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Zhu JJ. Architectural organization of ∼1,500-neuron modular minicolumnar disinhibitory circuits in healthy and Alzheimer's cortices. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112904. [PMID: 37531251 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112904] [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: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Acquisition of neuronal circuit architectures, central to understanding brain function and dysfunction, remains prohibitively challenging. Here I report the development of a simultaneous and sequential octuple-sexdecuple whole-cell patch-clamp recording system that enables architectural reconstruction of complex cortical circuits. The method unveils the canonical layer 1 single bouquet cell (SBC)-led disinhibitory neuronal circuits across the mouse somatosensory, motor, prefrontal, and medial entorhinal cortices. The ∼1,500-neuron modular circuits feature the translaminar, unidirectional, minicolumnar, and independent disinhibition and optimize cortical complexity, subtlety, plasticity, variation, and redundancy. Moreover, architectural reconstruction uncovers age-dependent deficits at SBC-disinhibited synapses in the senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8, an animal model of Alzheimer's disease. The deficits exhibit the characteristic Alzheimer's-like cortical spread and correlation with cognitive impairments. These findings decrypt operations of the elementary processing units in healthy and Alzheimer's mouse cortices and validate the efficacy of octuple-sexdecuple patch-clamp recordings for architectural reconstruction of complex neuronal circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Julius Zhu
- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway; Department of Neurophysiology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University, 6500 GL Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Departments of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA.
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2
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Ye Q, Srivastava P, Al-Kuwari N, Chen X. Oncogenic BRAFV600E induces microglial proliferation through extracellular signal-regulated kinase and neuronal death through c-Jun N-terminal kinase. Neural Regen Res 2023; 18:1613-1622. [PMID: 36571370 PMCID: PMC10075110 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.361516] [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: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Activating V600E in v-Raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B (BRAF) is a common driver mutation in cancers of multiple tissue origins, including melanoma and glioma. BRAFV600E has also been implicated in neurodegeneration. The present study aims to characterize BRAFV600E during cell death and proliferation of three major cell types of the central nervous system: neurons, astrocytes, and microglia. Multiple primary cultures (primary cortical mixed culture) and cell lines of glial cells (BV2) and neurons (SH-SY5Y) were employed. BRAFV600E and BRAFWT expression was mediated by lentivirus or retrovirus. Blockage of downstream effectors (extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and JNK1/2) were achieved by siRNA. In astrocytes and microglia, BRAFV600E induces cell proliferation, and the proliferative effect in microglia is mediated by activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase, but not c-Jun N-terminal kinase. Conditioned medium from BRAFV600E-expressing microglia induced neuronal death. In neuronal cells, BRAFV600E directly induces neuronal death, through c-Jun N-terminal kinase but not extracellular signal-regulated kinase. We further show that BRAF-related genes are enriched in pathways in patients with Parkinson's disease. Our study identifies distinct consequences mediated by distinct downstream effectors in dividing glial cells and in neurons following the same BRAF mutational activation and a causal link between BRAF-activated microglia and neuronal cell death that does not require physical proximity. It provides insight into a possibly important role of BRAF in neurodegeneration as a result of either dysregulated BRAF in neurons or its impact on glial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Ye
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Pranay Srivastava
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
| | - Nasser Al-Kuwari
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Xiqun Chen
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
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3
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Co-dependent regulation of p-BRAF and potassium channel KCNMA1 levels drives glioma progression. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 80:61. [PMID: 36763212 PMCID: PMC9918570 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-04708-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
BRAF mutations have been found in gliomas which exhibit abnormal electrophysiological activities, implying their potential links with the ion channel functions. In this study, we identified the Drosophila potassium channel, Slowpoke (Slo), the ortholog of human KCNMA1, as a critical factor involved in dRafGOF glioma progression. Slo was upregulated in dRafGOF glioma. Knockdown of slo led to decreases in dRafGOF levels, glioma cell proliferation, and tumor-related phenotypes. Overexpression of slo in glial cells elevated dRaf expression and promoted cell proliferation. Similar mutual regulations of p-BRAF and KCNMA1 levels were then recapitulated in human glioma cells with the BRAF mutation. Elevated p-BRAF and KCNMA1 were also observed in HEK293T cells upon the treatment of 20 mM KCl, which causes membrane depolarization. Knockdown KCNMA1 in these cells led to a further decrease in cell viability. Based on these results, we conclude that the levels of p-BRAF and KCNMA1 are co-dependent and mutually regulated. We propose that, in depolarized glioma cells with BRAF mutations, high KCNMA1 levels act to repolarize membrane potential and facilitate cell growth. Our study provides a new strategy to antagonize the progression of gliomas as induced by BRAF mutations.
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4
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Chen J, Cho KE, Skwarzynska D, Clancy S, Conley NJ, Clinton SM, Li X, Lin L, Zhu JJ. The Property-Based Practical Applications and Solutions of Genetically Encoded Acetylcholine and Monoamine Sensors. J Neurosci 2021; 41:2318-2328. [PMID: 33627325 PMCID: PMC7984589 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1062-19.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuromodulatory communication among various neurons and non-neuronal cells mediates myriad physiological and pathologic processes, yet defining regulatory and functional features of neuromodulatory transmission remains challenging because of limitations of available monitoring tools. Recently developed genetically encoded neuromodulatory transmitter sensors, when combined with superresolution and/or deconvolution microscopy, allow the first visualization of neuromodulatory transmission with nanoscale or microscale spatiotemporal resolution. In vitro and in vivo experiments have validated several high-performing sensors to have the qualities necessary for demarcating fundamental synaptic properties of neuromodulatory transmission, and initial analysis has unveiled unexpected fine control and precision of neuromodulation. These new findings underscore the importance of synaptic dynamics in synapse-, subcellular-, and circuit-specific neuromodulation, as well as the prospect of genetically encoded transmitter sensors in expanding our knowledge of various behaviors and diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, sleeping disorders, tumorigenesis, and many others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Program, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, China
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908
| | - Katriel E Cho
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908
- Tools for Modern Neurobiology Class of 2020, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908
| | - Daria Skwarzynska
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908
- Tools for Modern Neurobiology Class of 2020, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908
| | - Shaylyn Clancy
- Tools for Modern Neurobiology Class of 2020, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908
- Cell and Developmental Biology Graduate Program, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908
| | - Nicholas J Conley
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908
- Tools for Modern Neurobiology Class of 2020, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908
| | - Sarah M Clinton
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061
| | - Xiaokun Li
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Program, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, China
| | - Li Lin
- Department of Neurosurgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Program, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, China
| | - J Julius Zhu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908
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5
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Organizational principles of amygdalar input-output neuronal circuits. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:7118-7129. [PMID: 34400771 PMCID: PMC8873025 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01262-3] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The amygdala, one of the most studied brain structures, integrates brain-wide heterogeneous inputs and governs multidimensional outputs to control diverse behaviors central to survival, yet how amygdalar input-output neuronal circuits are organized remains unclear. Using a simplified cell-type- and projection-specific retrograde transsynaptic tracing technique, we scrutinized brain-wide afferent inputs of four major output neuronal groups in the amygdalar basolateral complex (BLA) that project to the bed nucleus of the stria terminals (BNST), ventral hippocampus (vHPC), medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and nucleus accumbens (NAc), respectively. Brain-wide input-output quantitative analysis unveils that BLA efferent neurons receive a diverse array of afferents with varied input weights and predominant contextual representation. Notably, the afferents received by BNST-, vHPC-, mPFC- and NAc-projecting BLA neurons exhibit virtually identical origins and input weights. These results indicate that the organization of amygdalar BLA input-output neuronal circuits follows the input-dependent and output-independent principles, ideal for integrating brain-wide diverse afferent stimuli to control parallel efferent actions. The data provide the objective basis for improving the virtual reality exposure therapy for anxiety disorders and validate the simplified cell-type- and projection-specific retrograde transsynaptic tracing method.
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6
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Lin L, Gupta S, Zheng WS, Si K, Zhu JJ. Genetically encoded sensors enable micro- and nano-scopic decoding of transmission in healthy and diseased brains. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:443-455. [PMID: 33277628 PMCID: PMC7850973 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-00960-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Neural communication orchestrates a variety of behaviors, yet despite impressive effort, delineating transmission properties of neuromodulatory communication remains a daunting task due to limitations of available monitoring tools. Recently developed genetically encoded neurotransmitter sensors, when combined with superresolution and deconvolution microscopic techniques, enable the first micro- and nano-scopic visualization of neuromodulatory transmission. Here we introduce this image analysis method by presenting its biophysical foundation, practical solutions, biological validation, and broad applicability. The presentation illustrates how the method resolves fundamental synaptic properties of neuromodulatory transmission, and the new data unveil unexpected fine control and precision of rodent and human neuromodulation. The findings raise the prospect of rapid advances in the understanding of neuromodulatory transmission essential for resolving the physiology or pathogenesis of various behaviors and diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Lin
- Department of Neurosurgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, China. .,School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, China.
| | - Smriti Gupta
- grid.27755.320000 0000 9136 933XDepartment of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908 USA
| | - W. Sharon Zheng
- grid.27755.320000 0000 9136 933XDepartment of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908 USA ,grid.27755.320000 0000 9136 933XBiomedical Engineering Class of 2021, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA USA
| | - Ke Si
- grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XCollege of Optical Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027 China ,grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XSchool of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027 China
| | - J. Julius Zhu
- grid.27755.320000 0000 9136 933XDepartment of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908 USA
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7
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Goz RU, Akgül G, LoTurco JJ. BRAFV600E expression in neural progenitors results in a hyperexcitable phenotype in neocortical pyramidal neurons. J Neurophysiol 2020; 123:2449-2464. [PMID: 32401131 PMCID: PMC7311733 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00523.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2019] [Revised: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Somatic mutations have emerged as the likely cause of focal epilepsies associated with developmental malformations and epilepsy-associated glioneuronal tumors (GNT). Somatic BRAFV600E mutations in particular have been detected in the majority of low-grade neuroepithelial tumors (LNETS) and in neurons in focal cortical dysplasias adjacent to epilepsy-associated tumors. Furthermore, conditional expression of an activating BRAF mutation in neocortex causes seizures in mice. In this study we characterized the cellular electrophysiology of layer 2/3 neocortical pyramidal neurons induced to express BRAFV600E from neural progenitor stages. In utero electroporation of a piggyBac transposase plasmid system was used to introduce transgenes expressing BRAF wild type (BRAFwt), BRAFV600E, and/or enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) and monomeric red fluorescent protein (mRFP) into radial glia progenitors in mouse embryonic cortex. Whole cell patch-clamp recordings of pyramidal neurons in slices prepared from both juvenile and adult mice showed that BRAFV600E resulted in neurons with a distinct hyperexcitable phenotype characterized by depolarized resting membrane potentials, increased input resistances, lowered action potential (AP) thresholds, and increased AP firing frequencies. Some of the BRAFV600E-expressing neurons normally destined for upper cortical layers by their birthdate were stalled in their migration and occupied lower cortical layers. BRAFV600E-expressing neurons also displayed increased hyperpolarization-induced inward currents (Ih) and decreased sustained potassium currents. Neurons adjacent to BRAFV600E transgene-expressing neurons, and neurons with TSC1 genetically deleted by CRISPR or those induced to carry PIK3CAE545K transgenes, did not show an excitability phenotype similar to that of BRAFV600E-expressing neurons. Together, these results indicate that BRAFV600E leads to a distinct hyperexcitable neuronal phenotype.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study is the first to report the cell autonomous effects of BRAFV600E mutations on the intrinsic neuronal excitability. We show that BRAFV600E alters multiple electrophysiological parameters in neocortical neurons. Similar excitability changes did not occur in cells neighboring BRAFV600E-expressing neurons, after overexpression of wild-type BRAF transgenes, or after introduction of mutations affecting the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) or the catalytic subunit of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PIK3CA). We conclude that BRAFV600E causes a distinct, cell autonomous, highly excitable neuronal phenotype when introduced somatically into neocortical neuronal progenitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roman U Goz
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut
- Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut
| | - Gülcan Akgül
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut
| | - Joseph J LoTurco
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut
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8
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Wang G, Zhang P, Mendu SK, Wang Y, Zhang Y, Kang X, Desai BN, Zhu JJ. Revaluation of magnetic properties of Magneto. Nat Neurosci 2019; 23:1047-1050. [PMID: 31570862 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-019-0473-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2017] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Guangfu Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Peng Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Suresh K Mendu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Yali Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Yajun Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Xi Kang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Bimal N Desai
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
| | - J Julius Zhu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
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9
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Getting "Ras"-ults: Solving Molecular Promiscuity through Microdomain-Selective Targeting. Neuron 2019; 98:675-678. [PMID: 29772197 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
In this issue of Neuron, Zhang et al. (2018) report a powerful new method for probing subcellular microdomain-specific signaling in cellular function. Through a microdomain-targeting approach, they delineate how Ras-family GTPases balance signaling diversity with specificity required for various forms of hippocampal synaptic plasticity.
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10
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Bustelo XR, Crespo P, Fernández-Pisonero I, Rodríguez-Fdez S. RAS GTPase-dependent pathways in developmental diseases: old guys, new lads, and current challenges. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2018; 55:42-51. [PMID: 30007125 PMCID: PMC7615762 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2018.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2018] [Revised: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 06/14/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Deregulated RAS signaling is associated with increasing numbers of congenital diseases usually referred to as RASopathies. The spectrum of genes and mutant alleles causing these diseases has been significantly expanded in recent years. This progress has triggered new challenges, including the origin and subsequent selection of the mutations driving these diseases, the specific pathobiological programs triggered by those mutations, the type of correlations that exist between the genotype and the clinical features of patients, and the ancillary genetic factors that influence the severity of the disease in patients. These issues also directly impinge on the feasibility of using RAS pathway drugs to treat RASopathy patients. Here, we will review the main developments and pending challenges in this research topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xosé R Bustelo
- Centro de Investigación del Cáncer, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)-University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain; Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)-University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)-University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain.
| | - Piero Crespo
- CIBERONC, CSIC-University of Cantabria, 39011 Santander, Spain; Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria, CSIC-University of Cantabria, 39011 Santander, Spain
| | - Isabel Fernández-Pisonero
- Centro de Investigación del Cáncer, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)-University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain; Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)-University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)-University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Sonia Rodríguez-Fdez
- Centro de Investigación del Cáncer, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)-University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain; Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)-University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
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11
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McDiarmid TA, Au V, Loewen AD, Liang J, Mizumoto K, Moerman DG, Rankin CH. CRISPR-Cas9 human gene replacement and phenomic characterization in Caenorhabditis elegans to understand the functional conservation of human genes and decipher variants of uncertain significance. Dis Model Mech 2018; 11:dmm.036517. [PMID: 30361258 PMCID: PMC6307914 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.036517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2018] [Accepted: 09/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Our ability to sequence genomes has vastly surpassed our ability to interpret the genetic variation we discover. This presents a major challenge in the clinical setting, where the recent application of whole-exome and whole-genome sequencing has uncovered thousands of genetic variants of uncertain significance. Here, we present a strategy for targeted human gene replacement and phenomic characterization, based on CRISPR-Cas9 genome engineering in the genetic model organism Caenorhabditis elegans, that will facilitate assessment of the functional conservation of human genes and structure-function analysis of disease-associated variants with unprecedented precision. We validate our strategy by demonstrating that direct single-copy replacement of the C. elegans ortholog (daf-18) with the critical human disease-associated gene phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) is sufficient to rescue multiple phenotypic abnormalities caused by complete deletion of daf-18, including complex chemosensory and mechanosensory impairments. In addition, we used our strategy to generate animals harboring a single copy of the known pathogenic lipid phosphatase inactive PTEN variant (PTEN-G129E), and showed that our automated in vivo phenotypic assays could accurately and efficiently classify this missense variant as loss of function. The integrated nature of the human transgenes allows for analysis of both homozygous and heterozygous variants and greatly facilitates high-throughput precision medicine drug screens. By combining genome engineering with rapid and automated phenotypic characterization, our strategy streamlines the identification of novel conserved gene functions in complex sensory and learning phenotypes that can be used as in vivo functional assays to decipher variants of uncertain significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Troy A McDiarmid
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, 2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 2B5, Canada
| | - Vinci Au
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Aaron D Loewen
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, 2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 2B5, Canada
| | - Joseph Liang
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, 2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 2B5, Canada
| | - Kota Mizumoto
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Donald G Moerman
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Catharine H Rankin
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, 2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 2B5, Canada .,Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, 2136 West Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
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12
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Jing M, Zhang P, Wang G, Feng J, Mesik L, Zeng J, Jiang H, Wang S, Looby JC, Guagliardo NA, Langma LW, Lu J, Zuo Y, Talmage DA, Role LW, Barrett PQ, Zhang LI, Luo M, Song Y, Zhu JJ, Li Y. A genetically encoded fluorescent acetylcholine indicator for in vitro and in vivo studies. Nat Biotechnol 2018; 36:726-737. [PMID: 29985477 PMCID: PMC6093211 DOI: 10.1038/nbt.4184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 227] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2017] [Accepted: 04/30/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) regulates a diverse array of physiological processes throughout the body. Despite its importance, cholinergic transmission in the majority of tissues and organs remains poorly understood owing primarily to the limitations of available ACh-monitoring techniques. We developed a family of ACh sensors (GACh) based on G-protein-coupled receptors that has the sensitivity, specificity, signal-to-noise ratio, kinetics and photostability suitable for monitoring ACh signals in vitro and in vivo. GACh sensors were validated with transfection, viral and/or transgenic expression in a dozen types of neuronal and non-neuronal cells prepared from multiple animal species. In all preparations, GACh sensors selectively responded to exogenous and/or endogenous ACh with robust fluorescence signals that were captured by epifluorescence, confocal, and/or two-photon microscopy. Moreover, analysis of endogenous ACh release revealed firing-pattern-dependent release and restricted volume transmission, resolving two long-standing questions about central cholinergic transmission. Thus, GACh sensors provide a user-friendly, broadly applicable tool for monitoring cholinergic transmission underlying diverse biological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao Jing
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking University School of Life Sciences, Beijing 100871,
China
- PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing 100871, China
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
| | - Guangfu Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
- Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin
150001, China
| | - Jiesi Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking University School of Life Sciences, Beijing 100871,
China
- PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing 100871, China
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Lukas Mesik
- Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Department of Physiology & Neuroscience, Keck School of Medicine,
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90033
| | - Jianzhi Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking University School of Life Sciences, Beijing 100871,
China
- PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing 100871, China
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Huoqing Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking University School of Life Sciences, Beijing 100871,
China
- PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing 100871, China
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Shaohua Wang
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794
| | - Jess C. Looby
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
- Undergraduate Class of 2019, University of Virginia College of Arts and Sciences, Charlottesville, VA
22908
| | - Nick A. Guagliardo
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
| | - Linda W. Langma
- Department of Surgery, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
| | - Ju Lu
- Department of Surgery, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
| | - Yi Zuo
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA
95064
| | - David A. Talmage
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794
| | - Lorna W. Role
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794
| | - Paula Q. Barrett
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
| | - Li I. Zhang
- Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Department of Physiology & Neuroscience, Keck School of Medicine,
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90033
| | - Minmin Luo
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Yan Song
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100871, China
| | - J. Julius Zhu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
- School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315010, China
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6525 EN, Nijmegen,
Netherlands
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science
and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Yulong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking University School of Life Sciences, Beijing 100871,
China
- PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing 100871, China
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100871, China
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13
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Srivastava K, Tripathi R, Mishra R. Age-dependent alterations in expression and co-localization of Pax6 and Ras-GAP in brain of aging mice. J Chem Neuroanat 2018; 92:25-34. [PMID: 29787792 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2018.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2017] [Revised: 05/18/2018] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Abstract
As the brain ages, the survival and plasticity of neurons and glia are compromised. The data-mining and in silico studies suggest interactions of Pax6 with Ras and binding sites in Ras-GAP promoter. The Pax6 also shows age-dependent alterations. Therefore, it is presumed that Pax6 may be associated with the Ras-GAP, a synaptic protein, either directly or indirectly in brain. The expression, co-localization and interaction of Pax6 and Ras-GAP in different regions of brain of mice during aging were investigated through immunofluorescence assay, co-immunoprecipitation and western blotting, respectively. The co-localization of Pax6 and Ras-GAP were observed in dentate gyrus (DG) and sub-granular zone (SGZ) of hippocampus, in glomerular (GlLa) and mitral cells (MiCe) of olfactory lobe, granular cells (GrCe), Purkinje cell (PuCe) and molecular cell layer (MoLa) of cerebellum, internal plexiform layer (InPl), molecular layer (MoLa) of cerebral cortex and in intercalated cells of amygdala (ITC), caudate nucleus regions in brain of aging mice. The expression of Pax6 and Ras-GAP was altered in hippocampus, amygdala, caudate nucleus, olfactory lobe, cerebral cortex and cerebellum from young to old mice. The Pax6 interacts with Ras-GAP in brain of mice. Results indicate impact of Pax6 on Ras-GAP-mediated activities of synapses, learning and memory, emotions and fear as well as motor functions. Alterations in expression and co-localization of Pax6 and Ras-GAP during aging may be responsible for age-associated compromised survival and plasticity of neurons and glia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khushboo Srivastava
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India
| | - Ratnakar Tripathi
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India
| | - Rajnikant Mishra
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India.
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14
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Zhang L, Zhang P, Wang G, Zhang H, Zhang Y, Yu Y, Zhang M, Xiao J, Crespo P, Hell JW, Lin L, Huganir RL, Zhu JJ. Ras and Rap Signal Bidirectional Synaptic Plasticity via Distinct Subcellular Microdomains. Neuron 2018; 98:783-800.e4. [PMID: 29706584 PMCID: PMC6192044 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.03.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2017] [Revised: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 03/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
How signaling molecules achieve signal diversity and specificity is a long-standing cell biology question. Here we report the development of a targeted delivery method that permits specific expression of homologous Ras-family small GTPases (i.e., Ras, Rap2, and Rap1) in different subcellular microdomains, including the endoplasmic reticulum, lipid rafts, bulk membrane, lysosomes, and Golgi complex, in rodent hippocampal CA1 neurons. The microdomain-targeted delivery, combined with multicolor fluorescence protein tagging and high-resolution dual-quintuple simultaneous patch-clamp recordings, allows systematic analysis of microdomain-specific signaling. The analysis shows that Ras signals long-term potentiation via endoplasmic reticulum PI3K and lipid raft ERK, whereas Rap2 and Rap1 signal depotentiation and long-term depression via bulk membrane JNK and lysosome p38MAPK, respectively. These results establish an effective subcellular microdomain-specific targeted delivery method and unveil subcellular microdomain-specific signaling as the mechanism for homologous Ras and Rap to achieve signal diversity and specificity to control multiple forms of synaptic plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Peng Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Guangfu Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA; Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
| | - Huaye Zhang
- Department of Microbiology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA; Center for Cell Signaling, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA; Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Yajun Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Yilin Yu
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Mingxu Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Jian Xiao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Piero Crespo
- Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabriaand CIBERONC, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad de Cantabria, Santander 39011, Spain
| | - Johannes W Hell
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Li Lin
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
| | - Richard L Huganir
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - J Julius Zhu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China; School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315010, China; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6525 EN, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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15
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Lim CS, Wen C, Sheng Y, Wang G, Zhou Z, Wang S, Zhang H, Ye A, Zhu JJ. Piconewton-Scale Analysis of Ras-BRaf Signal Transduction with Single-Molecule Force Spectroscopy. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2017; 13:10.1002/smll.201701972. [PMID: 28809097 PMCID: PMC6272124 DOI: 10.1002/smll.201701972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2017] [Revised: 07/10/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Intermolecular interactions dominate the behavior of signal transduction in various physiological and pathological cell processes, yet assessing these interactions remains a challenging task. Here, this study reports a single-molecule force spectroscopic method that enables functional delineation of two interaction sites (≈35 pN and ≈90 pN) between signaling effectors Ras and BRaf in the canonical mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. This analysis reveals mutations on BRaf at Q257 and A246, two sites frequently linked to cardio-faciocutaneous syndrome, result in ≈10-30 pN alterations in RasBRaf intermolecular binding force. The magnitude of changes in RasBRaf binding force correlates with the size of alterations in protein affinity and in α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA)-sensitive glutamate receptor (-R)-mediated synaptic transmission in neurons expressing replacement BRaf mutants, and predicts the extent of learning impairments in animals expressing replacement BRaf mutants. These results establish single-molecule force spectroscopy as an effective platform for evaluating the piconewton-level interaction of signaling molecules and predicting the behavior outcome of signal transduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chae-Seok Lim
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
| | - Cheng Wen
- School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Yanghui Sheng
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
- Undergraduate Class of 2011, Yuanpei Honors College, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
- School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Guangfu Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
| | - Zhuan Zhou
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Shiqiang Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Huaye Zhang
- Department of Microbiology and Center for Cell Signaling, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Anpei Ye
- School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - J Julius Zhu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
- Institute of Neuroscience, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, 6525, EN, Nijmegen, Netherlands
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