Kir4.1 channels regulate swelling of astroglial processes in experimental spinal cord edema

Photobiomodulation reduces spinal cord edema by decreasing the expression of AQP4 in the astrocytes of male spinal cord injury rats via the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway

BACKGROUND

Spinal cord swelling commonly occurs following SCI. Previous studies suggest that PBM may reduce inflammation and scar formation after SCI. However, whether PBM can alleviate post-spinal cord injury edema and its underlying mechanisms have not yet been reported. This study aims to investigate the effects of PBM on spinal cord swelling in rats following SCI and explore the underlying mechanisms.

METHODS

A rat model of SCI was established, and the rats received continuous PBM therapy for two weeks. Tissue hydration, motor function, AQP4 expression, and pathological changes in the spinal cord were evaluated at different time points. In vitro, astrocytes were subjected to PBM and treated with either cucurbitacin I or TGN020 following OGD.

RESULTS

The results indicate that PBM reduces tissue swelling in rats with SCI, improves motor function recovery, and inhibits the upregulation of AQP4 and GFAP associated with SCI. In vitro, PBM reduces abnormal activation of the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway in astrocytes, leading to decreased AQP4 synthesis and astrocyte activation.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that PBM reduces spinal cord swelling in rats after injury. This effect is associated with the inhibition of JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway activation in astrocytes and the reduction in AQP4 expression.

Mechanisms of Activation of Brain's Drainage during Sleep: The Nightlife of Astrocytes

The study of functions, mechanisms of generation, and pathways of movement of cerebral fluids has a long history, but the last decade has been especially productive. The proposed glymphatic hypothesis, which suggests a mechanism of the brain waste removal system (BWRS), caused an active discussion on both the criticism of some of the perspectives and our intensive study of new experimental facts. It was especially found that the intensity of the metabolite clearance changes significantly during the transition between sleep and wakefulness. Interestingly, at the cellular level, a number of aspects of this problem have been focused on, such as astrocytes-glial cells, which, over the past two decades, have been recognized as equal partners of neurons and perform many important functions. In particular, an important role was assigned to astrocytes within the framework of the glymphatic hypothesis. In this review, we return to the "astrocytocentric" view of the BWRS function and the explanation of its activation during sleep from the viewpoint of new findings over the last decade. Our main conclusion is that the BWRS's action may be analyzed both at the systemic (whole-brain) and at the local (cellular) level. The local level means here that the neuro-glial-vascular unit can also be regarded as the smallest functional unit of sleep, and therefore, the smallest functional unit of the BWRS.

Astrocytes: new evidence, new models, new roles

Astrocytes have been in the limelight of active research for about 3 decades now. Over this period, ideas about their function and role in the nervous system have evolved from simple assistance in energy supply and homeostasis maintenance to a complex informational and metabolic hub that integrates data on local neuronal activity, sensory and arousal context, and orchestrates many crucial processes in the brain. Rapid progress in experimental techniques and data analysis produces a growing body of data, which can be used as a foundation for formulation of new hypotheses, building new refined mathematical models, and ultimately should lead to a new level of understanding of the contribution of astrocytes to the cognitive tasks performed by the brain. Here, we highlight recent progress in astrocyte research, which we believe expands our understanding of how low-level signaling at a cellular level builds up to processes at the level of the whole brain and animal behavior. We start our review with revisiting data on the role of noradrenaline-mediated astrocytic signaling in locomotion, arousal, sensory integration, memory, and sleep. We then briefly review astrocyte contribution to the regulation of cerebral blood flow regulation, which is followed by a discussion of biophysical mechanisms underlying astrocyte effects on different brain processes. The experimental section is closed by an overview of recent experimental techniques available for modulation and visualization of astrocyte dynamics. We then evaluate how the new data can be potentially incorporated into the new mathematical models or where and how it already has been done. Finally, we discuss an interesting prospect that astrocytes may be key players in important processes such as the switching between sleep and wakefulness and the removal of toxic metabolites from the brain milieu.

Contribution of inwardly rectifying K+ channel 4.1 of supraoptic astrocytes to the regulation of vasopressin neuronal activity by hypotonicity

Astrocytic morphological plasticity and its modulation of adjacent neuronal activity are largely determined by astrocytic volume regulation, in which glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), aquaporin 4 (AQP4), and potassium channels including inwardly rectifying K⁺ channel 4.1 (Kir4.1) are essential. However, associations of astrocyte-dominant Kir4.1 with other molecules in astrocytic volume regulation and the subsequent influence on neuronal activity remain unclear. Here, we report our study on these issues using primary cultures of rat pups' hypothalamic astrocytes and male adult rat brain slices. In astrocyte culture, hyposmotic challenge (HOC) significantly decreased GFAP monomer expression and astrocytic volume at 1.5 min and increased Kir4.1 expression and inwardly rectifying currents (IRCs) at 10 min. BaCl₂ (100 μmol/l) suppressed the HOC-increased IRCs, which was simulated by VU0134992 (2 μmol/l), a Kir4.1 blocker. Preincubation of the astrocyte culture with TGN-020 (10 μmol/l, a specific AQP4 blocker) made the HOC-increased Kir4.1 currents insignificant. In hypothalamic brain slices, HOC initially decreased and then increased the firing rate of vasopressin (VP) neurons in the supraoptic nucleus. In the presence of BaCl₂ or VU0134992, HOC-elicited rebound increase in VP neuronal activity was blocked. GFAP was molecularly associated with Kir4.1, which was increased by HOC at 20 min; this increase was blocked by BaCl₂ . These results suggest that HOC-evoked astrocytic retraction or decrease in the volume and length of its processes is associated with increased Kir4.1 activity. Kir4.1 involvement in HOC-elicited astrocytic retraction is associated with AQP4 activity and GFAP plasticity, which together determines the rebound excitation of VP neurons.

Honey, I shrunk the extracellular space: Measurements and mechanisms of astrocyte swelling

Astrocyte volume fluctuation is a physiological phenomenon tied closely to the activation of neural circuits. Identification of underlying mechanisms has been challenging due in part to use of a wide range of experimental approaches that vary between research groups. Here, we first review the many methods that have been used to measure astrocyte volume changes directly or indirectly. While the field has recently shifted towards volume analysis using fluorescence microscopy to record cell volume changes directly, established metrics corresponding to extracellular space dynamics have also yielded valuable insights. We then turn to analysis of mechanisms of astrocyte swelling derived from many studies, with a focus on volume changes tied to increases in extracellular potassium concentration ([K+ ]o ). The diverse methods that have been utilized to generate the external [K+ ]o environment highlight multiple scenarios of astrocyte swelling mediated by different mechanisms. Classical potassium buffering theories are tempered by many recent studies that point to different swelling pathways optimized at particular [K+ ]o and that depend on local/transient versus more sustained increases in [K+ ]o .

Compromised Astrocyte Swelling/Volume Regulation in the Hippocampus of the Triple Transgenic Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease

In this study, we aimed to disclose the impact of amyloid-β toxicity and tau pathology on astrocyte swelling, their volume recovery and extracellular space (ECS) diffusion parameters, namely volume fraction (α) and tortuosity (λ), in a triple transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease (3xTg-AD). Astrocyte volume changes, which reflect astrocyte ability to take up ions/neurotransmitters, were quantified during and after exposure to hypo-osmotic stress, or hyperkalemia in acute hippocampal slices, and were correlated with alterations in ECS diffusion parameters. Astrocyte volume and ECS diffusion parameters were monitored during physiological aging (controls) and during AD progression in 3-, 9-, 12- and 18-month-old mice. In the hippocampus of controls α gradually declined with age, while it remained unaffected in 3xTg-AD mice during the entire time course. Moreover, age-related increases in λ occurred much earlier in 3xTg-AD animals than in controls. In 3xTg-AD mice changes in α induced by hypo-osmotic stress or hyperkalemia were comparable to those observed in controls, however, AD progression affected α recovery following exposure to both. Compared to controls, a smaller astrocyte swelling was detected in 3xTg-AD mice only during hyperkalemia. Since we observed a large variance in astrocyte swelling/volume regulation, we divided them into high- (HRA) and low-responding astrocytes (LRA). In response to hyperkalemia, the incidence of LRA was higher in 3xTg-AD mice than in controls, which may also reflect compromised K+ and neurotransmitter uptake. Furthermore, we performed single-cell RT-qPCR to identify possible age-related alterations in astrocytic gene expression profiles. Already in 3-month-old 3xTg-AD mice, we detected a downregulation of genes affecting the ion/neurotransmitter uptake and cell volume regulation, namely genes of glutamate transporters, α2β2 subunit of Na+/K+-ATPase, connexin 30 or Kir4.1 channel. In conclusion, the aged hippocampus of 3xTg-AD mice displays an enlarged ECS volume fraction and an increased number of obstacles, which emerge earlier than in physiological aging. Both these changes may strongly affect intercellular communication and influence astrocyte ionic/neurotransmitter uptake, which becomes impaired during aging and this phenomenon is manifested earlier in 3xTg-AD mice. The increased incidence of astrocytes with limited ability to take up ions/neurotransmitters may further add to a cytotoxic environment.

Super-resolution shadow imaging reveals local remodeling of astrocytic microstructures and brain extracellular space after osmotic challenge

The extracellular space (ECS) plays a central role in brain physiology, shaping the time course and spread of neurochemicals, ions, and nutrients that ensure proper brain homeostasis and neuronal communication. Astrocytes are the most abundant type of glia cell in the brain, whose processes densely infiltrate the brain's parenchyma. As astrocytes are highly sensitive to changes in osmotic pressure, they are capable of exerting a potent physiological influence on the ECS. However, little is known about the spatial distribution and temporal dynamics of the ECS that surrounds astrocytes, owing mostly to a lack of appropriate techniques to visualize the ECS in live brain tissue. Mitigating this technical limitation, we applied the recent SUper-resolution SHadow Imaging technique (SUSHI) to astrocyte-labeled organotypic hippocampal brain slices, which allowed us to concurrently image the complex morphology of astrocytes and the ECS with unprecedented spatial resolution in a live experimental setting. Focusing on ring-like astrocytic microstructures in the spongiform domain, we found them to enclose sizable pools of interstitial fluid and cellular structures like dendritic spines. Upon experimental osmotic challenge, these microstructures remodeled and swelled up at the expense of the pools, effectively increasing the physical interface between astrocytic and cellular structures. Our study reveals novel facets of the dynamic microanatomical relationships between astrocytes, neuropil, and the ECS in living brain tissue, which could be of functional relevance for neuron-glia communication in a variety of (patho)physiological settings, for example, LTP induction, epileptic seizures or acute ischemic stroke, where osmotic disturbances are known to occur.

Hypoxia-induced inflammation: Profiling the first 24-hour posthypoxic plasma and central nervous system changes

Central nervous system and visual dysfunction is an unfortunate consequence of systemic hypoxia in the setting of cardiopulmonary disease, including infection with SARS-CoV-2, high-altitude cerebral edema and retinopathy and other conditions. Hypoxia-induced inflammatory signaling may lead to retinal inflammation, gliosis and visual disturbances. We investigated the consequences of systemic hypoxia using serial retinal optical coherence tomography and by assessing the earliest changes within 24h after hypoxia by measuring a proteomics panel of 39 cytokines, chemokines and growth factors in the plasma and retina, as well as using retinal histology. We induced severe systemic hypoxia in adult C57BL/6 mice using a hypoxia chamber (10% O2) for 1 week and rapidly assessed measurements within 1h compared with 18h after hypoxia. Optical coherence tomography revealed retinal tissue edema at 18h after hypoxia. Hierarchical clustering of plasma and retinal immune molecules revealed obvious segregation of the 1h posthypoxia group away from that of controls. One hour after hypoxia, there were 10 significantly increased molecules in plasma and 4 in retina. Interleukin-1β and vascular endothelial growth factor were increased in both tissues. Concomitantly, there was significantly increased aquaporin-4, decreased Kir4.1, and increased gliosis in retinal histology. In summary, the immediate posthypoxic period is characterized by molecular changes consistent with systemic and retinal inflammation and retinal glial changes important in water transport, leading to tissue edema. This posthypoxic inflammation rapidly improves within 24h, consistent with the typically mild and transient visual disturbance in hypoxia, such as in high-altitude retinopathy. Given hypoxia increases risk of vision loss, more studies in at-risk patients, such as plasma immune profiling and in vivo retinal imaging, are needed in order to identify novel diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers of visual impairment in systemic hypoxia.

More Than Mortar: Glia as Architects of Nervous System Development and Disease

Glial cells are an essential component of the nervous system of vertebrates and invertebrates. In the human brain, glia are as numerous as neurons, yet the importance of glia to nearly every aspect of nervous system development has only been expounded over the last several decades. Glia are now known to regulate neural specification, synaptogenesis, synapse function, and even broad circuit function. Given their ubiquity, it is not surprising that the contribution of glia to neuronal disease pathogenesis is a growing area of research. In this review, we will summarize the accumulated evidence of glial participation in several distinct phases of nervous system development and organization-neural specification, circuit wiring, and circuit function. Finally, we will highlight how these early developmental roles of glia contribute to nervous system dysfunction in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders.

Divergent membrane properties of mouse cochlear glial cells around hearing onset

Spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) are the primary afferent neurons of the auditory system, and together with their attendant glia, form the auditory nerve. Within the cochlea, satellite glial cells (SGCs) encapsulate the cell body of SGNs, whereas Schwann cells (SCs) wrap their peripherally- and centrally-directed neurites. Despite their likely importance in auditory nerve function and homeostasis, the physiological properties of auditory glial cells have evaded description. Here, we characterized the voltage-activated membrane currents of glial cells from the mouse cochlea. We identified a prominent weak inwardly rectifying current in SGCs within cochlear slice preparations (postnatal day P5-P6), which was also present in presumptive SGCs within dissociated cultures prepared from the cochleae of hearing mice (P14-P15). Pharmacological block by Ba²⁺ and desipramine suggested that channels belonging to the Kir4 family mediated the weak inwardly rectifying current, and post hoc immunofluorescence implicated the involvement of Kir4.1 subunits. Additional electrophysiological profiles were identified for glial cells within dissociated cultures, suggesting that glial subtypes may have specific membrane properties to support distinct physiological roles. Immunofluorescence using fixed cochlear sections revealed that although Kir4.1 is restricted to SGCs after the onset of hearing, these channels are more widely distributed within the glial population earlier in postnatal development (i.e., within both SGCs and SCs). The decrease in Kir4.1 immunofluorescence during SC maturation was coincident with a reduction of Sox2 expression and advancing neurite myelination. The data suggest a diversification of glial properties occurs in preparation for sound-driven activity in the auditory nerve.

Bursting at the Seams: Molecular Mechanisms Mediating Astrocyte Swelling

Brain swelling is one of the most robust predictors of outcome following brain injury, including ischemic, traumatic, hemorrhagic, metabolic or other injury. Depending on the specific type of insult, brain swelling can arise from the combined space-occupying effects of extravasated blood, extracellular edema fluid, cellular swelling, vascular engorgement and hydrocephalus. Of these, arguably the least well appreciated is cellular swelling. Here, we explore current knowledge regarding swelling of astrocytes, the most abundant cell type in the brain, and the one most likely to contribute to pathological brain swelling. We review the major molecular mechanisms identified to date that contribute to or mitigate astrocyte swelling via ion transport, and we touch upon the implications of astrocyte swelling in health and disease.

Modulation of the inwardly rectifying potassium channel Kir4.1 by the pro-invasive miR-5096 in glioblastoma cells

Inwardly rectifying potassium channels (Kir), and especially the barium-sensitive Kir4.1 encoded by KCNJ10, are key regulators of glial functions. A lower expression or mislocation of Kir4.1 is detected in human brain tumors. MicroRNAs participate in the regulation of ionic channels and associated neurologic disorders. Here, we analyze effects of miR-5096 on the Kir4.1 expression and function in two glioblastoma cell lines, U87 and U251. Using whole-cell patch-clamp and western-blot analysis, we show that cell loading with miR-5096 decreases the Kir4.1 protein level and associated K⁺ current. Cell treatment with barium, a Kir4.1 blocker, or cell loading of miR-5096 both increase the outgrowth of filopodia in glioma cells, as observed by time-lapse microscopy. Knocking-down Kir4.1 expression by siRNA transfection similarly increased both filopodia formation and invasiveness of glioma cells as observed in Boyden chamber assay. MiR-5096 also promotes the release of extracellular vesicles by which it increases its own transfer to surrounding cells, in a Kir4.1-dependent manner in U251 but not in U87. Altogether, our results validate Kir4.1 as a miR-5096 target to promote invasion of glioblastoma cells. Our data highlight the complexity of microRNA effects and the role of K⁺ channels in cancer.

Inhibition of HMGB1 reduces rat spinal cord astrocytic swelling and AQP4 expression after oxygen-glucose deprivation and reoxygenation via TLR4 and NF-κB signaling in an IL-6-dependent manner

Background

Spinal cord astrocyte swelling is an important component to spinal cord edema and is associated with poor functional recovery as well as therapeutic resistance after spinal cord injury (SCI). High mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) is a mediator of inflammatory responses in the central nervous system and plays a critical role after SCI. Given this, we sought to identify both the role and underlying mechanisms of HMGB1 in cellular swelling and aquaporin 4 (AQP4) expression in cultured rat spinal cord astrocytes after oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R).

Methods

The post-natal day 1–2 Sprague-Dawley rat spinal cord astrocytes were cultured in vitro, and the OGD/R model was induced. We first investigated the effects of OGD/R on spinal cord astrocytic swelling and HMGB1 and AQP4 expression, as well as HMGB1 release. We then studied the effects of HMGB1 inhibition on cellular swelling, HMGB1 and AQP4 expression, and HMGB1 release. The roles of both toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in reducing cellular swelling resulting from HMGB1 inhibition in spinal cord astrocytes after OGD/R were studied. Intergroup data were compared using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Dunnett’s test.

Results

The OGD/R increased spinal cord astrocytic swelling and HMGB1 and AQP4 expression, as well as HMGB1 release. Inhibition of HMGB1 using either HMGB1 shRNA or ethyl pyruvate resulted in reduced cellular volume, mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum swelling, and lysosome number and decreased upregulation of both HMGB1 and AQP4 in spinal cord astrocytes, as well as HMGB1 release. The HMGB1 effects on spinal cord astrocytic swelling and AQP4 upregulation after OGD/R were mediated—at least in part—via activation of TLR4, myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88 (MyD88), and NF-κB. These activation effects can be repressed by TLR4 inhibition using CLI-095 or C34, or by NF-κB inhibition using BAY 11-7082. Furthermore, either OGD/R or HMGB1 inhibition resulted in changes in IL-6 release. IL-6 was also shown to mediate AQP4 expression in spinal cord astrocytes.

Conclusions

HMGB1 upregulates AQP4 expression and promotes cell swelling in cultured spinal cord astrocytes after OGD/R, which is mediated through HMGB1/TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling and in an IL-6-dependent manner.

The role of glial-specific Kir4.1 in normal and pathological states of the CNS

Kir4.1 is an inwardly rectifying K(+) channel expressed exclusively in glial cells in the central nervous system. In glia, Kir4.1 is implicated in several functions including extracellular K(+) homeostasis, maintenance of astrocyte resting membrane potential, cell volume regulation, and facilitation of glutamate uptake. Knockout of Kir4.1 in rodent models leads to severe neurological deficits, including ataxia, seizures, sensorineural deafness, and early postnatal death. Accumulating evidence indicates that Kir4.1 plays an integral role in the central nervous system, prompting many laboratories to study the potential role that Kir4.1 plays in human disease. In this article, we review the growing evidence implicating Kir4.1 in a wide array of neurological disease. Recent literature suggests Kir4.1 dysfunction facilitates neuronal hyperexcitability and may contribute to epilepsy. Genetic screens demonstrate that mutations of KCNJ10, the gene encoding Kir4.1, causes SeSAME/EAST syndrome, which is characterized by early onset seizures, compromised verbal and motor skills, profound cognitive deficits, and salt-wasting. KCNJ10 has also been linked to developmental disorders including autism. Cerebral trauma, ischemia, and inflammation are all associated with decreased astrocytic Kir4.1 current amplitude and astrocytic dysfunction. Additionally, neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis demonstrate loss of Kir4.1. This is particularly exciting in the context of Huntington disease, another neurodegenerative disorder in which restoration of Kir4.1 ameliorated motor deficits, decreased medium spiny neuron hyperexcitability, and extended survival in mouse models. Understanding the expression and regulation of Kir4.1 will be critical in determining if this channel can be exploited for therapeutic benefit.

New Insights on Astrocyte Ion Channels: Critical for Homeostasis and Neuron-Glia Signaling

Initial biophysical studies on glial cells nearly 50 years ago identified these cells as being electrically silent. These first studies also demonstrated a large K(+) conductance, which led to the notion that glia may regulate extracellular K(+) levels homeostatically. This view has now gained critical support from the study of multiple disease models discussed herein. Dysfunction of a major astrocyte K(+) channel, Kir4.1, appears as an early pathological event underlying neuronal phenotypes in several neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases. An expanding list of other astrocyte ion channels, including the calcium-activated ion channel BEST-1, hemichannels, and two-pore domain K(+) channels, all contribute to astrocyte biology and CNS function and underpin new forms of crosstalk between neurons and glia. Once considered merely the glue that holds the brain together, it is now increasingly recognized that astrocytes contribute in several fundamental ways to neuronal function. Emerging new insights and future perspectives of this active research area are highlighted within.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT

The critical role of astrocyte potassium channels in CNS homeostasis has been reemphasized by recent studies conducted in animal disease models. Emerging evidence also supports the signaling role mediated by astrocyte ion channels such as BEST1, hemichannels, and two-pore channels, which enable astrocytes to interact with neurons and regulate synaptic transmission and plasticity. This minisymposium highlights recent developments and future perspectives of these research areas.

Elevated GFAP induces astrocyte dysfunction in caudal brain regions: A potential mechanism for hindbrain involved symptoms in type II Alexander disease

Alexander Disease (AxD) is a "gliopathy" caused by toxic, dominant gain-of-function mutations in the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) gene. Two distinct types of AxD exist. Type I AxD affected individuals develop cerebral symptoms by 4 years of age and suffer from macrocephaly, seizures, and physical and mental delays. As detection and diagnosis have improved, approximately half of all AxD patients diagnosed have onset >4 years and brainstem/spinal cord involvement. Type II AxD patients experience ataxia, palatal myoclonus, dysphagia, and dysphonia. No study has examined a mechanistic link between the GFAP mutations and caudal symptoms present in type II AxD patients. We demonstrate that two key astrocytic functions, the ability to regulate extracellular glutamate and to take up K(+) via K+ channels, are compromised in hindbrain regions and spinal cord in AxD mice. Spinal cord astrocytes in AxD transgenic mice are depolarized relative to WT littermates, and have a three-fold reduction in Ba(2+) -sensitive Kir4.1 mediated currents and six-fold reduction in glutamate uptake currents. The loss of these two functions is due to significant decreases in Kir4.1 (>70%) and GLT-1 (>60%) protein expression. mRNA expression for KCNJ10 and SLC1A2, the genes that code for Kir4.1 and GLT-1, are significantly reduced by postnatal Day 7. Protein and mRNA reductions for Kir4.1 and GLT-1 are exacerbated in AxD models that demonstrate earlier accumulation of GFAP and increased Rosenthal fiber formation. These findings provide a mechanistic link between the GFAP mutations/overexpression and the symptoms in those affected with Type II AxD.

Changes in expression of aquaporin-4 and aquaporin-9 in optic nerve after crushing in rats

The purpose of this study was to determine the temporal and spatial changes in the expression of AQP4 and AQP9 in the optic nerve after it is crushed. The left optic nerves of rats were either crushed (crushed group) or sham operated (sham group), and they were excised before, and at 1, 2, 4, 7, and 14 days later. Four optic nerves were pooled for each time point in both groups. The expression of AQP4 and AQP9 was determined by western blot analyses. Immunohistochemistry was used to determine the spatial expression of AQP4, AQP9, and GFAP in the optic nerve. Optic nerve edema was determined by measuring the water content in the optic nerve. The barrier function of the optic nerve vessels was determined by the extravasated Evans blue dye on days 7 and 14. The results showed that the expression of AQP4 was increased on day 1 but the level was significantly lower than that in the sham group on days 4 and 7 (P<0.05). In contrast, the expression of AQP9 gradually increased, and the level was significantly higher than that in the sham group on days 7 and 14 (P<0.05, Tukey-Kramer). The down-regulation of AQP4 was associated with crush-induced optic nerve edema, and the water content of the nerve was significantly increased by 4.3% in the crushed optic nerve from that of the untouched fellow nerve on day 7. The expression of AQP4 and GFAP was reduced at the crushed site where AQP4-negative and AQP9-positive astrocytes were present. The barrier function was impaired at the crushed site on days 7 and 14, restrictedly where AQP4-negative and AQP9-positive astrocytes were present. The presence of AQP9-positive astrocytes at the crushed site may counteract the metabolic damage but this change did not fully compensate for the barrier function defect.

Aquaporin and brain diseases

BACKGROUND

The presence of water channel proteins, aquaporins (AQPs), in the brain led to intense research in understanding the underlying roles of each of them under normal conditions and pathological conditions.

SCOPE OF REVIEW

In this review, we summarize some of the recent knowledge on the 3 main AQPs (AQP1, AQP4 and AQP9), with a special focus on AQP4, the most abundant AQP in the central nervous system.

MAJOR CONCLUSIONS

AQP4 was most studied in several brain pathological conditions ranging from acute brain injuries (stroke, traumatic brain injury) to the chronic brain disease with autoimmune neurodegenerative diseases. To date, no specific therapeutic agents have been developed to either inhibit or enhance water flux through these channels. However, experimental results strongly underline the importance of this topic for future investigation. Early inhibition of water channels may have positive effects in prevention of edema formation in brain injuries but at later time points during the course of a disease, AQP is critical for clearance of water from the brain into blood vessels.

GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE

Thus, AQPs, and in particular AQP4, have important roles both in the formation and resolution of edema after brain injury. The dual, complex function of these water channel proteins makes them an excellent therapeutic target. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Aquaporins.

DNA methylation functions as a critical regulator of Kir4.1 expression during CNS development

Kir4.1, a glial-specific K+ channel, is critical for normal CNS development. Studies using both global and glial-specific knockout of Kir4.1 reveal abnormal CNS development with the loss of the channel. Specifically, Kir4.1 knockout animals are characterized by ataxia, severe hypomyelination, and early postnatal death. Additionally, Kir4.1 has emerged as a key player in several CNS diseases. Notably, decreased Kir4.1 protein expression occurs in several human CNS pathologies including CNS ischemic injury, spinal cord injury, epilepsy, ALS, and Alzheimer's disease. Despite the emerging significance of Kir4.1 in normal and pathological conditions, its mechanisms of regulation are unknown. Here, we report the first epigenetic regulation of a K+ channel in the CNS. Robust developmental upregulation of Kir4.1 expression in rats is coincident with reductions in DNA methylation of the Kir4.1 gene, KCNJ10. Chromatin immunoprecipitation reveals a dynamic interaction between KCNJ10 and DNA methyltransferase 1 during development. Finally, demethylation of the KCNJ10 promoter is necessary for transcription. These findings indicate DNA methylation is a key regulator of Kir4.1 transcription. Given the essential role of Kir4.1 in normal CNS development, understanding the regulation of this K+ channel is critical to understanding normal glial biology.

Heterologous expression of a glial Kir channel (KCNJ10) in a neuroblastoma spinal cord (NSC-34) cell line

Heterologous expression of Kir channels offers a tool to modulate excitability of neurons which provide insight into Kir channel functions in general. Inwardly-rectifying K+ channels (Kir channels) are potential candidate proteins to hyperpolarize neuronal cell membranes. However, heterologous expression of inwardly-rectifying K+ channels has previously proven to be difficult. This was mainly due to a high toxicity of the respective Kir channel expression. We investigated the putative role of a predominantly glial-expressed, weakly rectifying Kir channel (Kir4.1 channel subunit; KCNJ10) in modulating electrophysiological properties of a motoneuron-like cell culture (NSC-34). Transfection procedures using an EGFP-tagged Kir4.1 protein in this study proved to have no toxic effects on NSC-34 cells. Using whole cell-voltage clamp, a substantial increase of inward rectifying K+ currents as well as hyperpolarization of the cell membrane was observed in Kir4.1-transfected cells. Na+ inward currents, observed in NSC-34 controls, were absent in Kir4.1/EGFP motoneuronal cells. The Kir4.1-transfection did not influence the NaV1.6 sodium channel expression. This study demonstrates the general feasibility of a heterologous expression of a weakly inward-rectifying K+ channel (Kir4.1 subunit) and shows that in vitro overexpression of Kir4.1 shifts electrophysiological properties of neuronal cells to a more glial-like phenotype and may therefore be a candidate tool to dampen excitability of neurons in experimental paradigms.

Delayed increase of astrocytic aquaporin 4 after juvenile traumatic brain injury: possible role in edema resolution?

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the leading causes of death and disability in children and adolescents. The neuropathological sequelae that result from TBI are a complex cascade of events including edema formation, which occurs more frequently in the pediatric than the adult population. This developmental difference in the response to injury may be related to higher water content in the young brain and also to molecular mechanisms regulating water homeostasis. Aquaporins (AQPs) provide a unique opportunity to examine the mechanisms underlying water mobility, which remain poorly understood in the juvenile post-traumatic edema process. We examined the spatiotemporal expression pattern of principal brain AQPs (AQP1, AQP4, and AQP9) after juvenile TBI (jTBI) related to edema formation and resolution observed using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Using a controlled cortical impact in post-natal 17 day-old rats as a model of jTBI, neuroimaging analysis showed a global decrease in water mobility (apparent diffusion coefficient, ADC) and an increase in edema (T2-values) at 1 day post-injury, which normalized by 3 days. Immunohistochemical analysis of AQP4 in perivascular astrocyte endfeet was increased in the lesion at 3 and 7days post-injury as edema resolved. In contrast, AQP1 levels distant from the injury site were increased at 7, 30, and 60 days within septal neurons but did not correlate with changes in edema formation. Group differences were not observed for AQP9. Overall, our observations confirm that astrocyticAQP4 plays a more central role than AQP1 or AQP9 during the edema process in the young brain.

Distinct expression/function of potassium and chloride channels contributes to the diverse volume regulation in cortical astrocytes of GFAP/EGFP mice

Recently, we have identified two astrocytic subpopulations in the cortex of GFAP-EGFP mice, in which the astrocytes are visualized by the enhanced green-fluorescent protein (EGFP) under the control of the human glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) promotor. These astrocytic subpopulations, termed high response- (HR-) and low response- (LR-) astrocytes, differed in the extent of their swelling during oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD). In the present study we focused on identifying the ion channels or transporters that might underlie the different capabilities of these two astrocytic subpopulations to regulate their volume during OGD. Using three-dimensional confocal morphometry, which enables quantification of the total astrocytic volume, the effects of selected inhibitors of K⁺ and Cl⁻ channels/transporters or glutamate transporters on astrocyte volume changes were determined during 20 minute-OGD in situ. The inhibition of volume regulated anion channels (VRACs) and two-pore domain potassium channels (K(2P)) highlighted their distinct contributions to volume regulation in HR-/LR-astrocytes. While the inhibition of VRACs or K(2P) channels revealed their contribution to the swelling of HR-astrocytes, in LR-astrocytes they were both involved in anion/K⁺ effluxes. Additionally, the inhibition of Na⁺-K⁺-Cl⁻ co-transporters in HR-astrocytes led to a reduction of cell swelling, but it had no effect on LR-astrocyte volume. Moreover, employing real-time single-cell quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR), we characterized the expression profiles of EGFP-positive astrocytes with a focus on those ion channels and transporters participating in astrocyte swelling and volume regulation. The PCR data revealed the existence of two astrocytic subpopulations markedly differing in their gene expression levels for inwardly rectifying K⁺ channels (Kir4.1), K(2P) channels (TREK-1 and TWIK-1) and Cl⁻ channels (ClC2). Thus, we propose that the diverse volume changes displayed by cortical astrocytes during OGD mainly result from their distinct expression patterns of ClC2 and K(2P) channels.

Reorganization of gap junctions after focused ultrasound blood-brain barrier opening in the rat brain

Ultrasound-induced opening of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is an emerging technique for targeted drug delivery to the central nervous system. Gap junctions allow transfer of information between adjacent cells and are responsible for tissue homeostasis. We examined the effect of ultrasound-induced BBB opening on the structure of gap junctions in cortical neurons, expressing Connexin 36, and astrocytes, expressing Connexin 43, after focused 1-MHz ultrasound exposure at 1.25 MPa of one hemisphere together with intravenous microbubble (Optison, Oslo, Norway) application. Quantification of immunofluorescence signals revealed that, compared with non-insonicated hemispheres, small-sized Connexin 43 and 36 gap-junctional plaques were markedly reduced in areas with BBB breakdown after 3 to 6 hours (34.02+/-6.04% versus 66.49+/-2.16%, P=0.02 for Connexin 43; 33.80+/-1.24% versus 36.77+/-3.43%, P=0.07 for Connexin 36). Complementing this finding, we found significant increases in large-sized gap-junctional plaques (5.76+/-0.96% versus 1.02+/-0.84%, P=0.05 for Connexin 43; 5.62+/-0.22% versus 4.65+/-0.80%, P=0.02 for Connexin 36). This effect was reversible at 24 hours after ultrasound exposure. Western blot analyses did not show any change in the total connexin amount. These results indicate that ultrasound-induced BBB opening leads to a reorganization of gap-junctional plaques in both neurons and astrocytes. The plaque-size increase may be a cellular response to imbalances in extracellular homeostasis after BBB leakage.

Spinal cord injury causes a wide-spread, persistent loss of Kir4.1 and glutamate transporter 1: benefit of 17 beta-oestradiol treatment

During neuronal activity astrocytes function to remove extracellular increases in potassium, which are largely mediated by the inwardly-rectifying potassium channel Kir4.1, and to take up excess glutamate via glutamate transporter 1, a glial-specific glutamate transporter. Here we demonstrate that expression of both of these proteins is reduced by nearly 80% following a crush spinal cord injury in adult male rats, 7 days post-injury. This loss extended to spinal segments several millimetres rostral and caudal to the lesion epicentre, and persisted at 4 weeks post-injury. Importantly, we demonstrate that loss of these two proteins is not a direct result of astrocyte loss, as immunohistochemistry at 7 days and western blots at 4 weeks demonstrate a marked up-regulation in glial fibrillary acidic protein expression. Kir4.1 and glutamate transporter 1 expression were partially rescued by post-spinal cord injury administration of physiological levels of 17beta-oestradiol (0.08 mg/kg/day) in vivo. Utilizing an in vitro culture system we demonstrate that 17beta-oestradiol treatment (50 nM) is sufficient to increase glutamate transporter 1 protein expression in spinal cord astrocytes. This increase in glutamate transporter 1 protein expression was reversed and Kir4.1 expression reduced in the presence of an oestrogen receptor antagonist, Fulvestrant 182,780 suggesting a direct translational regulation of Kir4.1 and glutamate transporter 1 via genomic oestrogen receptors. Using whole-cell patch-clamp recordings in cultured spinal cord astrocytes, we show that changes in protein expression following oestrogen application led to functional changes in Kir4.1 mediated currents. These findings suggest that the neuroprotective benefits previously seen with 17beta-oestradiol after spinal cord injury may be in part due to increased Kir4.1 and glutamate transporter 1 expression in astrocytes leading to improved potassium and glutamate homeostasis.

Analysis of astroglial K+ channel expression in the developing hippocampus reveals a predominant role of the Kir4.1 subunit

Astrocytes in different brain regions display variable functional properties. In the hippocampus, astrocytes predominantly express time- and voltage-independent currents, but the underlying ion channels are not well defined. This ignorance is partly attributable to abundant intercellular coupling of these cells through gap junctions, impeding quantitative analyses of intrinsic membrane properties. Moreover, distinct types of cells with astroglial properties coexist in a given brain area, a finding that confused previous analyses. In the present study, we investigated expression of inwardly rectifying (Kir) and two-pore-domain (K2P) K+ channels in astrocytes, which are thought to be instrumental in the regulation of K+ homeostasis. Freshly isolated astrocytes were used to improve space-clamp conditions and allow for quantitative assessment of functional parameters. Patch-clamp recordings were combined with immunocytochemistry, Western blot analysis, and semiquantitative transcript analysis. Comparative measurements were performed in different CA1 subregions of astrocyte-targeted transgenic mice. While confirming weak Ba2+ sensitivity in situ, our data demonstrate that in freshly isolated astrocytes, the main proportion of membrane currents is sensitive to micromolar Ba2+ concentrations. Upregulation of Kir4.1 transcripts and protein during the first 10 postnatal days was accompanied by a fourfold increase in astrocyte inward current density. Hippocampal astrocytes from Kir4.1-/- mice lacked Ba2+-sensitive currents. In addition, we report functional expression of K2P channels of the TREK subfamily (TREK1, TREK2), which mediate astroglial outward currents. Together, our findings demonstrate that Kir4.1 constitutes the pivotal K+ channel subunit and that superposition of currents through Kir4.1 and TREK channels underlies the "passive" current pattern of hippocampal astrocytes.

Quantification of astrocyte volume changes during ischemia in situ reveals two populations of astrocytes in the cortex of GFAP/EGFP mice

Energy depletion during ischemia leads to disturbed ionic homeostasis and accumulation of neuroactive substances in the extracellular space, subsequently leading to volume changes in astrocytes. Confocal microscopy combined with 3D reconstruction was used to quantify ischemia-induced astrocyte volume changes in cortical slices of GFAP/EGFP transgenic mice. Twenty-minutes of oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) or oxygen-glucose deprivation combined with acidification (OGD(pH 6.8)) revealed the presence of two distinct astrocytic populations, the first showing a large volume increase (HR astrocytes) and the second displaying a small volume increase (LR astrocytes). In addition, changes in resting membrane potential (V(m)), measured by the patch-clamp technique, supported the existence of two astrocytic populations responding differently to ischemia. Although one group markedly depolarized during OGD or OGD(pH 6.8), only small changes in V(m) toward more negative values were observed in the second group. Conversely, acidification (ACF(pH 6.8)) led to a uniform volume decrease in all astrocytes, accompanied by only a small depolarization. Interestingly, two differently responding populations were not detected during acidification. Differences in the expression of inwardly rectifying potassium channels (Kir4.1), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and taurine levels in cortical astrocytes were detected using immunohistochemical methods. We conclude that two distinct populations of astrocytes are present in the cortex of GFAP/EGFP mice, based on volume and V(m) changes during exposure to OGD or OGD(pH 6.8). Immunohistochemical analysis suggests that the diverse expression of Kir4.1 channels and GFAP as well as differences in the accumulation of taurine might contribute to the distinct ability of astrocytes to regulate their volume.