1
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Schulte S, Decker D, Nowduri B, Gries M, Christmann A, Meyszner A, Rabe H, Saumer M, Schäfer KH. Improving morphological and functional properties of enteric neuronal networks in vitro using a novel upside-down culture approach. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 2024; 326:G567-G582. [PMID: 38193168 PMCID: PMC11376983 DOI: 10.1152/ajpgi.00170.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
The enteric nervous system (ENS) comprises millions of neurons and glia embedded in the wall of the gastrointestinal tract. It not only controls important functions of the gut but also interacts with the immune system, gut microbiota, and the gut-brain axis, thereby playing a key role in the health and disease of the whole organism. Any disturbance of this intricate system is mirrored in an alteration of electrical functionality, making electrophysiological methods important tools for investigating ENS-related disorders. Microelectrode arrays (MEAs) provide an appropriate noninvasive approach to recording signals from multiple neurons or whole networks simultaneously. However, studying isolated cells of the ENS can be challenging, considering the limited time that these cells can be kept vital in vitro. Therefore, we developed an alternative approach cultivating cells on glass samples with spacers (fabricated by photolithography methods). The spacers allow the cells to grow upside down in a spatially confined environment while enabling acute consecutive recordings of multiple ENS cultures on the same MEA. Upside-down culture also shows beneficial effects on the growth and behavior of enteric neural cultures. The number of dead cells was significantly decreased, and neural networks showed a higher resemblance to the myenteric plexus ex vivo while producing more stable signals than cultures grown in the conventional way. Overall, our results indicate that the upside-down approach not only allows to investigate the impact of neurological diseases in vitro but could also offer insights into the growth and development of the ENS under conditions much closer to the in vivo environment.NEW & NOTEWORTHY In this study, we devised a novel approach for culturing and electrophysiological recording of the enteric nervous system using custom-made glass substrates with spacers. This allows to turn cultures of isolated myenteric plexus upside down, enhancing the use of the microelectrode array technique by allowing recording of multiple cultures consecutively using only one chip. In addition, upside-down culture led to significant improvements in the culture conditions, resulting in a more in vivo-like growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Schulte
- Department of Informatics and Microsystems Technology, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Zweibrücken, Germany
| | - Dominique Decker
- Department of Informatics and Microsystems Technology, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Zweibrücken, Germany
| | - Bharat Nowduri
- Department of Informatics and Microsystems Technology, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Zweibrücken, Germany
| | - Manuela Gries
- Department of Informatics and Microsystems Technology, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Zweibrücken, Germany
| | - Anne Christmann
- Department of Informatics and Microsystems Technology, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Zweibrücken, Germany
| | - Antoine Meyszner
- Department of Informatics and Microsystems Technology, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Zweibrücken, Germany
| | - Holger Rabe
- Department of Informatics and Microsystems Technology, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Zweibrücken, Germany
| | - Monika Saumer
- Department of Informatics and Microsystems Technology, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Zweibrücken, Germany
| | - Karl-Herbert Schäfer
- Department of Informatics and Microsystems Technology, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Zweibrücken, Germany
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2
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Petersen KA, Zong W, Depoy LM, Scott MR, Shankar VG, Burns JN, Cerwensky AJ, Kim SM, Ketchesin KD, Tseng GC, McClung CA. Comparative rhythmic transcriptome profiling of human and mouse striatal subregions. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024; 49:796-805. [PMID: 38182777 PMCID: PMC10948754 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01788-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
The human striatum can be subdivided into the caudate, putamen, and nucleus accumbens (NAc). In mice, this roughly corresponds to the dorsal medial striatum (DMS), dorsal lateral striatum (DLS), and ventral striatum (NAc). Each of these structures have some overlapping and distinct functions related to motor control, cognitive processing, motivation, and reward. Previously, we used a "time-of-death" approach to identify diurnal rhythms in RNA transcripts in these three human striatal subregions. Here, we identify molecular rhythms across similar striatal subregions collected from C57BL/6J mice across 6 times of day and compare results to the human striatum. Pathway analysis indicates a large degree of overlap between species in rhythmic transcripts involved in processes like cellular stress, energy metabolism, and translation. Notably, a striking finding in humans is that small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are among the most highly rhythmic transcripts in the NAc and this is not conserved in mice, suggesting the rhythmicity of RNA processing in this region could be uniquely human. Furthermore, the peak timing of overlapping rhythmic genes is altered between species, but not consistently in one direction. Taken together, these studies reveal conserved as well as distinct transcriptome rhythms across the human and mouse striatum and are an important step in understanding the normal function of diurnal rhythms in humans and model organisms in these regions and how disruption could lead to pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn A Petersen
- Department of Psychiatry, Translational Neuroscience Program, Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Wei Zong
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Lauren M Depoy
- Department of Psychiatry, Translational Neuroscience Program, Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Madeline R Scott
- Department of Psychiatry, Translational Neuroscience Program, Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Vaishnavi G Shankar
- Department of Psychiatry, Translational Neuroscience Program, Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jennifer N Burns
- Department of Psychiatry, Translational Neuroscience Program, Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Allison J Cerwensky
- Department of Psychiatry, Translational Neuroscience Program, Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Sam-Moon Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Translational Neuroscience Program, Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Kyle D Ketchesin
- Department of Psychiatry, Translational Neuroscience Program, Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - George C Tseng
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Colleen A McClung
- Department of Psychiatry, Translational Neuroscience Program, Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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3
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Xunzhong Q, Miao G, Guangtao S, Huiying Z, Chenglong H, Xiaogang Z, Shunjie B, Xinyan H, Chengji W, Zuoyi H, Xiaofeng Z. Inhibition of the Rho/ROCK pathway promotes the expression of developmental and migration-related genes in astrocytes exposed to alcohol. Alcohol 2024; 115:5-12. [PMID: 37481044 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2023.06.003] [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: 03/11/2023] [Revised: 05/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes are an important regulator of alcohol dependence. Furthermore, the downregulation of Rho-associated coiled coil-containing protein kinase 2 (ROCK2) attenuates alcohol-induced inflammation and oxidative stress in astrocytes. On the basis of these findings, we examined the effects of alcohol and a Rho/RACK kinases inhibitor on astrocyte function and investigated their effects on mRNA expression to further explore the protective mechanisms of a Rho/RACK kinases inhibitor in astrocytes after alcohol exposure. CTX TNA2 astrocytes were cultured with alcohol and Rho/RACK kinases inhibitor intervention before undergoing transcriptome sequencing, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and wound healing assays. Alcohol exposure modulated cell morphology and inhibited astrocyte migration, whereas Fasudil improved cell morphology and promoted astrocyte migration after alcohol exposure. Transcriptome sequencing results indicated that alcohol exposure modulates the expression of genes involved in astrocyte development. Fasudil reversed the effects of alcohol exposure on the astrocyte developmental process. Four genes related to the developmental process and migration - Ccl2, Postn, Itga8, and Serpine1 - with the highest protein-protein interaction correlations (node degree >7) were selected for verification by qRT-PCR, and the results were consistent with those of the sequencing and wound healing assays. Our results suggest that the Rho/ROCK pathway is essential for alcohol to be able to interfere with astrocyte development and migration gene expression. The Rho/ROCK pathway inhibitor Fasudil reversed the adverse effects of alcohol exposure on astrocytes and may have clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Xunzhong
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, People's Republic of China
| | - Guo Miao
- Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, People's Republic of China
| | - Sun Guangtao
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhao Huiying
- Department of Neurology, Yichun Forestry Administration Central Hospital, Yichun, People's Republic of China
| | - Huang Chenglong
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, University-Town Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhong Xiaogang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment on Brain Functional Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China; College of Basic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Bai Shunjie
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Huang Xinyan
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, People's Republic of China
| | - Wu Chengji
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, People's Republic of China
| | - Huang Zuoyi
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, People's Republic of China.
| | - Zhu Xiaofeng
- Mudanjiang Medical College, Mudanjiang, People's Republic of China.
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Garcia-Marin V, Kelly JG, Hawken MJ. Neuronal composition of processing modules in human V1: laminar density for neuronal and non-neuronal populations and a comparison with macaque. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhad512. [PMID: 38183210 PMCID: PMC10839852 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad512] [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: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The neuronal composition of homologous brain regions in different primates is important for understanding their processing capacities. Primary visual cortex (V1) has been widely studied in different members of the catarrhines. Neuronal density is considered to be central in defining the structure-function relationship. In human, there are large variations in the reported neuronal density from prior studies. We found the neuronal density in human V1 was 79,000 neurons/mm3, which is 35% of the neuronal density previously determined in macaque V1. Laminar density was proportionally similar between human and macaque. In V1, the ocular dominance column (ODC) contains the circuits for the emergence of orientation preference and spatial processing of a point image in many mammalian species. Analysis of the total neurons in an ODC and of the full number of neurons in macular vision (the central 15°) indicates that humans have 1.3× more neurons than macaques even though the density of neurons in macaque is 3× the density in human V1. We propose that the number of neurons in a functional processing unit rather than the number of neurons under a mm2 of cortex is more appropriate for cortical comparisons across species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jenna G Kelly
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York City, NY 10003, United States
| | - Michael J Hawken
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York City, NY 10003, United States
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5
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Wu J, Yang OJ, Soderblom EJ, Yan D. Heat Shock Proteins Function as Signaling Molecules to Mediate Neuron-Glia Communication During Aging. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.18.576052. [PMID: 38293019 PMCID: PMC10827141 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.18.576052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
The nervous system is primarily composed of neurons and glia, and the communication between them plays profound roles in regulating the development and function of the brain. Neuron-glia signal transduction is known to be mediated by secreted or juxtacrine signals through ligand-receptor interactions on the cell membrane. Here, we report a novel mechanism for neuron-glia signal transduction, wherein neurons transmit proteins to glia through extracellular vesicles, activating glial signaling pathways. We find that in the amphid sensory organ of Caenorhabditis elegans, different sensory neurons exhibit varying aging rates. This discrepancy in aging is governed by the crosstalk between neurons and glia. We demonstrate that early-aged neurons can transmit heat shock proteins (HSP) to glia via extracellular vesicles. These neuronal HSPs activate the IRE1-XBP1 pathway, further increasing their expression in glia, forming a positive feedback loop. Ultimately, the activation of the IRE1-XBP-1 pathway leads to the transcriptional regulation of chondroitin synthases to protect glia-embedded neurons from aging-associated functional decline. Therefore, our studies unveil a novel mechanism for neuron-glia communication in the nervous system and provide new insights into our understanding of brain aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jieyu Wu
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Olivia Jiaming Yang
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- East Chapel Hill High School, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA
| | - Erik J. Soderblom
- Proteomics and Metabolomics Core Facility, Duke University Medical School, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Dong Yan
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Department of Cell biology, Department of Neurobiology, Regeneration next, and Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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6
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Yadav I, Kumar R, Fatima Z, Rema V. Ocimum sanctum [Tulsi] as a Potential Immunomodulator for the Treatment of Ischemic Injury in the Brain. Curr Mol Med 2024; 24:60-73. [PMID: 36515030 DOI: 10.2174/1566524023666221212155340] [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: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Stroke causes brain damage and is one of the main reasons for death. Most survivors of stroke face long-term physical disabilities and cognitive dysfunctions. In addition, they also have persistent emotional and behavioral changes. The two main treatments that are effective are reperfusion with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator and recanalization of penumbra using mechanical thrombectomy. However, these treatments are suitable only for a few patients due to limitations such as susceptibility to hemorrhage and the requirement for administering tissue plasminogen activators within the short therapeutic window during the early hours following a stroke. The paucity of interventions and treatments could be because of the multiple pathological mechanisms induced in the brain by stroke. The ongoing immune response following stroke has been attributed to the worsening brain injury. Hence, novel compounds with immunomodulatory properties that could improve the outcome of stroke patients are required. Natural compounds and medicinal herbs with anti-inflammatory activities and having minimal or no adverse systemic effect could be beneficial in treating stroke. Ocimum sanctum is a medicinal herb that can be considered an effective therapeutic option for ischemic brain injury. Ocimum sanctum, commonly known as holy basil or "Tulsi," is mentioned as the "Elixir of Life" for its healing powers. Since antiquity, Tulsi has been used in the Ayurvedic and Siddha medical systems to treat several diseases. It possesses immuno-modulatory activity, which can alter cellular and humoral immune responses. Tulsi can be considered a potential option as an immuno-modulator for treating various diseases, including brain stroke. In this review, we will focus on the immunomodulatory properties of Tulsi, specifically its effect on both innate and adaptive immunity, as well as its antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties, which could potentially be effective in treating ongoing immune reactions following ischemic brain injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inderjeet Yadav
- National Brain Research Centre [NBRC], Manesar, Haryana, 122052, India
| | - Ravi Kumar
- National Brain Research Centre [NBRC], Manesar, Haryana, 122052, India
| | - Zeeshan Fatima
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Bisha, Bisha 61922, Saudi Arabia
- Amity Institute of Biotechno logy, Amity University Haryana, Gurugram (Manesar)-122413, India
| | - Velayudhan Rema
- National Brain Research Centre [NBRC], Manesar, Haryana, 122052, India
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7
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Usui N. Possible roles of deep cortical neurons and oligodendrocytes in the neural basis of human sociality. Anat Sci Int 2024; 99:34-47. [PMID: 38010534 PMCID: PMC10771383 DOI: 10.1007/s12565-023-00747-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Sociality is an instinctive property of organisms that live in relation to others and is a complex characteristic of higher order brain functions. However, the evolution of the human brain to acquire higher order brain functions, such as sociality, and the neural basis for executing these functions and their control mechanisms are largely unknown. Several studies have attempted to evaluate how human sociality was acquired during the course of evolution and the mechanisms controlling sociality from a neurodevelopment viewpoint. This review discusses these findings in the context of human brain evolution and the pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Comparative genomic studies of postmortem primate brains have demonstrated human-specific regulatory mechanisms underlying higher order brain functions, providing evidence for the contribution of oligodendrocytes to human brain function. Functional analyses of the causative genes of ASD in animal models have demonstrated that the neural basis of social behavior is associated with layer 6 (L6) of the neocortex and oligodendrocytes. These findings demonstrate that both neurons and oligodendrocytes contribute to the neural basis and molecular mechanisms underlying human brain evolution and social functioning. This review provides novel insights into sociability and the corresponding neural bases of brain disorders and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noriyoshi Usui
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, 565-0871, Japan.
- Omics Center, Center of Medical Innovation and Translational Research, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, 565-0871, Japan.
- United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Suita, 565-0871, Japan.
- Global Center for Medical Engineering and Informatics, Osaka University, Suita, 565-0871, Japan.
- Addiction Research Unit, Osaka Psychiatric Research Center, Osaka Psychiatric Medical Center, Osaka, 541-8567, Japan.
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8
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Akula SK, Exposito-Alonso D, Walsh CA. Shaping the brain: The emergence of cortical structure and folding. Dev Cell 2023; 58:2836-2849. [PMID: 38113850 PMCID: PMC10793202 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2023.11.004] [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: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 04/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
The cerebral cortex-the brain's covering and largest region-has increased in size and complexity in humans and supports higher cognitive functions such as language and abstract thinking. There is a growing understanding of the human cerebral cortex, including the diversity and number of cell types that it contains, as well as of the developmental mechanisms that shape cortical structure and organization. In this review, we discuss recent progress in our understanding of molecular and cellular processes, as well as mechanical forces, that regulate the folding of the cerebral cortex. Advances in human genetics, coupled with experimental modeling in gyrencephalic species, have provided insights into the central role of cortical progenitors in the gyrification and evolutionary expansion of the cerebral cortex. These studies are essential for understanding the emergence of structural and functional organization during cortical development and the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders associated with cortical malformations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shyam K Akula
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Allen Discovery Center for Human Brain Evolution, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland, USA
| | - David Exposito-Alonso
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Allen Discovery Center for Human Brain Evolution, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland, USA
| | - Christopher A Walsh
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Allen Discovery Center for Human Brain Evolution, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland, USA.
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Pansuwan T, Quaegebeur A, Kaalund SS, Hidari E, Briggs M, Rowe JB, Rittman T. Accurate digital quantification of tau pathology in progressive supranuclear palsy. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2023; 11:178. [PMID: 37946288 PMCID: PMC10634011 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-023-01674-y] [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: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of novel treatments for Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) is hindered by a knowledge gap of the impact of neurodegenerative neuropathology on brain structure and function. The current standard practice for measuring postmortem tau histology is semi-quantitative assessment, which is prone to inter-rater variability, time-consuming and difficult to scale. We developed and optimized a tau aggregate type-specific quantification pipeline for cortical and subcortical regions, in human brain donors with PSP. We quantified 4 tau objects ('neurofibrillary tangles', 'coiled bodies', 'tufted astrocytes', and 'tau fragments') using a probabilistic random forest machine learning classifier. The tau pipeline achieved high classification performance (F1-score > 0.90), comparable to neuropathologist inter-rater reliability in the held-out test set. Using 240 AT8 slides from 32 postmortem brains, the tau burden was correlated against the PSP pathology staging scheme using Spearman's rank correlation. We assessed whether clinical severity (PSP rating scale, PSPRS) score reflects neuropathological severity inferred from PSP stage and tau burden using Bayesian linear mixed regression. Tufted astrocyte density in cortical regions and coiled body density in subcortical regions showed the highest correlation to PSP stage (r = 0.62 and r = 0.38, respectively). Using traditional manual staging, only PSP patients in stage 6, not earlier stages, had significantly higher clinical severity than stage 2. Cortical tau density and neurofibrillary tangle density in subcortical regions correlated with clinical severity. Overall, our data indicate the potential for highly accurate digital tau aggregate type-specific quantification for neurodegenerative tauopathies; and the importance of studying tau aggregate type-specific burden in different brain regions as opposed to overall tau, to gain insights into the pathogenesis and progression of tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanrada Pansuwan
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cambridge University Centre for Parkinson-Plus, University of Cambridge, Herchel Smith Building, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0SZ, UK.
| | - Annelies Quaegebeur
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cambridge University Centre for Parkinson-Plus, University of Cambridge, Herchel Smith Building, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0SZ, UK
- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
| | - Sanne S Kaalund
- Centre for Neuroscience and Stereology, Bispebjerg University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Eric Hidari
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cambridge University Centre for Parkinson-Plus, University of Cambridge, Herchel Smith Building, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0SZ, UK
| | - Mayen Briggs
- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
| | - James B Rowe
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cambridge University Centre for Parkinson-Plus, University of Cambridge, Herchel Smith Building, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0SZ, UK
- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
- Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Timothy Rittman
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cambridge University Centre for Parkinson-Plus, University of Cambridge, Herchel Smith Building, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0SZ, UK
- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
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10
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Aghajani Mir M. Brain Fog: a Narrative Review of the Most Common Mysterious Cognitive Disorder in COVID-19. Mol Neurobiol 2023:10.1007/s12035-023-03715-y. [PMID: 37874482 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03715-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
It has been more than three years since COVID-19 impacted the lives of millions of people, many of whom suffer from long-term effects known as long-haulers. Notwithstanding multiorgan complaints in long-haulers, signs and symptoms associated with cognitive characteristics commonly known as "brain fog" occur in COVID patients over 50, women, obesity, and asthma at excessive. Brain fog is a set of symptoms that include cognitive impairment, inability to concentrate and multitask, and short-term and long-term memory loss. Of course, brain fog contributes to high levels of anxiety and stress, necessitating an empathetic response to this group of COVID patients. Although the etiology of brain fog in COVID-19 is currently unknown, regarding the mechanisms of pathogenesis, the following hypotheses exist: activation of astrocytes and microglia to release pro-inflammatory cytokines, aggregation of tau protein, and COVID-19 entry in the brain can trigger an autoimmune reaction. There are currently no specific tests to detect brain fog or any specific cognitive rehabilitation methods. However, a healthy lifestyle can help reduce symptoms to some extent, and symptom-based clinical management is also well suited to minimize brain fog side effects in COVID-19 patients. Therefore, this review discusses mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis that may contribute to brain fog, as well as some approaches to providing therapies that may help COVID-19 patients avoid annoying brain fog symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahsa Aghajani Mir
- Deputy of Research and Technology, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
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11
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Sitovskaya D, Zabrodskaya Y, Parshakov P, Sokolova T, Kudlay D, Starshinova A, Samochernykh K. Expression of Cytoskeletal Proteins (GFAP, Vimentin), Proapoptotic Protein (Caspase-3) and Protective Protein (S100) in the Epileptic Focus in Adults and Children with Drug-Resistant Temporal Lobe Epilepsy Associated with Focal Cortical Dysplasia. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14490. [PMID: 37833937 PMCID: PMC10572279 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The European Commission of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) has identified glial mechanisms of seizures and epileptogenesis as top research priorities. The aim of our study was to conduct a comparative analysis of the expression levels of cytoskeletal proteins (glial fibrillar acidic protein (GFAP) and vimentin), protective protein S100, and proapoptotic caspase-3 protein in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) associated with focal cortical dysplasia (FCD). We aimed to investigate how the expression levels of these proteins depend on age (both in children and adults), gender, and disease duration, using immunohistochemistry. Nonparametric statistical methods were employed for data analysis. In the epileptic focus area of the cortex and white matter in patients with FCD-associated temporal lobe DRE, a higher level of expression of these proteins was observed. Age and gender differences were found for vimentin and S100. In the early stages of disease development, there was a compensatory sequential increase in the expression of cytoskeletal and protective proteins. In patients with DRE, depending on the disease duration, patterns of development of neurodegeneration were noted, which is accompanied by apoptosis of gliocytes. These results provide insights into epilepsy mechanisms and may contribute to improving diagnostic and treatment approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darya Sitovskaya
- Polenov Neurosurgical Institute—Branch of Almazov National Medical Research Centre, 197341 St. Petersburg, Russia; (Y.Z.); (T.S.); (A.S.); (K.S.)
- Department of Pathology with a Course of Forensic Medicine Named after D.D. Lochov, St. Petersburg State Pediatric Medical University, 194100 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Yulia Zabrodskaya
- Polenov Neurosurgical Institute—Branch of Almazov National Medical Research Centre, 197341 St. Petersburg, Russia; (Y.Z.); (T.S.); (A.S.); (K.S.)
- Department of Pathology, Mechnikov North-West State Medical University, 191015 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Petr Parshakov
- International Laboratory of Intangible-Driven Economy, National Research University Higher School of Economics, 614070 Perm, Russia;
| | - Tatyana Sokolova
- Polenov Neurosurgical Institute—Branch of Almazov National Medical Research Centre, 197341 St. Petersburg, Russia; (Y.Z.); (T.S.); (A.S.); (K.S.)
| | - Dmitry Kudlay
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmacy, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 119991 Moscow, Russia;
- NRC Institute of Immunology FMBA of Russia, 115552 Moscow, Russia
| | - Anna Starshinova
- Polenov Neurosurgical Institute—Branch of Almazov National Medical Research Centre, 197341 St. Petersburg, Russia; (Y.Z.); (T.S.); (A.S.); (K.S.)
| | - Konstantin Samochernykh
- Polenov Neurosurgical Institute—Branch of Almazov National Medical Research Centre, 197341 St. Petersburg, Russia; (Y.Z.); (T.S.); (A.S.); (K.S.)
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12
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Raghanti MA, Miller EN, Jones DN, Smith HN, Munger EL, Edler MK, Phillips KA, Hopkins WD, Hof PR, Sherwood CC, Lovejoy CO. Hedonic eating, obesity, and addiction result from increased neuropeptide Y in the nucleus accumbens during human brain evolution. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2311118120. [PMID: 37695892 PMCID: PMC10515152 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2311118120] [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: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is central to motivation and action, exhibiting one of the highest densities of neuropeptide Y (NPY) in the brain. Within the NAc, NPY plays a role in reward and is involved in emotional behavior and in increasing alcohol and drug addiction and fat intake. Here, we examined NPY innervation and neurons of the NAc in humans and other anthropoid primates in order to determine whether there are differences among these various species that would correspond to behavioral or life history variables. We quantified NPY-immunoreactive axons and neurons in the NAc of 13 primate species, including humans, great apes, and monkeys. Our data show that the human brain is unique among primates in having denser NPY innervation within the NAc, as measured by axon length density to neuron density, even after accounting for brain size. Combined with our previous finding of increased dopaminergic innervation in the same region, our results suggest that the neurochemical profile of the human NAc appears to have rendered our species uniquely susceptible to neurophysiological conditions such as addiction. The increase in NPY specific to the NAc may represent an adaptation that favors fat intake and contributes to an increased vulnerability to eating disorders, obesity, as well as alcohol and drug dependence. Along with our findings for dopamine, these deeply rooted structural attributes of the human brain are likely to have emerged early in the human clade, laying the groundwork for later brain expansion and the development of cognitive and behavioral specializations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Ann Raghanti
- Department of Anthropology and School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH44242
- Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH44242
| | - Elaine N. Miller
- Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC20052
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC20052
| | - Danielle N. Jones
- Department of Anthropology and School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH44242
- Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH44242
| | - Heather N. Smith
- Department of Anthropology and School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH44242
- Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH44242
| | - Emily L. Munger
- Department of Anthropology and School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH44242
- Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH44242
| | - Melissa K. Edler
- Department of Anthropology and School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH44242
- Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH44242
| | - Kimberley A. Phillips
- Department of Psychology, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX78212
- Southwest National Primate Research Center, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX78245
| | - William D. Hopkins
- Department of Comparative Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX78602
| | - Patrick R. Hof
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY10029
| | - Chet C. Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC20052
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC20052
| | - C. Owen Lovejoy
- Department of Anthropology and School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH44242
- Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH44242
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13
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Zhang YM, Qi YB, Gao YN, Chen WG, Zhou T, Zang Y, Li J. Astrocyte metabolism and signaling pathways in the CNS. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1217451. [PMID: 37732313 PMCID: PMC10507181 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1217451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes comprise half of the cells in the central nervous system and play a critical role in maintaining metabolic homeostasis. Metabolic dysfunction in astrocytes has been indicated as the primary cause of neurological diseases, such as depression, Alzheimer's disease, and epilepsy. Although the metabolic functionalities of astrocytes are well known, their relationship to neurological disorders is poorly understood. The ways in which astrocytes regulate the metabolism of glucose, amino acids, and lipids have all been implicated in neurological diseases. Metabolism in astrocytes has also exhibited a significant influence on neuron functionality and the brain's neuro-network. In this review, we focused on metabolic processes present in astrocytes, most notably the glucose metabolic pathway, the fatty acid metabolic pathway, and the amino-acid metabolic pathway. For glucose metabolism, we focused on the glycolysis pathway, pentose-phosphate pathway, and oxidative phosphorylation pathway. In fatty acid metabolism, we followed fatty acid oxidation, ketone body metabolism, and sphingolipid metabolism. For amino acid metabolism, we summarized neurotransmitter metabolism and the serine and kynurenine metabolic pathways. This review will provide an overview of functional changes in astrocyte metabolism and provide an overall perspective of current treatment and therapy for neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong-mei Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- National Center for Drug Screening, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ying-bei Qi
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- National Center for Drug Screening, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ya-nan Gao
- National Center for Drug Screening, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wen-gang Chen
- National Center for Drug Screening, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ting Zhou
- National Center for Drug Screening, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Zang
- National Center for Drug Screening, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jia Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- National Center for Drug Screening, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
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14
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Stogsdill JA, Harwell CC, Goldman SA. Astrocytes as master modulators of neural networks: Synaptic functions and disease-associated dysfunction of astrocytes. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2023; 1525:41-60. [PMID: 37219367 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.15004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes are the most abundant glial cell type in the central nervous system and are essential to the development, plasticity, and maintenance of neural circuits. Astrocytes are heterogeneous, with their diversity rooted in developmental programs modulated by the local brain environment. Astrocytes play integral roles in regulating and coordinating neural activity extending far beyond their metabolic support of neurons and other brain cell phenotypes. Both gray and white matter astrocytes occupy critical functional niches capable of modulating brain physiology on time scales slower than synaptic activity but faster than those adaptive responses requiring a structural change or adaptive myelination. Given their many associations and functional roles, it is not surprising that astrocytic dysfunction has been causally implicated in a broad set of neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders. In this review, we focus on recent discoveries concerning the contributions of astrocytes to the function of neural networks, with a dual focus on the contribution of astrocytes to synaptic development and maturation, and on their role in supporting myelin integrity, and hence conduction and its regulation. We then address the emerging roles of astrocytic dysfunction in disease pathogenesis and on potential strategies for targeting these cells for therapeutic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Corey C Harwell
- Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Steven A Goldman
- Sana Biotechnology Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA
- University of Copenhagen Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Copenhagen, Denmark
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15
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Cervetto C, Maura G, Guidolin D, Amato S, Ceccoli C, Agnati LF, Marcoli M. Striatal astrocytic A2A-D2 receptor-receptor interactions and their role in neuropsychiatric disorders. Neuropharmacology 2023:109636. [PMID: 37321323 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109636] [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: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
It is now generally accepted that astrocytes are active players in synaptic transmission, so that a neurocentric perspective of the integrative signal communication in the central nervous system is shifting towards a neuro-astrocentric perspective. Astrocytes respond to synaptic activity, release chemical signals (gliotransmitters) and express neurotransmitter receptors (G protein-coupled and ionotropic receptors), thus behaving as co-actors with neurons in signal communication in the central nervous system. The ability of G protein-coupled receptors to physically interact through heteromerization, forming heteromers and receptor mosaics with new distinct signal recognition and transduction pathways, has been intensively studied at neuronal plasma membrane, and has changed the view of the integrative signal communication in the central nervous system. One of the best-known examples of receptor-receptor interaction through heteromerization, with relevant consequences for both the physiological and the pharmacological points of view, is given by adenosine A2A and dopamine D2 receptors on the plasma membrane of striatal neurons. Here we review evidence that native A2A and D2 receptors can interact through heteromerization at the plasma membrane of astrocytes as well. Astrocytic A2A-D2 heteromers were found able to control the release of glutamate from the striatal astrocyte processes. A2A-D2 heteromers on striatal astrocytes and astrocyte processes are discussed as far as their potential relevance in the control of glutamatergic transmission in striatum is concerned, including potential roles in glutamatergic transmission dysregulation in pathological conditions including schizophrenia or the Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Cervetto
- Department of Pharmacy, Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Genova, Genova, Italy; Center for Promotion of 3Rs in Teaching and Research (Centro 3R), Pisa, Italy.
| | - Guido Maura
- Department of Pharmacy, Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Genova, Genova, Italy.
| | - Diego Guidolin
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Padova, Italy.
| | - Sarah Amato
- Department of Pharmacy, Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Genova, Genova, Italy.
| | - Cristina Ceccoli
- Department of Pharmacy, Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Genova, Genova, Italy.
| | - Luigi F Agnati
- Department of Biochemical, Metabolic Sciences and Neuroscience, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.
| | - Manuela Marcoli
- Department of Pharmacy, Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Genova, Genova, Italy; Center for Promotion of 3Rs in Teaching and Research (Centro 3R), Pisa, Italy; Center of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genova, Italy.
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16
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Abdolmaleky HM, Martin M, Zhou JR, Thiagalingam S. Epigenetic Alterations of Brain Non-Neuronal Cells in Major Mental Diseases. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:896. [PMID: 37107654 PMCID: PMC10137903 DOI: 10.3390/genes14040896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The tissue-specific expression and epigenetic dysregulation of many genes in cells derived from the postmortem brains of patients have been reported to provide a fundamental biological framework for major mental diseases such as autism, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression. However, until recently, the impact of non-neuronal brain cells, which arises due to cell-type-specific alterations, has not been adequately scrutinized; this is because of the absence of techniques that directly evaluate their functionality. With the emergence of single-cell technologies, such as RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and other novel techniques, various studies have now started to uncover the cell-type-specific expression and DNA methylation regulation of many genes (e.g., TREM2, MECP2, SLC1A2, TGFB2, NTRK2, S100B, KCNJ10, and HMGB1, and several complement genes such as C1q, C3, C3R, and C4) in the non-neuronal brain cells involved in the pathogenesis of mental diseases. Additionally, several lines of experimental evidence indicate that inflammation and inflammation-induced oxidative stress, as well as many insidious/latent infectious elements including the gut microbiome, alter the expression status and the epigenetic landscapes of brain non-neuronal cells. Here, we present supporting evidence highlighting the importance of the contribution of the brain's non-neuronal cells (in particular, microglia and different types of astrocytes) in the pathogenesis of mental diseases. Furthermore, we also address the potential impacts of the gut microbiome in the dysfunction of enteric and brain glia, as well as astrocytes, which, in turn, may affect neuronal functions in mental disorders. Finally, we present evidence that supports that microbiota transplantations from the affected individuals or mice provoke the corresponding disease-like behavior in the recipient mice, while specific bacterial species may have beneficial effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamid Mostafavi Abdolmaleky
- Department of Medicine (Biomedical Genetics), Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA;
- Department of Surgery, Nutrition/Metabolism Laboratory, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Marian Martin
- Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA
| | - Jin-Rong Zhou
- Department of Surgery, Nutrition/Metabolism Laboratory, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Sam Thiagalingam
- Department of Medicine (Biomedical Genetics), Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA;
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
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17
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Agnati LF, Guidolin D, Cervetto C, Maura G, Marcoli M. Brain Structure and Function: Insights from Chemical Neuroanatomy. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:life13040940. [PMID: 37109469 PMCID: PMC10142941 DOI: 10.3390/life13040940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
We present a brief historical and epistemological outline of investigations on the brain’s structure and functions. These investigations have mainly been based on the intermingling of chemical anatomy, new techniques in the field of microscopy and computer-assisted morphometric methods. This intermingling has enabled extraordinary investigations to be carried out on brain circuits, leading to the development of a new discipline: “brain connectomics”. This new approach has led to the characterization of the brain’s structure and function in physiological and pathological conditions, and to the development of new therapeutic strategies. In this context, the conceptual model of the brain as a hyper-network with a hierarchical, nested architecture, arranged in a “Russian doll” pattern, has been proposed. Our investigations focused on the main characteristics of the modes of communication between nodes at the various miniaturization levels, in order to describe the brain’s integrative actions. Special attention was paid to the nano-level, i.e., to the allosteric interactions among G protein-coupled receptors organized in receptor mosaics, as a promising field in which to obtain a new view of synaptic plasticity and to develop new, more selective drugs. The brain’s multi-level organization and the multi-faceted aspects of communication modes point to an emerging picture of the brain as a very peculiar system, in which continuous self-organization and remodeling take place under the action of external stimuli from the environment, from peripheral organs and from ongoing integrative actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luigi F. Agnati
- Department of Biochemical, Metabolic Sciences and Neuroscience, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy
| | - Diego Guidolin
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Padova, 35121 Padova, Italy
| | - Chiara Cervetto
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Genova, 16148 Genova, Italy
- Center for Promotion of 3Rs in Teaching and Research (Centro 3R), 56122 Pisa, Italy
| | - Guido Maura
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Genova, 16148 Genova, Italy
| | - Manuela Marcoli
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Genova, 16148 Genova, Italy
- Center for Promotion of 3Rs in Teaching and Research (Centro 3R), 56122 Pisa, Italy
- Center of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genova, 16132 Genova, Italy
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18
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Munger EL, Edler MK, Hopkins WD, Hof PR, Sherwood CC, Raghanti MA. Comparative analysis of astrocytes in the prefrontal cortex of primates: Insights into the evolution of human brain energetics. J Comp Neurol 2022; 530:3106-3125. [PMID: 35859531 PMCID: PMC9588662 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes are the main homeostatic cell of the brain involved in many processes related to cognition, immune response, and energy expenditure. It has been suggested that the distribution of astrocytes is associated with brain size, and that they are specialized in humans. To evaluate these, we quantified astrocyte density, soma volume, and total glia density in layer I and white matter in Brodmann's area 9 of humans, chimpanzees, baboons, and macaques. We found that layer I astrocyte density, soma volume, and ratio of astrocytes to total glia cells were highest in humans and increased with brain size. Overall glia density in layer I and white matter were relatively invariant across brain sizes, potentially due to their important metabolic functions on a per volume basis. We also quantified two transporters involved in metabolism through the astrocyte-neuron lactate shuttle, excitatory amino acid transporter 2 (EAAT2) and glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1). We expected these transporters would be increased in human brains due to their high rate of metabolic consumption and associated gene activity. While humans have higher EAAT2 cell density, GLUT1 vessel volume, and GLUT1 area fraction compared to baboons and chimpanzees, they did not differ from macaques. Therefore, EAAT2 and GLUT1 are not related to increased energetic demands of the human brain. Taken together, these data provide evidence that astrocytes play a unique role in both brain expansion and evolution among primates, with an emphasis on layer I astrocytes having a potentially significant role in human-specific metabolic processing and cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily L. Munger
- Department of Anthropology, School of Biomedical Sciences, and Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH
| | - Melissa K. Edler
- Department of Anthropology, School of Biomedical Sciences, and Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH
| | - William D. Hopkins
- Department of Comparative Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX, USA
| | - Patrick R. Hof
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Chet C. Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Mary Ann Raghanti
- Department of Anthropology, School of Biomedical Sciences, and Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH
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19
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Wawrzyniak A, Balawender K, Lalak R, Staszkiewicz R, Boroń D, Grabarek BO. Oligodendrocytes in the periaqueductal gray matter and the corpus callosum in adult male and female domestic sheep. Brain Res 2022; 1792:148036. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2022.148036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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20
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Shultz S, Dunbar RIM. Socioecological complexity in primate groups and its cognitive correlates. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210296. [PMID: 35934968 PMCID: PMC9358314 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Characterizing non-human primate social complexity and its cognitive bases has proved challenging. Using principal component analyses, we show that primate social, ecological and reproductive behaviours condense into two components: socioecological complexity (including most social and ecological variables) and reproductive cooperation (comprising mainly a suite of behaviours associated with pairbonded monogamy). We contextualize these results using a meta-analysis of 44 published analyses of primate brain evolution. These studies yield two main consistent results: cognition, sociality and cooperative behaviours are associated with absolute brain volume, neocortex size and neocortex ratio, whereas diet composition and life history are consistently associated with relative brain size. We use a path analysis to evaluate the causal relationships among these variables, demonstrating that social group size is predicted by the neocortex, whereas ecological traits are predicted by the volume of brain structures other than the neocortex. That a range of social and technical behaviours covary, and are correlated with social group size and brain size, suggests that primate cognition has evolved along a continuum resulting in an increasingly flexible, domain-general capacity to solve a range of socioecological challenges culminating in a capacity for, and reliance on, innovation and social information use in the great apes and humans. This article is part of the theme issue 'Cognition, communication and social bonds in primates'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Shultz
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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21
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Välimäki NN, Bakreen A, Häkli S, Dhungana H, Keuters MH, Dunlop Y, Koskuvi M, Keksa-Goldsteine V, Oksanen M, Jäntti H, Lehtonen Š, Malm T, Koistinaho J, Jolkkonen J. Astrocyte Progenitors Derived From Patients With Alzheimer Disease Do Not Impair Stroke Recovery in Mice. Stroke 2022; 53:3192-3201. [DOI: 10.1161/strokeaha.122.039700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Species-specific differences in astrocytes and their Alzheimer disease-associated pathology may influence cellular responses to other insults. Herein, human glial chimeric mice were generated to evaluate how Alzheimer disease predisposing genetic background in human astrocytes contributes to behavioral outcome and brain pathology after cortical photothrombotic ischemia.
METHODS:
Neonatal (P0) immunodeficient mice of both sexes were transplanted with induced pluripotent stem cell–derived astrocyte progenitors from Alzheimer disease patients carrying
PSEN1
exon 9 deletion (
P
SEN1
Δ
E
9), with isogenic controls, with cells from a healthy donor, or with mouse astrocytes or vehicle. After 14 months, a photothrombotic lesion was produced with Rose Bengal in the motor cortex. Behavior was assessed before ischemia and 1 and 4 weeks after the induction of stroke, followed by tissue perfusion for histology.
RESULTS:
Open field, cylinder, and grid-walking tests showed a persistent locomotor and sensorimotor impairment after ischemia and female mice had larger infarct sizes; yet, these were not affected by astrocytes with
P
SEN1
Δ
E
9 background. Staining for human nuclear antigen confirmed that human cells successfully engrafted throughout the mouse brain. However, only a small number of human cells were positive for astrocytic marker GFAP (glial fibrillary acidic protein), mostly located in the corpus callosum and retaining complex human-specific morphology with longer processes compared with host counterparts. While host astrocytes formed the glial scar, human astrocytes were scattered in small numbers close to the lesion boundary. Aβ (beta-amyloid) deposits were not present in
P
SEN1
ΔE
9 astrocyte-transplanted mice.
CONCLUSIONS:
Transplanted human cells survived and distributed widely in the host brain but had no impact on severity of ischemic damage after cortical photothrombosis in chimeric mice. Only a small number of transplanted human astrocytes acquired GFAP-positive glial phenotype or migrated toward the ischemic lesion forming glial scar.
P
SEN1
ΔE
9 astrocytes did not impair behavioral recovery after experimental stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nelli-Noora Välimäki
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland (N.-N.V., A.B., S.H., H.D., M.H.K., Y.D., M.K., V.K.-G., M.O., H.J., Š.L., T.M., J.K., J.J.)
| | - Abdulhameed Bakreen
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland (N.-N.V., A.B., S.H., H.D., M.H.K., Y.D., M.K., V.K.-G., M.O., H.J., Š.L., T.M., J.K., J.J.)
| | - Sara Häkli
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland (N.-N.V., A.B., S.H., H.D., M.H.K., Y.D., M.K., V.K.-G., M.O., H.J., Š.L., T.M., J.K., J.J.)
| | - Hiramani Dhungana
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland (N.-N.V., A.B., S.H., H.D., M.H.K., Y.D., M.K., V.K.-G., M.O., H.J., Š.L., T.M., J.K., J.J.)
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Finland (H.D., M.H.K., M.K., Š.L., J.K.)
| | - Meike H. Keuters
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland (N.-N.V., A.B., S.H., H.D., M.H.K., Y.D., M.K., V.K.-G., M.O., H.J., Š.L., T.M., J.K., J.J.)
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Finland (H.D., M.H.K., M.K., Š.L., J.K.)
| | - Yannick Dunlop
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland (N.-N.V., A.B., S.H., H.D., M.H.K., Y.D., M.K., V.K.-G., M.O., H.J., Š.L., T.M., J.K., J.J.)
| | - Marja Koskuvi
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland (N.-N.V., A.B., S.H., H.D., M.H.K., Y.D., M.K., V.K.-G., M.O., H.J., Š.L., T.M., J.K., J.J.)
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Finland (H.D., M.H.K., M.K., Š.L., J.K.)
| | - Velta Keksa-Goldsteine
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland (N.-N.V., A.B., S.H., H.D., M.H.K., Y.D., M.K., V.K.-G., M.O., H.J., Š.L., T.M., J.K., J.J.)
| | - Minna Oksanen
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland (N.-N.V., A.B., S.H., H.D., M.H.K., Y.D., M.K., V.K.-G., M.O., H.J., Š.L., T.M., J.K., J.J.)
| | - Henna Jäntti
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland (N.-N.V., A.B., S.H., H.D., M.H.K., Y.D., M.K., V.K.-G., M.O., H.J., Š.L., T.M., J.K., J.J.)
| | - Šárka Lehtonen
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland (N.-N.V., A.B., S.H., H.D., M.H.K., Y.D., M.K., V.K.-G., M.O., H.J., Š.L., T.M., J.K., J.J.)
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Finland (H.D., M.H.K., M.K., Š.L., J.K.)
| | - Tarja Malm
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland (N.-N.V., A.B., S.H., H.D., M.H.K., Y.D., M.K., V.K.-G., M.O., H.J., Š.L., T.M., J.K., J.J.)
| | - Jari Koistinaho
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland (N.-N.V., A.B., S.H., H.D., M.H.K., Y.D., M.K., V.K.-G., M.O., H.J., Š.L., T.M., J.K., J.J.)
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Finland (H.D., M.H.K., M.K., Š.L., J.K.)
| | - Jukka Jolkkonen
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland (N.-N.V., A.B., S.H., H.D., M.H.K., Y.D., M.K., V.K.-G., M.O., H.J., Š.L., T.M., J.K., J.J.)
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22
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Tarricone G, Carmagnola I, Chiono V. Tissue-Engineered Models of the Human Brain: State-of-the-Art Analysis and Challenges. J Funct Biomater 2022; 13:146. [PMID: 36135581 PMCID: PMC9501967 DOI: 10.3390/jfb13030146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 09/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurological disorders affect billions of people across the world, making the discovery of effective treatments an important challenge. The evaluation of drug efficacy is further complicated because of the lack of in vitro models able to reproduce the complexity of the human brain structure and functions. Some limitations of 2D preclinical models of the human brain have been overcome by the use of 3D cultures such as cell spheroids, organoids and organs-on-chip. However, one of the most promising approaches for mimicking not only cell structure, but also brain architecture, is currently represented by tissue-engineered brain models. Both conventional (particularly electrospinning and salt leaching) and unconventional (particularly bioprinting) techniques have been exploited, making use of natural polymers or combinations between natural and synthetic polymers. Moreover, the use of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) has allowed the co-culture of different human brain cells (neurons, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, microglia), helping towards approaching the central nervous system complexity. In this review article, we explain the importance of in vitro brain modeling, and present the main in vitro brain models developed to date, with a special focus on the most recent advancements in tissue-engineered brain models making use of iPSCs. Finally, we critically discuss achievements, main challenges and future perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Tarricone
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca Degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Turin, Italy
- PolitoBioMedLab, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca Degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Turin, Italy
- Interuniversity Center for the Promotion of the 3Rs Principle in Teaching and Research, Centro 3R, 56122 Pisa, Italy
- Nanobiointeractions & Nanodiagnostics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Genova, Via Dodecaneso 31, 16146 Genova, Italy
| | - Irene Carmagnola
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca Degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Turin, Italy
- PolitoBioMedLab, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca Degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Turin, Italy
- Interuniversity Center for the Promotion of the 3Rs Principle in Teaching and Research, Centro 3R, 56122 Pisa, Italy
| | - Valeria Chiono
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca Degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Turin, Italy
- PolitoBioMedLab, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca Degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Turin, Italy
- Interuniversity Center for the Promotion of the 3Rs Principle in Teaching and Research, Centro 3R, 56122 Pisa, Italy
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23
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García-Cabezas MÁ, Hacker JL, Zikopoulos B. Homology of neocortical areas in rats and primates based on cortical type analysis: an update of the Hypothesis on the Dual Origin of the Neocortex. Brain Struct Funct 2022:10.1007/s00429-022-02548-0. [PMID: 35962240 PMCID: PMC9922339 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-022-02548-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Sixty years ago, Friedrich Sanides traced the origin of the tangential expansion of the primate neocortex to two ancestral anlagen in the allocortex of reptiles and mammals, and proposed the Hypothesis on the Dual Origin of the Neocortex. According to Sanides, paraolfactory and parahippocampal gradients of laminar elaboration expanded in evolution by addition of successive concentric rings of gradually different cortical types inside the allocortical ring. Rodents had fewer rings and primates had more rings in the inner part of the cortex. In the present article, we perform cortical type analysis of the neocortex of adult rats, Rhesus macaques, and humans to propose hypotheses on homology of cortical areas applying the principles of the Hypothesis on the Dual Origin of the Neocortex. We show that areas in the outer rings of the neocortex have comparable laminar elaboration in rats and primates, while most 6-layer eulaminate areas in the innermost rings of primate neocortex lack homologous counterparts in rats. We also represent the topological distribution of cortical types in simplified flat maps of the cerebral cortex of monotremes, rats, and primates. Finally, we propose an elaboration of the Hypothesis on the Dual Origin of the Neocortex in the context of modern studies of pallial patterning that integrates the specification of pallial sectors in development of vertebrate embryos. The updated version of the hypothesis of Sanides provides explanation for the emergence of cortical hierarchies in mammals and will guide future research in the phylogenetic origin of neocortical areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Ángel García-Cabezas
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain,Neural Systems Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Julia Liao Hacker
- Human Systems Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences, Boston University, 635 Commonwealth Ave., Room 401D, Boston, MA 02215, USA,Present Address: Department of Neurology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Basilis Zikopoulos
- Human Systems Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences, Boston University, 635 Commonwealth Ave., Room 401D, Boston, MA, 02215, USA. .,Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA. .,Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
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24
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Liang B, Thapa R, Zhang G, Moffitt C, Zhang Y, Zhang L, Johnston A, Ruby HP, Barbera G, Wong PC, Zhang Z, Chen R, Lin DT, Li Y. Aberrant neural activity in prefrontal pyramidal neurons lacking TDP-43 precedes neuron loss. Prog Neurobiol 2022; 215:102297. [PMID: 35667630 PMCID: PMC9258405 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2022.102297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2022] [Revised: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Mislocalization of TAR DNA binding protein 43 kDa (TARDBP, or TDP-43) is a principal pathological hallmark identified in cases of neurodegenerative disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). As an RNA binding protein, TDP-43 serves in the nuclear compartment to repress non-conserved cryptic exons to ensure the normal transcriptome. Multiple lines of evidence from animal models and human studies support the view that loss of TDP-43 leads to neuron loss, independent of its cytosolic aggregation. However, the underlying pathogenic pathways driven by the loss-of-function mechanism are still poorly defined. We employed a genetic approach to determine the impact of TDP-43 loss in pyramidal neurons of the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Using a custom-built miniscope imaging system, we performed repetitive in vivo calcium imaging from freely behaving mice for up to 7 months. By comparing calcium activity in PFC pyramidal neurons between TDP-43 depleted and TDP-43 intact mice, we demonstrated remarkably increased numbers of pyramidal neurons exhibiting hyperactive calcium activity after short-term TDP-43 depletion, followed by rapid activity declines prior to neuron loss. Our results suggest aberrant neural activity driven by loss of TDP-43 as the pathogenic pathway at early stage in ALS and FTD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Liang
- School of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, College of Engineering & Mines, University of North Dakota, 243 Centennial Drive Stop 7165, Grand Forks, ND 58202, USA.
| | - Rashmi Thapa
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, 1000 E University Avenue, Laramie, WY 82071, USA.
| | - Gracie Zhang
- Laramie High School, 1710 Boulder Drive, Laramie, WY 82070, USA.
| | - Casey Moffitt
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, 333 Cassell Drive, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
| | - Yan Zhang
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, 333 Cassell Drive, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
| | - Lifeng Zhang
- School of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, College of Engineering & Mines, University of North Dakota, 243 Centennial Drive Stop 7165, Grand Forks, ND 58202, USA; Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, 1000 E University Avenue, Laramie, WY 82071, USA; Laramie High School, 1710 Boulder Drive, Laramie, WY 82070, USA; Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, 333 Cassell Drive, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA; Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 100N. Greene St., Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
| | - Amanda Johnston
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, 1000 E University Avenue, Laramie, WY 82071, USA.
| | - Hyrum P Ruby
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, 1000 E University Avenue, Laramie, WY 82071, USA.
| | - Giovanni Barbera
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, 333 Cassell Drive, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
| | - Philip C Wong
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
| | - Zhaojie Zhang
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, 1000 E University Avenue, Laramie, WY 82071, USA.
| | - Rong Chen
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 100N. Greene St., Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
| | - Da-Ting Lin
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, 333 Cassell Drive, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA; The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
| | - Yun Li
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, 1000 E University Avenue, Laramie, WY 82071, USA.
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25
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The Involvement of Polyamines Catabolism in the Crosstalk between Neurons and Astrocytes in Neurodegeneration. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10071756. [PMID: 35885061 PMCID: PMC9312548 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10071756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In mammalian cells, the content of polyamines is tightly regulated. Polyamines, including spermine, spermidine and putrescine, are involved in many cellular processes. Spermine oxidase specifically oxidizes spermine, and its deregulated activity has been reported to be linked to brain pathologies involving neuron damage. Spermine is a neuromodulator of a number of ionotropic glutamate receptors and types of ion channels. In this respect, the Dach-SMOX mouse model overexpressing spermine oxidase in the neocortex neurons was revealed to be a model of chronic oxidative stress, excitotoxicity and neuronal damage. Reactive astrocytosis, chronic oxidative and excitotoxic stress, neuron loss and the susceptibility to seizure in the Dach-SMOX are discussed here. This genetic model would help researchers understand the linkage between polyamine dysregulation and neurodegeneration and unveil the roles of polyamines in the crosstalk between astrocytes and neurons in neuroprotection or neurodegeneration.
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26
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Fang R, Xia C, Close JL, Zhang M, He J, Huang Z, Halpern AR, Long B, Miller JA, Lein ES, Zhuang X. Conservation and divergence of cortical cell organization in human and mouse revealed by MERFISH. Science 2022; 377:56-62. [PMID: 35771910 PMCID: PMC9262715 DOI: 10.1126/science.abm1741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 55.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The human cerebral cortex has tremendous cellular diversity. How different cell types are organized in the human cortex and how cellular organization varies across species remain unclear. In this study, we performed spatially resolved single-cell profiling of 4000 genes using multiplexed error-robust fluorescence in situ hybridization (MERFISH), identified more than 100 transcriptionally distinct cell populations, and generated a molecularly defined and spatially resolved cell atlas of the human middle and superior temporal gyrus. We further explored cell-cell interactions arising from soma contact or proximity in a cell type-specific manner. Comparison of the human and mouse cortices showed conservation in the laminar organization of cells and differences in somatic interactions across species. Our data revealed human-specific cell-cell proximity patterns and a markedly increased enrichment for interactions between neurons and non-neuronal cells in the human cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongxin Fang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Chenglong Xia
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | | | - Meng Zhang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Jiang He
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Zhengkai Huang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Aaron R. Halpern
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Brian Long
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | | | - Ed S. Lein
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Xiaowei Zhuang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
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27
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Sun C, Tao X, Wan C, Zhang X, Zhao M, Xu M, Wang P, Liu Y, Wang C, Xi Q, Song T. Spinal Cord Stimulation Alleviates Neuropathic Pain by Attenuating Microglial Activation via Reducing Colony-Stimulating Factor 1 Levels in the Spinal Cord in a Rat Model of Chronic Constriction Injury. Anesth Analg 2022; 135:178-190. [PMID: 35709447 PMCID: PMC9172898 DOI: 10.1213/ane.0000000000006016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is an emerging, minimally invasive procedure used to treat patients with intractable chronic pain conditions. Although several signaling pathways have been proposed to account for SCS-mediated pain relief, the precise mechanisms remain poorly understood. Recent evidence reveals that injured sensory neuron-derived colony-stimulating factor 1 (CSF1) induces microglial activation in the spinal cord, contributing to the development of neuropathic pain (NP). Here, we tested the hypothesis that SCS relieves pain in a rat model of chronic constriction injury (CCI) by attenuating microglial activation via blocking CSF1 to the spinal cord. METHODS Sprague-Dawley rats underwent sciatic nerve ligation to induce CCI and were implanted with an epidural SCS lead. SCS was delivered 6 hours per day for 5 days. Some rats received a once-daily intrathecal injection of CSF1 for 3 days during SCS. RESULTS Compared with naive rats, CCI rats had a marked decrease in the mechanical withdrawal threshold of the paw, along with increased microglial activation and augmented CSF1 levels in the spinal dorsal horn and dorsal root ganglion, as measured by immunofluorescence or Western blotting. SCS significantly increased the mechanical withdrawal threshold and attenuated microglial activation in the spinal dorsal horn in CCI rats, which were associated with reductions in CSF1 levels in the spinal dorsal horn and dorsal roots but not dorsal root ganglion. Moreover, intrathecal injection of CSF1 completely abolished SCS-induced changes in the mechanical withdrawal threshold and activation of microglia in the spinal dorsal horn in CCI rats. CONCLUSIONS SCS reduces microglial activation in the spinal cord and alleviates chronic NP, at least in part by inhibiting the release of CSF1 from the dorsal root ganglion ipsilateral to nerve injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cong Sun
- From the Department of Pain Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, China.,Department of Pain Medicine, People's Hospital affiliated to China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Xueshu Tao
- From the Department of Pain Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Chengfu Wan
- From the Department of Pain Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Xiaojiao Zhang
- From the Department of Pain Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Mengnan Zhao
- From the Department of Pain Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Miao Xu
- From the Department of Pain Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Pinying Wang
- From the Department of Pain Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yan Liu
- From the Department of Pain Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Chenglong Wang
- From the Department of Pain Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Qi Xi
- From the Department of Pain Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Tao Song
- From the Department of Pain Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
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28
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Guevara EE, Hopkins WD, Hof PR, Ely JJ, Bradley BJ, Sherwood CC. Epigenetic aging of the prefrontal cortex and cerebellum in humans and chimpanzees. Epigenetics 2022; 17:1774-1785. [PMID: 35603816 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2022.2080993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic age has emerged as an important biomarker of biological aging. It has revealed that some tissues age faster than others, which is vital to understanding the complex phenomenon of aging and developing effective interventions. Previous studies have demonstrated that humans exhibit heterogeneity in pace of epigenetic aging among brain structures that are consistent with differences in structural and microanatomical deterioration. Here, we add comparative data on epigenetic brain aging for chimpanzees, humans' closest relatives. Such comparisons can further our understanding of which aspects of human aging are evolutionarily conserved or specific to our species, especially given that humans are distinguished by a long lifespan, large brain, and, potentially, more severe neurodegeneration with age. Specifically, we investigated epigenetic aging of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and cerebellum, of humans and chimpanzees by generating genome-wide CpG methylation data and applying established epigenetic clock algorithms to produce estimates of biological age for these tissues. We found that both species exhibit relatively slow epigenetic aging in the brain relative to blood. Between brain structures, humans show a faster rate of epigenetic aging in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex compared to the cerebellum, which is consistent with previous findings. Chimpanzees, in contrast, show comparable rates of epigenetic aging in the two brain structures. Greater epigenetic change in the human dorsolateral prefrontal cortex compared to the cerebellum may reflect both the protracted development of this structure in humans and its greater age-related vulnerability to neurodegenerative pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaine E Guevara
- Department of Anthropology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC 28403, USA.,Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA.,Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - William D Hopkins
- Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX 78602, USA
| | - Patrick R Hof
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, and Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA.,New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY 10124, USA
| | - John J Ely
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA.,MAEBIOS, Alamogordo, NM 88310, USA
| | - Brenda J Bradley
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Chet C Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
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29
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Vicente-Acosta A, Giménez-Cassina A, Díaz-Nido J, Loria F. The smoothened agonist SAG reduces mitochondrial dysfunction and neurotoxicity of frataxin-deficient astrocytes. J Neuroinflammation 2022; 19:93. [PMID: 35413853 PMCID: PMC9006607 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-022-02442-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Friedreich's ataxia is a rare hereditary neurodegenerative disease caused by decreased levels of the mitochondrial protein frataxin. Similar to other neurodegenerative pathologies, previous studies suggested that astrocytes might contribute to the progression of the disease. To fully understand the mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration in Friedreich's ataxia, we investigated the reactivity status and functioning of cultured human astrocytes after frataxin depletion using an RNA interference-based approach and tested the effect of pharmacologically modulating the SHH pathway as a novel neuroprotective strategy. RESULTS We observed loss of cell viability, mitochondrial alterations, increased autophagy and lipid accumulation in cultured astrocytes upon frataxin depletion. Besides, frataxin-deficient cells show higher expression of several A1-reactivity markers and release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Interestingly, most of these defects were prevented by chronically treating the cells with the smoothened agonist SAG. Furthermore, in vitro culture of neurons with conditioned medium from frataxin-deficient astrocytes results in a reduction of neuronal survival, neurite length and synapse formation. However, when frataxin-deficient astrocytes were chronically treated with SAG, we did not observe these alterations in neurons. CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate that the pharmacological activation of the SHH pathway could be used as a target to modulate astrocyte reactivity and neuron-glia interactions to prevent neurodegeneration in Friedreich's ataxia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés Vicente-Acosta
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Nicolás Cabrera 1, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Francisco Tomás y Valiente, 7, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Puerta de Hierro, Segovia de Arana, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro, Joaquín Rodrigo 1, Majadahonda, 28222 Madrid, Spain
- Program in Molecular Biosciences, Doctoral School, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alfredo Giménez-Cassina
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Nicolás Cabrera 1, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Francisco Tomás y Valiente, 7, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Díaz-Nido
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Nicolás Cabrera 1, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Francisco Tomás y Valiente, 7, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Puerta de Hierro, Segovia de Arana, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro, Joaquín Rodrigo 1, Majadahonda, 28222 Madrid, Spain
| | - Frida Loria
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Nicolás Cabrera 1, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Francisco Tomás y Valiente, 7, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Laboratorio de Apoyo a la Investigación, Hospital Universitario Fundación Alcorcón, Budapest 1, Alcorcón, 28922 Madrid, Spain
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Irie K, Doi M, Usui N, Shimada S. Evolution of the Human Brain Can Help Determine Pathophysiology of Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:871979. [PMID: 35431788 PMCID: PMC9010664 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.871979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The evolution of humans brought about a co-occurring evolution of the human brain, which is far larger and more complex than that of many other organisms. The brain has evolved characteristically in humans in many respects, including macro-and micro-anatomical changes in the brain structure, changes in gene expression, and cell populations and ratios. These characteristics are essential for the execution of higher functions, such as sociality, language, and cognition, which express humanity, and are thought to have been acquired over evolutionary time. However, with the acquisition of higher functions also comes the risk of the disease in which they fail. This review focuses on human brain evolution and neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) and discusses brain development, molecular evolution, and human brain evolution. Discussing the potential for the development and pathophysiology of NDDs acquired by human brain evolution will provide insights into the acquisition and breakdown of higher functions from a new perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koichiro Irie
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- Center for Medical Research and Education, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Miyuki Doi
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Noriyoshi Usui
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- Global Center for Medical Engineering and Informatics, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- Addiction Research Unit, Osaka Psychiatric Research Center, Osaka Psychiatric Medical Center, Osaka, Japan
- *Correspondence: Noriyoshi Usui,
| | - Shoichi Shimada
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- Global Center for Medical Engineering and Informatics, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- Addiction Research Unit, Osaka Psychiatric Research Center, Osaka Psychiatric Medical Center, Osaka, Japan
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31
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Artificial Light at Night, Higher Brain Functions and Associated Neuronal Changes: An Avian Perspective. BIRDS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/birds3010003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent times, there has been an unprecedented increase in usage of electrical lightning. This has led to increase in artificial light at night (ALAN), and it has been suggested as a source of environmental pollution. ALAN exposure has been reported to be associated with disruption of daily rhythms and serious health consequences, such as immune, metabolic, and cognitive dysfunctions in both birds and mammals. Given the worldwide pervasiveness of ALAN, this research topic is also important from an ecological perspective. In birds, daily timings and appropriate temporal niches are important for fitness and survival. Daily rhythms in a wide array of functions are regulated by the circadian clock(s) and endogenous oscillators present in the body. There is accumulating evidence that exposure to ALAN disrupts clock-regulated daily rhythms and suppresses melatonin and sleep in birds. Circadian clock, melatonin, and sleep regulate avian cognitive performance. However, there is limited research on this topic, and most of the insights on the adverse effects of ALAN on cognitive functions are from behavioural studies. Nevertheless, these results raise an intriguing question about the molecular underpinning of the ALAN-induced negative consequences on brain functions. Further research should be focused on the molecular links between ALAN and cognitive performance, including the role of melatonin, which could shed light on the mechanism by which ALAN exposures lead to negative consequences.
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Lei H, Hu R, Luo G, Yang T, Shen H, Deng H, Chen C, Zhao H, Liu J. Altered Structural and Functional MRI Connectivity in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Related Cognitive Impairment: A Review. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 15:755017. [PMID: 35069149 PMCID: PMC8770326 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.755017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with cognitive impairment in many domains. There are several pieces of evidence that changes in neuronal neuropathies and metabolism have been observed in T2DM. Structural and functional MRI shows that abnormal connections and synchronization occur in T2DM brain circuits and related networks. Neuroplasticity and energy metabolism appear to be principal effector systems, which may be related to amyloid beta (Aβ) deposition, although there is no unified explanation that includes the complex etiology of T2DM with cognitive impairment. Herein, we assume that cognitive impairment in diabetes may lead to abnormalities in neuroplasticity and energy metabolism in the brain, and those reflected to MRI structural connectivity and functional connectivity, respectively.
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Kieran NW, Suresh R, Dorion MF, MacDonald A, Blain M, Wen D, Fuh SC, Ryan F, Diaz RJ, Stratton JA, Ludwin SK, Sonnen JA, Antel J, Healy LM. MicroRNA-210 regulates the metabolic and inflammatory status of primary human astrocytes. J Neuroinflammation 2022; 19:10. [PMID: 34991629 PMCID: PMC8740343 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-021-02373-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Astrocytes are the most numerous glial cell type with important roles in maintaining homeostasis and responding to diseases in the brain. Astrocyte function is subject to modulation by microRNAs (miRs), which are short nucleotide strands that regulate protein expression in a post-transcriptional manner. Understanding the miR expression profile of astrocytes in disease settings provides insight into the cellular stresses present in the microenvironment and may uncover pathways of therapeutic interest.
Methods Laser-capture microdissection was used to isolate human astrocytes surrounding stroke lesions and those from neurological control tissue. Astrocytic miR expression profiles were examined using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Primary human fetal astrocytes were cultured under in vitro stress conditions and transfection of a miR mimic was used to better understand how altered levels of miR-210 affect astrocyte function. The astrocytic response to stress was studied using qPCR, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), measurement of released lactate, and Seahorse. Results Here, we measured miR expression levels in astrocytes around human ischemic stroke lesions and observed differential expression of miR-210 in chronic stroke astrocytes compared to astrocytes from neurological control tissue. We also identified increased expression of miR-210 in mouse white matter tissue around middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) brain lesions. We aimed to understand the role of miR-210 in primary human fetal astrocytes by developing an in vitro assay of hypoxic, metabolic, and inflammatory stresses. A combination of hypoxic and inflammatory stresses was observed to upregulate miR-210 expression. Transfection with miR-210-mimic (210M) increased glycolysis, enhanced lactate export, and promoted an anti-inflammatory transcriptional and translational signature in astrocytes. Additionally, 210M transfection resulted in decreased expression of complement 3 (C3) and semaphorin 5b (Sema5b). Conclusions We conclude that miR-210 expression in human astrocytes is modulated in response to ischemic stroke disease and under in vitro stress conditions, supporting a role for miR-210 in the astrocytic response to disease conditions. Further, the anti-inflammatory and pro-glycolytic impact of miR-210 on astrocytes makes it a potential candidate for further research as a neuroprotective agent. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12974-021-02373-y.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas W Kieran
- Neuroimmunology Unit, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Rahul Suresh
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Marie-France Dorion
- Neuroimmunology Unit, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Adam MacDonald
- Neuroimmunology Unit, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Manon Blain
- Neuroimmunology Unit, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Dingke Wen
- Neuroimmunology Unit, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Shih-Chieh Fuh
- Neuroimmunology Unit, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Fari Ryan
- Centre for Research in Neuroscience, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Roberto J Diaz
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Jo Anne Stratton
- Neuroimmunology Unit, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Samuel K Ludwin
- Department of Pathology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Joshua A Sonnen
- Departments of Pathology, Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Jack Antel
- Neuroimmunology Unit, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Luke M Healy
- Neuroimmunology Unit, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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Abstract
During evolution, the cerebral cortex advances by increasing in surface and the introduction of new cytoarchitectonic areas among which the prefrontal cortex (PFC) is considered to be the substrate of highest cognitive functions. Although neurons of the PFC are generated before birth, the differentiation of its neurons and development of synaptic connections in humans extend to the 3rd decade of life. During this period, synapses as well as neurotransmitter systems including their receptors and transporters, are initially overproduced followed by selective elimination. Advanced methods applied to human and animal models, enable investigation of the cellular mechanisms and role of specific genes, non-coding regulatory elements and signaling molecules in control of prefrontal neuronal production and phenotypic fate, as well as neuronal migration to establish layering of the PFC. Likewise, various genetic approaches in combination with functional assays and immunohistochemical and imaging methods reveal roles of neurotransmitter systems during maturation of the PFC. Disruption, or even a slight slowing of the rate of neuronal production, migration and synaptogenesis by genetic or environmental factors, can induce gross as well as subtle changes that eventually can lead to cognitive impairment. An understanding of the development and evolution of the PFC provide insight into the pathogenesis and treatment of congenital neuropsychiatric diseases as well as idiopathic developmental disorders that cause intellectual disabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon M Kolk
- Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour and Faculty of Science, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Pasko Rakic
- Department of Neuroscience and Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
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Zhang X, Alnafisah RS, Hamoud ARA, Shukla R, Wen Z, McCullumsmith RE, O'Donovan SM. Role of Astrocytes in Major Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Neurochem Res 2021; 46:2715-2730. [PMID: 33411227 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-020-03212-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes are the primary homeostatic cells of the central nervous system, essential for normal neuronal development and function, metabolism and response to injury and inflammation. Here, we review postmortem studies examining changes in astrocytes in subjects diagnosed with the neuropsychiatric disorders schizophrenia (SCZ), major depressive disorder (MDD), and bipolar disorder (BPD). We discuss the astrocyte-related changes described in the brain in these disorders and the potential effects of psychotropic medication on these findings. Finally, we describe emerging tools that can be used to study the role of astrocytes in neuropsychiatric illness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolu Zhang
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine, Block Health Science Building, 3000 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
| | - Rawan S Alnafisah
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine, Block Health Science Building, 3000 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
| | - Abdul-Rizaq A Hamoud
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine, Block Health Science Building, 3000 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
| | - Rammohan Shukla
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine, Block Health Science Building, 3000 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
| | - Zhexing Wen
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Cell Biology, and Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Robert E McCullumsmith
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine, Block Health Science Building, 3000 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA.,Neurosciences Institute, ProMedica, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Sinead M O'Donovan
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine, Block Health Science Building, 3000 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA.
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Codeluppi SA, Chatterjee D, Prevot TD, Bansal Y, Misquitta KA, Sibille E, Banasr M. Chronic Stress Alters Astrocyte Morphology in Mouse Prefrontal Cortex. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2021; 24:842-853. [PMID: 34346493 PMCID: PMC8538896 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyab052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neuromorphological changes are consistently reported in the prefrontal cortex of patients with stress-related disorders and in rodent stress models, but the effects of stress on astrocyte morphology and the potential link to behavioral deficits are relatively unknown. METHODS To answer these questions, transgenic mice expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) under the glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP) promotor were subjected to 7, 21, or 35 days of chronic restraint stress (CRS). CRS-induced behavioral effects on anhedonia- and anxiety-like behaviors were measured using the sucrose intake and the PhenoTyper tests, respectively. Prefrontal cortex GFP+ or GFAP+ cell morphology was assessed using Sholl analysis, and associations with behavior were determined using correlation analysis. RESULTS CRS-exposed male and female mice displayed anxiety-like behavior at 7, 21, and 35 days and anhedonia-like behavior at 35 days. Analysis of GFAP+ cell morphology revealed significant atrophy of distal processes following 21 and 35 days of CRS. CRS induced similar decreases in intersections at distal radii for GFP+ cells accompanied by increased proximal processes. In males, the number of intersections at the most distal radius step significantly correlated with anhedonia-like behavior (r = 0.622, P < .05) for GFP+ cells and with behavioral emotionality calculated by z-scoring all behavioral measured deficits (r = -0.667, P < .05). Similar but not significant correlations were observed in females. No correlation between GFP+ cell atrophy with anxiety-like behavior was found. CONCLUSION Chronic stress exposure induces a progressive atrophy of cortical astroglial cells, potentially contributing to maladaptive neuroplastic and behavioral changes associated with stress-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sierra A Codeluppi
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, Canada,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Dipashree Chatterjee
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, Canada,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Thomas D Prevot
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, Canada,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Yashika Bansal
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, Canada
| | - Keith A Misquitta
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, Canada,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Etienne Sibille
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, Canada,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Mounira Banasr
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, Canada,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada,Correspondence: Mounira Banasr, PhD, CAMH, 250 College Street, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada ()
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Abdellah M, Foni A, Zisis E, Guerrero NR, Lapere S, Coggan JS, Keller D, Markram H, Schürmann F. Metaball skinning of synthetic astroglial morphologies into realistic mesh models for visual analytics and in silico simulations. Bioinformatics 2021; 37:i426-i433. [PMID: 34252950 PMCID: PMC8275327 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btab280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Motivation Astrocytes, the most abundant glial cells in the mammalian brain, have an instrumental role in developing neuronal circuits. They contribute to the physical structuring of the brain, modulating synaptic activity and maintaining the blood–brain barrier in addition to other significant aspects that impact brain function. Biophysically, detailed astrocytic models are key to unraveling their functional mechanisms via molecular simulations at microscopic scales. Detailed, and complete, biological reconstructions of astrocytic cells are sparse. Nonetheless, data-driven digital reconstruction of astroglial morphologies that are statistically identical to biological counterparts are becoming available. We use those synthetic morphologies to generate astrocytic meshes with realistic geometries, making it possible to perform these simulations. Results We present an unconditionally robust method capable of reconstructing high fidelity polygonal meshes of astroglial cells from algorithmically-synthesized morphologies. Our method uses implicit surfaces, or metaballs, to skin the different structural components of astrocytes and then blend them in a seamless fashion. We also provide an end-to-end pipeline to produce optimized two- and three-dimensional meshes for visual analytics and simulations, respectively. The performance of our pipeline has been assessed with a group of 5000 astroglial morphologies and the geometric metrics of the resulting meshes are evaluated. The usability of the meshes is then demonstrated with different use cases. Availability and implementation Our metaball skinning algorithm is implemented in Blender 2.82 relying on its Python API (Application Programming Interface). To make it accessible to computational biologists and neuroscientists, the implementation has been integrated into NeuroMorphoVis, an open source and domain specific package that is primarily designed for neuronal morphology visualization and meshing. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marwan Abdellah
- Blue Brain Project (BBP), École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Geneva 1202, Switzerland
| | - Alessandro Foni
- Blue Brain Project (BBP), École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Geneva 1202, Switzerland
| | - Eleftherios Zisis
- Blue Brain Project (BBP), École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Geneva 1202, Switzerland
| | - Nadir Román Guerrero
- Blue Brain Project (BBP), École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Geneva 1202, Switzerland
| | - Samuel Lapere
- Blue Brain Project (BBP), École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Geneva 1202, Switzerland
| | - Jay S Coggan
- Blue Brain Project (BBP), École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Geneva 1202, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Keller
- Blue Brain Project (BBP), École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Geneva 1202, Switzerland
| | - Henry Markram
- Blue Brain Project (BBP), École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Geneva 1202, Switzerland
| | - Felix Schürmann
- Blue Brain Project (BBP), École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Geneva 1202, Switzerland
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Live Viral Vaccine Neurovirulence Screening: Current and Future Models. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9070710. [PMID: 34209433 PMCID: PMC8310194 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9070710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Live viral vaccines are one of the most successful methods for controlling viral infections but require strong evidence to indicate that they are properly attenuated. Screening for residual neurovirulence is an important aspect for live viral vaccines against potentially neurovirulent diseases. Approximately half of all emerging viral diseases have neurological effects, so testing of future vaccines will need to be rapid and accurate. The current method, the monkey neurovirulence test (MNVT), shows limited translatability for human diseases and does not account for different viral pathogenic mechanisms. This review discusses the MNVT and potential alternative models, including in vivo and in vitro methods. The advantages and disadvantages of these methods are discussed, and there are promising data indicating high levels of translatability. There is a need to investigate these models more thoroughly and to devise more accurate and rapid alternatives to the MNVT.
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Jacob J, Kent M, Benson-Amram S, Herculano-Houzel S, Raghanti MA, Ploppert E, Drake J, Hindi B, Natale NR, Daniels S, Fanelli R, Miller A, Landis T, Gilbert A, Johnson S, Lai A, Hyer M, Rzucidlo A, Anchor C, Gehrt S, Lambert K. Cytoarchitectural characteristics associated with cognitive flexibility in raccoons. J Comp Neurol 2021; 529:3375-3388. [PMID: 34076254 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
With rates of psychiatric illnesses such as depression continuing to rise, additional preclinical models are needed to facilitate translational neuroscience research. In the current study, the raccoon (Procyon lotor) was investigated due to its similarities with primate brains, including comparable proportional neuronal densities, cortical magnification of the forepaw area, and cortical gyrification. Specifically, we report on the cytoarchitectural characteristics of raccoons profiled as high, intermediate, or low solvers in a multiaccess problem-solving task. Isotropic fractionation indicated that high-solvers had significantly more cells in the hippocampus (HC) than the other solving groups; further, a nonsignificant trend suggested that this increase in cell profile density was due to increased nonneuronal (e.g., glial) cells. Group differences were not observed in the cellular density of the somatosensory cortex. Thionin-based staining confirmed the presence of von Economo neurons (VENs) in the frontoinsular cortex, although no impact of solving ability on VEN cell profile density levels was observed. Elongated fusiform cells were quantified in the HC dentate gyrus where high-solvers were observed to have higher levels of this cell type than the other solving groups. In sum, the current findings suggest that varying cytoarchitectural phenotypes contribute to cognitive flexibility. Additional research is necessary to determine the translational value of cytoarchitectural distribution patterns on adaptive behavioral outcomes associated with cognitive performance and mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Jacob
- Department of Psychology, University of Richmond, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Molly Kent
- Department of Biology, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia, USA
| | - Sarah Benson-Amram
- Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Department of Zoology and Biodiversity Research Center, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | | | - Mary Ann Raghanti
- Department of Anthropology, School of Biomedical Sciences, and Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, USA
| | - Emily Ploppert
- Department of Psychology, University of Richmond, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Jack Drake
- Department of Psychology, University of Richmond, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Bilal Hindi
- Department of Psychology, University of Richmond, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Nick R Natale
- Department of Psychology, University of Richmond, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Sarah Daniels
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA
| | - Rachel Fanelli
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA
| | - Anderson Miller
- Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Tim Landis
- Department of Psychology, Randolph-Macon College, Ashland, Virginia, USA
| | - Amy Gilbert
- USDA-APHIS-WS National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Shylo Johnson
- USDA-APHIS-WS National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Annie Lai
- Department of Psychology, University of Richmond, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Molly Hyer
- Department of Psychology, Randolph-Macon College, Ashland, Virginia, USA
| | - Amanda Rzucidlo
- Forest Preserve District of Cook County, River Forest, Illinois, USA
| | - Chris Anchor
- Forest Preserve District of Cook County, River Forest, Illinois, USA
| | - Stan Gehrt
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Kelly Lambert
- Department of Psychology, University of Richmond, Richmond, Virginia, USA
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Jové M, Mota-Martorell N, Torres P, Portero-Otin M, Ferrer I, Pamplona R. New insights into human prefrontal cortex aging with a lipidomics approach. Expert Rev Proteomics 2021; 18:333-344. [PMID: 34098823 DOI: 10.1080/14789450.2021.1940142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Human prefrontal cortex (hPFC) is a recent evolutionarily developed brain region involved in cognitive functions. Human cognitive functions decline during aging. Yet the molecular mechanisms underlying the functional deterioration of the neural cells of this brain region still remain to be fully described. AREAS COVERED In this review, we explore the role of lipids in hPFC aging. Firstly, we briefly consider the approaches used to identify lipid species in brain tissue with special attention paid to a lipidomics analysis. Then, as the evolution process has conferred a specific lipid profile on the hPFC, we consider the lipidome of hPFC. In addition, the role of lipids in hPFC aging, and in particular, the cognitive decline associated with aging, is discussed. Finally, nutritional and pharmacological interventions designed to modulate this process are examined. It is suggested that the dysfunction of key cellular processes secondarily to the damage of lipid membrane underlies the cognitive decline of hPFC during aging. EXPERT OPINION Lipidomics methods are and will continue to be key tools in the effort to gain additional insights into the aging of the human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariona Jové
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Lleida-Lleida Biomedical Research Institute (Udl-irblleida), Lleida, Spain
| | - Natalia Mota-Martorell
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Lleida-Lleida Biomedical Research Institute (Udl-irblleida), Lleida, Spain
| | - Pascual Torres
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Lleida-Lleida Biomedical Research Institute (Udl-irblleida), Lleida, Spain
| | - Manuel Portero-Otin
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Lleida-Lleida Biomedical Research Institute (Udl-irblleida), Lleida, Spain
| | - Isidre Ferrer
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Barcelona; Bellvitge University Hospital, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.,Center for Biomedical Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | - Reinald Pamplona
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Lleida-Lleida Biomedical Research Institute (Udl-irblleida), Lleida, Spain
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Hirter KN, Miller EN, Stimpson CD, Phillips KA, Hopkins WD, Hof PR, Sherwood CC, Lovejoy CO, Raghanti MA. The nucleus accumbens and ventral pallidum exhibit greater dopaminergic innervation in humans compared to other primates. Brain Struct Funct 2021; 226:1909-1923. [PMID: 34032910 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-021-02300-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Recent evidence suggests that increased dopaminergic signaling within the dorsal striatum played a central role in the evolution of the human brain. This increase has been linked to human prosociality and language in what has been described as a dopamine-dominated striatum personality style. Increased striatal dopamine is associated with an increase in ventral striatal activity and promotes externally driven behaviors, including cooperation and social conformity. In contrast, decreased striatal dopamine is associated with increased dorsal striatal activity and favors internally driven and goal-oriented behaviors. Previous comparative studies have focused on the dorsal striatum, measuring dopaminergic innervation in the dorsal and medial caudate nucleus and putamen. Here, we add to this knowledge by examining regions of the ventral striatum. We quantified the density of tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive axons, as a measure of dopaminergic innervation, in the nucleus accumbens and ventral pallidum of humans, great apes, platyrrhine and cercopithecid monkeys. Our data show that humans have a significantly greater dopaminergic innervation in both structures, supporting the hypothesis that selection for a prosocial neurochemistry in the human basal ganglia may have contributed to the evolution of our uniquely social behavior profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen N Hirter
- Department of Anthropology and School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA. .,Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA.
| | - Elaine N Miller
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Cheryl D Stimpson
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Kimberley A Phillips
- Department of Psychology, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX, USA.,Southwest National Primate Research Center, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - William D Hopkins
- Department of Comparative Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX, USA
| | - Patrick R Hof
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Chet C Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - C Owen Lovejoy
- Department of Anthropology and School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA.,Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA
| | - Mary Ann Raghanti
- Department of Anthropology and School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA. .,Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA.
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42
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Shih PY, Kreir M, Kumar D, Seibt F, Pestana F, Schmid B, Holst B, Clausen C, Steeg R, Fischer B, Pita-Almenar J, Ebneth A, Cabrera-Socorro A. Development of a fully human assay combining NGN2-inducible neurons co-cultured with iPSC-derived astrocytes amenable for electrophysiological studies. Stem Cell Res 2021; 54:102386. [PMID: 34229210 DOI: 10.1016/j.scr.2021.102386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurogenin 2 encodes a neural-specific transcription factor (NGN2) able to drive neuronal fate on somatic and stem cells. NGN2 is expressed in neural progenitors within the developing central and peripheral nervous systems. Overexpression of NGN2 in human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) or human embryonic stem cells has been shown to efficiently trigger conversion to neurons. Here we describe two gene-edited hiPSC lines harbouring a doxycycline (DOX)-inducible cassette in the AAVS1 locus driving expression of NGN2 (BIONi010-C-13) or NGN2-T2A-GFP (BIONi010-C-15). By introducing NGN2-expressing cassette, we reduce variability associated with conventional over-expression methods such as viral transduction, making these lines amenable for scale-up production and screening processes. DOX-treated hiPSCs convert to neural phenotype within one week and display the expression of structural neuronal markers such as Beta-III tubulin and tau. We performed functional characterization of NGN2-neurons co-cultured with hiPSC-derived astrocytes in a "fully-humanized" set up. Passive properties of NGN2-neurons were indistinguishable from mouse primary cells while displaying variable activity in extracellular recordings performed in multi-electrode arrays (MEAs). We demonstrate that hiPSC-derived astrocytes and neurons can be co-cultured and display functional properties comparable to the gold standard used in electrophysiology. Both lines are globally available via EBiSC repository at https://cells.ebisc.org/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Yu Shih
- Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340 Beerse, Belgium
| | - Mohamed Kreir
- Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340 Beerse, Belgium
| | - Devesh Kumar
- Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340 Beerse, Belgium
| | - Frederik Seibt
- Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340 Beerse, Belgium
| | | | | | - Bjørn Holst
- Bioneer S/A, Kogle Allé 2, 2970 Hørsholm, Denmark
| | | | | | - Benjamin Fischer
- Project Centre for Stem Cell Process Engineering, Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering IBMT, Würzburg, Germany
| | | | - Andreas Ebneth
- Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340 Beerse, Belgium
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Guevara EE, Hopkins WD, Hof PR, Ely JJ, Bradley BJ, Sherwood CC. Comparative analysis reveals distinctive epigenetic features of the human cerebellum. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009506. [PMID: 33956822 PMCID: PMC8101944 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying the molecular underpinnings of the neural specializations that underlie human cognitive and behavioral traits has long been of considerable interest. Much research on human-specific changes in gene expression and epigenetic marks has focused on the prefrontal cortex, a brain structure distinguished by its role in executive functions. The cerebellum shows expansion in great apes and is gaining increasing attention for its role in motor skills and cognitive processing, including language. However, relatively few molecular studies of the cerebellum in a comparative evolutionary context have been conducted. Here, we identify human-specific methylation in the lateral cerebellum relative to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, in a comparative study with chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). Specifically, we profiled genome-wide methylation levels in the three species for each of the two brain structures and identified human-specific differentially methylated genomic regions unique to each structure. We further identified which differentially methylated regions (DMRs) overlap likely regulatory elements and determined whether associated genes show corresponding species differences in gene expression. We found greater human-specific methylation in the cerebellum than the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, with differentially methylated regions overlapping genes involved in several conditions or processes relevant to human neurobiology, including synaptic plasticity, lipid metabolism, neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration, and neurodevelopment, including developmental disorders. Moreover, our results show some overlap with those of previous studies focused on the neocortex, indicating that such results may be common to multiple brain structures. These findings further our understanding of the cerebellum in human brain evolution. Humans are distinguished from other species by several aspects of cognition. While much comparative evolutionary neuroscience has focused on the neocortex, increasing recognition of the cerebellum’s role in cognition and motor processing has inspired considerable new research. Comparative molecular studies, however, generally continue to focus on the neocortex. We sought to characterize potential genetic regulatory traits distinguishing the human cerebellum by undertaking genome-wide epigenetic profiling of the lateral cerebellum, and compared this to the prefrontal cortex of humans, chimpanzees, and rhesus macaque monkeys. We found that humans showed greater differential CpG methylation–an epigenetic modification of DNA that can reflect past or present gene expression–in the cerebellum than the prefrontal cortex, highlighting the importance of this structure in human brain evolution. Humans also specifically show methylation differences at genes involved in neurodevelopment, neuroinflammation, synaptic plasticity, and lipid metabolism. These differences are relevant for understanding processes specific to humans, such as extensive plasticity, as well as pronounced and prevalent neurodegenerative conditions associated with aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaine E. Guevara
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - William D. Hopkins
- Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, Texas, United States of America
| | - Patrick R. Hof
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States of America
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States of America
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - John J. Ely
- MAEBIOS, Alamogordo, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Brenda J. Bradley
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America
| | - Chet C. Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America
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Patabendige A, Singh A, Jenkins S, Sen J, Chen R. Astrocyte Activation in Neurovascular Damage and Repair Following Ischaemic Stroke. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:4280. [PMID: 33924191 PMCID: PMC8074612 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22084280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2021] [Revised: 04/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Transient or permanent loss of tissue perfusion due to ischaemic stroke can lead to damage to the neurovasculature, and disrupt brain homeostasis, causing long-term motor and cognitive deficits. Despite promising pre-clinical studies, clinically approved neuroprotective therapies are lacking. Most studies have focused on neurons while ignoring the important roles of other cells of the neurovascular unit, such as astrocytes and pericytes. Astrocytes are important for the development and maintenance of the blood-brain barrier, brain homeostasis, structural support, control of cerebral blood flow and secretion of neuroprotective factors. Emerging data suggest that astrocyte activation exerts both beneficial and detrimental effects following ischaemic stroke. Activated astrocytes provide neuroprotection and contribute to neurorestoration, but also secrete inflammatory modulators, leading to aggravation of the ischaemic lesion. Astrocytes are more resistant than other cell types to stroke pathology, and exert a regulative effect in response to ischaemia. These roles of astrocytes following ischaemic stroke remain incompletely understood, though they represent an appealing target for neurovascular protection following stroke. In this review, we summarise the astrocytic contributions to neurovascular damage and repair following ischaemic stroke, and explore mechanisms of neuroprotection that promote revascularisation and neurorestoration, which may be targeted for developing novel therapies for ischaemic stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adjanie Patabendige
- Brain Barriers Group, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2321, Australia;
- Priority Research Centre for Stroke and Brain Injury, and Priority Research Centre for Brain & Mental Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2321, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2305, Australia
- Institute of Infection & Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L7 3EA, UK
| | - Ayesha Singh
- School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Keele University, Staffordshire ST5 5BG, UK;
| | - Stuart Jenkins
- School of Medicine, Keele University, Staffordshire ST5 5BG, UK; (S.J.); (J.S.)
- Neural Tissue Engineering: Keele (NTEK), Keele University, Staffordshire ST5 5BG, UK
| | - Jon Sen
- School of Medicine, Keele University, Staffordshire ST5 5BG, UK; (S.J.); (J.S.)
- Clinical Informatics and Neurosurgery Fellow, The Cleveland Clinic, 33 Grosvenor Square, London SW1X 7HY, UK
| | - Ruoli Chen
- School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Keele University, Staffordshire ST5 5BG, UK;
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45
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Corticospinal Excitability during a Perspective Taking Task as Measured by TMS-Induced Motor Evoked Potentials. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11040513. [PMID: 33919538 PMCID: PMC8073384 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11040513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Only by understanding the ability to take a third-person perspective can we begin to elucidate the neural processes responsible for one’s inimitable conscious experience. The current study examined differences in hemispheric laterality during a first-person perspective (1PP) and third-person perspective (3PP) taking task, using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Participants were asked to take either the 1PP or 3PP when identifying the number of spheres in a virtual scene. During this task, single-pulse TMS was delivered to the motor cortex of both the left and right hemispheres of 10 healthy volunteers. Measures of TMS-induced motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) of the contralateral abductor pollicis brevis (APB) were employed as an indicator of lateralized cortical activation. The data suggest that the right hemisphere is more important in discriminating between 1PP and 3PP. These data add a novel method for determining perspective taking and add to the literature supporting the role of the right hemisphere in meta representation.
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46
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Preman P, Alfonso-Triguero M, Alberdi E, Verkhratsky A, Arranz AM. Astrocytes in Alzheimer's Disease: Pathological Significance and Molecular Pathways. Cells 2021; 10:540. [PMID: 33806259 PMCID: PMC7999452 DOI: 10.3390/cells10030540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes perform a wide variety of essential functions defining normal operation of the nervous system and are active contributors to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's among others. Recent data provide compelling evidence that distinct astrocyte states are associated with specific stages of Alzheimer´s disease. The advent of transcriptomics technologies enables rapid progress in the characterisation of such pathological astrocyte states. In this review, we provide an overview of the origin, main functions, molecular and morphological features of astrocytes in physiological as well as pathological conditions related to Alzheimer´s disease. We will also explore the main roles of astrocytes in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer´s disease and summarize main transcriptional changes and altered molecular pathways observed in astrocytes during the course of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pranav Preman
- VIB Center for Brain & Disease Research, 3000 Leuven, Belgium;
- Laboratory for the Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven (University of Leuven), 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Maria Alfonso-Triguero
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, 48940 Leioa, Spain; (M.A.-T.); (E.A.)
- Department of Neurosciences, Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Spain
| | - Elena Alberdi
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, 48940 Leioa, Spain; (M.A.-T.); (E.A.)
- Department of Neurosciences, Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 48940 Leioa, Spain
| | - Alexei Verkhratsky
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, 48940 Leioa, Spain; (M.A.-T.); (E.A.)
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
- Ikerbasque Basque Foundation for Science, 48009 Bilbao, Spain
| | - Amaia M. Arranz
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, 48940 Leioa, Spain; (M.A.-T.); (E.A.)
- Ikerbasque Basque Foundation for Science, 48009 Bilbao, Spain
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47
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Farrow LF, Andronicos NM, McDonald PG, Hamlin AS. Quantitative determination of neuronal size and density using flow cytometry. J Neurosci Methods 2021; 352:109081. [PMID: 33484745 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2021.109081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Revised: 12/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent anthropomorphic disturbances are occurring at an increasing rate leading to organisms facing a variety of challenges. This change is testing the information processing capacity (IPC) of all animals. Brain function is widely accepted to be influenced by a variety of factors, including relative size, number of neurons and neuronal densities. Therefore, in order to understand what drives an animals IPC, a methodological approach to analyze these factors must be established. NEW METHOD Here we created a protocol that allowed for high-throughput, non-biased quantification of neuronal density and size across six regions of the brain. We used the Isotropic Fractionator method in combination with flow cytometry to identify neuronal and non-neuronal cells in the brains of adult rats. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS The results obtained were comparable to those identified using stereological counting methods. RESULTS By employing this new method, the number of nuclei in a specific brain region can be compared between replicate animals within an experiment. By calibrating the forward scatter channel of the flow cytometer with size standard beads, neuronal and non-neuronal nuclear sizes can be estimated simultaneously with nuclei enumeration. These techniques for nuclear counting and size estimation are technically and biologically reproducible. CONCLUSION Use of flow cytometry provides a methodological approach that allows for consistency in research, so that information on brain morphology, and subsequent function, will become comparable across taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- L F Farrow
- Animal Behaviour and Ecology Laboratory, School of Environmental and Rural Science, Faculty of Science, Agriculture, Business and Law, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia
| | - N M Andronicos
- Brain Behaviour Research Group, School of Science and Technology, Faculty of Science, Agriculture, Business and Law, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia
| | - P G McDonald
- Animal Behaviour and Ecology Laboratory, School of Environmental and Rural Science, Faculty of Science, Agriculture, Business and Law, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia
| | - A S Hamlin
- Brain Behaviour Research Group, School of Science and Technology, Faculty of Science, Agriculture, Business and Law, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia.
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48
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Price AJ, Jaffe AE, Weinberger DR. Cortical cellular diversity and development in schizophrenia. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:203-217. [PMID: 32404946 PMCID: PMC7666011 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-0775-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2020] [Revised: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
While a definitive understanding of schizophrenia etiology is far from current reality, an increasing body of evidence implicates perturbations in early development that alter the trajectory of brain maturation in this disorder, leading to abnormal function in early childhood and adulthood. This atypical development likely arises from an interaction of many brain cell types that follow distinct developmental paths. Because both cellular identity and development are governed by the transcriptome and epigenome, two levels of gene regulation that have the potential to reflect both genetic and environmental influences, mapping "omic" changes over development in diverse cells is a fruitful avenue for schizophrenia research. In this review, we provide a survey of human brain cellular composition and development, levels of genomic regulation that determine cellular identity and developmental trajectories, and what is known about how genomic regulation is dysregulated in specific cell types in schizophrenia. We also outline technical challenges and solutions to conducting cell type-specific functional genomic studies in human postmortem brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda J. Price
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD,McKusick Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Andrew E. Jaffe
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD,McKusick Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD,Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD,Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD,Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
| | - Daniel R. Weinberger
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD,McKusick Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD,Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
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49
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Edler MK, Munger EL, Meindl RS, Hopkins WD, Ely JJ, Erwin JM, Mufson EJ, Hof PR, Sherwood CC, Raghanti MA. Neuron loss associated with age but not Alzheimer's disease pathology in the chimpanzee brain. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 375:20190619. [PMID: 32951541 PMCID: PMC7540958 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
In the absence of disease, ageing in the human brain is accompanied by mild cognitive dysfunction, gradual volumetric atrophy, a lack of significant cell loss, moderate neuroinflammation, and an increase in the amyloid beta (Aβ) and tau proteins. Conversely, pathologic age-related conditions, particularly Alzheimer's disease (AD), result in extensive neocortical and hippocampal atrophy, neuron death, substantial Aβ plaque and tau-associated neurofibrillary tangle pathologies, glial activation and severe cognitive decline. Humans are considered uniquely susceptible to neurodegenerative disorders, although recent studies have revealed Aβ and tau pathology in non-human primate brains. Here, we investigate the effect of age and AD-like pathology on cell density in a large sample of postmortem chimpanzee brains (n = 28, ages 12-62 years). Using a stereologic, unbiased design, we quantified neuron density, glia density and glia:neuron ratio in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, middle temporal gyrus, and CA1 and CA3 hippocampal subfields. Ageing was associated with decreased CA1 and CA3 neuron densities, while AD pathologies were not correlated with changes in neuron or glia densities. Differing from cerebral ageing and AD in humans, these data indicate that chimpanzees exhibit regional neuron loss with ageing but appear protected from the severe cell death found in AD. This article is part of the theme issue 'Evolution of the primate ageing process'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa K. Edler
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA
- Department of Anthropology, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA
- Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA
| | - Emily L. Munger
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA
- Department of Anthropology, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA
- Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA
| | - Richard S. Meindl
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA
- Department of Anthropology, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA
| | - William D. Hopkins
- Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | | | - Joseph M. Erwin
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Elliott J. Mufson
- Departments of Neurobiology and Neurology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ 85013, USA
| | - Patrick R. Hof
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- New York Consortium for Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY 10468, USA
| | - Chet C. Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Mary Ann Raghanti
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA
- Department of Anthropology, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA
- Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA
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50
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Augusto-Oliveira M, Arrifano GP, Takeda PY, Lopes-Araújo A, Santos-Sacramento L, Anthony DC, Verkhratsky A, Crespo-Lopez ME. Astroglia-specific contributions to the regulation of synapses, cognition and behaviour. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 118:331-357. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.07.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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