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Nakagawa N, Iwasato T. Activity-dependent dendrite patterning in the postnatal barrel cortex. Front Neural Circuits 2024; 18:1409993. [PMID: 38827189 PMCID: PMC11140076 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2024.1409993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024] Open
Abstract
For neural circuit construction in the brain, coarse neuronal connections are assembled prenatally following genetic programs, being reorganized postnatally by activity-dependent mechanisms to implement area-specific computational functions. Activity-dependent dendrite patterning is a critical component of neural circuit reorganization, whereby individual neurons rearrange and optimize their presynaptic partners. In the rodent primary somatosensory cortex (barrel cortex), driven by thalamocortical inputs, layer 4 (L4) excitatory neurons extensively remodel their basal dendrites at neonatal stages to ensure specific responses of barrels to the corresponding individual whiskers. This feature of barrel cortex L4 neurons makes them an excellent model, significantly contributing to unveiling the activity-dependent nature of dendrite patterning and circuit reorganization. In this review, we summarize recent advances in our understanding of the activity-dependent mechanisms underlying dendrite patterning. Our focus lays on the mechanisms revealed by in vivo time-lapse imaging, and the role of activity-dependent Golgi apparatus polarity regulation in dendrite patterning. We also discuss the type of neuronal activity that could contribute to dendrite patterning and hence connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Nakagawa
- Laboratory of Mammalian Neural Circuits, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan
- Graduate Institute for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Mishima, Japan
| | - Takuji Iwasato
- Laboratory of Mammalian Neural Circuits, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan
- Graduate Institute for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Mishima, Japan
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2
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Kovlyagina I, Wierczeiko A, Todorov H, Jacobi E, Tevosian M, von Engelhardt J, Gerber S, Lutz B. Leveraging interindividual variability in threat conditioning of inbred mice to model trait anxiety. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002642. [PMID: 38805548 PMCID: PMC11161093 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002642] [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: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Trait anxiety is a major risk factor for stress-induced and anxiety disorders in humans. However, animal models accounting for the interindividual variability in stress vulnerability are largely lacking. Moreover, the pervasive bias of using mostly male animals in preclinical studies poorly reflects the increased prevalence of psychiatric disorders in women. Using the threat imminence continuum theory, we designed and validated an auditory aversive conditioning-based pipeline in both female and male mice. We operationalised trait anxiety by harnessing the naturally occurring variability of defensive freezing responses combined with a model-based clustering strategy. While sustained freezing during prolonged retrieval sessions was identified as an anxiety-endophenotype behavioral marker in both sexes, females were consistently associated with an increased freezing response. RNA-sequencing of CeA, BLA, ACC, and BNST revealed massive differences in phasic and sustained responders' transcriptomes, correlating with transcriptomic signatures of psychiatric disorders, particularly post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Moreover, we detected significant alterations in the excitation/inhibition balance of principal neurons in the lateral amygdala. These findings provide compelling evidence that trait anxiety in inbred mice can be leveraged to develop translationally relevant preclinical models to investigate mechanisms of stress susceptibility in a sex-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Kovlyagina
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Anna Wierczeiko
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Hristo Todorov
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Eric Jacobi
- Institute of Pathophysiology, and Focus Program Translational Neuroscience (FTN), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Margarita Tevosian
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research (LIR), Mainz, Germany
| | - Jakob von Engelhardt
- Institute of Pathophysiology, and Focus Program Translational Neuroscience (FTN), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Susanne Gerber
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Beat Lutz
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research (LIR), Mainz, Germany
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3
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Chang YT, Lee YJ, Haque M, Chang HC, Javed S, Lin YC, Cho Y, Abramovitz J, Chin G, Khamis A, Raja R, Murai KK, Huang WH. Comparative analyses of the Smith-Magenis syndrome protein RAI1 in mice and common marmoset monkeys. J Comp Neurol 2024; 532:e25589. [PMID: 38289192 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Retinoic acid-induced 1 (RAI1) encodes a transcriptional regulator critical for brain development and function. RAI1 haploinsufficiency in humans causes a syndromic autism spectrum disorder known as Smith-Magenis syndrome (SMS). The neuroanatomical distribution of RAI1 has not been quantitatively analyzed during the development of the prefrontal cortex, a brain region critical for cognitive function and social behaviors and commonly implicated in autism spectrum disorders, including SMS. Here, we performed comparative analyses to uncover the evolutionarily convergent and divergent expression profiles of RAI1 in major cell types during prefrontal cortex maturation in common marmoset monkeys (Callithrix jacchus) and mice (Mus musculus). We found that while RAI1 in both species is enriched in neurons, the percentage of excitatory neurons that express RAI1 is higher in newborn mice than in newborn marmosets. By contrast, RAI1 shows similar neural distribution in adult marmosets and adult mice. In marmosets, RAI1 is expressed in several primate-specific cell types, including intralaminar astrocytes and MEIS2-expressing prefrontal GABAergic neurons. At the molecular level, we discovered that RAI1 forms a protein complex with transcription factor 20 (TCF20), PHD finger protein 14 (PHF14), and high mobility group 20A (HMG20A) in the marmoset brain. In vitro assays in human cells revealed that TCF20 regulates RAI1 protein abundance. This work demonstrates that RAI1 expression and protein interactions are largely conserved but with some unique expression in primate-specific cells. The results also suggest that altered RAI1 abundance could contribute to disease features in disorders caused by TCF20 dosage imbalance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Ting Chang
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Centre for Research in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Yu-Ju Lee
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Centre for Research in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Minza Haque
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Centre for Research in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Hao-Cheng Chang
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Centre for Research in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Sehrish Javed
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Centre for Research in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Yu Cheng Lin
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Centre for Research in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Yoobin Cho
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Centre for Research in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Joseph Abramovitz
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Centre for Research in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Gabriella Chin
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Centre for Research in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Asma Khamis
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Centre for Research in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Reesha Raja
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Centre for Research in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Keith K Murai
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Centre for Research in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Wei-Hsiang Huang
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Centre for Research in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Québec, Canada
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4
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Zhao K, Bai X, Wang X, Cao Y, Zhang L, Li W, Wang S. Insight on the hub gene associated signatures and potential therapeutic agents in epilepsy and glioma. Brain Res Bull 2023; 199:110666. [PMID: 37192718 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2023.110666] [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: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The relationship between epilepsy and glioma has long been widely recognized, but the mechanisms of interaction remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the shared genetic signature and treatment strategies between epilepsy and glioma. METHODS We subjected hippocampal tissue samples from patients with epilepsy and glioma to transcriptomic analysis to identify differential genes and associated pathways, respectively. Weight gene co-expression network (WGCNA) analysis was performed to identify conserved modules in epilepsy and glioma and to obtain differentially expressed conserved genes. Prognostic and diagnostic models were built using lasso regression. We also focused on building transcription factor-gene interaction networks and assessing the proportion of immune invading cells in epilepsy patients. Finally, drug compounds were inferred using a drug signature database (DSigDB) based on core targets. RESULTS We discovered 88 differently conserved genes, most of which are involved in synaptic signaling and calcium ion pathways. We used lasso regression model to reduce 88 characteristic genes, and finally screened out 14 genes (EIF4A2, CEP170B, SNPH, EPHA4, KLK7, GNG3, MYOP, ANKRD29, RASD2, PRRT3, EFR3A, SGIP1, RAB6B, CNNM1) as the features of glioma prognosis model whose ROC curve is 0.9. Then, we developed a diagnosis model for epilepsy patients using 8 genes (PRRT3, RASD2, MYPOP, CNNM1, ANKRD29, GNG3, SGIP1, KLK7) with area under ROC curve (AUC) values near 1. According to the ssGSEA method, we observed an increase in activated B cells, eosinophils, follicular helper T cells and type 2T helper cells, and a decrease in monocytes in patients with epilepsy. Notably, the great majority of these immune cells showed a negative correlation with hub genes. To reveal the transcriptional-level regulation mechanism, we also built a TF-gene network. In addition, we discovered that patients with glioma-related epilepsy may benefit more from gabapentin and pregabalin. CONCLUSION This study reveals the modular conserved phenotypes of epilepsy and glioma and constructs effective diagnostic and prognostic markers. It provides new biological targets and ideas for the early diagnosis and effective treatment of epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Zhao
- Institute of Brain Trauma and Neurology, Pingjin Hospital, Characteristic Medical Center of the Chinese People's Armed Police Force, Tianjin, 300000, China
| | - Xuexue Bai
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510630, China
| | - Xiao Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510630, China
| | - Yiyao Cao
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510630, China
| | - Liu Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510630, China
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510630, China
| | - Shiyong Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510630, China.
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Antoniou A, Auderset L, Kaurani L, Sebastian E, Zeng Y, Allahham M, Cases-Cunillera S, Schoch S, Gründemann J, Fischer A, Schneider A. Neuronal extracellular vesicles and associated microRNAs induce circuit connectivity downstream BDNF. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112063. [PMID: 36753414 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as mediators of cellular communication, in part via the delivery of associated microRNAs (miRNAs), small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression. We show that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mediates the sorting of miR-132-5p, miR-218-5p, and miR-690 in neuron-derived EVs. BDNF-induced EVs in turn increase excitatory synapse formation in recipient hippocampal neurons, which is dependent on the inter-neuronal delivery of these miRNAs. Transcriptomic analysis further indicates the differential expression of developmental and synaptogenesis-related genes by BDNF-induced EVs, many of which are predicted targets of miR-132-5p, miR-218-5p, and miR-690. Furthermore, BDNF-induced EVs up-regulate synaptic vesicle (SV) clustering in a transmissible manner, thereby increasing synaptic transmission and synchronous neuronal activity. As BDNF and EV-miRNAs miR-218 and miR-132 were previously implicated in neuropsychiatric disorders such as anxiety and depression, our results contribute to a better understanding of disorders characterized by aberrant neural circuit connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Antoniou
- Department for Neurodegenerative Diseases and Geriatric Psychiatry, University of Bonn Medical Center, 53127 Bonn, Germany; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 53127 Bonn, Germany.
| | - Loic Auderset
- Department for Neurodegenerative Diseases and Geriatric Psychiatry, University of Bonn Medical Center, 53127 Bonn, Germany; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Lalit Kaurani
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany; Department for Systems Medicine and Epigenetics in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Eva Sebastian
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Yuzhou Zeng
- Department for Neurodegenerative Diseases and Geriatric Psychiatry, University of Bonn Medical Center, 53127 Bonn, Germany; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Maria Allahham
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences 1, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428 Jülich, Germany; Aachen Biology and Biotechnology, RWTH Aachen University, 52056 Aachen, Germany
| | - Silvia Cases-Cunillera
- Section for Translational Epilepsy Research, Department of Neuropathology, University of Bonn Medical Center, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Susanne Schoch
- Section for Translational Epilepsy Research, Department of Neuropathology, University of Bonn Medical Center, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Jan Gründemann
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Andre Fischer
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany; Department for Systems Medicine and Epigenetics in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Anja Schneider
- Department for Neurodegenerative Diseases and Geriatric Psychiatry, University of Bonn Medical Center, 53127 Bonn, Germany; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 53127 Bonn, Germany.
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Molecular and cellular evolution of the amygdala across species analyzed by single-nucleus transcriptome profiling. Cell Discov 2023; 9:19. [PMID: 36788214 PMCID: PMC9929086 DOI: 10.1038/s41421-022-00506-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The amygdala, or an amygdala-like structure, is found in the brains of all vertebrates and plays a critical role in survival and reproduction. However, the cellular architecture of the amygdala and how it has evolved remain elusive. Here, we generated single-nucleus RNA-sequencing data for more than 200,000 cells in the amygdala of humans, macaques, mice, and chickens. Abundant neuronal cell types from different amygdala subnuclei were identified in all datasets. Cross-species analysis revealed that inhibitory neurons and inhibitory neuron-enriched subnuclei of the amygdala were well-conserved in cellular composition and marker gene expression, whereas excitatory neuron-enriched subnuclei were relatively divergent. Furthermore, LAMP5+ interneurons were much more abundant in primates, while DRD2+ inhibitory neurons and LAMP5+SATB2+ excitatory neurons were dominant in the human central amygdalar nucleus (CEA) and basolateral amygdalar complex (BLA), respectively. We also identified CEA-like neurons and their species-specific distribution patterns in chickens. This study highlights the extreme cell-type diversity in the amygdala and reveals the conservation and divergence of cell types and gene expression patterns across species that may contribute to species-specific adaptations.
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7
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Tutukova S, Tarabykin V, Hernandez-Miranda LR. The Role of Neurod Genes in Brain Development, Function, and Disease. Front Mol Neurosci 2021; 14:662774. [PMID: 34177462 PMCID: PMC8221396 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.662774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcriptional regulation is essential for the correct functioning of cells during development and in postnatal life. The basic Helix-loop-Helix (bHLH) superfamily of transcription factors is well conserved throughout evolution and plays critical roles in tissue development and tissue maintenance. A subgroup of this family, called neural lineage bHLH factors, is critical in the development and function of the central nervous system. In this review, we will focus on the function of one subgroup of neural lineage bHLH factors, the Neurod family. The Neurod family has four members: Neurod1, Neurod2, Neurod4, and Neurod6. Available evidence shows that these four factors are key during the development of the cerebral cortex but also in other regions of the central nervous system, such as the cerebellum, the brainstem, and the spinal cord. We will also discuss recent reports that link the dysfunction of these transcription factors to neurological disorders in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svetlana Tutukova
- Institute of Neuroscience, Lobachevsky University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia.,Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute for Cell- and Neurobiology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Victor Tarabykin
- Institute of Neuroscience, Lobachevsky University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia.,Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute for Cell- and Neurobiology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Luis R Hernandez-Miranda
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute for Cell- and Neurobiology, Berlin, Germany
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8
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Abstract
Neurons develop dendritic morphologies that bear cell type-specific features in dendritic field size and geometry, branch placement and density, and the types and distributions of synaptic contacts. Dendritic patterns influence the types and numbers of inputs a neuron receives, and the ways in which neural information is processed and transmitted in the circuitry. Even subtle alterations in dendritic structures can have profound consequences on neuronal function and are implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders. In this chapter, I review how growing dendrites acquire their exquisite patterns by drawing examples from diverse neuronal cell types in vertebrate and invertebrate model systems. Dendrite morphogenesis is shaped by intrinsic and extrinsic factors such as transcriptional regulators, guidance and adhesion molecules, neighboring cells and synaptic partners. I discuss molecular mechanisms that regulate dendrite morphogenesis with a focus on five aspects of dendrite patterning: (1) Dendritic cytoskeleton and cellular machineries that build the arbor; (2) Gene regulatory mechanisms; (3) Afferent cues that regulate dendritic arbor growth; (4) Space-filling strategies that optimize dendritic coverage; and (5) Molecular cues that specify dendrite wiring. Cell type-specific implementation of these patterning mechanisms produces the diversity of dendrite morphologies that wire the nervous system.
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9
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NMDA Receptor Enhances Correlation of Spontaneous Activity in Neonatal Barrel Cortex. J Neurosci 2021; 41:1207-1217. [PMID: 33372060 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0527-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Correlated spontaneous activity plays critical role in the organization of neocortical circuits during development. However, cortical mechanisms regulating activity correlation are still elusive. In this study, using two-photon calcium imaging of the barrel cortex layer 4 (L4) in living neonatal mice, we found that NMDA receptors (NMDARs) in L4 neurons are important for enhancement of spontaneous activity correlation. Disruption of GluN1 (Grin1), an obligatory NMDAR subunit, in a sparse population of L4 neurons reduced activity correlation between GluN1 knock-out (GluN1KO) neuron pairs within a barrel. This reduction in activity correlation was even detected in L4 neuron pairs in neighboring barrels and most evident when either or both of neurons are located on the barrel edge. Our results provide evidence for the involvement of L4 neuron NMDARs in spatial organization of the spontaneous firing activity of L4 neurons in the neonatal barrel cortex.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Precise wiring of the thalamocortical circuits is necessary for proper sensory information processing, and thalamus-derived correlated spontaneous activity is important for thalamocortical circuit formation. The molecular mechanisms involved in the correlated activity transfer from the thalamus to the neocortex are largely unknown. In vivo two-photon calcium imaging of the neonatal barrel cortex revealed that correlated spontaneous activity between layer four neurons is reduced by mosaic knock-out (KO) of the NMDA receptor (NMDAR) obligatory subunit GluN1. Our results suggest that the function of NMDARs in layer four neurons is necessary for the communication between presynaptic and postsynaptic partners during thalamocortical circuit formation.
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10
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Tuvikene J, Esvald EE, Rähni A, Uustalu K, Zhuravskaya A, Avarlaid A, Makeyev EV, Timmusk T. Intronic enhancer region governs transcript-specific Bdnf expression in rodent neurons. eLife 2021; 10:65161. [PMID: 33560226 PMCID: PMC7891933 DOI: 10.7554/elife.65161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) controls the survival, growth, and function of neurons both during the development and in the adult nervous system. Bdnf is transcribed from several distinct promoters generating transcripts with alternative 5' exons. Bdnf transcripts initiated at the first cluster of exons have been associated with the regulation of body weight and various aspects of social behavior, but the mechanisms driving the expression of these transcripts have remained poorly understood. Here, we identify an evolutionarily conserved intronic enhancer region inside the Bdnf gene that regulates both basal and stimulus-dependent expression of the Bdnf transcripts starting from the first cluster of 5' exons in mouse and rat neurons. We further uncover a functional E-box element in the enhancer region, linking the expression of Bdnf and various pro-neural basic helix–loop–helix transcription factors. Collectively, our results shed new light on the cell-type- and stimulus-specific regulation of the important neurotrophic factor BDNF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jürgen Tuvikene
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia.,Protobios LLC, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Eli-Eelika Esvald
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia.,Protobios LLC, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Annika Rähni
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Kaie Uustalu
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Anna Zhuravskaya
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Annela Avarlaid
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Eugene V Makeyev
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Tõnis Timmusk
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia.,Protobios LLC, Tallinn, Estonia
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Safari MS, Obexer D, Baier-Bitterlich G, Zur Nedden S. PKN1 Is a Novel Regulator of Hippocampal GluA1 Levels. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2021; 13:640495. [PMID: 33613259 PMCID: PMC7892898 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2021.640495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Alterations in the processes that control α-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR) expression, assembly and trafficking are closely linked to psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. We have recently shown that the serine/threonine kinase Protein kinase N1 (PKN1) is a developmentally active regulator of cerebellar synaptic maturation by inhibiting AKT and the neurogenic transcription factor neurogenic differentiation factor-2 (NeuroD2). NeuroD2 is involved in glutamatergic synaptic maturation by regulating expression levels of various synaptic proteins. Here we aimed to study the effect of Pkn1 knockout on AKT phosphorylation and NeuroD2 levels in the hippocampus and the subsequent expression levels of the NeuroD2 targets and AMPAR subunits: glutamate receptor 1 (GluA1) and GluA2/3. We show that PKN1 is expressed throughout the hippocampus. Interestingly, not only postnatal but also adult hippocampal phospho-AKT and NeuroD2 levels were significantly elevated upon Pkn1 knockout. Postnatal and adult Pkn1 -/- hippocampi showed enhanced expression of the AMPAR subunit GluA1, particularly in area CA1. Surprisingly, GluA2/3 levels were not different between both genotypes. In addition to higher protein levels, we also found an enhanced GluA1 content in the membrane fraction of postnatal and adult Pkn1 -/- animals, while GluA2/3 levels remained unchanged. This points toward a very specific regulation of GluA1 expression and/or trafficking by the novel PKN1-AKT-NeuroD2 axis. Considering the important role of GluA1 in hippocampal development as well as the pathophysiology of several disorders, ranging from Alzheimer's, to depression and schizophrenia, our results validate PKN1 for future studies into neurological disorders related to altered AMPAR subunit expression in the hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Motahareh Solina Safari
- CCB-Biocenter, Institute of Neurobiochemistry, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Dido Obexer
- CCB-Biocenter, Institute of Neurobiochemistry, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | | | - Stephanie Zur Nedden
- CCB-Biocenter, Institute of Neurobiochemistry, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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12
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Mis EK, Sega AG, Signer RH, Cartwright T, Ji W, Martinez-Agosto JA, Nelson SF, Palmer CGS, Lee H, Mitzelfelt T, Konstantino M, Jeffries L, Khokha MK, Marco E, Martin MG, Lakhani SA. Expansion of NEUROD2 phenotypes to include developmental delay without seizures. Am J Med Genet A 2021; 185:1076-1080. [PMID: 33438828 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.62064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Revised: 11/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
De novo heterozygous variants in the brain-specific transcription factor Neuronal Differentiation Factor 2 (NEUROD2) have been recently associated with early-onset epileptic encephalopathy and developmental delay. Here, we report an adolescent with developmental delay without seizures who was found to have a novel de novo heterozygous NEUROD2 missense variant, p.(Leu163Pro). Functional testing using an in vivo assay of neuronal differentiation in Xenopus laevis tadpoles demonstrated that the patient variant of NEUROD2 displays minimal protein activity, strongly suggesting a loss of function effect. In contrast, a second rare NEUROD2 variant, p.(Ala235Thr), identified in an adolescent with developmental delay but lacking parental studies for inheritance, showed normal in vivo NEUROD2 activity. We thus provide clinical, genetic, and functional evidence that NEUROD2 variants can lead to developmental delay without accompanying early-onset seizures, and demonstrate how functional testing can complement genetic data when determining variant pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily K Mis
- Pediatric Genomics Discovery Program, Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Annalisa G Sega
- Pediatric Genomics Discovery Program, Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Rebecca H Signer
- Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | | | - Weizhen Ji
- Pediatric Genomics Discovery Program, Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Julian A Martinez-Agosto
- Deparment of Pediatrics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Department of Human Genetics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Stanley F Nelson
- Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Deparment of Pediatrics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Department of Human Genetics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Christina G S Palmer
- Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Department of Human Genetics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Institute for Society and Genetics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Hane Lee
- Department of Human Genetics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Thomas Mitzelfelt
- Pediatric Genomics Discovery Program, Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Monica Konstantino
- Pediatric Genomics Discovery Program, Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | | | - Lauren Jeffries
- Pediatric Genomics Discovery Program, Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Mustafa K Khokha
- Pediatric Genomics Discovery Program, Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.,Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Elysa Marco
- Cortica, San Rafael, California, USA.,Pediatric Brain Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Martin G Martin
- Deparment of Pediatrics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Saquib A Lakhani
- Pediatric Genomics Discovery Program, Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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13
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Disruption of NEUROD2 causes a neurodevelopmental syndrome with autistic features via cell-autonomous defects in forebrain glutamatergic neurons. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:6125-6148. [PMID: 34188164 PMCID: PMC8760061 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01179-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
While the transcription factor NEUROD2 has recently been associated with epilepsy, its precise role during nervous system development remains unclear. Using a multi-scale approach, we set out to understand how Neurod2 deletion affects the development of the cerebral cortex in mice. In Neurod2 KO embryos, cortical projection neurons over-migrated, thereby altering the final size and position of layers. In juvenile and adults, spine density and turnover were dysregulated in apical but not basal compartments in layer 5 neurons. Patch-clamp recordings in layer 5 neurons of juvenile mice revealed increased intrinsic excitability. Bulk RNA sequencing showed dysregulated expression of many genes associated with neuronal excitability and synaptic function, whose human orthologs were strongly associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). At the behavior level, Neurod2 KO mice displayed social interaction deficits, stereotypies, hyperactivity, and occasionally spontaneous seizures. Mice heterozygous for Neurod2 had similar defects, indicating that Neurod2 is haploinsufficient. Finally, specific deletion of Neurod2 in forebrain excitatory neurons recapitulated cellular and behavioral phenotypes found in constitutive KO mice, revealing the region-specific contribution of dysfunctional Neurod2 in symptoms. Informed by these neurobehavioral features in mouse mutants, we identified eleven patients from eight families with a neurodevelopmental disorder including intellectual disability and ASD associated with NEUROD2 pathogenic mutations. Our findings demonstrate crucial roles for Neurod2 in neocortical development, whose alterations can cause neurodevelopmental disorders including intellectual disability and ASD.
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14
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Runge K, Cardoso C, de Chevigny A. Dendritic Spine Plasticity: Function and Mechanisms. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2020.00036
expr 823669561 + 872784217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
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15
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Runge K, Cardoso C, de Chevigny A. Dendritic Spine Plasticity: Function and Mechanisms. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2020; 12:36. [PMID: 32982715 PMCID: PMC7484486 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2020.00036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Dendritic spines are small protrusions studding neuronal dendrites, first described in 1888 by Ramón y Cajal using his famous Golgi stainings. Around 50 years later the advance of electron microscopy (EM) confirmed Cajal's intuition that spines constitute the postsynaptic site of most excitatory synapses in the mammalian brain. The finding that spine density decreases between young and adult ages in fixed tissues suggested that spines are dynamic. It is only a decade ago that two-photon microscopy (TPM) has unambiguously proven the dynamic nature of spines, through the repeated imaging of single spines in live animals. Spine dynamics comprise formation, disappearance, and stabilization of spines and are modulated by neuronal activity and developmental age. Here, we review several emerging concepts in the field that start to answer the following key questions: What are the external signals triggering spine dynamics and the molecular mechanisms involved? What is, in return, the role of spine dynamics in circuit-rewiring, learning, and neuropsychiatric disorders?
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Runge
- Institut de Neurobiologie de la Méditerranée (INMED) INSERM U1249, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Carlos Cardoso
- Institut de Neurobiologie de la Méditerranée (INMED) INSERM U1249, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Antoine de Chevigny
- Institut de Neurobiologie de la Méditerranée (INMED) INSERM U1249, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
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16
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Clark EA, Rutlin M, Capano LS, Aviles S, Saadon JR, Taneja P, Zhang Q, Bullis JB, Lauer T, Myers E, Schulmann A, Forrest D, Nelson SB. Cortical RORβ is required for layer 4 transcriptional identity and barrel integrity. eLife 2020; 9:e52370. [PMID: 32851975 PMCID: PMC7492084 DOI: 10.7554/elife.52370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Retinoic acid-related orphan receptor beta (RORβ) is a transcription factor (TF) and marker of layer 4 (L4) neurons, which are distinctive both in transcriptional identity and the ability to form aggregates such as barrels in rodent somatosensory cortex. However, the relationship between transcriptional identity and L4 cytoarchitecture is largely unknown. We find RORβ is required in the cortex for L4 aggregation into barrels and thalamocortical afferent (TCA) segregation. Interestingly, barrel organization also degrades with age in wildtype mice. Loss of RORβ delays excitatory input and disrupts gene expression and chromatin accessibility, with down-regulation of L4 and up-regulation of L5 genes, suggesting a disruption in cellular specification. Expression and binding site accessibility change for many other TFs, including closure of neurodevelopmental TF binding sites and increased expression and binding capacity of activity-regulated TFs. Lastly, a putative target of RORβ, Thsd7a, is down-regulated without RORβ, and Thsd7a knock-out alone disrupts TCA organization in adult barrels.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antigens, Surface/chemistry
- Antigens, Surface/genetics
- Antigens, Surface/metabolism
- Female
- Male
- Membrane Proteins/chemistry
- Membrane Proteins/genetics
- Membrane Proteins/metabolism
- Mice
- Mice, Knockout
- Neurons/chemistry
- Neurons/cytology
- Neurons/metabolism
- Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 2/chemistry
- Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 2/genetics
- Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 2/metabolism
- Somatosensory Cortex/chemistry
- Somatosensory Cortex/cytology
- Somatosensory Cortex/metabolism
- Somatosensory Cortex/physiology
- Thalamus/chemistry
- Thalamus/metabolism
- Transcription Factors/chemistry
- Transcription Factors/genetics
- Transcription Factors/metabolism
- Transcriptome/genetics
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin A Clark
- Department of Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Brandeis UniversityWalthamUnited States
| | - Michael Rutlin
- Department of Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Brandeis UniversityWalthamUnited States
| | - Lucia S Capano
- Department of Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Brandeis UniversityWalthamUnited States
| | - Samuel Aviles
- Department of Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Brandeis UniversityWalthamUnited States
| | - Jordan R Saadon
- Department of Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Brandeis UniversityWalthamUnited States
| | - Praveen Taneja
- Department of Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Brandeis UniversityWalthamUnited States
| | - Qiyu Zhang
- Department of Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Brandeis UniversityWalthamUnited States
| | - James B Bullis
- Department of Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Brandeis UniversityWalthamUnited States
| | - Timothy Lauer
- Department of Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Brandeis UniversityWalthamUnited States
| | - Emma Myers
- Department of Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Brandeis UniversityWalthamUnited States
| | | | - Douglas Forrest
- Laboratory of Endocrinology and Receptor Biology, National Institutes of Health, NIDDKBethesdaUnited States
| | - Sacha B Nelson
- Department of Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Brandeis UniversityWalthamUnited States
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17
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De Felice B, Montanino C, Oliva M, Bonavita S, Di Onofrio V, Coppola C. MicroRNA Expression Signature in Mild Cognitive Impairment Due to Alzheimer's Disease. Mol Neurobiol 2020; 57:4408-4416. [PMID: 32737762 PMCID: PMC7515963 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-020-02029-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) defines an intermediate state between normal ageing and dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Identification of MCI subjects who will progress to AD (MCI-AD) is today of crucial importance, especially in light of the possible development of new pathogenic therapies. Several evidences suggest that miRNAs could play relevant roles in the biogenesis of AD, and the links between selected miRNAs and specific pathogenic aspects have been partly explored. In this study, we analysed the composition of microRNA transcriptome in blood, serum and cerebrospinal fluid samples from MCI-AD subjects, from an enriched small RNA library. Real-time qPCR from MCI-AD and AD patients and normal controls was performed to profile miRNA expression. In particular, four microRNAs, hsa-mir-5588-5p, hsa-mir-3658, hsa-mir-567 and hsa-mir-3908, among all selected microRNAs, are dysregulated. Hsa-mir-567 was found to be differentially expressed in cerebrospinal fluid samples, blood and serum from MCI-AD patients, showing the highest fold change and statistical significance. Target prediction analysis have been performed to evaluate mRNAs whose expression was controlled by miRNAs found to be dysregulated here, showing that hsa-mir-567 target genes are functionally active in neuronal cells. We propose that miRNA profiles found in samples from MCI-AD patients might be relevant for a better understanding of AD-related cognitive decline and could lead to set up suitable and potential biomarkers for MCI-AD progression to AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruna De Felice
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (DISTABIF), University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via Vivaldi 43, 81100, Caserta, Italy.
| | - Concetta Montanino
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (DISTABIF), University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via Vivaldi 43, 81100, Caserta, Italy
| | - Mariano Oliva
- Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Simona Bonavita
- Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Valeria Di Onofrio
- Department of Sciences and Technologies, University of Naples "Parthenope", Naples, Italy
| | - Cinzia Coppola
- Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
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18
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Terminal neuron localization to the upper cortical plate is controlled by the transcription factor NEUROD2. Sci Rep 2019; 9:19697. [PMID: 31873146 PMCID: PMC6927953 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-56171-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Excitatory neurons of the mammalian cerebral cortex are organized into six functional layers characterized by unique patterns of connectivity, as well as distinctive physiological and morphological properties. Cortical layers appear after a highly regulated migration process in which cells move from the deeper, proliferative zone toward the superficial layers. Importantly, defects in this radial migration process have been implicated in neurodevelopmental and psychiatric diseases. Here we report that during the final stages of migration, transcription factor Neurogenic Differentiation 2 (Neurod2) contributes to terminal cellular localization within the cortical plate. In mice, in utero knockdown of Neurod2 resulted in reduced numbers of neurons localized to the uppermost region of the developing cortex, also termed the primitive cortical zone. Our ChIP-Seq and RNA-Seq analyses of genes regulated by NEUROD2 in the developing cortex identified a number of key target genes with known roles in Reelin signaling, a critical regulator of neuronal migration. Our focused analysis of regulation of the Reln gene, encoding the extracellular ligand REELIN, uncovered NEUROD2 binding to conserved E-box elements in multiple introns. Furthermore, we demonstrate that knockdown of NEUROD2 in primary cortical neurons resulted in a strong increase in Reln gene expression at the mRNA level, as well as a slight upregulation at the protein level. These data reveal a new role for NEUROD2 during the late stages of neuronal migration, and our analysis of its genomic targets offers new genes with potential roles in cortical lamination.
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19
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Static Magnetic Field Exposure In Vivo Enhances the Generation of New Doublecortin-expressing Cells in the Sub-ventricular Zone and Neocortex of Adult Rats. Neuroscience 2019; 425:217-234. [PMID: 31809729 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.11.005] [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: 01/11/2019] [Revised: 11/01/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Static magnetic field (SMF) is gaining interest as a potential technique for modulating CNS neuronal activity. Previous studies have shown a pro-neurogenic effect of short periods of extremely low frequency pulsatile magnetic fields (PMF) in vivo and pro-survival effect of low intensity SMF in cultured neurons in vitro, but little is known about the in vivo effects of low to moderate intensity SMF on brain functions. We investigated the effect of continuously-applied SMF on subventricular zone (SVZ) neurogenesis and immature doublecortin (DCX)-expressing cells in the neocortex of young adult rats and in primary cultures of cortical neurons in vitro. A small (3 mm diameter) magnetic disc was implanted on the skull of rats at bregma, producing an average field strength of 4.3 mT at SVZ and 12.9 mT at inner neocortex. Levels of proliferation of SVZ stem cells were determined by 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) labelling, and early neuronal phenotype development was determined by expression of doublecortin (DCX). To determine the effect of SMF on neurogenesis in vitro, permanent magnets were placed beneath the culture dishes. We found that low intensity SMF exposure enhances cell proliferation in SVZ and new DCX-expressing cells in neocortical regions of young adult rats. In primary cortical neuronal cultures, SMF exposure increased the expression of newly generated cells co-labelled with EdU and DCX or the mature neuronal marker NeuN, while activating a set of pro neuronal bHLH genes. SMF exposure has potential for treatment of neurodegenerative disease and conditions such as CNS trauma and affective disorders in which increased neurogenesis is desirable.
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20
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Hahn MA, Jin SG, Li AX, Liu J, Huang Z, Wu X, Kim BW, Johnson J, Bilbao ADV, Tao S, Yim JA, Fong Y, Goebbels S, Schwab MH, Lu Q, Pfeifer GP. Reprogramming of DNA methylation at NEUROD2-bound sequences during cortical neuron differentiation. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2019; 5:eaax0080. [PMID: 31681843 PMCID: PMC6810389 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aax0080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The characteristics of DNA methylation changes that occur during neurogenesis in vivo remain unknown. We used whole-genome bisulfite sequencing to quantitate DNA cytosine modifications in differentiating neurons and their progenitors isolated from mouse brain at the peak of embryonic neurogenesis. Localized DNA hypomethylation was much more common than hypermethylation and often occurred at putative enhancers within genes that were upregulated in neurons and encoded proteins crucial for neuronal differentiation. The hypomethylated regions strongly overlapped with mapped binding sites of the key neuronal transcription factor NEUROD2. The 5-methylcytosine oxidase ten-eleven translocation 2 (TET2) interacted with NEUROD2, and its reaction product 5-hydroxymethylcytosine accumulated at the demethylated regions. NEUROD2-targeted differentially methylated regions retained higher methylation levels in Neurod2 knockout mice, and inducible expression of NEUROD2 caused TET2-associated demethylation at its in vivo binding sites. The data suggest that the reorganization of DNA methylation in developing neurons involves NEUROD2 and TET2-mediated DNA demethylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria A. Hahn
- Department of Surgery, City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Seung-Gi Jin
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Arthur X. Li
- Department of Information Sciences, City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010
| | - Jiancheng Liu
- Department of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Zhijun Huang
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Xiwei Wu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Byung-Wook Kim
- Department of Surgery, City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Jennifer Johnson
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | | | - Shu Tao
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Jacob A. Yim
- Department of Surgery, City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Yuman Fong
- Department of Surgery, City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Sandra Goebbels
- Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Department of Neurogenetics, D-37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Markus H. Schwab
- Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Department of Neurogenetics, D-37075 Göttingen, Germany
- Cellular Neurophysiology and Center for Systems Neuroscience (ZSN), Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Qiang Lu
- Department of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
- Corresponding author. (G.P.P.); (Q.L.)
| | - Gerd P. Pfeifer
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
- Corresponding author. (G.P.P.); (Q.L.)
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21
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Wang CF, Hsing HW, Zhuang ZH, Wen MH, Chang WJ, Briz CG, Nieto M, Shyu BC, Chou SJ. Lhx2 Expression in Postmitotic Cortical Neurons Initiates Assembly of the Thalamocortical Somatosensory Circuit. Cell Rep 2017; 18:849-856. [PMID: 28122236 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2016] [Revised: 12/03/2016] [Accepted: 12/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Cortical neurons must be specified and make the correct connections during development. Here, we examine a mechanism initiating neuronal circuit formation in the barrel cortex, a circuit comprising thalamocortical axons (TCAs) and layer 4 (L4) neurons. When Lhx2 is selectively deleted in postmitotic cortical neurons using conditional knockout (cKO) mice, L4 neurons in the barrel cortex are initially specified but fail to form cellular barrels or develop polarized dendrites. In Lhx2 cKO mice, TCAs from the thalamic ventral posterior nucleus reach the barrel cortex but fail to further arborize to form barrels. Several activity-regulated genes and genes involved in regulating barrel formation are downregulated in the Lhx2 cKO somatosensory cortex. Among them, Btbd3, an activity-regulated gene controlling dendritic development, is a direct downstream target of Lhx2. We find that Lhx2 confers neuronal competency for activity-dependent dendritic development in L4 neurons by inducing the expression of Btbd3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Fang Wang
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Hsiang-Wei Hsing
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Zi-Hui Zhuang
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Meng-Hsuan Wen
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Jen Chang
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Carlos G Briz
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, CNB-CSIC, Darwin 3, Campus de Cantoblanco, Madrid 28049, Spain
| | - Marta Nieto
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, CNB-CSIC, Darwin 3, Campus de Cantoblanco, Madrid 28049, Spain
| | - Bai Chuang Shyu
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Shen-Ju Chou
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.
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22
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Pfurr S, Chu YH, Bohrer C, Greulich F, Beattie R, Mammadzada K, Hils M, Arnold SJ, Taylor V, Schachtrup K, Uhlenhaut NH, Schachtrup C. The E2A splice variant E47 regulates the differentiation of projection neurons via p57(KIP2) during cortical development. Development 2017; 144:3917-3931. [PMID: 28939666 DOI: 10.1242/dev.145698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2016] [Accepted: 09/11/2017] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
During corticogenesis, distinct classes of neurons are born from progenitor cells located in the ventricular and subventricular zones, from where they migrate towards the pial surface to assemble into highly organized layer-specific circuits. However, the precise and coordinated transcriptional network activity defining neuronal identity is still not understood. Here, we show that genetic depletion of the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor E2A splice variant E47 increased the number of Tbr1-positive deep layer and Satb2-positive upper layer neurons at E14.5, while depletion of the alternatively spliced E12 variant did not affect layer-specific neurogenesis. While ChIP-Seq identified a big overlap for E12- and E47-specific binding sites in embryonic NSCs, including sites at the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor (CDKI) Cdkn1c gene locus, RNA-Seq revealed a unique transcriptional regulation by each splice variant. E47 activated the expression of the CDKI Cdkn1c through binding to a distal enhancer. Finally, overexpression of E47 in embryonic NSCs in vitro impaired neurite outgrowth, and overexpression of E47 in vivo by in utero electroporation disturbed proper layer-specific neurogenesis and upregulated p57(KIP2) expression. Overall, this study identifies E2A target genes in embryonic NSCs and demonstrates that E47 regulates neuronal differentiation via p57(KIP2).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Pfurr
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg 79104, Germany.,Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg 79104, Germany
| | - Yu-Hsuan Chu
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg 79104, Germany.,Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg 79104, Germany
| | - Christian Bohrer
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg 79104, Germany.,Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg 79104, Germany
| | - Franziska Greulich
- Helmholtz Diabetes Center (HDC) and German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg 85764, Germany
| | - Robert Beattie
- Department of Biomedicine, Embryology and Stem Cell Biology, University of Basel, Basel 4058, Switzerland
| | - Könül Mammadzada
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg 79104, Germany.,Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg 79104, Germany
| | - Miriam Hils
- Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg 79104, Germany.,Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency (CCI), Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg 79106, Germany
| | - Sebastian J Arnold
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg 79104, Germany.,BIOSS Centre of Biological Signalling Studies, Albert-Ludwigs-University, Freiburg 79104, Germany
| | - Verdon Taylor
- Department of Biomedicine, Embryology and Stem Cell Biology, University of Basel, Basel 4058, Switzerland
| | - Kristina Schachtrup
- Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg 79104, Germany.,Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency (CCI), Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg 79106, Germany
| | - N Henriette Uhlenhaut
- Helmholtz Diabetes Center (HDC) and German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg 85764, Germany
| | - Christian Schachtrup
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg 79104, Germany
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23
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Electromagnetic Fields for the Regulation of Neural Stem Cells. Stem Cells Int 2017; 2017:9898439. [PMID: 28932245 PMCID: PMC5592400 DOI: 10.1155/2017/9898439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2017] [Accepted: 08/02/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Localized magnetic fields (MFs) could easily penetrate the scalp, skull, and meninges, thus inducing an electrical current in both the central and peripheral nervous systems, which is primarily used in transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) for inducing specific effects on different regions or cells that play roles in various brain activities. Studies of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) have led to novel attractive therapeutic approaches. Neural stem cells (NSCs) in adult human brain are able to self-renew and possess multidifferential ability to maintain homeostasis and repair damage after acute central nervous system. In the present review, we summarized the electrical activity of NSCs and the fundamental mechanism of electromagnetic fields and their effects on regulating NSC proliferation, differentiation, migration, and maturation. Although it was authorized for the rTMS use in resistant depression patients by US FDA, there are still unveiling mechanism and limitations for rTMS in clinical applications of acute central nervous system injury, especially on NSC regulation as a rehabilitation strategy. More in-depth studies should be performed to provide detailed parameters and mechanisms of rTMS in further studies, making it a powerful tool to treat people who are surviving with acute central nervous system injuries.
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Chen F, Moran JT, Zhang Y, Ates KM, Yu D, Schrader LA, Das PM, Jones FE, Hall BJ. The transcription factor NeuroD2 coordinates synaptic innervation and cell intrinsic properties to control excitability of cortical pyramidal neurons. J Physiol 2017; 594:3729-44. [PMID: 27146976 DOI: 10.1113/jp271953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2016] [Accepted: 04/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
KEY POINTS Synaptic excitation and inhibition must be properly balanced in individual neurons and neuronal networks to allow proper brain function. Disrupting this balance may lead to autism spectral disorders and epilepsy. We show the basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor NeuroD2 promotes inhibitory synaptic drive but also decreases cell-intrinsic neuronal excitability of cortical pyramidal neurons both in vitro and in vivo. We identify two genes potentially downstream of NeuroD2-mediated transcription that regulate these parameters: gastrin-releasing peptide and the small conductance, calcium-activated potassium channel, SK2. Our results reveal an important function for NeuroD2 in balancing synaptic neurotransmission and intrinsic excitability. Our results offer insight into how synaptic innervation and intrinsic excitability are coordinated during cortical development. ABSTRACT Synaptic excitation and inhibition must be properly balanced in individual neurons and neuronal networks for proper brain function. Disruption of this balance during development may lead to autism spectral disorders and epilepsy. Synaptic excitation is counterbalanced by synaptic inhibition but also by attenuation of cell-intrinsic neuronal excitability. To maintain proper excitation levels during development, neurons must sense activity over time and regulate the expression of genes that control these parameters. While this is a critical process, little is known about the transcription factors involved in coordinating gene expression to control excitatory/inhibitory synaptic balance. We show here that the basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor NeuroD2 promotes inhibitory synaptic drive but also decreases cell-intrinsic neuronal excitability of cortical pyramidal neurons both in vitro and in vivo as shown by ex vivo analysis of a NeuroD2 knockout mouse. Using microarray analysis and comparing wild-type and NeuroD2 knockout cortical networks, we identified two potential gene targets of NeuroD2 that contribute to these processes: gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) and the small conductance, calcium-activated potassium channel, SK2. We found that the GRP receptor antagonist RC-3059 and the SK2 specific blocker apamin partially reversed the effects of increased NeuroD2 expression on inhibitory synaptic drive and action potential repolarization, respectively. Our results reveal an important function for NeuroD2 in balancing synaptic neurotransmission and intrinsic excitability and offer insight into how these processes are coordinated during cortical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fading Chen
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Science and Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA
| | - Jacqueline T Moran
- The Neuroscience Program, School of Science and Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA
| | - Yihui Zhang
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Science and Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA
| | - Kristin M Ates
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Science and Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA.,The Neuroscience Program, School of Science and Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA
| | - Diankun Yu
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Science and Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA
| | - Laura A Schrader
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Science and Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA.,The Neuroscience Program, School of Science and Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA
| | - Partha M Das
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Science and Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA
| | - Frank E Jones
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Science and Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA
| | - Benjamin J Hall
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Science and Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA.,The Neuroscience Program, School of Science and Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA.,Neuroscience, Ophthalmology and Rare Diseases, F. Hoffmann-La Roche, Basel Innovation Centre, Basel, 4070, Switzerland
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25
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Nucleocytoplasmic Shuttling of Histone Deacetylase 9 Controls Activity-Dependent Thalamocortical Axon Branching. Sci Rep 2017; 7:6024. [PMID: 28729685 PMCID: PMC5519695 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-06243-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2017] [Accepted: 06/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
During development, thalamocortical (TC) axons form branches in an activity-dependent fashion. Here we investigated how neuronal activity is converted to molecular signals, focusing on an epigenetic mechanism involving histone deacetylases (HDACs). Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that HDAC9 was translocated from the nucleus to the cytoplasm of thalamic cells during the first postnatal week in rats. In organotypic co-cultures of the thalamus and cortex, fluorescent protein-tagged HDAC9 also exhibited nuclueocytoplasmic translocation in thalamic cells during culturing, which was reversed by tetrodotoxin treatment. Transfection with a mutant HDAC9 that interferes with the translocation markedly decreased TC axon branching in the culture. Similarly, TC axon branching was significantly decreased by the mutant HDAC9 gene transfer in vivo. However, axonal branching was restored by disrupting the interaction between HDAC9 and myocyte-specific enhancer factor 2 (MEF2). Taken together, the present results demonstrate that the nucleocytoplasmic translocation of HDAC9 plays a critical role in activity-dependent TC axon branching by affecting transcriptional regulation and downstream signaling pathways.
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26
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Spellmann I, Riedel M, Städtler J, Zill P, Obermeier M, Cerovecki A, Dehning S, Schennach R, Epple M, Opgen-Rhein M, Müller N, Bondy B, Möller HJ, Musil R. Associations of NEUROD2 polymorphisms and change of cognitive dysfunctions in schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder after eight weeks of antipsychotic treatment. Cogn Neuropsychiatry 2017; 22:280-297. [PMID: 28470106 DOI: 10.1080/13546805.2017.1322502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION NEUROD2 is a neurospecific helix-loop-helix transcription factor which has an impact on the regulation of glutamatergic and GABAergic genes. We investigated an association of NEUROD2 with neurocognitive dysfunctions in schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder patients before and during treatment with different second-generation antipsychotics. METHODS Patients were genotyped for four different polymorphisms of the NEUROD2 gene ((rs9889354(A/G), rs1877032(C/T), rs12453682(C/T) and rs11078918(C/G)). Cognitive function was assessed at baseline and week 8. Results of individual neuropsychological tests were assigned to six cognitive domains (reaction time and quality; executive function; working, verbal and visual memory) and a general cognitive index. RESULTS 167 patients were included in the study. The NEUROD2 exonic polymorphism rs11078918 showed significant associations with verbal memory and executive functions, whereas the NEUROD2 polymorphism rs12453682 was significantly associated with working and verbal memory, executive functions and with a cognitive index. Significant associations were found at baseline and after eight weeks. Moreover, significant associations between the change in neuropsychological test results during antipsychotic treatment and the NEUROD2 polymorphisms rs11078918 and rs12453682 were observed. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that the NEUROD2 gene could play a role in the pathophysiology of neurocognitive dysfunctions as well as in the change of cognitive symptoms under antipsychotic treatment in schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilja Spellmann
- a Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich , Munich , Germany
| | - Michael Riedel
- a Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich , Munich , Germany
| | - Julia Städtler
- a Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich , Munich , Germany
| | - Peter Zill
- a Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich , Munich , Germany
| | - Michael Obermeier
- a Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich , Munich , Germany
| | - Anja Cerovecki
- a Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich , Munich , Germany
| | - Sandra Dehning
- a Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich , Munich , Germany
| | - Rebecca Schennach
- a Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich , Munich , Germany
| | - Maria Epple
- a Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich , Munich , Germany
| | - Markus Opgen-Rhein
- a Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich , Munich , Germany
| | - Norbert Müller
- a Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich , Munich , Germany
| | - Brigitta Bondy
- a Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich , Munich , Germany
| | - Hans-Jürgen Möller
- a Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich , Munich , Germany
| | - Richard Musil
- a Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich , Munich , Germany
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Chen F, Hall BJ. Synaptic activity suppresses expression of neurogenic differentiation factor 2 in an NMDA receptor-dependent manner. Synapse 2017; 71. [PMID: 28524267 DOI: 10.1002/syn.21986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2017] [Revised: 05/03/2017] [Accepted: 05/14/2017] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Neurogenic differentiation factor 2 (NeuroD2) is a highly expressed transcription factor in the developing central nervous system. In newborn neurons, NeuroD2-mediated gene expression promotes differentiation, maturation, and survival. In addition to these early, cell-intrinsic developmental processes, NeuroD2 in postmitotic neurons also regulates synapse growth and ion channel expression to control excitability. While NeuroD2 transactivation can be induced in an activity-dependent manner, little is known about how expression of NeuroD2 itself is regulated. Using genome-wide, mRNA-based microarray analysis, we found that NeuroD2 is actually one of hundreds of genes whose mRNA levels are suppressed by synaptic activity, in a manner dependent upon N-methyl d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) activation. We confirmed this observation both in vitro and in vivo and provide evidence that this happens at the level of transcription and not mRNA stability. Our experiments further indicate that suppression of NeuroD2 message by NMDARs likely involves both CaMKII and MAPK but not voltage-gated calcium channels, in contrast to its mechanism of transactivation. We predict from these data that NMDARs may transduce information about the level of synaptic activity a developing neuron receives, to down-regulate NeuroD2 and allow proper maturation of cortical circuits by suppressing expression of neurite and synaptic growth promoting gene products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fading Chen
- The Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Tulane University, School of Science and Engineering, New Orleans, Louisiana 70118
| | - Benjamin J Hall
- The Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Tulane University, School of Science and Engineering, New Orleans, Louisiana 70118.,The Neuroscience Program, Tulane University, School of Science and Engineering, New Orleans, Louisiana 70118.,Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development, Neuroscience, Ophthalmology and Rare Diseases, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070, Basel, Switzerland
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28
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NEUROD2 Regulates Stim1 Expression and Store-Operated Calcium Entry in Cortical Neurons. eNeuro 2017; 4:eN-NWR-0255-16. [PMID: 28303257 PMCID: PMC5343279 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0255-16.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2016] [Revised: 01/18/2017] [Accepted: 01/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Calcium signaling controls many key processes in neurons, including gene expression, axon guidance, and synaptic plasticity. In contrast to calcium influx through voltage- or neurotransmitter-gated channels, regulatory pathways that control store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) in neurons are poorly understood. Here, we report a transcriptional control of Stim1 (stromal interaction molecule 1) gene, which is a major sensor of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) calcium levels and a regulator of SOCE. By using a genome-wide chromatin immunoprecipitation and sequencing approach in mice, we find that NEUROD2, a neurogenic transcription factor, binds to an intronic element within the Stim1 gene. We show that NEUROD2 limits Stim1 expression in cortical neurons and consequently fine-tunes the SOCE response upon depletion of ER calcium. Our findings reveal a novel mechanism that regulates neuronal calcium homeostasis during cortical development.
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29
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Uryu D, Tamaru T, Suzuki A, Sakai R, Konishi Y. Study of local intracellular signals regulating axonal morphogenesis using a microfluidic device. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF ADVANCED MATERIALS 2016; 17:691-697. [PMID: 27877916 PMCID: PMC5101991 DOI: 10.1080/14686996.2016.1241131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2016] [Revised: 09/20/2016] [Accepted: 09/22/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The establishment and maintenance of axonal patterning is crucial for neuronal function. To identify the molecular systems that operate locally to control axonal structure, it is important to manipulate molecular functions in restricted subcellular areas for a long period of time. Microfluidic devices can be powerful tools for such purposes. In this study, we demonstrate the application of a microfluidic device to clarify the function of local Ca2+ signals in axons. Membrane depolarization significantly induced axonal branch-extension in cultured cerebellar granule neurons (CGNs). Local application of nifedipine using a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based microfluidic device demonstrated that Ca2+ entry from the axonal region via L-type voltage-dependent calcium channels (L-VDCC) is required for branch extension. Furthermore, we developed a method for locally controlling protein levels by combining genetic techniques and use of a microfluidic culture system. A vector for enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) fused to a destabilizing domain derived from E. coli dihydrofolate reductase (ecDHFR) is introduced in neurons by electroporation. By local application of the DHFR ligand, trimethoprim (TMP) using a microfluidic device, we were able to manipulate differentially the level of fusion protein between axons and somatodendrites. The present study revealed the effectiveness of microfluidic devices to address fundamental biological issues at subcellular levels, and the possibility of their development in combination with molecular techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daiki Uryu
- Department of Human and Artificial Intelligent Systems, Faculty of Engineering, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Tamaru
- Department of Human and Artificial Intelligent Systems, Faculty of Engineering, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
| | - Azusa Suzuki
- Department of Human and Artificial Intelligent Systems, Faculty of Engineering, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
| | - Rie Sakai
- Department of Human and Artificial Intelligent Systems, Faculty of Engineering, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
| | - Yoshiyuki Konishi
- Department of Human and Artificial Intelligent Systems, Faculty of Engineering, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
- Department of Materials Science and Biotechnology, Faculty of Engineering, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
- Life Science Innovation Center, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
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Abstract
One approach to examining how higher sensory, motor, and cognitive faculties emerge in the neocortex is to elucidate the underlying wiring principles of the brain during development. The mammalian neocortex is a layered structure generated from a sheet of proliferating ventricular cells that progressively divide to form specific functional areas, such as the primary somatosensory (S1) and motor (M1) cortices. The basic wiring pattern in each of these functional areas is based on a similar framework, but is distinct in detail. Functional specialization in each area derives from a combination of molecular cues within the cortex and neuronal activity-dependent cues provided by innervating axons from the thalamus. One salient feature of neocortical development is the establishment of topographic maps in which neighboring neurons receive input relayed from neighboring sensory afferents. Barrels, which are prominent sensory units in the somatosensory cortex of rodents, have been examined in detail, and data suggest that the initial, gross formation of the barrel map relies on molecular cues, but the refinement of this topography depends on neuronal activity. Several excellent reviews have been published on the patterning and plasticity of the barrel cortex and the precise targeting of ventrobasal thalamic axons. In this review, the authors will focus on the formation and functional maturation of synapses between thalamocortical axons and cortical neurons, an event that coincides with the formation of the barrel map. They will briefly review cortical patterning and the initial targeting of thalamic axons, with an emphasis on recent findings. The rest of the review will be devoted to summarizing their understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying thalamocortical synapse maturation and its role in barrel map formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melis Inan
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX, USA
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31
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Telley L, Govindan S, Prados J, Stevant I, Nef S, Dermitzakis E, Dayer A, Jabaudon D. Sequential transcriptional waves direct the differentiation of newborn neurons in the mouse neocortex. Science 2016; 351:1443-6. [PMID: 26940868 DOI: 10.1126/science.aad8361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 194] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2015] [Accepted: 02/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
During corticogenesis, excitatory neurons are born from progenitors located in the ventricular zone (VZ), from where they migrate to assemble into circuits. How neuronal identity is dynamically specified upon progenitor division is unknown. Here, we study this process using a high-temporal-resolution technology allowing fluorescent tagging of isochronic cohorts of newborn VZ cells. By combining this in vivo approach with single-cell transcriptomics in mice, we identify and functionally characterize neuron-specific primordial transcriptional programs as they dynamically unfold. Our results reveal early transcriptional waves that instruct the sequence and pace of neuronal differentiation events, guiding newborn neurons toward their final fate, and contribute to a road map for the reverse engineering of specific classes of cortical neurons from undifferentiated cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludovic Telley
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva, Switzerland. Institute for Genetics and Genomics in Geneva (iGE3), University of Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Subashika Govindan
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva, Switzerland. Institute for Genetics and Genomics in Geneva (iGE3), University of Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Julien Prados
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva, Switzerland. Institute for Genetics and Genomics in Geneva (iGE3), University of Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Isabelle Stevant
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, Switzerland. Institute for Genetics and Genomics in Geneva (iGE3), University of Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Serge Nef
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, Switzerland. Institute for Genetics and Genomics in Geneva (iGE3), University of Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Emmanouil Dermitzakis
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, Switzerland. Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Greece. Center of Excellence in Genomic Medicine Research, King Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia. Institute for Genetics and Genomics in Geneva (iGE3), University of Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Alexandre Dayer
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva, Switzerland. Department of Psychiatry, Geneva University Hospital, Switzerland. Institute for Genetics and Genomics in Geneva (iGE3), University of Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Denis Jabaudon
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva, Switzerland. Clinic of Neurology, Geneva University Hospital, Switzerland. Institute for Genetics and Genomics in Geneva (iGE3), University of Geneva, Switzerland.
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Bayam E, Sahin GS, Guzelsoy G, Guner G, Kabakcioglu A, Ince-Dunn G. Genome-wide target analysis of NEUROD2 provides new insights into regulation of cortical projection neuron migration and differentiation. BMC Genomics 2015; 16:681. [PMID: 26341353 PMCID: PMC4560887 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-015-1882-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2015] [Accepted: 08/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cellular differentiation programs are controlled, to a large extent, by the combinatorial functioning of specific transcription factors. Cortical projection neurons constitute the major excitatory neuron population within the cortex and mediate long distance communication between the cortex and other brain regions. Our understanding of effector transcription factors and their downstream transcriptional programs that direct the differentiation process of cortical projection neurons is far from complete. Results In this study, we carried out a ChIP-Seq (chromatin-immunoprecipitation and sequencing) analysis of NEUROD2, an effector transcription factor expressed in lineages of cortical projection neurons during the peak of cortical excitatory neurogenesis. Our results suggest that during cortical development NEUROD2 targets key genes that are required for Reelin signaling, a major pathway that regulates the migration of neurons from germinal zones to their final layers of residence within the cortex. We also find that NEUROD2 binds to a large set of genes with functions in layer-specific differentiation and in axonal pathfinding of cortical projection neurons. Conclusions Our analysis of in vivo NEUROD2 target genes offers mechanistic insight into signaling pathways that regulate neuronal migration and axon guidance and identifies genes that are likely to be required for proper cortical development. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-015-1882-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Efil Bayam
- Molecular Biology and Genetics Department, Koç University, Rumeli Feneri Yolu, Istanbul, 34450, Turkey.
| | - Gulcan Semra Sahin
- Molecular Biology and Genetics Department, Koç University, Rumeli Feneri Yolu, Istanbul, 34450, Turkey. .,Present Address: Neuroscience Department, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA.
| | - Gizem Guzelsoy
- Molecular Biology and Genetics Department, Koç University, Rumeli Feneri Yolu, Istanbul, 34450, Turkey.
| | - Gokhan Guner
- Molecular Biology and Genetics Department, Koç University, Rumeli Feneri Yolu, Istanbul, 34450, Turkey.
| | - Alkan Kabakcioglu
- Physics Department, Koç University, Rumeli Feneri Yolu, Istanbul, 34450, Turkey.
| | - Gulayse Ince-Dunn
- Molecular Biology and Genetics Department, Koç University, Rumeli Feneri Yolu, Istanbul, 34450, Turkey.
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Long-range evolutionary constraints reveal cis-regulatory interactions on the human X chromosome. Nat Commun 2015; 6:6904. [PMID: 25908307 PMCID: PMC4423230 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms7904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2014] [Accepted: 03/12/2015] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Enhancers can regulate the transcription of genes over long genomic distances. This is thought to lead to selection against genomic rearrangements within such regions that may disrupt this functional linkage. Here we test this concept experimentally using the human X chromosome. We describe a scoring method to identify evolutionary maintenance of linkage between conserved noncoding elements and neighbouring genes. Chromatin marks associated with enhancer function are strongly correlated with this linkage score. We test >1,000 putative enhancers by transgenesis assays in zebrafish to ascertain the identity of the target gene. The majority of active enhancers drive a transgenic expression in a pattern consistent with the known expression of a linked gene. These results show that evolutionary maintenance of linkage is a reliable predictor of an enhancer's function, and provide new information to discover the genetic basis of diseases caused by the mis-regulation of gene expression. Enhancers regulate the transcription of genes over long genomic distances. Here, the authors show that enhancer function is correlated with maintenance of linkage between non-coding elements and neighbouring genes in the human X chromosome and that enhancers in zebrafish drive expression in a pattern consistent with the expression of a linked gene.
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34
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Kawasaki H. Spatio-temporal regulation of the formation of the somatosensory system. Dev Growth Differ 2015; 57:193-9. [DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2015] [Revised: 02/28/2015] [Accepted: 03/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Kawasaki
- Department of Biophysical Genetics; Graduate School of Medical Sciences; Kanazawa University; Ishikawa 920-8640 Japan
- Brain/Liver Interface Medicine Research Center; Kanazawa University; Ishikawa 920-8640 Japan
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Liu J, Liu B, Zhang X, Yu B, Guan W, Wang K, Yang Y, Gong Y, Wu X, Yanagawa Y, Wu S, Zhao C. Calretinin-positive L5a pyramidal neurons in the development of the paralemniscal pathway in the barrel cortex. Mol Brain 2014; 7:84. [PMID: 25404384 PMCID: PMC4246560 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-014-0084-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2014] [Accepted: 11/04/2014] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The rodent barrel cortex has been established as an ideal model for studying the development and plasticity of a neuronal circuit. The barrel cortex consists of barrel and septa columns, which receive various input signals through distinct pathways. The lemniscal pathway transmits whisker-specific signals to homologous barrel columns, and the paralemniscal pathway transmits multi-whisker signals to both barrel and septa columns. The integration of information from both lemniscal and paralemniscal pathways in the barrel cortex is critical for precise object recognition. As the main target of the posterior medial nucleus (POm) in the paralemniscal pathway, layer 5a (L5a) pyramidal neurons are involved in both barrel and septa circuits and are considered an important site of information integration. However, information on L5a neurons is very limited. This study aims to explore the cellular features of L5a neurons and to provide a morphological basis for studying their roles in the development of the paralemniscal pathway and in information integration. Results 1. We found that the calcium-binding protein calretinin (CR) is dynamically expressed in L5a excitatory pyramidal neurons of the barrel cortex, and L5a neurons form a unique serrated pattern similar to the distributions of their presynaptic POm axon terminals. 2. Infraorbital nerve transection disrupts this unique alignment, indicating that it is input dependent. 3. The formation of the L5a neuronal alignment develops synchronously with barrels, which suggests that the lemniscal and paralemniscal pathways may interact with each other to regulate pattern formation and refinement in the barrel cortex. 4. CR is specifically expressed in the paralemniscal pathway, and CR deletion disrupts the unique L5a neuronal pattern, which indicates that CR may be required for the development of the paralemniscal pathway. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that L5a neurons form a unique, input-dependent serrated alignment during the development of cortical barrels and that CR may play an important role in the development of the paralemniscal pathway. Our data provide a morphological basis for studying the role of L5a pyramidal neurons in information integration within the lemniscal and paralemniscal pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junhua Liu
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, MOE, Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China.
| | - Bin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, MOE, Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China.
| | - XiaoYun Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, MOE, Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China.
| | - Baocong Yu
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, MOE, Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China.
| | - Wuqiang Guan
- Institute of Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science and State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, PR China.
| | - Kun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, MOE, Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China.
| | - Yang Yang
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, MOE, Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China.
| | - Yifan Gong
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, MOE, Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China.
| | - Xiaojing Wu
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, MOE, Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China.
| | - Yuchio Yanagawa
- Department of Genetic and Behavioral Neuroscience, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, 3-39-22 Showa-machi, Maebashi, 371-8511, Japan.
| | - Shengxi Wu
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, PR China.
| | - Chunjie Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, MOE, Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China. .,Center of Depression, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing, 100069, PR China.
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Cai T, Groves AK. The Role of Atonal Factors in Mechanosensory Cell Specification and Function. Mol Neurobiol 2014; 52:1315-1329. [PMID: 25339580 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-014-8925-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2014] [Accepted: 10/07/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Atonal genes are basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors that were first identified as regulating the formation of mechanoreceptors and photoreceptors in Drosophila. Isolation of vertebrate homologs of atonal genes has shown these transcription factors to play diverse roles in the development of neurons and their progenitors, gut epithelial cells, and mechanosensory cells in the inner ear and skin. In this article, we review the molecular function and regulation of atonal genes and their targets, with particular emphasis on the function of Atoh1 in the development, survival, and function of hair cells of the inner ear. We discuss cell-extrinsic signals that induce Atoh1 expression and the transcriptional networks that regulate its expression during development. Finally, we discuss recent work showing how identification of Atoh1 target genes in the cerebellum, spinal cord, and gut can be used to propose candidate Atoh1 targets in tissues such as the inner ear where cell numbers and biochemical material are limiting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiantian Cai
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA
| | - Andrew K Groves
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA. .,Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA. .,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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37
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Neocortical and thalamic interactions are necessary for the execution of complex sensory-motor tasks and associated cognitive processes. Investigation of thalamocortical circuit development is therefore critical to understand developmental disorders involving abnormal cortical function. Here, we review recent advances in our understanding of thalamus-dependent cortical patterning and cortical neuron differentiation. RECENT FINDINGS Although the principles of cortical map patterning are increasingly understood, the extent to which thalamocortical inputs contribute to cortical neuron differentiation is still unclear. The recent development of genetic models allowing cell-type-specific dissection of cortical input pathways has shed light on some of the input-dependent and activity-dependent processes occurring during cortical development, which are discussed here. SUMMARY These recent studies have revealed interwoven links between thalamic and cortical neurons, in which cell intrinsic differentiation programs are tightly regulated by synaptic input during a prolonged period of development. Challenges in the years to come will be to identify the mechanisms underlying the reciprocal interactions between intrinsic and extrinsic differentiation programs, and their contribution to neurodevelopmental disorders and neuropsychiatric disorders at large.
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38
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Dworschak GC, Draaken M, Hilger AC, Schramm C, Bartels E, Schmiedeke E, Grasshoff-Derr S, Märzheuser S, Holland-Cunz S, Lacher M, Jenetzky E, Zwink N, Schmidt D, Nöthen MM, Ludwig M, Reutter H. Genome-wide mapping of copy number variations in patients with both anorectal malformations and central nervous system abnormalities. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014; 103:235-42. [DOI: 10.1002/bdra.23321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2014] [Revised: 08/06/2014] [Accepted: 08/29/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Markus Draaken
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn; Bonn Germany
- Department of Genomics, Life and Brain Center; University of Bonn; Bonn Germany
| | - Alina C. Hilger
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn; Bonn Germany
| | | | - Enrika Bartels
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn; Bonn Germany
| | - Eberhard Schmiedeke
- Department of Pediatric Surgery and Urology; Center for Child and Adolescent Health; Hospital Bremen-Mitte Bremen Germany
| | | | - Stefanie Märzheuser
- Department of Pediatric Surgery; Campus Virchow Clinic, Charité University Hospital Berlin; Berlin Germany
| | - Stefan Holland-Cunz
- Department of Pediatric Surgery; Children's University Hospital Basel; Basel Switzerland
| | - Martin Lacher
- Center of Pediatric Surgery Hannover; Hannover Medical School; Hannover Germany
| | - Ekkehart Jenetzky
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research; German Cancer Research Center; Heidelberg Germany
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy; Johannes-Gutenberg University; Mainz Germany
| | - Nadine Zwink
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research; German Cancer Research Center; Heidelberg Germany
| | - Dominik Schmidt
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn; Bonn Germany
- Department of Pediatric Surgery; Campus Virchow Clinic, Charité University Hospital Berlin; Berlin Germany
| | - Markus M. Nöthen
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn; Bonn Germany
- Department of Genomics, Life and Brain Center; University of Bonn; Bonn Germany
| | - Michael Ludwig
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Pharmacology; University of Bonn; Bonn Germany
| | - Heiko Reutter
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn; Bonn Germany
- Department of Neonatology; Children's Hospital, University of Bonn; Bonn Germany
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39
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Quednow BB, Brzózka MM, Rossner MJ. Transcription factor 4 (TCF4) and schizophrenia: integrating the animal and the human perspective. Cell Mol Life Sci 2014; 71:2815-35. [PMID: 24413739 PMCID: PMC11113759 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-013-1553-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2013] [Revised: 12/04/2013] [Accepted: 12/30/2013] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a genetically complex disease considered to have a neurodevelopmental pathogenesis and defined by a broad spectrum of positive and negative symptoms as well as cognitive deficits. Recently, large genome-wide association studies have identified common alleles slightly increasing the risk for schizophrenia. Among the few schizophrenia-risk genes that have been consistently replicated is the basic Helix-Loop-Helix (bHLH) transcription factor 4 (TCF4). Haploinsufficiency of the TCF4 (formatting follows IUPAC nomenclature: TCF4 protein/protein function, Tcf4 rodent gene cDNA mRNA, TCF4 human gene cDNA mRNA) gene causes the Pitt-Hopkins syndrome-a neurodevelopmental disease characterized by severe mental retardation. Accordingly, Tcf4 null-mutant mice display developmental brain defects. TCF4-associated risk alleles are located in putative coding and non-coding regions of the gene. Hence, subtle changes at the level of gene expression might be relevant for the etiopathology of schizophrenia. Behavioural phenotypes obtained with a mouse model of slightly increased gene dosage and electrophysiological investigations with human risk-allele carriers revealed an overlapping spectrum of schizophrenia-relevant endophenotypes. Most prominently, early information processing and higher cognitive functions appear to be associated with TCF4 risk genotypes. Moreover, a recent human study unravelled gene × environment interactions between TCF4 risk alleles and smoking behaviour that were specifically associated with disrupted early information processing. Taken together, TCF4 is considered as an integrator ('hub') of several bHLH networks controlling critical steps of various developmental, and, possibly, plasticity-related transcriptional programs in the CNS and changes of TCF4 expression also appear to affect brain networks important for information processing. Consequently, these findings support the neurodevelopmental hypothesis of schizophrenia and provide a basis for identifying the underlying molecular mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boris B. Quednow
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Experimental and Clinical Pharmacopsychology, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Lenggstrasse 31, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland
- Zurich Center for Integrative Human Physiology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Magdalena M. Brzózka
- Department of Psychiatry, Molecular and Behavioral Neurobiology, Ludwig-Maximillians-University, Nussbaumstr. 7, 80336 Munich, Germany
| | - Moritz J. Rossner
- Department of Psychiatry, Molecular and Behavioral Neurobiology, Ludwig-Maximillians-University, Nussbaumstr. 7, 80336 Munich, Germany
- Research Group Gene Expression, Max-Planck-Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hermann-Rein-Str. 3, Goettingen, 37075 Germany
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40
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Lokmane L, Garel S. Map transfer from the thalamus to the neocortex: inputs from the barrel field. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2014; 35:147-55. [PMID: 25020201 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2014.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2014] [Revised: 07/03/2014] [Accepted: 07/04/2014] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Sensory perception relies on the formation of stereotyped maps inside the brain. This feature is particularly well illustrated in the mammalian neocortex, which is subdivided into distinct cortical sensory areas that comprise topological maps, such as the somatosensory homunculus in humans or the barrel field of the large whiskers in rodents. How somatosensory maps are formed and relayed into the neocortex remain essential questions in developmental neuroscience. Here, we will present our current knowledge on whisker map transfer in the mouse model, with the goal of linking embryonic and postnatal studies into a comprehensive framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludmilla Lokmane
- Ecole Normale Supérieure, Institut de Biologie de l'ENS, IBENS, 46 rue d'Ulm, Paris F-75005, France; Inserm, U1024, Paris F-75005, France; CNRS, UMR 8197, Paris F-75005, France.
| | - Sonia Garel
- Ecole Normale Supérieure, Institut de Biologie de l'ENS, IBENS, 46 rue d'Ulm, Paris F-75005, France; Inserm, U1024, Paris F-75005, France; CNRS, UMR 8197, Paris F-75005, France.
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41
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Mizuno H, Luo W, Tarusawa E, Saito Y, Sato T, Yoshimura Y, Itohara S, Iwasato T. NMDAR-Regulated Dynamics of Layer 4 Neuronal Dendrites during Thalamocortical Reorganization in Neonates. Neuron 2014; 82:365-79. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2014.02.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/05/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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42
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Induced neural stem cells: Methods of reprogramming and potential therapeutic applications. Prog Neurobiol 2014; 114:15-24. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2013.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2012] [Revised: 10/18/2013] [Accepted: 11/07/2013] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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43
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Leone L, Fusco S, Mastrodonato A, Piacentini R, Barbati SA, Zaffina S, Pani G, Podda MV, Grassi C. Epigenetic Modulation of Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis by Extremely Low-Frequency Electromagnetic Fields. Mol Neurobiol 2014; 49:1472-86. [DOI: 10.1007/s12035-014-8650-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2013] [Accepted: 01/22/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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44
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Abstract
LIM homeodomain transcription factors are critical regulators of early development in multiple systems but have yet to be examined for a role in circuit formation. The LIM homeobox gene Lhx2 is expressed in cortical progenitors during development and also in the superficial layers of the neocortex in maturity. However, analysis of Lhx2 function at later stages of cortical development has been hampered by severe phenotypes associated with early loss of function. We identified a particular Cre-recombinase line that acts in the cortical primordium after its specification is complete, permitting an analysis of Lhx2 function in neocortical lamination, regionalization, and circuit formation by selective elimination of Lhx2 in the dorsal telencephalon. We report a profound disruption of cortical neuroanatomical and molecular features upon loss of Lhx2 in the cortex from embryonic day 11.5. A unique feature of cortical circuitry, the somatosensory barrels, is undetectable, and molecular patterning of cortical regions appears disrupted. Surprisingly, thalamocortical afferents innervate the mutant cortex with apparently normal regional specificity. Electrophysiological recordings reveal a loss of responses evoked by stimulation of individual whiskers, but responses to simultaneous stimulation of multiple whiskers were present, suggesting that thalamic afferents are unable to organize the neurocircuitry for barrel formation because of a cortex-specific requirement of Lhx2. We report that Lhx2 is required for the expression of transcription factor paired box gene 6, axon guidance molecule Ephrin A5, and the receptor NMDA receptor 1. These genes may mediate Lhx2 function in the formation of specialized neurocircuitry necessary for neocortical function.
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45
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Lokmane L, Proville R, Narboux-Nême N, Györy I, Keita M, Mailhes C, Léna C, Gaspar P, Grosschedl R, Garel S. Sensory map transfer to the neocortex relies on pretarget ordering of thalamic axons. Curr Biol 2013; 23:810-6. [PMID: 23623550 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2013.03.062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2012] [Revised: 02/21/2013] [Accepted: 03/22/2013] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Sensory maps, such as the representation of mouse facial whiskers, are conveyed throughout the nervous system by topographic axonal projections that preserve neighboring relationships between adjacent neurons. In particular, the map transfer to the neocortex is ensured by thalamocortical axons (TCAs), whose terminals are topographically organized in response to intrinsic cortical signals. However, TCAs already show a topographic order early in development, as they navigate toward their target. Here, we show that this preordering of TCAs is required for the transfer of the whisker map to the neocortex. Using Ebf1 conditional inactivation that specifically perturbs the development of an intermediate target, the basal ganglia, we scrambled TCA topography en route to the neocortex without affecting the thalamus or neocortex. Notably, embryonic somatosensory TCAs were shifted toward the visual cortex and showed a substantial intermixing along their trajectory. Somatosensory TCAs rewired postnatally to reach the somatosensory cortex but failed to form a topographic anatomical or functional map. Our study reveals that sensory map transfer relies not only on positional information in the projecting and target structures but also on preordering of axons along their trajectory, thereby opening novel perspectives on brain wiring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludmilla Lokmane
- Ecole Normale Supérieure, Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), 46 Rue d'Ulm, 75005 Paris, France
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46
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Bormuth I, Yan K, Yonemasu T, Gummert M, Zhang M, Wichert S, Grishina O, Pieper A, Zhang W, Goebbels S, Tarabykin V, Nave KA, Schwab MH. Neuronal basic helix-loop-helix proteins Neurod2/6 regulate cortical commissure formation before midline interactions. J Neurosci 2013; 33:641-51. [PMID: 23303943 PMCID: PMC6704922 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0899-12.2013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2012] [Revised: 10/29/2012] [Accepted: 11/05/2012] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Establishment of long-range fiber tracts by neocortical projection neurons is fundamental for higher brain functions. The molecular control of axon tract formation, however, is still poorly understood. Here, we have identified basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors Neurod2 and Neurod6 as key regulators of fasciculation and targeted axogenesis in the mouse neocortex. In Neurod2/6 double-mutant mice, callosal axons lack expression of the cell adhesion molecule Contactin2, defasciculate in the subventricular zone, and fail to grow toward the midline without forming Probst bundles. Instead, mutant axons overexpress Robo1 and follow random trajectories into the ipsilateral cortex. In contrast to long-range axogenesis, generation and maintenance of pyramidal neurons and initial axon outgrowth are grossly normal, suggesting that these processes are under distinct transcriptional control. Our findings define a new stage in corpus callosum development and demonstrate that neocortical projection neurons require transcriptional specification by neuronal bHLH proteins to execute an intrinsic program of remote connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingo Bormuth
- Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Department of Neurogenetics, D-37075 Göttingen, Germany
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, D-10115 Berlin, Germany, and
| | - Kuo Yan
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, D-10115 Berlin, Germany, and
| | - Tomoko Yonemasu
- Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Department of Neurogenetics, D-37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Maike Gummert
- Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Department of Neurogenetics, D-37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Mingyue Zhang
- University of Münster, Department of Psychiatry, Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry, D-48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Sven Wichert
- Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Department of Neurogenetics, D-37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Olga Grishina
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, D-10115 Berlin, Germany, and
| | - Alexander Pieper
- Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Department of Neurogenetics, D-37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Weiqi Zhang
- University of Münster, Department of Psychiatry, Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry, D-48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Sandra Goebbels
- Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Department of Neurogenetics, D-37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Victor Tarabykin
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, D-10115 Berlin, Germany, and
| | - Klaus-Armin Nave
- Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Department of Neurogenetics, D-37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Markus H. Schwab
- Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Department of Neurogenetics, D-37075 Göttingen, Germany
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47
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Navarrete K, Pedroso I, De Jong S, Stefansson H, Steinberg S, Stefansson K, Ophoff RA, Schalkwyk LC, Collier DA. TCF4 (e2-2; ITF2): a schizophrenia-associated gene with pleiotropic effects on human disease. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2013; 162B:1-16. [PMID: 23129290 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2012] [Accepted: 09/27/2012] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Common SNPs in the transcription factor 4 (TCF4; ITF2, E2-2, SEF-2) gene, which encodes a basic Helix-Loop-Helix (bHLH) transcription factor, are associated with schizophrenia, conferring a small increase in risk. Other common SNPs in the gene are associated with the common eye disorder Fuch's corneal dystrophy, while rare, mostly de novo inactivating mutations cause Pitt-Hopkins syndrome. In this review, we present a systematic bioinformatics and literature review of the genomics, biological function and interactome of TCF4 in the context of schizophrenia. The TCF4 gene is present in all vertebrates, and although protein length varies, there is high conservation of primary sequence, including the DNA binding domain. Humans have a unique leucine-rich nuclear export signal. There are two main isoforms (A and B), as well as complex splicing generating many possible N-terminal amino acid sequences. TCF4 is highly expressed in the brain, where plays a role in neurodevelopment, interacting with class II bHLH transcription factors Math1, HASH1, and neuroD2. The Ca(2+) sensor protein calmodulin interacts with the DNA binding domain of TCF4, inhibiting transcriptional activation. It is also the target of microRNAs, including mir137, which is implicated in schizophrenia. The schizophrenia-associated SNPs are in linkage disequilibrium with common variants within putative DNA regulatory elements, suggesting that regulation of expression may underlie association with schizophrenia. Combined gene co-expression analyses and curated protein-protein interaction data provide a network involving TCF4 and other putative schizophrenia susceptibility genes. These findings suggest new opportunities for understanding the molecular basis of schizophrenia and other mental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherinne Navarrete
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK
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48
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Hirayama T, Tarusawa E, Yoshimura Y, Galjart N, Yagi T. CTCF is required for neural development and stochastic expression of clustered Pcdh genes in neurons. Cell Rep 2012; 2:345-57. [PMID: 22854024 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2012.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 134] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2012] [Revised: 06/13/2012] [Accepted: 06/15/2012] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) is a key molecule for chromatin conformational changes that promote cellular diversity, but nothing is known about its role in neurons. Here, we produced mice with a conditional knockout (cKO) of CTCF in postmitotic projection neurons, mostly in the dorsal telencephalon. The CTCF-cKO mice exhibited postnatal growth retardation and abnormal behavior and had defects in functional somatosensory mapping in the brain. In terms of gene expression, 390 transcripts were expressed at significantly different levels between CTCF-deficient and control cortex and hippocampus. In particular, the levels of 53 isoforms of the clustered protocadherin (Pcdh) genes, which are stochastically expressed in each neuron, declined markedly. Each CTCF-deficient neuron showed defects in dendritic arborization and spine density during brain development. Their excitatory postsynaptic currents showed normal amplitude but occurred with low frequency. Our results indicate that CTCF regulates functional neural development and neuronal diversity by controlling clustered Pcdh expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teruyoshi Hirayama
- KOKORO-Biology Group, Laboratories for Integrated Biology, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
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49
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Muneoka K, Funahashi H, Ogawa T, Whitaker-Azmitia PM, Shioda S. Shared features of S100B immunohistochemistry and cytochrome oxidase histochemistry in the ventroposterior thalamus and lateral habenula in neonatal rats. Int J Dev Neurosci 2012; 30:499-505. [PMID: 22627026 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2012.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2011] [Revised: 05/10/2012] [Accepted: 05/10/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The ventroposterior thalamus and the habenular nuclei of the epithalamus are relevant to the monoaminergic system functionally and anatomically. The glia-derived S100B protein plays a critical role in the development of the nervous system including the monoaminergic systems. In this study, we performed an immunohistochemical study of glia-related proteins including S100B, serotonin transporter, and microtubule-associated protein 2, as well as cytochrome oxidase histochemistry in neonatal rats. Results showed the same findings for S100B immunohistochemistry between the ventroposterior thalamus and the lateral habenula at postnatal day 7: intense staining in cell bodies of astrocytes, diffusely spread immunoproduct in the intercellular space, and S100B-free areas as well as a strong reaction to cytochrome oxidase histochemistry. Further common features were the scarcity of glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive astrocytes and the few apoptotic cells observed. The results of the cytochrome oxidase reaction suggested that S100B is released actively into intercellular areas in restricted brain regions showing high neuronal activity at postnatal day 7. Pathology of the ventroposterior thalamus and the habenula is suggested in mental disorders, and S100B might be a key factor for investigations in these areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katsumasa Muneoka
- Department of Anatomy I, Showa University School of Medicine, 1-5-8 Hatanodai, Shinagawa-Ku, Tokyo 142-8555, Japan.
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50
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Wu CS, Ballester Rosado CJ, Lu HC. What can we get from 'barrels': the rodent barrel cortex as a model for studying the establishment of neural circuits. Eur J Neurosci 2012; 34:1663-76. [PMID: 22103423 DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2011.07892.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Sensory inputs triggered by external stimuli are projected into discrete arrays of neuronal modules in the primary sensory cortex. This whisker-to-barrel pathway has gained in popularity as a model system for studying the development of cortical circuits and sensory processing because its clear patterns facilitate the identification of genetically modified mice with whisker map deficits and make possible coordinated in vitro and in vivo electrophysiological studies. Numerous whisker map determinants have been identified in the past two decades. In this review, we summarize what have we learned from the detailed studies conducted in various mutant mice with cortical whisker map deficits. We will specifically focus on the anatomical and functional establishment of the somatosensory thalamocortical circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Shan Wu
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
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