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Aghi K, Schultz R, Newman ZL, Mendonça P, Li R, Bakshinska D, Isacoff EY. Synapse-to-synapse plasticity variability balanced to generate input-wide constancy of transmitter release. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.09.11.612562. [PMID: 39314438 PMCID: PMC11419063 DOI: 10.1101/2024.09.11.612562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/25/2024]
Abstract
Basal synaptic strength can vary greatly between synapses formed by an individual neuron because of diverse probabilities of action potential (AP) evoked transmitter release ( Pr ). Optical quantal analysis on large numbers of identified Drosophila larval glutamatergic synapses shows that short-term plasticity (STP) also varies greatly between synapses made by an individual type I motor neuron (MN) onto a single body wall muscle. Synapses with high and low P r and different forms and level of STP have a random spatial distribution in the MN nerve terminal, and ones with very different properties can be located within 200 nm of one other. While synapses start off with widely diverse basal P r at low MN AP firing frequency and change P r differentially when MN firing frequency increases, the overall distribution of P r remains remarkably constant due to a balance between the numbers of synapses that facilitate and depress as well as their degree of change and basal synaptic weights. This constancy in transmitter release can ensure robustness across changing behavioral conditions.
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2
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Avila C, Sarter M. Cortico-striatal action control inherent of opponent cognitive-motivational styles. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.12.584623. [PMID: 38559086 PMCID: PMC10979997 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.12.584623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Turning on cue or stopping at a red light requires the detection of such cues to select action sequences, or suppress action, in accordance with cue-associated action rules. Cortico-striatal projections are an essential part of the brain's attention-motor interface. Glutamate-sensing microelectrode arrays were used to measure glutamate transients in the dorsomedial striatum (DMS) of male and female rats walking a treadmill and executing cued turns and stops. Prelimbic-DMS projections were chemogenetically inhibited to determine their behavioral necessity and the cortico-striatal origin of cue-evoked glutamate transients. Furthermore, we investigated rats exhibiting preferably goal-directed (goal trackers, GTs) versus cue-driven attention (sign trackers, STs), to determine the impact of such cognitive-motivational biases on cortico-striatal control. GTs executed more cued turns and initiated such turns more slowly than STs. During turns, but not missed turns or cued stops, cue-evoked glutamate concentrations were higher in GTs than in STs. In conjunction with turn cue-evoked glutamate spike levels, the presence of a single spike rendered GTs to be almost twice as likely to turn than STs. In contrast, multiple glutamate spikes predicted GTs to be less likely to turn than STs. In GTs, but not STs, inhibition of prelimbic-DMS projections attenuated turn rates, turn cue-evoked glutamate peaks, and increased the number of spikes. These findings suggest that turn cue-evoked glutamate release in GTs is tightly controlled by cortico-striatal neuronal activity. In contrast, in STs, glutamate release from DMS glutamatergic terminals may be regulated by other striatal circuitry, preferably mediating cued suppression of action and reward tracking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra Avila
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Martin Sarter
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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3
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Upadhyay A, Gradwell MA, Vajtay TJ, Conner J, Sanyal AA, Azadegan C, Patel KR, Thackray JK, Bohic M, Imai F, Ogundare SO, Yoshida Y, Abdus-Saboor I, Azim E, Abraira VE. The Dorsal Column Nuclei Scale Mechanical Sensitivity in Naive and Neuropathic Pain States. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.20.581208. [PMID: 38712022 PMCID: PMC11071288 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.20.581208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Tactile perception relies on reliable transmission and modulation of low-threshold information as it travels from the periphery to the brain. During pathological conditions, tactile stimuli can aberrantly engage nociceptive pathways leading to the perception of touch as pain, known as mechanical allodynia. Two main drivers of peripheral tactile information, low-threshold mechanoreceptors (LTMRs) and postsynaptic dorsal column neurons (PSDCs), terminate in the brainstem dorsal column nuclei (DCN). Activity within the DRG, spinal cord, and DCN have all been implicated in mediating allodynia, yet the DCN remains understudied at the cellular, circuit, and functional levels compared to the other two. Here, we show that the gracile nucleus (Gr) of the DCN mediates tactile sensitivity for low-threshold stimuli and contributes to mechanical allodynia during neuropathic pain in mice. We found that the Gr contains local inhibitory interneurons in addition to thalamus-projecting neurons, which are differentially innervated by primary afferents and spinal inputs. Functional manipulations of these distinct Gr neuronal populations resulted in bidirectional changes to tactile sensitivity, but did not affect noxious mechanical or thermal sensitivity. During neuropathic pain, silencing Gr projection neurons or activating Gr inhibitory neurons was able to reduce tactile hypersensitivity, and enhancing inhibition was able to ameliorate paw withdrawal signatures of neuropathic pain, like shaking. Collectively, these results suggest that the Gr plays a specific role in mediating hypersensitivity to low-threshold, innocuous mechanical stimuli during neuropathic pain, and that Gr activity contributes to affective, pain-associated phenotypes of mechanical allodynia. Therefore, these brainstem circuits work in tandem with traditional spinal circuits underlying allodynia, resulting in enhanced signaling of tactile stimuli in the brain during neuropathic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aman Upadhyay
- W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA; Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
- Brain Health Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Neuroscience PhD program at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Mark A Gradwell
- W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA; Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
- Brain Health Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Thomas J Vajtay
- W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA; Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - James Conner
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Arnab A Sanyal
- W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA; Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Chloe Azadegan
- W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA; Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Komal R Patel
- W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA; Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Joshua K Thackray
- Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Manon Bohic
- W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA; Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
- Brain Health Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Fumiyasu Imai
- Burke Neurological Institute, White Plains, New York City, New York, USA
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Simon O Ogundare
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Yutaka Yoshida
- Burke Neurological Institute, White Plains, New York City, New York, USA
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Ishmail Abdus-Saboor
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Eiman Azim
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Victoria E Abraira
- W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA; Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
- Brain Health Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Lead contact
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4
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Bose D, Bera M, Norman CA, Timofeeva Y, Volynski KE, Krishnakumar SS. A minimal presynaptic protein machinery mediating synchronous and asynchronous exocytosis and short-term plasticity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.15.589559. [PMID: 38659918 PMCID: PMC11042279 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.15.589559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Neurotransmitters are released from synaptic vesicles with remarkable precision in response to presynaptic Ca2+ influx but exhibit significant heterogeneity in exocytosis timing and efficacy based on the recent history of activity. This heterogeneity is critical for information transfer in the brain, yet its molecular basis remains poorly understood. Here, we employ a biochemically-defined fusion assay under physiologically-relevant conditions to delineate the minimal protein machinery sufficient to account for different modes of Ca2+-triggered vesicle fusion and short-term facilitation. We find that Synaptotagmin-1, Synaptotagmin-7, and Complexin, synergistically restrain SNARE complex assembly, thus preserving vesicles in a stably docked state at rest. Upon Ca2+ activation, Synaptotagmin-1 induces rapid vesicle fusion, while Synaptotagmin-7 mediates delayed fusion. Competitive binding of Synaptotagmin-1 and Synaptotagmin-7 to the same SNAREs, coupled with differential rates of Ca2+-triggered fusion clamp reversal, govern the kinetics of vesicular fusion. Under conditions mimicking sustained neuronal activity, the Synaptotagmin-7 fusion clamp is destabilized by the elevated basal Ca2+ concentration, thereby enhancing the synchronous component of fusion. These findings provide a direct demonstration that a small set of proteins is sufficient to account for how nerve terminals adapt and regulate the Ca2+-evoked neurotransmitter exocytosis process to support their specialized functions in the nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dipayan Bose
- Yale Nanobiology Institute, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, USA
- Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, USA
| | - Manindra Bera
- Yale Nanobiology Institute, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, USA
- Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, USA
| | - Chris A Norman
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, UK
- Department of Computer Science, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Yulia Timofeeva
- Department of Computer Science, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Kirill E Volynski
- Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, USA
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, UK
| | - Shyam S Krishnakumar
- Yale Nanobiology Institute, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, USA
- Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, USA
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, UK
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5
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Wu Z, Kusick GF, Berns MMM, Raychaudhuri S, Itoh K, Walter AM, Chapman ER, Watanabe S. Synaptotagmin 7 docks synaptic vesicles to support facilitation and Doc2α-triggered asynchronous release. eLife 2024; 12:RP90632. [PMID: 38536730 PMCID: PMC10972563 DOI: 10.7554/elife.90632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite decades of intense study, the molecular basis of asynchronous neurotransmitter release remains enigmatic. Synaptotagmin (syt) 7 and Doc2 have both been proposed as Ca2+ sensors that trigger this mode of exocytosis, but conflicting findings have led to controversy. Here, we demonstrate that at excitatory mouse hippocampal synapses, Doc2α is the major Ca2+ sensor for asynchronous release, while syt7 supports this process through activity-dependent docking of synaptic vesicles. In synapses lacking Doc2α, asynchronous release after single action potentials is strongly reduced, while deleting syt7 has no effect. However, in the absence of syt7, docked vesicles cannot be replenished on millisecond timescales. Consequently, both synchronous and asynchronous release depress from the second pulse onward during repetitive activity. By contrast, synapses lacking Doc2α have normal activity-dependent docking, but continue to exhibit decreased asynchronous release after multiple stimuli. Moreover, disruption of both Ca2+ sensors is non-additive. These findings result in a new model whereby syt7 drives activity-dependent docking, thus providing synaptic vesicles for synchronous (syt1) and asynchronous (Doc2 and other unidentified sensors) release during ongoing transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenyong Wu
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadisonUnited States
- Howard Hughes Medical InstituteMadisonUnited States
| | - Grant F Kusick
- Department of Cell Biology, Johns Hopkins University, School of MedicineBaltimoreUnited States
- Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, Johns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreUnited States
| | - Manon MM Berns
- Department of Neuroscience, University of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Sumana Raychaudhuri
- Department of Cell Biology, Johns Hopkins University, School of MedicineBaltimoreUnited States
| | - Kie Itoh
- Department of Cell Biology, Johns Hopkins University, School of MedicineBaltimoreUnited States
| | - Alexander M Walter
- Department of Neuroscience, University of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
- Molecular and Theoretical Neuroscience, Leibniz-Institut für Molekulare Pharmakologie, FMP im CharitéCrossOverBerlinGermany
| | - Edwin R Chapman
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadisonUnited States
- Howard Hughes Medical InstituteMadisonUnited States
| | - Shigeki Watanabe
- Department of Cell Biology, Johns Hopkins University, School of MedicineBaltimoreUnited States
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreUnited States
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6
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Chiu DN, Carter BC. Synaptotagmin 7 Sculpts Short-Term Plasticity at a High Probability Synapse. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e1756232023. [PMID: 38262726 PMCID: PMC10904093 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1756-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Synapses with high release probability (Pr ) tend to exhibit short-term synaptic depression. According to the prevailing model, this reflects the temporary depletion of release-ready vesicles after an initial action potential (AP). At the high-Pr layer 4 to layer 2/3 (L4-L2/3) synapse in rodent somatosensory cortex, short-term plasticity appears to contradict the depletion model: depression is absent at interstimulus intervals (ISIs) <50 ms and develops to a maximum at ∼200 ms. To understand the mechanism(s) underlying the biphasic time course of short-term plasticity at this synapse, we used whole-cell electrophysiology and two-photon calcium imaging in acute slices from male and female juvenile mice. We tested several candidate mechanisms including neuromodulation, postsynaptic receptor desensitization, and use-dependent changes in presynaptic AP-evoked calcium. We found that, at single L4-L2/3 synapses, Pr varies as a function of ISI, giving rise to the distinctive short-term plasticity time course. Furthermore, the higher-than-expected Pr at short ISIs depends on expression of synaptotagmin 7 (Syt7). Our results show that two distinct vesicle release processes summate to give rise to short-term plasticity at this synapse: (1) a basal, high-Pr release mechanism that undergoes rapid depression and recovers slowly (τ = ∼3 s) and (2) a Syt7-dependent mechanism that leads to a transient increase in Pr (τ = ∼100 ms) after the initial AP. We thus reveal how these synapses can maintain a very high probability of neurotransmission for multiple APs within a short time frame. Key words : depression; facilitation; short-term plasticity; synaptotagmin 7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delia N Chiu
- European Neuroscience Institute Göttingen - A Joint Initiative of the University Medical Center Göttingen and the Max Planck Society, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Brett C Carter
- European Neuroscience Institute Göttingen - A Joint Initiative of the University Medical Center Göttingen and the Max Planck Society, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
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7
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Tagliatti E, Desiato G, Mancinelli S, Bizzotto M, Gagliani MC, Faggiani E, Hernández-Soto R, Cugurra A, Poliseno P, Miotto M, Argüello RJ, Filipello F, Cortese K, Morini R, Lodato S, Matteoli M. Trem2 expression in microglia is required to maintain normal neuronal bioenergetics during development. Immunity 2024; 57:86-105.e9. [PMID: 38159572 PMCID: PMC10783804 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2023.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (Trem2) is a myeloid cell-specific gene expressed in brain microglia, with variants that are associated with neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease. Trem2 is essential for microglia-mediated synaptic refinement, but whether Trem2 contributes to shaping neuronal development remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that Trem2 plays a key role in controlling the bioenergetic profile of pyramidal neurons during development. In the absence of Trem2, developing neurons in the hippocampal cornus ammonis (CA)1 but not in CA3 subfield displayed compromised energetic metabolism, accompanied by reduced mitochondrial mass and abnormal organelle ultrastructure. This was paralleled by the transcriptional rearrangement of hippocampal pyramidal neurons at birth, with a pervasive alteration of metabolic, oxidative phosphorylation, and mitochondrial gene signatures, accompanied by a delay in the maturation of CA1 neurons. Our results unveil a role of Trem2 in controlling neuronal development by regulating the metabolic fitness of neurons in a region-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica Tagliatti
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, via Manzoni 56, Rozzano, 20089 Milan, Italy; Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Genni Desiato
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, via Manzoni 56, Rozzano, 20089 Milan, Italy
| | - Sara Mancinelli
- Humanitas University, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Via Levi Montalicini 4, Pieve Emanuele 20072 Milan, Italy
| | - Matteo Bizzotto
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, via Manzoni 56, Rozzano, 20089 Milan, Italy; Humanitas University, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Via Levi Montalicini 4, Pieve Emanuele 20072 Milan, Italy
| | - Maria C Gagliani
- Cellular Electron Microscopy Laboratory, Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), Human Anatomy, Università di Genova, Via Antonio de Toni 14, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Elisa Faggiani
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, via Manzoni 56, Rozzano, 20089 Milan, Italy
| | | | - Andrea Cugurra
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, via Manzoni 56, Rozzano, 20089 Milan, Italy
| | - Paola Poliseno
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, via Manzoni 56, Rozzano, 20089 Milan, Italy
| | - Matteo Miotto
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, via Manzoni 56, Rozzano, 20089 Milan, Italy
| | - Rafael J Argüello
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, INSERM, CIML, Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy, Marseille, France
| | - Fabia Filipello
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, via Manzoni 56, Rozzano, 20089 Milan, Italy; Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Katia Cortese
- Cellular Electron Microscopy Laboratory, Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), Human Anatomy, Università di Genova, Via Antonio de Toni 14, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Raffaella Morini
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, via Manzoni 56, Rozzano, 20089 Milan, Italy
| | - Simona Lodato
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, via Manzoni 56, Rozzano, 20089 Milan, Italy; Humanitas University, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Via Levi Montalicini 4, Pieve Emanuele 20072 Milan, Italy
| | - Michela Matteoli
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, via Manzoni 56, Rozzano, 20089 Milan, Italy; Institute of Neuroscience - National Research Council, 20139 Milan, Italy.
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8
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Anderson MC, Levy AD, Dharmasri PA, Metzbower SR, Blanpied TA. Trans-synaptic molecular context of NMDA receptor nanodomains. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.22.573055. [PMID: 38187545 PMCID: PMC10769418 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.22.573055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Tight coordination of the spatial relationships between protein complexes is required for cellular function. In neuronal synapses, many proteins responsible for neurotransmission organize into subsynaptic nanoclusters whose trans-cellular alignment modulates synaptic signal propagation. However, the spatial relationships between these proteins and NMDA receptors (NMDARs), which are required for learning and memory, remain undefined. Here, we mapped the relationship of key NMDAR subunits to reference proteins in the active zone and postsynaptic density using multiplexed super-resolution DNA-PAINT microscopy. GluN2A and GluN2B subunits formed nanoclusters with diverse configurations that, surprisingly, were not localized near presynaptic vesicle release sites marked by Munc13-1. However, a subset of presynaptic sites was configured to maintain NMDAR activation: these were internally denser, aligned with abundant PSD-95, and associated closely with specific NMDAR nanodomains. This work reveals a new principle regulating NMDAR signaling and suggests that synaptic functional architecture depends on assembly of multiprotein nanodomains whose interior construction is conditional on trans-cellular relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael C Anderson
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Aaron D Levy
- Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Poorna A Dharmasri
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Current address: Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sarah R Metzbower
- Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Current address: Nikon Instruments Inc, Melville, NY, USA
| | - Thomas A Blanpied
- Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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9
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Norman CA, Krishnakumar SS, Timofeeva Y, Volynski KE. The release of inhibition model reproduces kinetics and plasticity of neurotransmitter release in central synapses. Commun Biol 2023; 6:1091. [PMID: 37891212 PMCID: PMC10611806 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05445-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Calcium-evoked release of neurotransmitters from synaptic vesicles (SVs) is catalysed by SNARE proteins. The predominant view is that, at rest, complete assembly of SNARE complexes is inhibited ('clamped') by synaptotagmin and complexin molecules. Calcium binding by synaptotagmins releases this fusion clamp and triggers fast SV exocytosis. However, this model has not been quantitatively tested over physiological timescales. Here we describe an experimentally constrained computational modelling framework to quantitatively assess how the molecular architecture of the fusion clamp affects SV exocytosis. Our results argue that the 'release-of-inhibition' model can indeed account for fast calcium-activated SV fusion, and that dual binding of synaptotagmin-1 and synaptotagmin-7 to the same SNARE complex enables synergistic regulation of the kinetics and plasticity of neurotransmitter release. The developed framework provides a powerful and adaptable tool to link the molecular biochemistry of presynaptic proteins to physiological data and efficiently test the plausibility of calcium-activated neurotransmitter release models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A Norman
- University College London Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
- Department of Computer Science, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
- Mathematics for Real-World Systems Centre for Doctoral Training, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Shyam S Krishnakumar
- University College London Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.
- Department of Neurology, Yale Nanobiology Institute, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.
| | - Yulia Timofeeva
- University College London Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.
- Department of Computer Science, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK.
| | - Kirill E Volynski
- University College London Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.
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10
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Malagon G, Myeong J, Klyachko VA. Two forms of asynchronous release with distinctive spatiotemporal dynamics in central synapses. eLife 2023; 12:e84041. [PMID: 37166282 PMCID: PMC10174687 DOI: 10.7554/elife.84041] [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: 10/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Asynchronous release is a ubiquitous form of neurotransmitter release that persists for tens to hundreds of milliseconds after an action potential. How asynchronous release is organized and regulated at the synaptic active zone (AZ) remains debatable. Using nanoscale-precision imaging of individual release events in rat hippocampal synapses, we observed two spatially distinct subpopulations of asynchronous events, ~75% of which occurred inside the AZ and with a bias towards the AZ center, while ~25% occurred outside of the functionally defined AZ, that is, ectopically. The two asynchronous event subpopulations also differed from each other in temporal properties, with ectopic events occurring at significantly longer time intervals from synchronous events than the asynchronous events inside the AZ. Both forms of asynchronous release did not, to a large extent, utilize the same release sites as synchronous events. The two asynchronous event subpopulations also differ from synchronous events in some aspects of exo-endocytosis coupling, particularly in the contribution from the fast calcium-dependent endocytosis. These results identify two subpopulations of asynchronous release events with distinctive organization and spatiotemporal dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerardo Malagon
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of MedicineSt LouisUnited States
| | - Jongyun Myeong
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of MedicineSt LouisUnited States
| | - Vitaly A Klyachko
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of MedicineSt LouisUnited States
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11
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Rusakov DA. A misadventure of the correlation coefficient. Trends Neurosci 2023; 46:94-96. [PMID: 36280457 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2022.09.009] [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: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
The correlation coefficient gauges linear association between two variables. However, interpreting its value depends on the question at hand. This article argues that relying on the correlation coefficient may be irrelevant for many neuroscience research tasks. When the experimental dataset is contextually suitable for binning-averaging, other indicators of statistical association could prove more suitable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitri A Rusakov
- UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.
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Hao Y, Toulmé E, König B, Rosenmund C, Plested AJR. Targeted sensors for glutamatergic neurotransmission. eLife 2023; 12:e84029. [PMID: 36622100 PMCID: PMC9917459 DOI: 10.7554/elife.84029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Optical report of neurotransmitter release allows visualisation of excitatory synaptic transmission. Sensitive genetically-encoded fluorescent glutamate reporters operating with a range of affinities and emission wavelengths are available. However, without targeting to synapses, the specificity of the fluorescent signal is uncertain, compared to sensors directed at vesicles or other synaptic markers. We fused the state-of-the-art reporter iGluSnFR to glutamate receptor auxiliary proteins in order to target it to postsynaptic sites. Chimeras of Stargazin and gamma-8 that we named SnFR-γ2 and SnFR-γ8, were enriched at synapses, retained function and reported spontaneous glutamate release in rat hippocampal cells, with apparently diffraction-limited spatial precision. In autaptic mouse neurons cultured on astrocytic microislands, evoked neurotransmitter release could be quantitatively detected at tens of synapses in a field of view whilst evoked currents were recorded simultaneously. These experiments revealed a specific postsynaptic deficit from Stargazin overexpression, resulting in synapses with normal neurotransmitter release but without postsynaptic responses. This defect was reverted by delaying overexpression. By working at different calcium concentrations, we determined that SnFR-γ2 is a linear reporter of the global quantal parameters and short-term synaptic plasticity, whereas iGluSnFR is not. On average, half of iGluSnFR regions of interest (ROIs) showing evoked fluorescence changes had intense rundown, whereas less than 5% of SnFR-γ2 ROIs did. We provide an open-source analysis suite for extracting quantal parameters including release probability from fluorescence time series of individual and grouped synaptic responses. Taken together, postsynaptic targeting improves several properties of iGluSnFR and further demonstrates the importance of subcellular targeting for optogenetic actuators and reporters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuchen Hao
- Institute of Biology, Cellular Biophysics, Humboldt-Universität zu BerlinBerlinGermany
- Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare PharmakologieBerlinGermany
| | - Estelle Toulmé
- Institute for Neurophysiology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Benjamin König
- Institute of Biology, Cellular Biophysics, Humboldt-Universität zu BerlinBerlinGermany
- Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare PharmakologieBerlinGermany
| | - Christian Rosenmund
- Institute for Neurophysiology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin BerlinBerlinGermany
- NeuroCure Cluster of ExcellenceBerlinGermany
| | - Andrew JR Plested
- Institute of Biology, Cellular Biophysics, Humboldt-Universität zu BerlinBerlinGermany
- Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare PharmakologieBerlinGermany
- NeuroCure Cluster of ExcellenceBerlinGermany
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