1
|
Huerga-Gómez I, Martini FJ, López-Bendito G. Building thalamic neuronal networks during mouse development. Front Neural Circuits 2023; 17:1098913. [PMID: 36817644 PMCID: PMC9936079 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2023.1098913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The thalamic nuclear complex contains excitatory projection neurons and inhibitory local neurons, the two cell types driving the main circuits in sensory nuclei. While excitatory neurons are born from progenitors that reside in the proliferative zone of the developing thalamus, inhibitory local neurons are born outside the thalamus and they migrate there during development. In addition to these cell types, which occupy most of the thalamus, there are two small thalamic regions where inhibitory neurons target extra-thalamic regions rather than neighboring neurons, the intergeniculate leaflet and the parahabenular nucleus. Like excitatory thalamic neurons, these inhibitory neurons are derived from progenitors residing in the developing thalamus. The assembly of these circuits follows fine-tuned genetic programs and it is coordinated by extrinsic factors that help the cells find their location, associate with thalamic partners, and establish connections with their corresponding extra-thalamic inputs and outputs. In this review, we bring together what is currently known about the development of the excitatory and inhibitory components of the thalamocortical sensory system, in particular focusing on the visual pathway and thalamic interneurons in mice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Irene Huerga-Gómez
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (UMH-CSIC), Sant Joan d’Alacant, Spain
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Hamed AA, Kunz DJ, El-Hamamy I, Trinh QM, Subedar OD, Richards LM, Foltz W, Bullivant G, Ware M, Vladoiu MC, Zhang J, Raj AM, Pugh TJ, Taylor MD, Teichmann SA, Stein LD, Simons BD, Dirks PB. A brain precursor atlas reveals the acquisition of developmental-like states in adult cerebral tumours. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4178. [PMID: 35853870 PMCID: PMC9296666 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31408-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Human cerebral cancers are known to contain cell types resembling the varying stages of neural development. However, the basis of this association remains unclear. Here, we map the development of mouse cerebrum across the developmental time-course, from embryonic day 12.5 to postnatal day 365, performing single-cell transcriptomics on >100,000 cells. By comparing this reference atlas to single-cell data from >100 glial tumours of the adult and paediatric human cerebrum, we find that tumour cells have an expression signature that overlaps with temporally restricted, embryonic radial glial precursors (RGPs) and their immediate sublineages. Further, we demonstrate that prenatal transformation of RGPs in a genetic mouse model gives rise to adult cerebral tumours that show an embryonic/juvenile RGP identity. Together, these findings implicate the acquisition of embryonic-like states in the genesis of adult glioma, providing insight into the origins of human glioma, and identifying specific developmental cell types for therapeutic targeting.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Akram A Hamed
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Daniel J Kunz
- The Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, UK
- Cavendish Laboratory, Department of Physics, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge, UK
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, UK
| | - Ibrahim El-Hamamy
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Quang M Trinh
- Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Omar D Subedar
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Laura M Richards
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Warren Foltz
- STTARR Innovation Centre, Department of Radiation Oncology, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Garrett Bullivant
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Matthaeus Ware
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Maria C Vladoiu
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jiao Zhang
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Antony M Raj
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Trevor J Pugh
- Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Michael D Taylor
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Surgery and Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sarah A Teichmann
- Cavendish Laboratory, Department of Physics, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge, UK
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, UK
| | - Lincoln D Stein
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Benjamin D Simons
- Cavendish Laboratory, Department of Physics, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge, UK.
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, Centre for Mathematical Sciences, Wilberforce Road, Cambridge, UK.
- Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Peter B Dirks
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Division of Neurosurgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
van de Haar LL, Riga D, Boer JE, Garritsen O, Adolfs Y, Sieburgh TE, van Dijk RE, Watanabe K, van Kronenburg NCH, Broekhoven MH, Posthuma D, Meye FJ, Basak O, Pasterkamp RJ. Molecular signatures and cellular diversity during mouse habenula development. Cell Rep 2022; 40:111029. [PMID: 35793630 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The habenula plays a key role in various motivated and pathological behaviors and is composed of molecularly distinct neuron subtypes. Despite progress in identifying mature habenula neuron subtypes, how these subtypes develop and organize into functional brain circuits remains largely unknown. Here, we performed single-cell transcriptional profiling of mouse habenular neurons at critical developmental stages, instructed by detailed three-dimensional anatomical data. Our data reveal cellular and molecular trajectories during embryonic and postnatal development, leading to different habenular subtypes. Further, based on this analysis, our work establishes the distinctive functional properties and projection target of a subtype of Cartpt+ habenula neurons. Finally, we show how comparison of single-cell transcriptional profiles and GWAS data links specific developing habenular subtypes to psychiatric disease. Together, our study begins to dissect the mechanisms underlying habenula neuron subtype-specific development and creates a framework for further interrogation of habenular development in normal and disease states.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lieke L van de Haar
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center, Utrecht University, 3584 Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Danai Riga
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center, Utrecht University, 3584 Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Juliska E Boer
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center, Utrecht University, 3584 Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Oxana Garritsen
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center, Utrecht University, 3584 Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Youri Adolfs
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center, Utrecht University, 3584 Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Thomas E Sieburgh
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center, Utrecht University, 3584 Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Roland E van Dijk
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center, Utrecht University, 3584 Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Kyoko Watanabe
- Department of Complex Trait Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Amsterdam, 1081 Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Nicky C H van Kronenburg
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center, Utrecht University, 3584 Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Mark H Broekhoven
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center, Utrecht University, 3584 Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Danielle Posthuma
- Department of Complex Trait Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Amsterdam, 1081 Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Frank J Meye
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center, Utrecht University, 3584 Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Onur Basak
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center, Utrecht University, 3584 Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - R Jeroen Pasterkamp
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center, Utrecht University, 3584 Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Lipiec MA, Bem J, Koziński K, Chakraborty C, Urban-Ciećko J, Zajkowski T, Dąbrowski M, Szewczyk ŁM, Toval A, Ferran JL, Nagalski A, Wiśniewska MB. TCF7L2 regulates postmitotic differentiation programmes and excitability patterns in the thalamus. Development 2020; 147:dev.190181. [PMID: 32675279 PMCID: PMC7473649 DOI: 10.1242/dev.190181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Neuronal phenotypes are controlled by terminal selector transcription factors in invertebrates, but only a few examples of such regulators have been provided in vertebrates. We hypothesised that TCF7L2 regulates different stages of postmitotic differentiation in the thalamus, and functions as a thalamic terminal selector. To investigate this hypothesis, we used complete and conditional knockouts of Tcf7l2 in mice. The connectivity and clustering of neurons were disrupted in the thalamo-habenular region in Tcf7l2-/- embryos. The expression of subregional thalamic and habenular transcription factors was lost and region-specific cell migration and axon guidance genes were downregulated. In mice with a postnatal Tcf7l2 knockout, the induction of genes that confer thalamic terminal electrophysiological features was impaired. Many of these genes proved to be direct targets of TCF7L2. The role of TCF7L2 in terminal selection was functionally confirmed by impaired firing modes in thalamic neurons in the mutant mice. These data corroborate the existence of master regulators in the vertebrate brain that control stage-specific genetic programmes and regional subroutines, maintain regional transcriptional network during embryonic development, and induce terminal selection postnatally.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marcin Andrzej Lipiec
- Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha 2, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland.,Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Joanna Bem
- Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha 2, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Kamil Koziński
- Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha 2, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Chaitali Chakraborty
- Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha 2, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Tomasz Zajkowski
- Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha 2, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Michał Dąbrowski
- Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Pasteur 3, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Angel Toval
- Department of Human Anatomy and Psychobiology, School of Medicine, University of Murcia and IMIB-Arrixaca Institute, Campus de la Salud, 30120 El Palmar, Murcia, Spain
| | - José Luis Ferran
- Department of Human Anatomy and Psychobiology, School of Medicine, University of Murcia and IMIB-Arrixaca Institute, Campus de la Salud, 30120 El Palmar, Murcia, Spain
| | - Andrzej Nagalski
- Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha 2, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Guglielmi L, Bühler A, Moro E, Argenton F, Poggi L, Carl M. Temporal control of Wnt signaling is required for habenular neuron diversity and brain asymmetry. Development 2020; 147:147/6/dev182865. [PMID: 32179574 DOI: 10.1242/dev.182865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Precise temporal coordination of signaling processes is pivotal for cellular differentiation during embryonic development. A vast number of secreted molecules are produced and released by cells and tissues, and travel in the extracellular space. Whether they induce a signaling pathway and instruct cell fate, however, depends on a complex network of regulatory mechanisms, which are often not well understood. The conserved bilateral left-right asymmetrically formed habenulae of the zebrafish are an excellent model for investigating how signaling control facilitates the generation of defined neuronal populations. Wnt signaling is required for habenular neuron type specification, asymmetry and axonal connectivity. The temporal regulation of this pathway and the players involved have, however, have remained unclear. We find that tightly regulated temporal restriction of Wnt signaling activity in habenular precursor cells is crucial for the diversity and asymmetry of habenular neuron populations. We suggest a feedback mechanism whereby the tumor suppressor Wnt inhibitory factor Wif1 controls the Wnt dynamics in the environment of habenular precursor cells. This mechanism might be common to other cell types, including tumor cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luca Guglielmi
- Heidelberg University, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, 68167 Mannheim, Germany.
| | - Anja Bühler
- University of Trento, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), 38123 Trento, Italy.
| | - Enrico Moro
- University of Padova, Department of Molecular Medicine, 35121 Padova, Italy
| | | | - Lucia Poggi
- University of Trento, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), 38123 Trento, Italy.
| | - Matthias Carl
- Heidelberg University, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, 68167 Mannheim, Germany. ,University of Trento, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), 38123 Trento, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Staudt N, Giger FA, Fielding T, Hutt JA, Foucher I, Snowden V, Hellich A, Kiecker C, Houart C. Pineal progenitors originate from a non-neural territory limited by FGF signalling. Development 2019; 146:dev.171405. [PMID: 31754007 PMCID: PMC7375831 DOI: 10.1242/dev.171405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The embryonic development of the pineal organ, a neuroendocrine gland on top of the diencephalon, remains enigmatic. Classic fate-mapping studies suggested that pineal progenitors originate from the lateral border of the anterior neural plate. We show here, using gene expression and fate mapping/lineage tracing in zebrafish, that pineal progenitors originate, at least in part, from the non-neural ectoderm. Gene expression in chick indicates that this non-neural origin of pineal progenitors is conserved in amniotes. Genetic repression of placodal, but not neural crest, cell fate results in pineal hypoplasia in zebrafish, while mis-expression of transcription factors known to specify placodal identity during gastrulation promotes the formation of ectopic pineal progenitors. We also demonstrate that fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) position the pineal progenitor domain within the non-neural border by repressing pineal fate and that the Otx transcription factors promote pinealogenesis by inhibiting this FGF activity. The non-neural origin of the pineal organ reveals an underlying similarity in the formation of the pineal and pituitary glands, and suggests that all CNS neuroendocrine organs may require a non-neural contribution to form neurosecretory cells. Highlighted Article: Gene expression and fate mapping/lineage tracing in zebrafish reveals that the pineal organ develops from the non-neural pre-placodal ectoderm under the control of FGF signalling.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Staudt
- Department for Developmental Neurobiology, Guy's Hospital Campus, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Florence A Giger
- Department for Developmental Neurobiology, Guy's Hospital Campus, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Triona Fielding
- Department for Developmental Neurobiology, Guy's Hospital Campus, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - James A Hutt
- Department for Developmental Neurobiology, Guy's Hospital Campus, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Isabelle Foucher
- Department for Developmental Neurobiology, Guy's Hospital Campus, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Vicky Snowden
- Department for Developmental Neurobiology, Guy's Hospital Campus, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Agathe Hellich
- Department for Developmental Neurobiology, Guy's Hospital Campus, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Clemens Kiecker
- Department for Developmental Neurobiology, Guy's Hospital Campus, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Corinne Houart
- Department for Developmental Neurobiology, Guy's Hospital Campus, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Guo Q, Li JYH. Defining developmental diversification of diencephalon neurons through single cell gene expression profiling. Development 2019; 146:dev174284. [PMID: 30872278 PMCID: PMC6602344 DOI: 10.1242/dev.174284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2018] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The embryonic diencephalon forms integration centers and relay stations in the forebrain. Anecdotal expression studies suggest that the diencephalon contains multiple developmental compartments and subdivisions. Here, we utilized single cell RNA sequencing to profile transcriptomes of dissociated cells from the diencephalon of E12.5 mouse embryos. We identified the divergence of different progenitors, intermediate progenitors, and emerging neurons. By mapping the identified cell groups to their spatial origins, we characterized the molecular features of cell types and cell states arising from various diencephalic domains. Furthermore, we reconstructed the developmental trajectory of distinct cell lineages, and thereby identified the genetic cascades and gene regulatory networks underlying the progression of the cell cycle, neurogenesis and cellular diversification. The analysis provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the amplification of intermediate progenitor cells in the thalamus. The single cell-resolved trajectories not only confirm a close relationship between the rostral thalamus and prethalamus, but also uncover an unexpected close relationship between the caudal thalamus, epithalamus and rostral pretectum. Our data provide a useful resource for systematic studies of cell heterogeneity and differentiation kinetics within the diencephalon.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qiuxia Guo
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT 06030-6403, USA
| | - James Y H Li
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT 06030-6403, USA
- Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, 400 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT 06030-6403, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Developmental Requirement of Homeoprotein Otx2 for Specific Habenulo-Interpeduncular Subcircuits. J Neurosci 2018; 39:1005-1019. [PMID: 30593496 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1818-18.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2018] [Revised: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 12/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The habenulo-interpeduncular system (HIPS) is now recognized as a critical circuit modulating aversion, reward, and social behavior. There is evidence that dysfunction of this circuit leads to psychiatric disorders. Because psychiatric diseases may originate in developmental abnormalities, it is crucial to investigate the developmental mechanisms controlling the formation of the HIPS. Thus far, this issue has been the focus of limited studies. Here, we explored the developmental processes underlying the formation of the medial habenula (MHb) and its unique output, the interpeduncular nucleus (IPN), in mice independently of their gender. We report that the Otx2 homeobox gene is essential for the proper development of both structures. We show that MHb and IPN neurons require Otx2 at different developmental stages and, in both cases, Otx2 deletion leads to disruption of HIPS subcircuits. Finally, we show that Otx2+ neurons tend to be preferentially interconnected. This study reveals that synaptically connected components of the HIPS, despite radically different developmental strategies, share high sensitivity to Otx2 expression.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Brain reward circuits are highly complex and still poorly understood. In particular, it is important to understand how these circuits form as many psychiatric diseases may arise from their abnormal development. This work shows that Otx2, a critical evolutionary conserved gene implicated in brain development and a predisposing factor for psychiatric diseases, is required for the formation of the habenulo-interpeduncular system (HIPS), an important component of the reward circuit. Otx2 deletion affects multiple processes such as proliferation and migration of HIPS neurons. Furthermore, neurons expressing Otx2 are preferentially interconnected. Therefore, Otx2 expression may represent a code that specifies the connectivity of functional subunits of the HIPS. Importantly, the Otx2 conditional knock-out animals used in this study might represent a new genetic model of psychiatric diseases.
Collapse
|
9
|
Abstract
The circumventricular organs (CVOs) are specialised neuroepithelial structures found in the midline of the brain, grouped around the third and fourth ventricles. They mediate the communication between the brain and the periphery by performing sensory and secretory roles, facilitated by increased vascularisation and the absence of a blood-brain barrier. Surprisingly little is known about the origins of the CVOs (both developmental and evolutionary), but their functional and organisational similarities raise the question of the extent of their relationship. Here, I review our current knowledge of the embryonic development of the seven major CVOs (area postrema, median eminence, neurohypophysis, organum vasculosum of the lamina terminalis, pineal organ, subcommissural organ, subfornical organ) in embryos of different vertebrate species. Although there are conspicuous similarities between subsets of CVOs, no unifying feature characteristic of their development has been identified. Cross-species comparisons suggest that CVOs also display a high degree of evolutionary flexibility. Thus, the term 'CVO' is merely a functional definition, and features shared by multiple CVOs may be the result of homoplasy rather than ontogenetic or phylogenetic relationships.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Clemens Kiecker
- Department of Developmental NeurobiologyKing's College LondonLondonUK
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Liu B, Zhou K, Wu X, Zhao C. Foxg1 deletion impairs the development of the epithalamus. Mol Brain 2018; 11:5. [PMID: 29394901 PMCID: PMC5797387 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-018-0350-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2017] [Accepted: 01/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The epithalamus, which is dorsal to the thalamus, consists of the habenula, pineal gland and third ventricle choroid plexus and plays important roles in the stress response and sleep-wake cycle in vertebrates. During development, the epithalamus arises from the most dorsal part of prosomere 2. However, the mechanism underlying epithalamic development remains largely unknown. Foxg1 is critical for the development of the telencephalon, but its role in diencephalic development has been under-investigated. Patients suffering from FOXG1-related disorders exhibit severe anxiety, sleep disturbance and choroid plexus cysts, indicating that Foxg1 likely plays a role in epithalamic development. In this study, we identified the specific expression of Foxg1 in the developing epithalamus. Using a "self-deletion" approach, we found that the habenula significantly expanded and included an increased number of habenular subtype neurons. The innervations, particularly the habenular commissure, were severely impaired. Meanwhile, the Foxg1 mutants exhibited a reduced pineal gland and more branched choroid plexus. After ablation of Foxg1 no obvious changes in Shh and Fgf signalling were observed, suggesting that Foxg1 regulates the development of the epithalamus without the involvement of Shh and Fgfs. Our findings provide new insights into the regulation of the development of the epithalamus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, MOE, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Kaixing Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, MOE, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaojing Wu
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, MOE, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Chunjie Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, MOE, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China. .,Depression Center, Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing, 100069, China.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Roberson S, Halpern ME. Development and connectivity of the habenular nuclei. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2017; 78:107-115. [PMID: 29107475 PMCID: PMC5920772 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2017.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2017] [Accepted: 10/09/2017] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Accumulating evidence has reinforced that the habenular region of the vertebrate dorsal forebrain is an essential integrating center, and a region strongly implicated in neurological disorders and addiction. Despite the important and diverse neuromodulatory roles the habenular nuclei play, their development has been understudied. The emphasis of this review is on the dorsal habenular nuclei of zebrafish, homologous to the medial nuclei of mammals, as recent work has revealed new information about the signaling pathways that regulate their formation. Additionally, the zebrafish dorsal habenulae have become a valuable model for probing how left-right differences are established in a vertebrate brain. Sonic hedgehog, fibroblast growth factors and Wingless-INT proteins are all involved in the generation of progenitor cells and ultimately, along with Notch signaling, influence habenular neurogenesis and left-right asymmetry. Intriguingly, a genetic network has emerged that leads to the differentiation of dorsal habenular neurons and, through localized chemokine signaling, directs the posterior outgrowth of their newly emerging axons towards their postsynaptic target, the midbrain interpeduncular nucleus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sara Roberson
- Carnegie Institution for Science, Department of Embryology, 3520 San Martin Drive Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; Department of Biology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Marnie E Halpern
- Carnegie Institution for Science, Department of Embryology, 3520 San Martin Drive Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; Department of Biology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Boutet A. The evolution of asymmetric photosensitive structures in metazoans and the Nodal connection. Mech Dev 2017; 147:49-60. [PMID: 28986126 DOI: 10.1016/j.mod.2017.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2016] [Revised: 07/26/2017] [Accepted: 09/25/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Asymmetries are observed in a great number of taxa in metazoans. More particularly, functional lateralization and neuroanatomical asymmetries within the central nervous system have been a matter of intense research for at least two hundred years. While asymmetries of some paired structures/organs (e.g. eyes, ears, kidneys, legs, arms) constitute random deviations from a pure bilateral symmetry, brain asymmetries such as those observed in the cortex and epithalamus are directional. This means that molecular and anatomical features located on one side of a given structure are observed in most individuals. For instance, in humans, the neuronal tract connecting the language areas is enlarged in the left hemisphere. When asymmetries are fixed, their molecular mechanisms can be studied using mutants displaying different phenotypes: left or right isomerism of the structure, reversed asymmetry or random asymmetry. Our understanding of asymmetry in the nervous system has been widely enriched thanks to the characterization of mutants affecting epithalamus asymmetry. Furthermore, two decades ago, pioneering studies revealed that a specific morphogen, Nodal, active only on one side of the embryo during development is an important molecule in asymmetry patterning. In this review, I have gathered important data bringing insight into the origin and evolution of epithalamus asymmetry and the role of Nodal in metazoans. After a short introduction on brain asymmetries (chapter I), I secondly focus on the molecular and anatomical characteristics of the epithalamus in vertebrates and explore some functional aspects such as its photosensitive ability related to the pineal complex (chapter II). Third, I discuss homology relationship of the parapineal organ among vertebrates (chapter III). Fourth, I discuss the possible origin of the epithalamus, presenting cells displaying photosensitive properties and/or asymmetry in the anterior part of the body in non-vertebrates (chapter IV). Finally, I report Nodal signaling expression data and functional experiments performed in different metazoan groups (chapter V).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Agnès Boutet
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS UMR 8227, Laboratoire de Biologie Intégrative des Modèles Marins, Station Biologique, F-29688 Roscoff, France.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
The molecular mechanisms controlling morphogenesis and wiring of the habenula. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2017; 162:29-37. [PMID: 28843424 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2017.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2017] [Revised: 07/07/2017] [Accepted: 08/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The habenula is an evolutionarily conserved brain region comprising bilaterally paired nuclei that plays a key role in processing reward information and mediating aversive responses to negative stimuli. An important aspect underlying habenula function is relaying information between forebrain and mid- and hindbrain areas. This is mediated by its complex organization into multiple subdomains and corresponding complexity in circuit organization. Additionally, in many species habenular nuclei display left-right differences at the anatomical and functional level. In order to ensure proper functional organization of habenular circuitry, sophisticated molecular programs control the morphogenesis and wiring of the habenula during development. Knowledge of how these mechanisms shape the habenula is crucial for obtaining a complete understanding of this brain region and can provide invaluable tools to study habenula evolution and function. In this review we will discuss how these molecular mechanisms pattern the early embryonic nervous system and control the formation of the habenula, how they shape its asymmetric organization, and how these mechanisms ensure proper wiring of the habenular circuit. Finally, we will address unexplored aspects of habenula development and how these may direct future research.
Collapse
|
14
|
Ebisu H, Iwai-Takekoshi L, Fujita-Jimbo E, Momoi T, Kawasaki H. Foxp2 Regulates Identities and Projection Patterns of Thalamic Nuclei During Development. Cereb Cortex 2017; 27:3648-3659. [PMID: 27384060 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhw187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The molecular mechanisms underlying the formation of the thalamus during development have been investigated intensively. Although transcription factors distinguishing the thalamic primordium from adjacent brain structures have been uncovered, those involved in patterning inside the thalamus are largely unclear. Here, we show that Foxp2, a member of the forkhead transcription factor family, regulates thalamic patterning during development. We found a graded expression pattern of Foxp2 in the thalamic primordium of the mouse embryo. The expression levels of Foxp2 were high in the posterior region and low in the anterior region of the thalamic primordium. In Foxp2 (R552H) knockin mice, which have a missense loss-of-function mutation in the forkhead domain of Foxp2, thalamic nuclei of the posterior region of the thalamus were shrunken, while those of the intermediate region were expanded. Consistently, Foxp2 (R552H) knockin mice showed changes in thalamocortical projection patterns. Our results uncovered important roles of Foxp2 in thalamic patterning and thalamocortical projections during development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Haruka Ebisu
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Ishikawa 920-8640, Japan
- Brain/Liver Interface Medicine Research Center, Kanazawa University, Ishikawa 920-8640, Japan
- Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
- Department of Molecular and Systems Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Lena Iwai-Takekoshi
- Department of Molecular and Systems Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Eriko Fujita-Jimbo
- Department of Pediatrics, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi 329-0498, Japan
| | - Takashi Momoi
- Department of Pathophysiology, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo 160-8402, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kawasaki
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Ishikawa 920-8640, Japan
- Brain/Liver Interface Medicine Research Center, Kanazawa University, Ishikawa 920-8640, Japan
- Department of Molecular and Systems Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Roberson S, Halpern ME. Convergence of signaling pathways underlying habenular formation and axonal outgrowth in zebrafish. Development 2017; 144:2652-2662. [PMID: 28619821 DOI: 10.1242/dev.147751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2016] [Accepted: 06/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The habenular nuclei are a conserved integrating center in the vertebrate epithalamus, where they modulate diverse behaviors. Despite their importance, our understanding of habenular development is incomplete. Time-lapse imaging and fate mapping demonstrate that the dorsal habenulae (dHb) of zebrafish are derived from dbx1b-expressing (dbx1b+ ) progenitors, which transition into cxcr4b-expressing neuronal precursors. The precursors give rise to differentiated neurons, the axons of which innervate the midbrain interpeduncular nucleus (IPN). Formation of the dbx1b+ progenitor population relies on the activity of the Shh, Wnt and Fgf signaling pathways. Wnt and Fgf function additively to generate dHb progenitors. Surprisingly, Wnt signaling also negatively regulates fgf8a, confining expression to a discrete dorsal diencephalic domain. Moreover, the Wnt and Fgf pathways have opposing roles in transcriptional regulation of components of the Cxcr4-chemokine signaling pathway. The chemokine pathway, in turn, directs the posterior outgrowth of dHb efferents toward the IPN and, when disrupted, results in ectopic, anteriorly directed axonal projections. The results define a signaling network underlying the generation of dHb neurons and connectivity with their midbrain target.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sara Roberson
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.,Department of Embryology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Marnie E Halpern
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA .,Department of Embryology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Lee M, Yoon J, Song H, Lee B, Lam DT, Yoon J, Baek K, Clevers H, Jeong Y. Tcf7l2 plays crucial roles in forebrain development through regulation of thalamic and habenular neuron identity and connectivity. Dev Biol 2017; 424:62-76. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2017.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2016] [Revised: 02/16/2017] [Accepted: 02/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|
17
|
Diencephalic Size Is Restricted by a Novel Interplay Between GCN5 Acetyltransferase Activity and Retinoic Acid Signaling. J Neurosci 2017; 37:2565-2579. [PMID: 28154153 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2121-16.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2016] [Revised: 01/24/2017] [Accepted: 01/25/2017] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Diencephalic defects underlie an array of neurological diseases. Previous studies have suggested that retinoic acid (RA) signaling is involved in diencephalic development at late stages of embryonic development, but its roles and mechanisms of action during early neural development are still unclear. Here we demonstrate that mice lacking enzymatic activity of the acetyltransferase GCN5 ((Gcn5hat/hat )), which were previously characterized with respect to their exencephalic phenotype, exhibit significant diencephalic expansion, decreased diencephalic RA signaling, and increased diencephalic WNT and SHH signaling. Using a variety of molecular biology techniques in both cultured neuroepithelial cells treated with a GCN5 inhibitor and forebrain tissue from (Gcn5hat/hat ) embryos, we demonstrate that GCN5, RARα/γ, and the poorly characterized protein TACC1 form a complex in the nucleus that binds specific retinoic acid response elements in the absence of RA. Furthermore, RA triggers GCN5-mediated acetylation of TACC1, which results in dissociation of TACC1 from retinoic acid response elements and leads to transcriptional activation of RA target genes. Intriguingly, RA signaling defects caused by in vitro inhibition of GCN5 can be rescued through RA-dependent mechanisms that require RARβ. Last, we demonstrate that the diencephalic expansion and transcriptional defects seen in (Gcn5hat/hat ) mutants can be rescued with gestational RA supplementation, supporting a direct link between GCN5, TACC1, and RA signaling in the developing diencephalon. Together, our studies identify a novel, nonhistone substrate for GCN5 whose modification regulates a previously undescribed, tissue-specific mechanism of RA signaling that is required to restrict diencephalic size during early forebrain development.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Changes in diencephalic size and shape, as well as SNPs associated with retinoic acid (RA) signaling-associated genes, have been linked to neuropsychiatric disorders. However, the mechanisms that regulate diencephalic morphogenesis and the involvement of RA signaling in this process are poorly understood. Here we demonstrate a novel role of the acetyltransferase GCN5 in a previously undescribed mechanism of RA signaling in the developing forebrain that is required to maintain the appropriate size of the diencephalon. Together, our experiments identify a novel nonhistone substrate of GCN5, highlight an essential role for both GCN5 and RA signaling in early diencephalic development, and elucidate a novel molecular regulatory mechanism for RA signaling that is specific to the developing forebrain.
Collapse
|
18
|
Félix LM, Antunes LM, Coimbra AM, Valentim AM. Behavioral alterations of zebrafish larvae after early embryonic exposure to ketamine. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2017; 234:549-558. [PMID: 27933364 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-016-4491-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2016] [Accepted: 11/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Ketamine has been associated with pediatric risks that include neurocognitive impairment and long-term behavioral disorders. However, the neurobehavioral effects of ketamine exposure in early development remain uncertain. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to test stage- and dose-dependent effects of ketamine exposure on certain brain functions by evaluating alterations in locomotion, anxiety-like and avoidance behaviors, as well as socialization. METHODS Embryos were exposed to different concentrations of ketamine (0, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.8 mg mL-1) for 20 min during the 256-cell (2.5 h post fertilization-hpf), 50% epiboly (5.5 hpf), and 1-4 somites (10.5 hpf) stages. General exploratory activities, natural escape-like responses, and social interactions were analyzed under continuous light or under a moving light stimulus. RESULTS A dose-dependent decrease in the overall mean speed was perceived in the embryos exposed during the 256-cell stage. These results were related to previously observed head and eye malformations, following ketamine exposure at this stage and may indicate possible neurobehavioral disorders when ketamine exposure is performed at this stage. Results also showed that ketamine exposure during the 50% epiboly and 1-4 somites stages induced a significant increment of the anxiety-like behavior and a decrease in avoidance behavior in all exposed groups. CONCLUSIONS Overall, the results validate the neurodevelopmental risks of early-life exposure to ketamine.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luís M Félix
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal.
- Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (i3S), University of Porto (UP), Porto, Portugal.
- Laboratory Animal Science (LAS), Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology (IBMC), University of Porto (UP), Porto, Portugal.
| | - Luís M Antunes
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
- Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (i3S), University of Porto (UP), Porto, Portugal
- Laboratory Animal Science (LAS), Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology (IBMC), University of Porto (UP), Porto, Portugal
- School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences (ECAV), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Ana M Coimbra
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Ana M Valentim
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
- Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (i3S), University of Porto (UP), Porto, Portugal
- Laboratory Animal Science (LAS), Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology (IBMC), University of Porto (UP), Porto, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Halluin C, Madelaine R, Naye F, Peers B, Roussigné M, Blader P. Habenular Neurogenesis in Zebrafish Is Regulated by a Hedgehog, Pax6 Proneural Gene Cascade. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0158210. [PMID: 27387288 PMCID: PMC4936704 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0158210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2015] [Accepted: 06/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The habenulae are highly conserved nuclei in the dorsal diencephalon that connect the forebrain to the midbrain and hindbrain. These nuclei have been implicated in a broad variety of behaviours in humans, primates, rodents and zebrafish. Despite this, the molecular mechanisms that control the genesis and differentiation of neural progenitors in the habenulae remain relatively unknown. We have previously shown that, in zebrafish, the timing of habenular neurogenesis is left-right asymmetric and that in the absence of Nodal signalling this asymmetry is lost. Here, we show that habenular neurogenesis requires the homeobox transcription factor Pax6a and the redundant action of two proneural bHLH factors, Neurog1 and Neurod4. We present evidence that Hedgehog signalling is required for the expression of pax6a, which is in turn necessary for the expression of neurog1 and neurod4. Finally, we demonstrate by pharmacological inhibition that Hedgehog signalling is required continuously during habenular neurogenesis and by cell transplantation experiments that pathway activation is required cell autonomously. Our data sheds light on the mechanism underlying habenular development that may provide insights into how Nodal signalling imposes asymmetry on the timing of habenular neurogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Halluin
- Université de Toulouse III, UPS, Centre de Biologie du Développement (CBD), Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse, France
- CNRS, CBD UMR 5547, F-31062 Toulouse, France
- Stanford University, School of Medicine, 269–279 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, United States of America
| | - Romain Madelaine
- Université de Toulouse III, UPS, Centre de Biologie du Développement (CBD), Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse, France
- CNRS, CBD UMR 5547, F-31062 Toulouse, France
- Stanford University, School of Medicine, 269–279 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, United States of America
| | - François Naye
- Unit of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, University of Liège, GIGA-R, B34, Avenue de l'Hôpital 1, B-4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Bernard Peers
- Unit of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, University of Liège, GIGA-R, B34, Avenue de l'Hôpital 1, B-4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Myriam Roussigné
- Université de Toulouse III, UPS, Centre de Biologie du Développement (CBD), Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse, France
- CNRS, CBD UMR 5547, F-31062 Toulouse, France
- * E-mail: (MR); (PB)
| | - Patrick Blader
- Université de Toulouse III, UPS, Centre de Biologie du Développement (CBD), Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse, France
- CNRS, CBD UMR 5547, F-31062 Toulouse, France
- * E-mail: (MR); (PB)
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Kuan YS, Roberson S, Akitake CM, Fortuno L, Gamse J, Moens C, Halpern ME. Distinct requirements for Wntless in habenular development. Dev Biol 2015; 406:117-128. [PMID: 26116173 PMCID: PMC4639407 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2015.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2015] [Accepted: 06/05/2015] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Secreted Wnt proteins play pivotal roles in development, including regulation of cell proliferation, differentiation, progenitor maintenance and tissue patterning. The transmembrane protein Wntless (Wls) is necessary for secretion of most Wnts and essential for effective Wnt signaling. During a mutagenesis screen to identify genes important for development of the habenular nuclei in the dorsal forebrain, we isolated a mutation in the sole wls gene of zebrafish and confirmed its identity with a second, independent allele. Early embryonic development appears normal in homozygous wls mutants, but they later lack the ventral habenular nuclei, form smaller dorsal habenulae and otic vesicles, have truncated jaw and fin cartilages and lack swim bladders. Activation of a reporter for β-catenin-dependent transcription is decreased in wls mutants, indicative of impaired signaling by the canonical Wnt pathway, and expression of Wnt-responsive genes is reduced in the dorsal diencephalon. Wnt signaling was previously implicated in patterning of the zebrafish brain and in the generation of left-right (L-R) differences between the bilaterally paired dorsal habenular nuclei. Outside of the epithalamic region, development of the brain is largely normal in wls mutants and, despite their reduced size, the dorsal habenulae retain L-R asymmetry. We find that homozygous wls mutants show a reduction in two cell populations that contribute to the presumptive dorsal habenulae. The results support distinct temporal requirements for Wls in habenular development and reveal a new role for Wnt signaling in the regulation of dorsal habenular progenitors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yung-Shu Kuan
- Department of Embryology, Carnegie Institution for Science, USA
| | - Sara Roberson
- Department of Embryology, Carnegie Institution for Science, USA
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, USA
| | - Courtney M. Akitake
- Department of Embryology, Carnegie Institution for Science, USA
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, USA
| | - Lea Fortuno
- Department of Embryology, Carnegie Institution for Science, USA
| | - Joshua Gamse
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, USA
| | - Cecilia Moens
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, USA
| | - Marnie E. Halpern
- Department of Embryology, Carnegie Institution for Science, USA
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, USA
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Abstract
Although the left and right hemispheres of our brains develop with a high degree of symmetry at both the anatomical and functional levels, it has become clear that subtle structural differences exist between the two sides and that each is dominant in processing specific cognitive tasks. As the result of evolutionary conservation or convergence, lateralization of the brain is found in both vertebrates and invertebrates, suggesting that it provides significant fitness for animal life. This widespread feature of hemispheric specialization has allowed the emergence of model systems to study its development and, in some cases, to link anatomical asymmetries to brain function and behavior. Here, we present some of what is known about brain asymmetry in humans and model organisms as well as what is known about the impact of environmental and genetic factors on brain asymmetry development. We specifically highlight the progress made in understanding the development of epithalamic asymmetries in zebrafish and how this model provides an exciting opportunity to address brain asymmetry at different levels of complexity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Véronique Duboc
- Université de Toulouse, UPS, Center de Biologie du Développement (CBD), F-31062 Toulouse, France; .,CNRS, CBD UMR 5547, F-31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Pascale Dufourcq
- Université de Toulouse, UPS, Center de Biologie du Développement (CBD), F-31062 Toulouse, France; .,CNRS, CBD UMR 5547, F-31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Patrick Blader
- Université de Toulouse, UPS, Center de Biologie du Développement (CBD), F-31062 Toulouse, France; .,CNRS, CBD UMR 5547, F-31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Myriam Roussigné
- Université de Toulouse, UPS, Center de Biologie du Développement (CBD), F-31062 Toulouse, France; .,CNRS, CBD UMR 5547, F-31062 Toulouse, France
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Mallika C, Guo Q, Li JYH. Gbx2 is essential for maintaining thalamic neuron identity and repressing habenular characters in the developing thalamus. Dev Biol 2015; 407:26-39. [PMID: 26297811 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2015.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2015] [Revised: 08/10/2015] [Accepted: 08/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The thalamus and habenula, two important nodes of the forebrain circuitry, are derived from a single developmental compartment, called prosomere 2, in the diencephalon. Habenular and thalamic neurons display distinct molecular identity, neurochemistry, and connectivity. Furthermore, their progenitors exhibit distinctive neurogenic patterns with a marked delay in the onset of neurogenesis in the thalamus. However, the progenitors in prosomere 2 express many common developmental regulators and the mechanism underlying the specification and differentiation of these two populations of neurons remains unknown. Gbx2, coding for a homeodomain transcription factor, is initially expressed in thalamic neuronal precursors that have just exited the cell cycle, and its expression is maintained in many mature thalamic neurons in adults. Deletion of Gbx2 severely disrupts histogenesis of the thalamus and abolishes thalamocortical projections in mice. Here, by using genome-wide transcriptional profiling, we show that Gbx2 promotes thalamic but inhibits habenular molecular characters. Remarkably, although Gbx2 is expressed in postmitotic neuronal precursors, deletion of Gbx2 changes gene expression and cell proliferation in dividing progenitors in the developing thalamus. These defects are partially rescued by the mosaic presence of wild-type cells, demonstrating a cell non-autonomous role of Gbx2 in regulating the development of thalamic progenitors. Our results suggest that Gbx2 is essential for the acquisition of the thalamic neuronal identity by repressing habenular identity through a feedback signaling from postmitotic neurons to progenitors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chatterjee Mallika
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, 400 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT 06030-6403, United States
| | - Qiuxia Guo
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, 400 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT 06030-6403, United States
| | - James Y H Li
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, 400 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT 06030-6403, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Bandín S, Morona R, González A. Prepatterning and patterning of the thalamus along embryonic development of Xenopus laevis. Front Neuroanat 2015; 9:107. [PMID: 26321920 PMCID: PMC4530589 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2015.00107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2015] [Accepted: 07/24/2015] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous developmental studies of the thalamus (alar part of the diencephalic prosomere p2) have defined the molecular basis for the acquisition of the thalamic competence (preparttening), the subsequent formation of the secondary organizer in the zona limitans intrathalamica, and the early specification of two anteroposterior domains (rostral and caudal progenitor domains) in response to inducing activities and that are shared in birds and mammals. In the present study we have analyzed the embryonic development of the thalamus in the anuran Xenopus laevis to determine conserved or specific features in the amphibian diencephalon. From early embryonic stages to the beginning of the larval period, the expression patterns of 22 markers were analyzed by means of combined In situ hybridization (ISH) and immunohistochemical techniques. The early genoarchitecture observed in the diencephalon allowed us to discern the boundaries of the thalamus with the prethalamus, pretectum, and epithalamus. Common molecular features were observed in the thalamic prepatterning among vertebrates in which Wnt3a, Fez, Pax6 and Xiro1 expression were of particular importance in Xenopus. The formation of the zona limitans intrathalamica was observed, as in other vertebrates, by the progressive expression of Shh. The largely conserved expressions of Nkx2.2 in the rostral thalamic domain vs. Gbx2 and Ngn2 (among others) in the caudal domain strongly suggest the role of Shh as morphogen in the amphibian thalamus. All these data showed that the molecular characteristics observed during preparttening and patterning in the thalamus of the anuran Xenopus (anamniote) share many features with those described during thalamic development in amniotes (common patterns in tetrapods) but also with zebrafish, strengthening the idea of a basic organization of this diencephalic region across vertebrates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Bandín
- Faculty of Biology, Department of Cell Biology, University Complutense Madrid, Spain
| | - Ruth Morona
- Faculty of Biology, Department of Cell Biology, University Complutense Madrid, Spain
| | - Agustín González
- Faculty of Biology, Department of Cell Biology, University Complutense Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Takagi M, Nagasaki K, Fujiwara I, Ishii T, Amano N, Asakura Y, Muroya K, Hasegawa Y, Adachi M, Hasegawa T. Heterozygous defects in PAX6 gene and congenital hypopituitarism. Eur J Endocrinol 2015; 172:37-45. [PMID: 25342853 DOI: 10.1530/eje-14-0255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The prevalence of congenital hypopituitarism (CH) attributable to known transcription factor mutations appears to be rare and other causative genes for CH remain to be identified. Due to the sporadic occurrence of CH, de novo chromosomal rearrangements could be one of the molecular mechanisms participating in its etiology, especially in syndromic cases. OBJECTIVE To identify the role of copy number variations (CNVs) in the etiology of CH and to identify novel genes implicated in CH. SUBJECTS AND METHODS We enrolled 88 (syndromic: 30; non-syndromic: 58) Japanese CH patients. We performed an array comparative genomic hybridization screening in the 30 syndromic CH patients. For all the 88 patients, we analyzed PAX6 by PCR-based sequencing. RESULTS We identified one heterozygous 310-kb deletion of the PAX6 enhancer region in one patient showing isolated GH deficiency (IGHD), cleft palate, and optic disc cupping. We also identified one heterozygous 6.5-Mb deletion encompassing OTX2 in a patient with bilateral anophthalmia and multiple pituitary hormone deficiency. We identified a novel PAX6 mutation, namely p.N116S in one non-syndromic CH patient showing IGHD. The p.N116S PAX6 was associated with an impairment of the transactivation capacities of the PAX6-binding elements. CONCLUSIONS This study showed that heterozygous PAX6 mutations are associated with CH patients. PAX6 mutations may be associated with diverse clinical features ranging from severely impaired ocular and pituitary development to apparently normal phenotype. Overall, this study identified causative CNVs with a possible role in the etiology of CH in <10% of syndromic CH patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Masaki Takagi
- Department of Endocrinology and MetabolismTokyo Metropolitan Children's Medical Center, Tokyo, JapanDepartment of PediatricsSchool of Medicine, Keio University, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, JapanDivision of PediatricsDepartment of Homeostatic Regulation and Development, Graduate School of Medicine and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, JapanDepartment of PediatricsSchool of Medicine, Tohoku University, Miyagi, JapanDepartment of Endocrinology and MetabolismKanagawa Children's Medical Center, Yokohama, Japan Department of Endocrinology and MetabolismTokyo Metropolitan Children's Medical Center, Tokyo, JapanDepartment of PediatricsSchool of Medicine, Keio University, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, JapanDivision of PediatricsDepartment of Homeostatic Regulation and Development, Graduate School of Medicine and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, JapanDepartment of PediatricsSchool of Medicine, Tohoku University, Miyagi, JapanDepartment of Endocrinology and MetabolismKanagawa Children's Medical Center, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Keisuke Nagasaki
- Department of Endocrinology and MetabolismTokyo Metropolitan Children's Medical Center, Tokyo, JapanDepartment of PediatricsSchool of Medicine, Keio University, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, JapanDivision of PediatricsDepartment of Homeostatic Regulation and Development, Graduate School of Medicine and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, JapanDepartment of PediatricsSchool of Medicine, Tohoku University, Miyagi, JapanDepartment of Endocrinology and MetabolismKanagawa Children's Medical Center, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Ikuma Fujiwara
- Department of Endocrinology and MetabolismTokyo Metropolitan Children's Medical Center, Tokyo, JapanDepartment of PediatricsSchool of Medicine, Keio University, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, JapanDivision of PediatricsDepartment of Homeostatic Regulation and Development, Graduate School of Medicine and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, JapanDepartment of PediatricsSchool of Medicine, Tohoku University, Miyagi, JapanDepartment of Endocrinology and MetabolismKanagawa Children's Medical Center, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Ishii
- Department of Endocrinology and MetabolismTokyo Metropolitan Children's Medical Center, Tokyo, JapanDepartment of PediatricsSchool of Medicine, Keio University, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, JapanDivision of PediatricsDepartment of Homeostatic Regulation and Development, Graduate School of Medicine and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, JapanDepartment of PediatricsSchool of Medicine, Tohoku University, Miyagi, JapanDepartment of Endocrinology and MetabolismKanagawa Children's Medical Center, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Naoko Amano
- Department of Endocrinology and MetabolismTokyo Metropolitan Children's Medical Center, Tokyo, JapanDepartment of PediatricsSchool of Medicine, Keio University, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, JapanDivision of PediatricsDepartment of Homeostatic Regulation and Development, Graduate School of Medicine and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, JapanDepartment of PediatricsSchool of Medicine, Tohoku University, Miyagi, JapanDepartment of Endocrinology and MetabolismKanagawa Children's Medical Center, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Yumi Asakura
- Department of Endocrinology and MetabolismTokyo Metropolitan Children's Medical Center, Tokyo, JapanDepartment of PediatricsSchool of Medicine, Keio University, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, JapanDivision of PediatricsDepartment of Homeostatic Regulation and Development, Graduate School of Medicine and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, JapanDepartment of PediatricsSchool of Medicine, Tohoku University, Miyagi, JapanDepartment of Endocrinology and MetabolismKanagawa Children's Medical Center, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Koji Muroya
- Department of Endocrinology and MetabolismTokyo Metropolitan Children's Medical Center, Tokyo, JapanDepartment of PediatricsSchool of Medicine, Keio University, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, JapanDivision of PediatricsDepartment of Homeostatic Regulation and Development, Graduate School of Medicine and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, JapanDepartment of PediatricsSchool of Medicine, Tohoku University, Miyagi, JapanDepartment of Endocrinology and MetabolismKanagawa Children's Medical Center, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Yukihiro Hasegawa
- Department of Endocrinology and MetabolismTokyo Metropolitan Children's Medical Center, Tokyo, JapanDepartment of PediatricsSchool of Medicine, Keio University, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, JapanDivision of PediatricsDepartment of Homeostatic Regulation and Development, Graduate School of Medicine and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, JapanDepartment of PediatricsSchool of Medicine, Tohoku University, Miyagi, JapanDepartment of Endocrinology and MetabolismKanagawa Children's Medical Center, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Masanori Adachi
- Department of Endocrinology and MetabolismTokyo Metropolitan Children's Medical Center, Tokyo, JapanDepartment of PediatricsSchool of Medicine, Keio University, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, JapanDivision of PediatricsDepartment of Homeostatic Regulation and Development, Graduate School of Medicine and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, JapanDepartment of PediatricsSchool of Medicine, Tohoku University, Miyagi, JapanDepartment of Endocrinology and MetabolismKanagawa Children's Medical Center, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Tomonobu Hasegawa
- Department of Endocrinology and MetabolismTokyo Metropolitan Children's Medical Center, Tokyo, JapanDepartment of PediatricsSchool of Medicine, Keio University, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, JapanDivision of PediatricsDepartment of Homeostatic Regulation and Development, Graduate School of Medicine and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, JapanDepartment of PediatricsSchool of Medicine, Tohoku University, Miyagi, JapanDepartment of Endocrinology and MetabolismKanagawa Children's Medical Center, Yokohama, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Caballero IM, Manuel MN, Molinek M, Quintana-Urzainqui I, Mi D, Shimogori T, Price DJ. Cell-autonomous repression of Shh by transcription factor Pax6 regulates diencephalic patterning by controlling the central diencephalic organizer. Cell Rep 2014; 8:1405-18. [PMID: 25176648 PMCID: PMC4241467 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2014.07.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2013] [Revised: 06/24/2014] [Accepted: 07/27/2014] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
During development, region-specific patterns of regulatory gene expression are controlled by signaling centers that release morphogens providing positional information to surrounding cells. Regulation of signaling centers themselves is therefore critical. The size and the influence of a Shh-producing forebrain organizer, the zona limitans intrathalamica (ZLI), are limited by Pax6. By studying mouse chimeras, we find that Pax6 acts cell autonomously to block Shh expression in cells around the ZLI. Immunoprecipitation and luciferase assays indicate that Pax6 can bind the Shh promoter and repress its function. An analysis of chimeras suggests that many of the regional gene expression pattern defects that occur in Pax6−/− diencephalic cells result from a non-cell-autonomous position-dependent defect of local intercellular signaling. Blocking Shh signaling in Pax6−/− mutants reverses major diencephalic patterning defects. We conclude that Pax6’s cell-autonomous repression of Shh expression around the ZLI is critical for many aspects of normal diencephalic patterning. Pax6 limits the effects of a forebrain organizer, the zona limitans intrathalamica Pax6 blocks diencephalic Shh expression cell autonomously Absence of Pax6 causes non-cell-autonomous diencephalic patterning defects Blocking Shh signaling in Pax6−/− mutants reverses diencephalic patterning defects
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Martine N Manuel
- Centre for Integrative Physiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Michael Molinek
- Centre for Integrative Physiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
| | | | - Da Mi
- Centre for Integrative Physiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
| | | | - David J Price
- Centre for Integrative Physiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK.
| |
Collapse
|