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Rivera JF, Weng W, Huang H, Rao S, Herring BE, Arnold DB. ATLAS: A rationally designed anterograde transsynaptic tracer. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.12.557425. [PMID: 37745471 PMCID: PMC10515852 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.12.557425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Neural circuits, which constitute the substrate for brain processing, can be traced in the retrograde direction, from postsynaptic to presynaptic cells, using methods based on introducing modified rabies virus into genetically marked cell types. These methods have revolutionized the field of neuroscience. However, similarly reliable, transsynaptic, and non-toxic methods to trace circuits in the anterograde direction are not available. Here, we describe such a method based on an antibody-like protein selected against the extracellular N-terminus of the AMPA receptor subunit GluA1 (AMPA.FingR). ATLAS (Anterograde Transsynaptic Label based on Antibody-like Sensors) is engineered to release the AMPA.FingR and its payload, which can include Cre recombinase, from presynaptic sites into the synaptic cleft, after which it binds to GluA1, enters postsynaptic cells through endocytosis and subsequently carries its payload to the nucleus. Testing in vivo and in dissociated cultures shows that ATLAS mediates monosynaptic tracing from genetically determined cells that is strictly anterograde, synaptic, and non-toxic. Moreover, ATLAS shows activity dependence, which may make tracing active circuits that underlie specific behaviors possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline F. Rivera
- Department of Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Weiguang Weng
- Department of Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Haoyang Huang
- Department of Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089
- These authors contributed equally
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089
| | - Sadhna Rao
- Department of Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089
| | - Bruce E. Herring
- Department of Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089
| | - Don B. Arnold
- Department of Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089
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2
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Sandilands E, Freckmann EC, Cumming EM, Román-Fernández A, McGarry L, Anand J, Galbraith L, Mason S, Patel R, Nixon C, Cartwright J, Leung HY, Blyth K, Bryant DM. The small GTPase ARF3 controls invasion modality and metastasis by regulating N-cadherin levels. J Cell Biol 2023; 222:e202206115. [PMID: 36880595 PMCID: PMC9997661 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202206115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
ARF GTPases are central regulators of membrane trafficking that control local membrane identity and remodeling facilitating vesicle formation. Unraveling their function is complicated by the overlapping association of ARFs with guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs), GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs), and numerous interactors. Through a functional genomic screen of three-dimensional (3D) prostate cancer cell behavior, we explore the contribution of ARF GTPases, GEFs, GAPs, and interactors to collective invasion. This revealed that ARF3 GTPase regulates the modality of invasion, acting as a switch between leader cell-led chains of invasion or collective sheet movement. Functionally, the ability of ARF3 to control invasion modality is dependent on association and subsequent control of turnover of N-cadherin. In vivo, ARF3 levels acted as a rheostat for metastasis from intraprostatic tumor transplants and ARF3/N-cadherin expression can be used to identify prostate cancer patients with metastatic, poor-outcome disease. Our analysis defines a unique function for the ARF3 GTPase in controlling how cells collectively organize during invasion and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Sandilands
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- The CRUK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
| | - Eva C. Freckmann
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- The CRUK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
| | - Erin M. Cumming
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- The CRUK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
| | - Alvaro Román-Fernández
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- The CRUK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Hing Y. Leung
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- The CRUK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
| | - Karen Blyth
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- The CRUK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
| | - David M. Bryant
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- The CRUK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
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3
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Nanobody-based RFP-dependent Cre recombinase for selective anterograde tracing in RFP-expressing transgenic animals. Commun Biol 2022; 5:979. [PMID: 36114373 PMCID: PMC9481622 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03944-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractTransgenic animals expressing fluorescent proteins are widely used to label specific cells and proteins. By using a split Cre recombinase fused with mCherry-binding nanobodies or designed ankyrin repeat proteins, we created Cre recombinase dependent on red fluorescent protein (RFP) (Cre-DOR). Functional binding units for monomeric RFPs are different from those for polymeric RFPs. We confirmed selective target RFP-dependent gene expression in the mouse cerebral cortex using stereotaxic injection of adeno-associated virus vectors. In estrogen receptor-beta (Esr2)-mRFP1 mice and gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (Grpr)-mRFP1 rats, we confirmed that Cre-DOR can be used for selective tracing of the neural projection from RFP-expressing specific neurons. Cellular localization of RFPs affects recombination efficiency of Cre-DOR, and light and chemical-induced nuclear translocation of an RFP-fused protein can modulate Cre-DOR efficiency. Our results provide a method for manipulating gene expression in specific cells expressing RFPs and expand the repertory of nanobody-based genetic tools.
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4
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Lusk SJ, McKinney A, Hunt PJ, Fahey PG, Patel J, Chang A, Sun JJ, Martinez VK, Zhu PJ, Egbert JR, Allen G, Jiang X, Arenkiel BR, Tolias AS, Costa-Mattioli M, Ray RS. A CRISPR toolbox for generating intersectional genetic mouse models for functional, molecular, and anatomical circuit mapping. BMC Biol 2022; 20:28. [PMID: 35086530 PMCID: PMC8796356 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-022-01227-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The functional understanding of genetic interaction networks and cellular mechanisms governing health and disease requires the dissection, and multifaceted study, of discrete cell subtypes in developing and adult animal models. Recombinase-driven expression of transgenic effector alleles represents a significant and powerful approach to delineate cell populations for functional, molecular, and anatomical studies. In addition to single recombinase systems, the expression of two recombinases in distinct, but partially overlapping, populations allows for more defined target expression. Although the application of this method is becoming increasingly popular, its experimental implementation has been broadly restricted to manipulations of a limited set of common alleles that are often commercially produced at great expense, with costs and technical challenges associated with production of intersectional mouse lines hindering customized approaches to many researchers. Here, we present a simplified CRISPR toolkit for rapid, inexpensive, and facile intersectional allele production. RESULTS Briefly, we produced 7 intersectional mouse lines using a dual recombinase system, one mouse line with a single recombinase system, and three embryonic stem (ES) cell lines that are designed to study the way functional, molecular, and anatomical features relate to each other in building circuits that underlie physiology and behavior. As a proof-of-principle, we applied three of these lines to different neuronal populations for anatomical mapping and functional in vivo investigation of respiratory control. We also generated a mouse line with a single recombinase-responsive allele that controls the expression of the calcium sensor Twitch-2B. This mouse line was applied globally to study the effects of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) on calcium release in the ovarian follicle. CONCLUSIONS The lines presented here are representative examples of outcomes possible with the successful application of our genetic toolkit for the facile development of diverse, modifiable animal models. This toolkit will allow labs to create single or dual recombinase effector lines easily for any cell population or subpopulation of interest when paired with the appropriate Cre and FLP recombinase mouse lines or viral vectors. We have made our tools and derivative intersectional mouse and ES cell lines openly available for non-commercial use through publicly curated repositories for plasmid DNA, ES cells, and transgenic mouse lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Savannah J Lusk
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Andrew McKinney
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Patrick J Hunt
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Paul G Fahey
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jay Patel
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Andersen Chang
- Department of Statistics, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jenny J Sun
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Vena K Martinez
- Department of Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ping Jun Zhu
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jeremy R Egbert
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Genevera Allen
- Department of Statistics, Computer Science, and Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
- Neurological Research Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Xiaolong Jiang
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Benjamin R Arenkiel
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- McNair Medical Institute, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Andreas S Tolias
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Russell S Ray
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
- McNair Medical Institute, Houston, TX, USA.
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5
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Moquin-Beaudry G, Benabdallah B, Maggiorani D, Le O, Li Y, Colas C, Raggi C, Ellezam B, M'Callum MA, Dal Soglio D, Guimond JV, Paganelli M, Haddad E, Beauséjour C. Autologous humanized mouse models of iPSC-derived tumors enable characterization and modulation of cancer-immune cell interactions. CELL REPORTS METHODS 2022; 2:100153. [PMID: 35474871 PMCID: PMC9017190 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2021.100153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Modeling the tumor-immune cell interactions in humanized mice is complex and limits drug development. Here, we generated easily accessible tumor models by transforming either primary skin fibroblasts or induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cell lines injected in immune-deficient mice reconstituted with human autologous immune cells. Our results showed that fibroblastic, hepatic, or neural tumors were all efficiently infiltrated and partially or totally rejected by autologous immune cells in humanized mice. Characterization of tumor-immune infiltrates revealed high expression levels of the dysfunction markers Tim3 and PD-1 in T cells and an enrichment in regulatory T cells, suggesting rapid establishment of immunomodulatory phenotypes. Inhibition of PD-1 by Nivolumab in humanized mice resulted in increased immune cell infiltration and a slight decrease in tumor growth. We expect that these versatile and accessible cancer models will facilitate preclinical studies and the evaluation of autologous cancer immunotherapies across a range of different tumor cell types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaël Moquin-Beaudry
- Centre de Recherche du CHU Sainte-Justine, 3175 Côte Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada
- Département de Pharmacologie et Physiologie, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Basma Benabdallah
- Centre de Recherche du CHU Sainte-Justine, 3175 Côte Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada
| | - Damien Maggiorani
- Centre de Recherche du CHU Sainte-Justine, 3175 Côte Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada
| | - Oanh Le
- Centre de Recherche du CHU Sainte-Justine, 3175 Côte Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada
| | - Yuanyi Li
- Centre de Recherche du CHU Sainte-Justine, 3175 Côte Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada
| | - Chloé Colas
- Centre de Recherche du CHU Sainte-Justine, 3175 Côte Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada
- Département de Microbiologie, Immunologie et Infectiologie, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Claudia Raggi
- Centre de Recherche du CHU Sainte-Justine, 3175 Côte Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada
| | - Benjamin Ellezam
- Département de Neurosciences, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Département de Pathologie, CHU Sainte-Justine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Marie-Agnès M'Callum
- Centre de Recherche du CHU Sainte-Justine, 3175 Côte Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada
- Département de Biologie Moléculaire, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Dorothée Dal Soglio
- Département de Pathologie et Biologie Moléculaire, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Département de Pathologie, CHU Sainte-Justine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Jean V. Guimond
- CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l’Ile-de-Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Massimiliano Paganelli
- Centre de Recherche du CHU Sainte-Justine, 3175 Côte Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada
- Département de Biologie Moléculaire, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition and Pediatric Liver Transplantation Program at CHU Sainte-Justine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Département de Pédiatrie, CHU Sainte-Justine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Elie Haddad
- Centre de Recherche du CHU Sainte-Justine, 3175 Côte Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada
- Département de Microbiologie, Immunologie et Infectiologie, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Département de Pédiatrie, CHU Sainte-Justine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Christian Beauséjour
- Centre de Recherche du CHU Sainte-Justine, 3175 Côte Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada
- Département de Pharmacologie et Physiologie, Montréal, QC, Canada
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6
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Gauthier BR, Comaills V. Nuclear Envelope Integrity in Health and Disease: Consequences on Genome Instability and Inflammation. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22147281. [PMID: 34298904 PMCID: PMC8307504 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22147281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The dynamic nature of the nuclear envelope (NE) is often underestimated. The NE protects, regulates, and organizes the eukaryote genome and adapts to epigenetic changes and to its environment. The NE morphology is characterized by a wide range of diversity and abnormality such as invagination and blebbing, and it is a diagnostic factor for pathologies such as cancer. Recently, the micronuclei, a small nucleus that contains a full chromosome or a fragment thereof, has gained much attention. The NE of micronuclei is prone to collapse, leading to DNA release into the cytoplasm with consequences ranging from the activation of the cGAS/STING pathway, an innate immune response, to the creation of chromosomal instability. The discovery of those mechanisms has revolutionized the understanding of some inflammation-related diseases and the origin of complex chromosomal rearrangements, as observed during the initiation of tumorigenesis. Herein, we will highlight the complexity of the NE biology and discuss the clinical symptoms observed in NE-related diseases. The interplay between innate immunity, genomic instability, and nuclear envelope leakage could be a major focus in future years to explain a wide range of diseases and could lead to new classes of therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benoit R. Gauthier
- Andalusian Center for Molecular Biology and Regenerative Medicine-CABIMER, Junta de Andalucía-University of Pablo de Olavide-University of Seville-CSIC, 41092 Seville, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence: (B.R.G.); (V.C.)
| | - Valentine Comaills
- Andalusian Center for Molecular Biology and Regenerative Medicine-CABIMER, Junta de Andalucía-University of Pablo de Olavide-University of Seville-CSIC, 41092 Seville, Spain
- Correspondence: (B.R.G.); (V.C.)
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7
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Guillot C, Djeffal Y, Michaut A, Rabe B, Pourquié O. Dynamics of primitive streak regression controls the fate of neuromesodermal progenitors in the chicken embryo. eLife 2021; 10:64819. [PMID: 34227938 PMCID: PMC8260230 DOI: 10.7554/elife.64819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In classical descriptions of vertebrate development, the segregation of the three embryonic germ layers completes by the end of gastrulation. Body formation then proceeds in a head to tail fashion by progressive deposition of lineage-committed progenitors during regression of the primitive streak (PS) and tail bud (TB). The identification by retrospective clonal analysis of a population of neuromesodermal progenitors (NMPs) contributing to both musculoskeletal precursors (paraxial mesoderm) and spinal cord during axis formation challenged these notions. However, classical fate mapping studies of the PS region in amniotes have so far failed to provide direct evidence for such bipotential cells at the single-cell level. Here, using lineage tracing and single-cell RNA sequencing in the chicken embryo, we identify a resident cell population of the anterior PS epiblast, which contributes to neural and mesodermal lineages in trunk and tail. These cells initially behave as monopotent progenitors as classically described and only acquire a bipotential fate later, in more posterior regions. We show that NMPs exhibit a conserved transcriptomic signature during axis elongation but lose their epithelial characteristicsin the TB. Posterior to anterior gradients of convergence speed and ingression along the PS lead to asymmetric exhaustion of PS mesodermal precursor territories. Through limited ingression and increased proliferation, NMPs are maintained and amplified as a cell population which constitute the main progenitors in the TB. Together, our studies provide a novel understanding of the PS and TB contribution through the NMPs to the formation of the body of amniote embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlene Guillot
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, United States.,Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States.,Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, United States
| | - Yannis Djeffal
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, United States.,Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States.,Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, United States
| | - Arthur Michaut
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, United States.,Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States.,Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, United States
| | - Brian Rabe
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, United States
| | - Olivier Pourquié
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, United States.,Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States.,Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, United States
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8
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Maheshwari U, Kraus D, Vilain N, Holwerda SJB, Cankovic V, Maiorano NA, Kohler H, Satoh D, Sigrist M, Arber S, Kratochwil CF, Di Meglio T, Ducret S, Rijli FM. Postmitotic Hoxa5 Expression Specifies Pontine Neuron Positional Identity and Input Connectivity of Cortical Afferent Subsets. Cell Rep 2021; 31:107767. [PMID: 32553152 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.107767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Revised: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The mammalian precerebellar pontine nucleus (PN) has a main role in relaying cortical information to the cerebellum. The molecular determinants establishing ordered connectivity patterns between cortical afferents and precerebellar neurons are largely unknown. We show that expression of Hox5 transcription factors is induced in specific subsets of postmitotic PN neurons at migration onset. Hox5 induction is achieved by response to retinoic acid signaling, resulting in Jmjd3-dependent derepression of Polycomb chromatin and 3D conformational changes. Hoxa5 drives neurons to settle posteriorly in the PN, where they are monosynaptically targeted by cortical neuron subsets mainly carrying limb somatosensation. Furthermore, Hoxa5 postmigratory ectopic expression in PN neurons is sufficient to attract cortical somatosensory inputs regardless of position and avoid visual afferents. Transcriptome analysis further suggests that Hoxa5 is involved in circuit formation. Thus, Hoxa5 coordinates postmitotic specification, migration, settling position, and sub-circuit assembly of PN neuron subsets in the cortico-cerebellar pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Upasana Maheshwari
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Dominik Kraus
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Nathalie Vilain
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Sjoerd J B Holwerda
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Vanja Cankovic
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Nicola A Maiorano
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Hubertus Kohler
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Daisuke Satoh
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; Biozentrum, University of Basel, Kingelbergstrasse 70, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Markus Sigrist
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; Biozentrum, University of Basel, Kingelbergstrasse 70, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Silvia Arber
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; Biozentrum, University of Basel, Kingelbergstrasse 70, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Claudius F Kratochwil
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Di Meglio
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Sebastien Ducret
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Filippo M Rijli
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, 4051 Basel, Switzerland.
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9
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Wang S, Lin CW, Carleton AE, Cortez CL, Johnson C, Taniguchi LE, Sekulovski N, Townshend RF, Basrur V, Nesvizhskii AI, Zou P, Fu J, Gumucio DL, Duncan MC, Taniguchi K. Spatially resolved cell polarity proteomics of a human epiblast model. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/17/eabd8407. [PMID: 33893097 PMCID: PMC8064645 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abd8407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Critical early steps in human embryonic development include polarization of the inner cell mass, followed by formation of an expanded lumen that will become the epiblast cavity. Recently described three-dimensional (3D) human pluripotent stem cell-derived cyst (hPSC-cyst) structures can replicate these processes. To gain mechanistic insights into the poorly understood machinery involved in epiblast cavity formation, we interrogated the proteomes of apical and basolateral membrane territories in 3D human hPSC-cysts. APEX2-based proximity bioinylation, followed by quantitative mass spectrometry, revealed a variety of proteins without previous annotation to specific membrane subdomains. Functional experiments validated the requirement for several apically enriched proteins in cyst morphogenesis. In particular, we found a key role for the AP-1 clathrin adaptor complex in expanding the apical membrane domains during lumen establishment. These findings highlight the robust power of this proximity labeling approach for discovering novel regulators of epithelial morphogenesis in 3D stem cell-based models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sicong Wang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Chien-Wei Lin
- Division of Biostatistics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Amber E Carleton
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Chari L Cortez
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Craig Johnson
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Linnea E Taniguchi
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Nikola Sekulovski
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Ryan F Townshend
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Venkatesha Basrur
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Alexey I Nesvizhskii
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Peng Zou
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Jianping Fu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Deborah L Gumucio
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Mara C Duncan
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Kenichiro Taniguchi
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA.
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
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10
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The avian retroviral receptor Tva mediates the uptake of transcobalamin bound vitamin B12 (cobalamin). J Virol 2021; 95:JVI.02136-20. [PMID: 33504597 PMCID: PMC8103681 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.02136-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The Avian sarcoma and leukosis viruses (ASLVs) are important chicken pathogens. Some of the virus subgroups, including ASLV-A and K, utilize the Tva receptor for cell entrance. Though Tva was identified three decades ago, its physiological function remains unknown. Previously, we have noted an intriguing resemblance and orthology between the chicken gene coding for Tva and the human gene coding for CD320, a receptor involved in cellular uptake of transcobalamin (TC) in complex with vitamin B12/cobalamin (Cbl).Here we show that both the transmembrane and the glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored form of Tva in the chicken cell line DF-1 promotes the uptake of Cbl with help of expressed and purified chicken TC. The uptake of TC-Cbl complex was monitored using an isotope- or fluorophore-labeled Cbl. We show that (i) TC-Cbl is internalized in chicken cells; and (ii) the uptake is lower in the Tva-knockout cells and higher in Tva-overexpressing cells when compared with wild type chicken cells. The relation between physiological function of Tva and its role in infection was elaborated by showing that infection with ASLV subgroups (targeting Tva) impairs the uptake of TC-Cbl, while this is not the case for cells infected with ASLV-B (not recognized by Tva). In addition, exposure of the cells to a high concentration of TC-Cbl alleviates the infection with Tva-dependent ASLV.IMPORTANCE: We demonstrate that the ASLV receptor Tva participates in the physiological uptake of TC-Cbl, because the viral infection suppresses the uptake of Cbl and vice versa. Our results pave the road for future studies addressing the issues: (i) whether a virus infection can be inhibited by TC-Cbl complexes in vivo; and (ii) whether any human virus employs the human TC-Cbl receptor CD320. In broader terms, our study sheds light on the intricate interplay between physiological roles of cellular receptors and their involvement in virus infection.
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11
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Kanvinde PP, Malla AP, Connolly NP, Szulzewsky F, Anastasiadis P, Ames HM, Kim AJ, Winkles JA, Holland EC, Woodworth GF. Leveraging the replication-competent avian-like sarcoma virus/tumor virus receptor-A system for modeling human gliomas. Glia 2021; 69:2059-2076. [PMID: 33638562 PMCID: PMC8591561 DOI: 10.1002/glia.23984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Gliomas are the most common primary intrinsic brain tumors occurring in adults. Of all malignant gliomas, glioblastoma (GBM) is considered the deadliest tumor type due to diffuse brain invasion, immune evasion, cellular, and molecular heterogeneity, and resistance to treatments resulting in high rates of recurrence. An extensive understanding of the genomic and microenvironmental landscape of gliomas gathered over the past decade has renewed interest in pursuing novel therapeutics, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, glioma-associated macrophage/microglia (GAMs) modulators, and others. In light of this, predictive animal models that closely recreate the conditions and findings found in human gliomas will serve an increasingly important role in identifying new, effective therapeutic strategies. Although numerous syngeneic, xenograft, and transgenic rodent models have been developed, few include the full complement of pathobiological features found in human tumors, and therefore few accurately predict bench-to-bedside success. This review provides an update on how genetically engineered rodent models based on the replication-competent avian-like sarcoma (RCAS) virus/tumor virus receptor-A (tv-a) system have been used to recapitulate key elements of human gliomas in an immunologically intact host microenvironment and highlights new approaches using this model system as a predictive tool for advancing translational glioma research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pranjali P Kanvinde
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Adarsha P Malla
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Nina P Connolly
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Frank Szulzewsky
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Pavlos Anastasiadis
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Heather M Ames
- Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Department of Pathology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Anthony J Kim
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jeffrey A Winkles
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Department of Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Center for Vascular and Inflammatory Diseases, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Eric C Holland
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA.,Seattle Tumor Translational Research Center, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Graeme F Woodworth
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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12
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Ma M, Kler S, Pan YA. Structural Neural Connectivity Analysis in Zebrafish With Restricted Anterograde Transneuronal Viral Labeling and Quantitative Brain Mapping. Front Neural Circuits 2020; 13:85. [PMID: 32038180 PMCID: PMC6989443 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2019.00085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2019] [Accepted: 12/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The unique combination of small size, translucency, and powerful genetic tools makes larval zebrafish a uniquely useful vertebrate system to investigate normal and pathological brain structure and function. While functional connectivity can now be assessed by optical imaging (via fluorescent calcium or voltage reporters) at the whole-brain scale, it remains challenging to systematically determine structural connections and identify connectivity changes during development or disease. To address this, we developed Tracer with Restricted Anterograde Spread (TRAS), a novel vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV)-based neural circuit labeling approach. TRAS makes use of replication-incompetent VSV (VSVΔG) and a helper virus (lentivirus) to enable anterograde transneuronal spread between efferent axons and their direct postsynaptic targets but restricts further spread to downstream areas. We integrated TRAS with the Z-Brain zebrafish 3D atlas for quantitative connectivity analysis and identified targets of the retinal and habenular efferent projections, in patterns consistent with previous reports. We compared retinofugal connectivity patterns between wild-type and down syndrome cell adhesion molecule-like 1 (dscaml1) mutant zebrafish and revealed differences in topographical distribution. These results demonstrate the utility of TRAS for quantitative structural connectivity analysis that would be valuable for detecting novel efferent targets and mapping connectivity changes underlying neurological or behavioral deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manxiu Ma
- Center for Neurobiology Research, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, Virginia Tech, Roanoke, VA, United States.,Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
| | - Stanislav Kler
- Center for Neurobiology Research, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, Virginia Tech, Roanoke, VA, United States.,Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
| | - Y Albert Pan
- Center for Neurobiology Research, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, Virginia Tech, Roanoke, VA, United States.,Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States.,Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, Roanoke, VA, United States
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13
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Moquin-Beaudry G, Colas C, Li Y, Bazin R, Guimond JV, Haddad E, Beauséjour C. The Tumor-Immune Response Is Not Compromised by Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in Humanized Mice. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2019; 203:2735-2745. [PMID: 31578272 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1900807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 09/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Therapeutic uses of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have emerged over the past decade. Yet, their effect on tumor growth remains highly debated, particularly in an immune competent environment. In this study, we wanted to investigate the impact of human umbilical cord-derived MSCs (hUC-MSCs) on tumor growth in humanized mice generated by the human adoptive transfer of PBMCs or the cotransplantation of hematopoietic stem cells and human thymic tissue (human BLT [Hu-BLT]). Our results showed that the growth and immune rejection of engineered human fibroblastic tumors was not altered by the injection of hUC-MSCs in immune-deficient or humanized mice, respectively. This was observed whether tumor cells were injected s.c. or i.v. and independently of the injection route of the hUC-MSCs. Moreover, only in Hu-BLT mice did hUC-MSCs have some effects on the tumor-immune infiltrate, yet without altering tumor growth. These results demonstrate that hUC-MSCs do not promote fibroblastic tumor growth and neither do they prevent tumor infiltration and rejection by immune cells in humanized mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaël Moquin-Beaudry
- Centre de Recherche, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montreal, Quebec H3T 1C5, Canada.,Département de Pharmacologie et Physiologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Chloé Colas
- Centre de Recherche, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montreal, Quebec H3T 1C5, Canada
| | - Yuanyi Li
- Centre de Recherche, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montreal, Quebec H3T 1C5, Canada
| | - Renée Bazin
- Direction de l'Innovation, Affaires Médicales et Innovation, Héma-Québec, Quebec G1V 5C3, Canada
| | - Jean V Guimond
- Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et de Services Sociaux, Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, Quebec H1T 2M4, Canada
| | - Elie Haddad
- Centre de Recherche, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montreal, Quebec H3T 1C5, Canada.,Département de Pédiatrie, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec H3T 1J4, Canada; and.,Département de Microbiologie, Immunologie et Infectiologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Christian Beauséjour
- Centre de Recherche, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montreal, Quebec H3T 1C5, Canada; .,Département de Pharmacologie et Physiologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec H3T 1J4, Canada
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14
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Wert KJ, Bakall B, Bassuk AG, Tsang SH, Mahajan VB. Insights into Retinal Development Using Live Imaging in Female Carriers of Choroideremia. Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina 2019; 50:e158-e162. [PMID: 31100169 DOI: 10.3928/23258160-20190503-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2018] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Lineage tracing can provide key insights into the development of tissues, such as the retina. Yet it is not possible to manipulate human cells during embryogenesis. The authors observed a distinct phenotype in female carriers of X-linked disorders, in particular, carriers of choroideremia caused by mutations in CHM, encoding Rab escort protein-1. The authors found that X chromosome inactivation provides a method for retinal lineage tracing in human patients. Live imaging of female carriers displays a developmental pattern that is different within the peripheral retina compared with the posterior retina and provides important insights into the development and migration of retinal cells. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2019;50:e158-e162.].
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15
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Chen SH, Haam J, Walker M, Scappini E, Naughton J, Martin NP. Production of Viral Constructs for Neuroanatomy, Calcium Imaging, and Optogenetics. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 87:e66. [PMID: 30883041 DOI: 10.1002/cpns.66] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Advances in design and use of light-sensitive and light-emitting sensors have facilitated observation, measurement, and control of neuronal activities. Viruses are effective vectors for delivery of these valuable research tools to mammalian brains. Recombinant viruses are optimized to mediate regulatable, long-term, and cell-specific gene expression. Here, we describe production methods for three of the most commonly used types of recombinant viruses in neurobiology research: adeno-associated virus (AAV), retrovirus/lentivirus, and glycoprotein-deleted rabies virus. These viral constructs are frequently used for calcium imaging or to deliver neural tracers and optogenetic tools. Popular constructs are readily obtained commercially; however, customized virus production through commercial sources is time consuming and costly. This article aims to provide readers with detailed technical information for rapid production and validation of high-quality viral particles in a laboratory setting while highlighting advantages and limitations of each viral type. © 2019 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shih-Heng Chen
- Viral Vector Core, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH/DHHS, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH/DHHS, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
| | - Juhee Haam
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH/DHHS, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
| | - Mitzie Walker
- Viral Vector Core, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH/DHHS, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH/DHHS, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
| | - Erica Scappini
- Signal Transduction Laboratory, Fluorescence Microscopy and Imaging Center, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH/DHHS, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
| | - John Naughton
- Gene Transfer, Targeting and Therapeutics (GT3) Core, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California
| | - Negin P Martin
- Viral Vector Core, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH/DHHS, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH/DHHS, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
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16
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Hirakawa M, Nagakubo D, Kanzler B, Avilov S, Krauth B, Happe C, Swann JB, Nusser A, Boehm T. Fundamental parameters of the developing thymic epithelium in the mouse. Sci Rep 2018; 8:11095. [PMID: 30038304 PMCID: PMC6056470 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-29460-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 07/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The numbers of thymic epithelial cells (TECs) and thymocytes steadily increase during embryogenesis. To examine this dynamic, we generated several TEC-specific transgenic mouse lines, which express fluorescent proteins in the nucleus, the cytosol and in the membranes under the control of the Foxn1 promoter. These tools enabled us to determine TEC numbers in tissue sections by confocal fluorescent microscopy, and in the intact organ by light-sheet microscopy. Compared to histological procedures, flow cytometric analysis of thymic cellularity is shown to underestimate the numbers of TECs by one order of magnitude; using enzymatic digestion of thymic tissue, the loss of cortical TECs (cTECs) is several fold greater than that of medullary TECs (mTECs), although different cTEC subsets appear to be still present in the final preparation. Novel reporter lines driven by Psmb11 and Prss16 promoters revealed the trajectory of differentiation of cTEC-like cells, and, owing to the additional facility of conditional cell ablation, allowed us to follow the recovery of such cells after their depletion during embryogenesis. Multiparametric histological analyses indicate that the new transgenic reporter lines not only reveal the unique morphologies of different TEC subsets, but are also conducive to the analysis of the complex cellular interactions in the thymus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayumi Hirakawa
- Department of Developmental Immunology, Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Stübeweg 51, 79108, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Daisuke Nagakubo
- Department of Developmental Immunology, Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Stübeweg 51, 79108, Freiburg, Germany.,Division of Health and Hygienic Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Himeji Dokkyo University, 7-2-1 Kamiohno, Himeji, Hyogo, 670-8524, Japan
| | - Benoît Kanzler
- Transgenic Mouse Core Facility, Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Stübeweg 51, 79108, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Sergiy Avilov
- Imaging Facility, Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Stübeweg 51, 79108, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Brigitte Krauth
- Department of Developmental Immunology, Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Stübeweg 51, 79108, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Christiane Happe
- Department of Developmental Immunology, Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Stübeweg 51, 79108, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Jeremy B Swann
- Department of Developmental Immunology, Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Stübeweg 51, 79108, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Anja Nusser
- Department of Developmental Immunology, Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Stübeweg 51, 79108, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Boehm
- Department of Developmental Immunology, Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Stübeweg 51, 79108, Freiburg, Germany.
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17
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Ibrahim LA, Huang JJ, Wang SZ, Kim YJ, Zhang LI, Tao HW. Sparse Labeling and Neural Tracing in Brain Circuits by STARS Strategy: Revealing Morphological Development of Type II Spiral Ganglion Neurons. Cereb Cortex 2018; 31:5049854. [PMID: 29982390 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhy154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Elucidating axonal and dendritic projection patterns of individual neurons is a key for understanding the cytoarchitecture of neural circuits in the brain. This requires genetic approaches to achieve Golgi-like sparse labeling of desired types of neurons. Here, we explored a novel strategy of stochastic gene activation with regulated sparseness (STARS), in which the stochastic choice between 2 competing Cre-lox recombination events is controlled by varying the lox efficiency and cassette length. In a created STARS transgenic mouse crossed with various Cre driver lines, sparse neuronal labeling with a relatively uniform level of sparseness was achieved across different brain regions and cell types in both central and peripheral nervous systems. Tracing of individual type II peripheral auditory fibers revealed for the first time that they undergo experience-dependent developmental refinement, which is impaired by attenuating external sound input. Our results suggest that STARS strategy can be applied for circuit mapping and sparse gene manipulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leena A Ibrahim
- Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Junxiang J Huang
- Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Medical Biology Graduate Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Sheng-Zhi Wang
- Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Young J Kim
- Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - L I Zhang
- Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - H W Tao
- Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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18
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Taniguchi K, Shao Y, Townshend RF, Cortez CL, Harris CE, Meshinchi S, Kalantry S, Fu J, O'Shea KS, Gumucio DL. An apicosome initiates self-organizing morphogenesis of human pluripotent stem cells. J Cell Biol 2017; 216:3981-3990. [PMID: 29021220 PMCID: PMC5716285 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201704085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2017] [Revised: 08/21/2017] [Accepted: 09/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) self-organize into apicobasally polarized cysts, reminiscent of the lumenal epiblast stage, providing a model to explore key morphogenic processes in early human embryos. Here, we show that apical polarization begins on the interior of single hPSCs through the dynamic formation of a highly organized perinuclear apicosome structure. The membrane surrounding the apicosome is enriched in apical markers and displays microvilli and a primary cilium; its lumenal space is rich in Ca2+ Time-lapse imaging of isolated hPSCs reveals that the apicosome forms de novo in interphase, retains its structure during mitosis, is asymmetrically inherited after mitosis, and relocates to the recently formed cytokinetic plane, where it establishes a fully polarized lumen. In a multicellular aggregate of hPSCs, intracellular apicosomes from multiple cells are trafficked to generate a common lumenal cavity. Thus, the apicosome is a unique preassembled apical structure that can be rapidly used in single or clustered hPSCs to initiate self-organized apical polarization and lumenogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenichiro Taniguchi
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Yue Shao
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Ryan F Townshend
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Chari L Cortez
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Clair E Harris
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Sasha Meshinchi
- Microscopy and Image Analysis Laboratory, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Sundeep Kalantry
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Jianping Fu
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - K Sue O'Shea
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Deborah L Gumucio
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI
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19
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Genome-Wide Genetic Screening in the Mammalian CNS. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-60192-2_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
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20
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Woodworth MB, Girskis KM, Walsh CA. Building a lineage from single cells: genetic techniques for cell lineage tracking. Nat Rev Genet 2017; 18:230-244. [PMID: 28111472 PMCID: PMC5459401 DOI: 10.1038/nrg.2016.159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 162] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Resolving lineage relationships between cells in an organism is a fundamental interest of developmental biology. Furthermore, investigating lineage can drive understanding of pathological states, including cancer, as well as understanding of developmental pathways that are amenable to manipulation by directed differentiation. Although lineage tracking through the injection of retroviral libraries has long been the state of the art, a recent explosion of methodological advances in exogenous labelling and single-cell sequencing have enabled lineage tracking at larger scales, in more detail, and in a wider range of species than was previously considered possible. In this Review, we discuss these techniques for cell lineage tracking, with attention both to those that trace lineage forwards from experimental labelling, and those that trace backwards across the life history of an organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mollie B Woodworth
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Manton Center for Orphan Disease, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
- Departments of Neurology and Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - Kelly M Girskis
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Manton Center for Orphan Disease, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
- Departments of Neurology and Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - Christopher A Walsh
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Manton Center for Orphan Disease, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
- Departments of Neurology and Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
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21
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RNAs competing for microRNAs mutually influence their fluctuations in a highly non-linear microRNA-dependent manner in single cells. Genome Biol 2017; 18:37. [PMID: 28219439 PMCID: PMC5319025 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-017-1162-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2016] [Accepted: 01/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Distinct RNA species may compete for binding to microRNAs (miRNAs). This competition creates an indirect interaction between miRNA targets, which behave as miRNA sponges and eventually influence each other’s expression levels. Theoretical predictions suggest that not only the mean expression levels of targets but also the fluctuations around the means are coupled through miRNAs. This may result in striking effects on a broad range of cellular processes, such as cell differentiation and proliferation. Although several studies have reported the functional relevance of this mechanism of interaction, detailed experiments are lacking that study this phenomenon in controlled conditions by mimicking a physiological range. Results We used an experimental design based on two bidirectional plasmids and flow cytometry measurements of cotransfected mammalian cells. We validated a stochastic gene interaction model that describes how mRNAs can influence each other’s fluctuations in a miRNA-dependent manner in single cells. We show that miRNA–target correlations eventually lead to either bimodal cell population distributions with high and low target expression states, or correlated fluctuations across targets when the pool of unbound targets and miRNAs are in near-equimolar concentration. We found that there is an optimal range of conditions for the onset of cross-regulation, which is compatible with 10–1000 copies of targets per cell. Conclusions Our results are summarized in a phase diagram for miRNA-mediated cross-regulation that links experimentally measured quantities and effective model parameters. This phase diagram can be applied to in vivo studies of RNAs that are in competition for miRNA binding. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13059-017-1162-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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22
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Wong AYC, Hristova E, Ahlskog N, Tasse LA, Ngsee JK, Chudalayandi P, Bergeron R. Aberrant Subcellular Dynamics of Sigma-1 Receptor Mutants Underlying Neuromuscular Diseases. Mol Pharmacol 2016; 90:238-53. [PMID: 27418673 DOI: 10.1124/mol.116.104018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2016] [Accepted: 07/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The sigma-1 receptor (σ-1R) is an endoplasmic reticulum resident chaperone protein involved in a plethora of cellular functions, and whose disruption has been implicated in a wide range of diseases. Genetic analysis has revealed two σ-1R mutants involved in neuromuscular disorders. A point mutation (E102Q) in the ligand-binding domain results in the juvenile form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS16), and a 20 amino-acid deletion (Δ31-50) in the putative cytosolic domain leads to a form of distal hereditary motor neuropathy. We investigated the localization and functional properties of these mutants in cell lines using confocal imaging and electrophysiology. The σ-1R mutants exhibited a significant increase in mobility, aberrant localization, and enhanced block of the inwardly rectifying K(+) channel Kir2.1, compared with the wild-type σ-1R. Thus, these σ-1R mutants have different functional properties that could contribute to their disease phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Y C Wong
- Neuroscience, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa (A.Y.C.W., E.H., N.A., L.-A.T., J.K.N, P.C., R.B.), and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa (J.K.N., R.B.), Ontario, Canada
| | - Elitza Hristova
- Neuroscience, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa (A.Y.C.W., E.H., N.A., L.-A.T., J.K.N, P.C., R.B.), and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa (J.K.N., R.B.), Ontario, Canada
| | - Nina Ahlskog
- Neuroscience, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa (A.Y.C.W., E.H., N.A., L.-A.T., J.K.N, P.C., R.B.), and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa (J.K.N., R.B.), Ontario, Canada
| | - Louis-Alexandre Tasse
- Neuroscience, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa (A.Y.C.W., E.H., N.A., L.-A.T., J.K.N, P.C., R.B.), and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa (J.K.N., R.B.), Ontario, Canada
| | - Johnny K Ngsee
- Neuroscience, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa (A.Y.C.W., E.H., N.A., L.-A.T., J.K.N, P.C., R.B.), and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa (J.K.N., R.B.), Ontario, Canada
| | - Prakash Chudalayandi
- Neuroscience, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa (A.Y.C.W., E.H., N.A., L.-A.T., J.K.N, P.C., R.B.), and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa (J.K.N., R.B.), Ontario, Canada
| | - Richard Bergeron
- Neuroscience, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa (A.Y.C.W., E.H., N.A., L.-A.T., J.K.N, P.C., R.B.), and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa (J.K.N., R.B.), Ontario, Canada
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23
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Abstract
Photoreceptors have been the most intensively studied retinal cell type. Early lineage studies showed that photoreceptors are produced by retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) that produce only photoreceptor cells and by RPCs that produce both photoreceptor cells and other retinal cell types. More recent lineage studies have shown that there are intrinsic, molecular differences among these RPCs and that these molecular differences operate in gene regulatory networks (GRNs) that lead to the choice of the rod versus the cone fate. In addition, there are GRNs that lead to the choice of a photoreceptor fate and that of another retinal cell type. An example of such a GRN is one that drives the binary fate choice between a rod photoreceptor and bipolar cell. This GRN has many elements, including both feedforward and feedback regulatory loops, highlighting the complexity of such networks. This and other examples of retinal cell fate determination are reviewed here, focusing on the events that direct the choice of rod and cone photoreceptor fate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constance L Cepko
- Departments of Genetics and Ophthalmology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115;
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24
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Bechara A, Laumonnerie C, Vilain N, Kratochwil CF, Cankovic V, Maiorano NA, Kirschmann MA, Ducret S, Rijli FM. Hoxa2 Selects Barrelette Neuron Identity and Connectivity in the Mouse Somatosensory Brainstem. Cell Rep 2015; 13:783-797. [PMID: 26489473 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2015.09.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2015] [Revised: 07/19/2015] [Accepted: 09/09/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Mouse whiskers are somatotopically mapped in brainstem trigeminal nuclei as neuronal modules known as barrelettes. Whisker-related afferents form barrelettes in ventral principal sensory (vPrV) nucleus, whereas mandibular input targets dorsal PrV (dPrV). How barrelette neuron identity and circuitry is established is poorly understood. We found that ectopic Hoxa2 expression in dPrV neurons is sufficient to attract whisker-related afferents, induce asymmetrical dendrite arbors, and allow ectopic barrelette map formation. Moreover, the thalamic area forming whisker-related barreloids is prenatally targeted by both vPrV and dPrV axons followed by perinatal large-scale pruning of dPrV axons and refinement of vPrV barrelette input. Ectopic Hoxa2 expression allows topographically directed targeting and refinement of dPrV axons with vPrV axons into a single whisker-related barreloid map. Thus, a single HOX transcription factor is sufficient to switch dPrV into a vPrV barrelette neuron program and coordinate input-output topographic connectivity of a dermatome-specific circuit module.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad Bechara
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christophe Laumonnerie
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Nathalie Vilain
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Claudius F Kratochwil
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Vanja Cankovic
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Nicola A Maiorano
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Moritz A Kirschmann
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Sebastien Ducret
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Filippo M Rijli
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, 4056 Basel, Switzerland.
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25
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Nassi JJ, Cepko CL, Born RT, Beier KT. Neuroanatomy goes viral! Front Neuroanat 2015; 9:80. [PMID: 26190977 PMCID: PMC4486834 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2015.00080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2015] [Accepted: 05/25/2015] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The nervous system is complex not simply because of the enormous number of neurons it contains but by virtue of the specificity with which they are connected. Unraveling this specificity is the task of neuroanatomy. In this endeavor, neuroanatomists have traditionally exploited an impressive array of tools ranging from the Golgi method to electron microscopy. An ideal method for studying anatomy would label neurons that are interconnected, and, in addition, allow expression of foreign genes in these neurons. Fortuitously, nature has already partially developed such a method in the form of neurotropic viruses, which have evolved to deliver their genetic material between synaptically connected neurons while largely eluding glia and the immune system. While these characteristics make some of these viruses a threat to human health, simple modifications allow them to be used in controlled experimental settings, thus enabling neuroanatomists to trace multi-synaptic connections within and across brain regions. Wild-type neurotropic viruses, such as rabies and alpha-herpes virus, have already contributed greatly to our understanding of brain connectivity, and modern molecular techniques have enabled the construction of recombinant forms of these and other viruses. These newly engineered reagents are particularly useful, as they can target genetically defined populations of neurons, spread only one synapse to either inputs or outputs, and carry instructions by which the targeted neurons can be made to express exogenous proteins, such as calcium sensors or light-sensitive ion channels, that can be used to study neuronal function. In this review, we address these uniquely powerful features of the viruses already in the neuroanatomist's toolbox, as well as the aspects of their biology that currently limit their utility. Based on the latter, we consider strategies for improving viral tracing methods by reducing toxicity, improving control of transsynaptic spread, and extending the range of species that can be studied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan J Nassi
- Systems Neurobiology Laboratories, Salk Institute for Biological Studies La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Constance L Cepko
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School Boston, MA, USA ; Department of Ophthalmology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School Boston, MA, USA
| | - Richard T Born
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School Boston, MA, USA ; Center for Brain Science, Harvard University Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Kevin T Beier
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Department of Biology, Stanford University Stanford, CA, USA
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26
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Abstract
The ability to introduce DNA elements into host cells and analyze the effects has revolutionized modern biology. Here we describe a protocol to generate Moloney murine leukemia virus (MMLV)-based, replication-incompetent pseudotyped retrovirus capable of infecting axolotls and incorporating genetic information into their genome. When pseudotyped with vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV)-G glycoprotein, the retroviruses can infect a broad range of proliferative axolotl cell types. However, if the retrovirus is pseudotyped with an avian sarcoma leukosis virus (ASLV)-A envelope protein, only axolotl cells experimentally manipulated to express the cognate tumor virus A (TVA) receptor can be targeted by infections. These strategies enable robust transgene expression over many cell divisions, cell lineage tracing, and cell subtype targeting for gene expression.
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27
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Synthetic lethal screening in the mammalian central nervous system identifies Gpx6 as a modulator of Huntington's disease. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2014; 112:268-72. [PMID: 25535386 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1417231112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease, the most common inherited neurodegenerative disease, is characterized by a dramatic loss of deep-layer cortical and striatal neurons, as well as morbidity in midlife. Human genetic studies led to the identification of the causative gene, huntingtin. Recent genomic advances have also led to the identification of hundreds of potential interacting partners for huntingtin protein and many hypotheses as to the molecular mechanisms whereby mutant huntingtin leads to cellular dysfunction and death. However, the multitude of possible interacting partners and cellular pathways affected by mutant huntingtin has complicated efforts to understand the etiology of this disease, and to date no curative therapeutic exists. To address the general problem of identifying the disease-phenotype contributing genes from a large number of correlative studies, here we develop a synthetic lethal screening methodology for the mammalian central nervous system, called SLIC, for synthetic lethal in the central nervous system. Applying SLIC to the study of Huntington's disease, we identify the age-regulated glutathione peroxidase 6 (Gpx6) gene as a modulator of mutant huntingtin toxicity and show that overexpression of Gpx6 can dramatically alleviate both behavioral and molecular phenotypes associated with a mouse model of Huntington's disease. SLIC can, in principle, be used in the study of any neurodegenerative disease for which a mouse model exists, promising to reveal modulators of neurodegenerative disease in an unbiased fashion, akin to screens in simpler model organisms.
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28
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Ahronian LG, Lewis BC. Using the RCAS-TVA system to model human cancer in mice. Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2014; 2014:1128-35. [PMID: 25368315 DOI: 10.1101/pdb.top069831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
For successful infection, avian sarcoma leukosis virus subgroup A (ASLV-A) requires its receptor, tumor virus A (TVA), to be present on the surface of target cells. This is the basis of the RCAS-TVA gene delivery system: Mammalian cells lack the gene encoding TVA and are normally resistant to infection by ASLV; however, transgenic targeting of TVA to specific cell types or tissues in the mouse renders these cells uniquely susceptible to infection by ASLV-A-based RCAS viruses. The RCAS-TVA system is a powerful tool for effectively modeling human tumors, including pancreatic, ovarian, and breast cancers, gliomas, and melanomas. RCAS viruses can deliver cDNAs (≤2.8 kb), as well as short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs), microRNAs (miRNAs), and other noncoding RNAs. Compared with traditional transgenic and knockout mice, the RCAS-TVA system has several strengths. First, virus delivery is generally performed postnatally and results in a relatively low infection rate of target cells; the sporadic postnatal expression of the gene of interest mimics the situation in developing human tumors. Second, a single transgenic mouse line can be used to compare the consequences of specific genes on tumor development, with viruses encoding oncogenes or shRNAs targeting specific tumor suppressor genes. TVA mouse strains can also be easily combined with transgenic, knock-in, and knockout mouse models to study cooperating genetic events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leanne G Ahronian
- Program in Gene Function and Expression, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605
| | - Brian C Lewis
- Program in Gene Function and Expression, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605
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29
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Highly modular bow-tie gene circuits with programmable dynamic behaviour. Nat Commun 2014; 5:4729. [PMID: 25311543 PMCID: PMC4197411 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms5729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2013] [Accepted: 07/17/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Synthetic gene circuits often require extensive mutual optimization of their components for successful operation, while modular and programmable design platforms are rare. A possible solution lies in the “bow-tie” architecture, which stipulates a focal component - a “knot” - uncoupling circuits’ inputs and outputs, simplifying component swapping, and introducing additional layer of control. Here we construct, in cultured human cells, synthetic bow-tie circuits that transduce microRNA inputs into protein outputs with independently programmable logical and dynamic behavior. The latter is adjusted via two different knot configurations: a transcriptional activator causing the outputs to track input changes reversibly, and a recombinase-based cascade, converting transient inputs into permanent actuation. We characterize the circuits in HEK293 cells, confirming their modularity and scalability, and validate them using endogenous microRNA inputs in additional cell lines. This platform can be used for biotechnological and biomedical applications in vitro, in vivo, and potentially in human therapy.
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30
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Intrinsically different retinal progenitor cells produce specific types of progeny. Nat Rev Neurosci 2014; 15:615-27. [DOI: 10.1038/nrn3767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 249] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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31
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Marín O, Müller U. Lineage origins of GABAergic versus glutamatergic neurons in the neocortex. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2014; 26:132-41. [PMID: 24549207 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2014.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2013] [Revised: 01/17/2014] [Accepted: 01/22/2014] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Neocortical circuits are assembled from subtypes of glutamatergic excitatory and GABAergic inhibitory neurons with divergent anatomical and molecular signatures and unique physiological properties. Excitatory neurons derive from progenitors in the pallium, whereas inhibitory neurons originate from progenitors in the subpallium. Both classes of neurons subsequently migrate along well-defined routes to their final target area, where they integrate into common neuronal circuits. Recent findings show that neuronal diversity within the lineages of excitatory and inhibitory neurons is in part already established at the level of progenitor cells before migration. This poses challenges for our understanding of how radial units of interconnected excitatory and inhibitory neurons are assembled from progenitors that are spatially segregated and diverse in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar Marín
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas & Universidad Miguel Hernández, 03550 Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain.
| | - Ulrich Müller
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, Dorris Neuroscience Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
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32
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Kepecs A, Fishell G. Interneuron cell types are fit to function. Nature 2014; 505:318-26. [PMID: 24429630 PMCID: PMC4349583 DOI: 10.1038/nature12983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 721] [Impact Index Per Article: 72.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2013] [Accepted: 11/25/2013] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Understanding brain circuits begins with an appreciation of their component parts - the cells. Although GABAergic interneurons are a minority population within the brain, they are crucial for the control of inhibition. Determining the diversity of these interneurons has been a central goal of neurobiologists, but this amazing cell type has so far defied a generalized classification system. Interneuron complexity within the telencephalon could be simplified by viewing them as elaborations of a much more finite group of developmentally specified cardinal classes that become further specialized as they mature. Our perspective emphasizes that the ultimate goal is to dispense with classification criteria and directly define interneuron types by function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Kepecs
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Marks Building, New York 11724, USA
| | - Gordon Fishell
- NYU Langone Medical Center, First Avenue, Smilow Research Building, New York 10016, USA
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33
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Abstract
The use of neurotropic viruses as transsynaptic tracers was first described in the 1960s, but only recently have such viruses gained popularity as a method for labeling neural circuits. The development of retrograde monosynaptic tracing vectors has enabled visualization of the presynaptic sources onto defined sets of postsynaptic neurons. Here, we describe the first application of a novel viral tracer, based on vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), which directs retrograde transsynaptic viral spread between defined cell types. We use this virus in the mouse retina to show connectivity between starburst amacrine cells (SACs) and their known synaptic partners, direction-selective retinal ganglion cells, as well as to discover previously unknown connectivity between SACs and other retinal ganglion cell types. These novel connections were confirmed using physiological recordings. VSV transsynaptic tracing enables cell type-specific dissection of neural circuitry and can reveal synaptic relationships among neurons that are otherwise obscured due to the complexity and density of neuropil.
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34
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Whited JL, Tsai SL, Beier KT, White JN, Piekarski N, Hanken J, Cepko CL, Tabin CJ. Pseudotyped retroviruses for infecting axolotl in vivo and in vitro. Development 2013; 140:1137-46. [PMID: 23344705 DOI: 10.1242/dev.087734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Axolotls are poised to become the premiere model system for studying vertebrate appendage regeneration. However, very few molecular tools exist for studying crucial cell lineage relationships over regeneration or for robust and sustained misexpression of genetic elements to test their function. Furthermore, targeting specific cell types will be necessary to understand how regeneration of the diverse tissues within the limb is accomplished. We report that pseudotyped, replication-incompetent retroviruses can be used in axolotls to permanently express markers or genetic elements for functional study. These viruses, when modified by changing their coat protein, can infect axolotl cells only when they have been experimentally manipulated to express the receptor for that coat protein, thus allowing for the possibility of targeting specific cell types. Using viral vectors, we have found that progenitor populations for many different cell types within the blastema are present at all stages of limb regeneration, although their relative proportions change with time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L Whited
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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35
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Tarchini B, Jolicoeur C, Cayouette M. In vivo evidence for unbiased Ikaros retinal lineages using an Ikaros-Cre mouse line driving clonal recombination. Dev Dyn 2012; 241:1973-85. [PMID: 23074133 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.23881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND We showed previously that the transcription factor Ikaros is expressed in early but not late retinal progenitors cells (RPCs), and is necessary and sufficient for the production of early-born neurons. Preliminary evidence using retinal explant cultures qualitatively suggested that Ikaros-positive RPCs might share a common lineage with Ikaros-negative RPCs. RESULTS To explore further this question in vivo in a quantitative manner, we generated BAC transgenic mouse lines expressing Cre recombinase under the regulatory elements of the Ikaros gene, and crossed them with Cre reporter lines. Different transgenic lines labeled a variable number of RPCs, resulting in either dense or sparse radial arrays of reporter-positive progenies. Analysis of over 800 isolated cell arrays, which are most likely clones, confirmed that Ikaros-expressing RPCs generate both early- and late-born cell types in the same lineage, and that the overall cell composition of the arrays closely resembles that of the population of the mature retina. Interestingly, another sparse line did not label arrays, but appeared to specifically reflect Ikaros postmitotic expression in amacrine and ganglion cells. CONCLUSIONS These mouse lines confirm the unbiased potential of the Ikaros lineage in vivo and provide novel tools for clonal lineage tracing and single neuron tracking in the retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Basile Tarchini
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montreal, Montreal, Canada
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36
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Abstract
Classical methods for studying neuronal circuits are fairly low throughput. Transsynaptic viruses, particularly the pseudorabies (PRV) and rabies virus (RABV), and more recently vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), for studying circuitry, is becoming increasingly popular. These higher throughput methods use viruses that transmit between neurons in either the anterograde or retrograde direction. Recently, a modified RABV for monosynaptic retrograde tracing was developed. (Figure 1A). In this method, the glycoprotein (G) gene is deleted from the viral genome, and resupplied only in targeted neurons. Infection specificity is achieved by substituting a chimeric G, composed of the extracellular domain of the ASLV-A glycoprotein and the cytoplasmic domain of the RABV-G (A/RG), for the normal RABV-G(1). This chimeric G specifically infects cells expressing the TVA receptor(1). The gene encoding TVA can been delivered by various methods(2-8). Following RABV-G infection of a TVA-expressing neuron, the RABV can transmit to other, synaptically connected neurons in a retrograde direction by nature of its own G which was co-delivered with the TVA receptor. This technique labels a relatively large number of inputs (5-10%)(2) onto a defined cell type, providing a sampling of all of the inputs onto a defined starter cell type. We recently modified this technique to use VSV as a transsynaptic tracer(9). VSV has several advantages, including the rapidity of gene expression. Here we detail a new viral tracing system using VSV useful for probing microcircuitry with increased resolution. While the original published strategies by Wickersham et al.(4) and Beier et al.(9) permit labeling of any neurons that project onto initially-infected TVA-expressing-cells, here VSV was engineered to transmit only to TVA-expressing cells (Figure 1B). The virus is first pseudotyped with RABV-G to permit infection of neurons downstream of TVA-expressing neurons. After infecting this first population of cells, the virus released can only infect TVA-expressing cells. Because the transsynaptic viral spread is limited to TVA-expressing cells, presence of absence of connectivity from defined cell types can be explored with high resolution. An experimental flow chart of these experiments is shown in Figure 2. Here we show a model circuit, that of direction-selectivity in the mouse retina. We examine the connectivity of starburst amacrine cells (SACs) to retinal ganglion cells (RGCs).
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Beier
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, USA
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37
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Production of avian retroviruses and tissue-specific somatic retroviral gene transfer in vivo using the RCAS/TVA system. Nat Protoc 2012; 7:1167-83. [DOI: 10.1038/nprot.2012.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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38
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Transcription factor Olig2 defines subpopulations of retinal progenitor cells biased toward specific cell fates. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2012; 109:7882-7. [PMID: 22543161 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1203138109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous lineage analyses have shown that retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) are multipotent throughout development, and expression-profiling studies have shown a great deal of molecular heterogeneity among RPCs. To determine if the molecular heterogeneity predicts that an RPC will produce particular types of progeny, clonal lineage analysis was used to investigate the progeny of a subset of RPCs, those that express the basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor, Olig2. The embryonic Olig2(+) RPCs underwent terminal divisions, producing small clones with primarily two of the five cell types being made by the pool of RPCs at that time. The later, postnatal Olig2(+) RPCs also made terminal divisions, which were biased toward production of rod photoreceptors and amacrine cell interneurons. These data indicate that the multipotent progenitor pool is made up of distinctive types of RPCs, which have biases toward producing subsets of retinal neurons in a terminal division, with the types of neurons produced varying over time. This strategy is similar to that of the developing Drosophila melanogaster ventral nerve cord, with the Olig2(+) cells behaving as ganglion mother cells.
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39
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Dupin E, Sommer L. Neural crest progenitors and stem cells: from early development to adulthood. Dev Biol 2012; 366:83-95. [PMID: 22425619 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2012.02.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 167] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2012] [Accepted: 02/29/2012] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
In the vertebrate embryo, the neural crest forms transiently in the dorsal neural primordium to yield migratory cells that will invade nearly all tissues and later, will differentiate into bones and cartilages, neurons and glia, endocrine cells, vascular smooth muscle cells and melanocytes. Due to the amazingly diversified array of cell types it produces, the neural crest is an attractive model system in the stem cell field. We present here in vivo and in vitro studies of single cell fate, which led to the discovery and the characterization of stem cells in the neural crest of avian and mammalian embryos. Some of the key issues in neural crest cell diversification are discussed, such as the time of segregation of mesenchymal vs. neural/melanocytic lineages, and the origin and close relationships between the glial and melanocytic lineages. An overview is also provided of the diverse types of neural crest-like stem cells and progenitors, recently identified in a growing number of adult tissues in animals and humans. Current and future work, in which in vivo lineage studies and the use of injury models will complement the in vitro culture analysis, should help in unraveling the properties and function of neural crest-derived progenitors in development and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Dupin
- INSERM U894 Equipe Plasticité Gliale, Centre de Psychiatrie et de Neuroscience, 2 ter Rue d'Alésia 75014 Paris, France.
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40
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Anterograde or retrograde transsynaptic labeling of CNS neurons with vesicular stomatitis virus vectors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2011; 108:15414-9. [PMID: 21825165 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1110854108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
To understand how the nervous system processes information, a map of the connections among neurons would be of great benefit. Here we describe the use of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) for tracing neuronal connections in vivo. We made VSV vectors that used glycoprotein (G) genes from several other viruses. The G protein from lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus endowed VSV with the ability to spread transsynaptically, specifically in an anterograde direction, whereas the rabies virus glycoprotein gave a specifically retrograde transsynaptic pattern. The use of an avian G protein fusion allowed specific targeting of cells expressing an avian receptor, which allowed a demonstration of monosynaptic anterograde tracing from defined cells. Synaptic connectivity of pairs of virally labeled cells was demonstrated by using slice cultures and electrophysiology. In vivo infections of several areas in the mouse brain led to the predicted patterns of spread for anterograde or retrograde tracers.
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