1
|
Garcia KE, Wang X, Santiago SE, Bakshi S, Barnes AP, Kroenke CD. Longitudinal MRI of the developing ferret brain reveals regional variations in timing and rate of growth. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhae172. [PMID: 38679479 PMCID: PMC11056283 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Normative ferret brain development was characterized using magnetic resonance imaging. Brain growth was longitudinally monitored in 10 ferrets (equal numbers of males and females) from postnatal day 8 (P8) through P38 in 6-d increments. Template T2-weighted images were constructed at each age, and these were manually segmented into 12 to 14 brain regions. A logistic growth model was used to fit data from whole brain volumes and 8 of the individual regions in both males and females. More protracted growth was found in males, which results in larger brains; however, sex differences were not apparent when results were corrected for body weight. Additionally, surface models of the developing cortical plate were registered to one another using the anatomically-constrained Multimodal Surface Matching algorithm. This, in turn, enabled local logistic growth parameters to be mapped across the cortical surface. A close similarity was observed between surface area expansion timing and previous reports of the transverse neurogenic gradient in ferrets. Regional variation in the extent of surface area expansion and the maximum expansion rate was also revealed. This characterization of normative brain growth over the period of cerebral cortex folding may serve as a reference for ferret studies of brain development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kara E Garcia
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Evansville, IN 47715, United States
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, United States
| | - Xiaojie Wang
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR 97006, United States
| | - Sarah E Santiago
- Knight Cardiovascular Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, United States
| | - Stuti Bakshi
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR 97006, United States
| | - Anthony P Barnes
- Knight Cardiovascular Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, United States
| | - Christopher D Kroenke
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR 97006, United States
- Oregon Health and Science Advanced Imaging Research Center, Portland, OR 97239, United States
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Romero-Morales AI, Gama V. Revealing the Impact of Mitochondrial Fitness During Early Neural Development Using Human Brain Organoids. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:840265. [PMID: 35571368 PMCID: PMC9102998 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.840265] [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: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitochondrial homeostasis -including function, morphology, and inter-organelle communication- provides guidance to the intrinsic developmental programs of corticogenesis, while also being responsive to environmental and intercellular signals. Two- and three-dimensional platforms have become useful tools to interrogate the capacity of cells to generate neuronal and glia progeny in a background of metabolic dysregulation, but the mechanistic underpinnings underlying the role of mitochondria during human neurogenesis remain unexplored. Here we provide a concise overview of cortical development and the use of pluripotent stem cell models that have contributed to our understanding of mitochondrial and metabolic regulation of early human brain development. We finally discuss the effects of mitochondrial fitness dysregulation seen under stress conditions such as metabolic dysregulation, absence of developmental apoptosis, and hypoxia; and the avenues of research that can be explored with the use of brain organoids.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Vivian Gama
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
- Vanderbilt Center for Stem Cell Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Kolnik S, Corry K, Hildahl K, Filteau J, White O, Brandon O, Farid L, Shearlock A, Moralejo D, Juul SE, Nance EA, Wood TR. Vitamin E Decreases Cytotoxicity and Mitigates Inflammatory and Oxidative Stress Responses in a Ferret Organotypic Brain Slice Model of Neonatal Hypoxia-Ischemia. Dev Neurosci 2022; 44:233-245. [PMID: 35134797 DOI: 10.1159/000522485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The gyrencephalic ferret brain is an excellent model in which to study hypoxia-ischemia (HI), a significant contributor to neurological injury in neonates. Vitamin E, an essential fat-soluble antioxidant, reduces oxidative stress and inflammation in both animal models and neonates. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of Vitamin E after oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD) in an organotypic ferret brain slice model of neonatal HI. We hypothesized that Vitamin E would decrease cytotoxicity, inflammation, and oxidative stress in OGD-exposed brain slices. Term-equivalent ferrets were sacrificed at postnatal (P) day 21-23 and 300µM whole hemisphere brain slices were obtained. During a 24h rest period, slices were cultured in either non-treated control conditions or with Erastin, a promotor of oxidative stress. Slices were then exposed to 2h of OGD followed by Vitamin E (25-100 IU/kg), Erastin (10µM) or Ferrostatin (1µM), an inhibitor of ferroptosis. Relative cytotoxicity was determined using an LDH assay, cell death was quantified via nuclear propidium iodide (PI) staining, oxidative stress was quantified via cellular GSH (glutathione) levels and target genes responsive to oxidative stress and inflammation were evaluated by qRT-PCR. OGD increased cytotoxicity, which was significantly reduced by treatment with Vitamin E. Vitamin E also preserved GSH after OGD and decreased amplification of certain markers of oxidative stress (CHAC1, SLC7A11) and inflammation (TNF-alpha, IL-8). Vitamin E remained protective after pretreatment with Erastin and was more protective than Ferrostatin, presumably due to its added anti-inflammatory properties. Results from the ferret whole hemisphere OGD model support the premise that Vitamin E neuroprotection is mediated by restoring GSH and acutely decreasing inflammation and oxidative stress after neonatal HI brain injury.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Kolnik
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Kylie Corry
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Kate Hildahl
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Jeremy Filteau
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Olivia White
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Olivia Brandon
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Lily Farid
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - AnnaMarie Shearlock
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Daniel Moralejo
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Sandra E Juul
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Center on Human Development and Disability, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Nance
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Center on Human Development and Disability, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Thomas R Wood
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Center on Human Development and Disability, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Wood TR, Hildahl K, Helmbrecht H, Corry KA, Moralejo DH, Kolnik SE, Prater KE, Juul SE, Nance E. A ferret brain slice model of oxygen–glucose deprivation captures regional responses to perinatal injury and treatment associated with specific microglial phenotypes. Bioeng Transl Med 2021; 7:e10265. [PMID: 35600642 PMCID: PMC9115703 DOI: 10.1002/btm2.10265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Organotypic brain slice models are an ideal technological platform to investigate therapeutic options for hypoxic‐ischemic (HI) brain injury, a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in neonates. The brain exhibits regional differences in the response to HI injury in vivo. This can be modeled using organotypic brain slices, which maintain three‐dimensional regional structures and reflect the regional differences in injury response. Here, we developed an organotypic whole hemisphere (OWH) slice culture model of HI injury using the gyrencephalic ferret brain at a developmental stage equivalent to a full‐term human infant in order to better probe region‐specific cellular responses to injury. Each slice encompassed the cortex, corpus callosum, subcortical white matter, hippocampus, basal ganglia, and thalamus. Regional responses to treatment with either erythropoietin (Epo) or the ketone body acetoacetate (AcAc) were highly heterogenous. While both treatments suppressed global injury responses and oxidative stress, significant neuroprotection was only seen in a subset of regions, with others displaying no response or potential exacerbation of injury. Similar regional heterogeneity was seen in the morphology and response of microglia to injury and treatment, which mirrored those seen after injury in vivo. Within each region, machine‐learning‐based classification of microglia morphological shifts in response to injury predicted the neuroprotective response to each therapy, with different morphologies associated with different treatment responses. This suggests that the ferret OWH slice culture model provides a platform for examining regional responses to injury in the gyrencephalic brain, as well as for screening combinations of therapeutics to provide global neuroprotection after injury.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas R. Wood
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology University of Washington Seattle Washington USA
- Center on Human Development and Disability University of Washington Seattle Washington USA
| | - Kate Hildahl
- Department of Chemical Engineering University of Washington Seattle Washington USA
| | - Hawley Helmbrecht
- Department of Chemical Engineering University of Washington Seattle Washington USA
| | - Kylie A. Corry
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology University of Washington Seattle Washington USA
| | - Daniel H. Moralejo
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology University of Washington Seattle Washington USA
| | - Sarah E. Kolnik
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology University of Washington Seattle Washington USA
| | | | - Sandra E. Juul
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology University of Washington Seattle Washington USA
- Center on Human Development and Disability University of Washington Seattle Washington USA
| | - Elizabeth Nance
- Center on Human Development and Disability University of Washington Seattle Washington USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering University of Washington Seattle Washington USA
- Department of Bioengineering University of Washington Seattle Washington USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Evaluating Neuroprotective Effects of Uridine, Erythropoietin, and Therapeutic Hypothermia in a Ferret Model of Inflammation-Sensitized Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22189841. [PMID: 34576001 PMCID: PMC8469346 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22189841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2021] [Revised: 09/04/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Perinatal hypoxic-ischemic (HI) brain injury, often in conjunction with an inflammatory insult, is the most common cause of death or disability in neonates. Therapeutic hypothermia (TH) is the standard of care for HI encephalopathy in term and near-term infants. However, TH may not always be available or efficacious, creating a need for novel or adjunctive neurotherapeutics. Using a near-term model of inflammation-sensitized HI brain injury in postnatal day (P) 17 ferrets, animals were randomized to either the control group (n = 43) or the HI-exposed groups: saline vehicle (Veh; n = 42), Ur (uridine monophosphate, n = 23), Epo (erythropoietin, n = 26), or TH (n = 24) to test their respective therapeutic effects. Motor development was assessed from P21 to P42 followed by analysis of cortical anatomy, ex vivo MRI, and neuropathology. HI animals took longer to complete the motor assessments compared to controls, which was exacerbated in the Ur group. Injury resulted in thinned white matter tracts and narrowed cortical sulci and gyri, which was mitigated in Epo-treated animals in addition to normalization of cortical neuropathology scores to control levels. TH and Epo treatment also resulted in region-specific improvements in diffusion parameters on ex vivo MRI; however, TH was not robustly neuroprotective in any behavioral or neuropathological outcome measures. Overall, Ur and TH did not provide meaningful neuroprotection after inflammation-sensitized HI brain injury in the ferret, and Ur appeared to worsen outcomes. By comparison, Epo appears to provide significant, though not complete, neuroprotection in this model.
Collapse
|
6
|
Tetorou K, Sisa C, Iqbal A, Dhillon K, Hristova M. Current Therapies for Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischaemic and Infection-Sensitised Hypoxic-Ischaemic Brain Damage. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2021; 13:709301. [PMID: 34504417 PMCID: PMC8421799 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2021.709301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Neonatal hypoxic-ischaemic brain damage is a leading cause of child mortality and morbidity, including cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and cognitive disabilities. The majority of neonatal hypoxic-ischaemic cases arise as a result of impaired cerebral perfusion to the foetus attributed to uterine, placental, or umbilical cord compromise prior to or during delivery. Bacterial infection is a factor contributing to the damage and is recorded in more than half of preterm births. Exposure to infection exacerbates neuronal hypoxic-ischaemic damage thus leading to a phenomenon called infection-sensitised hypoxic-ischaemic brain injury. Models of neonatal hypoxia-ischaemia (HI) have been developed in different animals. Both human and animal studies show that the developmental stage and the severity of the HI insult affect the selective regional vulnerability of the brain to damage, as well as the subsequent clinical manifestations. Therapeutic hypothermia (TH) is the only clinically approved treatment for neonatal HI. However, the number of HI infants needed to treat with TH for one to be saved from death or disability at age of 18-22 months, is approximately 6-7, which highlights the need for additional or alternative treatments to replace TH or increase its efficiency. In this review we discuss the mechanisms of HI injury to the immature brain and the new experimental treatments studied for neonatal HI and infection-sensitised neonatal HI.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Mariya Hristova
- Perinatal Brain Repair Group, Department of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, UCL Institute for Women’s Health, London, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Danka Mohammed CP, Khalil R. Postnatal Development of Visual Cortical Function in the Mammalian Brain. Front Syst Neurosci 2020; 14:29. [PMID: 32581733 PMCID: PMC7296053 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2020.00029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
This review aims to discuss (1) the refinement of mammalian visual cortical circuits and the maturation of visual functions they subserve in primary visual cortex (V1) and other visual cortical areas, and (2) existing evidence supporting the notion of differential rates of maturation of visual functions in different species. It is well known that different visual functions and their underlying circuitry mature and attain adultlike characteristics at different stages in postnatal development with varying growth rates. The developmental timecourse and duration of refinement varies significantly both in V1 of various species and among different visual cortical areas; while basic visual functions like spatial acuity mature earlier requiring less time, higher form perception such as contour integration is more complex and requires longer postnatal time to refine. This review will highlight the importance of systematic comparative analysis of the differential rates of refinement of visual circuitry and function as that may help reveal underlying key mechanisms necessary for healthy visual development during infancy and adulthood. This type of approach will help future studies to establish direct links between various developmental aspects of different visual cortical areas in both human and animal models; thus enhancing our understanding of vision related neurological disorders and their potential therapeutic remedies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chand Parvez Danka Mohammed
- Biosciences and Bioengineering Research Institute (BBRI), American University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Reem Khalil
- Biosciences and Bioengineering Research Institute (BBRI), American University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.,Department of Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences, American University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Wood T, Moralejo D, Corry K, Snyder JM, Traudt C, Curtis C, Nance E, Parikh P, Juul SE. A Ferret Model of Encephalopathy of Prematurity. Dev Neurosci 2019; 40:475-489. [PMID: 31079096 DOI: 10.1159/000498968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 02/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
There is an ongoing need for relevant animal models in which to test therapeutic interventions for infants with neurological sequelae of prematurity. The ferret is an attractive model species as it has a gyrified brain with a white-to-gray matter ratio similar to that in the human brain. A model of encephalopathy of prematurity was developed in postnatal day 10 (P10) ferret kits, considered to be developmentally equivalent to infants of 24-26 weeks' gestation. Cross-fostered P10 ferret kits received 5 mg/kg of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) before undergoing consecutive hypoxia-hyperoxia-hypoxia (60 min at 9%, 120 min at 60%, and 30 min at 9%). Control animals received saline vehicle followed by normoxia. The development of basic reflexes (negative geotaxis, cliff aversion, and righting) as well as gait coordination on an automated catwalk were assessed between P28 and P70, followed by ex vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and immunohistochemical analysis. Compared to controls, injured animals had slower overall reflex development between P28 and P40, as well as smaller hind-paw areas consistent with "toe walking" at P42. Injured animals also displayed significantly greater lateral movement during CatWalk assessment as a result of reduced gait coordination. Ex vivo MRI showed widespread white-matter hyperintensity on T2-weighted imaging as well as altered connectivity patterns. This coincided with white-matter dysmaturation characterized by increased intensity of myelin basic protein staining, white-matter thinning, and loss of oligodendrocyte transcription factor 2 (OLIG2)-positive cells. These results suggest both pathological and motor deficits consistent with premature white-matter injury. This newborn ferret model can therefore provide an additional platform to assess potential therapies before translation to human clinical trials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Wood
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA,
| | - Daniel Moralejo
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Kylie Corry
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Jessica M Snyder
- Department of Comparative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Christopher Traudt
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Chad Curtis
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Elizabeth Nance
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Pratik Parikh
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Sandra E Juul
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Hutchinson EB, Chatterjee M, Reyes L, Djankpa FT, Valiant WG, Dardzinski B, Mattapallil JJ, Pierpaoli C, Juliano SL. The effect of Zika virus infection in the ferret. J Comp Neurol 2019; 527:1706-1719. [PMID: 30680733 PMCID: PMC6593673 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2018] [Revised: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 01/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Although initial observations of infections with the Zika virus describe a mild illness, more recent reports show that infections by Zika result in neurotropism. In 2015, substantial congenital malformations were observed, with numerous infants born with microcephaly in Brazil. To study the underlying mechanism and effects of the disease, it is critical to find suitable animal models. Rodents lack an immune system parallel to humans and also have lissencephalic brains, which are likely to react differently to infections. As the smallest gyrencephalic mammal, ferrets may provide an important animal model to study the Zika virus, as their brains share many characteristics with humans. To evaluate the prospect of using ferrets to study Zika virus infection, we injected seven pregnant jills with the PR strain subcutaneously on gestational day 21, corresponding to the initiation of corticogenesis. These injections resulted in mixed effects. Two animals died of apparent infection, and all kits were resorbed in another animal that did not die. The other four animals remained pregnant until gestational day 40, when the kits were delivered by caesarian section. We evaluated the animals using CT, MRI, diffusion tensor imaging, and immunohistochemistry. The kits displayed a number of features compatible with an infection that impacted both the brain and skull. The outcomes, however, were variable and differed within and across litters, which ranged from the absence of observable abnormalities to prominent changes, suggesting differential vulnerability of kits to infection by the Zika virus or to subsequent mechanisms of neurodevelopmental disruption.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth B Hutchinson
- Quantitative Medical Imaging Section, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | | | - Laura Reyes
- Quantitative Medical Imaging Section, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | | | | | | | - Joseph J Mattapallil
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Bethesda, Maryland.,Program in Emerging and Infectious Disease, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Carlo Pierpaoli
- Quantitative Medical Imaging Section, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Sharon L Juliano
- Program in Neuroscience, USUHS, Bethesda, Maryland.,Department of Anatomy Physiology and Genetics, Bethesda, Maryland
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Maternal Immune Activation Alters Adult Behavior, Gut Microbiome and Juvenile Brain Oscillations in Ferrets. eNeuro 2018; 5:eN-NWR-0313-18. [PMID: 30406186 PMCID: PMC6220580 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0313-18.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2018] [Revised: 09/11/2018] [Accepted: 09/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal immune activation (MIA) has been identified as a causal factor in psychiatric disorders by epidemiological studies in humans and mechanistic studies in rodent models. Addressing this gap in species between mice and human will accelerate the understanding of the role of MIA in the etiology of psychiatric disorders. Here, we provide the first study of MIA in the ferret (Mustela putorius furo), an animal model with a rich history of developmental investigations due to the similarities in developmental programs and cortical organization with primates. We found that after MIA by injection of PolyIC in the pregnant mother animal, the adult offspring exhibited reduced social behavior, less eye contact with humans, decreased recognition memory, a sex-specific increase in amphetamine-induced hyperlocomotion, and altered gut microbiome. We also studied the neurophysiological properties of the MIA ferrets in development by in-vivo recordings of the local field potential (LFP) from visual cortex in five- to six-week-old animals, and found that the spontaneous and sensory-evoked LFP had decreased power, especially in the gamma frequency band. Overall, our results provide the first evidence for the detrimental effect of MIA in ferrets and support the use of the ferret as an intermediate model species for the study of disorders with neurodevelopmental origin.
Collapse
|
11
|
Snyder JM, Wood TR, Corry K, Moralejo DH, Parikh P, Juul SE. Ontogeny of white matter, toll-like receptor expression, and motor skills in the neonatal ferret. Int J Dev Neurosci 2018; 70:25-33. [PMID: 29791868 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2018.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2018] [Revised: 05/09/2018] [Accepted: 05/15/2018] [Indexed: 10/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Inflammation caused by perinatal infection, superimposed with hypoxia and/or hyperoxia, appears to be important in the pathogenesis of preterm neonatal encephalopathy, with white matter particularly vulnerable during the third trimester. The associated inflammatory response is at least partly mediated through Toll-like receptor (TLR)-dependent mechanisms. Immunohistochemistry, gene expression, and behavioral studies were used to characterize white matter development and determine TLR3 and TLR4 expression and accumulation in the neonatal ferret brain. Expression of markers of white matter development increased significantly between postnatal day (P)1 and P10 (NG2, PDGFRα) or P15 (Olig2), and either remained elevated (NG2), or decreased again at P40 (PDGFRα, Olig2). Olig2 immunostaining within the internal capsule was also greatest at P15. Myelin basic protein (MBP) immunostaining and mRNA expression increased markedly from P15 to P40 and into adulthood, which correlated with increasing performance on behavioral tests (negative geotaxis, cliff aversion, righting reflex, and catwalk gait analysis). TLR4 and TLR3 positive staining was low at all ages, but TLR3 and TLR4 mRNA expression both increased significantly from P1 to P40. Following lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and hypoxia/hyperoxia exposure at P10, meningeal and parenchymal inflammation was seen, including an increase in TLR4 positive cells. These data suggest that the neuroinflammation associated with prematurity could be modeled in the newborn ferret.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica M Snyder
- Department of Comparative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Thomas R Wood
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Kylie Corry
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Daniel H Moralejo
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Pratik Parikh
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Sandra E Juul
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Abstract
Purpose/Aim: Animal models of traumatic brain injury (TBI) provide powerful tools to study TBI in a controlled, rigorous and cost-efficient manner. The mostly used animals in TBI studies so far are rodents. However, compared with rodents, large animals (e.g. swine, rabbit, sheep, ferret, etc.) show great advantages in modeling TBI due to the similarity of their brains to human brain. The aim of our review was to summarize the development and progress of common large animal TBI models in past 30 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS Mixed published articles and books associated with large animal models of TBI were researched and summarized. RESULTS We majorly sumed up current common large animal models of TBI, including discussion on the available research methodologies in previous studies, several potential therapies in large animal trials of TBI as well as advantages and disadvantages of these models. CONCLUSIONS Large animal models of TBI play crucial role in determining the underlying mechanisms and screening putative therapeutic targets of TBI.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Xi Dai
- a Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital , Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine , Shanghai , China
| | - Yan-Bin Ma
- a Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital , Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine , Shanghai , China
| | - Nan-Yang Le
- a Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital , Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine , Shanghai , China
| | - Jun Cao
- a Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital , Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine , Shanghai , China
| | - Yang Wang
- b Department of Emergency , Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine , Shanghai , China
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Establishing the ferret as a gyrencephalic animal model of traumatic brain injury: Optimization of controlled cortical impact procedures. J Neurosci Methods 2017; 285:82-96. [PMID: 28499842 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2017.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2017] [Revised: 05/04/2017] [Accepted: 05/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although rodent TBI studies provide valuable information regarding the effects of injury and recovery, an animal model with neuroanatomical characteristics closer to humans may provide a more meaningful basis for clinical translation. The ferret has a high white/gray matter ratio, gyrencephalic neocortex, and ventral hippocampal location. Furthermore, ferrets are amenable to behavioral training, have a body size compatible with pre-clinical MRI, and are cost-effective. NEW METHODS We optimized the surgical procedure for controlled cortical impact (CCI) using 9 adult male ferrets. We used subject-specific brain/skull morphometric data from anatomical MRIs to overcome across-subject variability for lesion placement. We also reflected the temporalis muscle, closed the craniotomy, and used antibiotics. We then gathered MRI, behavioral, and immunohistochemical data from 6 additional animals using the optimized surgical protocol: 1 control, 3 mild, and 1 severely injured animals (surviving one week) and 1 moderately injured animal surviving sixteen weeks. RESULTS The optimized surgical protocol resulted in consistent injury placement. Astrocytic reactivity increased with injury severity showing progressively greater numbers of astrocytes within the white matter. The density and morphological changes of microglia amplified with injury severity or time after injury. Motor and cognitive impairments scaled with injury severity. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHOD(S) The optimized surgical methods differ from those used in the rodent, and are integral to success using a ferret model. CONCLUSIONS We optimized ferret CCI surgery for consistent injury placement. The ferret is an excellent animal model to investigate pathophysiological and behavioral changes associated with TBI.
Collapse
|
14
|
Hutchinson EB, Schwerin SC, Radomski KL, Sadeghi N, Jenkins J, Komlosh ME, Irfanoglu MO, Juliano SL, Pierpaoli C. Population based MRI and DTI templates of the adult ferret brain and tools for voxelwise analysis. Neuroimage 2017; 152:575-589. [PMID: 28315740 PMCID: PMC6409125 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2016] [Revised: 02/27/2017] [Accepted: 03/05/2017] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-invasive imaging has the potential to play a crucial role in the characterization and translation of experimental animal models to investigate human brain development and disorders, especially when employed to study animal models that more accurately represent features of human neuroanatomy. The purpose of this study was to build and make available MRI and DTI templates and analysis tools for the ferret brain as the ferret is a well-suited species for pre-clinical MRI studies with folded cortical surface, relatively high white matter volume and body dimensions that allow imaging with pre-clinical MRI scanners. Four ferret brain templates were built in this study – in-vivo MRI and DTI and ex-vivo MRI and DTI – using brain images across many ferrets and region of interest (ROI) masks corresponding to established ferret neuroanatomy were generated by semi-automatic and manual segmentation. The templates and ROI masks were used to create a web-based ferret brain viewing software for browsing the MRI and DTI volumes with annotations based on the ROI masks. A second objective of this study was to provide a careful description of the imaging methods used for acquisition, processing, registration and template building and to demonstrate several voxelwise analysis methods including Jacobian analysis of morphometry differences between the female and male brain and bias-free identification of DTI abnormalities in an injured ferret brain. The templates, tools and methodological optimization presented in this study are intended to advance non-invasive imaging approaches for human-similar animal species that will enable the use of pre-clinical MRI studies for understanding and treating brain disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- E B Hutchinson
- Section on Quantitative Imaging and Tissue Science, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - S C Schwerin
- The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, USA; Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - K L Radomski
- The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, USA; Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - N Sadeghi
- Section on Quantitative Imaging and Tissue Science, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - J Jenkins
- Section on Quantitative Imaging and Tissue Science, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, The Catholic University of America, Washington D.C., USA
| | - M E Komlosh
- Section on Quantitative Imaging and Tissue Science, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - M O Irfanoglu
- Section on Quantitative Imaging and Tissue Science, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - S L Juliano
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - C Pierpaoli
- Section on Quantitative Imaging and Tissue Science, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Zhou ZC, Salzwedel AP, Radtke-Schuller S, Li Y, Sellers KK, Gilmore JH, Shih YYI, Fröhlich F, Gao W. Resting state network topology of the ferret brain. Neuroimage 2016; 143:70-81. [PMID: 27596024 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2016] [Revised: 08/17/2016] [Accepted: 09/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) has emerged as a versatile tool for non-invasive measurement of functional connectivity patterns in the brain. RsfMRI brain dynamics in rodents, non-human primates, and humans share similar properties; however, little is known about the resting state functional connectivity patterns in the ferret, an animal model with high potential for developmental and cognitive translational study. To address this knowledge-gap, we performed rsfMRI on anesthetized ferrets using a 9.4T MRI scanner, and subsequently performed group-level independent component analysis (gICA) to identify functionally connected brain networks. Group-level ICA analysis revealed distributed sensory, motor, and higher-order networks in the ferret brain. Subsequent connectivity analysis showed interconnected higher-order networks that constituted a putative default mode network (DMN), a network that exhibits altered connectivity in neuropsychiatric disorders. Finally, we assessed ferret brain topological efficiency using graph theory analysis and found that the ferret brain exhibits small-world properties. Overall, these results provide additional evidence for pan-species resting-state networks, further supporting ferret-based studies of sensory and cognitive function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Charles Zhou
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States; Neurobiology Curriculum, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States
| | - Andrew P Salzwedel
- Biomedical Imaging Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, United States; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, United States
| | - Susanne Radtke-Schuller
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States
| | - Yuhui Li
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States
| | - Kristin K Sellers
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States; Neurobiology Curriculum, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States
| | - John H Gilmore
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States
| | - Yen-Yu Ian Shih
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States; Department of Neurology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States; Biomedical Research Imaging Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States; Small Animal Imaging Facility, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States; Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States; Neurobiology Curriculum, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States
| | - Flavio Fröhlich
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States; Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States; Department of Neurology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States; Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States; Neurobiology Curriculum, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States
| | - Wei Gao
- Biomedical Imaging Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, United States; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Di Curzio DL, Turner-Brannen E, Mao X, Del Bigio MR. Magnesium sulfate treatment for juvenile ferrets following induction of hydrocephalus with kaolin. Fluids Barriers CNS 2016; 13:7. [PMID: 27121710 PMCID: PMC4848861 DOI: 10.1186/s12987-016-0031-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2016] [Accepted: 04/06/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Previous work with 3-week hydrocephalic rats showed that white matter damage could be reduced by the calcium channel antagonist magnesium sulfate (MgSO4). We hypothesized that MgSO4 therapy would improve outcomes in ferrets with hydrocephalus induced with kaolin at 15 days. Methods MRI was performed at 29 days to assess ventricle size and stratify ferrets to treatment conditions. Beginning at 31 days age, they were treated daily for 14 days with MgSO4 (9 mM/kg/day) or sham saline therapy, and then imaged again before sacrifice. Behavior was examined thrice weekly. Histological and biochemical ELISA and myelin enzyme activity assays were performed at 46 days age. Results Hydrocephalic ferrets exhibited some differences in weight and behavior between treatment groups. Those receiving MgSO4 weighed less, were more lethargic, and displayed reduced activity compared to those receiving saline injections. Hydrocephalic ferrets developed ventriculomegaly, which was not modified by MgSO4 treatment. Histological examination showed destruction of periventricular white matter. Glial fibrillary acidic protein content, myelin basic protein content, and myelin enzyme activity did not differ significantly between treatment groups. Conclusion The hydrocephalus-associated disturbances in juvenile ferret brains are not ameliorated by MgSO4 treatment, and lethargy is a significant side effect.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Domenico L Di Curzio
- Department of Human Anatomy & Cell Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.,Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | | | - Xiaoyan Mao
- Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Marc R Del Bigio
- Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada. .,Department of Pathology, University of Manitoba Brodie 401-727 McDermot Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, R3E 3P5, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|