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Speranza L, Filiz KD, Goebel S, Perrone-Capano C, Pulcrano S, Volpicelli F, Francesconi A. Combined DiI and Antibody Labeling Reveals Complex Dysgenesis of Hippocampal Dendritic Spines in a Mouse Model of Fragile X Syndrome. Biomedicines 2022; 10:2692. [PMID: 36359212 PMCID: PMC9687937 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10112692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Structural, functional, and molecular alterations in excitatory spines are a common hallmark of many neurodevelopmental disorders including intellectual disability and autism. Here, we describe an optimized methodology, based on combined use of DiI and immunofluorescence, for rapid and sensitive characterization of the structure and composition of spines in native brain tissue. We successfully demonstrate the applicability of this approach by examining the properties of hippocampal spines in juvenile Fmr1 KO mice, a mouse model of Fragile X Syndrome. We find that mutant mice display pervasive dysgenesis of spines evidenced by an overabundance of both abnormally elongated thin spines and cup-shaped spines, in combination with reduced density of mushroom spines. We further find that mushroom spines expressing the actin-binding protein Synaptopodin-a marker for spine apparatus-are more prevalent in mutant mice. Previous work identified spines with Synaptopodin/spine apparatus as the locus of mGluR-LTD, which is abnormally elevated in Fmr1 KO mice. Altogether, our data suggest this enhancement may be linked to the preponderance of this subset of spines in the mutant. Overall, these findings demonstrate the sensitivity and versatility of the optimized methodology by uncovering a novel facet of spine dysgenesis in Fmr1 KO mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Speranza
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA
| | - Kardelen Dalım Filiz
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Sarah Goebel
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA
| | - Carla Perrone-Capano
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Salvatore Pulcrano
- Institute of Genetics and Biophysics “A. Buzzati-Traverso”, C.N.R., 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Floriana Volpicelli
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Anna Francesconi
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA
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Pignataro A, Pagano R, Guarneri G, Middei S, Ammassari-Teule M. Extracellular matrix controls neuronal features that mediate the persistence of fear. Brain Struct Funct 2017; 222:3889-3898. [PMID: 28478549 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-017-1440-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2016] [Accepted: 04/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Degradation of the chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans of the extracellular matrix (ECM) by injections of the bacterial enzyme chondroitinase ABC (ChABC) in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) does not impair fear memory formation but accelerates its extinction and disrupts its reactivation. These observations suggest that the treatment might selectively interfere with the post-extinction features of neurons that mediate the reinstatement of fear. Here, we report that ChABC mice show regular fear memory and memory-driven c-fos activation and dendritic spine formation in the BLA. These mice then rapidly extinguish their fear response and exhibit a post-extinction concurrent reduction in c-fos activation and large dendritic spines that extends to the anterior cingulate cortex 7 days later. At this remote time point, fear renewal and fear retrieval are impaired. These findings show that a non-cellular component of the brain tissue controls post-extinction levels of neuronal activity and spine enlargement in the regions sequentially remodelled during the formation of recent and remote fear memory. By preventing BLA and aCC neurons to retain neuronal features that serve to reactivate an extinguished fear memory, ECM digestion might offer a therapeutic strategy for durable attenuation of traumatic memories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annabella Pignataro
- Laboratory of Psychobiology, European Centre for Brain Research, Santa Lucia Foundation, Via Fosso di Fiorano 64-65, 00143, Rome, Italy.
- Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology (IBCN), National Research Council, 00015, Rome, Italy.
| | - Roberto Pagano
- Laboratory of Psychobiology, European Centre for Brain Research, Santa Lucia Foundation, Via Fosso di Fiorano 64-65, 00143, Rome, Italy
| | - Giorgia Guarneri
- Laboratory of Psychobiology, European Centre for Brain Research, Santa Lucia Foundation, Via Fosso di Fiorano 64-65, 00143, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Middei
- Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology (IBCN), National Research Council, 00015, Rome, Italy
| | - Martine Ammassari-Teule
- Laboratory of Psychobiology, European Centre for Brain Research, Santa Lucia Foundation, Via Fosso di Fiorano 64-65, 00143, Rome, Italy
- Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology (IBCN), National Research Council, 00015, Rome, Italy
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Castro-Gomes V, Bergstrom HC, McGuire JL, Parker CC, Coyner J, Landeira-Fernandez J, Ursano RJ, Palmer AA, Johnson LR. A dendritic organization of lateral amygdala neurons in fear susceptible and resistant mice. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2015; 127:64-71. [PMID: 26642919 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2015.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2015] [Revised: 11/17/2015] [Accepted: 11/21/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Subtle differences in neuronal microanatomy may be coded in individuals with genetic susceptibility for neuropsychiatric disorders. Genetic susceptibility is a significant risk factor in the development of anxiety disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Pavlovian fear conditioning has been proposed to model key aspects of PTSD. According to this theory, PTSD begins with the formation of a traumatic memory which connects relevant environmental stimuli to significant threats to life. The lateral amygdala (LA) is considered to be a key network hub for the establishment of Pavlovian fear conditioning. Substantial research has also linked the LA to PTSD. Here we used a genetic mouse model of fear susceptibility (F-S) and resistance (F-R) to investigate the dendritic and spine structure of principal neurons located in the LA. F-S and F-R lines were bi-directionally selected based on divergent levels of contextual and cued conditioned freezing in response to fear-evoking footshocks. We examined LA principal neuron dendritic and spine morphology in the offspring of experimentally naive F-S and F-R mice. We found differences in the spatial distribution of dendritic branch points across the length of the dendrite tree, with a significant increase in branch points at more distal locations in the F-S compared with F-R line. These results suggest a genetic predisposition toward differences in fear memory strength associated with a dendritic branch point organization of principal neurons in the LA. These micro-anatomical differences in neuron structure in a genetic mouse model of fear susceptibility and resistance provide important insights into the cellular mechanisms of pathophysiology underlying genetic predispositions to anxiety and PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vitor Castro-Gomes
- Program in Neuroscience and Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed Services University (USU), School of Medicine, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA; Department of Biosystems Engineering, Federal University of São João del Rei (UFSJ), São João del Rei, MG 36307-352, Brazil
| | - Hadley C Bergstrom
- Program in Neuroscience and Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed Services University (USU), School of Medicine, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA; Department of Psychology and Neuroscience and Behavior Program, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY 12603, USA
| | - Jennifer L McGuire
- Program in Neuroscience and Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed Services University (USU), School of Medicine, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - Clarissa C Parker
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT 05753, USA
| | - Jennifer Coyner
- Program in Neuroscience and Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed Services University (USU), School of Medicine, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - J Landeira-Fernandez
- Department of Psychology, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), Rio de Janeiro, RJ 22451-900, Brazil
| | - Robert J Ursano
- Program in Neuroscience and Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed Services University (USU), School of Medicine, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA; Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress (CSTS), Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - Abraham A Palmer
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Luke R Johnson
- Program in Neuroscience and Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed Services University (USU), School of Medicine, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA; Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress (CSTS), Bethesda, MD 20814, USA; School of Psychology and Counseling, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD 4059, Australia; Translational Research Institute (TRI), Brisbane, QLD 4102, Australia.
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