1
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Fujimura K, Guise AJ, Nakayama T, Schlaffner CN, Meziani A, Kumar M, Cheng L, Vaughan DJ, Kodani A, Van Haren S, Parker K, Levy O, Durbin AF, Bosch I, Gehrke L, Steen H, Mochida GH, Steen JA. Integrative systems biology characterizes immune-mediated neurodevelopmental changes in murine Zika virus microcephaly. iScience 2023; 26:106909. [PMID: 37332674 PMCID: PMC10275723 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 02/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Characterizing perturbation of molecular pathways in congenital Zika virus (ZIKV) infection is critical for improved therapeutic approaches. Leveraging integrative systems biology, proteomics, and RNA-seq, we analyzed embryonic brain tissues from an immunocompetent, wild-type congenital ZIKV infection mouse model. ZIKV induced a robust immune response accompanied by the downregulation of critical neurodevelopmental gene programs. We identified a negative correlation between ZIKV polyprotein abundance and host cell cycle-inducing proteins. We further captured the downregulation of genes/proteins, many of which are known to be causative for human microcephaly, including Eomesodermin/T-box Brain Protein 2 (EOMES/TBR2) and Neuronal Differentiation 2 (NEUROD2). Disturbances of distinct molecular pathways in neural progenitors and post-mitotic neurons may contribute to complex brain phenotype of congenital ZIKV infection. Overall, this report on protein- and transcript-level dynamics enhances understanding of the ZIKV immunopathological landscape through characterization of fetal immune response in the developing brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimino Fujimura
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Genetics and Genomics and The Manton Center for Orphan Disease, Boston Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Pediatrics, Shin-Yurigaoka General Hospital, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Amanda J. Guise
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tojo Nakayama
- Division of Genetics and Genomics and The Manton Center for Orphan Disease, Boston Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Christoph N. Schlaffner
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Anais Meziani
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mukesh Kumar
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Long Cheng
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dylan J. Vaughan
- Division of Genetics and Genomics and The Manton Center for Orphan Disease, Boston Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Andrew Kodani
- Center for Pediatric Neurological Disease Research and Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Simon Van Haren
- Precision Vaccines Program, Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Ofer Levy
- Precision Vaccines Program, Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ann F. Durbin
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Irene Bosch
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Lee Gehrke
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Hanno Steen
- Precision Vaccines Program, Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pathology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ganeshwaran H. Mochida
- Division of Genetics and Genomics and The Manton Center for Orphan Disease, Boston Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Pediatric Neurology Unit, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Judith A. Steen
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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2
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Shapira G, Israel-Elgali I, Grad M, Avnat E, Rachmany L, Sarne Y, Shomron N. Hippocampal differential expression underlying the neuroprotective effect of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol microdose on old mice. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1182932. [PMID: 37534036 PMCID: PMC10393280 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1182932] [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: 03/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the primary psychoactive compound of the cannabis plant and an exogenous ligand of the endocannabinoid system. In previous studies, we demonstrated that a single microdose of THC (0.002 mg/kg, 3-4 orders of magnitude lower than the standard dose for rodents) exerts distinct, long-term neuroprotection in model mice subjected to acute neurological insults. When administered to old, healthy mice, the THC microdose induced remarkable long-lasting (weeks) improvement in a wide range of cognitive functions, including significant morphological and biochemical brain alterations. To elucidate the mechanisms underlying these effects, we analyzed the gene expression of hippocampal samples from the model mice. Samples taken 5 days after THC treatment showed significant differential expression of genes associated with neurogenesis and brain development. In samples taken 5 weeks after treatment, the transcriptional signature was shifted to that of neuronal differentiation and survival. This study demonstrated the use of hippocampal transcriptome profiling in uncovering the molecular basis of the atypical, anti-aging effects of THC microdose treatment in old mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guy Shapira
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Edmond J Safra Center for Bioinformatics, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Ifat Israel-Elgali
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Meitar Grad
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Eden Avnat
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Lital Rachmany
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Yosef Sarne
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Noam Shomron
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Edmond J Safra Center for Bioinformatics, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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3
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Sekine K, Onoguchi M, Hamada M. Transposons contribute to the acquisition of cell type-specific cis-elements in the brain. Commun Biol 2023; 6:631. [PMID: 37301950 PMCID: PMC10257727 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04989-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Mammalian brains have evolved in stages over a long history to acquire higher functions. Recently, several transposable element (TE) families have been shown to evolve into cis-regulatory elements of brain-specific genes. However, it is not fully understood how TEs are important for gene regulatory networks. Here, we performed a single-cell level analysis using public data of scATAC-seq to discover TE-derived cis-elements that are important for specific cell types. Our results suggest that DNA elements derived from TEs, MER130 and MamRep434, can function as transcription factor-binding sites based on their internal motifs for Neurod2 and Lhx2, respectively, especially in glutamatergic neuronal progenitors. Furthermore, MER130- and MamRep434-derived cis-elements were amplified in the ancestors of Amniota and Eutheria, respectively. These results suggest that the acquisition of cis-elements with TEs occurred in different stages during evolution and may contribute to the acquisition of different functions or morphologies in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kotaro Sekine
- Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
- Computational Bio Big-Data Open Innovation Laboratory (CBBD-OIL), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masahiro Onoguchi
- Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan.
- Computational Bio Big-Data Open Innovation Laboratory (CBBD-OIL), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Michiaki Hamada
- Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan.
- Computational Bio Big-Data Open Innovation Laboratory (CBBD-OIL), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tokyo, Japan.
- Graduate School of Medicine, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan.
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4
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Kim YK, Jung YS, Song J. Transcriptome Profile in the Mouse Brain of Hepatic Encephalopathy and Alzheimer's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 24:ijms24010675. [PMID: 36614117 PMCID: PMC9821016 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24010675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a chronic metabolic disease accompanied by neuropathological and neuropsychiatric features, including memory deficits, psychomotor dysfunction, depression, and anxiety. Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common neurodegenerative disease, is characterized by tau hyperphosphorylation, excessive amyloid beta (Aβ) accumulation, the formation of fibrillary tangles, hippocampus atrophy, and neuroinflammation. Recent studies have suggested a positive correlation between HE and AD. Some studies reported that an impaired cholesterol pathway, abnormal bile acid secretion, excessive ammonia level, impaired Aβ clearance, astrocytic dysfunction, and abnormal γ-aminobutyric acid GABAergic neuronal signaling in HE may also be involved in AD pathology. However, the mechanisms and related genes involved in AD-like pathology in the HE brain are unclear. Thus, we compared the cortical transcriptome profile between an HE mouse model, bile duct ligation (BDL), and an AD mouse model, the 5×FAD. Our study showed that the expression of many genes implicated in HE is associated with neuronal dysfunction in AD mice. We found changes in various protein-coding RNAs, implicated in synapses, neurogenesis, neuron projection, neuron differentiation, and neurite outgrowth, and non-coding RNAs possibly associated with neuropathology. Our data provide an important resource for further studies to elucidate AD-like pathophysiology in HE patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young-Kook Kim
- Department of Biochemistry, Chonnam National University Medical School, Hwasun 58128, Jeollanam-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoon Seok Jung
- Department of Anatomy, Chonnam National University Medical School, Hwasun 58128, Jeollanam-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Juhyun Song
- Department of Anatomy, Chonnam National University Medical School, Hwasun 58128, Jeollanam-do, Republic of Korea
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-61-379-2706; Fax: +82-61-375-5834
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5
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Abulaiti X, Wang A, Zhang H, Su H, Gao R, Chen J, Gao S, Li L. Disrupted mossy fiber connections from defective embryonic neurogenesis contribute to SOX11-associated schizophrenia. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:180. [PMID: 35254515 PMCID: PMC11072709 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04206-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Abnormal mossy fiber connections in the hippocampus have been implicated in schizophrenia. However, it remains unclear whether this abnormality in the patients is genetically determined and whether it contributes to the onset of schizophrenia. Here, we showed that iPSC-derived hippocampal NPCs from schizophrenia patients with the A/A allele at SNP rs16864067 exhibited abnormal NPC polarity, resulting from the downregulation of SOX11 by this high-risk allele. In the SOX11-deficient mouse brain, abnormal NPC polarity was also observed in the hippocampal dentate gyrus, and this abnormal NPC polarity led to defective hippocampal neurogenesis-specifically, irregular neuroblast distribution and disrupted granule cell morphology. As granule cell synapses, the mossy fiber pathway was disrupted, and this disruption was resistant to activity-induced mossy fiber remodeling in SOX11 mutant mice. Moreover, these mutant mice exhibited diminished PPI and schizophrenia-like behaviors. Activation of hippocampal neurogenesis in the embryonic brain, but not in the adult brain, partially alleviated disrupted mossy fiber connections and improved schizophrenia-related behaviors in mutant mice. We conclude that disrupted mossy fiber connections are genetically determined and strongly correlated with schizophrenia-like behaviors in SOX11-deficient mice. This disruption may reflect the pathological substrate of SOX11-associated schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianmixinuer Abulaiti
- Clinical and Translational Research Center of Shanghai First Maternity & Infant Hospital, Frontier Science Center for Stem Cells, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
- Shanghai Advanced Research Institute Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Aifang Wang
- Shanghai Advanced Research Institute Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201210, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Han Zhang
- Shanghai Advanced Research Institute Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Hang Su
- Shanghai Advanced Research Institute Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201210, China
- Henan Provincial People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450003, Henan, China
| | - Rui Gao
- Clinical and Translational Research Center of Shanghai First Maternity & Infant Hospital, Frontier Science Center for Stem Cells, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Jiayu Chen
- Clinical and Translational Research Center of Shanghai First Maternity & Infant Hospital, Frontier Science Center for Stem Cells, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Shaorong Gao
- Clinical and Translational Research Center of Shanghai First Maternity & Infant Hospital, Frontier Science Center for Stem Cells, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China.
| | - Lingsong Li
- Shanghai Advanced Research Institute Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201210, China.
- Henan Provincial People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450003, Henan, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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6
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Gustorff C, Scheuer T, Schmitz T, Bührer C, Endesfelder S. GABA B Receptor-Mediated Impairment of Intermediate Progenitor Maturation During Postnatal Hippocampal Neurogenesis of Newborn Rats. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:651072. [PMID: 34421540 PMCID: PMC8377254 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.651072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The neurotransmitter GABA and its receptors assume essential functions during fetal and postnatal brain development. The last trimester of a human pregnancy and early postnatal life involves a vulnerable period of brain development. In the second half of gestation, there is a developmental shift from depolarizing to hyperpolarizing in the GABAergic system, which might be disturbed by preterm birth. Alterations of the postnatal GABA shift are associated with several neurodevelopmental disorders. In this in vivo study, we investigated neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus (DG) in response to daily administration of pharmacological GABAA (DMCM) and GABAB (CGP 35348) receptor inhibitors to newborn rats. Six-day-old Wistar rats (P6) were daily injected (i.p.) to postnatal day 11 (P11) with DMCM, CGP 35348, or vehicle to determine the effects of both antagonists on postnatal neurogenesis. Due to GABAB receptor blockade by CGP 35348, immunohistochemistry revealed a decrease in the number of NeuroD1 positive intermediate progenitor cells and a reduction of proliferative Nestin-positive neuronal stem cells at the DG. The impairment of hippocampal neurogenesis at this stage of differentiation is in line with a significantly decreased RNA expression of the transcription factors Pax6, Ascl1, and NeuroD1. Interestingly, the number of NeuN-positive postmitotic neurons was not affected by GABAB receptor blockade, although strictly associated transcription factors for postmitotic neurons, Tbr1, Prox1, and NeuroD2, displayed reduced expression levels, suggesting impairment by GABAB receptor antagonization at this stage of neurogenesis. Antagonization of GABAB receptors decreased the expression of neurotrophins (BDNF, NT-3, and NGF). In contrast to the GABAB receptor blockade, the GABAA receptor antagonization revealed no significant changes in cell counts, but an increased transcriptional expression of Tbr1 and Tbr2. We conclude that GABAergic signaling via the metabotropic GABAB receptor is crucial for hippocampal neurogenesis at the time of rapid brain growth and of the postnatal GABA shift. Differentiation and proliferation of intermediate progenitor cells are dependent on GABA. These insights become more pertinent in preterm infants whose developing brains are prematurely exposed to spostnatal stress and predisposed to poor neurodevelopmental disorders, possibly as sequelae of early disruption in GABAergic signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Gustorff
- Department of Neonatology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Till Scheuer
- Department of Neonatology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas Schmitz
- Department of Neonatology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christoph Bührer
- Department of Neonatology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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7
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Tutukova S, Tarabykin V, Hernandez-Miranda LR. The Role of Neurod Genes in Brain Development, Function, and Disease. Front Mol Neurosci 2021; 14:662774. [PMID: 34177462 PMCID: PMC8221396 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.662774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcriptional regulation is essential for the correct functioning of cells during development and in postnatal life. The basic Helix-loop-Helix (bHLH) superfamily of transcription factors is well conserved throughout evolution and plays critical roles in tissue development and tissue maintenance. A subgroup of this family, called neural lineage bHLH factors, is critical in the development and function of the central nervous system. In this review, we will focus on the function of one subgroup of neural lineage bHLH factors, the Neurod family. The Neurod family has four members: Neurod1, Neurod2, Neurod4, and Neurod6. Available evidence shows that these four factors are key during the development of the cerebral cortex but also in other regions of the central nervous system, such as the cerebellum, the brainstem, and the spinal cord. We will also discuss recent reports that link the dysfunction of these transcription factors to neurological disorders in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svetlana Tutukova
- Institute of Neuroscience, Lobachevsky University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia.,Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute for Cell- and Neurobiology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Victor Tarabykin
- Institute of Neuroscience, Lobachevsky University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia.,Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute for Cell- and Neurobiology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Luis R Hernandez-Miranda
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute for Cell- and Neurobiology, Berlin, Germany
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8
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Osseward PJ, Amin ND, Moore JD, Temple BA, Barriga BK, Bachmann LC, Beltran F, Gullo M, Clark RC, Driscoll SP, Pfaff SL, Hayashi M. Conserved genetic signatures parcellate cardinal spinal neuron classes into local and projection subsets. Science 2021; 372:385-393. [PMID: 33888637 DOI: 10.1126/science.abe0690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Motor and sensory functions of the spinal cord are mediated by populations of cardinal neurons arising from separate progenitor lineages. However, each cardinal class is composed of multiple neuronal types with distinct molecular, anatomical, and physiological features, and there is not a unifying logic that systematically accounts for this diversity. We reasoned that the expansion of new neuronal types occurred in a stepwise manner analogous to animal speciation, and we explored this by defining transcriptomic relationships using a top-down approach. We uncovered orderly genetic tiers that sequentially divide groups of neurons by their motor-sensory, local-long range, and excitatory-inhibitory features. The genetic signatures defining neuronal projections were tied to neuronal birth date and conserved across cardinal classes. Thus, the intersection of cardinal class with projection markers provides a unifying taxonomic solution for systematically identifying distinct functional subsets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter J Osseward
- Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.,Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Neal D Amin
- Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Jeffrey D Moore
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Benjamin A Temple
- Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.,Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Bianca K Barriga
- Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.,Biological Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Lukas C Bachmann
- Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Fernando Beltran
- Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Miriam Gullo
- Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Robert C Clark
- Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Shawn P Driscoll
- Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Samuel L Pfaff
- Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
| | - Marito Hayashi
- Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
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9
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Tuvikene J, Esvald EE, Rähni A, Uustalu K, Zhuravskaya A, Avarlaid A, Makeyev EV, Timmusk T. Intronic enhancer region governs transcript-specific Bdnf expression in rodent neurons. eLife 2021; 10:65161. [PMID: 33560226 PMCID: PMC7891933 DOI: 10.7554/elife.65161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) controls the survival, growth, and function of neurons both during the development and in the adult nervous system. Bdnf is transcribed from several distinct promoters generating transcripts with alternative 5' exons. Bdnf transcripts initiated at the first cluster of exons have been associated with the regulation of body weight and various aspects of social behavior, but the mechanisms driving the expression of these transcripts have remained poorly understood. Here, we identify an evolutionarily conserved intronic enhancer region inside the Bdnf gene that regulates both basal and stimulus-dependent expression of the Bdnf transcripts starting from the first cluster of 5' exons in mouse and rat neurons. We further uncover a functional E-box element in the enhancer region, linking the expression of Bdnf and various pro-neural basic helix–loop–helix transcription factors. Collectively, our results shed new light on the cell-type- and stimulus-specific regulation of the important neurotrophic factor BDNF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jürgen Tuvikene
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia.,Protobios LLC, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Eli-Eelika Esvald
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia.,Protobios LLC, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Annika Rähni
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Kaie Uustalu
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Anna Zhuravskaya
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Annela Avarlaid
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Eugene V Makeyev
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Tõnis Timmusk
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia.,Protobios LLC, Tallinn, Estonia
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10
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Safari MS, Obexer D, Baier-Bitterlich G, Zur Nedden S. PKN1 Is a Novel Regulator of Hippocampal GluA1 Levels. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2021; 13:640495. [PMID: 33613259 PMCID: PMC7892898 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2021.640495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Alterations in the processes that control α-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR) expression, assembly and trafficking are closely linked to psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. We have recently shown that the serine/threonine kinase Protein kinase N1 (PKN1) is a developmentally active regulator of cerebellar synaptic maturation by inhibiting AKT and the neurogenic transcription factor neurogenic differentiation factor-2 (NeuroD2). NeuroD2 is involved in glutamatergic synaptic maturation by regulating expression levels of various synaptic proteins. Here we aimed to study the effect of Pkn1 knockout on AKT phosphorylation and NeuroD2 levels in the hippocampus and the subsequent expression levels of the NeuroD2 targets and AMPAR subunits: glutamate receptor 1 (GluA1) and GluA2/3. We show that PKN1 is expressed throughout the hippocampus. Interestingly, not only postnatal but also adult hippocampal phospho-AKT and NeuroD2 levels were significantly elevated upon Pkn1 knockout. Postnatal and adult Pkn1 -/- hippocampi showed enhanced expression of the AMPAR subunit GluA1, particularly in area CA1. Surprisingly, GluA2/3 levels were not different between both genotypes. In addition to higher protein levels, we also found an enhanced GluA1 content in the membrane fraction of postnatal and adult Pkn1 -/- animals, while GluA2/3 levels remained unchanged. This points toward a very specific regulation of GluA1 expression and/or trafficking by the novel PKN1-AKT-NeuroD2 axis. Considering the important role of GluA1 in hippocampal development as well as the pathophysiology of several disorders, ranging from Alzheimer's, to depression and schizophrenia, our results validate PKN1 for future studies into neurological disorders related to altered AMPAR subunit expression in the hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Motahareh Solina Safari
- CCB-Biocenter, Institute of Neurobiochemistry, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Dido Obexer
- CCB-Biocenter, Institute of Neurobiochemistry, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | | | - Stephanie Zur Nedden
- CCB-Biocenter, Institute of Neurobiochemistry, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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11
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Mis EK, Sega AG, Signer RH, Cartwright T, Ji W, Martinez-Agosto JA, Nelson SF, Palmer CGS, Lee H, Mitzelfelt T, Konstantino M, Jeffries L, Khokha MK, Marco E, Martin MG, Lakhani SA. Expansion of NEUROD2 phenotypes to include developmental delay without seizures. Am J Med Genet A 2021; 185:1076-1080. [PMID: 33438828 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.62064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Revised: 11/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
De novo heterozygous variants in the brain-specific transcription factor Neuronal Differentiation Factor 2 (NEUROD2) have been recently associated with early-onset epileptic encephalopathy and developmental delay. Here, we report an adolescent with developmental delay without seizures who was found to have a novel de novo heterozygous NEUROD2 missense variant, p.(Leu163Pro). Functional testing using an in vivo assay of neuronal differentiation in Xenopus laevis tadpoles demonstrated that the patient variant of NEUROD2 displays minimal protein activity, strongly suggesting a loss of function effect. In contrast, a second rare NEUROD2 variant, p.(Ala235Thr), identified in an adolescent with developmental delay but lacking parental studies for inheritance, showed normal in vivo NEUROD2 activity. We thus provide clinical, genetic, and functional evidence that NEUROD2 variants can lead to developmental delay without accompanying early-onset seizures, and demonstrate how functional testing can complement genetic data when determining variant pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily K Mis
- Pediatric Genomics Discovery Program, Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Annalisa G Sega
- Pediatric Genomics Discovery Program, Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Rebecca H Signer
- Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | | | - Weizhen Ji
- Pediatric Genomics Discovery Program, Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Julian A Martinez-Agosto
- Deparment of Pediatrics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Department of Human Genetics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Stanley F Nelson
- Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Deparment of Pediatrics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Department of Human Genetics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Christina G S Palmer
- Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Department of Human Genetics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Institute for Society and Genetics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Hane Lee
- Department of Human Genetics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Thomas Mitzelfelt
- Pediatric Genomics Discovery Program, Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Monica Konstantino
- Pediatric Genomics Discovery Program, Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | | | - Lauren Jeffries
- Pediatric Genomics Discovery Program, Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Mustafa K Khokha
- Pediatric Genomics Discovery Program, Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.,Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Elysa Marco
- Cortica, San Rafael, California, USA.,Pediatric Brain Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Martin G Martin
- Deparment of Pediatrics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Saquib A Lakhani
- Pediatric Genomics Discovery Program, Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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12
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Disruption of NEUROD2 causes a neurodevelopmental syndrome with autistic features via cell-autonomous defects in forebrain glutamatergic neurons. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:6125-6148. [PMID: 34188164 PMCID: PMC8760061 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01179-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
While the transcription factor NEUROD2 has recently been associated with epilepsy, its precise role during nervous system development remains unclear. Using a multi-scale approach, we set out to understand how Neurod2 deletion affects the development of the cerebral cortex in mice. In Neurod2 KO embryos, cortical projection neurons over-migrated, thereby altering the final size and position of layers. In juvenile and adults, spine density and turnover were dysregulated in apical but not basal compartments in layer 5 neurons. Patch-clamp recordings in layer 5 neurons of juvenile mice revealed increased intrinsic excitability. Bulk RNA sequencing showed dysregulated expression of many genes associated with neuronal excitability and synaptic function, whose human orthologs were strongly associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). At the behavior level, Neurod2 KO mice displayed social interaction deficits, stereotypies, hyperactivity, and occasionally spontaneous seizures. Mice heterozygous for Neurod2 had similar defects, indicating that Neurod2 is haploinsufficient. Finally, specific deletion of Neurod2 in forebrain excitatory neurons recapitulated cellular and behavioral phenotypes found in constitutive KO mice, revealing the region-specific contribution of dysfunctional Neurod2 in symptoms. Informed by these neurobehavioral features in mouse mutants, we identified eleven patients from eight families with a neurodevelopmental disorder including intellectual disability and ASD associated with NEUROD2 pathogenic mutations. Our findings demonstrate crucial roles for Neurod2 in neocortical development, whose alterations can cause neurodevelopmental disorders including intellectual disability and ASD.
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13
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Pang Y, Shi M. Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Improves Mild Cognitive Impairment Associated with Alzheimer's Disease in Mice by Modulating the miR-567/NEUROD2/PSD95 Axis. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2021; 17:2151-2161. [PMID: 34239303 PMCID: PMC8259939 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s311183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a typical symptom of early Alzheimer's disease (AD) and is driven by the dysfunction of microRNAs (miRs). Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive technique for handling neuropsychiatric disorders and has universally effects on the functions of miRs. In the current study, the improvement effects of rTMS on MCI associated with AD were explored by focusing on miR-567/NEUROD2/PSD95 axis. METHODS MCI was induced in mice using scopolamine and was treated with rTMS of two frequencies (1 Hz and 10 Hz). The changes in cognitive function, brain structure, neurotrophic factor levels, and activity of miR-567/NEUROD2/PSD95 axis were assessed. The interaction between rTMS and miR-567 was further verified by inducing the level of miR-567 in AD mice. RESULTS The administrations of rTMS improved the cognitive function of AD mice and attenuated brain tissue destruction, which were associated with the restored production of BDNF and NGF. Additionally, rTMS administrations suppressed the expression of miR-567 and up-regulated the expressions of NEUROD2 and PSD95, which contributed to the improved condition in central nerve system. With the induced level of miR-567, the effects of rTMS were counteracted: the learning and memorizing abilities of mice were impaired, the brain neuron viability was suppressed, and the production of neurotrophic factors was suppressed even under the administration of rTMS. The changes in brain function and tissues were associated with the inhibited expressions of NEUROD2 and PSD95. CONCLUSION The findings outlined in the current study demonstrated that rTMS treatment could protect brain against AD-induced MCI without significant side effects, and the function depended on the inhibition of miR-567.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongfeng Pang
- Department of Rehabilitation, Tiantai People's Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Zhengjiang, 317200, People's Republic of China
| | - Mingfei Shi
- Department of Rehabilitation, Tiantai People's Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Zhengjiang, 317200, People's Republic of China
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14
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Chen F, Moran JT, Zhang Y, Ates KM, Yu D, Schrader LA, Das PM, Jones FE, Hall BJ. The transcription factor NeuroD2 coordinates synaptic innervation and cell intrinsic properties to control excitability of cortical pyramidal neurons. J Physiol 2017; 594:3729-44. [PMID: 27146976 DOI: 10.1113/jp271953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2016] [Accepted: 04/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
KEY POINTS Synaptic excitation and inhibition must be properly balanced in individual neurons and neuronal networks to allow proper brain function. Disrupting this balance may lead to autism spectral disorders and epilepsy. We show the basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor NeuroD2 promotes inhibitory synaptic drive but also decreases cell-intrinsic neuronal excitability of cortical pyramidal neurons both in vitro and in vivo. We identify two genes potentially downstream of NeuroD2-mediated transcription that regulate these parameters: gastrin-releasing peptide and the small conductance, calcium-activated potassium channel, SK2. Our results reveal an important function for NeuroD2 in balancing synaptic neurotransmission and intrinsic excitability. Our results offer insight into how synaptic innervation and intrinsic excitability are coordinated during cortical development. ABSTRACT Synaptic excitation and inhibition must be properly balanced in individual neurons and neuronal networks for proper brain function. Disruption of this balance during development may lead to autism spectral disorders and epilepsy. Synaptic excitation is counterbalanced by synaptic inhibition but also by attenuation of cell-intrinsic neuronal excitability. To maintain proper excitation levels during development, neurons must sense activity over time and regulate the expression of genes that control these parameters. While this is a critical process, little is known about the transcription factors involved in coordinating gene expression to control excitatory/inhibitory synaptic balance. We show here that the basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor NeuroD2 promotes inhibitory synaptic drive but also decreases cell-intrinsic neuronal excitability of cortical pyramidal neurons both in vitro and in vivo as shown by ex vivo analysis of a NeuroD2 knockout mouse. Using microarray analysis and comparing wild-type and NeuroD2 knockout cortical networks, we identified two potential gene targets of NeuroD2 that contribute to these processes: gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) and the small conductance, calcium-activated potassium channel, SK2. We found that the GRP receptor antagonist RC-3059 and the SK2 specific blocker apamin partially reversed the effects of increased NeuroD2 expression on inhibitory synaptic drive and action potential repolarization, respectively. Our results reveal an important function for NeuroD2 in balancing synaptic neurotransmission and intrinsic excitability and offer insight into how these processes are coordinated during cortical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fading Chen
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Science and Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA
| | - Jacqueline T Moran
- The Neuroscience Program, School of Science and Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA
| | - Yihui Zhang
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Science and Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA
| | - Kristin M Ates
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Science and Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA.,The Neuroscience Program, School of Science and Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA
| | - Diankun Yu
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Science and Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA
| | - Laura A Schrader
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Science and Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA.,The Neuroscience Program, School of Science and Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA
| | - Partha M Das
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Science and Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA
| | - Frank E Jones
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Science and Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA
| | - Benjamin J Hall
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Science and Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA.,The Neuroscience Program, School of Science and Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA.,Neuroscience, Ophthalmology and Rare Diseases, F. Hoffmann-La Roche, Basel Innovation Centre, Basel, 4070, Switzerland
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15
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Hennig KM, Fass DM, Zhao WN, Sheridan SD, Fu T, Erdin S, Stortchevoi A, Lucente D, Cody JD, Sweetser D, Gusella JF, Talkowski ME, Haggarty SJ. WNT/β-Catenin Pathway and Epigenetic Mechanisms Regulate the Pitt-Hopkins Syndrome and Schizophrenia Risk Gene TCF4. MOLECULAR NEUROPSYCHIATRY 2017; 3:53-71. [PMID: 28879201 DOI: 10.1159/000475666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2017] [Accepted: 04/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Genetic variation within the transcription factor TCF4 locus can cause the intellectual disability and developmental disorder Pitt-Hopkins syndrome (PTHS), whereas single-nucleotide polymorphisms within noncoding regions are associated with schizophrenia. These genetic findings position TCF4 as a link between transcription and cognition; however, the neurobiology of TCF4 remains poorly understood. Here, we quantitated multiple distinct TCF4 transcript levels in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural progenitors and differentiated neurons, and PTHS patient fibroblasts. We identify two classes of pharmacological treatments that regulate TCF4 expression: WNT pathway activation and inhibition of class I histone deacetylases. In PTHS fibroblasts, both of these perturbations upregulate a subset of TCF4 transcripts. Finally, using chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing in conjunction with genome-wide transcriptome analysis, we identified TCF4 target genes that may mediate the effect of TCF4 loss on neuroplasticity. Our studies identify new pharmacological assays, tools, and targets for the development of therapeutics for cognitive disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krista M Hennig
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Daniel M Fass
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Wen-Ning Zhao
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Steven D Sheridan
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ting Fu
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Serkan Erdin
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Alexei Stortchevoi
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Diane Lucente
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jannine D Cody
- Chromosome 18 Clinical Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Health Sciences Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA.,The Chromosome 18 Registry and Research Society, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - David Sweetser
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Divisions of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - James F Gusella
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Michael E Talkowski
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Stephen J Haggarty
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.,Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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16
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Chen F, Hall BJ. Synaptic activity suppresses expression of neurogenic differentiation factor 2 in an NMDA receptor-dependent manner. Synapse 2017; 71. [PMID: 28524267 DOI: 10.1002/syn.21986] [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: 02/08/2017] [Revised: 05/03/2017] [Accepted: 05/14/2017] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Neurogenic differentiation factor 2 (NeuroD2) is a highly expressed transcription factor in the developing central nervous system. In newborn neurons, NeuroD2-mediated gene expression promotes differentiation, maturation, and survival. In addition to these early, cell-intrinsic developmental processes, NeuroD2 in postmitotic neurons also regulates synapse growth and ion channel expression to control excitability. While NeuroD2 transactivation can be induced in an activity-dependent manner, little is known about how expression of NeuroD2 itself is regulated. Using genome-wide, mRNA-based microarray analysis, we found that NeuroD2 is actually one of hundreds of genes whose mRNA levels are suppressed by synaptic activity, in a manner dependent upon N-methyl d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) activation. We confirmed this observation both in vitro and in vivo and provide evidence that this happens at the level of transcription and not mRNA stability. Our experiments further indicate that suppression of NeuroD2 message by NMDARs likely involves both CaMKII and MAPK but not voltage-gated calcium channels, in contrast to its mechanism of transactivation. We predict from these data that NMDARs may transduce information about the level of synaptic activity a developing neuron receives, to down-regulate NeuroD2 and allow proper maturation of cortical circuits by suppressing expression of neurite and synaptic growth promoting gene products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fading Chen
- The Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Tulane University, School of Science and Engineering, New Orleans, Louisiana 70118
| | - Benjamin J Hall
- The Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Tulane University, School of Science and Engineering, New Orleans, Louisiana 70118.,The Neuroscience Program, Tulane University, School of Science and Engineering, New Orleans, Louisiana 70118.,Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development, Neuroscience, Ophthalmology and Rare Diseases, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070, Basel, Switzerland
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17
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NEUROD2 Regulates Stim1 Expression and Store-Operated Calcium Entry in Cortical Neurons. eNeuro 2017; 4:eN-NWR-0255-16. [PMID: 28303257 PMCID: PMC5343279 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0255-16.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2016] [Revised: 01/18/2017] [Accepted: 01/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Calcium signaling controls many key processes in neurons, including gene expression, axon guidance, and synaptic plasticity. In contrast to calcium influx through voltage- or neurotransmitter-gated channels, regulatory pathways that control store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) in neurons are poorly understood. Here, we report a transcriptional control of Stim1 (stromal interaction molecule 1) gene, which is a major sensor of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) calcium levels and a regulator of SOCE. By using a genome-wide chromatin immunoprecipitation and sequencing approach in mice, we find that NEUROD2, a neurogenic transcription factor, binds to an intronic element within the Stim1 gene. We show that NEUROD2 limits Stim1 expression in cortical neurons and consequently fine-tunes the SOCE response upon depletion of ER calcium. Our findings reveal a novel mechanism that regulates neuronal calcium homeostasis during cortical development.
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18
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Scharkowski F, Frotscher M, Lutz D, Korte M, Michaelsen-Preusse K. Altered Connectivity and Synapse Maturation of the Hippocampal Mossy Fiber Pathway in a Mouse Model of the Fragile X Syndrome. Cereb Cortex 2017; 28:852-867. [DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhw408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2016] [Accepted: 12/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- F Scharkowski
- Division of Cellular Neurobiology, Zoological Institute, TU Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Michael Frotscher
- ZMNH, Institute for Structural Neurobiology, D-20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - David Lutz
- ZMNH, Institute for Structural Neurobiology, D-20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Martin Korte
- Division of Cellular Neurobiology, Zoological Institute, TU Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
- Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, AG NIND, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
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19
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Lipp HP, Bonfanti L. Adult Neurogenesis in Mammals: Variations and Confusions. BRAIN, BEHAVIOR AND EVOLUTION 2016; 87:205-221. [DOI: 10.1159/000446905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Mammalian adult neurogenesis has remained enigmatic. Two lines of research have emerged. One focuses on a potential repair mechanism in the human brain. The other aims at elucidating its functional role in the hippocampal formation, chiefly in cognitive processes; however, thus far it has been unsuccessful. Here, we try to recognize the sources of errors and conceptual confusion in comparative studies and neurobehavioral approaches with a focus on mice. Evolutionarily, mammalian adult neurogenesis appears as protracted juvenile neurogenesis originating from precursor cells in the secondary proliferation zones, from where newly formed cells migrate to target regions in the forebrain. This late developmental process is downregulated differentially in various brain structures depending on species and age. Adult neurogenesis declines substantially during early adulthood and persists at low levels into senescence. Short-lasting episodes in proliferation or reduction of adult neurogenesis may reflect a multitude of factors, and have been studied chiefly in mice and rats. Comparative studies face both species-specific variations in staining and technical abilities of laboratories, lacking quantification of important reference measures (e.g. granule cell number) and evaluation of maturational markers whose persistence might be functionally more relevant than proliferation rates. Likewise, the confusion about the functional role of variations in adult hippocampal neurogenesis has many causes. Prominent is an inferential statistical approach, usually with low statistical power. Interpretation is complicated by multiple theories about hippocampal function, often unrealistically extrapolating from humans to rodents. We believe that the field of mammalian adult neurogenesis needs more critical thinking, more sophisticated hypotheses, better statistical, technical and behavioral approaches, and a broader conceptual perspective incorporating comparative aspects rather than neglecting them.
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20
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Park KA, Ribic A, Laage Gaupp FM, Coman D, Huang Y, Dulla CG, Hyder F, Biederer T. Excitatory Synaptic Drive and Feedforward Inhibition in the Hippocampal CA3 Circuit Are Regulated by SynCAM 1. J Neurosci 2016; 36:7464-75. [PMID: 27413156 PMCID: PMC4945666 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0189-16.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2016] [Revised: 06/01/2016] [Accepted: 06/02/2016] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Select adhesion proteins control the development of synapses and modulate their structural and functional properties. Despite these important roles, the extent to which different synapse-organizing mechanisms act across brain regions to establish connectivity and regulate network properties is incompletely understood. Further, their functional roles in different neuronal populations remain to be defined. Here, we applied diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), a modality of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), to map connectivity changes in knock-out (KO) mice lacking the synaptogenic cell adhesion protein SynCAM 1. This identified reduced fractional anisotropy in the hippocampal CA3 area in absence of SynCAM 1. In agreement, mossy fiber refinement in CA3 was impaired in SynCAM 1 KO mice. Mossy fibers make excitatory inputs onto postsynaptic specializations of CA3 pyramidal neurons termed thorny excrescences and these structures were smaller in the absence of SynCAM 1. However, the most prevalent targets of mossy fibers are GABAergic interneurons and SynCAM 1 loss unexpectedly reduced the number of excitatory terminals onto parvalbumin (PV)-positive interneurons in CA3. SynCAM 1 KO mice additionally exhibited lower postsynaptic GluA1 expression in these PV-positive interneurons. These synaptic imbalances in SynCAM 1 KO mice resulted in CA3 disinhibition, in agreement with reduced feedforward inhibition in this network in the absence of SynCAM 1-dependent excitatory drive onto interneurons. In turn, mice lacking SynCAM 1 were impaired in memory tasks involving CA3. Our results support that SynCAM 1 modulates excitatory mossy fiber inputs onto both interneurons and principal neurons in the hippocampal CA3 area to balance network excitability. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT This study advances our understanding of synapse-organizing mechanisms on two levels. First, the data support that synaptogenic proteins guide connectivity and can function in distinct brain regions even if they are expressed broadly. Second, the results demonstrate that a synaptogenic process that controls excitatory inputs to both pyramidal neurons and interneurons can balance excitation and inhibition. Specifically, the study reveals that hippocampal CA3 connectivity is modulated by the synapse-organizing adhesion protein SynCAM 1 and identifies a novel, SynCAM 1-dependent mechanism that controls excitatory inputs onto parvalbumin-positive interneurons. This enables SynCAM 1 to regulate feedforward inhibition and set network excitability. Further, we show that diffusion tensor imaging is sensitive to these cellular refinements affecting neuronal connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kellie A Park
- Department of Anesthesiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520
| | - Adema Ribic
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02111
| | - Fabian M Laage Gaupp
- Institute of Clinical Neuroimmunology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, 80539 Munich, Germany
| | - Daniel Coman
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, and
| | - Yuegao Huang
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, and
| | - Chris G Dulla
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02111
| | - Fahmeed Hyder
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, and Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, School of Engineering and Applied Science, New Haven, Connecticut 06520
| | - Thomas Biederer
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02111,
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21
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Bagot RC, Cates HM, Purushothaman I, Lorsch ZS, Walker DM, Wang J, Huang X, Schlüter OM, Maze I, Peña CJ, Heller EA, Issler O, Wang M, Song WM, Stein JL, Liu X, Doyle MA, Scobie KN, Sun HS, Neve RL, Geschwind D, Dong Y, Shen L, Zhang B, Nestler EJ. Circuit-wide Transcriptional Profiling Reveals Brain Region-Specific Gene Networks Regulating Depression Susceptibility. Neuron 2016; 90:969-83. [PMID: 27181059 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2016.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 224] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2015] [Revised: 03/16/2016] [Accepted: 04/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Depression is a complex, heterogeneous disorder and a leading contributor to the global burden of disease. Most previous research has focused on individual brain regions and genes contributing to depression. However, emerging evidence in humans and animal models suggests that dysregulated circuit function and gene expression across multiple brain regions drive depressive phenotypes. Here, we performed RNA sequencing on four brain regions from control animals and those susceptible or resilient to chronic social defeat stress at multiple time points. We employed an integrative network biology approach to identify transcriptional networks and key driver genes that regulate susceptibility to depressive-like symptoms. Further, we validated in vivo several key drivers and their associated transcriptional networks that regulate depression susceptibility and confirmed their functional significance at the levels of gene transcription, synaptic regulation, and behavior. Our study reveals novel transcriptional networks that control stress susceptibility and offers fundamentally new leads for antidepressant drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosemary C Bagot
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Hannah M Cates
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Immanuel Purushothaman
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Zachary S Lorsch
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Deena M Walker
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Junshi Wang
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Xiaojie Huang
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Oliver M Schlüter
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Ian Maze
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Catherine J Peña
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Heller
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; Department of Pharmacology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Orna Issler
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Minghui Wang
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Won-Min Song
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Jason L Stein
- Department of Genetics and Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Xiaochuan Liu
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Marie A Doyle
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Kimberly N Scobie
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Hao Sheng Sun
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Rachael L Neve
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Daniel Geschwind
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Yan Dong
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Li Shen
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA.
| | - Bin Zhang
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA.
| | - Eric J Nestler
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA.
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Posttranslational Modifications Regulate the Postsynaptic Localization of PSD-95. Mol Neurobiol 2016; 54:1759-1776. [PMID: 26884267 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-016-9745-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2015] [Accepted: 01/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The postsynaptic density (PSD) consists of a lattice-like array of interacting proteins that organizes and stabilizes synaptic receptors, ion channels, structural proteins, and signaling molecules required for normal synaptic transmission and synaptic function. The scaffolding and hub protein postsynaptic density protein-95 (PSD-95) is a major element of central chemical synapses and interacts with glutamate receptors, cell adhesion molecules, and cytoskeletal elements. In fact, PSD-95 can regulate basal synaptic stability as well as the activity-dependent structural plasticity of the PSD and, therefore, of the excitatory chemical synapse. Several studies have shown that PSD-95 is highly enriched at excitatory synapses and have identified multiple protein structural domains and protein-protein interactions that mediate PSD-95 function and trafficking to the postsynaptic region. PSD-95 is also a target of several signaling pathways that induce posttranslational modifications, including palmitoylation, phosphorylation, ubiquitination, nitrosylation, and neddylation; these modifications determine the synaptic stability and function of PSD-95 and thus regulate the fates of individual dendritic spines in the nervous system. In the present work, we review the posttranslational modifications that regulate the synaptic localization of PSD-95 and describe their functional consequences. We also explore the signaling pathways that induce such changes.
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Martin EA, Muralidhar S, Wang Z, Cervantes DC, Basu R, Taylor MR, Hunter J, Cutforth T, Wilke SA, Ghosh A, Williams ME. The intellectual disability gene Kirrel3 regulates target-specific mossy fiber synapse development in the hippocampus. eLife 2015; 4:e09395. [PMID: 26575286 PMCID: PMC4642954 DOI: 10.7554/elife.09395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2015] [Accepted: 10/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Synaptic target specificity, whereby neurons make distinct types of synapses with different target cells, is critical for brain function, yet the mechanisms driving it are poorly understood. In this study, we demonstrate Kirrel3 regulates target-specific synapse formation at hippocampal mossy fiber (MF) synapses, which connect dentate granule (DG) neurons to both CA3 and GABAergic neurons. Here, we show Kirrel3 is required for formation of MF filopodia; the structures that give rise to DG-GABA synapses and that regulate feed-forward inhibition of CA3 neurons. Consequently, loss of Kirrel3 robustly increases CA3 neuron activity in developing mice. Alterations in the Kirrel3 gene are repeatedly associated with intellectual disabilities, but the role of Kirrel3 at synapses remained largely unknown. Our findings demonstrate that subtle synaptic changes during development impact circuit function and provide the first insight toward understanding the cellular basis of Kirrel3-dependent neurodevelopmental disorders. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.09395.001 Nerve cells in the brain connect to each other via junctions called synapses to form vast networks that process information. Much like streets can be joined with stop signs, traffic lights, or exit ramps depending on the flow of traffic, different types of synapses control the flow of information along nerves in distinct ways. In a region of the brain called the hippocampus, nerve cells called DG neurons are connected to other neurons by two different types of synapses. One type of synapse allows the DG neurons to activate CA3 neurons, while the second type allows the DG neurons to activate GABAergic neurons. These same GABAergic neurons can then inhibit the activity of the CA3 neurons. Therefore, through these two different types of synapses, DG neurons can both increase and decrease the activity of the CA3 neurons. This delicate balance of activity across the two types of DG synapses is very important for the hippocampus to work properly, which is critical for our ability to learn and remember. Mutations in the gene that encodes a protein called Kirrel3 are associated with autism, Jacobsen's syndrome, and other disorders that affect intellectual ability in humans. Kirrel3 is similar to a protein found in roundworms that regulates the formation of synapses, but it is not known if it plays the same role in humans and other mammals. Now, Martin, Muralidhar et al. studied the role of Kirrel3 in mice. The experiments show that Kirrel3 is produced in both the DG neurons and the GABAergic neurons, but not the CA3 neurons. Young mutant mice that lacked Kirrel3 made fewer synapse-forming structures between DG neurons and GABAergic neurons than normal mice, but the synapses that connect DG neurons to CA3 neurons formed normally. This disrupted the balance of activity across the two types of DG synapses and the CA3 neurons in the mutant mice were over-active. Together, Martin, Muralidhar et al.'s findings show that altering the levels of Kirrel3 can alter the balance of synapses in the hippocampus. This may explain how even very small changes in synapse formation during brain development can have a big impact on nerve cell activity. The next challenge is to understand exactly how Kirrel3 helps build synapses, which may lead to the development of new drugs that help to rebalance brain activity in people that lack Kirrel3. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.09395.002
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Affiliation(s)
- E Anne Martin
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, United States
| | - Shruti Muralidhar
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, United States
| | - Zhirong Wang
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, United States
| | - Diégo Cordero Cervantes
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, United States
| | - Raunak Basu
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, United States
| | - Matthew R Taylor
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, United States
| | - Jennifer Hunter
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, United States
| | - Tyler Cutforth
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University, New York City, United States
| | - Scott A Wilke
- Neurobiology Section, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States
| | - Anirvan Ghosh
- Neuroscience Discovery, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Megan E Williams
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, United States
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24
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Bayam E, Sahin GS, Guzelsoy G, Guner G, Kabakcioglu A, Ince-Dunn G. Genome-wide target analysis of NEUROD2 provides new insights into regulation of cortical projection neuron migration and differentiation. BMC Genomics 2015; 16:681. [PMID: 26341353 PMCID: PMC4560887 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-015-1882-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2015] [Accepted: 08/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cellular differentiation programs are controlled, to a large extent, by the combinatorial functioning of specific transcription factors. Cortical projection neurons constitute the major excitatory neuron population within the cortex and mediate long distance communication between the cortex and other brain regions. Our understanding of effector transcription factors and their downstream transcriptional programs that direct the differentiation process of cortical projection neurons is far from complete. Results In this study, we carried out a ChIP-Seq (chromatin-immunoprecipitation and sequencing) analysis of NEUROD2, an effector transcription factor expressed in lineages of cortical projection neurons during the peak of cortical excitatory neurogenesis. Our results suggest that during cortical development NEUROD2 targets key genes that are required for Reelin signaling, a major pathway that regulates the migration of neurons from germinal zones to their final layers of residence within the cortex. We also find that NEUROD2 binds to a large set of genes with functions in layer-specific differentiation and in axonal pathfinding of cortical projection neurons. Conclusions Our analysis of in vivo NEUROD2 target genes offers mechanistic insight into signaling pathways that regulate neuronal migration and axon guidance and identifies genes that are likely to be required for proper cortical development. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-015-1882-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Efil Bayam
- Molecular Biology and Genetics Department, Koç University, Rumeli Feneri Yolu, Istanbul, 34450, Turkey.
| | - Gulcan Semra Sahin
- Molecular Biology and Genetics Department, Koç University, Rumeli Feneri Yolu, Istanbul, 34450, Turkey. .,Present Address: Neuroscience Department, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA.
| | - Gizem Guzelsoy
- Molecular Biology and Genetics Department, Koç University, Rumeli Feneri Yolu, Istanbul, 34450, Turkey.
| | - Gokhan Guner
- Molecular Biology and Genetics Department, Koç University, Rumeli Feneri Yolu, Istanbul, 34450, Turkey.
| | - Alkan Kabakcioglu
- Physics Department, Koç University, Rumeli Feneri Yolu, Istanbul, 34450, Turkey.
| | - Gulayse Ince-Dunn
- Molecular Biology and Genetics Department, Koç University, Rumeli Feneri Yolu, Istanbul, 34450, Turkey.
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25
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Mandal C, Park KS, Jung KH, Chai YG. Ethanol-related alterations in gene expression patterns in the developing murine hippocampus. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2015; 47:581-7. [PMID: 26063602 DOI: 10.1093/abbs/gmv050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2015] [Accepted: 04/21/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well known that consuming alcohol prior to and during pregnancy can cause harm to the developing fetus. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder is a term commonly used to describe a range of disabilities that may arise from prenatal alcohol exposure such as fetal alcohol syndrome, partial fetal alcohol syndrome, alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorders, and alcohol-related birth defects. Here, we report that maternal binge alcohol consumption alters several important genes that are involved in nervous system development in the mouse hippocampus at embryonic day 18. Microarray analysis revealed that Nova1, Ntng1, Gal, Neurog2, Neurod2, and Fezf2 gene expressions are altered in the fetal hippocampus. Pathway analysis also revealed the association of the calcium signaling pathway in addition to other pathways with the differentially expressed genes during early brain development. Alteration of such important genes and dynamics of the signaling pathways may cause neurodevelopmental disorders. Our findings offer insight into the molecular mechanism involved in neurodevelopmental disorders associated with alcohol-related defects.
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26
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Eberle AL, Selchow O, Thaler M, Zeidler D, Kirmse R. Mission (im)possible – mapping the brain becomes a reality. Microscopy (Oxf) 2014; 64:45-55. [DOI: 10.1093/jmicro/dfu104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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27
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Cai T, Groves AK. The Role of Atonal Factors in Mechanosensory Cell Specification and Function. Mol Neurobiol 2014; 52:1315-1329. [PMID: 25339580 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-014-8925-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2014] [Accepted: 10/07/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Atonal genes are basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors that were first identified as regulating the formation of mechanoreceptors and photoreceptors in Drosophila. Isolation of vertebrate homologs of atonal genes has shown these transcription factors to play diverse roles in the development of neurons and their progenitors, gut epithelial cells, and mechanosensory cells in the inner ear and skin. In this article, we review the molecular function and regulation of atonal genes and their targets, with particular emphasis on the function of Atoh1 in the development, survival, and function of hair cells of the inner ear. We discuss cell-extrinsic signals that induce Atoh1 expression and the transcriptional networks that regulate its expression during development. Finally, we discuss recent work showing how identification of Atoh1 target genes in the cerebellum, spinal cord, and gut can be used to propose candidate Atoh1 targets in tissues such as the inner ear where cell numbers and biochemical material are limiting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiantian Cai
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA
| | - Andrew K Groves
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA. .,Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA. .,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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28
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Nonaka M, Kim R, Sharry S, Matsushima A, Takemoto-Kimura S, Bito H. Towards a better understanding of cognitive behaviors regulated by gene expression downstream of activity-dependent transcription factors. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2014; 115:21-9. [PMID: 25173698 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2014.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2014] [Revised: 08/18/2014] [Accepted: 08/20/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
In the field of molecular and cellular neuroscience, it is not a trivial task to see the forest for the trees, where numerous, and seemingly independent, molecules often work in concert to control critical steps of synaptic plasticity and signalling. Here, we will first summarize our current knowledge on essential activity-dependent transcription factors (TFs) such as CREB, MEF2, Npas4 and SRF, then examine how various transcription cofactors (TcoFs) also contribute to defining the transcriptional outputs during learning and memory. This review finally attempts a provisory synthesis that sheds new light on some of the emerging principles of neuronal circuit dynamics driven by activity-regulated gene transcription to help better understand the intricate relationship between activity-dependent gene expression and cognitive behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mio Nonaka
- Department of Neurochemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan; Centre for Cognitive and Neural Systems, University of Edinburgh, 1 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, United Kingdom
| | - Ryang Kim
- Department of Neurochemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan; CREST-Japan Science and Technology Agency, Tokyo 102-0076, Japan
| | - Stuart Sharry
- Department of Neurochemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Ayano Matsushima
- Department of Neurochemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan; CREST-Japan Science and Technology Agency, Tokyo 102-0076, Japan
| | - Sayaka Takemoto-Kimura
- Department of Neurochemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Haruhiko Bito
- Department of Neurochemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan; CREST-Japan Science and Technology Agency, Tokyo 102-0076, Japan.
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29
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Quednow BB, Brzózka MM, Rossner MJ. Transcription factor 4 (TCF4) and schizophrenia: integrating the animal and the human perspective. Cell Mol Life Sci 2014; 71:2815-35. [PMID: 24413739 PMCID: PMC11113759 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-013-1553-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2013] [Revised: 12/04/2013] [Accepted: 12/30/2013] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a genetically complex disease considered to have a neurodevelopmental pathogenesis and defined by a broad spectrum of positive and negative symptoms as well as cognitive deficits. Recently, large genome-wide association studies have identified common alleles slightly increasing the risk for schizophrenia. Among the few schizophrenia-risk genes that have been consistently replicated is the basic Helix-Loop-Helix (bHLH) transcription factor 4 (TCF4). Haploinsufficiency of the TCF4 (formatting follows IUPAC nomenclature: TCF4 protein/protein function, Tcf4 rodent gene cDNA mRNA, TCF4 human gene cDNA mRNA) gene causes the Pitt-Hopkins syndrome-a neurodevelopmental disease characterized by severe mental retardation. Accordingly, Tcf4 null-mutant mice display developmental brain defects. TCF4-associated risk alleles are located in putative coding and non-coding regions of the gene. Hence, subtle changes at the level of gene expression might be relevant for the etiopathology of schizophrenia. Behavioural phenotypes obtained with a mouse model of slightly increased gene dosage and electrophysiological investigations with human risk-allele carriers revealed an overlapping spectrum of schizophrenia-relevant endophenotypes. Most prominently, early information processing and higher cognitive functions appear to be associated with TCF4 risk genotypes. Moreover, a recent human study unravelled gene × environment interactions between TCF4 risk alleles and smoking behaviour that were specifically associated with disrupted early information processing. Taken together, TCF4 is considered as an integrator ('hub') of several bHLH networks controlling critical steps of various developmental, and, possibly, plasticity-related transcriptional programs in the CNS and changes of TCF4 expression also appear to affect brain networks important for information processing. Consequently, these findings support the neurodevelopmental hypothesis of schizophrenia and provide a basis for identifying the underlying molecular mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boris B. Quednow
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Experimental and Clinical Pharmacopsychology, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Lenggstrasse 31, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland
- Zurich Center for Integrative Human Physiology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Magdalena M. Brzózka
- Department of Psychiatry, Molecular and Behavioral Neurobiology, Ludwig-Maximillians-University, Nussbaumstr. 7, 80336 Munich, Germany
| | - Moritz J. Rossner
- Department of Psychiatry, Molecular and Behavioral Neurobiology, Ludwig-Maximillians-University, Nussbaumstr. 7, 80336 Munich, Germany
- Research Group Gene Expression, Max-Planck-Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hermann-Rein-Str. 3, Goettingen, 37075 Germany
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30
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Transcriptional Regulation by FOXP1, FOXP2, and FOXP4 Dimerization. J Mol Neurosci 2014; 55:437-48. [DOI: 10.1007/s12031-014-0359-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2014] [Accepted: 06/19/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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31
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Henriquez B, Bustos FJ, Aguilar R, Becerra A, Simon F, Montecino M, van Zundert B. Ezh1 and Ezh2 differentially regulate PSD-95 gene transcription in developing hippocampal neurons. Mol Cell Neurosci 2013; 57:130-43. [PMID: 23932971 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2013.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2013] [Revised: 07/12/2013] [Accepted: 07/30/2013] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) mediates transcriptional silencing by catalyzing histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3), but its role in the maturation of postmitotic mammalian neurons remains largely unknown. We report that the PRC2 paralogs Ezh1 and Ezh2 are differentially expressed during hippocampal development. We show that depletion of Ezh2 leads to increased expression of PSD-95, a critical plasticity gene, and that reduced PSD-95 gene transcription is correlated with enrichment of Ezh2 at the PSD-95 gene promoter; however, the H3K27me3 epigenetic mark is not present at the PSD-95 gene promoter, likely due to the antagonizing effects of the H3S28P and H3K27Ac marks and the activity of the H3K27 demethylases JMJD3 and UTX. In contrast, increased PSD-95 gene transcription is accompanied by the presence of Ezh1 and elongation-engaged RNA Polymerase II complexes at the PSD-95 gene promoter, while knock-down of Ezh1 reduces PSD-95 transcription. These results indicate that Ezh1 and Ezh2 have antagonistic roles in regulating PSD-95 transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berta Henriquez
- Center for Biomedical Research, Universidad Andres Bello, Avenida Republica 239, Santiago, Chile; Faculty of Biological Sciences and Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Andres Bello, Avenida Republica 239, Santiago, Chile
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32
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Bormuth I, Yan K, Yonemasu T, Gummert M, Zhang M, Wichert S, Grishina O, Pieper A, Zhang W, Goebbels S, Tarabykin V, Nave KA, Schwab MH. Neuronal basic helix-loop-helix proteins Neurod2/6 regulate cortical commissure formation before midline interactions. J Neurosci 2013; 33:641-51. [PMID: 23303943 PMCID: PMC6704922 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0899-12.2013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2012] [Revised: 10/29/2012] [Accepted: 11/05/2012] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Establishment of long-range fiber tracts by neocortical projection neurons is fundamental for higher brain functions. The molecular control of axon tract formation, however, is still poorly understood. Here, we have identified basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors Neurod2 and Neurod6 as key regulators of fasciculation and targeted axogenesis in the mouse neocortex. In Neurod2/6 double-mutant mice, callosal axons lack expression of the cell adhesion molecule Contactin2, defasciculate in the subventricular zone, and fail to grow toward the midline without forming Probst bundles. Instead, mutant axons overexpress Robo1 and follow random trajectories into the ipsilateral cortex. In contrast to long-range axogenesis, generation and maintenance of pyramidal neurons and initial axon outgrowth are grossly normal, suggesting that these processes are under distinct transcriptional control. Our findings define a new stage in corpus callosum development and demonstrate that neocortical projection neurons require transcriptional specification by neuronal bHLH proteins to execute an intrinsic program of remote connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingo Bormuth
- Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Department of Neurogenetics, D-37075 Göttingen, Germany
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, D-10115 Berlin, Germany, and
| | - Kuo Yan
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, D-10115 Berlin, Germany, and
| | - Tomoko Yonemasu
- Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Department of Neurogenetics, D-37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Maike Gummert
- Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Department of Neurogenetics, D-37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Mingyue Zhang
- University of Münster, Department of Psychiatry, Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry, D-48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Sven Wichert
- Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Department of Neurogenetics, D-37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Olga Grishina
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, D-10115 Berlin, Germany, and
| | - Alexander Pieper
- Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Department of Neurogenetics, D-37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Weiqi Zhang
- University of Münster, Department of Psychiatry, Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry, D-48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Sandra Goebbels
- Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Department of Neurogenetics, D-37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Victor Tarabykin
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, D-10115 Berlin, Germany, and
| | - Klaus-Armin Nave
- Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Department of Neurogenetics, D-37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Markus H. Schwab
- Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Department of Neurogenetics, D-37075 Göttingen, Germany
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