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Nguyen DH, Duque V, Phillips N, Mecawi AS, Cunningham JT. Spatial transcriptomics reveal basal sex differences in supraoptic nucleus gene expression of adult rats related to cell signaling and ribosomal pathways. Biol Sex Differ 2023; 14:71. [PMID: 37858270 PMCID: PMC10585758 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-023-00554-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The supraoptic nucleus (SON) of the hypothalamus contains magnocellular neurosecretory cells that secrete the hormones vasopressin and oxytocin. Sex differences in SON gene expression have been relatively unexplored. Our study used spatially resolved transcriptomics to visualize gene expression profiles in the SON of adult male (n = 4) and female (n = 4) Sprague-Dawley rats using Visium Spatial Gene Expression (10x Genomics). METHODS Briefly, 10-μm coronal sections (~ 4 × 4 mm) containing the SON were collected from each rat and processed using Visium slides and recommended protocols. Data were analyzed using 10x Genomics' Space Ranger and Loupe Browser applications and other bioinformatic tools. Two unique differential expression (DE) analysis methods, Loupe Browser and DESeq2, were used. RESULTS Loupe Browser DE analysis of the SON identified 116 significant differentially expressed genes (DEGs) common to both sexes (e.g., Avp and Oxt), 31 significant DEGs unique to the males, and 73 significant DEGs unique to the females. DESeq2 analysis revealed 183 significant DEGs between the two groups. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment and pathway analyses using significant genes identified via Loupe Browser revealed GO terms and pathways related to (1) neurohypophyseal hormone activity, regulation of peptide hormone secretion, and regulation of ion transport for the significant genes common to both males and females, (2) Gi signaling/G-protein mediated events for the significant genes unique to males, and (3) potassium ion transport/voltage-gated potassium channels for the significant genes unique to females, as some examples. GO/pathway analyses using significant genes identified via DESeq2 comparing female vs. male groups revealed GO terms/pathways related to ribosomal structure/function. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) identified additional sex differences in canonical pathways (e.g., 'Mitochondrial Dysfunction', 'Oxidative Phosphorylation') and upstream regulators (e.g., CSF3, NFKB complex, TNF, GRIN3A). CONCLUSION There was little overlap in the IPA results for the two different DE methods. These results suggest sex differences in SON gene expression that are associated with cell signaling and ribosomal pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dianna H Nguyen
- Department of Physiology and Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, UNT Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA
- Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, UNT Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA
| | - Victor Duque
- Department of Biophysics, Laboratory of Molecular Neuroendocrinology, Paulista School of Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Nicole Phillips
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, School of Biomedical Sciences, UNT Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA
| | - André Souza Mecawi
- Department of Biophysics, Laboratory of Molecular Neuroendocrinology, Paulista School of Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - J Thomas Cunningham
- Department of Physiology and Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, UNT Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA.
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Elsamad G, Mecawi AS, Pauža AG, Gillard B, Paterson A, Duque VJ, Šarenac O, Žigon NJ, Greenwood M, Greenwood MP, Murphy D. Ageing restructures the transcriptome of the hypothalamic supraoptic nucleus and alters the response to dehydration. NPJ AGING 2023; 9:12. [PMID: 37264028 PMCID: PMC10234251 DOI: 10.1038/s41514-023-00108-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Ageing is associated with altered neuroendocrine function. In the context of the hypothalamic supraoptic nucleus, which makes the antidiuretic hormone vasopressin, ageing alters acute responses to hyperosmotic cues, rendering the elderly more susceptible to dehydration. Chronically, vasopressin has been associated with numerous diseases of old age, including type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Bulk RNAseq transcriptome analysis has been used to catalogue the polyadenylated supraoptic nucleus transcriptomes of adult (3 months) and aged (18 months) rats in basal euhydrated and stimulated dehydrated conditions. Gene ontology and Weighted Correlation Network Analysis revealed that ageing is associated with alterations in the expression of extracellular matrix genes. Interestingly, whilst the transcriptomic response to dehydration is overall blunted in aged animals compared to adults, there is a specific enrichment of differentially expressed genes related to neurodegenerative processes in the aged cohort, suggesting that dehydration itself may provoke degenerative consequences in aged rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghadir Elsamad
- Molecular Neuroendocrinology Research Group, Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences, Dorothy Hodgkin Building, University of Bristol, Bristol, England
| | - André Souza Mecawi
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroendocrinology, Department of Biophysics, Paulista School of Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Audrys G Pauža
- Molecular Neuroendocrinology Research Group, Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences, Dorothy Hodgkin Building, University of Bristol, Bristol, England
- Translational Cardio-Respiratory Research Group, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Benjamin Gillard
- Molecular Neuroendocrinology Research Group, Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences, Dorothy Hodgkin Building, University of Bristol, Bristol, England
| | - Alex Paterson
- Molecular Neuroendocrinology Research Group, Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences, Dorothy Hodgkin Building, University of Bristol, Bristol, England
- Insilico Consulting Ltd., Wapping Wharf, Bristol, England
| | - Victor J Duque
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroendocrinology, Department of Biophysics, Paulista School of Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Olivera Šarenac
- Institute of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
- Department of Safety Pharmacology, Abbvie, North Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Nina Japundžić Žigon
- Institute of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Mingkwan Greenwood
- Molecular Neuroendocrinology Research Group, Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences, Dorothy Hodgkin Building, University of Bristol, Bristol, England
| | - Michael P Greenwood
- Molecular Neuroendocrinology Research Group, Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences, Dorothy Hodgkin Building, University of Bristol, Bristol, England
| | - David Murphy
- Molecular Neuroendocrinology Research Group, Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences, Dorothy Hodgkin Building, University of Bristol, Bristol, England.
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Bárez-López S, Mecawi AS, Bryan N, Pauža AG, Duque VJ, Gillard BT, Murphy D, Greenwood MP. Translational and post-translational dynamics in a model peptidergic system. Mol Cell Proteomics 2023; 22:100544. [PMID: 37030596 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcpro.2023.100544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The cell bodies of hypothalamic magnocellular neurones are densely packed in the hypothalamic supraoptic nucleus whereas their axons project to the anatomically discrete posterior pituitary gland. We have taken advantage of this unique anatomical structure to establish proteome and phosphoproteome dynamics in neuronal cell bodies and axonal terminals in response to physiological stimulation. We have found that proteome and phosphoproteome responses to neuronal stimulation are very different between somatic and axonal neuronal compartments, indicating the need of each cell domain to differentially adapt. In particular, changes in the phosphoproteome in the cell body are involved in the reorganisation of the cytoskeleton and in axonal terminals the regulation of synaptic and secretory processes. We have identified that prohormone precursors including vasopressin and oxytocin are phosphorylated in axonal terminals and are hyperphosphorylated following stimulation. By multi-omic integration of transcriptome and proteomic data we identify changes to proteins present in afferent inputs to this nucleus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soledad Bárez-López
- Molecular Neuroendocrinology Research Group, Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Dorothy Hodgkin Building, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - André S Mecawi
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroendocrinology, Department of Biophysics, Paulista School of Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Natasha Bryan
- Molecular Neuroendocrinology Research Group, Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Dorothy Hodgkin Building, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Audrys G Pauža
- Molecular Neuroendocrinology Research Group, Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Dorothy Hodgkin Building, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Victor J Duque
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroendocrinology, Department of Biophysics, Paulista School of Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Benjamin T Gillard
- Molecular Neuroendocrinology Research Group, Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Dorothy Hodgkin Building, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - David Murphy
- Molecular Neuroendocrinology Research Group, Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Dorothy Hodgkin Building, Bristol, United Kingdom.
| | - Michael P Greenwood
- Molecular Neuroendocrinology Research Group, Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Dorothy Hodgkin Building, Bristol, United Kingdom.
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Thirouin ZS, Bourque CW. Mechanism and function of phasic firing in vasopressin-releasing magnocellular neurosecretory cells. J Neuroendocrinol 2021; 33:e13048. [PMID: 34672042 DOI: 10.1111/jne.13048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Magnocellular neurosecretory cells that release vasopressin (MNCVP ) from axon terminals in the neurohypophysis display a unique pattern of action potential firing termed phasic firing. Under basal conditions, only a small proportion of MNCVP display spontaneous phasic firing. However, acute and chronic conditions that stimulate vasopressin release, such as hemorrhage and dehydration, greatly enhance the number of MNCVP that fire phasically. Phasic firing optimizes VP neurosecretion at axon terminals by allowing action potential broadening to promote calcium-dependent frequency-facilitation, at the same time as preventing the secretory fatigue caused by spike inactivation that occurs during prolonged continuous stimulation. This review provides an update on our mechanistic understanding of these processes and highlights important gaps in our knowledge that must be addressed in future experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra S Thirouin
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Charles W Bourque
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
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5
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Pauža AG, Mecawi AS, Paterson A, Hindmarch CCT, Greenwood M, Murphy D, Greenwood MP. Osmoregulation of the transcriptome of the hypothalamic supraoptic nucleus: A resource for the community. J Neuroendocrinol 2021; 33:e13007. [PMID: 34297454 DOI: 10.1111/jne.13007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The hypothalamic supraoptic nucleus (SON) is a core osmoregulatory control centre that deciphers information about the metabolic state of the organism and orchestrates appropriate homeostatic (endocrine) and allostatic (behavioural) responses. We have used RNA sequencing to describe the polyadenylated transcriptome of the SON of the male Wistar Han rat. These data have been mined to generate comprehensive catalogues of functional classes of genes (enzymes, transcription factors, endogenous peptides, G protein coupled receptors, transporters, catalytic receptors, channels and other pharmacological targets) expressed in this nucleus in the euhydrated state, and that together form the basal substrate for its physiological interactions. We have gone on to show that fluid deprivation for 3 days (dehydration) results in changes in the expression levels of 2247 RNA transcripts, which have similarly been functionally catalogued, and further mined to describe enriched gene categories and putative regulatory networks (Regulons) that may have physiological importance in SON function related plasticity. We hope that the revelation of these genes, pathways and networks, most of which have no characterised roles in the SON, will encourage the neuroendocrine community to pursue new investigations into the new 'known-unknowns' reported in the present study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrys G Pauža
- Molecular Neuroendocrinology Research Group, Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - André Souza Mecawi
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Department of Biophysics, Paulista School of Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Alex Paterson
- Molecular Neuroendocrinology Research Group, Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Bristol Genomics Facility, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Charles C T Hindmarch
- Queen's Cardiopulmonary Unit (QCPU), Department of Medicine, Translational Institute of Medicine (TIME), Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Mingkwan Greenwood
- Molecular Neuroendocrinology Research Group, Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - David Murphy
- Molecular Neuroendocrinology Research Group, Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Michael P Greenwood
- Molecular Neuroendocrinology Research Group, Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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Leng G, Russell JA. The osmoresponsiveness of oxytocin and vasopressin neurones: Mechanisms, allostasis and evolution. J Neuroendocrinol 2019; 31:e12662. [PMID: 30451331 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2018] [Revised: 10/29/2018] [Accepted: 11/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
In the rat supraoptic nucleus, every oxytocin cell projects to the posterior pituitary, and is involved both in reflex milk ejection during lactation and in regulating uterine contractions during parturition. All are also osmosensitive, regulating natriuresis. All are also regulated by signals that control appetite, including the neural and hormonal signals that arise from the gut after food intake and from the sites of energy storage. All are also involved in sexual behaviour, anxiety-related behaviours and social behaviours. The challenge is to understand how a single population of neurones can coherently regulate such a diverse set of functions and adapt to changing physiological states. Their multiple functions arise from complex intrinsic properties that confer sensitivity to a wide range of internal and environmental signals. Many of these properties have a distant evolutionary origin in multifunctional, multisensory neurones of Urbilateria, the hypothesised common ancestor of vertebrates, insects and worms. Their properties allow different patterns of oxytocin release into the circulation from their axon terminals in the posterior pituitary into other brain areas from axonal projections, as well as independent release from their dendrites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gareth Leng
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - John A Russell
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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Yuan XS, Wei HH, Xu W, Wang L, Qu WM, Li RX, Huang ZL. Whole-Brain Monosynaptic Afferent Projections to the Cholecystokinin Neurons of the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus. Front Neurosci 2018; 12:807. [PMID: 30455627 PMCID: PMC6230653 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2018] [Accepted: 10/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is the principal pacemaker driving the circadian rhythms of physiological behaviors. The SCN consists of distinct neurons expressing neuropeptides, including arginine vasopressin (AVP), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP), cholecystokinin (CCK), and so on. AVP, VIP, and GRP neurons receive light stimulation from the retina to synchronize endogenous circadian clocks with the solar day, whereas CCK neurons are not directly innervated by retinal ganglion cells and may be involved in the non-photic regulation of the circadian clock. To better understand the function of CCK neurons in non-photic circadian rhythm, it is vital to clarify the direct afferent inputs to CCK neurons in the SCN. Here, we utilized a recently developed rabies virus- and Cre/loxP-based, cell type-specific, retrograde tracing system to map and quantitatively analyze the whole-brain monosynaptic inputs to SCN CCK neurons. We found that SCN CCK neurons received direct inputs from 29 brain nuclei. Among these nuclei, paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVH), paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT), supraoptic nucleus (SON), ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus, and seven other nuclei sent numerous inputs to CCK neurons. Moderate inputs originated from the zona incerta, periventricular hypothalamic nucleus, and five other nuclei. A few inputs to CCK neurons originated from the orbital frontal cortex, prelimbic cortex, cingulate cortex, claustrum, and seven other nuclei. In addition, SCN CCK neurons were preferentially innervated by AVP neurons of the ipsilateral PVH and SON rather than their contralateral counterpart, whereas the contralateral PVT sent more projections to CCK neurons than to its ipsilateral counterpart. Taken together, these results expand our knowledge of the specific innervation to mouse SCN CCK neurons and provide an important indication for further investigations on the function of CCK neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang-Shan Yuan
- Department of Pharmacology, Department of Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hao-Hua Wei
- Department of Pharmacology, Department of Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Xu
- Department of Pharmacology, Department of Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lu Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, Department of Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei-Min Qu
- Department of Pharmacology, Department of Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Rui-Xi Li
- Department of Pharmacology, Department of Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhi-Li Huang
- Department of Pharmacology, Department of Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Khan AM, Grant AH, Martinez A, Burns GAPC, Thatcher BS, Anekonda VT, Thompson BW, Roberts ZS, Moralejo DH, Blevins JE. Mapping Molecular Datasets Back to the Brain Regions They are Extracted from: Remembering the Native Countries of Hypothalamic Expatriates and Refugees. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2018; 21:101-193. [PMID: 30334222 PMCID: PMC6310046 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-94593-4_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
This article focuses on approaches to link transcriptomic, proteomic, and peptidomic datasets mined from brain tissue to the original locations within the brain that they are derived from using digital atlas mapping techniques. We use, as an example, the transcriptomic, proteomic and peptidomic analyses conducted in the mammalian hypothalamus. Following a brief historical overview, we highlight studies that have mined biochemical and molecular information from the hypothalamus and then lay out a strategy for how these data can be linked spatially to the mapped locations in a canonical brain atlas where the data come from, thereby allowing researchers to integrate these data with other datasets across multiple scales. A key methodology that enables atlas-based mapping of extracted datasets-laser-capture microdissection-is discussed in detail, with a view of how this technology is a bridge between systems biology and systems neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arshad M Khan
- UTEP Systems Neuroscience Laboratory, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA.
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA.
- Border Biomedical Research Center, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA.
| | - Alice H Grant
- UTEP Systems Neuroscience Laboratory, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
- Graduate Program in Pathobiology, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
| | - Anais Martinez
- UTEP Systems Neuroscience Laboratory, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
- Graduate Program in Pathobiology, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
| | - Gully A P C Burns
- Information Sciences Institute, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Marina del Rey, CA, USA
| | - Brendan S Thatcher
- VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Office of Research and Development Medical Research Service, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Vishwanath T Anekonda
- VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Office of Research and Development Medical Research Service, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Benjamin W Thompson
- VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Office of Research and Development Medical Research Service, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Zachary S Roberts
- VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Office of Research and Development Medical Research Service, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Daniel H Moralejo
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - James E Blevins
- VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Office of Research and Development Medical Research Service, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA
- Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
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Loh SY, Jahans-Price T, Greenwood MP, Greenwood M, Hoe SZ, Konopacka A, Campbell C, Murphy D, Hindmarch CCT. Unsupervised Network Analysis of the Plastic Supraoptic Nucleus Transcriptome Predicts Caprin2 Regulatory Interactions. eNeuro 2017; 4:ENEURO.0243-17.2017. [PMID: 29279858 PMCID: PMC5738864 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0243-17.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2017] [Revised: 09/11/2017] [Accepted: 09/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The supraoptic nucleus (SON) is a group of neurons in the hypothalamus responsible for the synthesis and secretion of the peptide hormones vasopressin and oxytocin. Following physiological cues, such as dehydration, salt-loading and lactation, the SON undergoes a function related plasticity that we have previously described in the rat at the transcriptome level. Using the unsupervised graphical lasso (Glasso) algorithm, we reconstructed a putative network from 500 plastic SON genes in which genes are the nodes and the edges are the inferred interactions. The most active nodal gene identified within the network was Caprin2. Caprin2 encodes an RNA-binding protein that we have previously shown to be vital for the functioning of osmoregulatory neuroendocrine neurons in the SON of the rat hypothalamus. To test the validity of the Glasso network, we either overexpressed or knocked down Caprin2 transcripts in differentiated rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells and showed that these manipulations had significant opposite effects on the levels of putative target mRNAs. These studies suggest that the predicative power of the Glasso algorithm within an in vivo system is accurate, and identifies biological targets that may be important to the functional plasticity of the SON.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su-Yi Loh
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
| | - Thomas Jahans-Price
- School of Clinical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS1 3NY, United Kingdom
| | - Michael P. Greenwood
- School of Clinical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS1 3NY, United Kingdom
| | - Mingkwan Greenwood
- School of Clinical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS1 3NY, United Kingdom
| | - See-Ziau Hoe
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
| | - Agnieszka Konopacka
- School of Clinical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS1 3NY, United Kingdom
| | - Colin Campbell
- Department of Engineering Mathematics, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1UB, United Kingdom
| | - David Murphy
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
- School of Clinical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS1 3NY, United Kingdom
| | - Charles C. T. Hindmarch
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
- Queen’s Cardiopulmonary Unit (QCPU), Translational Institute of Medicine (TIME), Department of Medicine, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, ON K7L 3N6 Canada
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Pruimboom L, Reheis D. Intermittent drinking, oxytocin and human health. Med Hypotheses 2016; 92:80-3. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2016.04.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2016] [Revised: 04/26/2016] [Accepted: 04/26/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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Augustine RA, Bouwer GT, Seymour AJ, Grattan DR, Brown CH. Reproductive Regulation of Gene Expression in the Hypothalamic Supraoptic and Paraventricular Nuclei. J Neuroendocrinol 2016; 28. [PMID: 26670189 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2015] [Revised: 12/08/2015] [Accepted: 12/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Oxytocin secretion is required for successful reproduction. Oxytocin is synthesised by magnocellular neurones of the hypothalamic supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei and the physiological demand for oxytocin synthesis and secretion is increased for birth and lactation. Therefore, we used a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) array screen to determine whether genes that might be important for synthesis and/or secretion of oxytocin are up- or down-regulated in the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei of late-pregnant and lactating rats, compared to virgin rats. We then validated the genes that were most highly regulated using real time-quantitative PCR. Among the most highly regulated genes were those that encode for suppressors of cytokine signalling, which are intracellular inhibitors of prolactin signalling. Prolactin receptor activation changes gene expression via phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5). Using double-label immunohistochemistry, we found that phosphorylated STAT5 was expressed in almost all oxytocin neurones of late-pregnant and lactating rats but was almost absent from oxytocin neurones of virgin rats. We conclude that increased prolactin activation of oxytocin neurones might contribute to the changes in gene expression by oxytocin neurones required for normal birth and lactation.
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Affiliation(s)
- R A Augustine
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology and Department of Physiology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - G T Bouwer
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology and Department of Physiology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - A J Seymour
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology and Department of Physiology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - D R Grattan
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology and Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - C H Brown
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology and Department of Physiology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
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Greenwood MP, Greenwood M, Paton JFR, Murphy D. Control of Polyamine Biosynthesis by Antizyme Inhibitor 1 Is Important for Transcriptional Regulation of Arginine Vasopressin in the Male Rat Hypothalamus. Endocrinology 2015; 156:2905-17. [PMID: 25961839 PMCID: PMC4511134 DOI: 10.1210/en.2015-1074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The polyamines spermidine and spermine are small cations present in all living cells. In the brain, these cations are particularly abundant in the neurons of the paraventricular (PVN) and supraoptic nuclei (SON) of the hypothalamus, which synthesize the neuropeptide hormones arginine vasopressin (AVP) and oxytocin. We recently reported increased mRNA expression of antizyme inhibitor 1 (Azin1), an important regulator of polyamine synthesis, in rat SON and PVN as a consequence of 3 days of dehydration. Here we show that AZIN1 protein is highly expressed in both AVP- and oxytocin-positive magnocellular neurons of the SON and PVN together with antizyme 1 (AZ1), ornithine decarboxylase, and polyamines. Azin1 mRNA expression increased in the SON and PVN as a consequence of dehydration, salt loading, and acute hypertonic stress. In organotypic hypothalamic cultures, addition of the irreversible ornithine decarboxylase inhibitor DL-2-(difluoromethyl)-ornithine hydrochloride significantly increased the abundance of heteronuclear AVP but not heteronuclear oxytocin. To identify the function of Azin1 in vivo, lentiviral vectors that either overexpress or knock down Azin1 were stereotaxically delivered into the SON and/or PVN. Azin1 short hairpin RNA delivery resulted in decreased plasma osmolality and had a significant effect on food intake. The expression of AVP mRNA was also significantly increased in the SON by Azin1 short hairpin RNA. In contrast, Azin1 overexpression in the SON decreased AVP mRNA expression. We have therefore identified AZIN1, and hence by inference, polyamines as novel regulators of the expression of the AVP gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael P Greenwood
- School of Clinical Sciences (M.P.G., M.G., D.M.), University of Bristol, Bristol BS1 3NY, United Kingdom; School of Physiology and Pharmacology (J.F.R.P.), University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, United Kingdom; and Department of Physiology (D.M.), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 50603
| | - Mingkwan Greenwood
- School of Clinical Sciences (M.P.G., M.G., D.M.), University of Bristol, Bristol BS1 3NY, United Kingdom; School of Physiology and Pharmacology (J.F.R.P.), University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, United Kingdom; and Department of Physiology (D.M.), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 50603
| | - Julian F R Paton
- School of Clinical Sciences (M.P.G., M.G., D.M.), University of Bristol, Bristol BS1 3NY, United Kingdom; School of Physiology and Pharmacology (J.F.R.P.), University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, United Kingdom; and Department of Physiology (D.M.), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 50603
| | - David Murphy
- School of Clinical Sciences (M.P.G., M.G., D.M.), University of Bristol, Bristol BS1 3NY, United Kingdom; School of Physiology and Pharmacology (J.F.R.P.), University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, United Kingdom; and Department of Physiology (D.M.), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 50603
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A RNA-Seq Analysis of the Rat Supraoptic Nucleus Transcriptome: Effects of Salt Loading on Gene Expression. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0124523. [PMID: 25897513 PMCID: PMC4405539 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0124523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2015] [Accepted: 03/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Magnocellular neurons (MCNs) in the hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system (HNS) are highly specialized to release large amounts of arginine vasopressin (Avp) or oxytocin (Oxt) into the blood stream and play critical roles in the regulation of body fluid homeostasis. The MCNs are osmosensory neurons and are excited by exposure to hypertonic solutions and inhibited by hypotonic solutions. The MCNs respond to systemic hypertonic and hypotonic stimulation with large changes in the expression of their Avp and Oxt genes, and microarray studies have shown that these osmotic perturbations also cause large changes in global gene expression in the HNS. In this paper, we examine gene expression in the rat supraoptic nucleus (SON) under normosmotic and chronic salt-loading SL) conditions by the first time using "new-generation", RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) methods. We reliably detect 9,709 genes as present in the SON by RNA-Seq, and 552 of these genes were changed in expression as a result of chronic SL. These genes reflect diverse functions, and 42 of these are involved in either transcriptional or translational processes. In addition, we compare the SON transcriptomes resolved by RNA-Seq methods with the SON transcriptomes determined by Affymetrix microarray methods in rats under the same osmotic conditions, and find that there are 6,466 genes present in the SON that are represented in both data sets, although 1,040 of the expressed genes were found only in the microarray data, and 2,762 of the expressed genes are selectively found in the RNA-Seq data and not the microarray data. These data provide the research community a comprehensive view of the transcriptome in the SON under normosmotic conditions and the changes in specific gene expression evoked by salt loading.
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14
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Greenwood MP, Mecawi AS, Hoe SZ, Mustafa MR, Johnson KR, Al-Mahmoud GA, Elias LLK, Paton JFR, Antunes-Rodrigues J, Gainer H, Murphy D, Hindmarch CCT. A comparison of physiological and transcriptome responses to water deprivation and salt loading in the rat supraoptic nucleus. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2015; 308:R559-68. [PMID: 25632023 DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00444.2014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2014] [Accepted: 01/21/2015] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Salt loading (SL) and water deprivation (WD) are experimental challenges that are often used to study the osmotic circuitry of the brain. Central to this circuit is the supraoptic nucleus (SON) of the hypothalamus, which is responsible for the biosynthesis of the hormones, arginine vasopressin (AVP) and oxytocin (OXT), and their transport to terminals that reside in the posterior lobe of the pituitary. On osmotic challenge evoked by a change in blood volume or osmolality, the SON undergoes a function-related plasticity that creates an environment that allows for an appropriate hormone response. Here, we have described the impact of SL and WD compared with euhydrated (EU) controls in terms of drinking and eating behavior, body weight, and recorded physiological data including circulating hormone data and plasma and urine osmolality. We have also used microarrays to profile the transcriptome of the SON following SL and remined data from the SON that describes the transcriptome response to WD. From a list of 2,783 commonly regulated transcripts, we selected 20 genes for validation by qPCR. All of the 9 genes that have already been described as expressed or regulated in the SON by osmotic stimuli were confirmed in our models. Of the 11 novel genes, 5 were successfully validated while 6 were false discoveries.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andre S Mecawi
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biology, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, Seropedica, Brazil
| | - See Ziau Hoe
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Rais Mustafa
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Kory R Johnson
- Clinical Center, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Ghada A Al-Mahmoud
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, Al Tarfa, Doha, Qatar
| | - Lucila L K Elias
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Julian F R Paton
- School of Physiology and Pharmacology, University Walk, Bristol, United Kingdom; and
| | - Jose Antunes-Rodrigues
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Harold Gainer
- Laboratory of Neurochemistry, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - David Murphy
- School of Clinical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom; Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Charles C T Hindmarch
- School of Clinical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom; Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia;
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15
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Hindmarch CCT, Franses P, Goodwin B, Murphy D. Whole transcriptome organisation in the dehydrated supraoptic nucleus. Braz J Med Biol Res 2013; 46:1000-1006. [PMID: 24345907 PMCID: PMC3935270 DOI: 10.1590/1414-431x20133328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2013] [Accepted: 09/11/2013] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The supraoptic nucleus (SON) is part of the central osmotic circuitry that synthesises the hormone vasopressin (Avp) and transports it to terminals in the posterior lobe of the pituitary. Following osmotic stress such as dehydration, this tissue undergoes morphological, electrical and transcriptional changes to facilitate the appropriate regulation and release of Avp into the circulation where it conserves water at the level of the kidney. Here, the organisation of the whole transcriptome following dehydration is modelled to fit Zipf's law, a natural power law that holds true for all natural languages, that states if the frequency of word usage is plotted against its rank, then the log linear regression of this is -1. We have applied this model to our previously published euhydrated and dehydrated SON data to observe this trend and how it changes following dehydration. In accordance with other studies, our whole transcriptome data fit well with this model in the euhydrated SON microarrays, but interestingly, fit better in the dehydrated arrays. This trend was observed in a subset of differentially regulated genes and also following network reconstruction using a third-party database that mines public data. We make use of language as a metaphor that helps us philosophise about the role of the whole transcriptome in providing a suitable environment for the delivery of Avp following a survival threat like dehydration.
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Affiliation(s)
- C C T Hindmarch
- University of Bristol, The Henry Wellcome Laboratories for Integrative Neuroscience and Endocrinology, Bristol, UK
| | | | | | - D Murphy
- University of Bristol, The Henry Wellcome Laboratories for Integrative Neuroscience and Endocrinology, Bristol, UK
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Yao ST, Gouraud SS, Qiu J, Cunningham JT, Paton JFR, Murphy D. Selective up-regulation of JunD transcript and protein expression in vasopressinergic supraoptic nucleus neurones in water-deprived rats. J Neuroendocrinol 2012; 24:1542-52. [PMID: 22827527 PMCID: PMC3499652 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2826.2012.02362.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2012] [Revised: 06/29/2012] [Accepted: 07/19/2012] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The magnocellular neurones (MCN) of the supraoptic nucleus (SON) undergo reversible changes during dehydration. We hypothesise that alterations in steady-state transcript levels might be partially responsible for this plasticity. In turn, regulation of transcript abundance might be mediated by transcription factors. We have previously used microarrays to identify changes in the expression of mRNAs encoding transcription factors in response to water deprivation. We observed down-regulation of 11 and up-regulation of 31 transcription factor transcripts, including members of the activator protein-1 gene family, namely c-fos, c-jun, fosl1 and junD. Because JunD expression and regulation within the SON has not been previously described, we have used in situ hybridisation and the quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction to confirm the array results, demonstrating a significant increase in JunD mRNA levels following 24 and 72 h of water deprivation. Western blot and immunohistochemistry revealed a significant increase in JunD protein expression following dehydration. Double-staining fluorescence immunohistochemistry with a neurone-specific marker (NeuN) demonstrated that JunD staining is predominantly neuronal. Additionally, JunD immunoreactivity is observed primarily in vasopressin-containing neurones with markedly less staining seen in oxytocin-containing MCNs. Furthermore, JunD is highly co-expressed with c-Fos in MCNs of the SON following dehydration. These results suggest that JunD plays a role in the regulation of gene expression within MCNs of the SON in association with other Fos and Jun family members.
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Affiliation(s)
- S T Yao
- Henry Wellcome Laboratories for Integrative Neuroscience and Endocrinology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
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Murphy D, Konopacka A, Hindmarch C, Paton JFR, Sweedler JV, Gillette MU, Ueta Y, Grinevich V, Lozic M, Japundzic-Zigon N. The hypothalamic-neurohypophyseal system: from genome to physiology. J Neuroendocrinol 2012; 24:539-53. [PMID: 22448850 PMCID: PMC3315060 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2826.2011.02241.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The elucidation of the genomes of a large number of mammalian species has produced a huge amount of data on which to base physiological studies. These endeavours have also produced surprises, not least of which has been the revelation that the number of protein coding genes needed to make a mammal is only 22 333 (give or take). However, this small number belies an unanticipated complexity that has only recently been revealed as a result of genomic studies. This complexity is evident at a number of levels: (i) cis-regulatory sequences; (ii) noncoding and antisense mRNAs, most of which have no known function; (iii) alternative splicing that results in the generation of multiple, subtly different mature mRNAs from the precursor transcript encoded by a single gene; and (iv) post-translational processing and modification. In this review, we examine the steps being taken to decipher genome complexity in the context of gene expression, regulation and function in the hypothalamic-neurohypophyseal system (HNS). Five unique stories explain: (i) the use of transcriptomics to identify genes involved in the response to physiological (dehydration) and pathological (hypertension) cues; (ii) the use of mass spectrometry for single-cell level identification of biological active peptides in the HNS, and to measure in vitro release; (iii) the use of transgenic lines that express fusion transgenes enabling (by cross-breeding) the generation of double transgenic lines that can be used to study vasopressin (AVP) and oxytocin (OXT) neurones in the HNS, as well as their neuroanatomy, electrophysiology and activation upon exposure to any given stimulus; (iv) the use of viral vectors to demonstrate that somato-dendritically released AVP plays an important role in cardiovascular homeostasis by binding to V1a receptors on local somata and dendrites; and (v) the use of virally-mediated optogenetics to dissect the role of OXT and AVP in the modulation of a wide variety of behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Murphy
- Henry Wellcome Laboratories for Integrative Neuroscience and Endocrinology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
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