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Zheng L, Pang Q, Huang R, Xu H, Guo H, Gao C, Chen X, Wang Y, Cao Q, Gao Y, Gu Z, Wang Z, Luo C, Tao L, Wang T. Stress-mediated Activation of Ferroptosis, Pyroptosis, and Apoptosis Following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Exacerbates Neurological Dysfunctions. Mol Neurobiol 2024:10.1007/s12035-024-04516-7. [PMID: 39388040 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-024-04516-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 09/20/2024] [Indexed: 10/15/2024]
Abstract
Nearly half of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) patients continue to experience residual neurological dysfunction, which may be attributed to exposure to stress. Ferroptosis, a newly discovered form of cell death, is increasingly recognized for its involvement in the pathophysiology of TBI. Understanding the mechanisms by which stress influences mTBI, particularly through ferroptosis, is crucial for the effective treatment and prevention of mTBI patients who are sensitive to stressful events. In our study, a mouse mTBI model was established. An acute restraint stress (RS) and a chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) model then were applied to make acute and chronic stress, respectively. We found acute RS significantly delayed the recovery of reduced body weight and short-term motor dysfunctions and exacerbated cell insults and blood-brain barrier leakage caused by mTBI. Further studies revealed that acute RS exacerbates neuronal ferroptosis, pyroptosis, and apoptosis by promoting iron overloading in the neocortex following mTBI. Interestingly, the inhibition of ferroptosis with iron chelators, including deferoxamine and ciclopirox, reversed pyroptosis and apoptosis. Moreover, CUMS aggravated neurological dysfunctions (motor function, cognitive function, and anxiety-like behavior) and exacerbated brain lesion volume. CUMS also exacerbates ferroptosis, pyroptosis, and apoptosis by intensifying iron deposition, along with decreasing the expression of neuronal brain-derived neurotrophic factor and glucocorticoid receptor in the neocortex post mTBI. These effects were also mitigated by iron chelators. Our findings suggest that alleviating ferroptosis induced by iron deposition may represent a promising therapeutic approach for mTBI patients who have experienced stressful events.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Heng Xu
- Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | | | | | | | | | - Qun Cao
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Yuan Gao
- Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Zhiya Gu
- Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | | | | | | | - Tao Wang
- Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
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2
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Guo X, Hong P, Xiong S, Yan Y, Xie H, Guan JS. Kdm4a is an activity downregulated barrier to generate engrams for memory separation. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5887. [PMID: 39003305 PMCID: PMC11246488 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50218-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: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Memory engrams are a subset of learning activated neurons critical for memory recall, consolidation, extinction and separation. While the transcriptional profile of engrams after learning suggests profound neural changes underlying plasticity and memory formation, little is known about how memory engrams are selected and allocated. As epigenetic factors suppress memory formation, we developed a CRISPR screening in the hippocampus to search for factors controlling engram formation. We identified histone lysine-specific demethylase 4a (Kdm4a) as a negative regulator for engram formation. Kdm4a is downregulated after neural activation and controls the volume of mossy fiber boutons. Mechanistically, Kdm4a anchors to the exonic region of Trpm7 gene loci, causing the stalling of nascent RNAs and allowing burst transcription of Trpm7 upon the dismissal of Kdm4a. Furthermore, the YTH domain containing protein 2 (Ythdc2) recruits Kdm4a to the Trpm7 gene and stabilizes nascent RNAs. Reducing the expression of Kdm4a in the hippocampus via genetic manipulation or artificial neural activation facilitated the ability of pattern separation in rodents. Our work indicates that Kdm4a is a negative regulator of engram formation and suggests a priming state to generate a separate memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuxian Guo
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Pengfei Hong
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Songhai Xiong
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuze Yan
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hong Xie
- Institute of Photonic Chips, School of Artificial Intelligence Science and Technology, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China.
| | - Ji-Song Guan
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Medical Materials and Devices, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.
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3
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Choucry A, Nomoto M, Inokuchi K. Engram mechanisms of memory linking and identity. Nat Rev Neurosci 2024; 25:375-392. [PMID: 38664582 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-024-00814-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Memories are thought to be stored in neuronal ensembles referred to as engrams. Studies have suggested that when two memories occur in quick succession, a proportion of their engrams overlap and the memories become linked (in a process known as prospective linking) while maintaining their individual identities. In this Review, we summarize the key principles of memory linking through engram overlap, as revealed by experimental and modelling studies. We describe evidence of the involvement of synaptic memory substrates, spine clustering and non-linear neuronal capacities in prospective linking, and suggest a dynamic somato-synaptic model, in which memories are shared between neurons yet remain separable through distinct dendritic and synaptic allocation patterns. We also bring into focus retrospective linking, in which memories become associated after encoding via offline reactivation, and discuss key temporal and mechanistic differences between prospective and retrospective linking, as well as the potential differences in their cognitive outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Choucry
- Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
- Research Center for Idling Brain Science, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Masanori Nomoto
- Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
- Research Center for Idling Brain Science, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
- CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
- Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kaoru Inokuchi
- Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.
- Research Center for Idling Brain Science, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.
- CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.
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4
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Bozic I. Neuro-oscillations in memory consolidation and forgotten parts of the brain: Commentary on Weiner et al., 2023. Eur J Neurosci 2024; 59:481-482. [PMID: 37313790 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 05/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Bozic
- Universitäre Psychiatrische Dienste Bern, Universität Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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5
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Yelhekar TD, Meng M, Doupe J, Lin Y. All IEGs Are Not Created Equal-Molecular Sorting Within the Memory Engram. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2024; 38:81-109. [PMID: 39008012 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-62983-9_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
When neurons are recruited to form the memory engram, they are driven to activate the expression of a series of immediate-early genes (IEGs). While these IEGs have been used relatively indiscriminately to identify the so-called engram neurons, recent research has demonstrated that different IEG ensembles can be physically and functionally distinct within the memory engram. This inherent heterogeneity of the memory engram is driven by the diversity in the functions and distributions of different IEGs. This process, which we call molecular sorting, is analogous to sorting the entire population of engram neurons into different sub-engrams molecularly defined by different IEGs. In this chapter, we will describe the molecular sorting process by systematically reviewing published work on engram ensemble cells defined by the following four major IEGs: Fos, Npas4, Arc, and Egr1. By comparing and contrasting these likely different components of the memory engram, we hope to gain a better understanding of the logic and significance behind the molecular sorting process for memory functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tushar D Yelhekar
- Department of Psychiatry, O'Donnell Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Meizhen Meng
- Department of Psychiatry, O'Donnell Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Joslyn Doupe
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Yingxi Lin
- Department of Psychiatry, O'Donnell Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
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6
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Cai B, Wu D, Xie H, Chen Y, Wang H, Jin S, Song Y, Li A, Huang S, Wang S, Lu Y, Bao L, Xu F, Gong H, Li C, Zhang X. A direct spino-cortical circuit bypassing the thalamus modulates nociception. Cell Res 2023; 33:775-789. [PMID: 37311832 PMCID: PMC10542357 DOI: 10.1038/s41422-023-00832-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Nociceptive signals are usually transmitted to layer 4 neurons in somatosensory cortex via the spinothalamic-thalamocortical pathway. The layer 5 corticospinal neurons in sensorimotor cortex are reported to receive the output of neurons in superficial layers; and their descending axons innervate the spinal cord to regulate basic sensorimotor functions. Here, we show that a subset of layer 5 neurons receives spinal inputs through a direct spino-cortical circuit bypassing the thalamus, and thus define these neurons as spino-cortical recipient neurons (SCRNs). Morphological studies revealed that the branches from spinal ascending axons formed a kind of disciform structure with the descending axons from SCRNs in the basilar pontine nucleus (BPN). Electron microscopy and calcium imaging further confirmed that the axon terminals from spinal ascending neurons and SCRNs made functional synaptic contacts in the BPN, linking the ascending sensory pathway to the descending motor control pathway. Furthermore, behavioral tests indicated that the spino-cortical connection in the BPN was involved in nociceptive responses. In vivo calcium imaging showed that SCRNs responded to peripheral noxious stimuli faster than neighboring layer 4 cortical neurons in awake mice. Manipulating activities of SCRNs could modulate nociceptive behaviors. Therefore, this direct spino-cortical circuit represents a noncanonical pathway, allowing a fast sensory-motor transition of the brain in response to noxious stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing Cai
- Guangdong Institute of Intelligence Science and Technology, Hengqin, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
- SIMR Joint Lab of Drug Innovation, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS); Xuhui Central Hospital, Shanghai, China
- Research Unit of Pain Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Hengqin, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Dan Wu
- Institute of Neuroscience and State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, CAS, Shanghai, China
| | - Hong Xie
- SIMR Joint Lab of Drug Innovation, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS); Xuhui Central Hospital, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Photonic Chips; School of Medical Instrument and Food Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Chen
- Guangdong Institute of Intelligence Science and Technology, Hengqin, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
- SIMR Joint Lab of Drug Innovation, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS); Xuhui Central Hospital, Shanghai, China
- Research Unit of Pain Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Hengqin, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Huadong Wang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Viral Vectors for Biomedicine, Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, CAS, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Sen Jin
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Viral Vectors for Biomedicine, Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, CAS, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Yuran Song
- Guangdong Institute of Intelligence Science and Technology, Hengqin, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
- SIMR Joint Lab of Drug Innovation, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS); Xuhui Central Hospital, Shanghai, China
- Research Unit of Pain Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Hengqin, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Anan Li
- HUST-Suzhou Institute for Brainsmatics, JITRI Institute for Brainsmatics, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Shiqi Huang
- SIMR Joint Lab of Drug Innovation, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS); Xuhui Central Hospital, Shanghai, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Sashuang Wang
- Department of Pain Medicine and Shenzhen Municipal Key Laboratory for Pain Medicine, Shenzhen Nanshan People's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Yingjin Lu
- Guangdong Institute of Intelligence Science and Technology, Hengqin, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Lan Bao
- Guangdong Institute of Intelligence Science and Technology, Hengqin, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, CAS, Shanghai, China
| | - Fuqiang Xu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Viral Vectors for Biomedicine, Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, CAS, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Hui Gong
- HUST-Suzhou Institute for Brainsmatics, JITRI Institute for Brainsmatics, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Changlin Li
- Guangdong Institute of Intelligence Science and Technology, Hengqin, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China.
- Department of Pain Medicine and Shenzhen Municipal Key Laboratory for Pain Medicine, Shenzhen Nanshan People's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
| | - Xu Zhang
- Guangdong Institute of Intelligence Science and Technology, Hengqin, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China.
- SIMR Joint Lab of Drug Innovation, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS); Xuhui Central Hospital, Shanghai, China.
- Research Unit of Pain Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Hengqin, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China.
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.
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7
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Gilissen SRJ, Hennes M, Arckens L. Analysis of Immediate Early Gene Expression Levels to Interrogate Changes in Cortical Neuronal Activity Patterns upon Vision Loss. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2636:55-70. [PMID: 36881295 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3012-9_4] [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] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
Abstract
Mapping immediate early gene (IEG) expression levels to characterize changes in neuronal activity patterns has become a golden standard in neuroscience research. Due to straightforward detection methods such as in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry, changes in IEG expression can be easily visualized across brain regions and in response to physiological and pathological stimulation. Based on in-house experience and existing literature, zif268 represents itself as the IEG of choice to investigate the neuronal activity dynamics induced by sensory deprivation. In the monocular enucleation mouse model of partial vision loss, zif268 in situ hybridization can be implemented to study cross-modal plasticity by charting the initial decline and subsequent rise in neuronal activity in visual cortical territory deprived of direct retinal visual input. Here, we describe a protocol for high-throughput radioactive zif268 in situ hybridization as a readout for cortical neuronal activity dynamics in response to partial vision loss in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara R J Gilissen
- Department of Biology & Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Maroussia Hennes
- Department of Biology & Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lutgarde Arckens
- Department of Biology & Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
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8
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Mahringer D, Zmarz P, Okuno H, Bito H, Keller GB. Functional correlates of immediate early gene expression in mouse visual cortex. PEER COMMUNITY JOURNAL 2022; 2:e45. [PMID: 37091727 PMCID: PMC7614465 DOI: 10.24072/pcjournal.156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
During visual development, response properties of layer 2/3 neurons in visual cortex are shaped by experience. Both visual and visuomotor experience are necessary to co-ordinate the integration of bottom-up visual input and top-down motor-related input. Whether visual and visuomotor experience engage different plasticity mechanisms, possibly associated with the two separate input pathways, is still unclear. To begin addressing this, we measured the expression level of three different immediate early genes (IEG) (c-fos, egr1 or Arc) and neuronal activity in layer 2/3 neurons of visual cortex before and after a mouse's first visual exposure in life, and subsequent visuomotor learning. We found that expression levels of all three IEGs correlated positively with neuronal activity, but that first visual and first visuomotor exposure resulted in differential changes in IEG expression patterns. In addition, IEG expression levels differed depending on whether neurons exhibited primarily visually driven or motor-related activity. Neurons with strong motor-related activity preferentially expressed EGR1, while neurons that developed strong visually driven activity preferentially expressed Arc. Our findings are consistent with the interpretation that bottom-up visual input and top-down motor-related input are associated with different IEG expression patterns and hence possibly also with different plasticity pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Mahringer
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Pawel Zmarz
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Hiroyuki Okuno
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima, Kagoshima 890-8544, Japan
| | - Haruhiko Bito
- Department of Neurochemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Georg B Keller
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
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9
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Abstract
Arc is one of the genes that are rapidly transcribed by neuronal activity and thus used as a marker for memory trace or engram cells. However, the dynamics of engram cell populations is not well-known because of the difficulty in monitoring the rapid and transient gene expression in live animals. Using a mouse model in which endogenous Arc messenger RNA (mRNA) is fluorescently labeled, we demonstrate that Arc-expressing neuronal populations have distinct dynamics in different brain regions and that only a small subpopulation that consistently expresses Arc during both memory encoding and retrieval exhibits context-specific calcium activity. This live-animal RNA-imaging technique will offer a powerful tool for connecting gene expression to neuronal activity patterns and to behavior. Memories are thought to be encoded in populations of neurons called memory trace or engram cells. However, little is known about the dynamics of these cells because of the difficulty in real-time monitoring of them over long periods of time in vivo. To overcome this limitation, we present a genetically encoded RNA indicator (GERI) mouse for intravital chronic imaging of endogenous Arc messenger RNA (mRNA)—a popular marker for memory trace cells. We used our GERI to identify Arc-positive neurons in real time without the delay associated with reporter protein expression in conventional approaches. We found that the Arc-positive neuronal populations rapidly turned over within 2 d in the hippocampal CA1 region, whereas ∼4% of neurons in the retrosplenial cortex consistently expressed Arc following contextual fear conditioning and repeated memory retrievals. Dual imaging of GERI and a calcium indicator in CA1 of mice navigating a virtual reality environment revealed that only the population of neurons expressing Arc during both encoding and retrieval exhibited relatively high calcium activity in a context-specific manner. This in vivo RNA-imaging approach opens the possibility of unraveling the dynamics of the neuronal population underlying various learning and memory processes.
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10
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Luo W, Yun D, Hu Y, Tian M, Yang J, Xu Y, Tang Y, Zhan Y, Xie H, Guan JS. Acquiring new memories in neocortex of hippocampal-lesioned mice. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1601. [PMID: 35332120 PMCID: PMC8948206 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29208-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The hippocampus interacts with the neocortical network for memory retrieval and consolidation. Here, we found the lateral entorhinal cortex (LEC) modulates learning-induced cortical long-range gamma synchrony (20–40 Hz) in a hippocampal-dependent manner. The long-range gamma synchrony, which was coupled to the theta (7–10 Hz) rhythm and enhanced upon learning and recall, was mediated by inter-cortical projections from layer 5 neurons of the LEC to layer 2 neurons of the sensory and association cortices. Artificially induced cortical gamma synchrony across cortical areas improved memory encoding in hippocampal lesioned mice for originally hippocampal-dependent tasks. Mechanistically, we found that activities of cortical c-Fos labeled neurons, which showed egocentric map properties, were modulated by LEC-mediated gamma synchrony during memory recall, implicating a role of cortical synchrony to generate an integrative memory representation from disperse features. Our findings reveal the hippocampal mediated organization of cortical memories and suggest brain-machine interface approaches to improve cognitive function. Hippocampal lesioned mice form new memories. Here, the authors show the lateral entorhinal cortex modulates learning-induced cortical long-range gamma synchrony in a hippocampal-dependent manner and artificially induced cortical gamma synchrony across cortical areas improved memory encoding in hippocampal lesioned mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhan Luo
- School of Life Science and Technology, Shanghai Tech University, 201210, Shanghai, China
| | - Di Yun
- School of Life Science and Technology, Shanghai Tech University, 201210, Shanghai, China
| | - Yi Hu
- School of Life Science and Technology, Shanghai Tech University, 201210, Shanghai, China
| | - Miaomiao Tian
- School of Life Science and Technology, Shanghai Tech University, 201210, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiajun Yang
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China
| | - Yifan Xu
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China
| | - Yong Tang
- Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 518055, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yang Zhan
- Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 518055, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hong Xie
- Institute of Photonic Chips, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, 200093, Shanghai, China.,Centre for Artificial-Intelligence Nanophotonics, School of Optical-Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Ji-Song Guan
- School of Life Science and Technology, Shanghai Tech University, 201210, Shanghai, China. .,CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031, Shanghai, China.
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11
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Mello e Souza T. Unraveling molecular and system processes for fear memory. Neuroscience 2022; 497:14-29. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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12
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Chen QN, Ding XL, Guo XX, Zhou G, Guan JS. Suv39h1 regulates memory stability by inhibiting the expression of Shank1 in hippocampal newborn neurons. Eur J Neurosci 2022; 55:1424-1441. [PMID: 35181969 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Adult newborn neurons are involved in memory encoding and extinction, but the neural mechanism is unclear. We found the adult newborn neurons at 4 weeks are recruited by learning and subjected to epigenetic regulations, consequently reducing their ability to be re-recruited later. After removal of the epigenetic blockage, Suv39h1 KO mice showed an increased recruiting number of aged newborn neurons and enhanced flexibility in learning tasks. Besides NRXN1, we found SHANK1, the synaptic scaffold protein, is one of the major targets of Suv39h1, regulating memory stability. Expression of Shank1 is transiently engaged to enhance synaptogenesis during learning and is strongly suppressed by Suv39h1 from 5 hours after learning. Exogenously overexpression of Shank1 in dentate gyrus increased the density of mushroom spines and decreased the persistency of old memories. Our study indicated the activity-regulated epigenetic modification in newly matured newborn neurons in hippocampus insulates temporally distinct experiences and stabilizes old memories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi-Nan Chen
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Neuroscience, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xin-Lu Ding
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiu-Xian Guo
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Gang Zhou
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ji-Song Guan
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.,CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
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13
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Stacho M, Manahan-Vaughan D. Mechanistic flexibility of the retrosplenial cortex enables its contribution to spatial cognition. Trends Neurosci 2022; 45:284-296. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2022.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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14
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Li D, Wang G, Werner R, Xie H, Guan JS, Hilgetag CC. Single Image-Based Vignetting Correction for Improving the Consistency of Neural Activity Analysis in 2-Photon Functional Microscopy. Front Neuroinform 2022; 15:674439. [PMID: 35069164 PMCID: PMC8766855 DOI: 10.3389/fninf.2021.674439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
High-resolution functional 2-photon microscopy of neural activity is a cornerstone technique in current neuroscience, enabling, for instance, the image-based analysis of relations of the organization of local neuron populations and their temporal neural activity patterns. Interpreting local image intensity as a direct quantitative measure of neural activity presumes, however, a consistent within- and across-image relationship between the image intensity and neural activity, which may be subject to interference by illumination artifacts. In particular, the so-called vignetting artifact—the decrease of image intensity toward the edges of an image—is, at the moment, widely neglected in the context of functional microscopy analyses of neural activity, but potentially introduces a substantial center-periphery bias of derived functional measures. In the present report, we propose a straightforward protocol for single image-based vignetting correction. Using immediate-early gene-based 2-photon microscopic neural image data of the mouse brain, we show the necessity of correcting both image brightness and contrast to improve within- and across-image intensity consistency and demonstrate the plausibility of the resulting functional data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Li
- Institute of Computational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- *Correspondence: Dong Li,
| | - Guangyu Wang
- School of Life Sciences and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - René Werner
- Institute of Computational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Center for Biomedical Artificial Intelligence (bAIome), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Hong Xie
- Institute of Photonic Chips, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
- School of Health Science and Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Ji-Song Guan
- School of Life Sciences and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Claus C. Hilgetag
- Institute of Computational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Center for Biomedical Artificial Intelligence (bAIome), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Health Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
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15
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Lee J, Urban-Ciecko J, Park E, Zhu M, Myal SE, Margolis DJ, Barth AL. FosGFP expression does not capture a sensory learning-related engram in superficial layers of mouse barrel cortex. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2112212118. [PMID: 34930843 PMCID: PMC8719899 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2112212118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Immediate-early gene (IEG) expression has been used to identify small neural ensembles linked to a particular experience, based on the principle that a selective subset of activated neurons will encode specific memories or behavioral responses. The majority of these studies have focused on "engrams" in higher-order brain areas where more abstract or convergent sensory information is represented, such as the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, or amygdala. In primary sensory cortex, IEG expression can label neurons that are responsive to specific sensory stimuli, but experience-dependent shaping of neural ensembles marked by IEG expression has not been demonstrated. Here, we use a fosGFP transgenic mouse to longitudinally monitor in vivo expression of the activity-dependent gene c-fos in superficial layers (L2/3) of primary somatosensory cortex (S1) during a whisker-dependent learning task. We find that sensory association training does not detectably alter fosGFP expression in L2/3 neurons. Although training broadly enhances thalamocortical synaptic strength in pyramidal neurons, we find that synapses onto fosGFP+ neurons are not selectively increased by training; rather, synaptic strengthening is concentrated in fosGFP- neurons. Taken together, these data indicate that expression of the IEG reporter fosGFP does not facilitate identification of a learning-specific engram in L2/3 in barrel cortex during whisker-dependent sensory association learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiseok Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
| | - Joanna Urban-Ciecko
- Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Eunsol Park
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
| | - Mo Zhu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
| | - Stephanie E Myal
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
| | - David J Margolis
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854
| | - Alison L Barth
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213;
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16
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Balcerek E, Włodkowska U, Czajkowski R. Retrosplenial cortex in spatial memory: focus on immediate early genes mapping. Mol Brain 2021; 14:172. [PMID: 34863215 PMCID: PMC8642902 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-021-00880-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to form, retrieve and update autobiographical memories is one of the most fascinating features of human behavior. Spatial memory, the ability to remember the layout of the external environment and to navigate within its boundaries, is closely related to the autobiographical memory domain. It is served by an overlapping brain circuit, centered around the hippocampus (HPC) where the cognitive map index is stored. Apart from the hippocampus, several cortical structures participate in this process. Their relative contribution is a subject of intense research in both humans and animal models. One of the most widely studied regions is the retrosplenial cortex (RSC), an area in the parietal lobe densely interconnected with the hippocampal formation. Several methodological approaches have been established over decades in order to investigate the cortical aspects of memory. One of the most successful techniques is based on the analysis of brain expression patterns of the immediate early genes (IEGs). The common feature of this diverse group of genes is fast upregulation of their mRNA translation upon physiologically relevant stimulus. In the central nervous system they are rapidly triggered by neuronal activity and plasticity during learning. There is a widely accepted consensus that their expression level corresponds to the engagement of individual neurons in the formation of memory trace. Imaging of the IEGs might therefore provide a picture of an emerging memory engram. In this review we present the overview of IEG mapping studies of retrosplenial cortex in rodent models. We begin with classical techniques, immunohistochemical detection of protein and fluorescent in situ hybridization of mRNA. We then proceed to advanced methods where fluorescent genetically encoded IEG reporters are chronically followed in vivo during memory formation. We end with a combination of genetic IEG labelling and optogenetic approach, where the activity of the entire engram is manipulated. We finally present a hypothesis that attempts to unify our current state of knowledge about the function of RSC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edyta Balcerek
- Laboratory of Spatial Memory, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pasteura 3, 02-093, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Urszula Włodkowska
- Laboratory of Spatial Memory, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pasteura 3, 02-093, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Rafał Czajkowski
- Laboratory of Spatial Memory, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pasteura 3, 02-093, Warsaw, Poland.
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17
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Wang G, Xie H, Hu Y, Chen Q, Liu C, Liu K, Yan Y, Guan JS. Egr1-EGFP transgenic mouse allows in vivo recording of Egr1 expression and neural activity. J Neurosci Methods 2021; 363:109350. [PMID: 34487772 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2021.109350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 08/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immediate-early genes (IEGs) have been serving as markers of active neurons for their rapid responses to stimulation. With the development of IEG-EGFP reporters by the GENSAT project, application of the IEGs have been greatly expanded. However, detailed validations for these systems are still lacking, causing trouble in the interpretation of the fluorescence signals. NEW METHOD In this work, taken Egr1-EGFP transgenic mice as an example, we proposed an improvement for the usage of the Egr1-EGFP reporter system based on detailed validation of its fluorescence signals. RESULTS Firstly, the exogenous EGFP mRNA levels were linearly correlated with the endogenous Egr1 mRNA levels in neurons. Secondly, the 3-hr-changes of the Egr1-EGFP signals before and after the stimulus were positively correlated with the stimulus-induced neuronal activities. Interestingly, persistent neuronal activity patterns in the post-stimulus phase also showed correlation with the stimulus-induced Egr1-EGFP signal changes. Furthermore, enriched environments engaged dramatic neuronal activations, allowing detailed characterization of Egr1-EGFP expression dynamics. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHOD(S) People used to infer the neuronal activities based on the raw fluorescence signals of IEG-EGFP reporter system, which was strongly obstructed by distinct protein regulation or dynamic properties between the EGFP and the IEGs. We demonstrated a better way for data analysis and experimental design. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, this work proves that Egr1-EGFP signal is weakly but significantly correlated to task-induced neural activity and gives detailed characterization of the signal dynamics. It not only provides basis for the understanding of the IEG-EGFP fluorescence signals but also offers instructions for proper experimental design with IEG-EGFP reporter systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangyu Wang
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China; Shanghai Research Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Institute of Brain Intelligence Science and Technology, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Hong Xie
- Centre for Artificial-Intelligence Nanophotonics, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China
| | - Yi Hu
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Qinan Chen
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Chenhui Liu
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Kaiyuan Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, IDG/McGovern institute for Brain Research at Tsinghua, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yuze Yan
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, IDG/McGovern institute for Brain Research at Tsinghua, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Ji-Song Guan
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China.
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18
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Wang F, Jiang W, Gao L, Liu C, Deng M, Ren X, Zhu C, Guan JS, Wang Y. Detecting Abnormal Neuronal Activity in a Chronic Migraine Model by Egr1-EGFP Transgenic Mice. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:705938. [PMID: 34456674 PMCID: PMC8387874 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.705938] [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: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic migraine (CM) is a highly disabling neurological disorder characterized by recurrent headache accompanied by a variety of sensory and/or emotional symptoms. However, the mechanisms of migraine onset and its chronicity have not been elucidated. The present study was designed to search for brain regions and neurons that were abnormally activated by CM and might be related to its pathogenesis and different concomitant symptoms. CM models were established here by repeated intraperitoneal injection of nitroglycerin (NTG) every other day for 9 days to early growth response gene 1 (Egr1)-enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) transgenic mice, which allowed monitoring of neuronal activities in the whole brain. CM-related behaviors were recorded through head grooming test and light aversion assay. Elevation of Egr1 expression signals was detected in trigeminal nucleus caudalis (TNC), primary somatosensory cortex (SSp), lateral amygdala nucleus (LA), primary visual area (VISp), and temporal association areas (TEa) 2 h after the last injection of NTG by immunofluorescence and digital slice scanning technology. Meanwhile, no change of Egr1 expression was found in auditory areas (AUD), CA1, ectorhinal area (ECT), piriform (PIR), and anterior cingulate area (ACC). Furthermore, with the strongest support by evidence-based medicine among the current limited oral treatments of CM, topiramate was administrated every day for 11 days from 2 days before the first NTG injection. The results showed that topiramate partially improved the photophobia behavior of CM models in the short-term with gradually weakened efficacy as the course of the disease prolonged. Meanwhile, NTG-induced increase in Egr1 expression was completely reversed in TNC, SSp, and VISp and partially reduced in LA and TEa by topiramate at the same time point mentioned above. In conclusion, the current results suggested that the abnormal hyperactivities in TNC, SSp and VISp were associated with the pathogenesis of CM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Wang
- Department of Neurology, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Weiqing Jiang
- Department of Neurology, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Li Gao
- Department of Neurology, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chen Liu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Mingzhu Deng
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xiao Ren
- Department of Neurology, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chenlu Zhu
- Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Ji-Song Guan
- School of Life Sciences and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.,CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yonggang Wang
- Department of Neurology, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,Headache Center, China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing, China
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19
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Changeux JP, Goulas A, Hilgetag CC. A Connectomic Hypothesis for the Hominization of the Brain. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:2425-2449. [PMID: 33367521 PMCID: PMC8023825 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Revised: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cognitive abilities of the human brain, including language, have expanded dramatically in the course of our recent evolution from nonhuman primates, despite only minor apparent changes at the gene level. The hypothesis we propose for this paradox relies upon fundamental features of human brain connectivity, which contribute to a characteristic anatomical, functional, and computational neural phenotype, offering a parsimonious framework for connectomic changes taking place upon the human-specific evolution of the genome. Many human connectomic features might be accounted for by substantially increased brain size within the global neural architecture of the primate brain, resulting in a larger number of neurons and areas and the sparsification, increased modularity, and laminar differentiation of cortical connections. The combination of these features with the developmental expansion of upper cortical layers, prolonged postnatal brain development, and multiplied nongenetic interactions with the physical, social, and cultural environment gives rise to categorically human-specific cognitive abilities including the recursivity of language. Thus, a small set of genetic regulatory events affecting quantitative gene expression may plausibly account for the origins of human brain connectivity and cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Pierre Changeux
- CNRS UMR 3571, Institut Pasteur, 75724 Paris, France
- Communications Cellulaires, Collège de France, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Alexandros Goulas
- Institute of Computational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Eppendorf, Hamburg University, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Claus C Hilgetag
- Institute of Computational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Eppendorf, Hamburg University, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Health Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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20
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Zhang X, Wang F, Hu Y, Chen R, Meng D, Guo L, Lv H, Guan J, Jia Y. In vivo stress granule misprocessing evidenced in a FUS knock-in ALS mouse model. Brain 2020; 143:1350-1367. [PMID: 32358598 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awaa076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2019] [Revised: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Many RNA-binding proteins, including TDP-43, FUS, and TIA1, are stress granule components, dysfunction of which causes amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, whether a mutant RNA-binding protein disrupts stress granule processing in vivo in pathogenesis is unknown. Here we establish a FUS ALS mutation, p.R521C, knock-in mouse model that carries impaired motor ability and late-onset motor neuron loss. In disease-susceptible neurons, stress induces mislocalization of mutant FUS into stress granules and upregulation of ubiquitin, two hallmarks of disease pathology. Additionally, stress aggravates motor performance decline in the mutant mouse. By using two-photon imaging in TIA1-EGFP transduced animals, we document more intensely TIA1-EGFP-positive granules formed hours but cleared weeks after stress challenge in neurons in the mutant cortex. Moreover, neurons with severe granule misprocessing die days after stress challenge. Therefore, we argue that stress granule misprocessing is pathogenic in ALS, and the model we provide here is sound for further disease mechanistic study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Zhang
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Science, Beijing, China.,School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,School of Medicine, Medical Science Building, Room D204, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research at Tsinghua Beijing, China
| | - Fengchao Wang
- Animal core facility, National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Hu
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research at Tsinghua Beijing, China
| | - Runze Chen
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Science, Beijing, China.,School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,School of Medicine, Medical Science Building, Room D204, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research at Tsinghua Beijing, China
| | - Dawei Meng
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Science, Beijing, China.,School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,School of Medicine, Medical Science Building, Room D204, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research at Tsinghua Beijing, China
| | - Liang Guo
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Science, Beijing, China.,School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,School of Medicine, Medical Science Building, Room D204, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research at Tsinghua Beijing, China
| | - Hailong Lv
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Science, Beijing, China.,School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,School of Medicine, Medical Science Building, Room D204, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research at Tsinghua Beijing, China
| | - Jisong Guan
- School of Life Science and Technology, Shanghai Tech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yichang Jia
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Science, Beijing, China.,School of Medicine, Medical Science Building, Room D204, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research at Tsinghua Beijing, China
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21
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Wang G, Xie H, Wang L, Luo W, Wang Y, Jiang J, Xiao C, Xing F, Guan JS. Switching From Fear to No Fear by Different Neural Ensembles in Mouse Retrosplenial Cortex. Cereb Cortex 2020; 29:5085-5097. [PMID: 30888026 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2018] [Revised: 02/17/2019] [Accepted: 02/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Fear extinction is generally considered a form of new learning that inhibits previously acquired fear memories. Here, by tracking immediate early gene expression in vivo, we found that contextual fear extinction training evoked distinct neural ensembles in mouse retrosplenial cortex (RSC). The optogenetic reactivation of these extinction-activated neurons in the RSC was sufficient to suppress a fear response, while the reactivation of conditioning-activated neurons in the same area promoted a fear response. The generation of such an extinction-memory-related neural ensemble was associated with adult neurogenesis, as abolishing newborn neurons in the adult hippocampus via X-ray irradiation eliminated both the extinction-activated neurons in the RSC and the optogenetic-reactivation-induced suppression of contextual fear memory. Therefore, switching from fear to no fear in response to the same context is modulated by the RSC through an extinction-activated neural ensemble, the generation of which might require adult neurogenesis in the hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangyu Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, IDG/McGovern institute for Brain Research at Tsinghua, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.,School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Hong Xie
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China.,Shanghai Research Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence/Institute of Brain Intelligence Science and Technology, Zhangjiang Lab, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Lun Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, IDG/McGovern institute for Brain Research at Tsinghua, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.,Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Wenhan Luo
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China.,Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yixiang Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, IDG/McGovern institute for Brain Research at Tsinghua, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jun Jiang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, IDG/McGovern institute for Brain Research at Tsinghua, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.,School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Chun Xiao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, IDG/McGovern institute for Brain Research at Tsinghua, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Feng Xing
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, IDG/McGovern institute for Brain Research at Tsinghua, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Ji-Song Guan
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China.,CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
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22
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Franceschini A, Costantini I, Pavone FS, Silvestri L. Dissecting Neuronal Activation on a Brain-Wide Scale With Immediate Early Genes. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:569517. [PMID: 33192255 PMCID: PMC7645181 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.569517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Visualizing neuronal activation on a brain-wide scale yet with cellular resolution is a fundamental technical challenge for neuroscience. This would enable analyzing how different neuronal circuits are disrupted in pathology and how they could be rescued by pharmacological treatments. Although this goal would have appeared visionary a decade ago, recent technological advances make it eventually feasible. Here, we review the latest developments in the fields of genetics, sample preparation, imaging, and image analysis that could be combined to afford whole-brain cell-resolution activation mapping. We show how the different biochemical and optical methods have been coupled to study neuronal circuits at different spatial and temporal scales, and with cell-type specificity. The inventory of techniques presented here could be useful to find the tools best suited for a specific experiment. We envision that in the next years, mapping of neuronal activation could become routine in many laboratories, allowing dissecting the neuronal counterpart of behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Irene Costantini
- European Laboratory for Non-linear Spectroscopy (LENS), Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.,National Institute of Optics, National Research Council (INO-CNR), Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Francesco S Pavone
- European Laboratory for Non-linear Spectroscopy (LENS), Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.,National Institute of Optics, National Research Council (INO-CNR), Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.,Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Ludovico Silvestri
- European Laboratory for Non-linear Spectroscopy (LENS), Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.,National Institute of Optics, National Research Council (INO-CNR), Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.,Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
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23
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Bostancıklıoğlu M. An update on memory formation and retrieval: An engram-centric approach. Alzheimers Dement 2020; 16:926-937. [PMID: 32333509 DOI: 10.1002/alz.12071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Revised: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 01/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We explore here that memory loss observed in the early stage of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a disorder of memory retrieval, instead of a storage impairment. This engram-centric explanation aims to enlarge the conceptual frame of memory as an emergent behavior of the brain and to propose a new treatment strategy for memory retrieval in dementia-AD. BACKGROUND The conventional memory hypothesis suggests that memory is stored as multiple traces in hippocampal neurons but recent evidence indicates that there are specialized memory engrams responsible for the storage and the retrieval of different memory types. UPDATED MEMORY HYPOTHESIS There are specialized memory engram neurons for each memory type and when information will be stored as a memory arrives in the hippocampus through afferent neurons finds its neuron according to the excitability states of engram neurons. The excitability level in engram neurons seems like a code canalizing the interactions between engrams and information. Therefore, to enhance the excitability of memory engram neurons improves memory loss observed in AD. In addition, we suggest that the hippocampus creates an index for information stored in memory engram cells in specialized regions for different types of memory, instead of storing all information; and different anatomic locations of engram cells and their roles in memory retrieval point out that memory could be an emergent behavior of the brain, and the interaction between serotonin fluctuation and engram neurons could be neural underpinnings of terminal lucidity. MAJOR CHALLENGES FOR THE MODEL The major challenge for this engram-centric memory retrieval model is the translation from bench to patient, specifically the delivery of optogenetic tools in patients. Engram neurons can be specifically activated by optogenetic tools, but optogenetics is an invasive technique which requires optic fiber implantation into the brain. In addition, light can overheat the tissue and thus induce damage in tissue. Furthermore, light is a foreign object and its direct implantation into the brain may cause neuroinflammation, the main trigger of neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, to test the engram hypothesis in human, new tools to allow specific engram activation should be discovered.
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24
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Josselyn SA, Tonegawa S. Memory engrams: Recalling the past and imagining the future. Science 2020; 367:367/6473/eaaw4325. [PMID: 31896692 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaw4325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 446] [Impact Index Per Article: 111.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
In 1904, Richard Semon introduced the term "engram" to describe the neural substrate for storing memories. An experience, Semon proposed, activates a subset of cells that undergo off-line, persistent chemical and/or physical changes to become an engram. Subsequent reactivation of this engram induces memory retrieval. Although Semon's contributions were largely ignored in his lifetime, new technologies that allow researchers to image and manipulate the brain at the level of individual neurons has reinvigorated engram research. We review recent progress in studying engrams, including an evaluation of evidence for the existence of engrams, the importance of intrinsic excitability and synaptic plasticity in engrams, and the lifetime of an engram. Together, these findings are beginning to define an engram as the basic unit of memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheena A Josselyn
- Program in Neurosciences & Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1X8, Canada. .,Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G3, Canada.,Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1X8, Canada.,Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada.,Brain, Mind & Consciousness Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR), Toronto, Ontario M5G 1M1, Canada
| | - Susumu Tonegawa
- RIKEN-MIT Laboratory for Neural Circuit Genetics at the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Biology and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA. .,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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25
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Aqrabawi AJ, Kim JC. Olfactory memory representations are stored in the anterior olfactory nucleus. Nat Commun 2020; 11:1246. [PMID: 32144256 PMCID: PMC7060254 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-15032-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2019] [Accepted: 02/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The anterior olfactory nucleus (AON) is the initial recipient of odour information from the olfactory bulb, and the target of dense innervation conveying spatiotemporal cues from the hippocampus. We hypothesized that the AON detects the coincidence of these inputs, generating patterns of activity reflective of episodic odour engrams. Using activity-dependent tagging combined with neural manipulation techniques, we reveal that contextually-relevant odour engrams are stored within the AON and that their activity is necessary and sufficient for the behavioural expression of odour memory. Our findings offer a new model for studying the mechanisms underlying memory representations. Odours are powerful stimuli used by most organisms to guide behaviour. Here, the authors identify populations of neurons within the anterior olfactory nucleus (AON) which are necessary and sufficient for the behavioural expression of odour memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Afif J Aqrabawi
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 3G5, Canada. .,Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
| | - Jun Chul Kim
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 3G5, Canada. .,Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G3, Canada.
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26
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Takehara‐Nishiuchi K. Neurobiology of systems memory consolidation. Eur J Neurosci 2020; 54:6850-6863. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2019] [Revised: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Kaori Takehara‐Nishiuchi
- Department of Psychology University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
- Neuroscience Program University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
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27
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Liu S, Tian M, He F, Li J, Xie H, Liu W, Zhang Y, Zhang R, Yi M, Che F, Ma X, Zheng Y, Deng H, Wang G, Chen L, Sun X, Xu Y, Wang J, Zang Y, Han M, Wang X, Guan H, Ge Y, Wu C, Wang H, Liang H, Li H, Ran N, Yang Z, Huang H, Wei Y, Zheng X, Sun X, Feng X, Zheng L, Zhu T, Luo W, Chen Q, Yan Y, Huang Z, Jing Z, Guo Y, Zhang X, Schaaf CP, Xing J, Wang C, Yu F, Guan JS. Mutations in ASH1L confer susceptibility to Tourette syndrome. Mol Psychiatry 2020; 25:476-490. [PMID: 31673123 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-019-0560-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2019] [Revised: 08/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Tourette syndrome (TS) is a childhood-onset neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by repetitive motor movements and vocal tics. The clinical manifestations of TS are complex and often overlap with other neuropsychiatric disorders. TS is highly heritable; however, the underlying genetic basis and molecular and neuronal mechanisms of TS remain largely unknown. We performed whole-exome sequencing of a hundred trios (probands and their parents) with detailed records of their clinical presentations and identified a risk gene, ASH1L, that was both de novo mutated and associated with TS based on a transmission disequilibrium test. As a replication, we performed follow-up targeted sequencing of ASH1L in additional 524 unrelated TS samples and replicated the association (P value = 0.001). The point mutations in ASH1L cause defects in its enzymatic activity. Therefore, we established a transgenic mouse line and performed an array of anatomical, behavioral, and functional assays to investigate ASH1L function. The Ash1l+/- mice manifested tic-like behaviors and compulsive behaviors that could be rescued by the tic-relieving drug haloperidol. We also found that Ash1l disruption leads to hyper-activation and elevated dopamine-releasing events in the dorsal striatum, all of which could explain the neural mechanisms for the behavioral abnormalities in mice. Taken together, our results provide compelling evidence that ASH1L is a TS risk gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiguo Liu
- Medical Genetic Department, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.,The Prenatal Diagnosis Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Miaomiao Tian
- School of Life Sciences, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Fan He
- The National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders & Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders Center of Schizophrenia, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Jiani Li
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Hong Xie
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China.,Institute of Brain-Intelligence Technology, Zhangjiang Laboratory & Shanghai Research Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Wenmiao Liu
- Medical Genetic Department, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.,The Prenatal Diagnosis Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yeting Zhang
- Department of Genetics, Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Ru Zhang
- Medical Genetic Department, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.,The Prenatal Diagnosis Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Mingji Yi
- Developmental Behavioral Pediatric Department, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Fengyuan Che
- Department of Neurology, Linyi People's Hospital, Linyi, China
| | - Xu Ma
- National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Zheng
- The National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders & Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders Center of Schizophrenia, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Hao Deng
- Center for Experimental Medicine & Department of Neurology, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Guiju Wang
- Child Healthcare Department, Rizhao people's Hospital, Rizhao, China
| | - Lang Chen
- Department of Pediatrics, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Provincial Clinical Medical College Affiliated to Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xue Sun
- Department of Medical Record, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yinglei Xu
- Medical Genetic Department, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.,The Prenatal Diagnosis Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Jingli Wang
- Medical Genetic Department, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.,The Prenatal Diagnosis Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yucui Zang
- Medical Genetic Department, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.,The Prenatal Diagnosis Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Mengmeng Han
- Medical Genetic Department, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.,The Prenatal Diagnosis Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Xiuhai Wang
- Department of Biology, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Hongzai Guan
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yinlin Ge
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Chunmei Wu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Haiyan Wang
- Department of Blood Transfusion, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Hui Liang
- Department of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Hui Li
- Physical Examination Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Ni Ran
- Developmental Behavioral Pediatric Department, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Zhaochuan Yang
- Developmental Behavioral Pediatric Department, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Huanhuan Huang
- The National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders & Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders Center of Schizophrenia, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yanzhao Wei
- The National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders & Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders Center of Schizophrenia, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xueping Zheng
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Xiangrong Sun
- Medical Genetic Department, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.,The Prenatal Diagnosis Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Xueying Feng
- Developmental Behavioral Pediatric Department, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Lanlan Zheng
- Department of Psychiatry, The Third Hospital of Chaoyang District of Beijing, Beijing, China
| | - Tao Zhu
- School of Life Sciences, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Comparative Medical Center, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Wenhan Luo
- School of Life Sciences, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Qinan Chen
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Yuze Yan
- School of Life Sciences, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Zuzhou Huang
- Department of Blood Transfusion, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Zhongcui Jing
- Department of Blood Transfusion, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yixia Guo
- Developmental Behavioral Pediatric Department, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Xuzhan Zhang
- Physical Examination Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Christian P Schaaf
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Genetics; Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jinchuan Xing
- Department of Genetics, Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Chuanyue Wang
- The National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders & Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders Center of Schizophrenia, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
| | - Fuli Yu
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
| | - Ji-Song Guan
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China. .,CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China.
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28
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Navabpour S, Kwapis JL, Jarome TJ. A neuroscientist's guide to transgenic mice and other genetic tools. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 108:732-748. [PMID: 31843544 PMCID: PMC8049509 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2019] [Revised: 11/05/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The past decade has produced an explosion in the number and variety of genetic tools available to neuroscientists, resulting in an unprecedented ability to precisely manipulate the genome and epigenome in behaving animals. However, no single resource exists that describes all of the tools available to neuroscientists. Here, we review the genetic, transgenic, and viral techniques that are currently available to probe the complex relationship between genes and cognition. Topics covered include types of traditional transgenic mouse models (knockout, knock-in, reporter lines), inducible systems (Cre-loxP, Tet-On, Tet-Off) and cell- and circuit-specific systems (TetTag, TRAP, DIO-DREADD). Additionally, we provide details on virus-mediated and siRNA/shRNA approaches, as well as a comprehensive discussion of the myriad manipulations that can be made using the CRISPR-Cas9 system, including single base pair editing and spatially- and temporally-regulated gene-specific transcriptional control. Collectively, this review will serve as a guide to assist neuroscientists in identifying and choosing the appropriate genetic tools available to study the complex relationship between the brain and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaghayegh Navabpour
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, Translational Biology, Medicine and Health, Roanoke, VA, USA
| | - Janine L Kwapis
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, College Park, PA, USA; Center for the Molecular Investigation of Neurological Disorders (CMIND), Pennsylvania State University, College Park, PA, USA.
| | - Timothy J Jarome
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, Translational Biology, Medicine and Health, Roanoke, VA, USA; Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA; School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA.
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29
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Li D, Wang G, Xie H, Hu Y, Guan JS, Hilgetag CC. Multimodal Memory Components and Their Long-Term Dynamics Identified in Cortical Layers II/III but Not Layer V. Front Integr Neurosci 2019; 13:54. [PMID: 31632246 PMCID: PMC6779795 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2019.00054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2019] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Activity patterns of cerebral cortical regions represent the current environment in which animals receive multi-modal inputs. These patterns are also shaped by the history of activity that reflects learned information on past multimodal exposures. We studied the long-term dynamics of cortical activity patterns during the formation of multimodal memories by analyzing in vivo high-resolution 2-photon mouse brain imaging data of Immediate Early Gene (IEG) expression, resolved by cortical layers. Strikingly, in superficial layers II/III, the patterns showed similar dynamics across structurally and functionally distinct cortical areas and the consistency of dynamic patterns lasted for one to several days. By contrast, in deep layer V, the activity dynamics varied across different areas, and the current activities were sensitive to the previous activities at different time points, depending on the cortical locations, indicating that the information stored in the cortex at different time points was distributed across different cortical areas. These results suggest different roles of superficial and deep layer neurons in the long-term multimodal representation of the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Li
- Institute of Computational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Guangyu Wang
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.,School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Hong Xie
- Zhangjiang Laboratory, Shanghai Research Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Institute of Brain-Intelligence Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Yi Hu
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.,School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Ji-Song Guan
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.,School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Claus C Hilgetag
- Institute of Computational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,Department of Health Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
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30
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Discrimination of the hierarchical structure of cortical layers in 2-photon microscopy data by combined unsupervised and supervised machine learning. Sci Rep 2019; 9:7424. [PMID: 31092841 PMCID: PMC6520410 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-43432-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2018] [Accepted: 04/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The laminar organization of the cerebral cortex is a fundamental characteristic of the brain, with essential implications for cortical function. Due to the rapidly growing amount of high-resolution brain imaging data, a great demand arises for automated and flexible methods for discriminating the laminar texture of the cortex. Here, we propose a combined approach of unsupervised and supervised machine learning to discriminate the hierarchical cortical laminar organization in high-resolution 2-photon microscopic neural image data of mouse brain without observer bias, that is, without the prerequisite of manually labeled training data. For local cortical foci, we modify an unsupervised clustering approach to identify and represent the laminar cortical structure. Subsequently, supervised machine learning is applied to transfer the resulting layer labels across different locations and image data, to ensure the existence of a consistent layer label system. By using neurobiologically meaningful features, the discrimination results are shown to be consistent with the layer classification of the classical Brodmann scheme, and provide additional insight into the structure of the cerebral cortex and its hierarchical organization. Thus, our work paves a new way for studying the anatomical organization of the cerebral cortex, and potentially its functional organization.
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31
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Abstract
Rhythmicity and oscillations are common features in nature, and can be seen in phenomena such as seasons, breathing, and brain activity. Despite the fact that a single neuron transmits its activity to its neighbor through a transient pulse, rhythmic activity emerges from large population-wide activity in the brain, and such rhythms are strongly coupled with the state and cognitive functions of the brain. However, it is still debated whether the oscillations of brain activity actually carry information. Here, we briefly introduce the biological findings of brain oscillations, and summarize the recent progress in understanding how oscillations mediate brain function. Finally, we examine the possible relationship between brain cognitive function and oscillation, focusing on how oscillation is related to memory, particularly with respect to state-dependent memory formation and memory retrieval under specific brain waves. We propose that oscillatory waves in the neocortex contribute to the synchronization and activation of specific memory trace ensembles in the neocortex by promoting long-range neural communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhan Luo
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100871, China
- School of Life Sciences and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Ji-Song Guan
- School of Life Sciences and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
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32
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Attardo A, Lu J, Kawashima T, Okuno H, Fitzgerald JE, Bito H, Schnitzer MJ. Long-Term Consolidation of Ensemble Neural Plasticity Patterns in Hippocampal Area CA1. Cell Rep 2018; 25:640-650.e2. [DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.09.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2017] [Revised: 06/27/2018] [Accepted: 09/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
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33
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He Q, Wang J, Hu H. Illuminating the Activated Brain: Emerging Activity-Dependent Tools to Capture and Control Functional Neural Circuits. Neurosci Bull 2018; 35:369-377. [PMID: 30255458 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-018-0291-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2018] [Accepted: 06/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Immediate-early genes (IEGs) have long been used to visualize neural activations induced by sensory and behavioral stimuli. Recent advances in imaging techniques have made it possible to use endogenous IEG signals to visualize and discriminate neural ensembles activated by multiple stimuli, and to map whole-brain-scale neural activation at single-neuron resolution. In addition, a collection of IEG-dependent molecular tools has been developed that can be used to complement the labeling of endogenous IEG genes and, especially, to manipulate activated neural ensembles in order to reveal the circuits and mechanisms underlying different behaviors. Here, we review these techniques and tools in terms of their utility in studying functional neural circuits. In addition, we provide an experimental strategy to measure the signal-to-noise ratio of IEG-dependent molecular tools, for evaluating their suitability for investigating relevant circuits and behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiye He
- Center for Neuroscience, and Department of Psychiatry of First Affiliated Hospital, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
- Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology, Qiushi Academy for Advanced Studies, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310012, China.
| | - Jihua Wang
- Center for Neuroscience, and Department of Psychiatry of First Affiliated Hospital, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Hailan Hu
- Center for Neuroscience, and Department of Psychiatry of First Affiliated Hospital, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
- Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology, Qiushi Academy for Advanced Studies, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310012, China.
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34
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Roshchina MA, Ivashkina OI, Anokhin KV. New Approaches to Cognitive Neurobiology: Methods for Two-Photon in Vivo Imaging of Cognitively Active Neurons. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s11055-018-0625-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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35
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36
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Milczarek MM, Vann SD, Sengpiel F. Spatial Memory Engram in the Mouse Retrosplenial Cortex. Curr Biol 2018; 28:1975-1980.e6. [PMID: 29887312 PMCID: PMC6013279 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2018.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Revised: 04/27/2018] [Accepted: 05/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Memory relies on lasting adaptations of neuronal properties elicited by stimulus-driven plastic changes [1]. The strengthening (and weakening) of synapses results in the establishment of functional ensembles. It is presumed that such ensembles (or engrams) are activated during memory acquisition and re-activated upon memory retrieval. The retrosplenial cortex (RSC) has emerged as a key brain area supporting memory [2], including episodic and topographical memory in humans [3, 4, 5], as well as spatial memory in rodents [6, 7]. Dysgranular RSC is densely connected with dorsal stream visual areas [8] and contains place-like and head-direction cells, making it a prime candidate for integrating navigational information [9]. While previous reports [6, 10] describe the recruitment of RSC ensembles during navigational tasks, such ensembles have never been tracked long enough to provide evidence of stable engrams and have not been related to the retention of long-term memory. Here, we used in vivo 2-photon imaging to analyze patterns of activity of over 6,000 neurons within dysgranular RSC. Eight mice were trained on a spatial memory task. Learning was accompanied by the gradual emergence of a context-specific pattern of neuronal activity over a 3-week period, which was re-instated upon retrieval more than 3 weeks later. The stability of this memory engram was predictive of the degree of forgetting; more stable engrams were associated with better performance. This provides direct evidence for the interdependence of spatial memory consolidation and RSC engram formation. Our results demonstrate the participation of RSC in spatial memory storage at the level of neuronal ensembles. Longitudinal C-fos imaging reveals retrosplenial spatial memory engrams in mice Engrams become progressively more stable with learning and are maintained over weeks The degree of memory retention is related to the stability of the engrams
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Grosso A, Cambiaghi M, Milano L, Renna A, Sacco T, Sacchetti B. Region- and Layer-Specific Activation of the Higher Order Auditory Cortex Te2 after Remote Retrieval of Fear or Appetitive Memories. Cereb Cortex 2018; 27:3140-3151. [PMID: 27252348 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhw159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The auditory cortex is involved in encoding sounds which have acquired an emotional-motivational charge. However, the neural circuitry engaged by emotional memory processes in the auditory cortex is poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the layers and regions that are recruited in the higher order auditory cortex Te2 by a tone previously paired to either fear or appetitive stimuli in rats. By tracking the protein coded by the immediate early gene zif268, we found that fear memory retrieval engages layers II-III in most regions of Te2. These results were neither due to an enhanced fear state nor to fear-evoked motor responses, as they were absent in animals retrieving an olfactory fear memory. These layers were also activated by appetitive auditory memory retrieval. Strikingly, layer IV was recruited by fear, but not appetitive memories, whereas layer V activity was related to the behavioral responses displayed to the CS. In addition to revealing the layers and regions that are recruited in the Te2 by either fear or appetitive remote memories, our study also shows that the neural circuitry within the Te2 that processes and stores emotional memories varies on the basis of the affective motivational charge of tones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Grosso
- Rita Levi-Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, I-10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Marco Cambiaghi
- Rita Levi-Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, I-10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Luisella Milano
- Rita Levi-Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, I-10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Annamaria Renna
- Rita Levi-Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, I-10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Tiziana Sacco
- Rita Levi-Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, I-10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Benedetto Sacchetti
- Rita Levi-Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, I-10125 Turin, Italy.,National Institute of Neuroscience-Turin, I-10125 Turin, Italy
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38
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Çalışkan G, Stork O. Hippocampal network oscillations as mediators of behavioural metaplasticity: Insights from emotional learning. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2018; 154:37-53. [PMID: 29476822 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2018.02.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2017] [Revised: 02/13/2018] [Accepted: 02/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Behavioural metaplasticity is evident in experience-dependent changes of network activity patterns in neuronal circuits that connect the hippocampus, amygdala and medial prefrontal cortex. These limbic regions are key structures of a brain-wide neural network that translates emotionally salient events into persistent and vivid memories. Communication in this network by-and-large depends on behavioural state-dependent rhythmic network activity patterns that are typically generated and/or relayed via the hippocampus. In fact, specific hippocampal network oscillations have been implicated to the acquisition, consolidation and retrieval, as well as the reconsolidation and extinction of emotional memories. The hippocampal circuits that contribute to these network activities, at the same time, are subject to both Hebbian and non-Hebbian forms of plasticity during memory formation. Further, it has become evident that adaptive changes in the hippocampus-dependent network activity patterns provide an important means of adjusting synaptic plasticity. We here summarise our current knowledge on how these processes in the hippocampus in interaction with amygdala and medial prefrontal cortex mediate the formation and persistence of emotional memories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gürsel Çalışkan
- Department of Genetics & Molecular Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Leipziger Str. 44, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany.
| | - Oliver Stork
- Department of Genetics & Molecular Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Leipziger Str. 44, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany; Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Universitätsplatz 2, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany
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39
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de Bartolomeis A, Buonaguro EF, Latte G, Rossi R, Marmo F, Iasevoli F, Tomasetti C. Immediate-Early Genes Modulation by Antipsychotics: Translational Implications for a Putative Gateway to Drug-Induced Long-Term Brain Changes. Front Behav Neurosci 2017; 11:240. [PMID: 29321734 PMCID: PMC5732183 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 11/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
An increasing amount of research aims at recognizing the molecular mechanisms involved in long-lasting brain architectural changes induced by antipsychotic treatments. Although both structural and functional modifications have been identified following acute antipsychotic administration in humans, currently there is scarce knowledge on the enduring consequences of these acute changes. New insights in immediate-early genes (IEGs) modulation following acute or chronic antipsychotic administration may help to fill the gap between primary molecular response and putative long-term changes. Moreover, a critical appraisal of the spatial and temporal patterns of IEGs expression may shed light on the functional "signature" of antipsychotics, such as the propensity to induce motor side effects, the potential neurobiological mechanisms underlying the differences between antipsychotics beyond D2 dopamine receptor affinity, as well as the relevant effects of brain region-specificity in their mechanisms of action. The interest for brain IEGs modulation after antipsychotic treatments has been revitalized by breakthrough findings such as the role of early genes in schizophrenia pathophysiology, the involvement of IEGs in epigenetic mechanisms relevant for cognition, and in neuronal mapping by means of IEGs expression profiling. Here we critically review the evidence on the differential modulation of IEGs by antipsychotics, highlighting the association between IEGs expression and neuroplasticity changes in brain regions impacted by antipsychotics, trying to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underpinning the effects of this class of drugs on psychotic, cognitive and behavioral symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea de Bartolomeis
- Laboratory of Molecular and Translational Psychiatry and Unit of Treatment Resistant Psychosis, Section of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Odontostomatology, University School of Medicine "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Elisabetta F Buonaguro
- Laboratory of Molecular and Translational Psychiatry and Unit of Treatment Resistant Psychosis, Section of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Odontostomatology, University School of Medicine "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Gianmarco Latte
- Laboratory of Molecular and Translational Psychiatry and Unit of Treatment Resistant Psychosis, Section of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Odontostomatology, University School of Medicine "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Rodolfo Rossi
- Laboratory of Molecular and Translational Psychiatry and Unit of Treatment Resistant Psychosis, Section of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Odontostomatology, University School of Medicine "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Federica Marmo
- Laboratory of Molecular and Translational Psychiatry and Unit of Treatment Resistant Psychosis, Section of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Odontostomatology, University School of Medicine "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Felice Iasevoli
- Laboratory of Molecular and Translational Psychiatry and Unit of Treatment Resistant Psychosis, Section of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Odontostomatology, University School of Medicine "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Carmine Tomasetti
- Laboratory of Molecular and Translational Psychiatry and Unit of Treatment Resistant Psychosis, Section of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Odontostomatology, University School of Medicine "Federico II", Naples, Italy
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40
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Roy DS, Tonegawa S. Manipulating memory in space and time. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2017.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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41
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Cambiaghi M, Renna A, Milano L, Sacchetti B. Reversible Inactivation of the Higher Order Auditory Cortex during Fear Memory Consolidation Prevents Memory-Related Activity in the Basolateral Amygdala during Remote Memory Retrieval. Front Behav Neurosci 2017; 11:138. [PMID: 28790901 PMCID: PMC5524669 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2017] [Accepted: 07/13/2017] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent findings have shown that the auditory cortex, and specifically the higher order Te2 area, is necessary for the consolidation of long-term fearful memories and that it interacts with the amygdala during the retrieval of long-term fearful memories. Here, we tested whether the reversible blockade of Te2 during memory consolidation may affect the activity changes occurring in the amygdala during the retrieval of fearful memories. To address this issue, we blocked Te2 in a reversible manner during memory consolidation processes. After 4 weeks, we assessed the activity of Te2 and individual nuclei of the amygdala during the retrieval of long-term memories. Rats in which Te2 was inactivated upon memory encoding showed a decreased freezing and failed to show Te2-to-basolateral amygdala (BLA) synchrony during memory retrieval. In addition, the expression of the immediate early gene zif268 in the lateral, basal and central amygdala nuclei did not show memory-related enhancement. As all sites were intact upon memory retrieval, we propose that the auditory cortex represents a key node in the consolidation of fear memories and it is essential for amygdala nuclei to support memory retrieval process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Cambiaghi
- Rita Levi-Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of TurinTurin, Italy
| | - Annamaria Renna
- Rita Levi-Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of TurinTurin, Italy
| | - Luisella Milano
- Rita Levi-Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of TurinTurin, Italy
| | - Benedetto Sacchetti
- Rita Levi-Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of TurinTurin, Italy.,Institute of NeuroscienceTurin, Italy
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42
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Carter DA. Molecular phenotyping of transient postnatal tyrosine hydroxylase neurons in the rat bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. J Chem Neuroanat 2017; 82:29-38. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2017.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2017] [Revised: 04/08/2017] [Accepted: 04/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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43
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Ding X, Liu S, Tian M, Zhang W, Zhu T, Li D, Wu J, Deng H, Jia Y, Xie W, Xie H, Guan JS. Activity-induced histone modifications govern Neurexin-1 mRNA splicing and memory preservation. Nat Neurosci 2017; 20:690-699. [PMID: 28346453 DOI: 10.1038/nn.4536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2016] [Accepted: 02/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Epigenetic mechanisms regulate the formation, consolidation and reconsolidation of memories. However, the signaling path from neuronal activation to epigenetic modifications within the memory-related brain circuit remains unknown. We report that learning induces long-lasting histone modifications in hippocampal memory-activated neurons to regulate memory stability. Neuronal activity triggers a late-onset shift in Nrxn1 splice isoform choice at splicing site 4 by accumulating a repressive histone marker, H3K9me3, to modulate the splicing process. Activity-dependent phosphorylation of p66α via AMP-activated protein kinase recruits HDAC2 and Suv39h1 to establish repressive histone markers and changes the connectivity of the activated neurons. Removal of Suv39h1 abolished the activity-dependent shift in Nrxn1 splice isoform choice and reduced the stability of established memories. We uncover a cell-autonomous process for memory preservation in which memory-related neurons initiate a late-onset reduction of their rewiring capacities through activity-induced histone modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinlu Ding
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research at Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,Centre for Brain Inspired Computing Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Sanxiong Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research at Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,Centre for Brain Inspired Computing Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Miaomiao Tian
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research at Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,Centre for Brain Inspired Computing Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Wenhao Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Tao Zhu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research at Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,Centre for Brain Inspired Computing Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Dongdong Li
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research at Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,Centre for Brain Inspired Computing Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Jiawei Wu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - HaiTeng Deng
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yichang Jia
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Xie
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Hong Xie
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research at Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,Centre for Brain Inspired Computing Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Ji-Song Guan
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research at Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,Centre for Brain Inspired Computing Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
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44
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Lee JQ, Zelinski EL, McDonald RJ, Sutherland RJ. Heterarchic reinstatement of long-term memory: A concept on hippocampal amnesia in rodent memory research. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 71:154-166. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.08.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2015] [Revised: 08/11/2016] [Accepted: 08/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Abstract
The last decade has been marked by an increased interest in relating epigenetic mechanisms to complex human behaviors, although this interest has not been balanced, accentuating various types of affective and primarily ignoring cognitive functioning. Recent animal model data support the view that epigenetic processes play a role in learning and memory consolidation and help transmit acquired memories even across generations. In this review, we provide an overview of various types of epigenetic mechanisms in the brain (DNA methylation, histone modification, and noncoding RNA action) and discuss their impact proximally on gene transcription, protein synthesis, and synaptic plasticity and distally on learning, memory, and other cognitive functions. Of particular importance are observations that neuronal activation regulates the dynamics of the epigenome's functioning under precise timing, with subsequent alterations in the gene expression profile. In turn, epigenetic regulation impacts neuronal action, closing the circle and substantiating the signaling pathways that underlie, at least partially, learning, memory, and other cognitive processes.
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46
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Guan JS, Jiang J, Xie H, Liu KY. How Does the Sparse Memory "Engram" Neurons Encode the Memory of a Spatial-Temporal Event? Front Neural Circuits 2016; 10:61. [PMID: 27601979 PMCID: PMC4993949 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2016.00061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2016] [Accepted: 07/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Episodic memory in human brain is not a fixed 2-D picture but a highly dynamic movie serial, integrating information at both the temporal and the spatial domains. Recent studies in neuroscience reveal that memory storage and recall are closely related to the activities in discrete memory engram (trace) neurons within the dentate gyrus region of hippocampus and the layer 2/3 of neocortex. More strikingly, optogenetic reactivation of those memory trace neurons is able to trigger the recall of naturally encoded memory. It is still unknown how the discrete memory traces encode and reactivate the memory. Considering a particular memory normally represents a natural event, which consists of information at both the temporal and spatial domains, it is unknown how the discrete trace neurons could reconstitute such enriched information in the brain. Furthermore, as the optogenetic-stimuli induced recall of memory did not depend on firing pattern of the memory traces, it is most likely that the spatial activation pattern, but not the temporal activation pattern of the discrete memory trace neurons encodes the memory in the brain. How does the neural circuit convert the activities in the spatial domain into the temporal domain to reconstitute memory of a natural event? By reviewing the literature, here we present how the memory engram (trace) neurons are selected and consolidated in the brain. Then, we will discuss the main challenges in the memory trace theory. In the end, we will provide a plausible model of memory trace cell network, underlying the conversion of neural activities between the spatial domain and the temporal domain. We will also discuss on how the activation of sparse memory trace neurons might trigger the replay of neural activities in specific temporal patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Song Guan
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua UniversityBeijing, China; IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research at Tsinghua University, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua UniversityBeijing, China; Center for Brain inspired Computing, Tsinghua UniversityBeijing, China
| | - Jun Jiang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua UniversityBeijing, China; IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research at Tsinghua University, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua UniversityBeijing, China; Center for Brain inspired Computing, Tsinghua UniversityBeijing, China
| | - Hong Xie
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua UniversityBeijing, China; IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research at Tsinghua University, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua UniversityBeijing, China; Center for Brain inspired Computing, Tsinghua UniversityBeijing, China
| | - Kai-Yuan Liu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua UniversityBeijing, China; IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research at Tsinghua University, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua UniversityBeijing, China; Center for Brain inspired Computing, Tsinghua UniversityBeijing, China
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47
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Zhu Τ, Liang C, Li D, Tian M, Liu S, Gao G, Guan JS. Histone methyltransferase Ash1L mediates activity-dependent repression of neurexin-1α. Sci Rep 2016; 6:26597. [PMID: 27229316 PMCID: PMC4882582 DOI: 10.1038/srep26597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2016] [Accepted: 05/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Activity-dependent transcription is critical for the regulation of long-term synaptic plasticity and plastic rewiring in the brain. Here, we report that the transcription of neurexin1α (nrxn1α), a presynaptic adhesion molecule for synaptic formation, is regulated by transient neuronal activation. We showed that 10 minutes of firing at 50 Hz in neurons repressed the expression of nrxn1α for 24 hours in a primary cortical neuron culture through a transcriptional repression mechanism. By performing a screening assay using a synthetic zinc finger protein (ZFP) to pull down the proteins enriched near the nrxn1α promoter region in vivo, we identified that Ash1L, a histone methyltransferase, is enriched in the nrxn1α promoter. Neuronal activity triggered binding of Ash1L to the promoter and enriched the histone marker H3K36me2 at the nrxn1α promoter region. Knockout of Ash1L in mice completely abolished the activity-dependent repression of nrxn1α. Taken together, our results reveal that a novel process of activity-dependent transcriptional repression exists in neurons and that Ash1L mediates the long-term repression of nrxn1α, thus implicating an important role for epigenetic modification in brain functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Τao Zhu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Center for Brain-Inspired Computing Research, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Chen Liang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Center for Brain-Inspired Computing Research, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Dongdong Li
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Center for Brain-Inspired Computing Research, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Miaomiao Tian
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Center for Brain-Inspired Computing Research, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Sanxiong Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Center for Brain-Inspired Computing Research, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Guanjun Gao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Center for Brain-Inspired Computing Research, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Ji-Song Guan
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Center for Brain-Inspired Computing Research, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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48
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Wu J, Xiong B, Lin X, He J, Suo J, Dai Q. Snapshot Hyperspectral Volumetric Microscopy. Sci Rep 2016; 6:24624. [PMID: 27103155 PMCID: PMC4840377 DOI: 10.1038/srep24624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2015] [Accepted: 04/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The comprehensive analysis of biological specimens brings about the demand for capturing the spatial, temporal and spectral dimensions of visual information together. However, such high-dimensional video acquisition faces major challenges in developing large data throughput and effective multiplexing techniques. Here, we report the snapshot hyperspectral volumetric microscopy that computationally reconstructs hyperspectral profiles for high-resolution volumes of ~1000 μm × 1000 μm × 500 μm at video rate by a novel four-dimensional (4D) deconvolution algorithm. We validated the proposed approach with both numerical simulations for quantitative evaluation and various real experimental results on the prototype system. Different applications such as biological component analysis in bright field and spectral unmixing of multiple fluorescence are demonstrated. The experiments on moving fluorescent beads and GFP labelled drosophila larvae indicate the great potential of our method for observing multiple fluorescent markers in dynamic specimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiamin Wu
- Department of Automation, Tsinghua National Laboratory for Information Science and Technology (TNList), Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Bo Xiong
- Department of Automation, Tsinghua National Laboratory for Information Science and Technology (TNList), Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Xing Lin
- Department of Automation, Tsinghua National Laboratory for Information Science and Technology (TNList), Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Jijun He
- Department of Automation, Tsinghua National Laboratory for Information Science and Technology (TNList), Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Jinli Suo
- Department of Automation, Tsinghua National Laboratory for Information Science and Technology (TNList), Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Qionghai Dai
- Department of Automation, Tsinghua National Laboratory for Information Science and Technology (TNList), Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
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49
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Mayford M, Reijmers L. Exploring Memory Representations with Activity-Based Genetics. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2015; 8:a021832. [PMID: 26684182 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a021832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The brain is thought to represent specific memories through the activity of sparse and distributed neural ensembles. In this review, we examine the use of immediate early genes (IEGs), genes that are induced by neural activity, to specifically identify and genetically modify neurons activated naturally by environmental experience. Recent studies using this approach have identified cellular and molecular changes specific to neurons activated during learning relative to their inactive neighbors. By using opto- and chemogenetic regulators of neural activity, the neurons naturally recruited during learning can be artificially reactivated to directly test their role in coding external information. In contextual fear conditioning, artificial reactivation of learning-induced neural ensembles in the hippocampus or neocortex can substitute for the context itself. That is, artificial stimulation of these neurons can apparently cause the animals to "think" they are in the context. This represents a powerful approach to testing the principles by which the brain codes for the external world and how these circuits are modified with learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Mayford
- Molecular and Cellular Neurosciences Department, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037
| | - Leon Reijmers
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts 02111
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50
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