1
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Nussinov R, Yavuz BR, Jang H. Single cell spatial biology over developmental time can decipher pediatric brain pathologies. Neurobiol Dis 2024; 199:106597. [PMID: 38992777 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2024.106597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 07/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Pediatric low grade brain tumors and neurodevelopmental disorders share proteins, signaling pathways, and networks. They also share germline mutations and an impaired prenatal differentiation origin. They may differ in the timing of the events and proliferation. We suggest that their pivotal distinct, albeit partially overlapping, outcomes relate to the cell states, which depend on their spatial location, and timing of gene expression during brain development. These attributes are crucial as the brain develops sequentially, and single-cell spatial organization influences cell state, thus function. Our underlying premise is that the root cause in neurodevelopmental disorders and pediatric tumors is impaired prenatal differentiation. Data related to pediatric brain tumors, neurodevelopmental disorders, brain cell (sub)types, locations, and timing of expression in the developing brain are scant. However, emerging single cell technologies, including transcriptomic, spatial biology, spatial high-resolution imaging performed over the brain developmental time, could be transformational in deciphering brain pathologies thereby pharmacology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Nussinov
- Computational Structural Biology Section, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; Cancer Innovation Laboratory, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel.
| | - Bengi Ruken Yavuz
- Cancer Innovation Laboratory, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Hyunbum Jang
- Computational Structural Biology Section, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; Cancer Innovation Laboratory, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
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2
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Parker CG, Gruenhagen GW, Hegarty BE, Histed AR, Streelman JT, Rhodes JS, Johnson ZV. Adult sex change leads to extensive forebrain reorganization in clownfish. Biol Sex Differ 2024; 15:58. [PMID: 39044232 PMCID: PMC11267845 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-024-00632-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sexual differentiation of the brain occurs in all major vertebrate lineages but is not well understood at a molecular and cellular level. Unlike most vertebrates, sex-changing fishes have the remarkable ability to change reproductive sex during adulthood in response to social stimuli, offering a unique opportunity to understand mechanisms by which the nervous system can initiate and coordinate sexual differentiation. METHODS This study explores sexual differentiation of the forebrain using single nucleus RNA-sequencing in the anemonefish Amphiprion ocellaris, producing the first cellular atlas of a sex-changing brain. RESULTS We uncover extensive sex differences in cell type-specific gene expression, relative proportions of cells, baseline neuronal excitation, and predicted inter-neuronal communication. Additionally, we identify the cholecystokinin, galanin, and estrogen systems as central molecular axes of sexual differentiation. Supported by these findings, we propose a model of sexual differentiation in the conserved vertebrate social decision-making network spanning multiple subtypes of neurons and glia, including neuronal subpopulations within the preoptic area that are positioned to regulate gonadal differentiation. CONCLUSIONS This work deepens our understanding of sexual differentiation in the vertebrate brain and defines a rich suite of molecular and cellular pathways that differentiate during adult sex change in anemonefish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Coltan G Parker
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, 405 N Mathews Ave, Urbana, IL, 61820, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - George W Gruenhagen
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Brianna E Hegarty
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Abigail R Histed
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, 405 N Mathews Ave, Urbana, IL, 61820, USA
| | - Jeffrey T Streelman
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Justin S Rhodes
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, 405 N Mathews Ave, Urbana, IL, 61820, USA.
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, 603 E. Daniel St., Champaign, IL, 61820, USA.
| | - Zachary V Johnson
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Rd NE, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA.
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3
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Saxon D, Alderman PJ, Sorrells SF, Vicini S, Corbin JG. Neuronal Subtypes and Connectivity of the Adult Mouse Paralaminar Amygdala. eNeuro 2024; 11:ENEURO.0119-24.2024. [PMID: 38811163 PMCID: PMC11208988 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0119-24.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
The paralaminar nucleus of the amygdala (PL) comprises neurons that exhibit delayed maturation. PL neurons are born during gestation but mature during adolescent ages, differentiating into excitatory neurons. These late-maturing PL neurons contribute to the increase in size and cell number of the amygdala between birth and adulthood. However, the function of the PL upon maturation is unknown, as the region has only recently begun to be characterized in detail. In this study, we investigated key defining features of the adult mouse PL; the intrinsic morpho-electric properties of its neurons, and its input and output circuit connectivity. We identify two subtypes of excitatory neurons in the PL based on unsupervised clustering of electrophysiological properties. These subtypes are defined by differential action potential firing properties and dendritic architecture, suggesting divergent functional roles. We further uncover major axonal inputs to the adult PL from the main olfactory network and basolateral amygdala. We also find that axonal outputs from the PL project reciprocally to these inputs and to diverse targets including the amygdala, frontal cortex, hippocampus, hypothalamus, and brainstem. Thus, the adult mouse PL is centrally placed to play a major role in the integration of olfactory sensory information, to coordinate affective and autonomic behavioral responses to salient odor stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Saxon
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's Research Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC 20011
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20007
| | - Pia J Alderman
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260
| | - Shawn F Sorrells
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260
| | - Stefano Vicini
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20007
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20007
| | - Joshua G Corbin
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's Research Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC 20011
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4
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Wronski ML, Bernardoni F, Bahnsen K, Seidel M, Arold D, Doose A, Steinhäuser JL, Borucki K, Breithaupt L, Lawson EA, Holsen LM, Weidner K, Roessner V, King JA, Plessow F, Ehrlich S. Dynamic Amygdala Nuclei Alterations in Relation to Weight Status in Anorexia Nervosa Are Mediated by Leptin. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2024; 63:624-639. [PMID: 37797814 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2023.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The amygdaloid complex is a subcortical limbic group of distinct nuclei. In a previous patient-control study, differential amygdala nuclei alterations were found in acute anorexia nervosa (AN); rostral-medial nuclei involved in fear and reward processing were substantially reduced in volume and associated with hypoleptinemia, a key neuroendocrine characteristic of AN. Here, longitudinal amygdala nuclei alterations in AN were investigated in relation to weight status and their associations with leptin levels. METHOD T1-weighted structural magnetic resonance imaging scans were longitudinally processed with FreeSurfer. Amygdala nuclei volumes in young female patients with acute AN before and after short-term weight restoration (n = 110, >14% body mass index increase over 3 months) and female participants with a history of AN (n = 79, long-term [mean 5 years] weight recovered) were compared with female healthy control participants (n = 271) using linear mixed effects models. RESULTS Rostral-medially clustered amygdala nuclei volumes, accessory basal, cortical, medial nuclei, and corticoamygdaloid transition, increased during short-term weight restoration (Cohen's d range 0.18-0.30). However, volumetric normalization across nuclei was heterogeneous. Right cortical, medial nuclei, bilateral corticoamygdaloid transitions, and anterior amygdaloid areas were only partially normalized following short-term weight restoration. Right anterior amygdaloid area remained reduced after long-term weight recovery compared with control participants (d = 0.36). Leptin increase, accompanying short-term weight restoration, mediated the effect of weight gain on volumetric increase in left corticoamygdaloid transition and bilateral medial nuclei. CONCLUSION Rostral-medially clustered amygdala nuclei show pronounced volumetric increase but incomplete normalization in AN during and after short-term weight restoration. Leptin increase may be relevant for the recovery of specific amygdala nuclei in addition to nutritional rehabilitation, indicating links between amygdala substructure and leptin dynamics of potential pathophysiological and clinical relevance in AN. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY The amygdala plays a critical role in processing fearful and rewarding stimuli, and alterations in the amygdala are associated with anorexia nervosa. In this study, the authors measured amygdala nuclei volumes in female patients with acute anorexia nervosa undergoing weight-restoration treatment (n = 110), long-term weight-recovered individuals with anorexia (n = 79), and healthy control participants (n = 271). Structural magnetic resonance imaging revealed that volumes of specific nuclei, clustered in the rostral-medial amygdala, were substantially reduced in acute anorexia nervosa and only partially normalized following weight restoration treatment. Residual reductions in volume persisted even after long-term weight-recovery, compared to healthy control participants. Short-term weight restoration was associated with increases in the neurohormone leptin, and increasing leptin levels were found to mediate the positive impact of weight gain on increased amygdala volume over the treatment course. DIVERSITY & INCLUSION STATEMENT We worked to ensure race, ethnic, and/or other types of diversity in the recruitment of human participants. We worked to ensure that the study questionnaires were prepared in an inclusive way. One or more of the authors of this paper received support from a program designed to increase minority representation in science. We actively worked to promote sex and gender balance in our author group. We actively worked to promote inclusion of historically underrepresented racial and/or ethnic groups in science in our author group. While citing references scientifically relevant for this work, we also actively worked to promote sex and gender balance in our reference list. While citing references scientifically relevant for this work, we also actively worked to promote inclusion of historically underrepresented racial and/or ethnic groups in science in our reference list. The author list of this paper includes contributors from the location and/or community where the research was conducted who participated in the data collection, design, analysis, and/or interpretation of the work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Louis Wronski
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Fabio Bernardoni
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Klaas Bahnsen
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Maria Seidel
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Dominic Arold
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Arne Doose
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Jonas L Steinhäuser
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Katrin Borucki
- Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Lauren Breithaupt
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Elizabeth A Lawson
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Laura M Holsen
- Division of Women's Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Kerstin Weidner
- University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Veit Roessner
- University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Joseph A King
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Franziska Plessow
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Stefan Ehrlich
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany; University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
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5
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Simard S, Matosin N, Mechawar N. Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis in the Human Brain: Updates, Challenges, and Perspectives. Neuroscientist 2024:10738584241252581. [PMID: 38757781 DOI: 10.1177/10738584241252581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
The existence of neurogenesis in the adult human hippocampus has been under considerable debate within the past three decades due to the diverging conclusions originating mostly from immunohistochemistry studies. While some of these reports conclude that hippocampal neurogenesis in humans occurs throughout physiologic aging, others indicate that this phenomenon ends by early childhood. More recently, some groups have adopted next-generation sequencing technologies to characterize with more acuity the extent of this phenomenon in humans. Here, we review the current state of research on adult hippocampal neurogenesis in the human brain with an emphasis on the challenges and limitations of using immunohistochemistry and next-generation sequencing technologies for its study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Simard
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montréal, Canada
| | - Natalie Matosin
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Naguib Mechawar
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montréal, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, Canada
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6
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Alonso M, Petit AC, Lledo PM. The impact of adult neurogenesis on affective functions: of mice and men. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02504-w. [PMID: 38499657 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02504-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
In most mammals, new neurons are not only produced during embryogenesis but also after birth. Soon after adult neurogenesis was discovered, the influence of recruiting new neurons on cognitive functions, especially on memory, was documented. Likewise, the late process of neuronal production also contributes to affective functions, but this outcome was recognized with more difficulty. This review covers hypes and hopes of discovering the influence of newly-generated neurons on brain circuits devoted to affective functions. If the possibility of integrating new neurons into the adult brain is a commonly accepted faculty in the realm of mammals, the reluctance is strong when it comes to translating this concept to humans. Compiling data suggest now that new neurons are derived not only from stem cells, but also from a population of neuroblasts displaying a protracted maturation and ready to be engaged in adult brain circuits, under specific signals. Here, we discuss the significance of recruiting new neurons in the adult brain circuits, specifically in the context of affective outcomes. We also discuss the fact that adult neurogenesis could be the ultimate cellular process that integrates elements from both the internal and external environment to adjust brain functions. While we must be critical and beware of the unreal promises that Science could generate sometimes, it is important to continue exploring the potential of neural recruitment in adult primates. Reporting adult neurogenesis in humankind contributes to a new vision of humans as mammals whose brain continues to develop throughout life. This peculiar faculty could one day become the target of treatment for mental health, cognitive disorders, and elderly-associated diseases. The vision of an adult brain which never stops integrating new neurons is a real game changer for designing new therapeutic interventions to treat mental disorders associated with substantial morbidity, mortality, and social costs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Alonso
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 3571, Perception and Action Unit, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Anne-Cécile Petit
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 3571, Perception and Action Unit, F-75015, Paris, France
- Pôle Hospitalo-Universitaire Psychiatrie Paris 15, GHU Paris Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Hôpital Sainte-Anne, Paris, France
| | - Pierre-Marie Lledo
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 3571, Perception and Action Unit, F-75015, Paris, France.
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7
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Khodosevich K, Dragicevic K, Howes O. Drug targeting in psychiatric disorders - how to overcome the loss in translation? Nat Rev Drug Discov 2024; 23:218-231. [PMID: 38114612 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-023-00847-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
In spite of major efforts and investment in development of psychiatric drugs, many clinical trials have failed in recent decades, and clinicians still prescribe drugs that were discovered many years ago. Although multiple reasons have been discussed for the drug development deadlock, we focus here on one of the major possible biological reasons: differences between the characteristics of drug targets in preclinical models and the corresponding targets in patients. Importantly, based on technological advances in single-cell analysis, we propose here a framework for the use of available and newly emerging knowledge from single-cell and spatial omics studies to evaluate and potentially improve the translational predictivity of preclinical models before commencing preclinical and, in particular, clinical studies. We believe that these recommendations will improve preclinical models and the ability to assess drugs in clinical trials, reducing failure rates in expensive late-stage trials and ultimately benefitting psychiatric drug discovery and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantin Khodosevich
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre, Faculty of Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Katarina Dragicevic
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre, Faculty of Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Oliver Howes
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
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8
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Shvedov NR, Analoui S, Dafalias T, Bedell BL, Gardner TJ, Scott BB. In vivo imaging in transgenic songbirds reveals superdiffusive neuron migration in the adult brain. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113759. [PMID: 38345898 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Neuron migration is a key phase of neurogenesis, critical for the assembly and function of neuronal circuits. In songbirds, this process continues throughout life, but how these newborn neurons disperse through the adult brain is unclear. We address this question using in vivo two-photon imaging in transgenic zebra finches that express GFP in young neurons and other cell types. In juvenile and adult birds, migratory cells are present at a high density, travel in all directions, and make frequent course changes. Notably, these dynamic migration patterns are well fit by a superdiffusive model. Simulations reveal that these superdiffusive dynamics are sufficient to disperse new neurons throughout the song nucleus HVC. These results suggest that superdiffusive migration may underlie the formation and maintenance of nuclear brain structures in the postnatal brain and indicate that transgenic songbirds are a useful resource for future studies into the mechanisms of adult neurogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naomi R Shvedov
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Sina Analoui
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Theresia Dafalias
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Brooke L Bedell
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Timothy J Gardner
- Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Benjamin B Scott
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Neurophotonics Center, Photonics Center, and Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
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9
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Alderman PJ, Saxon D, Torrijos-Saiz LI, Sharief M, Page CE, Baroudi JK, Biagiotti SW, Butyrkin VA, Melamed A, Kuo CT, Vicini S, García-Verdugo JM, Herranz-Pérez V, Corbin JG, Sorrells SF. Delayed maturation and migration of excitatory neurons in the juvenile mouse paralaminar amygdala. Neuron 2024; 112:574-592.e10. [PMID: 38086370 PMCID: PMC10922384 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
The human amygdala paralaminar nucleus (PL) contains many immature excitatory neurons that undergo prolonged maturation from birth to adulthood. We describe a previously unidentified homologous PL region in mice that contains immature excitatory neurons and has previously been considered part of the amygdala intercalated cell clusters or ventral endopiriform cortex. Mouse PL neurons are born embryonically, not from postnatal neurogenesis, despite a subset retaining immature molecular and morphological features in adults. During juvenile-adolescent ages (P21-P35), the majority of PL neurons undergo molecular, structural, and physiological maturation, and a subset of excitatory PL neurons migrate into the adjacent endopiriform cortex. Alongside these changes, PL neurons develop responses to aversive and appetitive olfactory stimuli. The presence of this homologous region in both humans and mice points to the significance of this conserved mechanism of neuronal maturation and migration during adolescence, a key time period for amygdala circuit maturation and related behavioral changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pia J Alderman
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - David Saxon
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's Research Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC 20011, USA; Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20007, USA
| | - Lucía I Torrijos-Saiz
- Laboratory of Comparative Neurobiology, Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Comparative Neurobiology, University of Valencia, CIBERNED-ISCIII, Valencia 46980, Spain
| | - Malaz Sharief
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Chloe E Page
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Jude K Baroudi
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Sean W Biagiotti
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Vladimir A Butyrkin
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's Research Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC 20011, USA; Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Anna Melamed
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Chay T Kuo
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Stefano Vicini
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20007, USA; Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20007, USA
| | - Jose M García-Verdugo
- Laboratory of Comparative Neurobiology, Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Comparative Neurobiology, University of Valencia, CIBERNED-ISCIII, Valencia 46980, Spain; Department of Cell Biology, Functional Biology and Physical Anthropology, University of Valencia, Burjassot 46100, Spain
| | - Vicente Herranz-Pérez
- Laboratory of Comparative Neurobiology, Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Comparative Neurobiology, University of Valencia, CIBERNED-ISCIII, Valencia 46980, Spain; Department of Cell Biology, Functional Biology and Physical Anthropology, University of Valencia, Burjassot 46100, Spain
| | - Joshua G Corbin
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's Research Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC 20011, USA
| | - Shawn F Sorrells
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA; Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA.
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10
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Parker CG, Gruenhagen GW, Hegarty BE, Histed AR, Streelman JT, Rhodes JS, Johnson ZV. Adult sex change leads to extensive forebrain reorganization in clownfish. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.29.577753. [PMID: 38352560 PMCID: PMC10862741 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.29.577753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Sexual differentiation of the brain occurs in all major vertebrate lineages but is not well understood at a molecular and cellular level. Unlike most vertebrates, sex-changing fishes have the remarkable ability to change reproductive sex during adulthood in response to social stimuli, offering a unique opportunity to understand mechanisms by which the nervous system can initiate and coordinate sexual differentiation. This study explores sexual differentiation of the forebrain using single nucleus RNA-sequencing in the anemonefish Amphiprion ocellaris, producing the first cellular atlas of a sex-changing brain. We uncover extensive sex differences in cell type-specific gene expression, relative proportions of cells, baseline neuronal excitation, and predicted inter-neuronal communication. Additionally, we identify the cholecystokinin, galanin, and estrogen systems as central molecular axes of sexual differentiation. Supported by these findings, we propose a model of neurosexual differentiation in the conserved vertebrate social decision-making network spanning multiple subtypes of neurons and glia, including neuronal subpopulations within the preoptic area that are positioned to regulate gonadal differentiation. This work deepens our understanding of sexual differentiation in the vertebrate brain and defines a rich suite of molecular and cellular pathways that differentiate during adult sex change in anemonefish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Coltan G. Parker
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, USA
| | - George W. Gruenhagen
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Brianna E. Hegarty
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Abigail R. Histed
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, USA
| | - Jeffrey T. Streelman
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Justin S. Rhodes
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, USA
| | - Zachary V. Johnson
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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11
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Saxon D, Alderman PJ, Sorrells SF, Vicini S, Corbin JG. Neuronal subtypes and connectivity of the adult mouse paralaminar amygdala. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.11.575250. [PMID: 38260244 PMCID: PMC10802617 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.11.575250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
The paralaminar nucleus of the amygdala (PL) is comprised of neurons which exhibit delayed maturation. PL neurons are born during gestation but mature during adolescent ages, differentiating into excitatory neurons. The PL is prominent in the adult amygdala, contributing to its increased neuron number and relative size compared to childhood. However, the function of the PL is unknown, as the region has only recently begun to be characterized in detail. In this study, we investigated key defining features of the adult PL; the intrinsic morpho-electric properties of its neurons, and its input and output connectivity. We identify two subtypes of excitatory neurons in the PL based on unsupervised clustering of electrophysiological properties. These subtypes are defined by differential action potential firing properties and dendritic architecture, suggesting divergent functional roles. We further uncover major axonal inputs to the adult PL from the main olfactory network and basolateral amygdala. We also find that axonal outputs from the PL project reciprocally to major inputs, and to diverse targets including the amygdala, frontal cortex, hippocampus, hypothalamus, and brainstem. Thus, the adult PL is centrally placed to play a major role in the integration of olfactory sensory information, likely coordinating affective and autonomic behavioral responses to salient odor stimuli. Significance Statement Mammalian amygdala development includes a growth period from childhood to adulthood, believed to support emotional and social learning. This amygdala growth is partly due to the maturation of neurons during adolescence in the paralaminar amygdala. However, the functional properties of these neurons are unknown. In our recent studies, we characterized the paralaminar amygdala in the mouse. Here, we investigate the properties of the adult PL in the mouse, revealing the existence of two neuronal subtypes that may play distinct functional roles in the adult brain. We further reveal the brain-wide input and output connectivity of the PL, indicating that the PL combines olfactory cues for emotional processing and delivers information to regions associated with reward and autonomic states.
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Salmina AB, Alexandrova OP, Averchuk AS, Korsakova SA, Saridis MR, Illarioshkin SN, Yurchenko SO. Current progress and challenges in the development of brain tissue models: How to grow up the changeable brain in vitro? J Tissue Eng 2024; 15:20417314241235527. [PMID: 38516227 PMCID: PMC10956167 DOI: 10.1177/20417314241235527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
In vitro modeling of brain tissue is a promising but not yet resolved problem in modern neurobiology and neuropharmacology. Complexity of the brain structure and diversity of cell-to-cell communication in (patho)physiological conditions make this task almost unachievable. However, establishment of novel in vitro brain models would ultimately lead to better understanding of development-associated or experience-driven brain plasticity, designing efficient approaches to restore aberrant brain functioning. The main goal of this review is to summarize the available data on methodological approaches that are currently in use, and to identify the most prospective trends in development of neurovascular unit, blood-brain barrier, blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier, and neurogenic niche in vitro models. The manuscript focuses on the regulation of adult neurogenesis, cerebral microcirculation and fluids dynamics that should be reproduced in the in vitro 4D models to mimic brain development and its alterations in brain pathology. We discuss approaches that are critical for studying brain plasticity, deciphering the individual person-specific trajectory of brain development and aging, and testing new drug candidates in the in vitro models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alla B Salmina
- Brain Science Institute, Research Center of Neurology, Moscow, Russia
- Bauman Moscow State Technical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Olga P Alexandrova
- Brain Science Institute, Research Center of Neurology, Moscow, Russia
- Bauman Moscow State Technical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Anton S Averchuk
- Brain Science Institute, Research Center of Neurology, Moscow, Russia
- Bauman Moscow State Technical University, Moscow, Russia
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13
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Abstract
Brain development in humans is achieved through precise spatiotemporal genetic control, the mechanisms of which remain largely elusive. Recently, integration of technological advances in human stem cell-based modelling with genome editing has emerged as a powerful platform to establish causative links between genotypes and phenotypes directly in the human system. Here, we review our current knowledge of complex genetic regulation of each key step of human brain development through the lens of evolutionary specialization and neurodevelopmental disorders and highlight the use of human stem cell-derived 2D cultures and 3D brain organoids to investigate human-enriched features and disease mechanisms. We also discuss opportunities and challenges of integrating new technologies to reveal the genetic architecture of human brain development and disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zhou
- Department of Neuroscience and Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Hongjun Song
- Department of Neuroscience and Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- The Epigenetics Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Guo-Li Ming
- Department of Neuroscience and Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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14
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Benedetti B, Reisinger M, Hochwartner M, Gabriele G, Jakubecova D, Benedetti A, Bonfanti L, Couillard‐Despres S. The awakening of dormant neuronal precursors in the adult and aged brain. Aging Cell 2023; 22:e13974. [PMID: 37649323 PMCID: PMC10726842 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Beyond the canonical neurogenic niches, there are dormant neuronal precursors in several regions of the adult mammalian brain. Dormant precursors maintain persisting post-mitotic immaturity from birth to adulthood, followed by staggered awakening, in a process that is still largely unresolved. Strikingly, due to the slow rate of awakening, some precursors remain immature until old age, which led us to question whether their awakening and maturation are affected by aging. To this end, we studied the maturation of dormant precursors in transgenic mice (DCX-CreERT2 /flox-EGFP) in which immature precursors were labelled permanently in vivo at different ages. We found that dormant precursors are capable of awakening at young age, becoming adult-matured neurons (AM), as well as of awakening at old age, becoming late AM. Thus, protracted immaturity does not prevent late awakening and maturation. However, late AM diverged morphologically and functionally from AM. Moreover, AM were functionally most similar to neonatal-matured neurons (NM). Conversely, late AM were endowed with high intrinsic excitability and high input resistance, and received a smaller amount of spontaneous synaptic input, implying their relative immaturity. Thus, late AM awakening still occurs at advanced age, but the maturation process is slow.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Benedetti
- Institute of Experimental Neuroregeneration, Spinal Cord Injury and Tissue Regeneration Center Salzburg (SCI‐TReCS)Paracelsus Medical UniversitySalzburgAustria
- Austrian Cluster for Tissue RegenerationViennaAustria
| | - Maximilian Reisinger
- Institute of Experimental Neuroregeneration, Spinal Cord Injury and Tissue Regeneration Center Salzburg (SCI‐TReCS)Paracelsus Medical UniversitySalzburgAustria
- Austrian Cluster for Tissue RegenerationViennaAustria
| | - Marie Hochwartner
- Institute of Experimental Neuroregeneration, Spinal Cord Injury and Tissue Regeneration Center Salzburg (SCI‐TReCS)Paracelsus Medical UniversitySalzburgAustria
- Austrian Cluster for Tissue RegenerationViennaAustria
| | - Gabriele Gabriele
- Institute of Experimental Neuroregeneration, Spinal Cord Injury and Tissue Regeneration Center Salzburg (SCI‐TReCS)Paracelsus Medical UniversitySalzburgAustria
- Austrian Cluster for Tissue RegenerationViennaAustria
| | - Dominika Jakubecova
- Institute of Experimental Neuroregeneration, Spinal Cord Injury and Tissue Regeneration Center Salzburg (SCI‐TReCS)Paracelsus Medical UniversitySalzburgAustria
- Austrian Cluster for Tissue RegenerationViennaAustria
| | - Ariane Benedetti
- Institute of Experimental Neuroregeneration, Spinal Cord Injury and Tissue Regeneration Center Salzburg (SCI‐TReCS)Paracelsus Medical UniversitySalzburgAustria
- Austrian Cluster for Tissue RegenerationViennaAustria
| | - Luca Bonfanti
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi (NICO)OrbassanoItaly
- Department of Veterinary SciencesUniversity of TurinTorinoItaly
| | - Sebastien Couillard‐Despres
- Institute of Experimental Neuroregeneration, Spinal Cord Injury and Tissue Regeneration Center Salzburg (SCI‐TReCS)Paracelsus Medical UniversitySalzburgAustria
- Austrian Cluster for Tissue RegenerationViennaAustria
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15
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Alshebib Y, Hori T, Goel A, Fauzi AA, Kashiwagi T. Adult human neurogenesis: A view from two schools of thought. IBRO Neurosci Rep 2023; 15:342-347. [PMID: 38025659 PMCID: PMC10665662 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibneur.2023.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Are we truly losing neurons as we grow older? If yes, why, and how can the lost neurons be replaced or compensated for? Is so-called adult neurogenesis (ANG) still a controversial process, particularly in the human cerebral cortex? How do adult-born neurons -if proven to exist- contribute to brain functions? Is adult neurogenesis a disease-relevant process, meaning that neural progenitor cells are dormant in adulthood, but they may be reactivated, for example, following stroke? Is the earnest hope to cure neurological diseases justifying the readiness to accept ANG claim uncritically? These are all fundamental issues that have not yet been firmly explained. Although it is completely understandable that some researchers believe that we can add new neurons to our inevitably deteriorating brain, the brain regeneration process still possesses intellectually and experimentally diverting views, as until now, there has been significant confusion about the concept of ANG. This paper is not intended to be an extensively analytical review distilling all findings and conclusions presented in the ANG literature. Instead, it is an attempt to discuss the commonly entertained opinions and then present our reflective insight concerning the current status quo of the field, which might help redirect research questions, avoid marketing an exaggerated hope, and more importantly, save the ever-limited resources, namely, intellectuals' time, facilities, and grants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasir Alshebib
- Department of Histology and Neuroanatomy, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo 160-8402, Japan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tokyo Neurological Center Hospital, Tokyo 134–0088, Japan
| | - Tomokatsu Hori
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tokyo Neurological Center Hospital, Tokyo 134–0088, Japan
| | - Atul Goel
- Department of Neurosurgery. K.E.M. Hospital and Seth G.S. Medical College, Parel, Mumbai 400 012, Maharashtra, India
| | - Asra Al Fauzi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Airlangga, Dr. Soetomo General Academic Hospital, Jl. Prof. Dr. Moestopo 6–8, Surabaya, Indonesia
| | - Taichi Kashiwagi
- Department of Histology and Neuroanatomy, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo 160-8402, Japan
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16
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Mucignat-Caretta C, Soravia G. Positive or negative environmental modulations on human brain development: the morpho-functional outcomes of music training or stress. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1266766. [PMID: 38027483 PMCID: PMC10657192 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1266766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
In the last couple of decades, the study of human living brain has benefitted of neuroimaging and non-invasive electrophysiological techniques, which are particularly valuable during development. A number of studies allowed to trace the usual stages leading from pregnancy to adult age, and relate them to functional and behavioral measurements. It was also possible to explore the effects of some interventions, behavioral or not, showing that the commonly followed pathway to adulthood may be steered by external interventions. These events may result in behavioral modifications but also in structural changes, in some cases limiting plasticity or extending/modifying critical periods. In this review, we outline the healthy human brain development in the absence of major issues or diseases. Then, the effects of negative (different stressors) and positive (music training) environmental stimuli on brain and behavioral development is depicted. Hence, it may be concluded that the typical development follows a course strictly dependent from environmental inputs, and that external intervention can be designed to positively counteract negative influences, particularly at young ages. We also focus on the social aspect of development, which starts in utero and continues after birth by building social relationships. This poses a great responsibility in handling children education and healthcare politics, pointing to social accountability for the responsible development of each child.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Giulia Soravia
- Department of Mother and Child Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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17
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Zhang R, Quan H, Wang Y, Luo F. Neurogenesis in primates versus rodents and the value of non-human primate models. Natl Sci Rev 2023; 10:nwad248. [PMID: 38025664 PMCID: PMC10659238 DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwad248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurogenesis, the process of generating neurons from neural stem cells, occurs during both embryonic and adult stages, with each stage possessing distinct characteristics. Dysfunction in either stage can disrupt normal neural development, impair cognitive functions, and lead to various neurological disorders. Recent technological advancements in single-cell multiomics and gene-editing have facilitated investigations into primate neurogenesis. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of neurogenesis across rodents, non-human primates, and humans, covering embryonic development to adulthood and focusing on the conservation and diversity among species. While non-human primates, especially monkeys, serve as valuable models with closer neural resemblance to humans, we highlight the potential impacts and limitations of non-human primate models on both physiological and pathological neurogenesis research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Runrui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Hongxin Quan
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Yinfeng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Fucheng Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming 650500, China
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18
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Bonfanti L, La Rosa C, Ghibaudi M, Sherwood CC. Adult neurogenesis and "immature" neurons in mammals: an evolutionary trade-off in plasticity? Brain Struct Funct 2023:10.1007/s00429-023-02717-9. [PMID: 37833544 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-023-02717-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
Neuronal plasticity can vary remarkably in its form and degree across animal species. Adult neurogenesis, namely the capacity to produce new neurons from neural stem cells through adulthood, appears widespread in non-mammalian vertebrates, whereas it is reduced in mammals. A growing body of comparative studies also report variation in the occurrence and activity of neural stem cell niches between mammals, with a general trend of reduction from small-brained to large-brained species. Conversely, recent studies have shown that large-brained mammals host large amounts of neurons expressing typical markers of neurogenesis in the absence of cell division. In layer II of the cerebral cortex, populations of prenatally generated, non-dividing neurons continue to express molecules indicative of immaturity throughout life (cortical immature neurons; cINs). After remaining in a dormant state for a very long time, these cINs retain the potential of differentiating into mature neurons that integrate within the preexisting neural circuits. They are restricted to the paleocortex in small-brained rodents, while extending into the widely expanded neocortex of highly gyrencephalic, large-brained species. The current hypothesis is that these populations of non-newly generated "immature" neurons might represent a reservoir of developmentally plastic cells for mammalian species that are characterized by reduced stem cell-driven adult neurogenesis. This indicates that there may be a trade-off between various forms of plasticity that coexist during brain evolution. This balance may be necessary to maintain a "reservoir of plasticity" in brain regions that have distinct roles in species-specific socioecological adaptations, such as the neocortex and olfactory structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Bonfanti
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, Orbassano, Italy.
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Largo Braccini 2, 10095, Turin, Grugliasco, Italy.
| | - Chiara La Rosa
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, Orbassano, Italy
| | - Marco Ghibaudi
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, Orbassano, Italy
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Largo Braccini 2, 10095, Turin, Grugliasco, Italy
| | - Chet C Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
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19
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Mendez-David I, David DJ, Deloménie C, Tritschler L, Beaulieu JM, Colle R, Corruble E, Gardier AM, Hen R. A complex relation between levels of adult hippocampal neurogenesis and expression of the immature neuron marker doublecortin. Hippocampus 2023; 33:1075-1093. [PMID: 37421207 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
Abstract
We investigated the mechanisms underlying the effects of the antidepressant fluoxetine on behavior and adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN). After confirming our earlier report that the signaling molecule β-arrestin-2 (β-Arr2) is required for the antidepressant-like effects of fluoxetine, we found that the effects of fluoxetine on proliferation of neural progenitors and survival of adult-born granule cells are absent in the β-Arr2 knockout (KO) mice. To our surprise, fluoxetine induced a dramatic upregulation of the number of doublecortin (DCX)-expressing cells in the β-Arr2 KO mice, indicating that this marker can be increased even though AHN is not. We discovered two other conditions where a complex relationship occurs between the number of DCX-expressing cells compared to levels of AHN: a chronic antidepressant model where DCX is upregulated and an inflammation model where DCX is downregulated. We concluded that assessing the number of DCX-expressing cells alone to quantify levels of AHN can be complex and that caution should be applied when label retention techniques are unavailable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Indira Mendez-David
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, Centre de recherche en Epidémiologie et Santé des Populations (CESP), UMR 1018, CESP-Inserm, Team Moods, Faculté de Pharmacie, Bâtiment Henri MOISSAN, Orsay, France
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
- Division of Integrative Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - Denis Joseph David
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, Centre de recherche en Epidémiologie et Santé des Populations (CESP), UMR 1018, CESP-Inserm, Team Moods, Faculté de Pharmacie, Bâtiment Henri MOISSAN, Orsay, France
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
- Division of Integrative Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - Claudine Deloménie
- UMS-IPSIT ACTAGen, Inserm, CNRS, Ingénierie et Plateformes au Service de l'Innovation Thérapeutique, Université Paris-Saclay, Bâtiment Henri MOISSAN, Orsay, France
| | - Laurent Tritschler
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, Centre de recherche en Epidémiologie et Santé des Populations (CESP), UMR 1018, CESP-Inserm, Team Moods, Faculté de Pharmacie, Bâtiment Henri MOISSAN, Orsay, France
| | - Jean-Martin Beaulieu
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Romain Colle
- CESP, MOODS Team, INSERM UMR 1018, Faculté de Médecine, Univ Paris-Saclay, Le Kremlin Bicêtre, France
- Service Hospitalo-Universitaire de Psychiatrie de Bicêtre, Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris-Saclay, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital de Bicêtre, Le Kremlin Bicêtre, France
| | - Emmanuelle Corruble
- CESP, MOODS Team, INSERM UMR 1018, Faculté de Médecine, Univ Paris-Saclay, Le Kremlin Bicêtre, France
- Service Hospitalo-Universitaire de Psychiatrie de Bicêtre, Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris-Saclay, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital de Bicêtre, Le Kremlin Bicêtre, France
| | - Alain Michel Gardier
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, Centre de recherche en Epidémiologie et Santé des Populations (CESP), UMR 1018, CESP-Inserm, Team Moods, Faculté de Pharmacie, Bâtiment Henri MOISSAN, Orsay, France
| | - René Hen
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
- Division of Integrative Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
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Villard J, Chareyron LJ, Piguet O, Lambercy P, Lonchampt G, Lavenex PB, Amaral DG, Lavenex P. Structural plasticity in the entorhinal and perirhinal cortices following hippocampal lesions in rhesus monkeys. Hippocampus 2023; 33:1094-1112. [PMID: 37337377 PMCID: PMC10543642 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
Immature neurons expressing the Bcl2 protein are present in various regions of the mammalian brain, including the amygdala and the entorhinal and perirhinal cortices. Their functional role is unknown but we have previously shown that neonatal and adult hippocampal lesions increase their differentiation in the monkey amygdala. Here, we assessed whether hippocampal lesions similarly affect immature neurons in the entorhinal and perirhinal cortices. Since Bcl2-positive cells were found mainly in areas Eo, Er, and Elr of the entorhinal cortex and in layer II of the perirhinal cortex, we also used Nissl-stained sections to determine the number and soma size of immature and mature neurons in layer III of area Er and layer II of area 36 of the perirhinal cortex. We found different structural changes in these regions following hippocampal lesions, which were influenced by the time of the lesion. In neonate-lesioned monkeys, the number of immature neurons in the entorhinal and perirhinal cortices was generally higher than in controls. The number of mature neurons was also higher in layer III of area Er of neonate-lesioned monkeys but no differences were found in layer II of area 36. In adult-lesioned monkeys, the number of immature neurons in the entorhinal cortex was lower than in controls but did not differ from controls in the perirhinal cortex. The number of mature neurons in layer III of area Er did not differ from controls, but the number of small, mature neurons in layer II of area 36 was lower than in controls. In sum, hippocampal lesions impacted populations of mature and immature neurons in discrete regions and layers of the entorhinal and perirhinal cortices, which are interconnected with the amygdala and provide major cortical inputs to the hippocampus. These structural changes may contribute to some functional recovery following hippocampal injury in an age-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justine Villard
- Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Development, Institute of Psychology, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Loïc J. Chareyron
- Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Development, Institute of Psychology, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Olivia Piguet
- Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Development, Institute of Psychology, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Pauline Lambercy
- Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Development, Institute of Psychology, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Gianni Lonchampt
- Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Development, Institute of Psychology, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Pamela Banta Lavenex
- Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Development, Institute of Psychology, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
- Faculty of Psychology, UniDistance Suisse, Switzerland
| | - David G. Amaral
- MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California at Davis
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California at Davis
| | - Pierre Lavenex
- Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Development, Institute of Psychology, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
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21
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Wronski ML, Geisler D, Bernardoni F, Seidel M, Bahnsen K, Doose A, Steinhäuser JL, Gronow F, Böldt LV, Plessow F, Lawson EA, King JA, Roessner V, Ehrlich S. Differential alterations of amygdala nuclei volumes in acutely ill patients with anorexia nervosa and their associations with leptin levels. Psychol Med 2023; 53:6288-6303. [PMID: 36464660 PMCID: PMC10358440 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291722003609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The amygdala is a subcortical limbic structure consisting of histologically and functionally distinct subregions. New automated structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) segmentation tools facilitate the in vivo study of individual amygdala nuclei in clinical populations such as patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) who show symptoms indicative of limbic dysregulation. This study is the first to investigate amygdala nuclei volumes in AN, their relationships with leptin, a key indicator of AN-related neuroendocrine alterations, and further clinical measures. METHODS T1-weighted MRI scans were subsegmented and multi-stage quality controlled using FreeSurfer. Left/right hemispheric amygdala nuclei volumes were cross-sectionally compared between females with AN (n = 168, 12-29 years) and age-matched healthy females (n = 168) applying general linear models. Associations with plasma leptin, body mass index (BMI), illness duration, and psychiatric symptoms were analyzed via robust linear regression. RESULTS Globally, most amygdala nuclei volumes in both hemispheres were reduced in AN v. healthy control participants. Importantly, four specific nuclei (accessory basal, cortical, medial nuclei, corticoamygdaloid transition in the rostral-medial amygdala) showed greater volumetric reduction even relative to reductions of whole amygdala and total subcortical gray matter volumes, whereas basal, lateral, and paralaminar nuclei were less reduced. All rostral-medially clustered nuclei were positively associated with leptin in AN independent of BMI. Amygdala nuclei volumes were not associated with illness duration or psychiatric symptom severity in AN. CONCLUSIONS In AN, amygdala nuclei are altered to different degrees. Severe volume loss in rostral-medially clustered nuclei, collectively involved in olfactory/food-related reward processing, may represent a structural correlate of AN-related symptoms. Hypoleptinemia might be linked to rostral-medial amygdala alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Louis Wronski
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Daniel Geisler
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Fabio Bernardoni
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Maria Seidel
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Klaas Bahnsen
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Arne Doose
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Jonas L. Steinhäuser
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Franziska Gronow
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Luisa V. Böldt
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Franziska Plessow
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Elizabeth A. Lawson
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joseph A. King
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Veit Roessner
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Stefan Ehrlich
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Eating Disorder Treatment and Research Center, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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22
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Siopi E, Galerne M, Rivagorda M, Saha S, Moigneu C, Moriceau S, Bigot M, Oury F, Lledo PM. Gut microbiota changes require vagus nerve integrity to promote depressive-like behaviors in mice. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:3002-3012. [PMID: 37131071 PMCID: PMC10615761 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02071-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Chronic stress constitutes a major risk factor for depression that can disrupt various aspects of homeostasis, including the gut microbiome (GM). We have recently shown that GM imbalance affects adult hippocampal (HPC) neurogenesis and induces depression-like behaviors, with the exact mechanisms being under active investigation. Here we hypothesized that the vagus nerve (VN), a key bidirectional route of communication between the gut and the brain, could relay the effects of stress-induced GM changes on HPC plasticity and behavior. We used fecal samples derived from mice that sustained unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) to inoculate healthy mice and assess standard behavioral readouts for anxiety- and depressive-like behavior, conduct histological and molecular analyses for adult HPC neurogenesis and evaluate neurotransmission pathways and neuroinflammation. To study the potential role of the VN in mediating the effects of GM changes on brain functions and behavior, we used mice that sustained subdiaphragmatic vagotomy (Vx) prior the GM transfer. We found that inoculation of healthy mice with GM from UCMS mice activates the VN and induces early and sustained changes in both serotonin and dopamine neurotransmission pathways in the brainstem and HPC. These changes are associated with prompt and persistent deficits in adult HPC neurogenesis and induce early and sustained neuroinflammatory responses in the HPC. Remarkably, Vx abrogates adult HPC neurogenesis deficits, neuroinflammation and depressive-like behavior, suggesting that vagal afferent pathways are necessary to drive GM-mediated effects on the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleni Siopi
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 3571, Perception and Memory Unit, 75015, Paris, France.
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Necker Enfants Malades-INEM, 75015, Paris, France.
| | - Mathieu Galerne
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Necker Enfants Malades-INEM, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Manon Rivagorda
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Necker Enfants Malades-INEM, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Soham Saha
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 3571, Perception and Memory Unit, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Carine Moigneu
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 3571, Perception and Memory Unit, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Stéphanie Moriceau
- Platform for Neurobehavior and Metabolism, Structure Fédérative de Recherche Necker, 26 INSERM US24/CNRS UAR 3633, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Mathilde Bigot
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 3571, Perception and Memory Unit, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Franck Oury
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Necker Enfants Malades-INEM, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Pierre-Marie Lledo
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 3571, Perception and Memory Unit, 75015, Paris, France.
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23
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McHale-Matthews AC, DeCampo DM, Love T, Cameron JL, Fudge JL. Immature neurons in the primate amygdala: Changes with early development and disrupted early environment. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2023; 61:101248. [PMID: 37120994 PMCID: PMC10173404 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2023.101248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 03/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
In human and nonhuman primates, the amygdala paralaminar nucleus (PL) contains immature neurons. To explore the PL's potential for cellular growth during development, we compared PL neurons in (1) infant and adolescent macaques (control, maternally-reared), and in (2) infant macaques that experienced separation from their mother in the first month of life compared to control maternally-reared infants. In maternally-reared animals, the adolescent PL had fewer immature neurons, more mature neurons, and larger immature soma volumes compared to infant PL. There were also fewer total neurons (immature plus mature) in adolescent versus infant PL, suggesting that some neurons move out of the PL by adolescence. Maternal separation did not change mean immature or mature neuron counts in infant PL. However, across all infant animals, immature neuron soma volume was strongly correlated with mature neuron counts. TBR1 mRNA, a transcript required for glutamatergic neuron maturation, is significantly reduced in the maternally-separated infant PL (DeCampo et al., 2017), and was also positively correlated with mature neuron counts in infant PL. We conclude that immature neurons gradually mature by adolescence, and that the stress of maternal separation may shift this trajectory, as revealed by correlations between TBR1 mRNA and mature neuron numbers across animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra C McHale-Matthews
- University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Department of Neuroscience, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | | | - Tanzy Love
- University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Department of Biostatistics, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Judy L Cameron
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
| | - Julie L Fudge
- University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Department of Neuroscience, Rochester, NY 14642, USA; University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Department of Psychiatry, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
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24
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Fernández-Moya SM, Ganesh AJ, Plass M. Neural cell diversity in the light of single-cell transcriptomics. Transcription 2023; 14:158-176. [PMID: 38229529 PMCID: PMC10807474 DOI: 10.1080/21541264.2023.2295044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
The development of highly parallel and affordable high-throughput single-cell transcriptomics technologies has revolutionized our understanding of brain complexity. These methods have been used to build cellular maps of the brain, its different regions, and catalog the diversity of cells in each of them during development, aging and even in disease. Now we know that cellular diversity is way beyond what was previously thought. Single-cell transcriptomics analyses have revealed that cell types previously considered homogeneous based on imaging techniques differ depending on several factors including sex, age and location within the brain. The expression profiles of these cells have also been exploited to understand which are the regulatory programs behind cellular diversity and decipher the transcriptional pathways driving them. In this review, we summarize how single-cell transcriptomics have changed our view on the cellular diversity in the human brain, and how it could impact the way we study neurodegenerative diseases. Moreover, we describe the new computational approaches that can be used to study cellular differentiation and gain insight into the functions of individual cell populations under different conditions and their alterations in disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra María Fernández-Moya
- Gene Regulation of Cell Identity, Regenerative Medicine Program, Bellvitge Institute for Biomedical Research (IDIBELL), Barcelona, L’Hospitalet del Llobregat, Spain
- Program for Advancing Clinical Translation of Regenerative Medicine of Catalonia, P- CMR[C], Barcelona, L’Hospitalet del Llobregat, Spain
| | - Akshay Jaya Ganesh
- Gene Regulation of Cell Identity, Regenerative Medicine Program, Bellvitge Institute for Biomedical Research (IDIBELL), Barcelona, L’Hospitalet del Llobregat, Spain
- Program for Advancing Clinical Translation of Regenerative Medicine of Catalonia, P- CMR[C], Barcelona, L’Hospitalet del Llobregat, Spain
| | - Mireya Plass
- Gene Regulation of Cell Identity, Regenerative Medicine Program, Bellvitge Institute for Biomedical Research (IDIBELL), Barcelona, L’Hospitalet del Llobregat, Spain
- Program for Advancing Clinical Translation of Regenerative Medicine of Catalonia, P- CMR[C], Barcelona, L’Hospitalet del Llobregat, Spain
- Center for Networked Biomedical Research on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Madrid, Spain
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25
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Piwecka M, Rajewsky N, Rybak-Wolf A. Single-cell and spatial transcriptomics: deciphering brain complexity in health and disease. Nat Rev Neurol 2023:10.1038/s41582-023-00809-y. [PMID: 37198436 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-023-00809-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
In the past decade, single-cell technologies have proliferated and improved from their technically challenging beginnings to become common laboratory methods capable of determining the expression of thousands of genes in thousands of cells simultaneously. The field has progressed by taking the CNS as a primary research subject - the cellular complexity and multiplicity of neuronal cell types provide fertile ground for the increasing power of single-cell methods. Current single-cell RNA sequencing methods can quantify gene expression with sufficient accuracy to finely resolve even subtle differences between cell types and states, thus providing a great tool for studying the molecular and cellular repertoire of the CNS and its disorders. However, single-cell RNA sequencing requires the dissociation of tissue samples, which means that the interrelationships between cells are lost. Spatial transcriptomic methods bypass tissue dissociation and retain this spatial information, thereby allowing gene expression to be assessed across thousands of cells within the context of tissue structural organization. Here, we discuss how single-cell and spatially resolved transcriptomics have been contributing to unravelling the pathomechanisms underlying brain disorders. We focus on three areas where we feel these new technologies have provided particularly useful insights: selective neuronal vulnerability, neuroimmune dysfunction and cell-type-specific treatment response. We also discuss the limitations and future directions of single-cell and spatial RNA sequencing technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Piwecka
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Nikolaus Rajewsky
- Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology (BIMSB), Max Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Agnieszka Rybak-Wolf
- Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology (BIMSB), Max Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany.
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26
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Damle EB, Morrison VE, Cioma J, Volic M, Bix GJ. Co-administration of extracellular matrix-based biomaterials with neural stem cell transplantation for treatment of central nervous system injury. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1177040. [PMID: 37255752 PMCID: PMC10225608 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1177040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Injuries and disorders of the central nervous system (CNS) present a particularly difficult challenge for modern medicine to address, given the complex nature of the tissues, obstacles in researching and implementing therapies, and barriers to translating efficacious treatments into human patients. Recent advancements in neural stem cell (NSC) transplantation, endogenous neurogenesis, and in vivo reprogramming of non-neural cells into the neuronal lineage represent multiple approaches to resolving CNS injury. However, we propose that one practice that must be incorporated universally in neuroregeneration studies is the use of extracellular matrix (ECM)-mimicking biomaterials to supply the architectural support and cellular microenvironment necessary for partial or complete restoration of function. Through consideration of developmental processes including neurogenesis, cellular migration, and establishment of functional connectivity, as well as evaluation of process-specific interactions between cells and ECM components, insights can be gained to harness and modulate native and induced neurobiological processes to promote CNS tissue repair. Further, evaluation of the current landscape of regenerative medicine and tissue engineering techniques external to the neurosciences provides key perspectives into the role of the ECM in the use of stem cell-based therapies, and the potential directions future neuroregenerative approaches may take. If the most successful of these approaches achieve wide-spread adoption, innovative paired NSC-ECM strategies for neuroregeneration may become prominent in the near future, and with the rapid advances these techniques are poised to herald, a new era of treatment for CNS injury may dawn.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eshan B. Damle
- Clinical Neuroscience Research Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, United States
- Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Vivianne E. Morrison
- Clinical Neuroscience Research Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Jozef Cioma
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine, and Health, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Milla Volic
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine, and Health, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Gregory J. Bix
- Clinical Neuroscience Research Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, United States
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27
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Proshchina A, Kharlamova A, Krivova Y, Godovalova O, Otlyga D, Gulimova V, Otlyga E, Junemann O, Sonin G, Saveliev S. Neuromorphological Atlas of Human Prenatal Brain Development: White Paper. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:life13051182. [PMID: 37240827 DOI: 10.3390/life13051182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 05/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent morphological data on human brain development are quite fragmentary. However, they are highly requested for a number of medical practices, educational programs, and fundamental research in the fields of embryology, cytology and histology, neurology, physiology, path anatomy, neonatology, and others. This paper provides the initial information on the new online Human Prenatal Brain Development Atlas (HBDA). The Atlas will start with forebrain annotated hemisphere maps, based on human fetal brain serial sections at the different stages of prenatal ontogenesis. Spatiotemporal changes in the regional-specific immunophenotype profiles will also be demonstrated on virtual serial sections. The HBDA can serve as a reference database for the neurological research, which provides opportunity to compare the data obtained by noninvasive techniques, such as neurosonography, X-ray computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, functional magnetic resonance imaging, 3D high-resolution phase-contrast computed tomography visualization techniques, as well as spatial transcriptomics data. It could also become a database for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of individual variability in the human brain. Systemized data on the mechanisms and pathways of prenatal human glio- and neurogenesis could also contribute to the search for new therapy methods for a large spectrum of neurological pathologies, including neurodegenerative and cancer diseases. The preliminary data are now accessible on the special HBDA website.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Proshchina
- Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology of Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution "Petrovsky National Research Centre of Surgery", Tsurupi Street, 3, 117418 Moscow, Russia
| | - Anastasia Kharlamova
- Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology of Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution "Petrovsky National Research Centre of Surgery", Tsurupi Street, 3, 117418 Moscow, Russia
| | - Yuliya Krivova
- Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology of Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution "Petrovsky National Research Centre of Surgery", Tsurupi Street, 3, 117418 Moscow, Russia
| | - Olga Godovalova
- Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology of Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution "Petrovsky National Research Centre of Surgery", Tsurupi Street, 3, 117418 Moscow, Russia
| | - Dmitriy Otlyga
- Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology of Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution "Petrovsky National Research Centre of Surgery", Tsurupi Street, 3, 117418 Moscow, Russia
| | - Victoria Gulimova
- Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology of Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution "Petrovsky National Research Centre of Surgery", Tsurupi Street, 3, 117418 Moscow, Russia
| | - Ekaterina Otlyga
- Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology of Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution "Petrovsky National Research Centre of Surgery", Tsurupi Street, 3, 117418 Moscow, Russia
| | - Olga Junemann
- Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology of Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution "Petrovsky National Research Centre of Surgery", Tsurupi Street, 3, 117418 Moscow, Russia
| | - Gleb Sonin
- Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology of Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution "Petrovsky National Research Centre of Surgery", Tsurupi Street, 3, 117418 Moscow, Russia
| | - Sergey Saveliev
- Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology of Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution "Petrovsky National Research Centre of Surgery", Tsurupi Street, 3, 117418 Moscow, Russia
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28
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Jiang M, Jang SE, Zeng L. The Effects of Extrinsic and Intrinsic Factors on Neurogenesis. Cells 2023; 12:cells12091285. [PMID: 37174685 PMCID: PMC10177620 DOI: 10.3390/cells12091285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
In the mammalian brain, neurogenesis is maintained throughout adulthood primarily in two typical niches, the subgranular zone (SGZ) of the dentate gyrus and the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the lateral ventricles and in other nonclassic neurogenic areas (e.g., the amygdala and striatum). During prenatal and early postnatal development, neural stem cells (NSCs) differentiate into neurons and migrate to appropriate areas such as the olfactory bulb where they integrate into existing neural networks; these phenomena constitute the multistep process of neurogenesis. Alterations in any of these processes impair neurogenesis and may even lead to brain dysfunction, including cognitive impairment and neurodegeneration. Here, we first summarize the main properties of mammalian neurogenic niches to describe the cellular and molecular mechanisms of neurogenesis. Accumulating evidence indicates that neurogenesis plays an integral role in neuronal plasticity in the brain and cognition in the postnatal period. Given that neurogenesis can be highly modulated by a number of extrinsic and intrinsic factors, we discuss the impact of extrinsic (e.g., alcohol) and intrinsic (e.g., hormones) modulators on neurogenesis. Additionally, we provide an overview of the contribution of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection to persistent neurological sequelae such as neurodegeneration, neurogenic defects and accelerated neuronal cell death. Together, our review provides a link between extrinsic/intrinsic factors and neurogenesis and explains the possible mechanisms of abnormal neurogenesis underlying neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Jiang
- Department of Human Anatomy, Dongguan Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Tissue Engineering, Dongguan Campus, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China
| | - Se Eun Jang
- Neural Stem Cell Research Lab, Research Department, National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore 308433, Singapore
| | - Li Zeng
- Neural Stem Cell Research Lab, Research Department, National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore 308433, Singapore
- Neuroscience and Behavioral Disorders Program, DUKE-NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapore 169857, Singapore
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technology University, Novena Campus, 11 Mandalay Road, Singapore 308232, Singapore
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29
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Charbonneau JA, Bennett JL, Chau K, Bliss-Moreau E. Reorganization in the macaque interoceptive-allostatic network following anterior cingulate cortex damage. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:4334-4349. [PMID: 36066407 PMCID: PMC10110454 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Accumulating evidence indicates that the adult brain is capable of significant structural change following damage-a capacity once thought to be largely limited to developing brains. To date, most existing research on adult plasticity has focused on how exteroceptive sensorimotor networks compensate for damage to preserve function. Interoceptive networks-those that represent and process sensory information about the body's internal state-are now recognized to be critical for a wide range of physiological and psychological functions from basic energy regulation to maintaining a sense of self, but the extent to which these networks remain plastic in adulthood has not been established. In this report, we used detailed histological analyses to pinpoint precise changes to gray matter volume in the interoceptive-allostatic network in adult rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) who received neurotoxic lesions of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and neurologically intact control monkeys. Relative to controls, monkeys with ACC lesions had significant and selective unilateral expansion of the ventral anterior insula and significant relative bilateral expansion of the lateral nucleus of the amygdala. This work demonstrates the capacity for neuroplasticity in the interoceptive-allostatic network which, given that changes included expansion rather than atrophy, is likely to represent an adaptive response following damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joey A Charbonneau
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California Davis, 1544 Newton Court, Davis, CA 95618, United States
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, United States
| | - Jeffrey L Bennett
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, 2230 Stockton Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95817, United States
- The MIND Institute, University of California Davis, 2825 50th Street, Sacramento, CA 95817, United States
| | - Kevin Chau
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, United States
| | - Eliza Bliss-Moreau
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, United States
- Department of Psychology, University of California Davis, 135 Young Hall One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, United States
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30
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Li YN, Hu DD, Cai XL, Wang Y, Yang C, Jiang J, Zhang QL, Tu T, Wang XS, Wang H, Tu E, Wang XP, Pan A, Yan XX, Wan L. Doublecortin-Expressing Neurons in Human Cerebral Cortex Layer II and Amygdala from Infancy to 100 Years Old. Mol Neurobiol 2023; 60:3464-3485. [PMID: 36879137 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03261-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
Abstract
A cohort of morphologically heterogenous doublecortin immunoreactive (DCX +) "immature neurons" has been identified in the cerebral cortex largely around layer II and the amygdala largely in the paralaminar nucleus (PLN) among various mammals. To gain a wide spatiotemporal view on these neurons in humans, we examined layer II and amygdalar DCX + neurons in the brains of infants to 100-year-old individuals. Layer II DCX + neurons occurred throughout the cerebrum in the infants/toddlers, mainly in the temporal lobe in the adolescents and adults, and only in the temporal cortex surrounding the amygdala in the elderly. Amygdalar DCX + neurons occurred in all age groups, localized primarily to the PLN, and reduced in number with age. The small-sized DCX + neurons were unipolar or bipolar, and formed migratory chains extending tangentially, obliquely, and inwardly in layers I-III in the cortex, and from the PLN to other nuclei in the amygdala. Morphologically mature-looking neurons had a relatively larger soma and weaker DCX reactivity. In contrast to the above, DCX + neurons in the hippocampal dentate gyrus were only detected in the infant cases in parallelly processed cerebral sections. The present study reveals a broader regional distribution of the cortical layer II DCX + neurons than previously documented in human cerebrum, especially during childhood and adolescence, while both layer II and amygdalar DCX + neurons persist in the temporal lobe lifelong. Layer II and amygdalar DCX + neurons may serve as an essential immature neuronal system to support functional network plasticity in human cerebrum in an age/region-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Nan Li
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Central South University Xiangya Medical School, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Dan-Dan Hu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Central South University Xiangya Medical School, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Xiao-Lu Cai
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Central South University Xiangya Medical School, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Central South University Xiangya Medical School, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Chen Yang
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Central South University Xiangya Medical School, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Juan Jiang
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Central South University Xiangya Medical School, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Qi-Lei Zhang
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Central South University Xiangya Medical School, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Tian Tu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Central South University Xiangya Medical School, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.,Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Xiao-Sheng Wang
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Central South University Xiangya Medical School, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Central South University Xiangya Medical School, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Ewen Tu
- Department of Neurology, Brain Hospital of Hunan Province, Changsha, 410007, Hunan, China
| | - Xiao-Ping Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410031, Hunan, China
| | - Aihua Pan
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Central South University Xiangya Medical School, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.
| | - Xiao-Xin Yan
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Central South University Xiangya Medical School, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Lily Wan
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Central South University Xiangya Medical School, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.
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31
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Plakkot B, Di Agostino A, Subramanian M. Implications of Hypothalamic Neural Stem Cells on Aging and Obesity-Associated Cardiovascular Diseases. Cells 2023; 12:cells12050769. [PMID: 36899905 PMCID: PMC10000584 DOI: 10.3390/cells12050769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The hypothalamus, one of the major regulatory centers in the brain, controls various homeostatic processes, and hypothalamic neural stem cells (htNSCs) have been observed to interfere with hypothalamic mechanisms regulating aging. NSCs play a pivotal role in the repair and regeneration of brain cells during neurodegenerative diseases and rejuvenate the brain tissue microenvironment. The hypothalamus was recently observed to be involved in neuroinflammation mediated by cellular senescence. Cellular senescence, or systemic aging, is characterized by a progressive irreversible state of cell cycle arrest that causes physiological dysregulation in the body and it is evident in many neuroinflammatory conditions, including obesity. Upregulation of neuroinflammation and oxidative stress due to senescence has the potential to alter the functioning of NSCs. Various studies have substantiated the chances of obesity inducing accelerated aging. Therefore, it is essential to explore the potential effects of htNSC dysregulation in obesity and underlying pathways to develop strategies to address obesity-induced comorbidities associated with brain aging. This review will summarize hypothalamic neurogenesis associated with obesity and prospective NSC-based regenerative therapy for the treatment of obesity-induced cardiovascular conditions.
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32
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Vanderhaeghen P, Polleux F. Developmental mechanisms underlying the evolution of human cortical circuits. Nat Rev Neurosci 2023; 24:213-232. [PMID: 36792753 PMCID: PMC10064077 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-023-00675-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
The brain of modern humans has evolved remarkable computational abilities that enable higher cognitive functions. These capacities are tightly linked to an increase in the size and connectivity of the cerebral cortex, which is thought to have resulted from evolutionary changes in the mechanisms of cortical development. Convergent progress in evolutionary genomics, developmental biology and neuroscience has recently enabled the identification of genomic changes that act as human-specific modifiers of cortical development. These modifiers influence most aspects of corticogenesis, from the timing and complexity of cortical neurogenesis to synaptogenesis and the assembly of cortical circuits. Mutations of human-specific genetic modifiers of corticogenesis have started to be linked to neurodevelopmental disorders, providing evidence for their physiological relevance and suggesting potential relationships between the evolution of the human brain and its sensitivity to specific diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Vanderhaeghen
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium.
- Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Franck Polleux
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
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Molecular and cellular evolution of the amygdala across species analyzed by single-nucleus transcriptome profiling. Cell Discov 2023; 9:19. [PMID: 36788214 PMCID: PMC9929086 DOI: 10.1038/s41421-022-00506-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The amygdala, or an amygdala-like structure, is found in the brains of all vertebrates and plays a critical role in survival and reproduction. However, the cellular architecture of the amygdala and how it has evolved remain elusive. Here, we generated single-nucleus RNA-sequencing data for more than 200,000 cells in the amygdala of humans, macaques, mice, and chickens. Abundant neuronal cell types from different amygdala subnuclei were identified in all datasets. Cross-species analysis revealed that inhibitory neurons and inhibitory neuron-enriched subnuclei of the amygdala were well-conserved in cellular composition and marker gene expression, whereas excitatory neuron-enriched subnuclei were relatively divergent. Furthermore, LAMP5+ interneurons were much more abundant in primates, while DRD2+ inhibitory neurons and LAMP5+SATB2+ excitatory neurons were dominant in the human central amygdalar nucleus (CEA) and basolateral amygdalar complex (BLA), respectively. We also identified CEA-like neurons and their species-specific distribution patterns in chickens. This study highlights the extreme cell-type diversity in the amygdala and reveals the conservation and divergence of cell types and gene expression patterns across species that may contribute to species-specific adaptations.
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34
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McHale-Matthews AC, DeCampo DM, Love T, Cameron JL, Fudge JL. Immature neurons in the primate amygdala: changes with early development and disrupted early environment. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.10.528076. [PMID: 36798176 PMCID: PMC9934690 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.10.528076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/14/2023]
Abstract
In human and nonhuman primates, the amygdala paralaminar nucleus (PL) contains immature neurons. To explore the PL’s potential for cellular growth during development, we compared PL cells in 1) infant and adolescent macaques (control, maternally-reared), and in 2) infant macaques that experienced separation from their mother in the first month of life. In maternally-reared animals, the adolescent PL had fewer immature neurons, more mature neurons, and larger immature soma volumes compared to infant PL. There were also fewer total neurons (immature plus mature) in adolescent versus infant PL, suggesting that some neurons move out of the PL by adolescence. Maternal separation did not change mean immature or mature neuron counts in infant PL. However, across all infant animals, immature neuron soma volume was strongly correlated with mature neuron counts. tbr-1 mRNA, a transcript required for glutamatergic neuron maturation, is significantly reduced in the maternally-separated infant PL (DeCampo et al, 2017), and was also positively correlated with mature neuron counts in infant PL. We conclude that immature neurons gradually mature by adolescence, and that the stress of maternal separation may shift this trajectory, as revealed by correlations between tbr1mRNA and mature neuron numbers across animals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Tanzy Love
- University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Department of Biostatistics, Rochester, NY 14642
| | - Judy L Cameron
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
| | - Julie L Fudge
- University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry Department of Neuroscience Rochester, NY 14642
- University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Department of Psychiatry Rochester, NY 14642
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35
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Ghibaudi M, Amenta A, Agosti M, Riva M, Graïc JM, Bifari F, Bonfanti L. Consistency and Variation in Doublecortin and Ki67 Antigen Detection in the Brain Tissue of Different Mammals, including Humans. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032514. [PMID: 36768845 PMCID: PMC9916846 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Recently, a population of "immature" neurons generated prenatally, retaining immaturity for long periods and finally integrating in adult circuits has been described in the cerebral cortex. Moreover, comparative studies revealed differences in occurrence/rate of different forms of neurogenic plasticity across mammals, the "immature" neurons prevailing in gyrencephalic species. To extend experimentation from laboratory mice to large-brained mammals, including humans, it is important to detect cell markers of neurogenic plasticity in brain tissues obtained from different procedures (e.g., post-mortem/intraoperative specimens vs. intracardiac perfusion). This variability overlaps with species-specific differences in antigen distribution or antibody species specificity, making it difficult for proper comparison. In this work, we detect the presence of doublecortin and Ki67 antigen, markers for neuronal immaturity and cell division, in six mammals characterized by widely different brain size. We tested seven commercial antibodies in four selected brain regions known to host immature neurons (paleocortex, neocortex) and newly born neurons (hippocampus, subventricular zone). In selected human brains, we confirmed the specificity of DCX antibody by performing co-staining with fluorescent probe for DCX mRNA. Our results indicate that, in spite of various types of fixations, most differences were due to the use of different antibodies and the existence of real interspecies variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Ghibaudi
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi (NICO), 10043 Orbassano, Italy
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, 10095 Torino, Italy
| | - Alessia Amenta
- Laboratory of Cell Metabolism and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Miriam Agosti
- Laboratory of Cell Metabolism and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Riva
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, 20090 Pieve Emanuele, Italy
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, 20089 Rozzano, Italy
| | - Jean-Marie Graïc
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padova, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
| | - Francesco Bifari
- Laboratory of Cell Metabolism and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy
- Correspondence: (F.B.); (L.B.)
| | - Luca Bonfanti
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi (NICO), 10043 Orbassano, Italy
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, 10095 Torino, Italy
- Correspondence: (F.B.); (L.B.)
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36
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Hennessy A, Seguin D, Correa S, Wang J, Martinez-Trujillo JC, Nicolson R, Duerden EG. Anxiety in children and youth with autism spectrum disorder and the association with amygdala subnuclei structure. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2022; 27:1053-1067. [PMID: 36278283 PMCID: PMC10108338 DOI: 10.1177/13623613221127512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is clinically characterized by social and communication difficulties as well as repetitive behaviors. Many children with ASD also suffer from anxiety, which has been associated with alterations in amygdala structure. In this work, the association between amygdala subnuclei volumes and anxiety was assessed in a cohort of 234 participants (mean age = 11.0 years, SD = 3.9, 95 children with ASD, 139 children were non-autistic). Children underwent magnetic resonance imaging. Amygdala subnuclei volumes were extracted automatically. Anxiety was assessed using the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders, the Child Behavior Checklist, and the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire. Children with ASD had higher anxiety scores relative to non-autistic children on all anxiety measures (all, p < 0.05). Anxiety levels were significantly predicted in children with ASD by right basal (right: B = 0.235, p = 0.002) and paralaminar (PL) (B = −0.99, p = 0.009) volumes. Basal nuclei receive multisensory information from cortical and subcortical areas and have extensive projections within the limbic system while the PL nuclei are involved in emotional processing. Alterations in basal and PL nuclei in children with ASD and the association with anxiety may reflect morphological changes related to in the neurocircuitry of anxiety in ASD. Lay abstract Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is clinically characterized by social communication difficulties as well as restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior. In addition, children with ASD are more likely to experience anxiety compared with their peers who do not have ASD. Recent studies suggest that atypical amygdala structure, a brain region involved in emotions, may be related to anxiety in children with ASD. However, the amygdala is a complex structure composed of heterogeneous subnuclei, and few studies to date have focused on how amygdala subnuclei relate to in anxiety in this population. The current sample consisted of 95 children with ASD and 139 non-autistic children, who underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and assessments for anxiety. The amygdala volumes were automatically segmented. Results indicated that children with ASD had elevated anxiety scores relative to peers without ASD. Larger basal volumes predicted greater anxiety in children with ASD, and this association was not seen in non-autistic children. Findings converge with previous literature suggesting ASD children suffer from higher levels of anxiety than non-autistic children, which may have important implications in treatment and interventions. Our results suggest that volumetric estimation of amygdala’s subregions in MRI may reveal specific anxiety-related associations in children with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Emma G Duerden
- Western University, Canada
- The University of Western Ontario, Canada
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37
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Bartkowska K, Tepper B, Turlejski K, Djavadian R. Postnatal and Adult Neurogenesis in Mammals, Including Marsupials. Cells 2022; 11:cells11172735. [PMID: 36078144 PMCID: PMC9455070 DOI: 10.3390/cells11172735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2022] [Revised: 08/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In mammals, neurogenesis occurs during both embryonic and postnatal development. In eutherians, most brain structures develop embryonically; conversely, in marsupials, a number of brain structures develop after birth. The exception is the generation of granule cells in the dentate gyrus, olfactory bulb, and cerebellum of eutherian species. The formation of these structures starts during embryogenesis and continues postnatally. In both eutherians and marsupials, neurogenesis continues in the subventricular zone of the lateral ventricle (SVZ) and the dentate gyrus of the hippocampal formation throughout life. The majority of proliferated cells from the SVZ migrate to the olfactory bulb, whereas, in the dentate gyrus, cells reside within this structure after division and differentiation into neurons. A key aim of this review is to evaluate advances in understanding developmental neurogenesis that occurs postnatally in both marsupials and eutherians, with a particular emphasis on the generation of granule cells during the formation of the olfactory bulb, dentate gyrus, and cerebellum. We debate the significance of immature neurons in the piriform cortex of young mammals. We also synthesize the knowledge of adult neurogenesis in the olfactory bulb and the dentate gyrus of marsupials by considering whether adult-born neurons are essential for the functioning of a given area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Bartkowska
- Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Beata Tepper
- Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Turlejski
- Faculty of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw, 01-938 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Ruzanna Djavadian
- Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
- Correspondence:
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38
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Porter DDL, Henry SN, Ahmed S, Rizzo AL, Makhlouf R, Gregg C, Morton PD. Neuroblast migration along cellular substrates in the developing porcine brain. Stem Cell Reports 2022; 17:2097-2110. [PMID: 35985331 PMCID: PMC9481921 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2022.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
In the past decade it has become evident that neuroblasts continue to supply the human cortex with interneurons via unique migratory streams shortly following birth. Owing to the size of the human brain, these newborn neurons must migrate long distances through complex cellular landscapes to reach their final locations. This process is poorly understood, largely because of technical difficulties in acquiring and studying neurotypical postmortem human samples along with diverging developmental features of well-studied mouse models. We reasoned that migratory streams of neuroblasts utilize cellular substrates, such as blood vessels, to guide their trek from the subventricular zone to distant cortical targets. Here, we evaluate the association between young interneuronal migratory streams and their preferred cellular substrates in gyrencephalic piglets during the developmental equivalent of human birth, infancy, and toddlerhood. Migratory streams of neuroblasts are preserved through postnatal swine development Evidence of young neocortical interneurons within migratory streams Neuroblasts are tightly associated with vascular and astrocytic cellular substrates Harm to migratory interneurons or their substrates may have lifelong consequences
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Affiliation(s)
- Demisha D L Porter
- Virginia Tech Graduate Program in Translational Biology, Medicine and Health, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Roanoke, VA, USA; Department of Biological Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Sara N Henry
- Department of Biological Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Sadia Ahmed
- Department of Biological Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Amy L Rizzo
- Office of the University Veterinarian & Animal Resources, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Rita Makhlouf
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Collin Gregg
- Virginia Tech Graduate Program in Translational Biology, Medicine and Health, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Roanoke, VA, USA
| | - Paul D Morton
- Department of Biological Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA.
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39
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Immature excitatory neurons in the amygdala come of age during puberty. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2022; 56:101133. [PMID: 35841648 PMCID: PMC9289873 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2022.101133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The human amygdala is critical for emotional learning, valence coding, and complex social interactions, all of which mature throughout childhood, puberty, and adolescence. Across these ages, the amygdala paralaminar nucleus (PL) undergoes significant structural changes including increased numbers of mature neurons. The PL contains a large population of immature excitatory neurons at birth, some of which may continue to be born from local progenitors. These progenitors disappear rapidly in infancy, but the immature neurons persist throughout childhood and adolescent ages, indicating that they develop on a protracted timeline. Many of these late-maturing neurons settle locally within the PL, though a small subset appear to migrate into neighboring amygdala subnuclei. Despite its prominent growth during postnatal life and possible contributions to multiple amygdala circuits, the function of the PL remains unknown. PL maturation occurs predominately during late childhood and into puberty when sex hormone levels change. Sex hormones can promote developmental processes such as neuron migration, dendritic outgrowth, and synaptic plasticity, which appear to be ongoing in late-maturing PL neurons. Collectively, we describe how the growth of late-maturing neurons occurs in the right time and place to be relevant for amygdala functions and neuropsychiatric conditions.
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40
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Ghibaudi M, Bonfanti L. How Widespread Are the “Young” Neurons of the Mammalian Brain? Front Neurosci 2022; 16:918616. [PMID: 35733930 PMCID: PMC9207312 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.918616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
After the discovery of adult neurogenesis (stem cell-driven production of new neuronal elements), it is conceivable to find young, undifferentiated neurons mixed with mature neurons in the neural networks of the adult mammalian brain. This “canonical” neurogenesis is restricted to small stem cell niches persisting from embryonic germinal layers, yet, the genesis of new neurons has also been reported in various parenchymal brain regions. Whichever the process involved, several populations of “young” neurons can be found at different locations of the brain. Across the years, further complexity emerged: (i) molecules of immaturity can also be expressed by non-dividing cells born during embryogenesis, then maintaining immature features later on; (ii) remarkable interspecies differences exist concerning the types, location, amount of undifferentiated neurons; (iii) re-expression of immaturity can occur in aging (dematuration). These twists are introducing a somewhat different definition of neurogenesis than normally assumed, in which our knowledge of the “young” neurons is less sharp. In this emerging complexity, there is a need for complete mapping of the different “types” of young neurons, considering their role in postnatal development, plasticity, functioning, and interspecies differences. Several important aspects are at stake: the possible role(s) that the young neurons may play in maintaining brain efficiency and in prevention/repair of neurological disorders; nonetheless, the correct translation of results obtained from laboratory rodents. Hence, the open question is: how many types of undifferentiated neurons do exist in the brain, and how widespread are they?
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Ghibaudi
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi (NICO), Orbassano, Italy
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Grugliasco, Italy
| | - Luca Bonfanti
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi (NICO), Orbassano, Italy
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Grugliasco, Italy
- *Correspondence: Luca Bonfanti,
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41
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Roeder SS, Burkardt P, Rost F, Rode J, Brusch L, Coras R, Englund E, Håkansson K, Possnert G, Salehpour M, Primetzhofer D, Csiba L, Molnár S, Méhes G, Tonchev AB, Schwab S, Bergmann O, Huttner HB. Evidence for postnatal neurogenesis in the human amygdala. Commun Biol 2022; 5:366. [PMID: 35440676 PMCID: PMC9018740 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03299-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The human amygdala is involved in processing of memory, decision-making, and emotional responses. Previous studies suggested that the amygdala may represent a neurogenic niche in mammals. By combining two distinct methodological approaches, lipofuscin quantification and 14C-based retrospective birth dating of neurons, along with mathematical modelling, we here explored whether postnatal neurogenesis exists in the human amygdala. We investigated post-mortem samples of twelve neurologically healthy subjects. The average rate of lipofuscin-negative neurons was 3.4%, representing a substantial proportion of cells substantially younger than the individual. Mass spectrometry analysis of genomic 14C-concentrations in amygdala neurons compared with atmospheric 14C-levels provided evidence for postnatal neuronal exchange. Mathematical modelling identified a best-fitting scenario comprising of a quiescent and a renewing neuronal population with an overall renewal rate of >2.7% per year. In conclusion, we provide evidence for postnatal neurogenesis in the human amygdala with cell turnover rates comparable to the hippocampus. Lipofuscin labeling and 14 C retrospective birth-dating of neurons, along with mathematical modelling, here suggest continued postnatal neurogenesis in the human amygdala, rather than protracted maturation of developmentally generated neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian S Roeder
- Department of Neurology, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Petra Burkardt
- Department of Neurology, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Fabian Rost
- Center for Regenerative Therapies (CRTD), TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Dresden, Germany.,Center for Information Services and High Performance Computing (ZIH), TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering, DRESDEN-concept Genome Center, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Julian Rode
- Center for Information Services and High Performance Computing (ZIH), TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Lutz Brusch
- Center for Information Services and High Performance Computing (ZIH), TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Roland Coras
- Department of Neuropathology, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | | | - Karl Håkansson
- Tandem Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - Mehran Salehpour
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Daniel Primetzhofer
- Tandem Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - László Csiba
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.,MTA-DE Cerebrovascular and Neurodegenerative Research Group, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Sarolta Molnár
- Department of Pathology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Gábor Méhes
- Department of Pathology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Anton B Tonchev
- Departments of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Stem Cell Biology, Medical University Varna, Varna, Bulgaria
| | - Stefan Schwab
- Department of Neurology, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Olaf Bergmann
- Center for Regenerative Therapies (CRTD), TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Hagen B Huttner
- Department of Neurology, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany. .,Department of Neurology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany.
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42
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Benedetti B, Couillard-Despres S. Why Would the Brain Need Dormant Neuronal Precursors? Front Neurosci 2022; 16:877167. [PMID: 35464307 PMCID: PMC9026174 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.877167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Dormant non-proliferative neuronal precursors (dormant precursors) are a unique type of undifferentiated neuron, found in the adult brain of several mammalian species, including humans. Dormant precursors are fundamentally different from canonical neurogenic-niche progenitors as they are generated exquisitely during the embryonic development and maintain a state of protracted postmitotic immaturity lasting up to several decades after birth. Thus, dormant precursors are not pluripotent progenitors, but to all effects extremely immature neurons. Recently, transgenic models allowed to reveal that with age virtually all dormant precursors progressively awaken, abandon the immature state, and become fully functional neurons. Despite the limited common awareness about these cells, the deep implications of recent discoveries will likely lead to revisit our understanding of the adult brain. Thus, it is timely to revisit and critically assess the essential evidences that help pondering on the possible role(s) of these cells in relation to cognition, aging, and pathology. By highlighting pivoting findings as well as controversies and open questions, we offer an exciting perspective over the field of research that studies these mysterious cells and suggest the next steps toward the answer of a crucial question: why does the brain need dormant neuronal precursors?
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Benedetti
- Institute of Experimental Neuroregeneration, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
- Spinal Cord Injury and Tissue Regeneration Center Salzburg, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
- Austrian Cluster for Tissue Regeneration, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sebastien Couillard-Despres
- Institute of Experimental Neuroregeneration, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
- Spinal Cord Injury and Tissue Regeneration Center Salzburg, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
- Austrian Cluster for Tissue Regeneration, Vienna, Austria
- *Correspondence: Sebastien Couillard-Despres,
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43
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Coviello S, Gramuntell Y, Klimczak P, Varea E, Blasco-Ibañez JM, Crespo C, Gutierrez A, Nacher J. Phenotype and Distribution of Immature Neurons in the Human Cerebral Cortex Layer II. Front Neuroanat 2022; 16:851432. [PMID: 35464133 PMCID: PMC9027810 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2022.851432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This work provides evidence of the presence of immature neurons in the human brain, specifically in the layer II of the cerebral cortex. Using surgical samples from epileptic patients and post-mortem tissue, we have found cells with different levels of dendritic complexity (type I and type II cells) expressing DCX and PSA-NCAM and lacking expression of the mature neuronal marker NeuN. These immature cells belonged to the excitatory lineage, as demonstrated both by the expression of CUX1, CTIP2, and TBR1 transcription factors and by the lack of the inhibitory marker GAD67. The type II cells had some puncta expressing inhibitory and excitatory synaptic markers apposed to their perisomatic and peridendritic regions and ultrastructural analysis suggest the presence of synaptic contacts. These cells did not present glial cell markers, although astroglial and microglial processes were found in close apposition to their somata and dendrites, particularly on type I cells. Our findings confirm the presence of immature neurons in several regions of the cerebral cortex of humans of different ages and define their lineage. The presence of some mature features in some of these cells suggests the possibility of a progressively integration as excitatory neurons, as described in the olfactory cortex of rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Coviello
- Neurobiology Unit, Program in Neurosciences and Institute of Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED), Universitat de València, Burjassot, Spain
| | - Yaiza Gramuntell
- Neurobiology Unit, Program in Neurosciences and Institute of Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED), Universitat de València, Burjassot, Spain
| | - Patrycja Klimczak
- Neurobiology Unit, Program in Neurosciences and Institute of Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED), Universitat de València, Burjassot, Spain
- Spanish National Network for Research in Mental Health, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Emilio Varea
- Neurobiology Unit, Program in Neurosciences and Institute of Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED), Universitat de València, Burjassot, Spain
| | - José Miguel Blasco-Ibañez
- Neurobiology Unit, Program in Neurosciences and Institute of Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED), Universitat de València, Burjassot, Spain
| | - Carlos Crespo
- Neurobiology Unit, Program in Neurosciences and Institute of Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED), Universitat de València, Burjassot, Spain
| | - Antonio Gutierrez
- Unidad de Cirugía de la Epilepsia, Hospital Universitario La Fe, Valencia, Spain
| | - Juan Nacher
- Neurobiology Unit, Program in Neurosciences and Institute of Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED), Universitat de València, Burjassot, Spain
- Spanish National Network for Research in Mental Health, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain
- Fundación Investigación Hospital Clínico de Valencia (INCLIVA), Valencia, Spain
- *Correspondence: Juan Nacher,
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Antunes ASM, Martins-de-Souza D. Single-cell RNA-seq and its Applications in the Study of Psychiatric Disorders. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY GLOBAL OPEN SCIENCE 2022. [PMID: 37519459 PMCID: PMC10382703 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2022.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroscience is currently one of the most challenging research fields owing to the enormous complexity of the mammalian nervous system. We are yet to understand precise transcriptional programs that govern cell fate during neurodevelopment, resolve the connectome of the mammalian brain, and determine the etiology of various neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders. Technological advances in the past decade, notably single-cell RNA sequencing, have enabled huge progress in our understanding of such features. Our current knowledge of the transcriptome is largely derived from bulk RNA sequencing, which reveals only the average gene expression of millions of cells, potentially missing out on minor transcriptome differences between cells detectable only at single-cell resolution. Since 2009, several single-cell RNA sequencing techniques have emerged that enable the accurate classification of neuronal and glial cell subtypes beyond classical molecular markers and electrophysiological features and allow the identification of previously unknown cell types. Furthermore, it enables the interrogation of molecular and disease-relevant mechanisms and offers further possibilities for the discovery of new drug targets and disease biomarkers. This review intends to familiarize the reader with the main single-cell RNA sequencing techniques developed throughout the past decade and discusses their application in the fields of brain cell taxonomy, neurodevelopment, and psychiatric disorders.
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Franjic D, Skarica M, Ma S, Arellano JI, Tebbenkamp ATN, Choi J, Xu C, Li Q, Morozov YM, Andrijevic D, Vrselja Z, Spajic A, Santpere G, Li M, Zhang S, Liu Y, Spurrier J, Zhang L, Gudelj I, Rapan L, Takahashi H, Huttner A, Fan R, Strittmatter SM, Sousa AMM, Rakic P, Sestan N. Transcriptomic taxonomy and neurogenic trajectories of adult human, macaque, and pig hippocampal and entorhinal cells. Neuron 2022; 110:452-469.e14. [PMID: 34798047 PMCID: PMC8813897 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.10.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 62.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Revised: 10/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The hippocampal-entorhinal system supports cognitive functions, has lifelong neurogenic capabilities in many species, and is selectively vulnerable to Alzheimer's disease. To investigate neurogenic potential and cellular diversity, we profiled single-nucleus transcriptomes in five hippocampal-entorhinal subregions in humans, macaques, and pigs. Integrated cross-species analysis revealed robust transcriptomic and histologic signatures of neurogenesis in the adult mouse, pig, and macaque but not humans. Doublecortin (DCX), a widely accepted marker of newly generated granule cells, was detected in diverse human neurons, but it did not define immature neuron populations. To explore species differences in cellular diversity and implications for disease, we characterized subregion-specific, transcriptomically defined cell types and transitional changes from the three-layered archicortex to the six-layered neocortex. Notably, METTL7B defined subregion-specific excitatory neurons and astrocytes in primates, associated with endoplasmic reticulum and lipid droplet proteins, including Alzheimer's disease-related proteins. This resource reveals cell-type- and species-specific properties shaping hippocampal-entorhinal neurogenesis and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Franjic
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Mario Skarica
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Shaojie Ma
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Jon I Arellano
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | | | - Jinmyung Choi
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Chuan Xu
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Qian Li
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Yury M Morozov
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - David Andrijevic
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Zvonimir Vrselja
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Ana Spajic
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Gabriel Santpere
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Neurogenomics Group, Research Programme on Biomedical Informatics (GRIB), Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), DCEXS, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08003 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Mingfeng Li
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Shupei Zhang
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale Stem Cell Center and Yale Cancer Center, and Human and Translational Immunology Program, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Joshua Spurrier
- Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration and Repair, Departments of Neurology and of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06536, USA
| | - Le Zhang
- Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration and Repair, Departments of Neurology and of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06536, USA
| | - Ivan Gudelj
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Lucija Rapan
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Hideyuki Takahashi
- Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration and Repair, Departments of Neurology and of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06536, USA
| | - Anita Huttner
- Department of Pathology, Brady Memorial Laboratory, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Rong Fan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale Stem Cell Center and Yale Cancer Center, and Human and Translational Immunology Program, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Stephen M Strittmatter
- Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration and Repair, Departments of Neurology and of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06536, USA
| | - Andre M M Sousa
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Waisman Center and Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Pasko Rakic
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Nenad Sestan
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Departments of Psychiatry and Comparative Medicine, Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration and Repair, and Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
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Amygdala DCX and blood Cdk14 are implicated as cross-species indicators of individual differences in fear, extinction, and resilience to trauma exposure. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:956-966. [PMID: 34728797 PMCID: PMC9058038 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01353-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2020] [Revised: 09/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Doublecortin (DCX) has long been implicated in, and employed as a marker for, neurogenesis, yet little is known about its function in non-neurogenic brain regions, including the amygdala. This study sought first to explore, in rodents, whether fear learning and extinction modulate amygdala DCX expression and, second, to assess the utility of peripheral DCX correlates as predictive biomarkers of trauma response in rodents and humans. Pavlovian conditioning was found to alter DCX protein levels in mice 24 h later, resulting in higher DCX expression associated with enhanced learning in paradigms examining both the acquisition and extinction of fear (p < 0.001). This, in turn, is associated with differences in freezing on subsequent fear expression tests, and the same relationship between DCX and fear extinction was replicated in rats (p < 0.001), with higher amygdala DCX levels associated with more rapid extinction of fear. RNAseq of amygdala and blood from mice identified 388 amygdala genes that correlated with DCX (q < 0.001) and which gene ontology analyses revealed were significantly over-represented for neurodevelopmental processes. In blood, DCX-correlated genes included the Wnt signaling molecule Cdk14 which was found to predict freezing during both fear acquisition (p < 0.05) and brief extinction protocols (p < 0.001). High Cdk14 measured in blood immediately after testing was also associated with less freezing during fear expression testing (p < 0.01). Finally, in humans, Cdk14 expression in blood taken shortly after trauma was found to predict resilience in males for up to a year post-trauma (p < 0.0001). These data implicate amygdala DCX in fear learning and suggest that Cdk14 may serve as a predictive biomarker of trauma response.
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Abstract
Neuropathological examination of the temporal lobe provides a better understanding and management of a wide spectrum of diseases. We focused on inflammatory diseases, epilepsy, and neurodegenerative diseases, and highlighted how the temporal lobe is particularly involved in those conditions. Although all these diseases are not specific or restricted to the temporal lobe, the temporal lobe is a key structure to understand their pathophysiology. The main histological lesions, immunohistochemical markers, and molecular alterations relevant for the neuropathological diagnostic reasoning are presented in relation to epidemiology, clinical presentation, and radiological findings. The inflammatory diseases section addressed infectious encephalitides and auto-immune encephalitides. The epilepsy section addressed (i) susceptibility of the temporal lobe to epileptogenesis, (ii) epilepsy-associated hippocampal sclerosis, (iii) malformations of cortical development, (iv) changes secondary to epilepsy, (v) long-term epilepsy-associated tumors, (vi) vascular malformations, and (vii) the absence of histological lesion in some epilepsy surgery samples. The neurodegenerative diseases section addressed (i) Alzheimer's disease, (ii) the spectrum of frontotemporal lobar degeneration, (iii) limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy, and (iv) α-synucleinopathies. Finally, inflammatory diseases, epilepsy, and neurodegenerative diseases are considered as interdependent as some pathophysiological processes cross the boundaries of this classification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susana Boluda
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, UMR S 1127, Paris Brain Institute, ICM, Paris, France; Neuropathology Department, Hôpitaux Universitaires La Pitié Salpêtrière - Charles Foix, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Danielle Seilhean
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, UMR S 1127, Paris Brain Institute, ICM, Paris, France; Neuropathology Department, Hôpitaux Universitaires La Pitié Salpêtrière - Charles Foix, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Franck Bielle
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, UMR S 1127, Paris Brain Institute, ICM, Paris, France; Neuropathology Department, Hôpitaux Universitaires La Pitié Salpêtrière - Charles Foix, AP-HP, Paris, France.
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48
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Nogueira AB, Hoshino HSR, Ortega NC, Dos Santos BGS, Teixeira MJ. Adult human neurogenesis: early studies clarify recent controversies and go further. Metab Brain Dis 2022; 37:153-172. [PMID: 34739659 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-021-00864-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Evidence on adult mammalian neurogenesis and scarce studies with human brains led to the idea that adult human neurogenesis occurs in the subgranular zone (SGZ) of the dentate gyrus and in the subventricular zone (SVZ). However, findings published from 2018 rekindled controversies on adult human SGZ neurogenesis. We systematically reviewed studies published during the first decade of characterization of adult human neurogenesis (1994-2004) - when the two-neurogenic-niche concept in humans was consolidated - and compared with further studies. The synthesis of both periods is that adult human neurogenesis occurs in an intensity ranging from practically zero to a level comparable to adult mammalian neurogenesis in general, which is the prevailing conclusion. Nonetheless, Bernier and colleagues showed in 2000 intriguing indications of adult human neurogenesis in a broad area including the limbic system. Likewise, we later showed evidence that limbic and hypothalamic structures surrounding the circumventricular organs form a continuous zone expressing neurogenesis markers encompassing the SGZ and SVZ. The conclusion is that publications from 2018 on adult human neurogenesis did not bring novel findings on location of neurogenic niches. Rather, we expect that the search of neurogenesis beyond the canonical adult mammalian neurogenic niches will confirm our indications that adult human neurogenesis is orchestrated in a broad brain area. We predict that this approach may, for example, clarify that human hippocampal neurogenesis occurs mostly in the CA1-subiculum zone and that the previously identified human rostral migratory stream arising from the SVZ is indeed the column of the fornix expressing neurogenesis markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriano Barreto Nogueira
- Division of Neurosurgery (LIM 62), Hospital das Clínicas, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
- Neurosurgery Service, Hospital Regional do Vale do Paraíba, Taubaté, Brazil.
| | | | | | | | - Manoel Jacobsen Teixeira
- Division of Neurosurgery (LIM 62), Hospital das Clínicas, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Smith AM, Davey K, Tsartsalis S, Khozoie C, Fancy N, Tang SS, Liaptsi E, Weinert M, McGarry A, Muirhead RCJ, Gentleman S, Owen DR, Matthews PM. Diverse human astrocyte and microglial transcriptional responses to Alzheimer's pathology. Acta Neuropathol 2022; 143:75-91. [PMID: 34767070 PMCID: PMC8732962 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-021-02372-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
To better define roles that astrocytes and microglia play in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), we used single-nuclei RNA-sequencing to comprehensively characterise transcriptomes in astrocyte and microglia nuclei selectively enriched during isolation post-mortem from neuropathologically defined AD and control brains with a range of amyloid-beta and phospho-tau (pTau) pathology. Significant differences in glial gene expression (including AD risk genes expressed in both the astrocytes [CLU, MEF2C, IQCK] and microglia [APOE, MS4A6A, PILRA]) were correlated with tissue amyloid or pTau expression. The differentially expressed genes were distinct between with the two cell types and pathologies, although common (but cell-type specific) gene sets were enriched with both pathologies in each cell type. Astrocytes showed enrichment for proteostatic, inflammatory and metal ion homeostasis pathways. Pathways for phagocytosis, inflammation and proteostasis were enriched in microglia and perivascular macrophages with greater tissue amyloid, but IL1-related pathway enrichment was found specifically in association with pTau. We also found distinguishable sub-clusters in the astrocytes and microglia characterised by transcriptional signatures related to either homeostatic functions or disease pathology. Gene co-expression analyses revealed potential functional associations of soluble biomarkers of AD in astrocytes (CLU) and microglia (GPNMB). Our work highlights responses of both astrocytes and microglia for pathological protein clearance and inflammation, as well as glial transcriptional diversity in AD.
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50
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Ai JQ, Luo R, Tu T, Yang C, Jiang J, Zhang B, Bi R, Tu E, Yao YG, Yan XX. Doublecortin-Expressing Neurons in Chinese Tree Shrew Forebrain Exhibit Mixed Rodent and Primate-Like Topographic Characteristics. Front Neuroanat 2021; 15:727883. [PMID: 34602987 PMCID: PMC8481370 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2021.727883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Doublecortin (DCX) is transiently expressed in new-born neurons in the subventricular zone (SVZ) and subgranular zone (SGZ) related to adult neurogenesis in the olfactory bulb (OB) and hippocampal formation. DCX immunoreactive (DCX+) immature neurons also occur in the cerebral cortex primarily over layer II and the amygdala around the paralaminar nucleus (PLN) in various mammals, with interspecies differences pointing to phylogenic variation. The tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri) are phylogenetically closer to primates than to rodents. Little is known about DCX+ neurons in the brain of this species. In the present study, we characterized DCX immunoreactivity (IR) in the forebrain of Chinese tree shrews aged from 2 months- to 6 years-old (n = 18). DCX+ cells were present in the OB, SVZ, SGZ, the piriform cortex over layer II, and the amygdala around the PLN. The numerical densities of DCX+ neurons were reduced in all above neuroanatomical regions with age, particularly dramatic in the DG in the 5–6 years-old animals. Thus, DCX+ neurons are present in the two established neurogenic sites (SVZ and SGZ) in the Chinese tree shrew as seen in other mammals. DCX+ cortical neurons in this animal exhibit a topographic pattern comparable to that in mice and rats, while these immature neurons are also present in the amygdala, concentrating around the PLN as seen in primates and some nonprimate mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Qi Ai
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Central South University Xiangya School of Medicine, Changsha, China
| | - Rongcan Luo
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences & Yunan Province, and KIZ/CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Tian Tu
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Chen Yang
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Central South University Xiangya School of Medicine, Changsha, China
| | - Juan Jiang
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Central South University Xiangya School of Medicine, Changsha, China
| | - Bo Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Brain Hospital of Hunan Province, Changsha, China
| | - Rui Bi
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences & Yunan Province, and KIZ/CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Ewen Tu
- Department of Neurology, Brain Hospital of Hunan Province, Changsha, China
| | - Yong-Gang Yao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences & Yunan Province, and KIZ/CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.,Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.,CSA Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiao-Xin Yan
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Central South University Xiangya School of Medicine, Changsha, China
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