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Zocher S. Targeting neuronal epigenomes for brain rejuvenation. EMBO J 2024:10.1038/s44318-024-00148-8. [PMID: 39009672 DOI: 10.1038/s44318-024-00148-8] [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: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Aging is associated with a progressive decline of brain function, and the underlying causes and possible interventions to prevent this cognitive decline have been the focus of intense investigation. The maintenance of neuronal function over the lifespan requires proper epigenetic regulation, and accumulating evidence suggests that the deterioration of the neuronal epigenetic landscape contributes to brain dysfunction during aging. Epigenetic aging of neurons may, however, be malleable. Recent reports have shown age-related epigenetic changes in neurons to be reversible and targetable by rejuvenation strategies that can restore brain function during aging. This review discusses the current evidence that identifies neuronal epigenetic aging as a driver of cognitive decline and a promising target of brain rejuvenation strategies, and it highlights potential approaches for the specific manipulation of the aging neuronal epigenome to restore a youthful epigenetic state in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Zocher
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Tatzberg 41, 01307, Dresden, Germany.
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2
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Wälchli T, Ghobrial M, Schwab M, Takada S, Zhong H, Suntharalingham S, Vetiska S, Gonzalez DR, Wu R, Rehrauer H, Dinesh A, Yu K, Chen ELY, Bisschop J, Farnhammer F, Mansur A, Kalucka J, Tirosh I, Regli L, Schaller K, Frei K, Ketela T, Bernstein M, Kongkham P, Carmeliet P, Valiante T, Dirks PB, Suva ML, Zadeh G, Tabar V, Schlapbach R, Jackson HW, De Bock K, Fish JE, Monnier PP, Bader GD, Radovanovic I. Single-cell atlas of the human brain vasculature across development, adulthood and disease. Nature 2024:10.1038/s41586-024-07493-y. [PMID: 38987604 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07493-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
A broad range of brain pathologies critically relies on the vasculature, and cerebrovascular disease is a leading cause of death worldwide. However, the cellular and molecular architecture of the human brain vasculature remains incompletely understood1. Here we performed single-cell RNA sequencing analysis of 606,380 freshly isolated endothelial cells, perivascular cells and other tissue-derived cells from 117 samples, from 68 human fetuses and adult patients to construct a molecular atlas of the developing fetal, adult control and diseased human brain vasculature. We identify extensive molecular heterogeneity of the vasculature of healthy fetal and adult human brains and across five vascular-dependent central nervous system (CNS) pathologies, including brain tumours and brain vascular malformations. We identify alteration of arteriovenous differentiation and reactivated fetal as well as conserved dysregulated genes and pathways in the diseased vasculature. Pathological endothelial cells display a loss of CNS-specific properties and reveal an upregulation of MHC class II molecules, indicating atypical features of CNS endothelial cells. Cell-cell interaction analyses predict substantial endothelial-to-perivascular cell ligand-receptor cross-talk, including immune-related and angiogenic pathways, thereby revealing a central role for the endothelium within brain neurovascular unit signalling networks. Our single-cell brain atlas provides insights into the molecular architecture and heterogeneity of the developing, adult/control and diseased human brain vasculature and serves as a powerful reference for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Wälchli
- Group Brain Vasculature and Perivascular Niche, Division of Experimental and Translational Neuroscience, Krembil Brain Institute, Krembil Research Institute, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- Group of CNS Angiogenesis and Neurovascular Link, Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
- Division of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Moheb Ghobrial
- Group Brain Vasculature and Perivascular Niche, Division of Experimental and Translational Neuroscience, Krembil Brain Institute, Krembil Research Institute, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Group of CNS Angiogenesis and Neurovascular Link, Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Division of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Laboratory of Exercise and Health, Institute of Exercise and Health, Department of Health Sciences and Technology; Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich), Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Marc Schwab
- Group Brain Vasculature and Perivascular Niche, Division of Experimental and Translational Neuroscience, Krembil Brain Institute, Krembil Research Institute, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Group of CNS Angiogenesis and Neurovascular Link, Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Division of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Shigeki Takada
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Neurosurgery, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
- Division of Experimental and Translational Neuroscience, Krembil Brain Institute, Krembil Research Institute, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Hang Zhong
- Group Brain Vasculature and Perivascular Niche, Division of Experimental and Translational Neuroscience, Krembil Brain Institute, Krembil Research Institute, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Group of CNS Angiogenesis and Neurovascular Link, Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Division of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Laboratory of Exercise and Health, Institute of Exercise and Health, Department of Health Sciences and Technology; Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich), Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Samuel Suntharalingham
- Group Brain Vasculature and Perivascular Niche, Division of Experimental and Translational Neuroscience, Krembil Brain Institute, Krembil Research Institute, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sandra Vetiska
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Experimental and Translational Neuroscience, Krembil Brain Institute, Krembil Research Institute, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Ruilin Wu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Hubert Rehrauer
- Functional Genomics Center Zurich, ETH Zurich/University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Anuroopa Dinesh
- The Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Health System, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kai Yu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Edward L Y Chen
- The Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Health System, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jeroen Bisschop
- Group Brain Vasculature and Perivascular Niche, Division of Experimental and Translational Neuroscience, Krembil Brain Institute, Krembil Research Institute, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Group of CNS Angiogenesis and Neurovascular Link, Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Division of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Fiona Farnhammer
- Group Brain Vasculature and Perivascular Niche, Division of Experimental and Translational Neuroscience, Krembil Brain Institute, Krembil Research Institute, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Group of CNS Angiogenesis and Neurovascular Link, Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Division of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ann Mansur
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Experimental and Translational Neuroscience, Krembil Brain Institute, Krembil Research Institute, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Joanna Kalucka
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Itay Tirosh
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Luca Regli
- Division of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Karl Schaller
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Geneva Medical Center & Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Karl Frei
- Group of CNS Angiogenesis and Neurovascular Link, Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Division of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Troy Ketela
- The Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mark Bernstein
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery, Sprott Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Paul Kongkham
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery, Sprott Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- MacFeeters-Hamilton Centre for Neuro-Oncology Research, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Peter Carmeliet
- Laboratory of Angiogenesis and Vascular Metabolism, Center for Cancer Biology, VIB & Department of Oncology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
- Laboratory of Angiogenesis and Vascular Heterogeneity, Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Taufik Valiante
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery, Sprott Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Krembil Brain Institute, Division of Clinical and Computational Neuroscience, Krembil Research Institute, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering and Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Peter B Dirks
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery, Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumor Research Center, Departments of Surgery and Molecular Genetics, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mario L Suva
- Department of Pathology and Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Gelareh Zadeh
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery, Sprott Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Viviane Tabar
- Department of Neurosurgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ralph Schlapbach
- Functional Genomics Center Zurich, ETH Zurich/University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Hartland W Jackson
- The Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Health System, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Ontario Institute of Cancer Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Katrien De Bock
- Laboratory of Exercise and Health, Institute of Exercise and Health, Department of Health Sciences and Technology; Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich), Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jason E Fish
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Philippe P Monnier
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Krembil Research Institute, Vision Division, Krembil Discovery Tower, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Gary D Bader
- The Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Health System, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- The Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ivan Radovanovic
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Experimental and Translational Neuroscience, Krembil Brain Institute, Krembil Research Institute, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery, Sprott Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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3
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Van Drunen R, Dai Y, Wei H, Fekry B, Noori S, Shivshankar S, Bravo R, Zhao Z, Yoo SH, Justice N, Wu JQ, Tong Q, Eckel-Mahan K. Cell-specific regulation of the circadian clock by BMAL1 in the paraventricular nucleus: Implications for regulation of systemic biological rhythms. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114380. [PMID: 38935503 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Circadian rhythms are internal biological rhythms driving temporal tissue-specific, metabolic programs. Loss of the circadian transcription factor BMAL1 in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus reveals its importance in metabolic rhythms, but its functions in individual PVN cells are poorly understood. Here, loss of BMAL1 in the PVN results in arrhythmicity of processes controlling energy balance and alters peripheral diurnal gene expression. BMAL1 chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) and single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) reveal its temporal regulation of target genes, including oxytocin (OXT), and restoring circulating OXT peaks in BMAL1-PVN knockout (KO) mice rescues absent activity rhythms. While glutamatergic neurons undergo day/night changes in expression of genes involved in cell morphogenesis, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes show gene expression changes in cytoskeletal organization and oxidative phosphorylation. Collectively, our findings show diurnal gene regulation in neuronal and non-neuronal PVN cells and that BMAL1 contributes to diurnal OXT secretion, which is important for systemic diurnal rhythms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Van Drunen
- UT Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA; MD Anderson Cancer Center/UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yulin Dai
- Center for Precision Health, McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Haichao Wei
- UT Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Baharan Fekry
- UT Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Sina Noori
- UT Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Samay Shivshankar
- UT Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Rafael Bravo
- UT Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Zhongming Zhao
- Center for Precision Health, McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Seung-Hee Yoo
- MD Anderson Cancer Center/UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Nicholas Justice
- UT Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA; MD Anderson Cancer Center/UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jia Qian Wu
- UT Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA; MD Anderson Cancer Center/UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Qingchun Tong
- UT Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA; MD Anderson Cancer Center/UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Kristin Eckel-Mahan
- UT Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA; MD Anderson Cancer Center/UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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4
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Liu Q, Liu Z, Xie W, Li Y, Wang H, Zhang S, Wang W, Hao J, Geng D, Yang J, Wang L. Single-cell sequencing of the substantia nigra reveals microglial activation in a model of MPTP. Front Aging Neurosci 2024; 16:1390310. [PMID: 38952478 PMCID: PMC11215054 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2024.1390310] [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: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Background N-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) is a neurotoxin widely used to induce PD models, but the effect of MPTP on the cells and genes of PD has not been fully elucidated. Methods Single-nucleus RNA sequencing was performed in the Substantia Nigra (SN) of MPTP mice. UMAP analysis was used for the dimensionality reduction visualization of the SN in the MPTP mice. Known marker genes highly expressed genes in each cluster were used to annotate most clusters. Specific Differentially Expressed Genes (DEGs) and PD risk genes analysis were used to find MPTP-associated cells. GO, KEGG, PPI network, GSEA and CellChat analysis were used to reveal cell type-specific functional alterations and disruption of cell-cell communication networks. Subset reconstruction and pseudotime analysis were used to reveal the activation status of the cells, and to find the transcription factors with trajectory characterized. Results Initially, we observed specific DEGs and PD risk genes enrichment in microglia. Next, We obtained the functional phenotype changes in microglia and found that IGF, AGRN and PTN pathways were reduced in MPTP mice. Finally, we analyzed the activation state of microglia and revealed a pro-inflammatory trajectory characterized by transcription factors Nfe2l2 and Runx1. Conclusion Our work revealed alterations in microglia function, signaling pathways and key genes in the SN of MPTP mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Liu
- Department of Human Anatomy, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Ziyu Liu
- Department of Human Anatomy, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Wenmeng Xie
- Department of Human Anatomy, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Yibo Li
- Department of Human Anatomy, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Hongfang Wang
- Department of Human Anatomy, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Sanbing Zhang
- Department of Hand and Foot Surgery, The Third Hospital of Shijiazhuang, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Wenyu Wang
- Department of Human Anatomy, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Jiaxin Hao
- Department of Human Anatomy, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Dandan Geng
- Department of Human Anatomy, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
- Neuroscience Research Center, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disease Mechanism, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Jing Yang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Aging and Cancer Biology, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Department of Human Anatomy, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
- Department of Hand and Foot Surgery, The Third Hospital of Shijiazhuang, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
- Neuroscience Research Center, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
- The Key Laboratory of Neural and Vascular Biology, Ministry of Education, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
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Krarup J, Araya L, Álvarez F, Bórquez DA, Urrutia PJ. A Brain Anti-Senescence Transcriptional Program Triggered by Hypothalamic-Derived Exosomal microRNAs. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5467. [PMID: 38791505 PMCID: PMC11122052 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105467] [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: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
In contrast to the hypothesis that aging results from cell-autonomous deterioration processes, the programmed longevity theory proposes that aging arises from a partial inactivation of a "longevity program" aimed at maintaining youthfulness in organisms. Supporting this hypothesis, age-related changes in organisms can be reversed by factors circulating in young blood. Concordantly, the endocrine secretion of exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) by hypothalamic neural stem cells (htNSCs) regulates the aging rate by enhancing physiological fitness in young animals. However, the specific molecular mechanisms through which hypothalamic-derived miRNAs exert their anti-aging effects remain unexplored. Using experimentally validated miRNA-target gene interactions and single-cell transcriptomic data of brain cells during aging and heterochronic parabiosis, we identify the main pathways controlled by these miRNAs and the cell-type-specific gene networks that are altered due to age-related loss of htNSCs and the subsequent decline in specific miRNA levels in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Our bioinformatics analysis suggests that these miRNAs modulate pathways associated with senescence and cellular stress response, targeting crucial genes such as Cdkn2a, Rps27, and Txnip. The oligodendrocyte lineage appears to be the most responsive to age-dependent loss of exosomal miRNA, leading to significant derepression of several miRNA target genes. Furthermore, heterochronic parabiosis can reverse age-related upregulation of specific miRNA-targeted genes, predominantly in brain endothelial cells, including senescence promoting genes such as Cdkn1a and Btg2. Our findings support the presence of an anti-senescence mechanism triggered by the endocrine secretion of htNSC-derived exosomal miRNAs, which is associated with a youthful transcriptional signature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josefa Krarup
- Laboratory of Cell Signaling & Bioinformatics, Center for Biomedical Research, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Diego Portales, Ejército Libertador 141, Santiago 8370007, Chile; (J.K.); (F.Á.)
| | - Lucas Araya
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 7810000, Chile;
| | - Felipe Álvarez
- Laboratory of Cell Signaling & Bioinformatics, Center for Biomedical Research, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Diego Portales, Ejército Libertador 141, Santiago 8370007, Chile; (J.K.); (F.Á.)
| | - Daniel A. Bórquez
- Laboratory of Cell Signaling & Bioinformatics, Center for Biomedical Research, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Diego Portales, Ejército Libertador 141, Santiago 8370007, Chile; (J.K.); (F.Á.)
| | - Pamela J. Urrutia
- Laboratory of Resilient Aging, Institute for Nutrition & Food Technology (INTA), Universidad de Chile, El Líbano 5524, Santiago 7830490, Chile
- Geroscience Center for Brain Health and Metabolism, Santiago 7800003, Chile
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6
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Song QH, Zhao KX, Huang S, Chen T, He L. Escape from X-chromosome inactivation and sex differences in Alzheimer's disease. Rev Neurosci 2024; 35:341-354. [PMID: 38157427 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2023-0108] [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: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Sex differences exist in the onset and progression of Alzheimer's disease. Globally, women have a higher prevalence, while men with Alzheimer's disease experience earlier mortality and more pronounced cognitive decline than women. The cause of sex differences in Alzheimer's disease remains unclear. Accumulating evidence suggests the potential role of X-linked genetic factors in the sex difference of Alzheimer's disease (AD). During embryogenesis, a remarkable process known as X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) occurs in females, leading to one of the X chromosomes undergoing transcriptional inactivation, which balances the effects of two X chromosomes in females. Nevertheless, certain genes exceptionally escape from XCI, which provides a basis for dual expression dosage of specific genes in females. Based on recent research findings, we explore key escape genes and their potential therapeutic use associated with Alzheimer's disease. Also, we discuss their possible role in driving the sex differences in Alzheimer's disease. This will provide new perspectives for precision medicine and gender-specific treatment of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing-Hua Song
- Department of Pharmacology, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Ke-Xuan Zhao
- Department of Pharmacology, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Shuai Huang
- Department of Pharmacology, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Tong Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Ling He
- Department of Pharmacology, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu Province, China
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7
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Huang Y, Wang A, Zhou W, Li B, Zhang L, Rudolf AM, Jin Z, Hambly C, Wang G, Speakman JR. Maternal dietary fat during lactation shapes single nucleus transcriptomic profile of postnatal offspring hypothalamus in a sexually dimorphic manner in mice. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2382. [PMID: 38493217 PMCID: PMC10944494 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46589-x] [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: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Maternal overnutrition during lactation predisposes offspring to develop metabolic diseases and exacerbates the relevant syndromes in males more than females in later life. The hypothalamus is a heterogenous brain region that regulates energy balance. Here we combined metabolic trait quantification of mother and offspring mice under low and high fat diet (HFD) feeding during lactation, with single nucleus transcriptomic profiling of their offspring hypothalamus at peak lacation to understand the cellular and molecular alterations in response to maternal dietary pertubation. We found significant expansion in neuronal subpopulations including histaminergic (Hdc), arginine vasopressin/retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor β (Avp/Rorb) and agouti-related peptide/neuropeptide Y (AgRP/Npy) in male offspring when their mothers were fed HFD, and increased Npy-astrocyte interactions in offspring responding to maternal overnutrition. Our study provides a comprehensive offspring hypothalamus map at the peak lactation and reveals how the cellular subpopulations respond to maternal dietary fat in a sex-specific manner during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Metabolism Program, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Anyongqi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 101408, China
| | - Wenjiang Zhou
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling and Health, Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology, Centre for Evolutionary Biology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Baoguo Li
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- Tianjian Laboratory of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Linshan Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling and Health, Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology, Centre for Evolutionary Biology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Agata M Rudolf
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Zengguang Jin
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Metabolic Health, Center for Energy Metabolism and Reproduction, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Catherine Hambly
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 3FX, UK
| | - Guanlin Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling and Health, Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology, Centre for Evolutionary Biology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China.
| | - John R Speakman
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Metabolic Health, Center for Energy Metabolism and Reproduction, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 3FX, UK.
- China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110122, China.
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8
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Kwok AJ, Lu J, Huang J, Ip BY, Mok VCT, Lai HM, Ko H. High-resolution omics of vascular ageing and inflammatory pathways in neurodegeneration. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2024; 155:30-49. [PMID: 37380595 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2023.06.005] [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: 04/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
High-resolution omics, particularly single-cell and spatial transcriptomic profiling, are rapidly enhancing our comprehension of the normal molecular diversity of gliovascular cells, as well as their age-related changes that contribute to neurodegeneration. With more omic profiling studies being conducted, it is becoming increasingly essential to synthesise valuable information from the rapidly accumulating findings. In this review, we present an overview of the molecular features of neurovascular and glial cells that have been recently discovered through omic profiling, with a focus on those that have potentially significant functional implications and/or show cross-species differences between human and mouse, and that are linked to vascular deficits and inflammatory pathways in ageing and neurodegenerative disorders. Additionally, we highlight the translational applications of omic profiling, and discuss omic-based strategies to accelerate biomarker discovery and facilitate disease course-modifying therapeutics development for neurodegenerative conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Kwok
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Margaret K. L. Cheung Research Centre for Management of Parkinsonism, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Lau Tat-chuen Research Centre of Brain Degenerative Diseases in Chinese, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Gerald Choa Neuroscience Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
| | - Jianning Lu
- Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Gerald Choa Neuroscience Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Junzhe Huang
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Margaret K. L. Cheung Research Centre for Management of Parkinsonism, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Lau Tat-chuen Research Centre of Brain Degenerative Diseases in Chinese, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Gerald Choa Neuroscience Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Bonaventure Y Ip
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Margaret K. L. Cheung Research Centre for Management of Parkinsonism, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Lau Tat-chuen Research Centre of Brain Degenerative Diseases in Chinese, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Gerald Choa Neuroscience Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Vincent C T Mok
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Margaret K. L. Cheung Research Centre for Management of Parkinsonism, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Lau Tat-chuen Research Centre of Brain Degenerative Diseases in Chinese, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Gerald Choa Neuroscience Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Hei Ming Lai
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Margaret K. L. Cheung Research Centre for Management of Parkinsonism, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Gerald Choa Neuroscience Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
| | - Ho Ko
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Margaret K. L. Cheung Research Centre for Management of Parkinsonism, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Lau Tat-chuen Research Centre of Brain Degenerative Diseases in Chinese, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Gerald Choa Neuroscience Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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9
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Harkany T, Tretiakov E, Varela L, Jarc J, Rebernik P, Newbold S, Keimpema E, Verkhratsky A, Horvath T, Romanov R. Molecularly stratified hypothalamic astrocytes are cellular foci for obesity. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-3748581. [PMID: 38405925 PMCID: PMC10889077 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3748581/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Astrocytes safeguard the homeostasis of the central nervous system1,2. Despite their prominent morphological plasticity under conditions that challenge the brain's adaptive capacity3-5, the classification of astrocytes, and relating their molecular make-up to spatially devolved neuronal operations that specify behavior or metabolism, remained mostly futile6,7. Although it seems unexpected in the era of single-cell biology, the lack of a major advance in stratifying astrocytes under physiological conditions rests on the incompatibility of 'neurocentric' algorithms that rely on stable developmental endpoints, lifelong transcriptional, neurotransmitter, and neuropeptide signatures for classification6-8 with the dynamic functional states, anatomic allocation, and allostatic plasticity of astrocytes1. Simplistically, therefore, astrocytes are still grouped as 'resting' vs. 'reactive', the latter referring to pathological states marked by various inducible genes3,9,10. Here, we introduced a machine learning-based feature recognition algorithm that benefits from the cumulative power of published single-cell RNA-seq data on astrocytes as a reference map to stepwise eliminate pleiotropic and inducible cellular features. For the healthy hypothalamus, this walk-back approach revealed gene regulatory networks (GRNs) that specified subsets of astrocytes, and could be used as landmarking tools for their anatomical assignment. The core molecular censuses retained by astrocyte subsets were sufficient to stratify them by allostatic competence, chiefly their signaling and metabolic interplay with neurons. Particularly, we found differentially expressed mitochondrial genes in insulin-sensing astrocytes and demonstrated their reciprocal signaling with neurons that work antagonistically within the food intake circuitry. As a proof-of-concept, we showed that disrupting Mfn2 expression in astrocytes reduced their ability to support dynamic circuit reorganization, a time-locked feature of satiety in the hypothalamus, thus leading to obesity in mice. Overall, our results suggest that astrocytes in the healthy brain are fundamentally more heterogeneous than previously thought and topologically mirror the specificity of local neurocircuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tibor Harkany
- Center for Brain Research, Medical University of Vienna
| | | | | | - Jasna Jarc
- Center for Brain Research, Medical University of Vienna
| | | | | | - Erik Keimpema
- Medical University of Vienna, Center for Brain Research
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10
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Lei Y, Liang X, Sun Y, Yao T, Gong H, Chen Z, Gao Y, Wang H, Wang R, Huang Y, Yang T, Yu M, Liu L, Yi CX, Wu QF, Kong X, Xu X, Liu S, Zhang Z, Liu T. Region-specific transcriptomic responses to obesity and diabetes in macaque hypothalamus. Cell Metab 2024; 36:438-453.e6. [PMID: 38325338 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2024.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
The hypothalamus plays a crucial role in the progression of obesity and diabetes; however, its structural complexity and cellular heterogeneity impede targeted treatments. Here, we profiled the single-cell and spatial transcriptome of the hypothalamus in obese and sporadic type 2 diabetic macaques, revealing primate-specific distributions of clusters and genes as well as spatial region, cell-type-, and gene-feature-specific changes. The infundibular (INF) and paraventricular nuclei (PVN) are most susceptible to metabolic disruption, with the PVN being more sensitive to diabetes. In the INF, obesity results in reduced synaptic plasticity and energy sensing capability, whereas diabetes involves molecular reprogramming associated with impaired tanycytic barriers, activated microglia, and neuronal inflammatory response. In the PVN, cellular metabolism and neural activity are suppressed in diabetic macaques. Spatial transcriptomic data reveal microglia's preference for the parenchyma over the third ventricle in diabetes. Our findings provide a comprehensive view of molecular changes associated with obesity and diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Lei
- BGI-Research, Hangzhou 310012, China; BGI-Research, Shenzhen 518103, China
| | - Xian Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Human Phenome Institute, Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology, and School of Life Sciences, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China; School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Yunong Sun
- BGI-Research, Hangzhou 310012, China; BGI-Research, Shenzhen 518103, China
| | - Ting Yao
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Xi'an, Shanxi 710063, China
| | - Hongyu Gong
- School of Life Sciences, Institues of Biomedical Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010000, China
| | - Zhenhua Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Development Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yuanqing Gao
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Hui Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Ru Wang
- School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Yunqi Huang
- BGI-Research, Hangzhou 310012, China; BGI-Research, Shenzhen 518103, China
| | - Tao Yang
- China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518120, China
| | - Miao Yu
- School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Longqi Liu
- BGI-Research, Hangzhou 310012, China; BGI-Research, Shenzhen 518103, China
| | - Chun-Xia Yi
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Qing-Feng Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Development Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Xingxing Kong
- School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China.
| | - Xun Xu
- BGI-Research, Hangzhou 310012, China; BGI-Research, Shenzhen 518103, China.
| | - Shiping Liu
- BGI-Research, Hangzhou 310012, China; BGI-Research, Shenzhen 518103, China.
| | - Zhi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Human Phenome Institute, Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology, and School of Life Sciences, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China; School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China.
| | - Tiemin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Human Phenome Institute, Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology, and School of Life Sciences, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China; School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China; School of Life Sciences, Institues of Biomedical Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010000, China.
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11
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Achiro JM, Tao Y, Gao F, Lin CH, Watanabe M, Neumann S, Coppola G, Black DL, Martin KC. Aging differentially alters the transcriptome and landscape of chromatin accessibility in the male and female mouse hippocampus. Front Mol Neurosci 2024; 17:1334862. [PMID: 38318533 PMCID: PMC10839115 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2024.1334862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Aging-related memory impairment and pathological memory disorders such as Alzheimer's disease differ between males and females, and yet little is known about how aging-related changes in the transcriptome and chromatin environment differ between sexes in the hippocampus. To investigate this question, we compared the chromatin accessibility landscape and gene expression/alternative splicing pattern of young adult and aged mouse hippocampus in both males and females using ATAC-seq and RNA-seq. We detected significant aging-dependent changes in the expression of genes involved in immune response and synaptic function and aging-dependent changes in the alternative splicing of myelin sheath genes. We found significant sex-bias in the expression and alternative splicing of hundreds of genes, including aging-dependent female-biased expression of myelin sheath genes and aging-dependent male-biased expression of genes involved in synaptic function. Aging was associated with increased chromatin accessibility in both male and female hippocampus, especially in repetitive elements, and with an increase in LINE-1 transcription. We detected significant sex-bias in chromatin accessibility in both autosomes and the X chromosome, with male-biased accessibility enriched at promoters and CpG-rich regions. Sex differences in gene expression and chromatin accessibility were amplified with aging, findings that may shed light on sex differences in aging-related and pathological memory loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer M. Achiro
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Yang Tao
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Fuying Gao
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Chia-Ho Lin
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Marika Watanabe
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Sylvia Neumann
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Giovanni Coppola
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Douglas L. Black
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Kelsey C. Martin
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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12
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Kundakovic M, Tickerhoof M. Epigenetic mechanisms underlying sex differences in the brain and behavior. Trends Neurosci 2024; 47:18-35. [PMID: 37968206 PMCID: PMC10841872 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2023.09.007] [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: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Sex differences are found across brain regions, behaviors, and brain diseases. Sexual differentiation of the brain is initiated prenatally but it continues throughout life, as a result of the interaction of three major factors: gonadal hormones, sex chromosomes, and the environment. These factors are thought to act, in part, via epigenetic mechanisms which control chromatin and transcriptional states in brain cells. In this review, we discuss evidence that epigenetic mechanisms underlie sex-specific neurobehavioral changes during critical organizational periods, across the estrous cycle, and in response to diverse environments throughout life. We further identify future directions for the field that will provide novel mechanistic insights into brain sex differences, inform brain disease treatments and women's brain health in particular, and apply to people across genders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marija Kundakovic
- Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY 10458, USA.
| | - Maria Tickerhoof
- Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY 10458, USA
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13
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Chen Y, Yang S, Yu K, Zhang J, Wu M, Zheng Y, Zhu Y, Dai J, Wang C, Zhu X, Dai Y, Sun Y, Wu T, Wang S. Spatial omics: An innovative frontier in aging research. Ageing Res Rev 2024; 93:102158. [PMID: 38056503 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.102158] [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: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
Disentangling the impact of aging on health and disease has become critical as population aging progresses rapidly. Studying aging at the molecular level is complicated by the diverse aging profiles and dynamics. However, the examination of cellular states within aging tissues in situ is hampered by the lack of high-resolution spatial data. Emerging spatial omics technologies facilitate molecular and spatial analysis of tissues, providing direct access to precise information on various functional regions and serving as a favorable tool for unraveling the heterogeneity of aging. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in spatial omics application in multi-organ aging research, which has enhanced the understanding of aging mechanisms from multiple standpoints. We also discuss the main challenges in spatial omics research to date, the opportunities for further developing the technology, and the potential applications of spatial omics in aging and aging-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases, Wuhan, China; Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis, Wuhan, China
| | - Shuhao Yang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases, Wuhan, China; Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis, Wuhan, China
| | - Kaixu Yu
- Department of Orthopedics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jinjin Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases, Wuhan, China; Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis, Wuhan, China
| | - Meng Wu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases, Wuhan, China; Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis, Wuhan, China
| | - Yongqiang Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Centre, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yun Zhu
- Department of Internal Medicine, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, 801 N. Rutledge, P.O. Box 19628, Springfield, IL 62702, USA
| | - Jun Dai
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases, Wuhan, China; Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis, Wuhan, China
| | - Chunyan Wang
- College of Science & Engineering Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoran Zhu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases, Wuhan, China; Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis, Wuhan, China
| | - Yun Dai
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases, Wuhan, China; Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis, Wuhan, China
| | - Yunhong Sun
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Tong Wu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases, Wuhan, China; Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis, Wuhan, China.
| | - Shixuan Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases, Wuhan, China; Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis, Wuhan, China.
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14
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Yu D, Li M, Linghu G, Hu Y, Hajdarovic KH, Wang A, Singh R, Webb AE. CellBiAge: Improved single-cell age classification using data binarization. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113500. [PMID: 38032797 PMCID: PMC10791072 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113500] [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: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging is a major risk factor for many diseases. Accurate methods for predicting age in specific cell types are essential to understand the heterogeneity of aging and to assess rejuvenation strategies. However, classifying organismal age at single-cell resolution using transcriptomics is challenging due to sparsity and noise. Here, we developed CellBiAge, a robust and easy-to-implement machine learning pipeline, to classify the age of single cells in the mouse brain using single-cell transcriptomics. We show that binarization of gene expression values for the top highly variable genes significantly improved test performance across different models, techniques, sexes, and brain regions, with potential age-related genes identified for model prediction. Additionally, we demonstrate CellBiAge's ability to capture exercise-induced rejuvenation in neural stem cells. This study provides a broadly applicable approach for robust classification of organismal age of single cells in the mouse brain, which may aid in understanding the aging process and evaluating rejuvenation methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doudou Yu
- Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry Graduate Program, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA; Data Science Institute, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Manlin Li
- Data Science Institute, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Guanjie Linghu
- Data Science Institute, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Yihuan Hu
- Data Science Institute, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | | | - An Wang
- Department of Applied Mathematics & Statistics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Ritambhara Singh
- Department of Computer Science, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA; Center for Computational Molecular Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA.
| | - Ashley E Webb
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA; Center on the Biology of Aging, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA; Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA; Center for Translational Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA.
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15
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Labarta-Bajo L, Deng J, Contreras M, Allen NJ. Protocol for the purification and transcriptomic analysis of mouse astrocytes using GFAT. STAR Protoc 2023; 4:102599. [PMID: 37742178 PMCID: PMC10522990 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2023.102599] [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: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes are glial cells of the central nervous system that modulate neuronal function. Here, we present glyoxal-fixed astrocyte nuclei transcriptomics (GFAT), a protocol for the purification and transcriptomic analysis of astrocyte nuclei from the cortex and cerebellum of adult and aged fresh mouse brain. We describe steps for tissue dissection, glyoxal fixation, homogenization, nuclei isolation, antibody staining, fluorescence-activated cell sorting, and RT-qPCR or bulk RNA sequencing. GFAT does not require transgenic lines or viral injection and allows parallel astrocyte and neuron profiling.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - James Deng
- Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Minerva Contreras
- Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Nicola J Allen
- Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
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16
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Kellogg CM, Pham K, Ko S, Cox JE, Machalinski AH, Stout MB, Sharpe AL, Beckstead MJ, Chucair-Elliott AJ, Ocañas SR, Freeman WM. Specificity and efficiency of tamoxifen-mediated Cre induction is equivalent regardless of age. iScience 2023; 26:108413. [PMID: 38058312 PMCID: PMC10696116 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Temporally controlling Cre recombination through tamoxifen (Tam) induction has many advantages for biomedical research. Most studies report early post-natal/juvenile (<2 m.o.) Tam induction, but age-related neurodegeneration and aging studies can require Cre induction in older mice (>12 m.o.). While anecdotally reported as problematic, there are no published comparisons of Tam-mediated Cre induction at early and late ages. Here, microglial-specific Cx3cr1creERT2 mice were crossed to a floxed NuTRAP reporter to compare Cre induction at early (3-6 m.o.) and late (20 m.o.) ages. Specificity and efficiency of microglial labeling at 21-22 m.o. were identical in mice induced with Tam at early and late ages. Age-related microglial translatomic changes were also similar regardless of Tam induction age. Each Cre and flox mouse line should be independently validated, however, these findings demonstrate that Tam-mediated Cre induction can be performed even into older mouse ages and should be generalizable to other inducible Cre models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Collyn M. Kellogg
- Genes & Human Disease Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Kevin Pham
- Genes & Human Disease Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Sunghwan Ko
- Genes & Human Disease Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Jillian E.J. Cox
- Genes & Human Disease Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Adeline H. Machalinski
- Genes & Human Disease Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Michael B. Stout
- Aging & Metabolism Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Amanda L. Sharpe
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Michael J. Beckstead
- Aging & Metabolism Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Oklahoma City Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Ana J. Chucair-Elliott
- Genes & Human Disease Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Sarah R. Ocañas
- Genes & Human Disease Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Department of Physiology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Willard M. Freeman
- Genes & Human Disease Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Oklahoma City Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
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17
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Morselli M, Bennett R, Shaidani NI, Horb M, Peshkin L, Pellegrini M. Age-associated DNA methylation changes in Xenopus frogs. Epigenetics 2023; 18:2201517. [PMID: 37092296 PMCID: PMC10128463 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2023.2201517] [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: 09/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Age-associated changes in DNA methylation have been characterized across various animals, but not yet in amphibians, which are of particular interest because they include widely studied model organisms. In this study, we present clear evidence that the aquatic vertebrate species Xenopus tropicalis displays patterns of age-associated changes in DNA methylation. We have generated whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) profiles from skin samples of nine frogs representing young, mature, and old adults and characterized the gene- and chromosome-scale DNA methylation changes with age. Many of the methylation features and changes we observe are consistent with what is known in mammalian species, suggesting that the mechanism of age-related changes is conserved. Moreover, we selected a few thousand age-associated CpG sites to build an assay based on targeted DNA methylation analysis (TBSseq) to expand our findings in future studies involving larger cohorts of individuals. Preliminary results of a pilot TBSeq experiment recapitulate the findings obtained with WGBS setting the basis for the development of an epigenetic clock assay. The results of this study will allow us to leverage the unique resources available for Xenopus to study how DNA methylation relates to other hallmarks of ageing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Morselli
- Molecular, Cell & Developmental Biology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ronan Bennett
- Molecular, Cell & Developmental Biology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Nikko-Ideen Shaidani
- Eugene Bell Center for Regenerative Biology and Tissue Engineering and National Xenopus Resource, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | - Marko Horb
- Eugene Bell Center for Regenerative Biology and Tissue Engineering and National Xenopus Resource, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | - Leonid Peshkin
- Eugene Bell Center for Regenerative Biology and Tissue Engineering and National Xenopus Resource, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, USA
- Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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18
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Li P, Wei J, Zhu Y. CellGO: a novel deep learning-based framework and webserver for cell-type-specific gene function interpretation. Brief Bioinform 2023; 25:bbad417. [PMID: 37995133 PMCID: PMC10790717 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbad417] [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: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Interpreting the function of genes and gene sets identified from omics experiments remains a challenge, as current pathway analysis tools often fail to consider the critical biological context, such as tissue or cell-type specificity. To address this limitation, we introduced CellGO. CellGO tackles this challenge by leveraging the visible neural network (VNN) and single-cell gene expressions to mimic cell-type-specific signaling propagation along the Gene Ontology tree within a cell. This design enables a novel scoring system to calculate the cell-type-specific gene-pathway paired active scores, based on which, CellGO is able to identify cell-type-specific active pathways associated with single genes. In addition, by aggregating the activities of single genes, CellGO extends its capability to identify cell-type-specific active pathways for a given gene set. To enhance biological interpretation, CellGO offers additional features, including the identification of significantly active cell types and driver genes and community analysis of pathways. To validate its performance, CellGO was assessed using a gene set comprising mixed cell-type markers, confirming its ability to discern active pathways across distinct cell types. Subsequent benchmarking analyses demonstrated CellGO's superiority in effectively identifying cell types and their corresponding cell-type-specific pathways affected by gene knockouts, using either single genes or sets of genes differentially expressed between knockout and control samples. Moreover, CellGO demonstrated its ability to infer cell-type-specific pathogenesis for disease risk genes. Accessible as a Python package, CellGO also provides a user-friendly web interface, making it a versatile and accessible tool for researchers in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peilong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science and Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Junfeng Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science and Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Ying Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science and Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
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19
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Liu X, Zhang Z, Hu B, Chen K, Yu Y, Xiang H, Tan A. Single-cell transcriptomes provide insights into expansion of glial cells in Bombyx mori. INSECT SCIENCE 2023. [PMID: 37984500 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
The diversity of cell types in the brain and how these change during different developmental stages, remains largely unknown. The life cycle of insects is short and goes through 4 distinct stages including embryonic, larval, pupal, and adult stages. During postembryonic life, the larval brain transforms into a mature adult version after metamorphosis. The silkworm, Bombyx mori, is a lepidopteran model insect. Here, we characterized the brain cell repertoire of larval and adult B. mori by obtaining 50 708 single-cell transcriptomes. Seventeen and 12 cell clusters from larval and adult brains were assigned based on marker genes, respectively. Identified cell types include Kenyon cells, optic lobe cells, monoaminergic neurons, surface glia, and astrocyte glia. We further assessed the cell type compositions of larval and adult brains. We found that the transition from larva to adult resulted in great expansion of glial cells. The glial cell accounted for 49.8% of adult midbrain cells. Compared to flies and ants, the mushroom body kenyon cell is insufficient in B. mori, which accounts for 5.4% and 3.6% in larval and adult brains, respectively. Analysis of neuropeptide expression showed that the abundance and specificity of expression varied among individual neuropeptides. Intriguingly, we found that ion transport peptide was specifically expressed in glial cells of larval and adult brains. The cell atlas dataset provides an important resource to explore cell diversity, neural circuits and genetic profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojing Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, The Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Zhongjie Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, The Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Bo Hu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, The Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Kai Chen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, The Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Ye Yu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, The Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Hui Xiang
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Insect Development Regulation and Application Research, Institute of Insect Science and Technology and School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Anjiang Tan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, The Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, China
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20
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Munkhzul C, Yi SS, Kim J, Lee S, Kim H, Moon JS, Lee M. The microRNA-mediated gene regulatory network in the hippocampus and hypothalamus of the aging mouse. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0291943. [PMID: 37943864 PMCID: PMC10635555 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging leads to time-dependent functional decline of all major organs. In particular, the aging brain is prone to cognitive decline and several neurodegenerative diseases. Various studies have attempted to understand the aging process and underlying molecular mechanisms by monitoring changes in gene expression in the aging mouse brain using high-throughput sequencing techniques. However, the effect of microRNA (miRNA) on the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression has not yet been comprehensively investigated. In this study, we performed global analysis of mRNA and miRNA expression simultaneously in the hypothalamus and hippocampus of young and aged mice. We identified aging-dependent differentially expressed genes, most of which were specific either to the hypothalamus or hippocampus. However, genes related to immune response-related pathways were enriched in upregulated differentially expressed genes, whereas genes related to metabolism-related pathways were enriched in downregulated differentially expressed genes in both regions of the aging brain. Furthermore, we identified many differentially expressed miRNAs, including three that were upregulated and three that were downregulated in both the hypothalamus and hippocampus. The two downregulated miRNAs, miR-322-3p, miR-542-3p, and the upregulated protein-encoding coding gene C4b form a regulatory network involved in complement and coagulation cascade pathways in the hypothalamus and hippocampus of the aging brain. These results advance our understanding of the miRNA-mediated gene regulatory network and its influence on signaling pathways in the hypothalamus and hippocampus of the aging mouse brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Choijamts Munkhzul
- Soonchunhyang Institute of Medi-Bio Science, Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan, Korea
- Department of Integrated Biomedical Science, Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan, Korea
| | - Sun Shin Yi
- Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, College of Medical Sciences, Soonchunhyang University, Asan, Korea
| | - Junhyung Kim
- Soonchunhyang Institute of Medi-Bio Science, Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan, Korea
- Department of Integrated Biomedical Science, Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan, Korea
| | - Seongsoo Lee
- Gwangju Center, Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI), Gwangju, Korea
- Department of Systems Biotechnology, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, Korea
| | - Hyuntae Kim
- Gwangju Center, Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI), Gwangju, Korea
| | - Jong-Seok Moon
- Soonchunhyang Institute of Medi-Bio Science, Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan, Korea
- Department of Integrated Biomedical Science, Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan, Korea
| | - Mihye Lee
- Soonchunhyang Institute of Medi-Bio Science, Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan, Korea
- Department of Integrated Biomedical Science, Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan, Korea
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21
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Yang L, Lu P, Qi X, Yang Q, Liu L, Dou T, Guan Q, Yu C. Metformin inhibits inflammatory response and endoplasmic reticulum stress to improve hypothalamic aging in obese mice. iScience 2023; 26:108082. [PMID: 37860765 PMCID: PMC10582490 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108082] [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: 02/25/2023] [Revised: 08/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The hypothalamus, as a vital brain region for endocrine and metabolism regulation, undergoes functional disruption during obesity.The anti-aging effect of metformin has come into focus. However, whether it has the potential to ameliorate hypothalamic aging and dysfunction in the obese state remains unclear. In this study, obese mice were utilized to investigate the effects of metformin on the hypothalamus of obese mice. According to the results, metformin treatment resulted in improved insulin sensitivity, reduced blood glucose and lipid levels, as well as attenuation of hypothalamic aging, demonstrated by decreased SA-β-gal staining and downregulation of senescence markers. Additionally, metformin decreased the expression of endoplasmic reticulum stress-related proteins in neurons and reduced the inflammatory response triggered by microglia activation. Further mechanistic analysis revealed that metformin inhibited the expression and activation of STING and NLRP3 in microglia. These results reveal a possible mechanism by which metformin ameliorates hypothalamic aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leilei Yang
- Key Laboratory of Endocrine Glucose & Lipids Metabolism and Brain Aging, Ministry of Education; Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Endocrinology and Lipid Metabolism, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Shandong Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Shandong Engineering Laboratory of Prevention and Control for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Peng Lu
- Key Laboratory of Endocrine Glucose & Lipids Metabolism and Brain Aging, Ministry of Education; Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Endocrinology and Lipid Metabolism, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Shandong Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Shandong Engineering Laboratory of Prevention and Control for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Xiangyu Qi
- Key Laboratory of Endocrine Glucose & Lipids Metabolism and Brain Aging, Ministry of Education; Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Endocrinology and Lipid Metabolism, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Shandong Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Shandong Engineering Laboratory of Prevention and Control for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Qian Yang
- Key Laboratory of Endocrine Glucose & Lipids Metabolism and Brain Aging, Ministry of Education; Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Endocrinology and Lipid Metabolism, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Shandong Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Shandong Engineering Laboratory of Prevention and Control for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Luna Liu
- Key Laboratory of Endocrine Glucose & Lipids Metabolism and Brain Aging, Ministry of Education; Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Endocrinology and Lipid Metabolism, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Shandong Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Shandong Engineering Laboratory of Prevention and Control for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Tao Dou
- Key Laboratory of Endocrine Glucose & Lipids Metabolism and Brain Aging, Ministry of Education; Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Endocrinology and Lipid Metabolism, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Shandong Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Shandong Engineering Laboratory of Prevention and Control for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Qingbo Guan
- Key Laboratory of Endocrine Glucose & Lipids Metabolism and Brain Aging, Ministry of Education; Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Endocrinology and Lipid Metabolism, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Shandong Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Shandong Engineering Laboratory of Prevention and Control for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Chunxiao Yu
- Key Laboratory of Endocrine Glucose & Lipids Metabolism and Brain Aging, Ministry of Education; Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Endocrinology and Lipid Metabolism, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Shandong Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Shandong Engineering Laboratory of Prevention and Control for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan, Shandong, China
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22
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Kellogg CM, Pham K, Ko S, Cox JEJ, Machalinski AH, Stout MB, Sharpe AL, Beckstead MJ, Chucair-Elliott AJ, Ocañas SR, Freeman WM. Consistent specificity and efficiency of tamoxifen-mediated cre induction across ages. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.19.558482. [PMID: 37781585 PMCID: PMC10541132 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.19.558482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Temporally controlling cre recombination through tamoxifen (Tam) induction has many advantages for biomedical research. Most studies report Tam induction at early post-natal/juvenile (<2 m.o.) mouse ages, but age-related neurodegeneration and aging studies can require cre induction in older mice (>12 m.o.). While anecdotally reported as problematic, there are no published comparisons of Tam mediated cre induction at early and late ages. Here, microglial-specific Cx3cr1 creERT 2 mice were crossed to a floxed NuTRAP reporter to compare cre induction at early (3-6 m.o.) and late (20 m.o.) ages. Specificity and efficiency of microglial labeling at 21-22 m.o. were identical in mice induced with Tam at 3-6 m.o. or 20 m.o. of age. Age-related microglial translatomic changes were also similar regardless of Tam induction age. Each cre and flox mouse line should be validated independently, however, these findings demonstrate that Tam-mediated cre induction can be performed even into older mouse ages.
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23
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Brivio E, Kos A, Ulivi AF, Karamihalev S, Ressle A, Stoffel R, Hirsch D, Stelzer G, Schmidt MV, Lopez JP, Chen A. Sex shapes cell-type-specific transcriptional signatures of stress exposure in the mouse hypothalamus. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112874. [PMID: 37516966 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112874] [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: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Stress-related psychiatric disorders and the stress system show prominent differences between males and females, as well as strongly divergent transcriptional changes. Despite several proposed mechanisms, we still lack the understanding of the molecular processes at play. Here, we explore the contribution of cell types to transcriptional sex dimorphism using single-cell RNA sequencing. We identify cell-type-specific signatures of acute restraint stress in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, a central hub of the stress response, in male and female mice. Further, we show that a history of chronic mild stress alters these signatures in a sex-specific way, and we identify oligodendrocytes as a major target for these sex-specific effects. This dataset, which we provide as an online interactive app, offers the transcriptomes of thousands of individual cells as a molecular resource for an in-depth dissection of the interplay between cell types and sex on the mechanisms of the stress response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Brivio
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany; International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry (IMPRS-TP), 80804 Munich, Germany; Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel; Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Aron Kos
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany
| | | | - Stoyo Karamihalev
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany; International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry (IMPRS-TP), 80804 Munich, Germany
| | - Andrea Ressle
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany
| | - Rainer Stoffel
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany
| | - Dana Hirsch
- Department of Veterinary Resources, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Gil Stelzer
- Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Mathias V Schmidt
- Research Group Neurobiology of Stress Resilience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany
| | - Juan Pablo Lopez
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany; Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Alon Chen
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany; Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel; Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel.
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24
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Abdullatef S, Farina C. Publicly available ex vivo transcriptomics datasets to explore CNS physiology and neurodegeneration: state of the art and perspectives. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1211079. [PMID: 37680966 PMCID: PMC10481165 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1211079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The central nervous system (CNS) is characterized by an intricate composition of diverse cell types, including neurons and glia cells (astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and microglia), whose functions may differ along time, between sexes and upon pathology. The advancements in high-throughput transcriptomics are providing fundamental insights on cell phenotypes, so that molecular codes and instructions are ever more described for CNS physiology and neurodegeneration. To facilitate the search of relevant information, this review provides an overview of key CNS transcriptomics studies ranging from CNS development to ageing and from physiology to pathology as defined for five neurodegenerative disorders and their relative animal models, with a focus on molecular descriptions whose raw data were publicly available. Accurate phenotypic descriptions of cellular states correlate with functional changes and this knowledge may support research devoted to the development of therapeutic strategies supporting CNS repair and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Abdullatef
- Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology (INSpe), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Faculty of Medicine, Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Cinthia Farina
- Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology (INSpe), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
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25
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Abstract
Organismal aging exhibits wide-ranging hallmarks in divergent cell types across tissues, organs, and systems. The advancement of single-cell technologies and generation of rich datasets have afforded the scientific community the opportunity to decode these hallmarks of aging at an unprecedented scope and resolution. In this review, we describe the technological advancements and bioinformatic methodologies enabling data interpretation at the cellular level. Then, we outline the application of such technologies for decoding aging hallmarks and potential intervention targets and summarize common themes and context-specific molecular features in representative organ systems across the body. Finally, we provide a brief summary of available databases relevant for aging research and present an outlook on the opportunities in this emerging field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; ,
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Xu Chi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing, China;
| | - Yusheng Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; ,
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Zhejun Ji
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Si Wang
- Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China;
- Aging Translational Medicine Center, International Center for Aging and Cancer, Beijing Municipal Geriatric Medical Research Center, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Ren
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing, China;
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Guang-Hui Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; ,
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing, China
- Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China;
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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26
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Abdolmaleky HM, Zhou JR. Underlying Mechanisms of Brain Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases as Potential Targets for Preventive or Therapeutic Strategies Using Phytochemicals. Nutrients 2023; 15:3456. [PMID: 37571393 PMCID: PMC10473240 DOI: 10.3390/nu15153456] [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: 07/01/2023] [Revised: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
During aging, several tissues and biological systems undergo a progressive decline in function, leading to age-associated diseases such as neurodegenerative, inflammatory, metabolic, and cardiovascular diseases and cancer. In this review, we focus on the molecular underpinning of senescence and neurodegeneration related to age-associated brain diseases, in particular, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, along with introducing nutrients or phytochemicals that modulate age-associated molecular dysfunctions, potentially offering preventive or therapeutic benefits. Based on current knowledge, the dysregulation of microglia genes and neuroinflammation, telomere attrition, neuronal stem cell degradation, vascular system dysfunction, reactive oxygen species, loss of chromosome X inactivation in females, and gut microbiome dysbiosis have been seen to play pivotal roles in neurodegeneration in an interactive manner. There are several phytochemicals (e.g., curcumin, EGCG, fucoidan, galangin, astin C, apigenin, resveratrol, phytic acid, acacetin, daucosterol, silibinin, sulforaphane, withaferin A, and betulinic acid) that modulate the dysfunction of one or several key genes (e.g., TREM2, C3, C3aR1, TNFA, NF-kb, TGFB1&2, SIRT1&6, HMGB1, and STING) affected in the aged brain. Although phytochemicals have shown promise in slowing down the progression of age-related brain diseases, more studies to identify their efficacy, alone or in combinations, in preclinical systems can help to design novel nutritional strategies for the management of neurodegenerative diseases in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jin-Rong Zhou
- Nutrition/Metabolism Laboratory, Department of Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA;
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27
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Elsamad G, Mecawi AS, Pauža AG, Gillard B, Paterson A, Duque VJ, Šarenac O, Žigon NJ, Greenwood M, Greenwood MP, Murphy D. Ageing restructures the transcriptome of the hypothalamic supraoptic nucleus and alters the response to dehydration. NPJ AGING 2023; 9:12. [PMID: 37264028 PMCID: PMC10234251 DOI: 10.1038/s41514-023-00108-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Ageing is associated with altered neuroendocrine function. In the context of the hypothalamic supraoptic nucleus, which makes the antidiuretic hormone vasopressin, ageing alters acute responses to hyperosmotic cues, rendering the elderly more susceptible to dehydration. Chronically, vasopressin has been associated with numerous diseases of old age, including type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Bulk RNAseq transcriptome analysis has been used to catalogue the polyadenylated supraoptic nucleus transcriptomes of adult (3 months) and aged (18 months) rats in basal euhydrated and stimulated dehydrated conditions. Gene ontology and Weighted Correlation Network Analysis revealed that ageing is associated with alterations in the expression of extracellular matrix genes. Interestingly, whilst the transcriptomic response to dehydration is overall blunted in aged animals compared to adults, there is a specific enrichment of differentially expressed genes related to neurodegenerative processes in the aged cohort, suggesting that dehydration itself may provoke degenerative consequences in aged rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghadir Elsamad
- Molecular Neuroendocrinology Research Group, Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences, Dorothy Hodgkin Building, University of Bristol, Bristol, England
| | - André Souza Mecawi
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroendocrinology, Department of Biophysics, Paulista School of Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Audrys G Pauža
- Molecular Neuroendocrinology Research Group, Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences, Dorothy Hodgkin Building, University of Bristol, Bristol, England
- Translational Cardio-Respiratory Research Group, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Benjamin Gillard
- Molecular Neuroendocrinology Research Group, Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences, Dorothy Hodgkin Building, University of Bristol, Bristol, England
| | - Alex Paterson
- Molecular Neuroendocrinology Research Group, Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences, Dorothy Hodgkin Building, University of Bristol, Bristol, England
- Insilico Consulting Ltd., Wapping Wharf, Bristol, England
| | - Victor J Duque
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroendocrinology, Department of Biophysics, Paulista School of Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Olivera Šarenac
- Institute of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
- Department of Safety Pharmacology, Abbvie, North Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Nina Japundžić Žigon
- Institute of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Mingkwan Greenwood
- Molecular Neuroendocrinology Research Group, Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences, Dorothy Hodgkin Building, University of Bristol, Bristol, England
| | - Michael P Greenwood
- Molecular Neuroendocrinology Research Group, Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences, Dorothy Hodgkin Building, University of Bristol, Bristol, England
| | - David Murphy
- Molecular Neuroendocrinology Research Group, Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences, Dorothy Hodgkin Building, University of Bristol, Bristol, England.
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28
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Li H, Zhou J, Li Z, Chen S, Liao X, Zhang B, Zhang R, Wang Y, Sun S, Gao X. A comprehensive benchmarking with practical guidelines for cellular deconvolution of spatial transcriptomics. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1548. [PMID: 36941264 PMCID: PMC10027878 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37168-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Spatial transcriptomics technologies are used to profile transcriptomes while preserving spatial information, which enables high-resolution characterization of transcriptional patterns and reconstruction of tissue architecture. Due to the existence of low-resolution spots in recent spatial transcriptomics technologies, uncovering cellular heterogeneity is crucial for disentangling the spatial patterns of cell types, and many related methods have been proposed. Here, we benchmark 18 existing methods resolving a cellular deconvolution task with 50 real-world and simulated datasets by evaluating the accuracy, robustness, and usability of the methods. We compare these methods comprehensively using different metrics, resolutions, spatial transcriptomics technologies, spot numbers, and gene numbers. In terms of performance, CARD, Cell2location, and Tangram are the best methods for conducting the cellular deconvolution task. To refine our comparative results, we provide decision-tree-style guidelines and recommendations for method selection and their additional features, which will help users easily choose the best method for fulfilling their concerns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoyang Li
- Computational Bioscience Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Juexiao Zhou
- Computational Bioscience Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Zhongxiao Li
- Computational Bioscience Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Siyuan Chen
- Computational Bioscience Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Xingyu Liao
- Computational Bioscience Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Bin Zhang
- Computational Bioscience Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Yu Wang
- Syneron Technology, Guangzhou, 510000, China
| | - Shiwei Sun
- Key Lab of Intelligent Information Processing, Institute of Computing Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Gao
- Computational Bioscience Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.
- Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.
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29
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Korgan AC, Oliveira-Abreu K, Wei W, Martin SLA, Bridges ZJD, Leal-Cardoso JH, Kaczorowski CC, O'Connell KMS. High sucrose consumption decouples intrinsic and synaptic excitability of AgRP neurons without altering body weight. Int J Obes (Lond) 2023; 47:224-235. [PMID: 36725979 PMCID: PMC10023568 DOI: 10.1038/s41366-023-01265-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE As the obesity epidemic continues, the understanding of macronutrient influence on central nervous system function is critical for understanding diet-induced obesity and potential therapeutics, particularly in light of the increased sugar content in processed foods. Previous research showed mixed effects of sucrose feeding on body weight gain but has yet to reveal insight into the impact of sucrose on hypothalamic functioning. Here, we explore the impact of liquid sucrose feeding for 12 weeks on body weight, body composition, caloric intake, and hypothalamic AgRP neuronal function and synaptic plasticity. METHODS Patch-clamp electrophysiology of hypothalamic AgRP neurons, metabolic phenotyping and food intake were performed on C57BL/6J mice. RESULTS While mice given sugar-sweetened water do not gain significant weight, they do show subtle differences in body composition and caloric intake. When given sugar-sweetened water, mice show similar alterations to AgRP neuronal excitability as in high-fat diet obese models. Increased sugar consumption also primes mice for increased caloric intake and weight gain when given access to a HFD. CONCLUSIONS Our results show that elevated sucrose consumption increased activity of AgRP neurons and altered synaptic excitability. This may contribute to obesity in mice and humans with access to more palatable (HFD) diets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austin C Korgan
- The Jackson Laboratory for Mammalian Genetics, Bar Harbor, ME, USA
| | - Klausen Oliveira-Abreu
- The Jackson Laboratory for Mammalian Genetics, Bar Harbor, ME, USA
- Instituto Superior de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Estadual do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Wei Wei
- The Jackson Laboratory for Mammalian Genetics, Bar Harbor, ME, USA
- Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Zoey J D Bridges
- The Jackson Laboratory for Mammalian Genetics, Bar Harbor, ME, USA
| | | | - Catherine C Kaczorowski
- The Jackson Laboratory for Mammalian Genetics, Bar Harbor, ME, USA
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, ME, USA
- Neuroscience Program, Graduate School of Biomedical Science, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kristen M S O'Connell
- The Jackson Laboratory for Mammalian Genetics, Bar Harbor, ME, USA.
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, ME, USA.
- Neuroscience Program, Graduate School of Biomedical Science, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
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30
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Sreenivasan VKA, Dore R, Resch J, Maier J, Dietrich C, Henck J, Balachandran S, Mittag J, Spielmann M. Single-cell RNA-based phenotyping reveals a pivotal role of thyroid hormone receptor alpha for hypothalamic development. Development 2023; 150:286776. [PMID: 36715020 PMCID: PMC10110490 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201228] [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: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Thyroid hormone and its receptor TRα1 play an important role in brain development. Several animal models have been used to investigate this function, including mice heterozygous for the TRα1R384C mutation, which confers receptor-mediated hypothyroidism. These mice display abnormalities in several autonomic functions, which was partially attributed to a developmental defect in hypothalamic parvalbumin neurons. However, whether other cell types in the hypothalamus are similarly affected remains unknown. Here, we used single-nucleus RNA sequencing to obtain an unbiased view on the importance of TRα1 for hypothalamic development and cellular diversity. Our data show that defective TRα1 signaling has surprisingly little effect on the development of hypothalamic neuronal populations, but it heavily affects hypothalamic oligodendrocytes. Using selective reactivation of the mutant TRα1 during specific developmental periods, we find that early postnatal thyroid hormone action seems to be crucial for proper hypothalamic oligodendrocyte maturation. Taken together, our findings underline the well-known importance of postnatal thyroid health for brain development and provide an unbiased roadmap for the identification of cellular targets of TRα1 action in mouse hypothalamic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Varun K A Sreenivasan
- Institute of Human Genetics, Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, University of Lübeck and University of Kiel, Lübeck 23562, Germany
| | - Riccardo Dore
- Institute for Endocrinology and Diabetes, University of Lübeck and Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein Campus Lübeck, Center of Brain Behavior and Metabolism (CBBM), Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Julia Resch
- Institute for Endocrinology and Diabetes, University of Lübeck and Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein Campus Lübeck, Center of Brain Behavior and Metabolism (CBBM), Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Julia Maier
- Institute for Endocrinology and Diabetes, University of Lübeck and Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein Campus Lübeck, Center of Brain Behavior and Metabolism (CBBM), Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Carola Dietrich
- Human Molecular Genomics Group, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin 14195, Germany
| | - Jana Henck
- Institute of Human Genetics, Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, University of Lübeck and University of Kiel, Lübeck 23562, Germany
- Human Molecular Genomics Group, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin 14195, Germany
| | - Saranya Balachandran
- Institute of Human Genetics, Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, University of Lübeck and University of Kiel, Lübeck 23562, Germany
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), partner site Hamburg/Lübeck/Kiel, Lübeck 23562, Germany
| | - Jens Mittag
- Institute for Endocrinology and Diabetes, University of Lübeck and Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein Campus Lübeck, Center of Brain Behavior and Metabolism (CBBM), Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Malte Spielmann
- Institute of Human Genetics, Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, University of Lübeck and University of Kiel, Lübeck 23562, Germany
- Human Molecular Genomics Group, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin 14195, Germany
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), partner site Hamburg/Lübeck/Kiel, Lübeck 23562, Germany
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31
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Xing Y, Zan C, Liu L. Recent advances in understanding neuronal diversity and neural circuit complexity across different brain regions using single-cell sequencing. Front Neural Circuits 2023; 17:1007755. [PMID: 37063385 PMCID: PMC10097998 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2023.1007755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Neural circuits are characterized as interconnecting neuron networks connected by synapses. Some kinds of gene expression and/or functional changes of neurons and synaptic connections may result in aberrant neural circuits, which has been recognized as one crucial pathological mechanism for the onset of many neurological diseases. Gradual advances in single-cell sequencing approaches with strong technological advantages, as exemplified by high throughput and increased resolution for live cells, have enabled it to assist us in understanding neuronal diversity across diverse brain regions and further transformed our knowledge of cellular building blocks of neural circuits through revealing numerous molecular signatures. Currently published transcriptomic studies have elucidated various neuronal subpopulations as well as their distribution across prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, hypothalamus, and dorsal root ganglion, etc. Better characterization of brain region-specific circuits may shed light on new pathological mechanisms involved and assist in selecting potential targets for the prevention and treatment of specific neurological disorders based on their established roles. Given diverse neuronal populations across different brain regions, we aim to give a brief sketch of current progress in understanding neuronal diversity and neural circuit complexity according to their locations. With the special focus on the application of single-cell sequencing, we thereby summarize relevant region-specific findings. Considering the importance of spatial context and connectivity in neural circuits, we also discuss a few published results obtained by spatial transcriptomics. Taken together, these single-cell sequencing data may lay a mechanistic basis for functional identification of brain circuit components, which links their molecular signatures to anatomical regions, connectivity, morphology, and physiology. Furthermore, the comprehensive characterization of neuron subtypes, their distributions, and connectivity patterns via single-cell sequencing is critical for understanding neural circuit properties and how they generate region-dependent interactions in different context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Xing
- Department of Neurology, Beidahuang Industry Group General Hospital, Harbin, China
| | - Chunfang Zan
- Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), LMU Klinikum, Ludwig-Maximilian-University (LMU), Munich, Germany
| | - Lu Liu
- Munich Medical Research School (MMRS), LMU Klinikum, Ludwig-Maximilian-University (LMU), Munich, Germany
- *Correspondence: Lu Liu, ,
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32
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Hajdarovic KH, Yu D, Webb AE. Understanding the aging hypothalamus, one cell at a time. Trends Neurosci 2022; 45:942-954. [PMID: 36272823 PMCID: PMC9671837 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2022.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The hypothalamus is a brain region that integrates signals from the periphery and the environment to maintain organismal homeostasis. To do so, specialized hypothalamic neuropeptidergic neurons control a range of processes, such as sleep, feeding, the stress response, and hormone release. These processes are altered with age, which can affect longevity and contribute to disease status. Technological advances, such as single-cell RNA sequencing, are upending assumptions about the transcriptional identity of cell types in the hypothalamus and revealing how distinct cell types change with age. In this review, we summarize current knowledge about the contribution of hypothalamic functions to aging. We highlight recent single-cell studies interrogating distinct cell types of the mouse hypothalamus and suggest ways in which single-cell 'omics technologies can be used to further understand the aging hypothalamus and its role in longevity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Doudou Yu
- Graduate program in Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Ashley E Webb
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA; Center on the Biology of Aging, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA; Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA; Center for Translational Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA.
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33
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander C Jackson
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA.
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