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Piatkevich KD, Boyden ES. Optogenetic control of neural activity: The biophysics of microbial rhodopsins in neuroscience. Q Rev Biophys 2023; 57:e1. [PMID: 37831008 DOI: 10.1017/s0033583523000033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Optogenetics, the use of microbial rhodopsins to make the electrical activity of targeted neurons controllable by light, has swept through neuroscience, enabling thousands of scientists to study how specific neuron types contribute to behaviors and pathologies, and how they might serve as novel therapeutic targets. By activating a set of neurons, one can probe what functions they can initiate or sustain, and by silencing a set of neurons, one can probe the functions they are necessary for. We here review the biophysics of these molecules, asking why they became so useful in neuroscience for the study of brain circuitry. We review the history of the field, including early thinking, early experiments, applications of optogenetics, pre-optogenetics targeted neural control tools, and the history of discovering and characterizing microbial rhodopsins. We then review the biophysical attributes of rhodopsins that make them so useful to neuroscience - their classes and structure, their photocycles, their photocurrent magnitudes and kinetics, their action spectra, and their ion selectivity. Our hope is to convey to the reader how specific biophysical properties of these molecules made them especially useful to neuroscientists for a difficult problem - the control of high-speed electrical activity, with great precision and ease, in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiryl D Piatkevich
- School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, China
| | - Edward S Boyden
- McGovern Institute and Koch Institute, Departments of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Media Arts and Sciences, and Biological Engineering, K. Lisa Yang Center for Bionics and Center for Neurobiological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
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2
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Hyung S, Park JH, Jung K. Application of optogenetic glial cells to neuron-glial communication. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1249043. [PMID: 37868193 PMCID: PMC10585272 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1249043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Optogenetic techniques combine optics and genetics to enable cell-specific targeting and precise spatiotemporal control of excitable cells, and they are increasingly being employed. One of the most significant advantages of the optogenetic approach is that it allows for the modulation of nearby cells or circuits with millisecond precision, enabling researchers to gain a better understanding of the complex nervous system. Furthermore, optogenetic neuron activation permits the regulation of information processing in the brain, including synaptic activity and transmission, and also promotes nerve structure development. However, the optimal conditions remain unclear, and further research is required to identify the types of cells that can most effectively and precisely control nerve function. Recent studies have described optogenetic glial manipulation for coordinating the reciprocal communication between neurons and glia. Optogenetically stimulated glial cells can modulate information processing in the central nervous system and provide structural support for nerve fibers in the peripheral nervous system. These advances promote the effective use of optogenetics, although further experiments are needed. This review describes the critical role of glial cells in the nervous system and reviews the optogenetic applications of several types of glial cells, as well as their significance in neuron-glia interactions. Together, it briefly discusses the therapeutic potential and feasibility of optogenetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujin Hyung
- Precision Medicine Research Institute, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Hye Park
- Graduate School of Cancer Science and Policy, Cancer Biomedical Science, National Cancer Center, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyuhwan Jung
- DAWINBIO Inc., Hanam-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
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3
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Bansal A, Shikha S, Zhang Y. Towards translational optogenetics. Nat Biomed Eng 2022; 7:349-369. [PMID: 35027688 DOI: 10.1038/s41551-021-00829-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2018] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Optogenetics is widely used to interrogate the neural circuits underlying disease and has most recently been harnessed for therapeutic applications. The optogenetic toolkit consists of light-responsive proteins that modulate specific cellular functions, vectors for the delivery of the transgenes that encode the light-responsive proteins to targeted cellular populations, and devices for the delivery of light of suitable wavelengths at effective fluence rates. A refined toolkit with a focus towards translational uses would include efficient and safer viral and non-viral gene-delivery vectors, increasingly red-shifted photoresponsive proteins, nanomaterials that efficiently transduce near-infrared light deep into tissue, and wireless implantable light-delivery devices that allow for spatiotemporally precise interventions at clinically relevant tissue depths. In this Review, we examine the current optogenetics toolkit and the most notable preclinical and translational uses of optogenetics, and discuss future methodological and translational developments and bottlenecks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akshaya Bansal
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Swati Shikha
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yong Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore. .,NUS Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore. .,NUS Suzhou Research Institute, Suzhou, Jiangsu, P. R. China.
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Ozgur M, Özyurt MG, Arkan S, Cavdar S. The Effects of Optogenetic Activation of Astrocytes on Spike-and-Wave Discharges in Genetic Absence Epileptic Rats. Ann Neurosci 2022; 29:53-61. [PMID: 35875425 PMCID: PMC9305907 DOI: 10.1177/09727531211072423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Absence seizures (petit mal seizures) are characterized by a brief loss of consciousness without loss of postural tone. The disease is diagnosed by an electroencephalogram (EEG) showing spike-wave discharges (SWD) caused by hypersynchronous thalamocortical (TC) oscillations. There has been an explosion of research highlighting the role of astrocytes in supporting and modulating neuronal activity. Despite established in vitro evidence, astrocytes' influence on the TC network remains to be elucidated in vivo in the absence epilepsy (AE). Purpose In this study, we investigated the role of astrocytes in the generation and modulation of SWDs. We hypothesize that disturbances in astrocytes' function may affect the pathomechanism of AE. Methods To direct the expression of channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) rAAV8-GFAP-ChR2(H134R)-EYFP or to control the effect of surgical intervention, AAV-CaMKIIa-EYFP was injected into the ventrobasal nucleus (VB) of the thalamus of 18 animals. After four weeks following the injection, rats were stimulated using blue light (~473 nm) and, simultaneously, the electrophysiological activity of the frontal cortical neurons was recorded for three consecutive days. The animals were then perfused, and the brain tissue was analyzed by confocal microscopy. Results A significant increase in the duration of SWD without affecting the number of SWD in genetic absence epileptic rats from Strasbourg (GAERS) compared to control injections was observed. The duration of the SWD was increased from 12.50 ± 4.41 s to 17.44 ± 6.07 following optogenetic stimulation in GAERS. The excitation of the astrocytes in Wistar Albino Glaxo Rijswijk (WAG-Rij) did not change the duration of SWD; however, stimulation resulted in a significant increase in the number of SWD from 18.52 ± 11.46 bursts/30 min to 30.17 ± 18.43 bursts/30 min. Whereas in control injection, the duration and the number of SWDs were similar at pre- and poststimulus. Both the background and poststimulus average firing rates of the SWD in WAG-Rij were significantly higher than the firing recorded in GAERS. Conclusion These findings suggest that VB astrocytes play a role in modulating the SWD generation in both rat models with distinct mechanisms and can present an essential target for the possible therapeutic approach for AE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merve Ozgur
- Graduate School of Health Sciences, Division of Neuroscience, Koc University, Istanbul Turkey
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Izmir University of Economics, Izmir, Turkey
- Department of Anatomy, Koç University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Mustafa Görkem Özyurt
- Graduate School of Sciences and Engineering, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey
- Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sertan Arkan
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Molecular Neurobiology Unit, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Safiye Cavdar
- Department of Anatomy, Koç University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
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Maltan L, Najjar H, Tiffner A, Derler I. Deciphering Molecular Mechanisms and Intervening in Physiological and Pathophysiological Processes of Ca 2+ Signaling Mechanisms Using Optogenetic Tools. Cells 2021; 10:3340. [PMID: 34943850 PMCID: PMC8699489 DOI: 10.3390/cells10123340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Calcium ion channels are involved in numerous biological functions such as lymphocyte activation, muscle contraction, neurotransmission, excitation, hormone secretion, gene expression, cell migration, memory, and aging. Therefore, their dysfunction can lead to a wide range of cellular abnormalities and, subsequently, to diseases. To date various conventional techniques have provided valuable insights into the roles of Ca2+ signaling. However, their limited spatiotemporal resolution and lack of reversibility pose significant obstacles in the detailed understanding of the structure-function relationship of ion channels. These drawbacks could be partially overcome by the use of optogenetics, which allows for the remote and well-defined manipulation of Ca2+-signaling. Here, we review the various optogenetic tools that have been used to achieve precise control over different Ca2+-permeable ion channels and receptors and associated downstream signaling cascades. We highlight the achievements of optogenetics as well as the still-open questions regarding the resolution of ion channel working mechanisms. In addition, we summarize the successes of optogenetics in manipulating many Ca2+-dependent biological processes both in vitro and in vivo. In summary, optogenetics has significantly advanced our understanding of Ca2+ signaling proteins and the used tools provide an essential basis for potential future therapeutic application.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Isabella Derler
- Institute of Biophysics, JKU Life Science Center, Johannes Kepler University Linz, A-4020 Linz, Austria; (L.M.); (H.N.); (A.T.)
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Novel Approaches Used to Examine and Control Neurogenesis in Parkinson's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22179608. [PMID: 34502516 PMCID: PMC8431772 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22179608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurogenesis is a key mechanism of brain development and plasticity, which is impaired in chronic neurodegeneration, including Parkinson’s disease. The accumulation of aberrant α-synuclein is one of the features of PD. Being secreted, this protein produces a prominent neurotoxic effect, alters synaptic plasticity, deregulates intercellular communication, and supports the development of neuroinflammation, thereby providing propagation of pathological events leading to the establishment of a PD-specific phenotype. Multidirectional and ambiguous effects of α-synuclein on adult neurogenesis suggest that impaired neurogenesis should be considered as a target for the prevention of cell loss and restoration of neurological functions. Thus, stimulation of endogenous neurogenesis or cell-replacement therapy with stem cell-derived differentiated neurons raises new hopes for the development of effective and safe technologies for treating PD neurodegeneration. Given the rapid development of optogenetics, it is not surprising that this method has already been repeatedly tested in manipulating neurogenesis in vivo and in vitro via targeting stem or progenitor cells. However, niche astrocytes could also serve as promising candidates for controlling neuronal differentiation and improving the functional integration of newly formed neurons within the brain tissue. In this review, we mainly focus on current approaches to assess neurogenesis and prospects in the application of optogenetic protocols to restore the neurogenesis in Parkinson’s disease.
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7
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McNeill J, Rudyk C, Hildebrand ME, Salmaso N. Ion Channels and Electrophysiological Properties of Astrocytes: Implications for Emergent Stimulation Technologies. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:644126. [PMID: 34093129 PMCID: PMC8173131 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.644126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes comprise a heterogeneous cell population characterized by distinct morphologies, protein expression and function. Unlike neurons, astrocytes do not generate action potentials, however, they are electrically dynamic cells with extensive electrophysiological heterogeneity and diversity. Astrocytes are hyperpolarized cells with low membrane resistance. They are heavily involved in the modulation of K+ and express an array of different voltage-dependent and voltage-independent channels to help with this ion regulation. In addition to these K+ channels, astrocytes also express several different types of Na+ channels; intracellular Na+ signaling in astrocytes has been linked to some of their functional properties. The physiological hallmark of astrocytes is their extensive intracellular Ca2+ signaling cascades, which vary at the regional, subregional, and cellular levels. In this review article, we highlight the physiological properties of astrocytes and the implications for their function and influence of network and synaptic activity. Furthermore, we discuss the implications of these differences in the context of optogenetic and DREADD experiments and consider whether these tools represent physiologically relevant techniques for the interrogation of astrocyte function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica McNeill
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | | | | | - Natalina Salmaso
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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8
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Chemogenetic manipulation of astrocytic activity: Is it possible to reveal the roles of astrocytes? Biochem Pharmacol 2021; 186:114457. [PMID: 33556341 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2021.114457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes are the major glial cells in the central nervous system, but unlike neurons, they do not produce action potentials. For many years, astrocytes were considered supporting cells in the central nervous system (CNS). Technological advances over the last two decades are changing the face of glial research. Accumulating data from recent investigations show that astrocytes display transient calcium spikes and regulate synaptic transmission by releasing transmitters called gliotransmitters. Many new powerful technologies are used to interfere with astrocytic activity, in order to obtain a better understanding of the roles of astrocytes in the brain. Among these technologies, chemogenetics has recently been used frequently. In this review, we will summarize new functions of astrocytes in the brain that have been revealed using this cutting-edge technique. Moreover, we will discuss the possibilities and challenges of manipulating astrocytic activity using this technology.
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9
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Ryczko D, Hanini‐Daoud M, Condamine S, Bréant BJB, Fougère M, Araya R, Kolta A. S100β‐mediated astroglial control of firing and input processing in layer 5 pyramidal neurons of the mouse visual cortex. J Physiol 2020; 599:677-707. [DOI: 10.1113/jp280501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Dimitri Ryczko
- Département de Neurosciences Université de Montréal Montréal QC Canada
- Département de Pharmacologie‐Physiologie Université de Sherbrooke Sherbrooke QC Canada
- Centre de recherche du CHUS Sherbrooke QC Canada
- Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke Sherbrooke QC Canada
- Centre d'excellence en neurosciences de l'Université de Sherbrooke Sherbrooke QC Canada
| | | | - Steven Condamine
- Département de Neurosciences Université de Montréal Montréal QC Canada
| | | | - Maxime Fougère
- Département de Pharmacologie‐Physiologie Université de Sherbrooke Sherbrooke QC Canada
| | - Roberto Araya
- Département de Neurosciences Université de Montréal Montréal QC Canada
| | - Arlette Kolta
- Département de Neurosciences Université de Montréal Montréal QC Canada
- Faculté de Médecine Dentaire Université de Montréal Montréal QC Canada
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10
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Qazi R, Yeon Kim C, Kang I, Binazarov D, McCall JG, Jeong J. Implantable Optofluidic Systems for Wireless In Vivo Photopharmacology. CHEMPHOTOCHEM 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/cptc.202000217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Raza Qazi
- School of Electrical Engineering Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology Daejeon Republic of Korea
- Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering University of Colorado Boulder CO USA
| | - Choong Yeon Kim
- School of Electrical Engineering Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology Daejeon Republic of Korea
| | - Inho Kang
- School of Electrical Engineering Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology Daejeon Republic of Korea
| | - Dauren Binazarov
- School of Electrical Engineering Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology Daejeon Republic of Korea
| | - Jordan G. McCall
- Department of Anesthesiology Washington University in St. Louis St. Louis MO USA
| | - Jae‐Woong Jeong
- School of Electrical Engineering Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology Daejeon Republic of Korea
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11
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Pham C, Moro DH, Mouffle C, Didienne S, Hepp R, Pfrieger FW, Mangin JM, Legendre P, Martin C, Luquet S, Cauli B, Li D. Mapping astrocyte activity domains by light sheet imaging and spatio-temporal correlation screening. Neuroimage 2020; 220:117069. [PMID: 32585347 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Revised: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes are a major type of glial cell in the mammalian brain, essentially regulating neuronal development and function. Quantitative imaging represents an important approach to study astrocytic signaling in neural circuits. Focusing on astrocytic Ca2+ activity, a key pathway implicated in astrocye-neuron interaction, we here report a strategy combining fast light sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) and correlative screening-based time series analysis, to map activity domains in astrocytes in living mammalian nerve tissue. Light sheet of micron-scale thickness enables wide-field optical sectioning to image astrocytes in acute mouse brain slices. Using both chemical and genetically encoded Ca2+ indicators, we demonstrate the complementary advantages of LSFM in mapping Ca2+ domains in astrocyte populations as compared to epifluorescence and two-photon microscopy. Our approach then revealed distinct kinetics of Ca2+ signals between cortical and hypothalamic astrocytes in resting conditions and following the activation of adrenergic G protein coupled receptor (GPCR). This observation highlights the activity heterogeneity across regionally distinct astrocyte populations, and indicates the potential of our method for investigating dynamic signals in astrocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cuong Pham
- Sorbonne Université, Institute of Biology Paris Seine, Neuroscience Paris Seine, CNRS UMR8246, INSERM U1130, UPMC UMCR18, Paris, 75005, France
| | - Daniela Herrera Moro
- Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative, Centre National la Recherche Scientifique, Unité Mixte de Recherche 8251, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 75205, Paris, France
| | - Christine Mouffle
- Sorbonne Université, Institute of Biology Paris Seine, Neuroscience Paris Seine, CNRS UMR8246, INSERM U1130, UPMC UMCR18, Paris, 75005, France
| | - Steve Didienne
- Sorbonne Université, Institute of Biology Paris Seine, Neuroscience Paris Seine, CNRS UMR8246, INSERM U1130, UPMC UMCR18, Paris, 75005, France
| | - Régine Hepp
- Sorbonne Université, Institute of Biology Paris Seine, Neuroscience Paris Seine, CNRS UMR8246, INSERM U1130, UPMC UMCR18, Paris, 75005, France
| | - Frank W Pfrieger
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, F-67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Jean-Marie Mangin
- Sorbonne Université, Institute of Biology Paris Seine, Neuroscience Paris Seine, CNRS UMR8246, INSERM U1130, UPMC UMCR18, Paris, 75005, France
| | - Pascal Legendre
- Sorbonne Université, Institute of Biology Paris Seine, Neuroscience Paris Seine, CNRS UMR8246, INSERM U1130, UPMC UMCR18, Paris, 75005, France
| | - Claire Martin
- Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative, Centre National la Recherche Scientifique, Unité Mixte de Recherche 8251, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 75205, Paris, France
| | - Serge Luquet
- Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative, Centre National la Recherche Scientifique, Unité Mixte de Recherche 8251, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 75205, Paris, France
| | - Bruno Cauli
- Sorbonne Université, Institute of Biology Paris Seine, Neuroscience Paris Seine, CNRS UMR8246, INSERM U1130, UPMC UMCR18, Paris, 75005, France
| | - Dongdong Li
- Sorbonne Université, Institute of Biology Paris Seine, Neuroscience Paris Seine, CNRS UMR8246, INSERM U1130, UPMC UMCR18, Paris, 75005, France.
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12
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Paoletti P, Ellis-Davies GCR, Mourot A. Optical control of neuronal ion channels and receptors. Nat Rev Neurosci 2020; 20:514-532. [PMID: 31289380 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-019-0197-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Light-controllable tools provide powerful means to manipulate and interrogate brain function with relatively low invasiveness and high spatiotemporal precision. Although optogenetic approaches permit neuronal excitation or inhibition at the network level, other technologies, such as optopharmacology (also known as photopharmacology) have emerged that provide molecular-level control by endowing light sensitivity to endogenous biomolecules. In this Review, we discuss the challenges and opportunities of photocontrolling native neuronal signalling pathways, focusing on ion channels and neurotransmitter receptors. We describe existing strategies for rendering receptors and channels light sensitive and provide an overview of the neuroscientific insights gained from such approaches. At the crossroads of chemistry, protein engineering and neuroscience, optopharmacology offers great potential for understanding the molecular basis of brain function and behaviour, with promises for future therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Paoletti
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France.
| | | | - Alexandre Mourot
- Neuroscience Paris Seine-Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (NPS-IBPS), CNRS, INSERM, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France.
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13
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Yu X, Nagai J, Khakh BS. Improved tools to study astrocytes. Nat Rev Neurosci 2020; 21:121-138. [DOI: 10.1038/s41583-020-0264-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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14
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Oheim M, Salomon A, Weissman A, Brunstein M, Becherer U. Calibrating Evanescent-Wave Penetration Depths for Biological TIRF Microscopy. Biophys J 2019; 117:795-809. [PMID: 31439287 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2019.07.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Revised: 07/08/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Roughly half of a cell's proteins are located at or near the plasma membrane. In this restricted space, the cell senses its environment, signals to its neighbors, and exchanges cargo through exo- and endocytotic mechanisms. Ligands bind to receptors, ions flow across channel pores, and transmitters and metabolites are transported against concentration gradients. Receptors, ion channels, pumps, and transporters are the molecular substrates of these biological processes, and they constitute important targets for drug discovery. Total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy suppresses the background from the cell's deeper layers and provides contrast for selectively imaging dynamic processes near the basal membrane of live cells. The optical sectioning of TIRF is based on the excitation confinement of the evanescent wave generated at the glass/cell interface. How deep the excitation light actually penetrates the sample is difficult to know, making the quantitative interpretation of TIRF data problematic. Nevertheless, many applications like superresolution microscopy, colocalization, Förster resonance energy transfer, near-membrane fluorescence recovery after photobleaching, uncaging or photoactivation/switching as well as single-particle tracking require the quantitative interpretation of evanescent-wave-excited images. Here, we review existing techniques for characterizing evanescent fields, and we provide a roadmap for comparing TIRF data across images, experiments, and laboratories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Oheim
- Université de Paris, CNRS, Saints-Pères Paris Institute for the Neurosciences (SPPIN), Paris, France.
| | - Adi Salomon
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials (BINA), Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Adam Weissman
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials (BINA), Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Maia Brunstein
- Université de Paris, CNRS, Saints-Pères Paris Institute for the Neurosciences (SPPIN), Paris, France; Chaire d'Excellence Junior, Université Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Ute Becherer
- Saarland University, Department of Physiology, CIPMM, Homburg/Saar, Germany
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15
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Carmi I, De Battista M, Maddalena L, Carroll EC, Kienzler MA, Berlin S. Holographic two-photon activation for synthetic optogenetics. Nat Protoc 2019; 14:864-900. [PMID: 30804570 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-018-0118-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2018] [Accepted: 12/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Optogenetic tools provide users the ability to photocontrol the activity of cells. Commonly, activation is achieved by expression of proteins from photosynthetic organisms, for example, microbial opsins (e.g., ChR2). Alternatively, a sister approach, synthetic optogenetics, enables photocontrol over proteins of mammalian origin by use of photoswitches, visible light (typically), and genetic modification. Thus, synthetic optogenetics facilitates interrogation of native neuronal signaling mechanisms. However, the poor tissue penetration of visible wavelengths impedes the use of the technique in tissue, as two-photon excitation (2PE) is typically required to access the near-infrared window. Here, we describe an alternative technique that uses 2PE-compatible photoswitches (section 1) for photoactivation of genetically modified glutamate receptors (section 2). Furthermore, for fast, multi-region photoactivation, we describe the use of 2P-digital holography (2P-DH) (section 3). We detail how to combine 2P-DH and synthetic optogenetics with electrophysiology, or with red fluorescence Ca2+ recordings, for all-optical neural interrogation. The time required to complete the methods, aside from obtaining the necessary reagents and illumination equipment, is ~3 weeks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ido Carmi
- Department of Neuroscience, Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Marco De Battista
- Department of Neuroscience, Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Laura Maddalena
- Department of Imaging Physics, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Elizabeth C Carroll
- Department of Imaging Physics, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands
| | | | - Shai Berlin
- Department of Neuroscience, Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.
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16
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Cabré G, Garrido-Charles A, Moreno M, Bosch M, Porta-de-la-Riva M, Krieg M, Gascón-Moya M, Camarero N, Gelabert R, Lluch JM, Busqué F, Hernando J, Gorostiza P, Alibés R. Rationally designed azobenzene photoswitches for efficient two-photon neuronal excitation. Nat Commun 2019; 10:907. [PMID: 30796228 PMCID: PMC6385291 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-08796-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2018] [Accepted: 01/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Manipulation of neuronal activity using two-photon excitation of azobenzene photoswitches with near-infrared light has been recently demonstrated, but their practical use in neuronal tissue to photostimulate individual neurons with three-dimensional precision has been hampered by firstly, the low efficacy and reliability of NIR-induced azobenzene photoisomerization compared to one-photon excitation, and secondly, the short cis state lifetime of the two-photon responsive azo switches. Here we report the rational design based on theoretical calculations and the synthesis of azobenzene photoswitches endowed with both high two-photon absorption cross section and slow thermal back-isomerization. These compounds provide optimized and sustained two-photon neuronal stimulation both in light-scattering brain tissue and in Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes, displaying photoresponse intensities that are comparable to those achieved under one-photon excitation. This finding opens the way to use both genetically targeted and pharmacologically selective azobenzene photoswitches to dissect intact neuronal circuits in three dimensions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gisela Cabré
- Departament de Química, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Spain
| | - Aida Garrido-Charles
- Institut de Bioenginyeria de Catalunya (IBEC), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, 08028, Spain
| | - Miquel Moreno
- Departament de Química, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Spain
| | - Miquel Bosch
- Institut de Bioenginyeria de Catalunya (IBEC), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, 08028, Spain
| | - Montserrat Porta-de-la-Riva
- Institut de Ciències Fotòniques (ICFO), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Castelldefels, Barcelona, 08860, Spain
| | - Michael Krieg
- Institut de Ciències Fotòniques (ICFO), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Castelldefels, Barcelona, 08860, Spain
| | - Marta Gascón-Moya
- Departament de Química, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Spain
| | - Núria Camarero
- Institut de Bioenginyeria de Catalunya (IBEC), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, 08028, Spain
| | - Ricard Gelabert
- Departament de Química, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Spain
| | - José M Lluch
- Departament de Química, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Spain
| | - Félix Busqué
- Departament de Química, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Spain
| | - Jordi Hernando
- Departament de Química, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Spain
| | - Pau Gorostiza
- Institut de Bioenginyeria de Catalunya (IBEC), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, 08028, Spain.
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, 08010, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Zaragoza, 50018, Spain.
| | - Ramon Alibés
- Departament de Química, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Spain.
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17
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Scofield MD. Exploring the Role of Astroglial Glutamate Release and Association With Synapses in Neuronal Function and Behavior. Biol Psychiatry 2018; 84:778-786. [PMID: 29258653 PMCID: PMC5948108 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2017.10.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2017] [Revised: 10/18/2017] [Accepted: 10/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes are stellate cells whose appearance can resemble a pointed star, especially when visualizing glial fibrillary acidic protein, a canonical marker for astrocytes. Accordingly, there is a commonly made connection between the points of light that shine in the night sky and the diffuse and abundant cells that buffer ions and provide support for neurons. An exceptional amount of function has been attributed to, negated for, and potentially reaffirmed for these cells, especially regarding their ability to release neuroactive molecules and influence synaptic plasticity. This makes the precise role of astrocytes in tuning neural communication seem difficult to grasp. However, data from animal models of addiction demonstrate that a variety of drug-induced molecular adaptations responsible for relapse vulnerability take place in astrocyte systems that regulate glutamate uptake and release. These findings highlight astrocytes as a critical component of the neural systems responsible for addiction, serving as a key component of the plasticity responsible for relapse and drug seeking. Here I assemble recent findings that utilize genetic tools to selectively manipulate or measure flux of internal calcium in astrocytes, focusing on G protein-coupled receptor-mediated mobilization of calcium and the induction of glutamate release. Further, I compile evidence regarding astrocyte glutamate release as well as astrocyte association with synapses with respect to the impact of these cellular phenomena in shaping synaptic transmission. I also place these findings in the context of the previous studies of Scofield et al., who explored the role of astrocytes in the nucleus accumbens in the neural mechanisms underlying cocaine seeking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael D. Scofield
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425 USA,Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425 USA
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18
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Hüll
- Department of Chemistry, New York University, 100 Washington Square East, New York, New York 10003-6699, United States
| | - Johannes Morstein
- Department of Chemistry, New York University, 100 Washington Square East, New York, New York 10003-6699, United States
| | - Dirk Trauner
- Department of Chemistry, New York University, 100 Washington Square East, New York, New York 10003-6699, United States
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19
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Rose CR, Felix L, Zeug A, Dietrich D, Reiner A, Henneberger C. Astroglial Glutamate Signaling and Uptake in the Hippocampus. Front Mol Neurosci 2018; 10:451. [PMID: 29386994 PMCID: PMC5776105 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2017.00451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2017] [Accepted: 12/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes have long been regarded as essentially unexcitable cells that do not contribute to active signaling and information processing in the brain. Contrary to this classical view, it is now firmly established that astrocytes can specifically respond to glutamate released from neurons. Astrocyte glutamate signaling is initiated upon binding of glutamate to ionotropic and/or metabotropic receptors, which can result in calcium signaling, a major form of glial excitability. Release of so-called gliotransmitters like glutamate, ATP and D-serine from astrocytes in response to activation of glutamate receptors has been demonstrated to modulate various aspects of neuronal function in the hippocampus. In addition to receptors, glutamate binds to high-affinity, sodium-dependent transporters, which results in rapid buffering of synaptically-released glutamate, followed by its removal from the synaptic cleft through uptake into astrocytes. The degree to which astrocytes modulate and control extracellular glutamate levels through glutamate transporters depends on their expression levels and on the ionic driving forces that decrease with ongoing activity. Another major determinant of astrocytic control of glutamate levels could be the precise morphological arrangement of fine perisynaptic processes close to synapses, defining the diffusional distance for glutamate, and the spatial proximity of transporters in relation to the synaptic cleft. In this review, we will present an overview of the mechanisms and physiological role of glutamate-induced ion signaling in astrocytes in the hippocampus as mediated by receptors and transporters. Moreover, we will discuss the relevance of astroglial glutamate uptake for extracellular glutamate homeostasis, focusing on how activity-induced dynamic changes of perisynaptic processes could shape synaptic transmission at glutamatergic synapses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine R Rose
- Institute of Neurobiology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Lisa Felix
- Institute of Neurobiology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Andre Zeug
- Cellular Neurophysiology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Dirk Dietrich
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Bonn Medical School, Bonn, Germany
| | - Andreas Reiner
- Cellular Neurobiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Christian Henneberger
- Institute of Cellular Neurosciences, University of Bonn Medical School, Bonn, Germany.,German Center for Degenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany.,Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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20
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Acton D, Miles GB. Gliotransmission and adenosinergic modulation: insights from mammalian spinal motor networks. J Neurophysiol 2017; 118:3311-3327. [PMID: 28954893 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00230.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes are proposed to converse with neurons at tripartite synapses, detecting neurotransmitter release and responding with release of gliotransmitters, which in turn modulate synaptic strength and neuronal excitability. However, a paucity of evidence from behavioral studies calls into question the importance of gliotransmission for the operation of the nervous system in healthy animals. Central pattern generator (CPG) networks in the spinal cord and brain stem coordinate the activation of muscles during stereotyped activities such as locomotion, inspiration, and mastication and may therefore provide tractable models in which to assess the contribution of gliotransmission to behaviorally relevant neural activity. We review evidence for gliotransmission within spinal locomotor networks, including studies indicating that adenosine derived from astrocytes regulates the speed of locomotor activity via metamodulation of dopamine signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Acton
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife , United Kingdom
| | - Gareth B Miles
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife , United Kingdom
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21
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Shen W, Nikolic L, Meunier C, Pfrieger F, Audinat E. An autocrine purinergic signaling controls astrocyte-induced neuronal excitation. Sci Rep 2017; 7:11280. [PMID: 28900295 PMCID: PMC5595839 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-11793-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2017] [Accepted: 08/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Astrocyte-derived gliotransmitters glutamate and ATP modulate neuronal activity. It remains unclear, however, how astrocytes control the release and coordinate the actions of these gliotransmitters. Using transgenic expression of the light-sensitive channelrhodopsin 2 (ChR2) in astrocytes, we observed that photostimulation reliably increases action potential firing of hippocampal pyramidal neurons. This excitation relies primarily on a calcium-dependent glutamate release by astrocytes that activates neuronal extra-synaptic NMDA receptors. Remarkably, our results show that ChR2-induced Ca2+ increase and subsequent glutamate release are amplified by ATP/ADP-mediated autocrine activation of P2Y1 receptors on astrocytes. Thus, neuronal excitation is promoted by a synergistic action of glutamatergic and autocrine purinergic signaling in astrocytes. This new mechanism may be particularly relevant for pathological conditions in which ATP extracellular concentration is increased and acts as a major danger signal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weida Shen
- Inserm U1128, Paris Descartes University, 75006, Paris, France
| | | | - Claire Meunier
- Inserm U1128, Paris Descartes University, 75006, Paris, France
| | - Frank Pfrieger
- Institute of Cellular and Integrative Neurosciences, CNRS UPR 3212, University of Strasbourg, 67084, Strasbourg, France
| | - Etienne Audinat
- Inserm U1128, Paris Descartes University, 75006, Paris, France.
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22
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Berlin S, Isacoff EY. Synapses in the spotlight with synthetic optogenetics. EMBO Rep 2017; 18:677-692. [PMID: 28396573 DOI: 10.15252/embr.201744010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2017] [Revised: 03/02/2017] [Accepted: 03/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Membrane receptors and ion channels respond to various stimuli and relay that information across the plasma membrane by triggering specific and timed processes. These include activation of second messengers, allowing ion permeation, and changing cellular excitability, to name a few. Gaining control over equivalent processes is essential to understand neuronal physiology and pathophysiology. Recently, new optical techniques have emerged proffering new remote means to control various functions of defined neuronal populations by light, dubbed optogenetics. Still, optogenetic tools do not typically address the activity of receptors and channels native to neurons (or of neuronal origin), nor gain access to their signaling mechanisms. A related method-synthetic optogenetics-bridges this gap by endowing light sensitivity to endogenous neuronal receptors and channels by the appending of synthetic, light-receptive molecules, or photoswitches. This provides the means to photoregulate neuronal receptors and channels and tap into their native signaling mechanisms in select regions of the neurons, such as the synapse. This review discusses the development of synthetic optogenetics as a means to study neuronal receptors and channels remotely, in their natural environment, with unprecedented spatial and temporal precision, and provides an overview of tool design, mode of action, potential clinical applications and insights and achievements gained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shai Berlin
- The Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion- Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Ehud Y Isacoff
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.,Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.,Physical Bioscience Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
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23
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Optochemokine Tandem for Light-Control of Intracellular Ca2. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0165344. [PMID: 27768773 PMCID: PMC5074463 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0165344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2016] [Accepted: 10/10/2016] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
An optochemokine tandem was developed to control the release of calcium from endosomes into the cytosol by light and to analyze the internalization kinetics of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) by electrophysiology. A previously constructed rhodopsin tandem was re-engineered to combine the light-gated Ca2+-permeable cation channel Channelrhodopsin-2(L132C), CatCh, with the chemokine receptor CXCR4 in a functional tandem protein tCXCR4/CatCh. The GPCR was used as a shuttle protein to displace CatCh from the plasma membrane into intracellular areas. As shown by patch-clamp measurements and confocal laser scanning microscopy, heterologously expressed tCXCR4/CatCh was internalized via the endocytic SDF1/CXCR4 signaling pathway. The kinetics of internalization could be followed electrophysiologically via the amplitude of the CatCh signal. The light-induced release of Ca2+ by tandem endosomes into the cytosol via CatCh was visualized using the Ca2+-sensitive dyes rhod2 and rhod2-AM showing an increase of intracellular Ca2+ in response to light.
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24
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Bang J, Kim HY, Lee H. Optogenetic and Chemogenetic Approaches for Studying Astrocytes and Gliotransmitters. Exp Neurobiol 2016; 25:205-221. [PMID: 27790055 PMCID: PMC5081467 DOI: 10.5607/en.2016.25.5.205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2016] [Revised: 08/19/2016] [Accepted: 08/19/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The brain consists of heterogeneous populations of neuronal and non-neuronal cells. The revelation of their connections and interactions is fundamental to understanding normal brain functions as well as abnormal changes in pathological conditions. Optogenetics and chemogenetics have been developed to allow functional manipulations both in vitro and in vivo to examine causal relationships between cellular changes and functional outcomes. These techniques are based on genetically encoded effector molecules that respond exclusively to exogenous stimuli, such as a certain wavelength of light or a synthetic ligand. Activation of effector molecules provokes diverse intracellular changes, such as an influx or efflux of ions, depolarization or hyperpolarization of membranes, and activation of intracellular signaling cascades. Optogenetics and chemogenetics have been applied mainly to the study of neuronal circuits, but their use in studying non-neuronal cells has been gradually increasing. Here we introduce recent studies that have employed optogenetics and chemogenetics to reveal the function of astrocytes and gliotransmitters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juwon Bang
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, DGIST, Daegu 42988, Korea
| | - Hak Yeong Kim
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, DGIST, Daegu 42988, Korea
| | - Hyosang Lee
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, DGIST, Daegu 42988, Korea
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25
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Shuvaev AN, Salmin VV, Kuvacheva NV, Pozhilenkova EA, Morgun AV, Lopatina OL, Salmina AB, Illarioshkin SN. Current advances in cell electrophysiology: applications for the analysis of intercellular communications within the neurovascular unit. Rev Neurosci 2016; 27:365-76. [PMID: 26641963 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2015-0047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2015] [Accepted: 10/21/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Patch clamp is a golden standard for studying (patho)physiological processes affecting membranes of excitable cells. This method is rather labor-intensive and requires well-trained professionals and long-lasting experimental procedures; therefore, accurate designing of the experiments with patch clamp methodology as well as collecting and analyzing the data obtained are essential for the widely spread implementation of this method into the routine research practice. Recently, the method became very prospective not only for the characterization of single excitable cells but also for the detailed assessment of intercellular communication, i.e. within the neurovascular unit. Here, we analyze the main advantages and disadvantages of patch clamp method, with special focus on the tendencies in clamping technique improvement with the help of patch electrodes for the assessment of intercellular communication in the brain.
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26
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Agarwal HK, Janicek R, Chi SH, Perry JW, Niggli E, Ellis-Davies GCR. Calcium Uncaging with Visible Light. J Am Chem Soc 2016; 138:3687-93. [PMID: 26974387 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.5b11606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
We have designed a nitroaromatic photochemical protecting group that absorbs visible light in the violet-blue range. The chromophore is a dinitro derivative of bisstyrylthiophene (or BIST) that absorbs light very effectively (ε440 = 66,000 M(-1) cm(-1) and two-photon cross section of 350 GM at 775 nm). We developed a "caged calcium" molecule by conjugation of BIST to a Ca(2+) chelator that upon laser flash photolysis rapidly releases Ca(2+) in <0.2 ms. Using the patch-clamp method the optical probe, loaded with Ca(2+), was delivered into acutely isolated mouse cardiac myocytes, where either one- and two-photon uncaging of Ca(2+) induced highly local or cell-wide physiological Ca(2+) signaling events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hitesh K Agarwal
- Department of Neuroscience, Mount Sinai School of Medicine , New York, New York 10029, United States
| | - Radoslav Janicek
- Department of Physiology, University of Bern , Bern CH 3012, Switzerland
| | - San-Hui Chi
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Center for Organic Photonics and Electronics, Georgia Institute of Technology , Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Joseph W Perry
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Center for Organic Photonics and Electronics, Georgia Institute of Technology , Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Ernst Niggli
- Department of Physiology, University of Bern , Bern CH 3012, Switzerland
| | - Graham C R Ellis-Davies
- Department of Neuroscience, Mount Sinai School of Medicine , New York, New York 10029, United States
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27
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Berlin S, Szobota S, Reiner A, Carroll EC, Kienzler MA, Guyon A, Xiao T, Trauner D, Isacoff EY. A family of photoswitchable NMDA receptors. eLife 2016; 5. [PMID: 26929991 PMCID: PMC4786437 DOI: 10.7554/elife.12040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2015] [Accepted: 01/31/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
NMDA receptors, which regulate synaptic strength and are implicated in learning and memory, consist of several subtypes with distinct subunit compositions and functional properties. To enable spatiotemporally defined, rapid and reproducible manipulation of function of specific subtypes, we engineered a set of photoswitchable GluN subunits ('LiGluNs'). Photo-agonism of GluN2A or GluN2B elicits an excitatory drive to hippocampal neurons that can be shaped in time to mimic synaptic activation. Photo-agonism of GluN2A at single dendritic spines evokes spine-specific calcium elevation and expansion, the morphological correlate of LTP. Photo-antagonism of GluN2A alone, or in combination with photo-antagonism of GluN1a, reversibly blocks excitatory synaptic currents, prevents the induction of long-term potentiation and prevents spine expansion. In addition, photo-antagonism in vivo disrupts synaptic pruning of developing retino-tectal projections in larval zebrafish. By providing precise and rapidly reversible optical control of NMDA receptor subtypes, LiGluNs should help unravel the contribution of specific NMDA receptors to synaptic transmission, integration and plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shai Berlin
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
| | - Stephanie Szobota
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
| | - Andreas Reiner
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
| | - Elizabeth C Carroll
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
| | - Michael A Kienzler
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
| | - Alice Guyon
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States.,Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis, Nice, France
| | - Tong Xiao
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
| | - Dirk Trauner
- Department of Chemistry, Center of Integrated Protein Science, University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Ehud Y Isacoff
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States.,Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States.,Physical Bioscience Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, United States
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28
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Levitz J, Popescu AT, Reiner A, Isacoff EY. A Toolkit for Orthogonal and in vivo Optical Manipulation of Ionotropic Glutamate Receptors. Front Mol Neurosci 2016; 9:2. [PMID: 26869877 PMCID: PMC4735401 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2016.00002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2015] [Accepted: 01/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to optically manipulate specific neuronal signaling proteins with genetic precision paves the way for the dissection of their roles in brain function, behavior, and disease. Chemical optogenetic control with photoswitchable tethered ligands (PTLs) enables rapid, reversible and reproducible activation or block of specific neurotransmitter-gated receptors and ion channels in specific cells. In this study, we further engineered and characterized the light-activated GluK2 kainate receptor, LiGluR, to develop a toolbox of LiGluR variants. Low-affinity LiGluRs allow for efficient optical control of GluK2 while removing activation by native glutamate, whereas variant RNA edited versions enable the synaptic role of receptors with high and low Ca2+ permeability to be assessed and spectral variant photoswitches provide flexibility in illumination. Importantly, we establish that LiGluR works efficiently in the cortex of awake, adult mice using standard optogenetic techniques, thus opening the door to probing the role of specific synaptic receptors and cellular signals in the neural circuit operations of the mammalian brain in normal conditions and in disease. The principals developed in this study are widely relevant to the engineering and in vivo use of optically controllable proteins, including other neurotransmitter receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Levitz
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Andrei T Popescu
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Andreas Reiner
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, BerkeleyBerkeley, CA, USA; Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr-University BochumBochum, Germany
| | - Ehud Y Isacoff
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, BerkeleyBerkeley, CA, USA; Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, BerkeleyBerkeley, CA, USA; Physical Bioscience Division, Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryBerkeley, CA, USA
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29
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Perea G, Yang A, Boyden ES, Sur M. Optogenetic astrocyte activation modulates response selectivity of visual cortex neurons in vivo. Nat Commun 2015; 5:3262. [PMID: 24500276 PMCID: PMC4075037 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms4262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 172] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2013] [Accepted: 01/15/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes play important roles in synaptic transmission and plasticity. Despite in vitro evidence, their causal contribution to cortical network activity and sensory information processing in vivo remains unresolved. Here we report that selective photostimulation of astrocytes with channelrhodopsin-2 in primary visual cortex enhances both excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission, through the activation of type 1a metabotropic glutamate receptors. Photostimulation of astrocytes in vivo increases the spontaneous firing of parvalbumin-positive (PV+) inhibitory neurons, while excitatory and somatostatin-positive (SOM+) neurons show either an increase or decrease in their activity. Moreover, PV+ neurons show increased baseline visual responses and reduced orientation selectivity to visual stimuli, whereas excitatory and SOM+ neurons show either increased or decreased baseline visual responses together with complementary changes in orientation selectivity. Therefore, astrocyte activation, through the dual control of excitatory and inhibitory drive, influences neuronal integrative features critical for sensory information processing. Astrocytes regulate activity within neuronal networks. Here, the authors use photostimulation to activate astrocytes in the mouse visual cortex, and find that this increases excitatory and inhibitory neuronal synaptic transmission via activation of type 1a metabotropic glutamate receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gertrudis Perea
- 1] Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 43 Vassar Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA [2] Instituto Cajal, CSIC, Avenida Doctor Arce, 37, Madrid 28002, Spain
| | - Aimei Yang
- Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 20 Ames Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - Edward S Boyden
- 1] Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 20 Ames Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA [2] McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 43 Vassar Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - Mriganka Sur
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 43 Vassar Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
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30
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Ropert N, Jalil A, Li D. Expression and cellular function of vSNARE proteins in brain astrocytes. Neuroscience 2015; 323:76-83. [PMID: 26518463 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.10.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2015] [Revised: 10/07/2015] [Accepted: 10/21/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Gray matter protoplasmic astrocytes, a major type of glial cell in the mammalian brain, extend thin processes ensheathing neuronal synaptic terminals. Albeit electrically silent, astrocytes respond to neuronal activity with Ca(2+) signals that trigger the release of gliotransmitters, such as glutamate, d-serine, and ATP, which modulate synaptic transmission. It has been suggested that the astrocytic processes, together with neuronal pre- and post-synaptic elements, constitute a tripartite synapse, and that astrocytes actively regulate information processing. Astrocytic vesicles expressing VAMP2 and VAMP3 vesicular SNARE (vSNARE) proteins have been suggested to be a key feature of the tripartite synapse and mediate gliotransmitter release through Ca(2+)-regulated exocytosis. However, the concept of exocytotic release of gliotransmitters by astrocytes has been challenged. Here we review studies investigating the expression profile of VAMP2 and VAMP3 vSNARE proteins in rodent astrocytes, and the functional implication of VAMP2/VAMP3 vesicles in astrocyte signaling. We also discuss our recent data suggesting that astrocytic VAMP3 vesicles regulate the trafficking of glutamate transporters at the plasma membrane and glutamate uptake. A better understanding of the functional consequences of the astrocytic vSNARE vesicles on glutamate signaling, neuronal excitability and plasticity, will require the development of new strategies to selectively interrogate the astrocytic vesicles trafficking in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Ropert
- Brain Physiology Laboratory, CNRS UMR8118, Paris F-75006, France; Fédération de Recherche en Neurosciences, FR 3636, Université Paris Descartes, 45 rue des Saints Pères, Paris F-75006, France; Sorbonne Paris Cité, 190, avenue de France, Paris F-75013, France
| | - A Jalil
- Brain Physiology Laboratory, CNRS UMR8118, Paris F-75006, France; Fédération de Recherche en Neurosciences, FR 3636, Université Paris Descartes, 45 rue des Saints Pères, Paris F-75006, France; Sorbonne Paris Cité, 190, avenue de France, Paris F-75013, France
| | - D Li
- Brain Physiology Laboratory, CNRS UMR8118, Paris F-75006, France; Fédération de Recherche en Neurosciences, FR 3636, Université Paris Descartes, 45 rue des Saints Pères, Paris F-75006, France; Sorbonne Paris Cité, 190, avenue de France, Paris F-75013, France.
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Li D, Hérault K, Zylbersztejn K, Lauterbach MA, Guillon M, Oheim M, Ropert N. Astrocyte VAMP3 vesicles undergo Ca2+ -independent cycling and modulate glutamate transporter trafficking. J Physiol 2015; 593:2807-32. [PMID: 25864578 DOI: 10.1113/jp270362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2015] [Accepted: 04/07/2015] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
KEY POINTS Mouse cortical astrocytes express VAMP3 but not VAMP2. VAMP3 vesicles undergo Ca(2+) -independent exo- and endocytotic cycling at the plasma membrane. VAMP3 vesicle traffic regulates the recycling of plasma membrane glutamate transporters. cAMP modulates VAMP3 vesicle cycling and glutamate uptake. ABSTRACT Previous studies suggest that small synaptic-like vesicles in astrocytes carry vesicle-associated vSNARE proteins, VAMP3 (cellubrevin) and VAMP2 (synaptobrevin 2), both contributing to the Ca(2+) -regulated exocytosis of gliotransmitters, thereby modulating brain information processing. Here, using cortical astrocytes taken from VAMP2 and VAMP3 knock-out mice, we find that astrocytes express only VAMP3. The morphology and function of VAMP3 vesicles were studied in cultured astrocytes at single vesicle level with stimulated emission depletion (STED) and total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopies. We show that VAMP3 antibodies label small diameter (∼80 nm) vesicles and that VAMP3 vesicles undergo Ca(2+) -independent exo-endocytosis. We also show that this pathway modulates the surface expression of plasma membrane glutamate transporters and the glutamate uptake by astrocytes. Finally, using pharmacological and optogenetic tools, we provide evidence suggesting that the cytosolic cAMP level influences astrocytic VAMP3 vesicle trafficking and glutamate transport. Our results suggest a new role for VAMP3 vesicles in astrocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongdong Li
- CNRS UMR 8118, Paris, F-75006 France; Brain Physiology Laboratory, Saints-Pères Research in Neurosciences Federation, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 45 rue des Saints Pères, Paris, F-75006, France.,INSERM U603, Paris, F-75006 France; CNRS UMR 8154, Paris, F-75006 France, Neurophysiology and New Microscopies Laboratory, 45 rue des Saints Pères, Paris, F-75006, France
| | - Karine Hérault
- CNRS UMR 8118, Paris, F-75006 France; Brain Physiology Laboratory, Saints-Pères Research in Neurosciences Federation, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 45 rue des Saints Pères, Paris, F-75006, France
| | - Kathleen Zylbersztejn
- INSERM ERL U950, Paris, F-75013, France.,Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, F-75013, France.,CNRS, UMR 7592, Institut Jacques Monod, Paris, F-75013, France
| | - Marcel A Lauterbach
- Neurophotonics Laboratory, CNRS UMR 8250, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 45 rue des Saints Pères, Paris, F-75006, France
| | - Marc Guillon
- Neurophotonics Laboratory, CNRS UMR 8250, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 45 rue des Saints Pères, Paris, F-75006, France
| | - Martin Oheim
- CNRS UMR 8118, Paris, F-75006 France; Brain Physiology Laboratory, Saints-Pères Research in Neurosciences Federation, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 45 rue des Saints Pères, Paris, F-75006, France.,INSERM U603, Paris, F-75006 France; CNRS UMR 8154, Paris, F-75006 France, Neurophysiology and New Microscopies Laboratory, 45 rue des Saints Pères, Paris, F-75006, France
| | - Nicole Ropert
- CNRS UMR 8118, Paris, F-75006 France; Brain Physiology Laboratory, Saints-Pères Research in Neurosciences Federation, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 45 rue des Saints Pères, Paris, F-75006, France.,INSERM U603, Paris, F-75006 France; CNRS UMR 8154, Paris, F-75006 France, Neurophysiology and New Microscopies Laboratory, 45 rue des Saints Pères, Paris, F-75006, France
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Xie AX, Petravicz J, McCarthy KD. Molecular approaches for manipulating astrocytic signaling in vivo. Front Cell Neurosci 2015; 9:144. [PMID: 25941472 PMCID: PMC4403552 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2015.00144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2015] [Accepted: 03/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes are the predominant glial type in the central nervous system and play important roles in assisting neuronal function and network activity. Astrocytes exhibit complex signaling systems that are essential for their normal function and the homeostasis of the neural network. Altered signaling in astrocytes is closely associated with neurological and psychiatric diseases, suggesting tremendous therapeutic potential of these cells. To further understand astrocyte function in health and disease, it is important to study astrocytic signaling in vivo. In this review, we discuss molecular tools that enable the selective manipulation of astrocytic signaling, including the tools to selectively activate and inactivate astrocyte signaling in vivo. Lastly, we highlight a few tools in development that present strong potential for advancing our understanding of the role of astrocytes in physiology, behavior, and pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison X Xie
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jeremy Petravicz
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ken D McCarthy
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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Two-photon brightness of azobenzene photoswitches designed for glutamate receptor optogenetics. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 112:E776-85. [PMID: 25653339 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1416942112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammalian neurotransmitter-gated receptors can be conjugated to photoswitchable tethered ligands (PTLs) to enable photoactivation, or photoantagonism, while preserving normal function at neuronal synapses. "MAG" PTLs for ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors (GluRs) are based on an azobenzene photoswitch that is optimally switched into the liganding state by blue or near-UV light, wavelengths that penetrate poorly into the brain. To facilitate deep-tissue photoactivation with near-infrared light, we measured the efficacy of two-photon (2P) excitation for two MAG molecules using nonlinear spectroscopy. Based on quantitative characterization, we find a recently designed second generation PTL, L-MAG0460, to have a favorable 2P absorbance peak at 850 nm, enabling efficient 2P activation of the GluK2 kainate receptor, LiGluR. We also achieve 2P photoactivation of a metabotropic receptor, LimGluR3, with a new mGluR-specific PTL, D-MAG0460. 2P photoswitching is efficiently achieved using digital holography to shape illumination over single somata of cultured neurons. Simultaneous Ca(2+)-imaging reports on 2P photoswitching in multiple cells with high temporal resolution. The combination of electrophysiology or Ca(2+) imaging with 2P activation by optical wavefront shaping should make second generation PTL-controlled receptors suitable for studies of intact neural circuits.
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Park H, Han KS, Seo J, Lee J, Dravid SM, Woo J, Chun H, Cho S, Bae JY, An H, Koh W, Yoon BE, Berlinguer-Palmini R, Mannaioni G, Traynelis SF, Bae YC, Choi SY, Lee CJ. Channel-mediated astrocytic glutamate modulates hippocampal synaptic plasticity by activating postsynaptic NMDA receptors. Mol Brain 2015; 8:7. [PMID: 25645137 PMCID: PMC4320468 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-015-0097-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2014] [Accepted: 01/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Activation of G protein coupled receptor (GPCR) in astrocytes leads to Ca2+-dependent glutamate release via Bestrophin 1 (Best1) channel. Whether receptor-mediated glutamate release from astrocytes can regulate synaptic plasticity remains to be fully understood. Results We show here that Best1-mediated astrocytic glutamate activates the synaptic N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) and modulates NMDAR-dependent synaptic plasticity. Our data show that activation of the protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR1) in hippocampal CA1 astrocytes elevates the glutamate concentration at Schaffer collateral-CA1 (SC-CA1) synapses, resulting in activation of GluN2A-containing NMDARs and NMDAR-dependent potentiation of synaptic responses. Furthermore, the threshold for inducing NMDAR-dependent long-term potentiation (LTP) is lowered when astrocytic glutamate release accompanied LTP induction, suggesting that astrocytic glutamate is significant in modulating synaptic plasticity. Conclusions Our results provide direct evidence for the physiological importance of channel-mediated astrocytic glutamate in modulating neural circuit functions.
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Khakh BS, McCarthy KD. Astrocyte calcium signaling: from observations to functions and the challenges therein. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2015; 7:a020404. [PMID: 25605709 PMCID: PMC4382738 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a020404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 156] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
We provide an overview of recent progress on the study of astrocyte intracellular Ca(2+) signaling. We consider the methods that have been used to monitor astrocyte Ca(2+) signals, the various types of Ca(2+) signals that have been discovered (waves, microdomains, and intrinsic fluctuations), the approaches used to broadly trigger and block Ca(2+) signals, and, where possible, the proposed and demonstrated physiological roles for astrocyte Ca(2+) signals within neuronal microcircuits. Although important progress has been made, we suggest that further detailed work is needed to explore the biophysics and molecular mechanisms of Ca(2+) signaling within entire astrocytes, including their fine distal extensions, such as processes that interact spatially with neurons and blood vessels. Improved methods are also needed to mimic and block molecularly defined types of Ca(2+) signals within genetically specified populations of astrocytes. Moreover, it will be essential to study astrocyte Ca(2+) activity in vivo to distinguish between pharmacological and physiological activity, and to study Ca(2+) activity in situ to rigorously explore mechanisms. Once methods to reliably measure, mimic, and block specific astrocyte Ca(2+) signals with high temporal and spatial precision are available, researchers will be able to carefully explore the correlative and causative roles that Ca(2+) signals may play in the functions of astrocytes, blood vessels, neurons, and microcircuits in the healthy and diseased brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baljit S Khakh
- Departments of Physiology and Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | - Ken D McCarthy
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7365
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Controlling ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors with light: principles and potential. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2015; 20:135-43. [PMID: 25573450 DOI: 10.1016/j.coph.2014.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2014] [Revised: 12/08/2014] [Accepted: 12/08/2014] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Light offers unique advantages for studying and manipulating biomolecules and the cellular processes that they control. Optical control of ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors has garnered significant interest, since these receptors are central to signaling at neuronal synapses and only optical approaches provide the spatial and temporal resolution required to directly probe receptor function in cells and tissue. Following the classical method of glutamate photo-uncaging, recently developed methods have added other forms of remote control, including those with high molecular specificity and genetic targeting. These tools open the door to the direct optical control of synaptic transmission and plasticity, as well as the probing of native receptor function in intact neural circuits.
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Flipping the Photoswitch: Ion Channels Under Light Control. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2015; 869:101-17. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-2845-3_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Oheim M, van 't Hoff M, Feltz A, Zamaleeva A, Mallet JM, Collot M. New red-fluorescent calcium indicators for optogenetics, photoactivation and multi-color imaging. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA 2014; 1843:2284-306. [PMID: 24681159 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2014.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2014] [Accepted: 03/09/2014] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Most chemical and, with only a few exceptions, all genetically encoded fluorimetric calcium (Ca(2+)) indicators (GECIs) emit green fluorescence. Many of these probes are compatible with red-emitting cell- or organelle markers. But the bulk of available fluorescent-protein constructs and transgenic animals incorporate green or yellow fluorescent protein (GFP and YFP respectively). This is, in part, not only heritage from the tendency to aggregate of early-generation red-emitting FPs, and due to their complicated photochemistry, but also resulting from the compatibility of green-fluorescent probes with standard instrumentation readily available in most laboratories and core imaging facilities. Photochemical constraints like limited water solubility and low quantum yield have contributed to the relative paucity of red-emitting Ca(2+) probes compared to their green counterparts, too. The increasing use of GFP and GFP-based functional reporters, together with recent developments in optogenetics, photostimulation and super-resolution microscopies, has intensified the quest for red-emitting Ca(2+) probes. In response to this demand more red-emitting chemical and FP-based Ca(2+)-sensitive indicators have been developed since 2009 than in the thirty years before. In this topical review, we survey the physicochemical properties of these red-emitting Ca(2+) probes and discuss their utility for biological Ca(2+) imaging. Using the spectral separability index Xijk (Oheim M., 2010. Methods in Molecular Biology 591: 3-16) we evaluate their performance for multi-color excitation/emission experiments, involving the identification of morphological landmarks with GFP/YFP and detecting Ca(2+)-dependent fluorescence in the red spectral band. We also establish a catalog of criteria for evaluating Ca(2+) indicators that ideally should be made available for each probe. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Calcium signaling in health and disease. Guest Editors: Geert Bultynck, Jacques Haiech, Claus W. Heizmann, Joachim Krebs, and Marc Moreau.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Oheim
- CNRS, UMR 8154, Paris F-75006, France; INSERM, U603, Paris F-75006, France; University Paris Descartes, PRES Sorbonne Paris Cité, Laboratory of Neurophysiology and New Microscopies, 45 rue des Saints Pères, Paris F-75006, France.
| | - Marcel van 't Hoff
- CNRS, UMR 8154, Paris F-75006, France; INSERM, U603, Paris F-75006, France; University Paris Descartes, PRES Sorbonne Paris Cité, Laboratory of Neurophysiology and New Microscopies, 45 rue des Saints Pères, Paris F-75006, France; University of Florence, LENS - European Laboratory for Non-linear Spectroscopy, Via Nello Carrara 1, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Anne Feltz
- Ecole Normale Supérieure, Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), Paris F-75005, France; INSERM U1024, Paris F-75005, France; CNRS UMR 8197, Paris F-75005, France
| | - Alsu Zamaleeva
- Ecole Normale Supérieure, Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), Paris F-75005, France; INSERM U1024, Paris F-75005, France; CNRS UMR 8197, Paris F-75005, France
| | - Jean-Maurice Mallet
- UPMC Université́ Paris 06, Ecole Normale Supérieure (ENS), 24 rue Lhomond, Paris F-75005, France; CNRS UMR 7203, Paris F-75005, France
| | - Mayeul Collot
- UPMC Université́ Paris 06, Ecole Normale Supérieure (ENS), 24 rue Lhomond, Paris F-75005, France; CNRS UMR 7203, Paris F-75005, France
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Berlinguer-Palmini R, Narducci R, Merhan K, Dilaghi A, Moroni F, Masi A, Scartabelli T, Landucci E, Sili M, Schettini A, McGovern B, Maskaant P, Degenaar P, Mannaioni G. Arrays of microLEDs and astrocytes: biological amplifiers to optogenetically modulate neuronal networks reducing light requirement. PLoS One 2014; 9:e108689. [PMID: 25265500 PMCID: PMC4180921 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0108689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2014] [Accepted: 08/23/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
In the modern view of synaptic transmission, astrocytes are no longer confined to the role of merely supportive cells. Although they do not generate action potentials, they nonetheless exhibit electrical activity and can influence surrounding neurons through gliotransmitter release. In this work, we explored whether optogenetic activation of glial cells could act as an amplification mechanism to optical neural stimulation via gliotransmission to the neural network. We studied the modulation of gliotransmission by selective photo-activation of channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) and by means of a matrix of individually addressable super-bright microLEDs (μLEDs) with an excitation peak at 470 nm. We combined Ca2+ imaging techniques and concurrent patch-clamp electrophysiology to obtain subsequent glia/neural activity. First, we tested the μLEDs efficacy in stimulating ChR2-transfected astrocyte. ChR2-induced astrocytic current did not desensitize overtime, and was linearly increased and prolonged by increasing μLED irradiance in terms of intensity and surface illumination. Subsequently, ChR2 astrocytic stimulation by broad-field LED illumination with the same spectral profile, increased both glial cells and neuronal calcium transient frequency and sEPSCs suggesting that few ChR2-transfected astrocytes were able to excite surrounding not-ChR2-transfected astrocytes and neurons. Finally, by using the μLEDs array to selectively light stimulate ChR2 positive astrocytes we were able to increase the synaptic activity of single neurons surrounding it. In conclusion, ChR2-transfected astrocytes and μLEDs system were shown to be an amplifier of synaptic activity in mixed corticalneuronal and glial cells culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rolando Berlinguer-Palmini
- School of Electric and Electronic Engineering – Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle, United Kingdom
| | - Roberto Narducci
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Kamyar Merhan
- School of Electric and Electronic Engineering – Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle, United Kingdom
| | - Arianna Dilaghi
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Flavio Moroni
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Alessio Masi
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Tania Scartabelli
- Department of Health Science, Section of Clinical Pharmacology and Oncology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Elisa Landucci
- Department of Health Science, Section of Clinical Pharmacology and Oncology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Maria Sili
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Antonio Schettini
- Department of Health Science, Section of Clinical Pharmacology and Oncology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Brian McGovern
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Patrick Degenaar
- School of Electric and Electronic Engineering – Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle, United Kingdom
| | - Guido Mannaioni
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
- * E-mail:
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Izquierdo-Serra M, Gascón-Moya M, Hirtz JJ, Pittolo S, Poskanzer KE, Ferrer È, Alibés R, Busqué F, Yuste R, Hernando J, Gorostiza P. Two-photon neuronal and astrocytic stimulation with azobenzene-based photoswitches. J Am Chem Soc 2014; 136:8693-701. [PMID: 24857186 PMCID: PMC4096865 DOI: 10.1021/ja5026326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Synthetic photochromic compounds
can be designed to control a variety
of proteins and their biochemical functions in living cells, but the
high spatiotemporal precision and tissue penetration of two-photon
stimulation have never been investigated in these molecules. Here
we demonstrate two-photon excitation of azobenzene-based protein switches
and versatile strategies to enhance their photochemical responses.
This enables new applications to control the activation of neurons
and astrocytes with cellular and subcellular resolution.
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Beppu K, Sasaki T, Tanaka KF, Yamanaka A, Fukazawa Y, Shigemoto R, Matsui K. Optogenetic countering of glial acidosis suppresses glial glutamate release and ischemic brain damage. Neuron 2014; 81:314-20. [PMID: 24462096 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2013.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 143] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/31/2013] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The brain demands high-energy supply and obstruction of blood flow causes rapid deterioration of the healthiness of brain cells. Two major events occur upon ischemia: acidosis and liberation of excess glutamate, which leads to excitotoxicity. However, cellular source of glutamate and its release mechanism upon ischemia remained unknown. Here we show a causal relationship between glial acidosis and neuronal excitotoxicity. As the major cation that flows through channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) is proton, this could be regarded as an optogenetic tool for instant intracellular acidification. Optical activation of ChR2 expressed in glial cells led to glial acidification and to release of glutamate. On the other hand, glial alkalization via optogenetic activation of a proton pump, archaerhodopsin (ArchT), led to cessation of glutamate release and to the relief of ischemic brain damage in vivo. Our results suggest that controlling glial pH may be an effective therapeutic strategy for intervention of ischemic brain damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaoru Beppu
- Division of Cerebral Structure, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Okazaki 444-8787, Japan; Department of Physiological Sciences, Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Okazaki 444-8787, Japan
| | - Takuya Sasaki
- Division of Cerebral Structure, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Okazaki 444-8787, Japan
| | - Kenji F Tanaka
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | - Akihiro Yamanaka
- Department of Neuroscience II, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
| | - Yugo Fukazawa
- Department of Anatomy and Molecular Cell Biology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan
| | - Ryuichi Shigemoto
- Division of Cerebral Structure, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Okazaki 444-8787, Japan; Department of Physiological Sciences, Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Okazaki 444-8787, Japan; IST Austria, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Ko Matsui
- Division of Cerebral Structure, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Okazaki 444-8787, Japan; Department of Physiological Sciences, Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Okazaki 444-8787, Japan; Division of Interdisciplinary Medical Science, Center for Neuroscience, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai 980-8575, Japan.
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Abstract
Optical probing and manipulation of cellular signaling has revolutionized biological studies ranging from isolated cells to intact tissues in the live animal. A promising avenue of optical manipulation is Chemical Optogenetics (or Optogenetic Pharmacology), an approach for engineering specific proteins to be rapidly and reversibly switched on and off with light. The approach employs synthetic photoswitched ligands, which can be reversibly photo-isomerized to toggle back and forth between two conformations in response to two wavelengths of light. We focus here on the photoswitched tethered ligand (PTL) approach in which the PTL is covalently attached in a site-directed manner to a signaling protein. For this a ligand anchoring site is introduced at a location which allows the ligand to dock only in one of the light-controlled conformations, thus enabling liganding to be rapidly switched. The ligand can be an agonist, antagonist or an active site (or pore) blocker. In principle, orthogonal chemistries of attachment would make PTL anchoring completely unique. However, extremely high specificity of remote control is also obtained by cysteine attachment because of the ligand specificity and precise geometric requirements for liganding. We describe here the design of light-gated ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors, the selection of a site for cysteine placement, the method for PTL attachment, and a detailed protocol of photoswitching experiments in cultured cells. These descriptions can guide applications of Chemical Optogenetics to other receptors and serve as a starting point for use in more complex preparations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Reiner
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology and Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
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Bautista-Barrufet A, Izquierdo-Serra M, Gorostiza P. Photoswitchable Ion Channels and Receptors. NOVEL APPROACHES FOR SINGLE MOLECULE ACTIVATION AND DETECTION 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-662-43367-6_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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Kienzler MA, Reiner A, Trautman E, Yoo S, Trauner D, Isacoff EY. A red-shifted, fast-relaxing azobenzene photoswitch for visible light control of an ionotropic glutamate receptor. J Am Chem Soc 2013; 135:17683-6. [PMID: 24171511 PMCID: PMC3990231 DOI: 10.1021/ja408104w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 160] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The use of azobenzene photoswitches has become a dependable method for rapid and exact modulation of biological processes and material science systems. The requirement of ultraviolet light for azobenzene isomerization is not ideal for biological systems due to poor tissue penetration and potentially damaging effects. While modified azobenzene cores with a red-shifted cis-to-trans isomerization have been previously described, they have not yet been incorporated into a powerful method to control protein function: the photoswitchable tethered ligand (PTL) approach. We report the synthesis and characterization of a red-shifted PTL, L-MAG0460, for the light-gated ionotropic glutamate receptor LiGluR. In cultured mammalian cells, the LiGluR+L-MAG0460 system is activated rapidly by illumination with 400-520 nm light to generate a large ionic current. The current rapidly turns off in the dark as the PTL relaxes thermally back to the trans configuration. The visible light excitation and single-wavelength behavior considerably simplify use and should improve utilization in tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A. Kienzler
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Department of Chemistry and Center for Integrated Protein Science, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Butenandtstraße 5-13, Munich 81377, Germany
| | - Andreas Reiner
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Eric Trautman
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Stan Yoo
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Dirk Trauner
- Department of Chemistry and Center for Integrated Protein Science, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Butenandtstraße 5-13, Munich 81377, Germany
| | - Ehud Y. Isacoff
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
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Li D, Agulhon C, Schmidt E, Oheim M, Ropert N. New tools for investigating astrocyte-to-neuron communication. Front Cell Neurosci 2013; 7:193. [PMID: 24194698 PMCID: PMC3810613 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2013.00193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2013] [Accepted: 10/07/2013] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Gray matter protoplasmic astrocytes extend very thin processes and establish close contacts with synapses. It has been suggested that the release of neuroactive gliotransmitters at the tripartite synapse contributes to information processing. However, the concept of calcium (Ca2+)-dependent gliotransmitter release from astrocytes, and the release mechanisms are being debated. Studying astrocytes in their natural environment is challenging because: (i) astrocytes are electrically silent; (ii) astrocytes and neurons express an overlapping repertoire of transmembrane receptors; (iii) the size of astrocyte processes in contact with synapses are below the resolution of confocal and two-photon microscopes (iv) bulk-loading techniques using fluorescent Ca2+ indicators lack cellular specificity. In this review, we will discuss some limitations of conventional methodologies and highlight the interest of novel tools and approaches for studying gliotransmission. Genetically encoded Ca2+ indicators (GECIs), light-gated channels, and exogenous receptors are being developed to selectively read out and stimulate astrocyte activity. Our review discusses emerging perspectives on: (i) the complexity of astrocyte Ca2+ signaling revealed by GECIs; (ii) new pharmacogenetic and optogenetic approaches to activate specific Ca2+ signaling pathways in astrocytes; (iii) classical and new techniques to monitor vesicle fusion in cultured astrocytes; (iv) possible strategies to express specifically reporter genes in astrocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongdong Li
- Biophysics of Gliotransmitter Release Team, Laboratory of Neurophysiology and New Microscopies, INSERM U603, CNRS UMR 8154, University Paris Descartes Paris, France
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Papagiakoumou E. Optical developments for optogenetics. Biol Cell 2013; 105:443-64. [PMID: 23782010 DOI: 10.1111/boc.201200087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2012] [Accepted: 06/12/2013] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Brain intricacies and the difficulty that scientists encounter in revealing its function with standard approaches such as electrical stimulation of neurons have led to the exploration of new tools that enable the study of neural circuits in a remote and non-invasive way. To this end, optogenetics has initialised a revolution for neuroscience in the last decade by enabling simultaneous monitoring and stimulation of specific neuronal populations in intact brain preparations through genetically targeted expression of light sensitive proteins and molecular photoswitches. In addition to ongoing molecular probe development and optimisation, novel optical techniques hold immense potential to amplify and diversify the utility of optogenetic methods. Importantly, by improving the spatio-temporal resolution of light stimulation, neural circuits can be photoactivated in patterns mimicking endogenous physiological processes. The following synopsis addresses the possibilities and limitations of optical stimulation methods applied to and developed for activation of neuronal optogenetic tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eirini Papagiakoumou
- Wavefront-Engineering Microscopy Group, Neurophysiology and New Microscopies Laboratory, CNRS UMR 8154, Inserm S603, Paris Descartes University, 75270 Paris Cedex 06, France
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Smedemark-Margulies N, Trapani JG. Tools, methods, and applications for optophysiology in neuroscience. Front Mol Neurosci 2013; 6:18. [PMID: 23882179 PMCID: PMC3713398 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2013.00018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2013] [Accepted: 06/27/2013] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The advent of optogenetics and genetically encoded photosensors has provided neuroscience researchers with a wealth of new tools and methods for examining and manipulating neuronal function in vivo. There exists now a wide range of experimentally validated protein tools capable of modifying cellular function, including light-gated ion channels, recombinant light-gated G protein-coupled receptors, and even neurotransmitter receptors modified with tethered photo-switchable ligands. A large number of genetically encoded protein sensors have also been developed to optically track cellular activity in real time, including membrane-voltage-sensitive fluorophores and fluorescent calcium and pH indicators. The development of techniques for controlled expression of these proteins has also increased their utility by allowing the study of specific populations of cells. Additionally, recent advances in optics technology have enabled both activation and observation of target proteins with high spatiotemporal fidelity. In combination, these methods have great potential in the study of neural circuits and networks, behavior, animal models of disease, as well as in high-throughput ex vivo studies. This review collects some of these new tools and methods and surveys several current and future applications of the evolving field of optophysiology.
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Izquierdo-Serra M, Trauner D, Llobet A, Gorostiza P. Optical control of calcium-regulated exocytosis. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2013. [PMID: 23178861 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2012.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurons signal to each other and to non-neuronal cells as those in muscle or glands, by means of the secretion of neurotransmitters at chemical synapses. In order to dissect the molecular mechanisms of neurotransmission, new methods for directly and reversibly triggering neurosecretion at the presynaptic terminal are necessary. Here we exploit the calcium permeability of the light-gated channel LiGluR in order to reversibly manipulate cytosolic calcium concentration, thus controlling calcium-regulated exocytosis. METHODS Bovine chromaffin cells expressing LiGluR were stimulated with light. Exocytic events were detected by amperometry or by whole-cell patch-clamp to quantify membrane capacitance and calcium influx. RESULTS Amperometry reveals that optical stimulation consistently triggers exocytosis in chromaffin cells. Secretion of catecholamines can be adjusted between zero and several Hz by changing the wavelength of illumination. Differences in secretion efficacy are found between the activation of LiGluR and native voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs). Our results show that the distance between sites of calcium influx and vesicles ready to be released is longer when calcium influx is triggered by LiGluR instead of native VGCCs. CONCLUSION LiGluR activation directly and reversibly increases the intracellular calcium concentration. Light-gated calcium influx allows for the first time to control calcium-regulated exocytosis without the need of applying depolarizing solutions or voltage clamping in chromaffin cells. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE LiGluR is a useful tool to study the secretory mechanisms and their spatiotemporal patterns in neurotransmission, and opens a window to study other calcium-dependent processes such as muscular contraction or cell migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mercè Izquierdo-Serra
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), 15-21 Baldiri Reixac, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
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Abstract
The concept of a tripartite synapse including a presynaptic terminal, a postsynaptic spine, and an astrocytic process that responds to neuronal activity by fast gliotransmitter release, confers to the electrically silent astrocytes an active role in information processing. However, the mechanisms of gliotransmitter release are still highly controversial. The reported expression of all three vesicular glutamate transporters (VGLUT1-3) by astrocytes suggests that astrocytes, like neurons, may release glutamate by exocytosis. However, the demonstration of astrocytic VGLUT expression is largely based on immunostaining, and the possibility of nonspecific labeling needs to be systematically addressed. We therefore examined the expression of VGLUT1-3 in astrocytes, both in culture and in situ. We used Western blots and single-vesicle imaging by total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy in live cultured astrocytes, and confocal microscopy, at the cellular level in cortical, hippocampal, and cerebellar brain slices, combined with quantitative image analysis. Control experiments were systematically performed in cultured astrocytes using wild-type, VGLUT1-3 knock-out, VGLUT1(Venus) knock-in, and VGLUT2-EGFP transgenic mice. In fixed brain slices, we quantified the degree of overlap between VGLUT1-3 and neuronal or astrocytic markers, both in an object-based manner using fluorescence line profiles, and in a pixel-based manner using dual-color scatter plots followed by the calculation of Pearson's correlation coefficient over all pixels with intensities significantly different from background. Our data provide no evidence in favor of the expression of any of the three VGLUTs by gray matter protoplasmic astrocytes of the primary somatosensory cortex, the thalamic ventrobasal nucleus, the hippocampus, and the cerebellum.
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Yawo H, Asano T, Sakai S, Ishizuka T. Optogenetic manipulation of neural and non-neural functions. Dev Growth Differ 2013; 55:474-90. [PMID: 23550617 DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2012] [Revised: 02/25/2013] [Accepted: 02/26/2013] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Optogenetic manipulation of the neuronal activity enables one to analyze the neuronal network both in vivo and in vitro with precise spatio-temporal resolution. Channelrhodopsins (ChRs) are light-sensitive cation channels that depolarize the cell membrane, whereas halorhodopsins and archaerhodopsins are light-sensitive Cl(-) and H(+) transporters, respectively, that hyperpolarize it when exogenously expressed. The cause-effect relationship between a neuron and its function in the brain is thus bi-directionally investigated with evidence of necessity and sufficiency. In this review we discuss the potential of optogenetics with a focus on three major requirements for its application: (i) selection of the light-sensitive proteins optimal for optogenetic investigation, (ii) targeted expression of these selected proteins in a specific group of neurons, and (iii) targeted irradiation with high spatiotemporal resolution. We also discuss recent progress in the application of optogenetics to studies of non-neural cells such as glial cells, cardiac and skeletal myocytes. In combination with stem cell technology, optogenetics may be key to successful research using embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from human patients through optical regulation of differentiation-maturation, through optical manipulation of tissue transplants and, furthermore, through facilitating survival and integration of transplants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiromu Yawo
- Department of Developmental Biology and Neuroscience, Tohoku University Graduate School of Life Sciences, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8577, Japan.
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