recycling on the cell surface, a fundamental trafficking parameter unattainable previously. The present protocol takes 15-20 d to set up cell preparations, and 2-3 d to carry out live cell experiments and data analyses. The protocol can be adapted to study different membrane molecules of interest, particularly those proteins whose lifetime on the cell surface is critical to their adaptive function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Michaluk
- UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.
- BRAINCITY, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology PAS, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Dmitri A Rusakov
- UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.
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21
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Lu J, Chen B, Levy M, Xu P, Han BX, Takatoh J, Thompson PM, He Z, Prevosto V, Wang F. Somatosensory cortical signature of facial nociception and vibrotactile touch-induced analgesia. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabn6530. [PMID: 36383651 PMCID: PMC9668294 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abn6530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Pain relief by vibrotactile touch is a common human experience. Previous neurophysiological investigations of its underlying mechanism in animals focused on spinal circuits, while human studies suggested the involvement of supraspinal pathways. Here, we examine the role of primary somatosensory cortex (S1) in touch-induced mechanical and heat analgesia. We found that, in mice, vibrotactile reafferent signals from self-generated whisking significantly reduce facial nociception, which is abolished by specifically blocking touch transmission from thalamus to the barrel cortex (S1B). Using a signal separation algorithm that can decompose calcium signals into sensory-evoked, whisking, or face-wiping responses, we found that the presence of whisking altered nociceptive signal processing in S1B neurons. Analysis of S1B population dynamics revealed that whisking pushes the transition of the neural state induced by noxious stimuli toward the outcome of non-nocifensive actions. Thus, S1B integrates facial tactile and noxious signals to enable touch-mediated analgesia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinghao Lu
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Bin Chen
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Manuel Levy
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Peng Xu
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Bao-Xia Han
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Jun Takatoh
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - P. M. Thompson
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Zhigang He
- Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Vincent Prevosto
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Fan Wang
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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22
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Wen Y, Wu Q, Zhang L, He J, Chen Y, Yang X, Zhang K, Niu X, Li S. Association of Intrauterine Microbes with Endometrial Factors in Intrauterine Adhesion Formation and after Medicine Treatment. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11070784. [PMID: 35890029 PMCID: PMC9322781 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11070784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Intrauterine adhesions (IUAs) have caused serious harm to women’s reproductive health. Although emerging evidence has linked intrauterine microbiome to gynecological diseases, the association of intrauterine microbiome with IUA, remains unknown. We performed metagenome-wide association, metabolomics, and transcriptomics studies on IUA and non-IUA uteri of adult rats to identify IUA-associated microbial species, which affected uterine metabolites and endometrial transcriptions. A rat model was used with one side of the duplex uterus undergoing IUA and the other remaining as a non-IUA control. Both 16S rRNA sequencing and metagenome-wide association analysis revealed that instead of Mycoplasmopsis specie in genital tract, murine lung pathogen Mycoplasmopsispulmonis markedly increased in IUA samples and displayed a distinct positive interaction with the host immune system. Moreover, most of the IUA-enriched 58 metabolites positively correlate with M.pulmonis, which inversely correlates with a mitotic progression inhibitor named 3-hydroxycapric acid. A comparison of metabolic profiles of intrauterine flushing fluids from human patients with IUA, endometritis, and fallopian tube obstruction suggested that rat IUA shared much similarity to human IUA. The endometrial gene Tenascin-N, which is responsible for extracellular matrix of wounds, was highly up-regulated, while the key genes encoding parvalbumin, trophectoderm Dkkl1 and telomerase involved in leydig cells, trophectoderm cells, activated T cells and monocytes were dramatically down-regulated in rat IUA endometria. Treatment for rat IUA with estrogen (E2), oxytetracycline (OTC), and a traditional Chinese patent medicine GongXueNing (GXN) did not reduce the incidence of IUA, though inflammatory factor IL-6 was dramatically down-regulated (96–86%) with all three. Instead, in both the E2 and OTC treated groups, IUA became worse with a highly up-regulated B cell receptor signaling pathway, which may be associated with the significantly increased proportions of Ulvibacter or Staphylococcus. Our results suggest an association between intrauterine microbiota alterations, certain uterine metabolites, characteristic changes in endometrial transcription, and IUA and the possibility to intervene in IUA formation by targeting the causal factors, microbial infection, and Tenascin-like proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya Wen
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, Key Laboratory for Microbial Resources of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China; (Y.W.); (Q.W.); (L.Z.); (J.H.); (Y.C.); (X.Y.); (K.Z.)
- Department of Reproduction and Genetics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650091, China
| | - Qunfu Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, Key Laboratory for Microbial Resources of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China; (Y.W.); (Q.W.); (L.Z.); (J.H.); (Y.C.); (X.Y.); (K.Z.)
| | - Longlong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, Key Laboratory for Microbial Resources of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China; (Y.W.); (Q.W.); (L.Z.); (J.H.); (Y.C.); (X.Y.); (K.Z.)
| | - Jiangbo He
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, Key Laboratory for Microbial Resources of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China; (Y.W.); (Q.W.); (L.Z.); (J.H.); (Y.C.); (X.Y.); (K.Z.)
- Kunming Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Kunming University, Kunming 650214, China
| | - Yonghong Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, Key Laboratory for Microbial Resources of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China; (Y.W.); (Q.W.); (L.Z.); (J.H.); (Y.C.); (X.Y.); (K.Z.)
| | - Xiaoyu Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, Key Laboratory for Microbial Resources of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China; (Y.W.); (Q.W.); (L.Z.); (J.H.); (Y.C.); (X.Y.); (K.Z.)
- Regenerative Medicine Research Center, The First People’s Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming 650034, China
| | - Keqin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, Key Laboratory for Microbial Resources of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China; (Y.W.); (Q.W.); (L.Z.); (J.H.); (Y.C.); (X.Y.); (K.Z.)
| | - Xuemei Niu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, Key Laboratory for Microbial Resources of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China; (Y.W.); (Q.W.); (L.Z.); (J.H.); (Y.C.); (X.Y.); (K.Z.)
- Correspondence: (X.N.); (S.L.)
| | - Shenghong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
- Correspondence: (X.N.); (S.L.)
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23
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Jacobsen RI, Nair RR, Obenhaus HA, Donato F, Slettmoen T, Moser MB, Moser EI. All-viral tracing of monosynaptic inputs to single birthdate-defined neurons in the intact brain. CELL REPORTS METHODS 2022; 2:100221. [PMID: 35637903 PMCID: PMC9142754 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2022.100221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Neuronal firing patterns are the result of inputs converging onto single cells. Identifying these inputs, anatomically and functionally, is essential to understand how neurons integrate information. Single-cell electroporation of helper genes and subsequent local injection of recombinant rabies viruses enable precise mapping of inputs to individual cells in superficial layers of the intact cortex. However, access to neurons in deeper structures requires more invasive procedures, including removal of overlying tissue. We developed a method that, through a combination of virus injections, allows us to target 4 or fewer hippocampal cells 48% of the time and a single cell 16% of the time in wild-type mice without use of electroporation or tissue aspiration. We identify local and distant monosynaptic inputs that can be functionally characterized in vivo. By expanding the toolbox for monosynaptic circuit tracing, this method will help further our understanding of neuronal integration at the level of single cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- R. Irene Jacobsen
- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience and Centre for Neural Computation, NTNU, Trondheim 7030, Norway
| | - Rajeevkumar R. Nair
- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience and Centre for Neural Computation, NTNU, Trondheim 7030, Norway
| | - Horst A. Obenhaus
- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience and Centre for Neural Computation, NTNU, Trondheim 7030, Norway
| | - Flavio Donato
- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience and Centre for Neural Computation, NTNU, Trondheim 7030, Norway
| | - Torstein Slettmoen
- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience and Centre for Neural Computation, NTNU, Trondheim 7030, Norway
| | - May-Britt Moser
- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience and Centre for Neural Computation, NTNU, Trondheim 7030, Norway
| | - Edvard I. Moser
- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience and Centre for Neural Computation, NTNU, Trondheim 7030, Norway
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24
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Ledderose JMT, Benitez JA, Roberts AJ, Reed R, Bintig W, Larkum ME, Sachdev RNS, Furnari F, Eickholt BJ. The impact of phosphorylated PTEN at threonine 366 on cortical connectivity and behaviour. Brain 2022; 145:3608-3621. [PMID: 35603900 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awac188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The lipid phosphatase PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homologue on chromosome 10) is a key tumour suppressor gene and an important regulator of neuronal signalling. PTEN mutations have been identified in patients with autism spectrum disorders, characterized by macrocephaly, impaired social interactions and communication, repetitive behaviour, intellectual disability, and epilepsy. PTEN enzymatic activity is regulated by a cluster of phosphorylation sites at the C-terminus of the protein. Here, we focussed on the role of PTEN T366 phosphorylation and generated a knock-in mouse line in which Pten T366 was substituted with alanine (PtenT366A/T366A). We identify that phosphorylation of PTEN at T366 controls neuron size and connectivity of brain circuits involved in sensory processing. We show in behavioural tests that PtenT366/T366A mice exhibit cognitive deficits and selective sensory impairments, with significant differences in male individuals. We identify restricted cellular overgrowth of cortical neurons in PtenT366A/T366A brains, linked to increases in both dendritic arborization and soma size. In a combinatorial approach of anterograde and retrograde monosynaptic tracing using rabies virus, we characterize differences in connectivity to the primary somatosensory cortex of PtenT366A/T366A brains, with imbalances in long-range cortico-cortical input to neurons. We conclude that phosphorylation of PTEN at T366 controls neuron size and connectivity of brain circuits involved in sensory processing and propose that PTEN T366 signalling may account for a subset of autism-related functions of PTEN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia M T Ledderose
- Institute for Biochemistry, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany.,Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jorge A Benitez
- Bristol Myers Squibb, 10300 Campus Point Drive, Suite 100, San Diego, California, 92121, USA
| | - Amanda J Roberts
- The Scripps Research Institute, Animal Models Core, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Rachel Reed
- Bristol Myers Squibb, 10300 Campus Point Drive, Suite 100, San Diego, California, 92121, USA
| | - Willem Bintig
- Institute for Biochemistry, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
| | - Matthew E Larkum
- Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany.,Neurocure Center for Excellence, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Frank Furnari
- Ludwig Cancer Institute, San Diego, USA.,University of California San Diego, La Jolla, USA
| | - Britta J Eickholt
- Institute for Biochemistry, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany.,Neurocure Center for Excellence, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
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25
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Speigel IA, Hemmings Jr. HC. Relevance of Cortical and Hippocampal Interneuron Functional Diversity to General Anesthetic Mechanisms: A Narrative Review. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2022; 13:812905. [PMID: 35153712 PMCID: PMC8825374 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2021.812905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
General anesthetics disrupt brain processes involved in consciousness by altering synaptic patterns of excitation and inhibition. In the cerebral cortex and hippocampus, GABAergic inhibition is largely mediated by inhibitory interneurons, a heterogeneous group of specialized neuronal subtypes that form characteristic microcircuits with excitatory neurons. Distinct interneuron subtypes regulate specific excitatory neuron networks during normal behavior, but how these interneuron subtypes are affected by general anesthetics is unclear. This narrative review summarizes current principles of the synaptic architecture of cortical and interneuron subtypes, their contributions to different forms of inhibition, and their roles in distinct neuronal microcircuits. The molecular and cellular targets in these circuits that are sensitive to anesthetics are reviewed in the context of how anesthetics impact interneuron function in a subtype-specific manner. The implications of this functional interneuron diversity for mechanisms of anesthesia are discussed, as are their implications for anesthetic-induced changes in neural plasticity and overall brain function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris A. Speigel
- Department of Anesthesiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- *Correspondence: Iris A. Speigel
| | - Hugh C. Hemmings Jr.
- Department of Anesthesiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
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26
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Deemyad T, Puig S, Papale AE, Qi H, LaRocca GM, Aravind D, LaNoce E, Urban NN. Lateralized Decrease of Parvalbumin+ Cells in the Somatosensory Cortex of ASD Models Is Correlated with Unilateral Tactile Hypersensitivity. Cereb Cortex 2021; 32:554-568. [PMID: 34347040 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Inhibitory control of excitatory networks contributes to cortical functions. Increasing evidence indicates that parvalbumin (PV+)-expressing basket cells (BCs) are a major player in maintaining the balance between excitation (E) and inhibition (I). Disruption of E/I balance in cortical networks is believed to be a hallmark of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Here, we report a lateralized decrease in the number of PV+ BCs in L2/3 of the somatosensory cortex in the dominant hemisphere of Shank3-/- and Cntnap2-/- mouse models of ASD. The dominant hemisphere was identified during a reaching task to establish each animal's dominant forepaw. Double labeling with anti-PV antibody and a biotinylated lectin (Vicia villosa lectin [VVA]) showed that the number of BCs was not different but rather, some BCs did not express PV (PV-), resulting in an elevated number of PV- VVA+ BCs. Finally, we showed that dominant hindpaws had higher mechanical sensitivity when compared with the other hindpaws. This mechanical hypersensitivity in the dominant paw strongly correlated with the decrease in the number of PV+ interneurons and reduced PV expression in the corresponding cortex. Together, these results suggest that the hypersensitivity in ASD patients could be due to decreased inhibitory inputs to the dominant somatosensory cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara Deemyad
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Translational Neuroscience Program, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA
| | - Stephanie Puig
- Department of Psychiatry, Translational Neuroscience Program, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA
| | - Andrew E Papale
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Hang Qi
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Gregory M LaRocca
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Deepthi Aravind
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Emma LaNoce
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Nathaniel N Urban
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.,Center for Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
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27
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Bucher EA, Collins JM, King AE, Vickers JC, Kirkcaldie MTK. Coherence and cognition in the cortex: the fundamental role of parvalbumin, myelin, and the perineuronal net. Brain Struct Funct 2021; 226:2041-2055. [PMID: 34175994 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-021-02327-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The calcium binding protein parvalbumin is expressed in interneurons of two main morphologies, the basket and chandelier cells, which target perisomatic domains on principal cells and are extensively interconnected in laminar networks by synapses and gap junctions. Beyond its utility as a convenient cellular marker, parvalbumin is an unambiguous identifier of the key role that these interneurons play in the fundamental functions of the cortex. They provide a temporal framework for principal cell activity by propagating gamma oscillation, providing coherence for cortical information processing and the basis for timing-dependent plasticity processes. As these parvalbumin networks mature, they are physically and functionally stabilised by axonal myelination and development of the extracellular matrix structure termed the perineuronal net. This maturation correlates with the emergence of high-speed, highly energetic activity and provides a coherent foundation for the unique ability of the cortex to cross-correlate activity across sensory modes and internal representations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellie A Bucher
- Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 143, Hobart, TAS, 7001, Australia
| | - Jessica M Collins
- Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 143, Hobart, TAS, 7001, Australia
| | - Anna E King
- Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 143, Hobart, TAS, 7001, Australia
| | - James C Vickers
- Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 143, Hobart, TAS, 7001, Australia
| | - Matthew T K Kirkcaldie
- Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 143, Hobart, TAS, 7001, Australia.
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28
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Tan LL, Oswald MJ, Kuner R. Neurobiology of brain oscillations in acute and chronic pain. Trends Neurosci 2021; 44:629-642. [PMID: 34176645 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2021.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Pain is a complex perceptual phenomenon. Coordinated activity among local and distant brain networks is a central element of the neural underpinnings of pain. Brain oscillatory rhythms across diverse frequency ranges provide a functional substrate for coordinating activity across local neuronal ensembles and anatomically distant brain areas in pain networks. This review addresses parallels between insights from human and rodent analyses of oscillatory rhythms in acute and chronic pain and discusses recent rodent-based studies that have shed light on mechanistic underpinnings of brain oscillatory dynamics in pain-related behaviors. We highlight the potential for therapeutic modulation of oscillatory rhythms, and identify outstanding questions and challenges to be addressed in future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linette Liqi Tan
- Institute of Pharmacology, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 366, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Manfred Josef Oswald
- Institute of Pharmacology, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 366, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rohini Kuner
- Institute of Pharmacology, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 366, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
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29
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Faulkner RL, Wall NR, Callaway EM, Cline HT. Application of Recombinant Rabies Virus to Xenopus Tadpole Brain. eNeuro 2021; 8:ENEURO.0477-20.2021. [PMID: 34099488 PMCID: PMC8260272 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0477-20.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The Xenopus laevis experimental system has provided significant insight into the development and plasticity of neural circuits. Xenopus neuroscience research would be enhanced by additional tools to study neural circuit structure and function. Rabies viruses are powerful tools to label and manipulate neural circuits and have been widely used to study mesoscale connectomics. Whether rabies virus can be used to transduce neurons and express transgenes in Xenopus has not been systematically investigated. Glycoprotein-deleted rabies virus transduces neurons at the axon terminal and retrogradely labels their cell bodies. We show that glycoprotein-deleted rabies virus infects local and projection neurons in the Xenopus tadpole when directly injected into brain tissue. Pseudotyping glycoprotein-deleted rabies with EnvA restricts infection to cells with exogenous expression of the EnvA receptor, TVA. EnvA pseudotyped virus specifically infects tadpole neurons with promoter-driven expression of TVA, demonstrating its utility to label targeted neuronal populations. Neuronal cell types are defined by a combination of features including anatomical location, expression of genetic markers, axon projection sites, morphology, and physiological properties. We show that driving TVA expression in one hemisphere and injecting EnvA pseudotyped virus into the contralateral hemisphere, retrogradely labels neurons defined by cell body location and axon projection site. Using this approach, rabies can be used to identify cell types in Xenopus brain and simultaneously to express transgenes which enable monitoring or manipulation of neuronal activity. This makes rabies a valuable tool to study the structure and function of neural circuits in Xenopus.Significance StatementStudies in Xenopus have contributed a great deal to our understanding of brain circuit development and plasticity, regeneration, and hormonal regulation of behavior and metamorphosis. Here, we show that recombinant rabies virus transduces neurons in the Xenopus tadpole, enlarging the toolbox that can be applied to studying Xenopus brain. Rabies can be used for retrograde labeling and expression of a broad range of transgenes including fluorescent proteins for anatomical tracing and studying neuronal morphology, voltage or calcium indicators to visualize neuronal activity, and photo- or chemosensitive channels to control neuronal activity. The versatility of these tools enables diverse experiments to analyze and manipulate Xenopus brain structure and function, including mesoscale connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Regina L Faulkner
- Neuroscience Department and The Dorris Neuroscience Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla CA
| | | | | | - Hollis T Cline
- Neuroscience Department and The Dorris Neuroscience Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla CA
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30
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Brown APY, Cossell L, Strom M, Tyson AL, Vélez-Fort M, Margrie TW. Analysis of segmentation ontology reveals the similarities and differences in connectivity onto L2/3 neurons in mouse V1. Sci Rep 2021; 11:4983. [PMID: 33654118 PMCID: PMC7925549 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-82353-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Quantitatively comparing brain-wide connectivity of different types of neuron is of vital importance in understanding the function of the mammalian cortex. Here we have designed an analytical approach to examine and compare datasets from hierarchical segmentation ontologies, and applied it to long-range presynaptic connectivity onto excitatory and inhibitory neurons, mainly located in layer 2/3 (L2/3), of mouse primary visual cortex (V1). We find that the origins of long-range connections onto these two general cell classes-as well as their proportions-are quite similar, in contrast to the inputs on to a cell type in L6. These anatomical data suggest that distal inputs received by the general excitatory and inhibitory classes of neuron in L2/3 overlap considerably.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander P Y Brown
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University College London, 25 Howland Street, London, W1T 4JG, UK
| | - Lee Cossell
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University College London, 25 Howland Street, London, W1T 4JG, UK
| | - Molly Strom
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University College London, 25 Howland Street, London, W1T 4JG, UK
| | - Adam L Tyson
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University College London, 25 Howland Street, London, W1T 4JG, UK
| | - Mateo Vélez-Fort
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University College London, 25 Howland Street, London, W1T 4JG, UK
| | - Troy W Margrie
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University College London, 25 Howland Street, London, W1T 4JG, UK.
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31
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Hafner G, Guy J, Witte M, Truschow P, Rüppel A, Sirmpilatze N, Dadarwal R, Boretius S, Staiger JF. Increased Callosal Connectivity in Reeler Mice Revealed by Brain-Wide Input Mapping of VIP Neurons in Barrel Cortex. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:1427-1443. [PMID: 33135045 PMCID: PMC7869096 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Revised: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The neocortex is composed of layers. Whether layers constitute an essential framework for the formation of functional circuits is not well understood. We investigated the brain-wide input connectivity of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) expressing neurons in the reeler mouse. This mutant is characterized by a migration deficit of cortical neurons so that no layers are formed. Still, neurons retain their properties and reeler mice show little cognitive impairment. We focused on VIP neurons because they are known to receive strong long-range inputs and have a typical laminar bias toward upper layers. In reeler, these neurons are more dispersed across the cortex. We mapped the brain-wide inputs of VIP neurons in barrel cortex of wild-type and reeler mice with rabies virus tracing. Innervation by subcortical inputs was not altered in reeler, in contrast to the cortical circuitry. Numbers of long-range ipsilateral cortical inputs were reduced in reeler, while contralateral inputs were strongly increased. Reeler mice had more callosal projection neurons. Hence, the corpus callosum was larger in reeler as shown by structural imaging. We argue that, in the absence of cortical layers, circuits with subcortical structures are maintained but cortical neurons establish a different network that largely preserves cognitive functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georg Hafner
- Institute for Neuroanatomy, University Medical Center, Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Julien Guy
- Institute for Neuroanatomy, University Medical Center, Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Mirko Witte
- Institute for Neuroanatomy, University Medical Center, Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Pavel Truschow
- Institute for Neuroanatomy, University Medical Center, Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Alina Rüppel
- Institute for Neuroanatomy, University Medical Center, Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Nikoloz Sirmpilatze
- Functional Imaging Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Rakshit Dadarwal
- Functional Imaging Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Susann Boretius
- Functional Imaging Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jochen F Staiger
- Institute for Neuroanatomy, University Medical Center, Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
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32
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Naskar S, Qi J, Pereira F, Gerfen CR, Lee S. Cell-type-specific recruitment of GABAergic interneurons in the primary somatosensory cortex by long-range inputs. Cell Rep 2021; 34:108774. [PMID: 33626343 PMCID: PMC7995594 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.108774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Revised: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Extensive hierarchical yet highly reciprocal interactions among cortical areas are fundamental for information processing. However, connectivity rules governing the specificity of such corticocortical connections, and top-down feedback projections in particular, are poorly understood. We analyze synaptic strength from functionally relevant brain areas to diverse neuronal types in the primary somatosensory cortex (S1). Long-range projections from different areas preferentially engage specific sets of GABAergic neurons in S1. Projections from other somatosensory cortices strongly recruit parvalbumin (PV)-positive GABAergic neurons and lead to PV neuron-mediated feedforward inhibition of pyramidal neurons in S1. In contrast, inputs from whisker-related primary motor cortex are biased to vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)-positive GABAergic neurons and potentially result in VIP neuron-mediated disinhibition. Regardless of the input areas, somatostatin-positive neurons receive relatively weak long-range inputs. Computational analyses suggest that a characteristic combination of synaptic inputs to different GABAergic IN types in S1 represents a specific long-range input area. Naskar et al. show how functionally relevant brain areas interact with neurons in the primary somatosensory cortex, demonstrating that long-range projections from diverse brain areas differentially recruit specific subtypes of GABAergic neurons in S1, and each distinct subtype of GABAergic neurons differentially affects local network activity in S1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shovan Naskar
- Unit on Functional Neural Circuits, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jia Qi
- Unit on Functional Neural Circuits, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Francisco Pereira
- Machine Learning Team, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Charles R Gerfen
- Section on Neuroanatomy, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Soohyun Lee
- Unit on Functional Neural Circuits, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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Nahar L, Delacroix BM, Nam HW. The Role of Parvalbumin Interneurons in Neurotransmitter Balance and Neurological Disease. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:679960. [PMID: 34220586 PMCID: PMC8249927 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.679960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
While great progress has been made in the understanding of neurological illnesses, the pathologies, and etiologies that give rise to these diseases still remain an enigma, thus, also making treatments for them more challenging. For effective and individualized treatment, it is beneficial to identify the underlying mechanisms that govern the associated cognitive and behavioral processes that go awry in neurological disorders. Parvalbumin fast-spiking interneurons (Pv-FSI) are GABAergic cells that are only a small fraction of the brain's neuronal network, but manifest unique cellular and molecular properties that drastically influence the downstream effects on signaling and ultimately change cognitive behaviors. Proper brain functioning relies heavily on neuronal communication which Pv-FSI regulates, excitatory-inhibitory balances and GABAergic disinhibition between circuitries. This review highlights the depth of Pv-FSI involvement in the cortex, hippocampus, and striatum, as it pertains to expression, neurotransmission, role in neurological disorders, and dysfunction, as well as cognitive behavior and reward-seeking. Recent research has indicated that Pv-FSI play pivotal roles in the molecular pathophysiology and cognitive-behavioral deficits that are core features of many psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorders, Alzheimer's disease, and drug addiction. This suggests that Pv-FSI could be viable targets for treatment of these disorders and thus calls for further examination of the undeniable impact Pv-FSI have on the brain and cognitive behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lailun Nahar
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Neuroscience, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA, United States
| | - Blake M Delacroix
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Neuroscience, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA, United States
| | - Hyung W Nam
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Neuroscience, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA, United States
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Fenno LE, Ramakrishnan C, Kim YS, Evans KE, Lo M, Vesuna S, Inoue M, Cheung KYM, Yuen E, Pichamoorthy N, Hong ASO, Deisseroth K. Comprehensive Dual- and Triple-Feature Intersectional Single-Vector Delivery of Diverse Functional Payloads to Cells of Behaving Mammals. Neuron 2020; 107:836-853.e11. [PMID: 32574559 PMCID: PMC7687746 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2020.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Revised: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The resolution and dimensionality with which biologists can characterize cell types have expanded dramatically in recent years, and intersectional consideration of such features (e.g., multiple gene expression and anatomical parameters) is increasingly understood to be essential. At the same time, genetically targeted technology for writing in and reading out activity patterns for cells in living organisms has enabled causal investigation in physiology and behavior; however, cell-type-specific delivery of these tools (including microbial opsins for optogenetics and genetically encoded Ca2+ indicators) has thus far fallen short of versatile targeting to cells jointly defined by many individually selected features. Here, we develop a comprehensive intersectional targeting toolbox including 39 novel vectors for joint-feature-targeted delivery of 13 molecular payloads (including opsins, indicators, and fluorophores), systematic approaches for development and optimization of new intersectional tools, hardware for in vivo monitoring of expression dynamics, and the first versatile single-virus tools (Triplesect) that enable targeting of triply defined cell types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lief E Fenno
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Charu Ramakrishnan
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Yoon Seok Kim
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Kathryn E Evans
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Maisie Lo
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Sam Vesuna
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Masatoshi Inoue
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Kathy Y M Cheung
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Elle Yuen
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | | | - Alice S O Hong
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Karl Deisseroth
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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Staiger JF, Petersen CCH. Neuronal Circuits in Barrel Cortex for Whisker Sensory Perception. Physiol Rev 2020; 101:353-415. [PMID: 32816652 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00019.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The array of whiskers on the snout provides rodents with tactile sensory information relating to the size, shape and texture of objects in their immediate environment. Rodents can use their whiskers to detect stimuli, distinguish textures, locate objects and navigate. Important aspects of whisker sensation are thought to result from neuronal computations in the whisker somatosensory cortex (wS1). Each whisker is individually represented in the somatotopic map of wS1 by an anatomical unit named a 'barrel' (hence also called barrel cortex). This allows precise investigation of sensory processing in the context of a well-defined map. Here, we first review the signaling pathways from the whiskers to wS1, and then discuss current understanding of the various types of excitatory and inhibitory neurons present within wS1. Different classes of cells can be defined according to anatomical, electrophysiological and molecular features. The synaptic connectivity of neurons within local wS1 microcircuits, as well as their long-range interactions and the impact of neuromodulators, are beginning to be understood. Recent technological progress has allowed cell-type-specific connectivity to be related to cell-type-specific activity during whisker-related behaviors. An important goal for future research is to obtain a causal and mechanistic understanding of how selected aspects of tactile sensory information are processed by specific types of neurons in the synaptically connected neuronal networks of wS1 and signaled to downstream brain areas, thus contributing to sensory-guided decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jochen F Staiger
- University Medical Center Göttingen, Institute for Neuroanatomy, Göttingen, Germany; and Laboratory of Sensory Processing, Faculty of Life Sciences, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Carl C H Petersen
- University Medical Center Göttingen, Institute for Neuroanatomy, Göttingen, Germany; and Laboratory of Sensory Processing, Faculty of Life Sciences, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
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36
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Histological assessment of optogenetic tools to study fronto-visual and fronto-parietal cortical networks in the rhesus macaque. Sci Rep 2020; 10:11051. [PMID: 32632196 PMCID: PMC7338380 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-67752-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Optogenetics offers unprecedented possibilities to investigate cortical networks. Yet, the number of successful optogenetic applications in non-human primates is still low, and the consequences of opsin expression in the primate brain are not well documented. We assessed histologically if we can target cerebrocortical networks with three common optogenetic constructs (AAV2/5-CaMKIIα-eNpHR3.0-mCherry, -ChR2-eYFP, -C1V1-mCherry). The frontal eye field or the dorsal premotor area of rhesus macaques were virally injected, and the resulting transduction spread, expression specificity, and opsin trafficking into axons projecting to parietal and visual areas were examined. After variable periods (2–24 months), expression was robust for all constructs at the injection sites. The CaMKIIα promoter driven-expression was predominant, but not exclusive, in excitatory neurons. In the case of eNpHR3.0-mCherry and ChR2-eYFP, opsins were present in axonal projections to target areas, in which sparse, retrogradely transduced neurons could also be found. Finally, the intracellular distribution of opsins differed: ChR2-eYFP had almost exclusive membrane localization, while eNpHR3.0-mCherry and C1V1-mCherry showed additional intracellular accumulations, which might affect neuronal survival in the long-term. Results indicate that all three constructs can be used for local neuronal modulation, but axonal stimulation and long-term use require additional considerations of construct selection and verification.
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Lanciego JL, Wouterlood FG. Neuroanatomical tract-tracing techniques that did go viral. Brain Struct Funct 2020; 225:1193-1224. [PMID: 32062721 PMCID: PMC7271020 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-020-02041-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2019] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Neuroanatomical tracing methods remain fundamental for elucidating the complexity of brain circuits. During the past decades, the technical arsenal at our disposal has been greatly enriched, with a steady supply of fresh arrivals. This paper provides a landscape view of classical and modern tools for tract-tracing purposes. Focus is placed on methods that have gone viral, i.e., became most widespread used and fully reliable. To keep an historical perspective, we start by reviewing one-dimensional, standalone transport-tracing tools; these including today's two most favorite anterograde neuroanatomical tracers such as Phaseolus vulgaris-leucoagglutinin and biotinylated dextran amine. Next, emphasis is placed on several classical tools widely used for retrograde neuroanatomical tracing purposes, where Fluoro-Gold in our opinion represents the best example. Furthermore, it is worth noting that multi-dimensional paradigms can be designed by combining different tracers or by applying a given tracer together with detecting one or more neurochemical substances, as illustrated here with several examples. Finally, it is without any doubt that we are currently witnessing the unstoppable and spectacular rise of modern molecular-genetic techniques based on the use of modified viruses as delivery vehicles for genetic material, therefore, pushing the tract-tracing field forward into a new era. In summary, here, we aim to provide neuroscientists with the advice and background required when facing a choice on which neuroanatomical tracer-or combination thereof-might be best suited for addressing a given experimental design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose L Lanciego
- Neurosciences Department, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pio XII Avenue 55, 31008, Pamplona, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CiberNed), Pamplona, Spain.
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdiSNA), Pamplona, Spain.
| | - Floris G Wouterlood
- Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location VUmc, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, P.O. Box 7057, 1007 MB, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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Gilad A, Helmchen F. Spatiotemporal refinement of signal flow through association cortex during learning. Nat Commun 2020; 11:1744. [PMID: 32269226 PMCID: PMC7142160 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-15534-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Association areas in neocortex encode novel stimulus-outcome relationships, but the principles of their engagement during task learning remain elusive. Using chronic wide-field calcium imaging, we reveal two phases of spatiotemporal refinement of layer 2/3 cortical activity in mice learning whisker-based texture discrimination in the dark. Even before mice reach learning threshold, association cortex-including rostro-lateral (RL), posteromedial (PM), and retrosplenial dorsal (RD) areas-is generally suppressed early during trials (between auditory start cue and whisker-texture touch). As learning proceeds, a spatiotemporal activation sequence builds up, spreading from auditory areas to RL immediately before texture touch (whereas PM and RD remain suppressed) and continuing into barrel cortex, which eventually efficiently discriminates between textures. Additional correlation analysis substantiates this diverging learning-related refinement within association cortex. Our results indicate that a pre-learning phase of general suppression in association cortex precedes a learning-related phase of task-specific signal flow enhancement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariel Gilad
- Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, CH-8057, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Medical Neurobiology, Institute for Medical Research Israel Canada, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University, 9112001, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Fritjof Helmchen
- Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, CH-8057, Zurich, Switzerland.
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, CH-8057, Zurich, Switzerland.
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Sermet BS, Truschow P, Feyerabend M, Mayrhofer JM, Oram TB, Yizhar O, Staiger JF, Petersen CCH. Pathway-, layer- and cell-type-specific thalamic input to mouse barrel cortex. eLife 2019; 8:e52665. [PMID: 31860443 PMCID: PMC6924959 DOI: 10.7554/elife.52665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 12/10/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Mouse primary somatosensory barrel cortex (wS1) processes whisker sensory information, receiving input from two distinct thalamic nuclei. The first-order ventral posterior medial (VPM) somatosensory thalamic nucleus most densely innervates layer 4 (L4) barrels, whereas the higher-order posterior thalamic nucleus (medial part, POm) most densely innervates L1 and L5A. We optogenetically stimulated VPM or POm axons, and recorded evoked excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) in different cell-types across cortical layers in wS1. We found that excitatory neurons and parvalbumin-expressing inhibitory neurons received the largest EPSPs, dominated by VPM input to L4 and POm input to L5A. In contrast, somatostatin-expressing inhibitory neurons received very little input from either pathway in any layer. Vasoactive intestinal peptide-expressing inhibitory neurons received an intermediate level of excitatory input with less apparent layer-specificity. Our data help understand how wS1 neocortical microcircuits might process and integrate sensory and higher-order inputs.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Semihcan Sermet
- Laboratory of Sensory Processing, Brain Mind Institute, Faculty of Life SciencesEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)LausanneSwitzerland
| | - Pavel Truschow
- Institute for Neuroanatomy,University Medical CenterGeorg-August-University GoettingenGoettingenGermany
| | - Michael Feyerabend
- Institute for Neuroanatomy,University Medical CenterGeorg-August-University GoettingenGoettingenGermany
| | - Johannes M Mayrhofer
- Laboratory of Sensory Processing, Brain Mind Institute, Faculty of Life SciencesEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)LausanneSwitzerland
| | - Tess B Oram
- Department of NeurobiologyWeizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | - Ofer Yizhar
- Department of NeurobiologyWeizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | - Jochen F Staiger
- Institute for Neuroanatomy,University Medical CenterGeorg-August-University GoettingenGoettingenGermany
| | - Carl CH Petersen
- Laboratory of Sensory Processing, Brain Mind Institute, Faculty of Life SciencesEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)LausanneSwitzerland
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Abstract
[Box: see text].
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