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Lee HHC, Latzer IT, Bertoldi M, Gao G, Pearl PL, Sahin M, Rotenberg A. Gene replacement therapies for inherited disorders of neurotransmission: Current progress in succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency. J Inherit Metab Dis 2024; 47:476-493. [PMID: 38581234 PMCID: PMC11096052 DOI: 10.1002/jimd.12735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
Neurodevelopment is a highly organized and complex process involving lasting and often irreversible changes in the central nervous system. Inherited disorders of neurotransmission (IDNT) are a group of genetic disorders where neurotransmission is primarily affected, resulting in abnormal brain development from early life, manifest as neurodevelopmental disorders and other chronic conditions. In principle, IDNT (particularly those of monogenic causes) are amenable to gene replacement therapy via precise genetic correction. However, practical challenges for gene replacement therapy remain major hurdles for its translation from bench to bedside. We discuss key considerations for the development of gene replacement therapies for IDNT. As an example, we describe our ongoing work on gene replacement therapy for succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency, a GABA catabolic disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry HC Lee
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Rosamund Stone Zander Translational Neuroscience Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Itay Tokatly Latzer
- Division of Epilepsy & Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Tel-Aviv University Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Mariarita Bertoldi
- Dept. of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Guangping Gao
- The Horae Gene Therapy Center, UMass Medical School, MA 01605, USA
| | - Phillip L Pearl
- Division of Epilepsy & Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Mustafa Sahin
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Rosamund Stone Zander Translational Neuroscience Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Alexander Rotenberg
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Division of Epilepsy & Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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2
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Unda SR, Pomeranz LE, Marongiu R, Yu X, Kelly L, Hassanzadeh G, Molina H, Vaisey G, Wang P, Dyke JP, Fung EK, Grosenick L, Zirkel R, Antoniazzi AM, Norman S, Liston CM, Schaffer C, Nishimura N, Stanley SA, Friedman JM, Kaplitt MG. Bidirectional Regulation of Motor Circuits Using Magnetogenetic Gene Therapy. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.07.13.548699. [PMID: 37503198 PMCID: PMC10369996 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.13.548699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Here we report a novel suite of magnetogenetic tools, based on a single anti-ferritin nanobody-TRPV1 receptor fusion protein, which regulated neuronal activity when exposed to magnetic fields. AAV-mediated delivery of a floxed nanobody-TRPV1 into the striatum of adenosine 2a receptor-cre driver mice resulted in motor freezing when placed in an MRI or adjacent to a transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) device. Functional imaging and fiber photometry both confirmed activation of the target region in response to the magnetic fields. Expression of the same construct in the striatum of wild-type mice along with a second injection of an AAVretro expressing cre into the globus pallidus led to similar circuit specificity and motor responses. Finally, a mutation was generated to gate chloride and inhibit neuronal activity. Expression of this variant in subthalamic nucleus in PitX2-cre parkinsonian mice resulted in reduced local c-fos expression and motor rotational behavior. These data demonstrate that magnetogenetic constructs can bidirectionally regulate activity of specific neuronal circuits non-invasively in-vivo using clinically available devices. Teaser A novel magnetogenetics toolbox to regulate neural circuits in-vivo .
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3
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Bellfy L, Smies CW, Bernhardt AR, Bodinayake KK, Sebastian A, Stuart EM, Wright DS, Lo CY, Murakami S, Boyd HM, von Abo MJ, Albert I, Kwapis JL. The clock gene Per1 may exert diurnal control over hippocampal memory consolidation. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:1789-1797. [PMID: 37264172 PMCID: PMC10579262 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01616-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The circadian system influences many different biological processes, including memory performance. While the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) functions as the brain's central pacemaker, downstream "satellite clocks" may also regulate local functions based on the time of day. Within the dorsal hippocampus (DH), for example, local molecular oscillations may contribute to time-of-day effects on memory. Here, we used the hippocampus-dependent Object Location Memory task to determine how memory is regulated across the day/night cycle in mice. First, we systematically determined which phase of memory (acquisition, consolidation, or retrieval) is modulated across the 24 h day. We found that mice show better long-term memory performance during the day than at night, an effect that was specifically attributed to diurnal changes in memory consolidation, as neither memory acquisition nor memory retrieval fluctuated across the day/night cycle. Using RNA-sequencing we identified the circadian clock gene Period1 (Per1) as a key mechanism capable of supporting this diurnal fluctuation in memory consolidation, as learning-induced Per1 oscillates in tandem with memory performance in the hippocampus. We then show that local knockdown of Per1 within the DH impairs spatial memory without affecting either the circadian rhythm or sleep behavior. Thus, Per1 may independently function within the DH to regulate memory in addition to its known role in regulating the circadian system within the SCN. Per1 may therefore exert local diurnal control over memory consolidation within the DH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Bellfy
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Chad W Smies
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Alicia R Bernhardt
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Kasuni K Bodinayake
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Aswathy Sebastian
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Emily M Stuart
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Destiny S Wright
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Chen-Yu Lo
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Shoko Murakami
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Hannah M Boyd
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Megan J von Abo
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Istvan Albert
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Janine L Kwapis
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
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4
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Abstract
Neurons are highly interwoven to form intricate neural circuits that underlie the diverse functions of the brain. Dissecting the anatomical organization of neural circuits is key to deciphering how the brain processes information, produces thoughts, and instructs behaviors. Over the past decades, recombinant viral vectors have become the most commonly used tracing tools to define circuit architecture. In this review, we introduce the current categories of viral tools and their proper application in circuit tracing. We further discuss some advances in viral tracing strategy and prospective innovations of viral tools for future study.
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Hui Y, Zheng X, Zhang H, Li F, Yu G, Li J, Zhang J, Gong X, Guo G. Strategies for Targeting Neural Circuits: How to Manipulate Neurons Using Virus Vehicles. Front Neural Circuits 2022; 16:882366. [PMID: 35571271 PMCID: PMC9099413 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2022.882366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Viral strategies are the leading methods for mapping neural circuits. Viral vehicles combined with genetic tools provide the possibility to visualize entire functional neural networks and monitor and manipulate neural circuit functions by high-resolution cell type- and projection-specific targeting. Optogenetics and chemogenetics drive brain research forward by exploring causal relationships among different brain regions. Viral strategies offer a fresh perspective for the analysis of the structure-function relationship of the neural circuitry. In this review, we summarize current and emerging viral strategies for targeting neural circuits and focus on adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqing Hui
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xuefeng Zheng
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou
| | - Huijie Zhang
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fang Li
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou
| | - Guangyin Yu
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou
| | - Jiong Li
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou
| | - Jifeng Zhang
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou
- Jifeng Zhang,
| | - Xiaobing Gong
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- Xiaobing Gong,
| | - Guoqing Guo
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou
- *Correspondence: Guoqing Guo,
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Kang S, Jun S, Baek SJ, Park H, Yamamoto Y, Tanaka-Yamamoto K. Recent Advances in the Understanding of Specific Efferent Pathways Emerging From the Cerebellum. Front Neuroanat 2021; 15:759948. [PMID: 34975418 PMCID: PMC8716603 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2021.759948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The cerebellum has a long history in terms of research on its network structures and motor functions, yet our understanding of them has further advanced in recent years owing to technical developments, such as viral tracers, optogenetic and chemogenetic manipulation, and single cell gene expression analyses. Specifically, it is now widely accepted that the cerebellum is also involved in non-motor functions, such as cognitive and psychological functions, mainly from studies that have clarified neuronal pathways from the cerebellum to other brain regions that are relevant to these functions. The techniques to manipulate specific neuronal pathways were effectively utilized to demonstrate the involvement of the cerebellum and its pathways in specific brain functions, without altering motor activity. In particular, the cerebellar efferent pathways that have recently gained attention are not only monosynaptic connections to other brain regions, including the periaqueductal gray and ventral tegmental area, but also polysynaptic connections to other brain regions, including the non-primary motor cortex and hippocampus. Besides these efferent pathways associated with non-motor functions, recent studies using sophisticated experimental techniques further characterized the historically studied efferent pathways that are primarily associated with motor functions. Nevertheless, to our knowledge, there are no articles that comprehensively describe various cerebellar efferent pathways, although there are many interesting review articles focusing on specific functions or pathways. Here, we summarize the recent findings on neuronal networks projecting from the cerebellum to several brain regions. We also introduce various techniques that have enabled us to advance our understanding of the cerebellar efferent pathways, and further discuss possible directions for future research regarding these efferent pathways and their functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seulgi Kang
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, South Korea
- Division of Bio-Medical Science and Technology, KIST School, University of Science and Technology (UST), Seoul, South Korea
| | - Soyoung Jun
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, South Korea
- Division of Bio-Medical Science and Technology, KIST School, University of Science and Technology (UST), Seoul, South Korea
| | - Soo Ji Baek
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, South Korea
- Division of Bio-Medical Science and Technology, KIST School, University of Science and Technology (UST), Seoul, South Korea
| | - Heeyoun Park
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yukio Yamamoto
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, South Korea
| | - Keiko Tanaka-Yamamoto
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, South Korea
- Division of Bio-Medical Science and Technology, KIST School, University of Science and Technology (UST), Seoul, South Korea
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7
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Urban MW, Lo C, Bodinayake KK, Brunswick CA, Murakami S, Heimann AC, Kwapis JL. The circadian clock gene Per1 modulates context fear memory formation within the retrosplenial cortex in a sex-specific manner. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2021; 185:107535. [PMID: 34624524 PMCID: PMC8595856 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2021.107535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Context memory formation is a complex process that requires transcription in many subregions of the brain including the dorsal hippocampus and retrosplenial cortex. One critical gene necessary for memory formation is the circadian gene Period1 (Per1), which has been shown to function in the dorsal hippocampus to modulate spatial memory in addition to its well-documented role in regulating the diurnal clock within the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). We recently found that alterations in Per1 expression in the dorsal hippocampus can modulate spatial memory formation, with reduced hippocampal Per1 impairing memory and overexpression of Per1 ameliorating age-related impairments in spatial memory. Whether Per1 similarly functions within other memory-relevant brain regions is currently unknown. Here, to test whether Per1 is a general mechanism that modulates memory across the brain, we tested the role of Per1 in the retrosplenial cortex (RSC), a brain region necessary for context memory formation. First, we demonstrate that context fear conditioning drives a transient increase in Per1 mRNA expression within the anterior RSC that peaks 60 m after training. Next, using HSV-CRISPRi-mediated knockdown of Per1, we show that reducing Per1 within the anterior RSC before context fear acquisition impairs memory in both male and female mice. In contrast, overexpressing Per1 with either HSV-CRISPRa or HSV-Per1 before context fear acquisition drives a sex-specific memory impairment; males show impaired context fear memory whereas females are not affected by Per1 overexpression. Finally, as Per1 levels are known to rhythmically oscillate across the day/night cycle, we tested the possibility that Per1 overexpression might have different effects on memory depending on the time of day. In contrast to the impairment in memory we observed during the daytime, Per1 overexpression has no effect on context fear memory during the night in either male or female mice. Together, our results indicate that Per1 modulates memory in the anterior retrosplenial cortex in addition to its documented role in regulating memory within the dorsal hippocampus, although this role may differ between males and females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark W Urban
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Chenyu Lo
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Kasuni K Bodinayake
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Chad A Brunswick
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Shoko Murakami
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Ashley C Heimann
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Janine L Kwapis
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
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8
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Delineating the organization of projection neuron subsets in primary visual cortex with multiple fluorescent rabies virus tracing. Brain Struct Funct 2021; 226:951-961. [PMID: 33710409 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-021-02250-7] [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: 02/03/2020] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The impressive functions of the brain rely on an extensive connectivity matrix between specific neurons, the architecture of which is frequently characterized by one brain nucleus/region connecting to multiple targets, either via collaterals of the same projection neuron or several, differentially specified neurons. Delineating the fine architecture of projection neuron subsets in a specific brain region could greatly facilitate its circuit, computational, and functional resolution. Here, we developed multiple fluorescent rabies viruses (RV) to delineate the fine organization of corticothalamic projection neuron subsets in the primary visual cortex (V1). By simultaneously retrograde labeling multiple distinct subsets of corticothalamic projection neurons in V1 from their target nuclei in thalamus (dLGN, LP, LD), we observed that V1-dLGN corticothalamic projection neurons were densely concentrated in layer VI, except for several sparsely scattered neurons in layer V, while V1-LP and V1-LD corticothalamic projection neurons were localized to both layers V and VI. Meanwhile, we observed a fraction of V1 corticothalamic projection neurons targeting two thalamic nuclei, which was further confirmed by fMOST whole-brain imaging. The multiple fluorescent RV tracing tools can be extensively applied to resolve the architecture of projection neuron subsets in certain brain regions, with a strong potential to delineate the computational and functional organization of these brain regions.
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Wright DS, Bodinayake KK, Kwapis JL. Investigating Memory Updating in Mice Using the Objects in Updated Locations Task. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 91:e87. [PMID: 31985896 DOI: 10.1002/cpns.87] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
In the laboratory, memory is typically studied as a de novo experience, in which a naïve animal is exposed to a discrete learning event that is markedly different from its past experiences. Most real-world memories, however, are updates-modifications or additions-to existing memories. This is particularly true in the aging, experienced brain. To better understand memory updating, we have developed a new behavioral paradigm called the objects in updated locations (OUL) task. OUL relies on hippocampus-dependent spatial learning and has the advantage of being able to test both the original memory and the updated information in a single test session. Further, OUL relies on incidental learning that avoids unnecessary stress that might hinder the performance of aging animals. In OUL, animals first learn the location of two identical objects in a familiar context. This memory is then updated by moving one object to a new location. Finally, to assess the animals' memory for the original and the updated information, all animals are given a test session in which they are exposed to four copies of the object: two in the original training locations, one in the updated location, and one in a novel location. By comparing exploration of the novel location to the familiar locations, we can infer whether the animal remembers the original and updated object locations. OUL is a simple but powerful task that could provide new insights into the cellular, circuit-level, and molecular mechanisms that support memory updating. © 2020 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Destiny S Wright
- Department of Biology, Center for Molecular Investigation of Neurological Disorders (CMIND), Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
| | - Kasuni K Bodinayake
- Department of Biology, Center for Molecular Investigation of Neurological Disorders (CMIND), Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
| | - Janine L Kwapis
- Department of Biology, Center for Molecular Investigation of Neurological Disorders (CMIND), Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
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Biancardi V, Saini J, Pageni A, Prashaad M. H, Funk GD, Pagliardini S. Mapping of the excitatory, inhibitory, and modulatory afferent projections to the anatomically defined active expiratory oscillator in adult male rats. J Comp Neurol 2020; 529:853-884. [DOI: 10.1002/cne.24984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Revised: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Vivian Biancardi
- Department of Physiology University of Alberta Edmonton Canada
- Women and Children's Health Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry University of Alberta Edmonton Canada
| | - Jashan Saini
- Department of Physiology University of Alberta Edmonton Canada
| | - Anileen Pageni
- Department of Physiology University of Alberta Edmonton Canada
| | | | - Gregory D. Funk
- Department of Physiology University of Alberta Edmonton Canada
- Women and Children's Health Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry University of Alberta Edmonton Canada
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute University of Alberta Edmonton Canada
| | - Silvia Pagliardini
- Department of Physiology University of Alberta Edmonton Canada
- Women and Children's Health Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry University of Alberta Edmonton Canada
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute University of Alberta Edmonton Canada
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11
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Williams ES, Manning CE, Eagle AL, Swift-Gallant A, Duque-Wilckens N, Chinnusamy S, Moeser A, Jordan C, Leinninger G, Robison A. Androgen-Dependent Excitability of Mouse Ventral Hippocampal Afferents to Nucleus Accumbens Underlies Sex-Specific Susceptibility to Stress. Biol Psychiatry 2020; 87:492-501. [PMID: 31601425 PMCID: PMC7035179 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2019.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2019] [Revised: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Depression affects women nearly twice as often as men, but the neurobiological underpinnings of this discrepancy are unclear. Preclinical studies in male mice suggest that activity of ventral hippocampus (vHPC) neurons projecting to the nucleus accumbens (NAc) regulates mood-related behavioral responses to stress. We sought to characterize this circuit in both sexes and to investigate its role in potential sex differences in models of depression. METHODS We used male and female adult C57BL/6J mice in the subchronic variable stress model to precipitate female-specific reduction in sucrose preference and performed gonadectomies to test the contributions of gonadal hormones to this stress response. In addition, ex vivo slice electrophysiology of transgenic Cre-inducible Rosa-eGFP-L10a mice in combination with retrograde viral tracing to identify circuits was used to test contributions of gonadal hormones to sex differences in vHPC afferents. Finally, we used an intersecting viral DREADD (designer receptor exclusively activated by designer drugs) strategy to manipulate vHPC-NAc excitability directly in awake behaving mice. RESULTS We show a testosterone-dependent lower excitability in male versus female vHPC-NAc neurons and corresponding testosterone-dependent male resilience to reduced sucrose preference after subchronic variable stress. Importantly, we show that long-term DREADD stimulation of vHPC-NAc neurons causes decreased sucrose preference in male mice after subchronic variable stress, whereas DREADD inhibition of this circuit prevents this effect in female mice. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrate a circuit-specific sex difference in vHPC-NAc neurons that is dependent on testosterone and causes susceptibility to stress in female mice. These data provide a substantive mechanism linking gonadal hormones to cellular excitability and anhedonia-a key feature in depressive states.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Claire E. Manning
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA,Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Andrew L. Eagle
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Ashlyn Swift-Gallant
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA,Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, Canada
| | - Natalia Duque-Wilckens
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA,Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Sadhana Chinnusamy
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Adam Moeser
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Cynthia Jordan
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Gina Leinninger
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - A.J. Robison
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA,Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA,Corresponding author: A.J. Robison, Associate Professor, Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, 567 Wilson Road East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA; phone 517-884-5003;
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12
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Navabpour S, Kwapis JL, Jarome TJ. A neuroscientist's guide to transgenic mice and other genetic tools. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 108:732-748. [PMID: 31843544 PMCID: PMC8049509 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2019] [Revised: 11/05/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The past decade has produced an explosion in the number and variety of genetic tools available to neuroscientists, resulting in an unprecedented ability to precisely manipulate the genome and epigenome in behaving animals. However, no single resource exists that describes all of the tools available to neuroscientists. Here, we review the genetic, transgenic, and viral techniques that are currently available to probe the complex relationship between genes and cognition. Topics covered include types of traditional transgenic mouse models (knockout, knock-in, reporter lines), inducible systems (Cre-loxP, Tet-On, Tet-Off) and cell- and circuit-specific systems (TetTag, TRAP, DIO-DREADD). Additionally, we provide details on virus-mediated and siRNA/shRNA approaches, as well as a comprehensive discussion of the myriad manipulations that can be made using the CRISPR-Cas9 system, including single base pair editing and spatially- and temporally-regulated gene-specific transcriptional control. Collectively, this review will serve as a guide to assist neuroscientists in identifying and choosing the appropriate genetic tools available to study the complex relationship between the brain and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaghayegh Navabpour
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, Translational Biology, Medicine and Health, Roanoke, VA, USA
| | - Janine L Kwapis
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, College Park, PA, USA; Center for the Molecular Investigation of Neurological Disorders (CMIND), Pennsylvania State University, College Park, PA, USA.
| | - Timothy J Jarome
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, Translational Biology, Medicine and Health, Roanoke, VA, USA; Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA; School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA.
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13
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De Lorme KC, Staffend-Michael NA, Simmons SC, Robison AJ, Sisk CL. Pubertal Testosterone Programs Adult Behavioral Adaptations to Sexual Experience through Infralimbic Cortex ΔFosB. eNeuro 2019; 6:ENEURO.0176-19.2019. [PMID: 31138660 PMCID: PMC6553569 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0176-19.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Accepted: 05/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Acquisition of social proficiency entails behavioral adaptations to social experience, including both behavioral flexibility and inhibition of behaviors inappropriate in specific social contexts. Here, we investigated the contributions of testosterone and ΔFosB, a transcription factor linked to experience-dependent neural plasticity, to the adolescent maturation of social proficiency in male-female social interactions. To determine whether pubertal testosterone organizes circuits underlying social proficiency, we first compared behavioral adaptations to sexual experience in male Syrian hamsters that were deprived of testosterone during puberty (prepubertal castration; NoT@P) to those of males deprived of testosterone for an equivalent period of time in adulthood (postpubertal castration; T@P). All males were given testosterone replacement in adulthood for two weeks before sexual behavior testing, where males were allowed to interact with a receptive female once per week for five consecutive weeks. T@P males showed the expected decrease in ectopic (mis-directed) mounts with sexual experience, whereas NoT@P males did not. In addition, sexual experience induced FosB gene products expression in the infralimbic cortex (IL) in T@P, but not NoT@P, males. Overexpression of ΔFosB via an adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector in the IL of NoT@P males prior to sexual behavior testing was sufficient to produce a behavioral phenotype similar to that of experienced T@P males. Finally, overexpression of ΔFosB in IL increased the density of immature spines on IL dendrites. Our findings provide evidence that social proficiency acquired through sexual experience is organized by pubertal testosterone through the regulation of ΔFosB in the IL, possibly through increasing synaptic lability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayla C De Lorme
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
- Department of Psychological Science, Gustavus Adolphus College, Saint Peter, MN 56082
| | | | - Sarah C Simmons
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
| | - Alfred J Robison
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
| | - Cheryl L Sisk
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
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Nedelescu H. Brain architecture at varying scales. J Neurosci Res 2018; 96:1447-1449. [PMID: 30113720 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Accepted: 06/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hermina Nedelescu
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
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