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Yang Z. The Principle of Cortical Development and Evolution. Neurosci Bull 2024:10.1007/s12264-024-01259-2. [PMID: 39023844 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-024-01259-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Human's robust cognitive abilities, including creativity and language, are made possible, at least in large part, by evolutionary changes made to the cerebral cortex. This paper reviews the biology and evolution of mammalian cortical radial glial cells (primary neural stem cells) and introduces the concept that a genetically step wise process, based on a core molecular pathway already in use, is the evolutionary process that has molded cortical neurogenesis. The core mechanism, which has been identified in our recent studies, is the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)-bone morphogenic protein 7 (BMP7)-GLI3 repressor form (GLI3R)-sonic hedgehog (SHH) positive feedback loop. Additionally, I propose that the molecular basis for cortical evolutionary dwarfism, exemplified by the lissencephalic mouse which originated from a larger gyrencephalic ancestor, is an increase in SHH signaling in radial glia, that antagonizes ERK-BMP7 signaling. Finally, I propose that: (1) SHH signaling is not a key regulator of primate cortical expansion and folding; (2) human cortical radial glial cells do not generate neocortical interneurons; (3) human-specific genes may not be essential for most cortical expansion. I hope this review assists colleagues in the field, guiding research to address gaps in our understanding of cortical development and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Department of Neurology, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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2
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Mato-Blanco X, Kim SK, Jourdon A, Ma S, Tebbenkamp AT, Liu F, Duque A, Vaccarino FM, Sestan N, Colantuoni C, Rakic P, Santpere G, Micali N. Early Developmental Origins of Cortical Disorders Modeled in Human Neural Stem Cells. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.14.598925. [PMID: 38915580 PMCID: PMC11195173 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.14.598925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
The implications of the early phases of human telencephalic development, involving neural stem cells (NSCs), in the etiology of cortical disorders remain elusive. Here, we explored the expression dynamics of cortical and neuropsychiatric disorder-associated genes in datasets generated from human NSCs across telencephalic fate transitions in vitro and in vivo. We identified risk genes expressed in brain organizers and sequential gene regulatory networks across corticogenesis revealing disease-specific critical phases, when NSCs are more vulnerable to gene dysfunctions, and converging signaling across multiple diseases. Moreover, we simulated the impact of risk transcription factor (TF) depletions on different neural cell types spanning the developing human neocortex and observed a spatiotemporal-dependent effect for each perturbation. Finally, single-cell transcriptomics of newly generated autism-affected patient-derived NSCs in vitro revealed recurrent alterations of TFs orchestrating brain patterning and NSC lineage commitment. This work opens new perspectives to explore human brain dysfunctions at the early phases of development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xoel Mato-Blanco
- Hospital del Mar Research Institute, Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona (PRBB), 08003 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Suel-Kee Kim
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Alexandre Jourdon
- Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Shaojie Ma
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Institute of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | | | - Fuchen Liu
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Alvaro Duque
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Flora M. Vaccarino
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Nenad Sestan
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Departments of Psychiatry, Genetics and Comparative Medicine, Wu Tsai Institute, Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration and Repair, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Carlo Colantuoni
- Depts. of Neurology, Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Pasko Rakic
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Gabriel Santpere
- Hospital del Mar Research Institute, Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona (PRBB), 08003 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Nicola Micali
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
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3
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Dvoretskova E, Ho MC, Kittke V, Neuhaus F, Vitali I, Lam DD, Delgado I, Feng C, Torres M, Winkelmann J, Mayer C. Spatial enhancer activation influences inhibitory neuron identity during mouse embryonic development. Nat Neurosci 2024; 27:862-872. [PMID: 38528203 PMCID: PMC11088997 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-024-01611-9] [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: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
The mammalian telencephalon contains distinct GABAergic projection neuron and interneuron types, originating in the germinal zone of the embryonic basal ganglia. How genetic information in the germinal zone determines cell types is unclear. Here we use a combination of in vivo CRISPR perturbation, lineage tracing and ChIP-sequencing analyses and show that the transcription factor MEIS2 favors the development of projection neurons by binding enhancer regions in projection-neuron-specific genes during mouse embryonic development. MEIS2 requires the presence of the homeodomain transcription factor DLX5 to direct its functional activity toward the appropriate binding sites. In interneuron precursors, the transcription factor LHX6 represses the MEIS2-DLX5-dependent activation of projection-neuron-specific enhancers. Mutations of Meis2 result in decreased activation of regulatory enhancers, affecting GABAergic differentiation. We propose a differential binding model where the binding of transcription factors at cis-regulatory elements determines differential gene expression programs regulating cell fate specification in the mouse ganglionic eminence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Dvoretskova
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Martinsried, Germany
- Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Martinsried, Germany
| | - May C Ho
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Martinsried, Germany
- Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Volker Kittke
- Institute of Neurogenomics, Helmholtz Zentrum München GmbH, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuhererg, Germany
- TUM School of Medicine and Health, Institute of Human Genetics, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- DZPG (German Center for Mental Health), Munich, Germany
| | - Florian Neuhaus
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Martinsried, Germany
- Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Ilaria Vitali
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Martinsried, Germany
- Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Daniel D Lam
- Institute of Neurogenomics, Helmholtz Zentrum München GmbH, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuhererg, Germany
- TUM School of Medicine and Health, Institute of Human Genetics, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Irene Delgado
- Cardiovascular Development Program, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CIBERCV), Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Genética, Fisiología y Microbiología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Chao Feng
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Martinsried, Germany
- Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Miguel Torres
- Cardiovascular Development Program, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CIBERCV), Madrid, Spain
| | - Juliane Winkelmann
- Institute of Neurogenomics, Helmholtz Zentrum München GmbH, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuhererg, Germany
- TUM School of Medicine and Health, Institute of Human Genetics, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- DZPG (German Center for Mental Health), Munich, Germany
- Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany
| | - Christian Mayer
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Martinsried, Germany.
- Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Martinsried, Germany.
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4
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Qi Q, Jiang Y, Zhou X, Lü Y, Xiao R, Bai J, Lou H, Sun W, Lian Y, Hao N, Li M, Chang J. Whole-genome sequencing analysis in fetal structural anomalies: novel phenotype-genotype discoveries. ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY 2024; 63:664-671. [PMID: 37842862 DOI: 10.1002/uog.27517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The identification of structural variants and single-nucleotide variants is essential in finding molecular etiologies of monogenic genetic disorders. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) is becoming more widespread in genetic disease diagnosis. However, data on its clinical utility remain limited in prenatal practice. We aimed to expand our understanding of implementing WGS in the genetic diagnosis of fetal structural anomalies. METHODS We employed trio WGS with a minimum coverage of 40× on the MGI DNBSEQ-T7 platform in a cohort of 17 fetuses presenting with aberrations detected by ultrasound, but uninformative findings of standard chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) and exome sequencing (ES). RESULTS Causative genetic variants were identified in two families, with an increased diagnostic yield of 11.8% (2/17). Both were exon-level copy-number variants of small size (3.03 kb and 5.16 kb) and beyond the detection thresholds of CMA and ES. Moreover, to the best of our knowledge, we have described the first prenatal instance of the association of FGF8 with holoprosencephaly and facial deformities. CONCLUSIONS Our analysis demonstrates the clinical value of WGS in the diagnosis of the underlying etiology of fetuses with structural abnormalities, when routine genetic tests have failed to provide a diagnosis. Additionally, the novel variants and new fetal manifestations have expanded the mutational and phenotypic spectrums of BBS9 and FGF8. © 2023 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Q Qi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Y Jiang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - X Zhou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Y Lü
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - R Xiao
- National Engineering Laboratory for Key Technology of Birth Defect Control and Prevention, Screening and Diagnostic R&D Center, Zhejiang, China
| | - J Bai
- Becreative Lab Co. Ltd, Beijing, China
| | - H Lou
- Becreative Lab Co. Ltd, Beijing, China
| | - W Sun
- Biosan Biochemical Technologies Co. Ltd., Zhejiang, China
| | - Y Lian
- Biosan Biochemical Technologies Co. Ltd., Zhejiang, China
| | - N Hao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - M Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - J Chang
- Department of Medical Research Center, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
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5
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Miyoshi G, Ueta Y, Yagasaki Y, Kishi Y, Fishell G, Machold RP, Miyata M. Developmental trajectories of GABAergic cortical interneurons are sequentially modulated by dynamic FoxG1 expression levels. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2317783121. [PMID: 38588430 PMCID: PMC11032493 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2317783121] [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: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
GABAergic inhibitory interneurons, originating from the embryonic ventral forebrain territories, traverse a convoluted migratory path to reach the neocortex. These interneuron precursors undergo sequential phases of tangential and radial migration before settling into specific laminae during differentiation. Here, we show that the developmental trajectory of FoxG1 expression is dynamically controlled in these interneuron precursors at critical junctures of migration. By utilizing mouse genetic strategies, we elucidate the pivotal role of precise changes in FoxG1 expression levels during interneuron specification and migration. Our findings underscore the gene dosage-dependent function of FoxG1, aligning with clinical observations of FOXG1 haploinsufficiency and duplication in syndromic forms of autism spectrum disorders. In conclusion, our results reveal the finely tuned developmental clock governing cortical interneuron development, driven by temporal dynamics and the dose-dependent actions of FoxG1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Goichi Miyoshi
- Department of Developmental Genetics and Behavioral Neuroscience, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi city, Gunma371-8511, Japan
- Department of Neurophysiology, Tokyo Women’s Medical University, Shinjuku, Tokyo162-8666, Japan
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY10016
| | - Yoshifumi Ueta
- Department of Neurophysiology, Tokyo Women’s Medical University, Shinjuku, Tokyo162-8666, Japan
| | - Yuki Yagasaki
- Department of Neurophysiology, Tokyo Women’s Medical University, Shinjuku, Tokyo162-8666, Japan
| | - Yusuke Kishi
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo113-0032, Japan
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo113-0033, Japan
| | - Gord Fishell
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY10016
- Department of Neurobiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02115
- Stanley Center at the Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA02142
| | - Robert P. Machold
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY10016
| | - Mariko Miyata
- Department of Neurophysiology, Tokyo Women’s Medical University, Shinjuku, Tokyo162-8666, Japan
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6
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Sun M, Gao Y, Li Z, Yang L, Liu G, Xu Z, Guo R, You Y, Yang Z. ERK signaling expands mammalian cortical radial glial cells and extends the neurogenic period. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2314802121. [PMID: 38498715 PMCID: PMC10990156 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2314802121] [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: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The molecular basis for cortical expansion during evolution remains largely unknown. Here, we report that fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling promotes the self-renewal and expansion of cortical radial glial (RG) cells. Furthermore, FGF-ERK signaling induces bone morphogenic protein 7 (Bmp7) expression in cortical RG cells, which increases the length of the neurogenic period. We demonstrate that ERK signaling and Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) signaling mutually inhibit each other in cortical RG cells. We provide evidence that ERK signaling is elevated in cortical RG cells during development and evolution. We propose that the expansion of the mammalian cortex, notably in human, is driven by the ERK-BMP7-GLI3R signaling pathway in cortical RG cells, which participates in a positive feedback loop through antagonizing SHH signaling. We also propose that the relatively short cortical neurogenic period in mice is partly due to mouse cortical RG cells receiving higher SHH signaling that antagonizes ERK signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengge Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and Ministry of Education Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, and Department of Neurology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai200032, China
| | - Yanjing Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and Ministry of Education Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, and Department of Neurology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai200032, China
| | - Zhenmeiyu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and Ministry of Education Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, and Department of Neurology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai200032, China
| | - Lin Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and Ministry of Education Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, and Department of Neurology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai200032, China
| | - Guoping Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and Ministry of Education Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, and Department of Neurology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai200032, China
| | - Zhejun Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and Ministry of Education Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, and Department of Neurology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai200032, China
| | - Rongliang Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and Ministry of Education Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, and Department of Neurology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai200032, China
| | - Yan You
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and Ministry of Education Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, and Department of Neurology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai200032, China
| | - Zhengang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and Ministry of Education Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, and Department of Neurology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai200032, China
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Ito A, Miller C, Imamura F. Suppression of BMP signaling restores mitral cell development impaired by FGF signaling deficits in mouse olfactory bulb. Mol Cell Neurosci 2024; 128:103913. [PMID: 38056728 PMCID: PMC10939902 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2023.103913] [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: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) and bone morphogenic proteins (BMPs) play various important roles in the development of the central nervous system. However, the roles of FGF and BMP signaling in the development of the olfactory bulb (OB) are largely unknown. In this study, we first showed the expression of FGF receptors (FGFRs) and BMP receptors (BMPRs) in OB RGCs, radial glial cells (RGCs) in the developing OB, which generate the OB projection neurons, mitral and tufted cells. When the FGF signaling was inhibited by a dominant-negative form of FGFR1 (dnFGFR1), OB RGCs accelerated their state transition to mitral cell precursors without affecting their transcription cascade and fate. However, the mitral cell precursors could not radially migrate to form the mitral cell layer (MCL). In addition, FGF signaling inhibition reduced the expression of a BMP antagonist, Noggin, in the developing OB. When BMP signaling was suppressed by the ectopic expression of Noggin or a dominant-negative form of BMPR1a (dnBMPR1a) in the developing OB, the defect in MCL formation caused by the dnFGFR1 was rescued. However, the dnBMPR1a did not rescue the accelerated state transition of OB RGCs. These results demonstrate that FGF signaling is important for OB RGCs to maintain their self-renewal state and MCL formation. Moreover, the suppression of BMP signaling is required for mitral cells to form the MCL. This study sheds new light on the roles of FGFs and BMPs in OB development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayako Ito
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, 500 University Dr., Hershey, PA 17033, USA
| | - Claire Miller
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, 500 University Dr., Hershey, PA 17033, USA
| | - Fumiaki Imamura
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, 500 University Dr., Hershey, PA 17033, USA.
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8
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Gavrish M, Kustova A, Celis Suescún JC, Bessa P, Mitina N, Tarabykin V. Molecular mechanisms of corpus callosum development: a four-step journey. Front Neuroanat 2024; 17:1276325. [PMID: 38298831 PMCID: PMC10827913 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2023.1276325] [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: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The Corpus Callosum (CC) is a bundle of axons connecting the cerebral hemispheres. It is the most recent structure to have appeared during evolution of placental mammals. Its development is controlled by a very complex interplay of many molecules. In humans it contains almost 80% of all commissural axons in the brain. The formation of the CC can be divided into four main stages, each controlled by numerous intracellular and extracellular molecular factors. First, a newborn neuron has to specify an axon, leave proliferative compartments, the Ventricular Zone (VZ) and Subventricular Zone (SVZ), migrate through the Intermediate Zone (IZ), and then settle at the Cortical Plate (CP). During the second stage, callosal axons navigate toward the midline within a compact bundle. Next stage is the midline crossing into contralateral hemisphere. The last step is targeting a defined area and synapse formation. This review provides an insight into these four phases of callosal axons development, as well as a description of the main molecular players involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Gavrish
- Laboratory of Genetics of Brain Development, Research Institute of Neurosciences, Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Angelina Kustova
- Laboratory of Genetics of Brain Development, Research Institute of Neurosciences, Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Juan C. Celis Suescún
- Laboratory of Genetics of Brain Development, Research Institute of Neurosciences, Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Paraskevi Bessa
- Charité Hospital, Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Natalia Mitina
- Laboratory of Genetics of Brain Development, Research Institute of Neurosciences, Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Victor Tarabykin
- Charité Hospital, Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Berlin, Germany
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9
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Miyake A, Ohmori T, Murakawa Y. Fgf22 and Fgfr2b are required for neurogenesis and gliogenesis in the zebrafish forebrain. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2023; 681:212-217. [PMID: 37783119 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.09.070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
Fibroblast growth factors (Fgfs) play crucial roles in various developmental processes including brain development. We previously identified Fgf22 in zebrafish and found that fgf22 is involved in midbrain patterning during embryogenesis. Here, we investigated the role of Fgf22 in the formation of the zebrafish forebrain. We found that fgf22 was essential for determining the ventral properties of the telencephalon and diencephalon but not for cell proliferation. In addition, the knockdown of fgf22 inhibited the generation of glutamatergic neurons, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic interneurons and astrocytes. Recently, Fgf signaling has received much attention because of its importance in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis, in which oligodendrocytes and myelin are destroyed. However, the effects of each Fgf on oligodendrocytes remain largely unknown. Therefore, we also investigated the role of Fgf22 in oligodendrocyte development and explored whether there is a difference between Fgf22 and other Fgfs. Knockdown of fgf22 promoted the generation of oligodendrocytes. Conversely, overexpression of fgf22 inhibited the generation of oligodendrocytes. Furthermore, the forebrain phenotypes of fgfr2b knockdown zebrafish were remarkably similar to those of fgf22 knockdown zebrafish. This establishes the Fgf22-Fgfr2b axis as a key ligand‒receptor partnership in neurogenesis and gliogenesis in the forebrain. Our results indicate that Fgf22 has a unique function in suppressing oligodendrocyte differentiation through Fgfr2b without affecting cell proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayumi Miyake
- Department of Genetic Biochemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan; Department of Molecular Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wakayama Medical University, 25-1, Shichibancho, Wakayama, 640-8156, Japan.
| | - Takatoshi Ohmori
- Department of Genetic Biochemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan; Department of Molecular Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wakayama Medical University, 25-1, Shichibancho, Wakayama, 640-8156, Japan
| | - Yuka Murakawa
- Department of Genetic Biochemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan
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10
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Micali N, Ma S, Li M, Kim SK, Mato-Blanco X, Sindhu SK, Arellano JI, Gao T, Shibata M, Gobeske KT, Duque A, Santpere G, Sestan N, Rakic P. Molecular programs of regional specification and neural stem cell fate progression in macaque telencephalon. Science 2023; 382:eadf3786. [PMID: 37824652 PMCID: PMC10705812 DOI: 10.1126/science.adf3786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 07/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
During early telencephalic development, intricate processes of regional patterning and neural stem cell (NSC) fate specification take place. However, our understanding of these processes in primates, including both conserved and species-specific features, remains limited. Here, we profiled 761,529 single-cell transcriptomes from multiple regions of the prenatal macaque telencephalon. We deciphered the molecular programs of the early organizing centers and their cross-talk with NSCs, revealing primate-biased galanin-like peptide (GALP) signaling in the anteroventral telencephalon. Regional transcriptomic variations were observed along the frontotemporal axis during early stages of neocortical NSC progression and in neurons and astrocytes. Additionally, we found that genes associated with neuropsychiatric disorders and brain cancer risk might play critical roles in the early telencephalic organizers and during NSC progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Micali
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Shaojie Ma
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Mingfeng Li
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430030, Wuhan, China
| | - Suel-Kee Kim
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Xoel Mato-Blanco
- Hospital del Mar Research Institute, Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona (PRBB), 08003 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | | | - Jon I. Arellano
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Tianliuyun Gao
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Mikihito Shibata
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Kevin T. Gobeske
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Alvaro Duque
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Gabriel Santpere
- Hospital del Mar Research Institute, Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona (PRBB), 08003 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Nenad Sestan
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Departments of Psychiatry, Genetics and Comparative Medicine, Wu Tsai Institute, Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration and Repair, and Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Pasko Rakic
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
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11
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Liu W, Shrestha R, Lowe A, Zhang X, Spaeth L. Self-formation of concentric zones of telencephalic and ocular tissues and directional retinal ganglion cell axons. eLife 2023; 12:RP87306. [PMID: 37665325 PMCID: PMC10476969 DOI: 10.7554/elife.87306] [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] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The telencephalon and eye in mammals are originated from adjacent fields at the anterior neural plate. Morphogenesis of these fields generates telencephalon, optic-stalk, optic-disc, and neuroretina along a spatial axis. How these telencephalic and ocular tissues are specified coordinately to ensure directional retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axon growth is unclear. Here, we report self-formation of human telencephalon-eye organoids comprising concentric zones of telencephalic, optic-stalk, optic-disc, and neuroretinal tissues along the center-periphery axis. Initially-differentiated RGCs grew axons towards and then along a path defined by adjacent PAX2+ VSX2+ optic-disc cells. Single-cell RNA sequencing of these organoids not only confirmed telencephalic and ocular identities but also identified expression signatures of early optic-disc, optic-stalk, and RGCs. These signatures were similar to those in human fetal retinas. Optic-disc cells in these organoids differentially expressed FGF8 and FGF9; FGFR inhibitions drastically decreased early RGC differentiation and directional axon growth. Through the RGC-specific cell-surface marker CNTN2 identified here, electrophysiologically excitable RGCs were isolated under a native condition. Our findings provide insight into the coordinated specification of early telencephalic and ocular tissues in humans and establish resources for studying RGC-related diseases such as glaucoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Albert Einstein College of MedicineBronxUnited States
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of MedicineBronxUnited States
- The Ruth L. and David S. Gottesman Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Albert Einstein College of MedicineBronxUnited States
| | - Rupendra Shrestha
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Albert Einstein College of MedicineBronxUnited States
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of MedicineBronxUnited States
- The Ruth L. and David S. Gottesman Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Albert Einstein College of MedicineBronxUnited States
| | - Albert Lowe
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Albert Einstein College of MedicineBronxUnited States
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of MedicineBronxUnited States
| | - Xusheng Zhang
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of MedicineBronxUnited States
| | - Ludovic Spaeth
- Dominick P Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of MedicineBronxUnited States
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12
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Liu W, Shrestha R, Lowe A, Zhang X, Spaeth L. Self-formation of concentric zones of telencephalic and ocular tissues and directional retinal ganglion cell axons. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.22.533827. [PMID: 36993285 PMCID: PMC10055356 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.22.533827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The telencephalon and eye in mammals are originated from adjacent fields at the anterior neural plate. Morphogenesis of these fields generates telencephalon, optic-stalk, optic-disc, and neuroretina along a spatial axis. How these telencephalic and ocular tissues are specified coordinately to ensure directional retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axon growth is unclear. Here, we report the self-formation of human telencephalon-eye organoids comprising concentric zones of telencephalic, optic-stalk, optic-disc, and neuroretinal tissues along the center-periphery axis. Initially-differentiated RGCs grew axons towards and then along a path defined by adjacent PAX2+ optic-disc cells. Single-cell RNA sequencing of CONCEPT organoids not only confirmed telencephalic and ocular identities but also identified expression signatures of early optic-disc, optic-stalk, and RGCs. These signatures were similar to those in human fetal retinas. Optic-disc cells in CONCEPT organoids differentially expressed FGF8 and FGF9 ; FGFR inhibitions drastically decreased RGC differentiation and directional axon growth. Through the identified RGC-specific cell-surface marker CNTN2, electrophysiologically-excitable RGCs were isolated under a native condition. Our findings provide insight into the coordinated specification of early telencephalic and ocular tissues in humans and establish resources for studying RGC-related diseases such as glaucoma. Impact statement A human telencephalon-eye organoid model that exhibited axon growth and pathfinding from retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axons is reported; via cell surface marker CNTN2 identified using scRNA-seq, early RGCs were isolated under a native condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
- Department of Genetics
- The Ruth L. and David S. Gottesman Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine
| | - Rupendra Shrestha
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
- Department of Genetics
- The Ruth L. and David S. Gottesman Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine
| | - Albert Lowe
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
- Department of Genetics
| | | | - Ludovic Spaeth
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461
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13
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Bruet E, Amarante-Silva D, Gorojankina T, Creuzet S. The Emerging Roles of the Cephalic Neural Crest in Brain Development and Developmental Encephalopathies. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:9844. [PMID: 37372994 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24129844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The neural crest, a unique cell population originating from the primitive neural field, has a multi-systemic and structural contribution to vertebrate development. At the cephalic level, the neural crest generates most of the skeletal tissues encasing the developing forebrain and provides the prosencephalon with functional vasculature and meninges. Over the last decade, we have demonstrated that the cephalic neural crest (CNC) exerts an autonomous and prominent control on the development of the forebrain and sense organs. The present paper reviews the primary mechanisms by which CNC can orchestrate vertebrate encephalization. Demonstrating the role of the CNC as an exogenous source of patterning for the forebrain provides a novel conceptual framework with profound implications for understanding neurodevelopment. From a biomedical standpoint, these data suggest that the spectrum of neurocristopathies is broader than expected and that some neurological disorders may stem from CNC dysfunctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Bruet
- Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience, NeuroPSI, CNRS, Paris-Saclay University, Campus CEA Saclay, Bât 151, 151 Route de la Rotonde, 91400 Saclay, France
| | - Diego Amarante-Silva
- Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience, NeuroPSI, CNRS, Paris-Saclay University, Campus CEA Saclay, Bât 151, 151 Route de la Rotonde, 91400 Saclay, France
| | - Tatiana Gorojankina
- Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience, NeuroPSI, CNRS, Paris-Saclay University, Campus CEA Saclay, Bât 151, 151 Route de la Rotonde, 91400 Saclay, France
| | - Sophie Creuzet
- Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience, NeuroPSI, CNRS, Paris-Saclay University, Campus CEA Saclay, Bât 151, 151 Route de la Rotonde, 91400 Saclay, France
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14
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Ananth MR, Rajebhosale P, Kim R, Talmage DA, Role LW. Basal forebrain cholinergic signalling: development, connectivity and roles in cognition. Nat Rev Neurosci 2023; 24:233-251. [PMID: 36823458 PMCID: PMC10439770 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-023-00677-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Acetylcholine plays an essential role in fundamental aspects of cognition. Studies that have mapped the activity and functional connectivity of cholinergic neurons have shown that the axons of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons innervate the pallium with far more topographical and functional organization than was historically appreciated. Together with the results of studies using new probes that allow release of acetylcholine to be detected with high spatial and temporal resolution, these findings have implicated cholinergic networks in 'binding' diverse behaviours that contribute to cognition. Here, we review recent findings on the developmental origins, connectivity and function of cholinergic neurons, and explore the participation of cholinergic signalling in the encoding of cognition-related behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mala R Ananth
- Section on Circuits, Synapses, and Molecular Signalling, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Prithviraj Rajebhosale
- Section on Genetics of Neuronal Signalling, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ronald Kim
- Section on Genetics of Neuronal Signalling, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - David A Talmage
- Section on Genetics of Neuronal Signalling, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Lorna W Role
- Section on Circuits, Synapses, and Molecular Signalling, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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15
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Bandler RC, Mayer C. Deciphering inhibitory neuron development: The paths to diversity. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2023; 79:102691. [PMID: 36805715 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2023.102691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
Abstract
The regulation of fate decisions in progenitor cells lays the foundation for the generation of neuronal diversity and the formation of specialized circuits with remarkable processing capacity. Since the discovery more than 20 years ago that inhibitory (GABAergic) neurons originate from progenitors in the ventral part of the embryonic brain, numerous details about their development and function have been unveiled. GABAergic neurons are an extremely heterogeneous group, comprising many specialized subtypes of local interneurons and long-range projection neurons. Clearly distinguishable types emerge during postmitotic maturation, at a time when precursors migrate, morphologically mature, and establish synaptic connections. Yet, differentiation begins at an earlier stage within their progenitor domains, where a combination of birthdate and place of origin are key drivers. This review explains how new insights from single-cell sequencing inform our current understanding of how GABAergic neuron diversity emerges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel C Bandler
- Yale University, Department of Psychiatry, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Martinsried, 82152, Germany. https://twitter.com/Rachel_Bandler
| | - Christian Mayer
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Martinsried, 82152, Germany.
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16
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Diacou R, Nandigrami P, Fiser A, Liu W, Ashery-Padan R, Cvekl A. Cell fate decisions, transcription factors and signaling during early retinal development. Prog Retin Eye Res 2022; 91:101093. [PMID: 35817658 PMCID: PMC9669153 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2022.101093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The development of the vertebrate eyes is a complex process starting from anterior-posterior and dorso-ventral patterning of the anterior neural tube, resulting in the formation of the eye field. Symmetrical separation of the eye field at the anterior neural plate is followed by two symmetrical evaginations to generate a pair of optic vesicles. Next, reciprocal invagination of the optic vesicles with surface ectoderm-derived lens placodes generates double-layered optic cups. The inner and outer layers of the optic cups develop into the neural retina and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), respectively. In vitro produced retinal tissues, called retinal organoids, are formed from human pluripotent stem cells, mimicking major steps of retinal differentiation in vivo. This review article summarizes recent progress in our understanding of early eye development, focusing on the formation the eye field, optic vesicles, and early optic cups. Recent single-cell transcriptomic studies are integrated with classical in vivo genetic and functional studies to uncover a range of cellular mechanisms underlying early eye development. The functions of signal transduction pathways and lineage-specific DNA-binding transcription factors are dissected to explain cell-specific regulatory mechanisms underlying cell fate determination during early eye development. The functions of homeodomain (HD) transcription factors Otx2, Pax6, Lhx2, Six3 and Six6, which are required for early eye development, are discussed in detail. Comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms of early eye development provides insight into the molecular and cellular basis of developmental ocular anomalies, such as optic cup coloboma. Lastly, modeling human development and inherited retinal diseases using stem cell-derived retinal organoids generates opportunities to discover novel therapies for retinal diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raven Diacou
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA; Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Prithviraj Nandigrami
- Department of Systems and Computational Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA; Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Andras Fiser
- Department of Systems and Computational Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA; Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Wei Liu
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA; Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Ruth Ashery-Padan
- Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - Ales Cvekl
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA; Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA.
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17
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Medina-Cano D, Corrigan EK, Glenn RA, Islam MT, Lin Y, Kim J, Cho H, Vierbuchen T. Rapid and robust directed differentiation of mouse epiblast stem cells into definitive endoderm and forebrain organoids. Development 2022; 149:dev200561. [PMID: 35899604 PMCID: PMC10655922 DOI: 10.1242/dev.200561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Directed differentiation of pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) is a powerful model system for deconstructing embryonic development. Although mice are the most advanced mammalian model system for genetic studies of embryonic development, state-of-the-art protocols for directed differentiation of mouse PSCs into defined lineages require additional steps and generates target cell types with lower purity than analogous protocols for human PSCs, limiting their application as models for mechanistic studies of development. Here, we examine the potential of mouse epiblast stem cells cultured in media containing Wnt pathway inhibitors as a starting point for directed differentiation. As a proof of concept, we focused our efforts on two specific cell/tissue types that have proven difficult to generate efficiently and reproducibly from mouse embryonic stem cells: definitive endoderm and neural organoids. We present new protocols for rapid generation of nearly pure definitive endoderm and forebrain-patterned neural organoids that model the development of prethalamic and hippocampal neurons. These differentiation models present new possibilities for combining mouse genetic tools with in vitro differentiation to characterize molecular and cellular mechanisms of embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Medina-Cano
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Center for Stem Cell Biology, Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Emily K. Corrigan
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Center for Stem Cell Biology, Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Rachel A. Glenn
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Center for Stem Cell Biology, Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Cell and Developmental Biology Program, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Cornell University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Mohammed T. Islam
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Center for Stem Cell Biology, Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Yuan Lin
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Center for Stem Cell Biology, Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Juliet Kim
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Center for Stem Cell Biology, Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Hyunwoo Cho
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Center for Stem Cell Biology, Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Thomas Vierbuchen
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Center for Stem Cell Biology, Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY 10065, USA
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18
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Zbasnik N, Dolan K, Buczkowski SA, Green RM, Hallgrímsson B, Marcucio RS, Moon AM, Fish JL. Fgf8 dosage regulates jaw shape and symmetry through pharyngeal-cardiac tissue relationships. Dev Dyn 2022; 251:1711-1727. [PMID: 35618654 PMCID: PMC9529861 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Asymmetries in craniofacial anomalies are commonly observed. In the facial skeleton, the left side is more commonly and/or severely affected than the right. Such asymmetries complicate treatment options. Mechanisms underlying variation in disease severity between individuals as well as within individuals (asymmetries) are still relatively unknown. RESULTS Developmental reductions in fibroblast growth factor 8 (Fgf8) have a dosage dependent effect on jaw size, shape, and symmetry. Further, Fgf8 mutants have directionally asymmetric jaws with the left side being more affected than the right. Defects in lower jaw development begin with disruption to Meckel's cartilage, which is discontinuous. All skeletal elements associated with the proximal condensation are dysmorphic, exemplified by a malformed and misoriented malleus. At later stages, Fgf8 mutants exhibit syngnathia, which falls into two broad categories: bony fusion of the maxillary and mandibular alveolar ridges and zygomatico-mandibular fusion. All of these morphological defects exhibit both inter- and intra-specimen variation. CONCLUSIONS We hypothesize that these asymmetries are linked to heart development resulting in higher levels of Fgf8 on the right side of the face, which may buffer the right side to developmental perturbations. This mouse model may facilitate future investigations of mechanisms underlying human syngnathia and facial asymmetry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel Zbasnik
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of Massachusetts LowellLowellMassachusettsUSA
| | - Katie Dolan
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of Massachusetts LowellLowellMassachusettsUSA
| | - Stephanie A. Buczkowski
- Department of Molecular and Functional GenomicsGeisinger Medical CenterDanvillePennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Rebecca M. Green
- Center for Craniofacial and Dental Genetics and Department of Oral and Craniofacial SciencesUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Benedikt Hallgrímsson
- Department of Cell Biology and AnatomyAlberta Chidren's Hospital Research Institute, University of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
| | - Ralph S. Marcucio
- Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopaedic Trauma InstituteUniversity of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Anne M. Moon
- Department of Molecular and Functional GenomicsGeisinger Medical CenterDanvillePennsylvaniaUSA,Departments of Pediatrics and Human GeneticsUniversity of UtahSalt Lake CityUtahUSA
| | - Jennifer L. Fish
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of Massachusetts LowellLowellMassachusettsUSA
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19
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Yellapragada V, Eskici N, Wang Y, Madhusudan S, Vaaralahti K, Tuuri T, Raivio T. Time and dose-dependent effects of FGF8-FGFR1 signaling in GnRH neurons derived from human pluripotent stem cells. Dis Model Mech 2022; 15:276003. [PMID: 35833364 PMCID: PMC9403748 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.049436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Fibroblast growth factor 8 (FGF8), acting through the fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1), has an important role in the development of gonadotropin-releasing hormone-expressing neurons (GnRH neurons). We hypothesized that FGF8 regulates differentiation of human GnRH neurons in a time- and dose-dependent manner via FGFR1. To investigate this further, human pluripotent stem cells were differentiated during 10 days of dual-SMAD inhibition into neural progenitor cells, followed either by treatment with FGF8 at different concentrations (25 ng/ml, 50 ng/ml or 100 ng/ml) for 10 days or by treatment with 100 ng/ml FGF8 for different durations (2, 4, 6 or 10 days); cells were then matured through DAPT-induced inhibition of Notch signaling for 5 days into GnRH neurons. FGF8 induced expression of GNRH1 in a dose-dependent fashion and the duration of FGF8 exposure correlated positively with gene expression of GNRH1 (P<0.05, Rs=0.49). However, cells treated with 100 ng/ml FGF8 for 2 days induced the expression of genes, such as FOXG1, ETV5 and SPRY2, and continued FGF8 treatment induced the dynamic expression of several other genes. Moreover, during exposure to FGF8, FGFR1 localized to the cell surface and its specific inhibition with the FGFR1 inhibitor PD166866 reduced expression of GNRH1 (P<0.05). In neurons, FGFR1 also localized to the nucleus. Our results suggest that dose- and time-dependent FGF8 signaling via FGFR1 is indispensable for human GnRH neuron ontogeny. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper. Summary: This article demonstrates the essential role FGF8–FGFR1 signaling has in the development of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)-expressing neurons by using a human stem cell model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Venkatram Yellapragada
- Stem Cells and Metabolism Research Program (STEMM), Faculty of Medicine, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Medicum, Faculty of Medicine, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Nazli Eskici
- Stem Cells and Metabolism Research Program (STEMM), Faculty of Medicine, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Medicum, Faculty of Medicine, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Yafei Wang
- Stem Cells and Metabolism Research Program (STEMM), Faculty of Medicine, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Medicum, Faculty of Medicine, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Shrinidhi Madhusudan
- Stem Cells and Metabolism Research Program (STEMM), Faculty of Medicine, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Medicum, Faculty of Medicine, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Kirsi Vaaralahti
- Stem Cells and Metabolism Research Program (STEMM), Faculty of Medicine, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Medicum, Faculty of Medicine, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Timo Tuuri
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 00029 Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Taneli Raivio
- Stem Cells and Metabolism Research Program (STEMM), Faculty of Medicine, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Medicum, Faculty of Medicine, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,New Children's Hospital, Pediatric Research Center, 00029 Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
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20
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Dash S, Trainor PA. Nucleolin loss of function leads to aberrant Fibroblast Growth Factor signaling and craniofacial anomalies. Development 2022; 149:dev200349. [PMID: 35762670 PMCID: PMC9270975 DOI: 10.1242/dev.200349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) transcription and ribosome biogenesis are global processes required for growth and proliferation of all cells, yet perturbation of these processes in vertebrates leads to tissue-specific defects termed ribosomopathies. Mutations in rRNA transcription and processing proteins often lead to craniofacial anomalies; however, the cellular and molecular reasons for these defects are poorly understood. Therefore, we examined the function of the most abundant nucleolar phosphoprotein, Nucleolin (Ncl), in vertebrate development. ncl mutant (ncl-/-) zebrafish present with craniofacial anomalies such as mandibulofacial hypoplasia. We observed that ncl-/- mutants exhibited decreased rRNA synthesis and p53-dependent apoptosis, consistent with a role in ribosome biogenesis. However, we found that Nucleolin also performs functions not associated with ribosome biogenesis. We discovered that the half-life of fgf8a mRNA was reduced in ncl-/- mutants, which perturbed Fgf signaling, resulting in misregulated Sox9a-mediated chondrogenesis and Runx2-mediated osteogenesis. Consistent with this model, exogenous FGF8 treatment significantly rescued the cranioskeletal phenotype in ncl-/- zebrafish, suggesting that Nucleolin regulates osteochondroprogenitor differentiation. Our work has therefore uncovered tissue-specific functions for Nucleolin in rRNA transcription and post-transcriptional regulation of growth factor signaling during embryonic craniofacial development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soma Dash
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
| | - Paul A. Trainor
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
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21
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Brain Organization and Human Diseases. Cells 2022; 11:cells11101642. [PMID: 35626679 PMCID: PMC9139716 DOI: 10.3390/cells11101642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The cortex is a highly organized structure that develops from the caudal regions of the segmented neural tube. Its spatial organization sets the stage for future functional arealization. Here, we suggest using a developmental perspective to describe and understand the etiology of common cortical malformations and their manifestation in the human brain.
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22
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Barratt KS, Drover KA, Thomas ZM, Arkell RM. Patterning of the antero-ventral mammalian brain: Lessons from holoprosencephaly comparative biology in man and mouse. WIREs Mech Dis 2022; 14:e1552. [PMID: 35137563 DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.1552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Adult form and function are dependent upon the activity of specialized signaling centers that act early in development at the embryonic midline. These centers instruct the surrounding cells to adopt a positional fate and to form the patterned structures of the phylotypic embryo. Abnormalities in these processes have devastating consequences for the individual, as exemplified by holoprosencephaly in which anterior midline development fails, leading to structural defects of the brain and/or face. In the 25 years since the first association between human holoprosencephaly and the sonic hedgehog gene, a combination of human and animal genetic studies have enhanced our understanding of the genetic and embryonic causation of this congenital defect. Comparative biology has extended the holoprosencephaly network via the inclusion of gene mutations from multiple signaling pathways known to be required for anterior midline formation. It has also clarified aspects of holoprosencephaly causation, showing that it arises when a deleterious variant is present within a permissive genome, and that environmental factors, as well as embryonic stochasticity, influence the phenotypic outcome of the variant. More than two decades of research can now be distilled into a framework of embryonic and genetic causation. This framework means we are poised to move beyond our current understanding of variants in signaling pathway molecules. The challenges now at the forefront of holoprosencephaly research include deciphering how the mutation of genes involved in basic cell processes can also cause holoprosencephaly, determining the important constituents of the holoprosencephaly permissive genome, and identifying environmental compounds that promote holoprosencephaly. This article is categorized under: Congenital Diseases > Stem Cells and Development Congenital Diseases > Genetics/Genomics/Epigenetics Congenital Diseases > Molecular and Cellular Physiology Congenital Diseases > Environmental Factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen S Barratt
- John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Kyle A Drover
- John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Zoe M Thomas
- John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Ruth M Arkell
- John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
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23
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Tocco C, Bertacchi M, Studer M. Structural and Functional Aspects of the Neurodevelopmental Gene NR2F1: From Animal Models to Human Pathology. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 14:767965. [PMID: 34975398 PMCID: PMC8715095 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.767965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The assembly and maturation of the mammalian brain result from an intricate cascade of highly coordinated developmental events, such as cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation. Any impairment of this delicate multi-factorial process can lead to complex neurodevelopmental diseases, sharing common pathogenic mechanisms and molecular pathways resulting in multiple clinical signs. A recently described monogenic neurodevelopmental syndrome named Bosch-Boonstra-Schaaf Optic Atrophy Syndrome (BBSOAS) is caused by NR2F1 haploinsufficiency. The NR2F1 gene, coding for a transcriptional regulator belonging to the steroid/thyroid hormone receptor superfamily, is known to play key roles in several brain developmental processes, from proliferation and differentiation of neural progenitors to migration and identity acquisition of neocortical neurons. In a clinical context, the disruption of these cellular processes could underlie the pathogenesis of several symptoms affecting BBSOAS patients, such as intellectual disability, visual impairment, epilepsy, and autistic traits. In this review, we will introduce NR2F1 protein structure, molecular functioning, and expression profile in the developing mouse brain. Then, we will focus on Nr2f1 several functions during cortical development, from neocortical area and cell-type specification to maturation of network activity, hippocampal development governing learning behaviors, assembly of the visual system, and finally establishment of cortico-spinal descending tracts regulating motor execution. Whenever possible, we will link experimental findings in animal or cellular models to corresponding features of the human pathology. Finally, we will highlight some of the unresolved questions on the diverse functions played by Nr2f1 during brain development, in order to propose future research directions. All in all, we believe that understanding BBSOAS mechanisms will contribute to further unveiling pathophysiological mechanisms shared by several neurodevelopmental disorders and eventually lead to effective treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Tocco
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Inserm, iBV, Nice, France
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24
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Compagnucci C, Martinus K, Griffin J, Depew MJ. Programmed Cell Death Not as Sledgehammer but as Chisel: Apoptosis in Normal and Abnormal Craniofacial Patterning and Development. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:717404. [PMID: 34692678 PMCID: PMC8531503 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.717404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Coordination of craniofacial development involves an complex, intricate, genetically controlled and tightly regulated spatiotemporal series of reciprocal inductive and responsive interactions among the embryonic cephalic epithelia (both endodermal and ectodermal) and the cephalic mesenchyme — particularly the cranial neural crest (CNC). The coordinated regulation of these interactions is critical both ontogenetically and evolutionarily, and the clinical importance and mechanistic sensitivity to perturbation of this developmental system is reflected by the fact that one-third of all human congenital malformations affect the head and face. Here, we focus on one element of this elaborate process, apoptotic cell death, and its role in normal and abnormal craniofacial development. We highlight four themes in the temporospatial elaboration of craniofacial apoptosis during development, namely its occurrence at (1) positions of epithelial-epithelial apposition, (2) within intra-epithelial morphogenesis, (3) during epithelial compartmentalization, and (4) with CNC metameric organization. Using the genetic perturbation of Satb2, Pbx1/2, Fgf8, and Foxg1 as exemplars, we examine the role of apoptosis in the elaboration of jaw modules, the evolution and elaboration of the lambdoidal junction, the developmental integration at the mandibular arch hinge, and the control of upper jaw identity, patterning and development. Lastly, we posit that apoptosis uniquely acts during craniofacial development to control patterning cues emanating from core organizing centres.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Compagnucci
- Institute for Cell and Neurobiology, Center for Anatomy, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, CCO, Berlin, Germany.,Genetics and Rare Diseases Research Division, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Rome, Italy.,Department of Craniofacial Development, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Kira Martinus
- Institute for Cell and Neurobiology, Center for Anatomy, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, CCO, Berlin, Germany
| | - John Griffin
- Department of Craniofacial Development, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.,School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Michael J Depew
- Institute for Cell and Neurobiology, Center for Anatomy, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, CCO, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Craniofacial Development, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
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25
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Eto H, Kishi Y. Brain regionalization by Polycomb-group proteins and chromatin accessibility. Bioessays 2021; 43:e2100155. [PMID: 34536032 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202100155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
During brain development, neural precursor cells (NPCs) in different brain regions produce different types of neurons, and each of these regions plays a different role in the adult brain. Therefore, precise regionalization is essential in the early stages of brain development, and irregular regionalization has been proposed as the cause of neurodevelopmental disorders. The mechanisms underlying brain regionalization have been well studied in terms of morphogen-induced expression of critical transcription factors for regionalization. NPC potential in different brain regions is defined by chromatin structures that regulate the plasticity of gene expression. Herein, we present recent findings on the importance of chromatin structure in brain regionalization, particularly with respect to its regulation by Polycomb-group proteins and chromatin accessibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hikaru Eto
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yusuke Kishi
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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26
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Micali N, Kim SK, Diaz-Bustamante M, Stein-O'Brien G, Seo S, Shin JH, Rash BG, Ma S, Wang Y, Olivares NA, Arellano JI, Maynard KR, Fertig EJ, Cross AJ, Bürli RW, Brandon NJ, Weinberger DR, Chenoweth JG, Hoeppner DJ, Sestan N, Rakic P, Colantuoni C, McKay RD. Variation of Human Neural Stem Cells Generating Organizer States In Vitro before Committing to Cortical Excitatory or Inhibitory Neuronal Fates. Cell Rep 2021; 31:107599. [PMID: 32375049 PMCID: PMC7357345 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.107599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Revised: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 04/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Better understanding of the progression of neural stem cells (NSCs) in the developing cerebral cortex is important for modeling neurogenesis and defining the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric disorders. Here, we use RNA sequencing, cell imaging, and lineage tracing of mouse and human in vitro NSCs and monkey brain sections to model the generation of cortical neuronal fates. We show that conserved signaling mechanisms regulate the acute transition from proliferative NSCs to committed glutamatergic excitatory neurons. As human telencephalic NSCs develop from pluripotency in vitro, they transition through organizer states that spatially pattern the cortex before generating glutamatergic precursor fates. NSCs derived from multiple human pluripotent lines vary in these early patterning states, leading differentially to dorsal or ventral telencephalic fates. This work furthers systematic analyses of the earliest patterning events that generate the major neuronal trajectories of the human telencephalon. Micali et al. report that human telencephalic NSCs in vitro transition through the organizer states that pattern the neocortex. Human pluripotent lines vary in organizer formation, generating divergent neuronal differentiation trajectories biased toward dorsal or ventral telencephalic fates and opening further analysis of the earliest cortical specification events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Micali
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, 855 North Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
| | - Suel-Kee Kim
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, 855 North Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | | | - Genevieve Stein-O'Brien
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, 855 North Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Seungmae Seo
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, 855 North Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Joo-Heon Shin
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, 855 North Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Brian G Rash
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Shaojie Ma
- Departments of Comparative Medicine, Genetics, and Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Yanhong Wang
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, 855 North Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Nicolas A Olivares
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, 855 North Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Jon I Arellano
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Kristen R Maynard
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, 855 North Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Elana J Fertig
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Alan J Cross
- AstraZeneca Neuroscience, IMED Biotech Unit, R&D, Boston, MA 024515, USA
| | - Roland W Bürli
- AstraZeneca Neuroscience, IMED Biotech Unit, R&D, Boston, MA 024515, USA
| | - Nicholas J Brandon
- AstraZeneca Neuroscience, IMED Biotech Unit, R&D, Boston, MA 024515, USA
| | - Daniel R Weinberger
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, 855 North Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Joshua G Chenoweth
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, 855 North Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Daniel J Hoeppner
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, 855 North Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Astellas Research Institute of America, 3565 General Atomics Ct., Ste. 200, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - Nenad Sestan
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Departments of Comparative Medicine, Genetics, and Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Pasko Rakic
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
| | - Carlo Colantuoni
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, 855 North Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
| | - Ronald D McKay
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, 855 North Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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27
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López-González L, Alonso A, García-Calero E, de Puelles E, Puelles L. Tangential Intrahypothalamic Migration of the Mouse Ventral Premamillary Nucleus and Fgf8 Signaling. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:676121. [PMID: 34095148 PMCID: PMC8170039 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.676121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The tuberal hypothalamic ventral premamillary nucleus (VPM) described in mammals links olfactory and metabolic cues with mating behavior and is involved in the onset of puberty. We offer here descriptive and experimental evidence on a migratory phase in the development of this structure in mice at E12.5–E13.5. Its cells originate at the retromamillary area (RM) and then migrate tangentially rostralward, eschewing the mamillary body, and crossing the molecularly distinct perimamillary band, until they reach a definitive relatively superficial ventral tuberal location. Corroborating recent transcriptomic studies reporting a variety of adult glutamatergic cell types in the VPM, and different projections in the adult, we found that part of this population heterogeneity emerges already early in development, during tangential migration, in the form of differential gene expression properties of at least 2–3 mixed populations possibly derived from subtly different parts of the RM. These partly distribute differentially in the core and shell parts of the final VPM. Since there is a neighboring acroterminal source of Fgf8, and Fgfr2 is expressed at the early RM, we evaluated a possible influence of Fgf8 signal on VPM development using hypomorphic Fgf8neo/null embryos. These results suggested a trophic role of Fgf8 on RM and all cells migrating tangentially out of this area (VPM and the subthalamic nucleus), leading in hypomorphs to reduced cellularity after E15.5 without alteration of the migrations proper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara López-González
- Department of Human Anatomy and Psychobiology, School of Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain.,Biomedical Research Institute of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, Spain
| | - Antonia Alonso
- Department of Human Anatomy and Psychobiology, School of Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain.,Biomedical Research Institute of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, Spain
| | - Elena García-Calero
- Department of Human Anatomy and Psychobiology, School of Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain.,Biomedical Research Institute of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, Spain
| | - Eduardo de Puelles
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, CSIC, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Alicante, Spain
| | - Luis Puelles
- Department of Human Anatomy and Psychobiology, School of Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain.,Biomedical Research Institute of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, Spain
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28
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Moore SA, Iulianella A. Development of the mammalian cortical hem and its derivatives: the choroid plexus, Cajal-Retzius cells and hippocampus. Open Biol 2021; 11:210042. [PMID: 33947245 PMCID: PMC8097212 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.210042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The dorsal medial region of the developing mammalian telencephalon plays a central role in the patterning of the adjacent brain regions. This review describes the development of this specialized region of the vertebrate brain, called the cortical hem, and the formation of the various cells and structures it gives rise to, including the choroid plexus, Cajal–Retzius cells and the hippocampus. We highlight the ontogenic processes that create these different forebrain derivatives from their shared embryonic origin and discuss the key signalling pathways and molecules that influence the patterning of the cortical hem. These include BMP, Wnt, FGF and Shh signalling pathways acting with Homeobox factors to carve the medial telencephalon into district progenitor regions, which in turn give rise to the choroid plexus, dentate gyrus and hippocampus. We then link the formation of the lateral ventricle choroid plexus with embryonic and postnatal neurogenesis in the hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha A Moore
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, and Brain Repair Centre, Life Science Research Institute, 1348 Summer Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, B3H4R2
| | - Angelo Iulianella
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, and Brain Repair Centre, Life Science Research Institute, 1348 Summer Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, B3H4R2
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29
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Wen Y, Su Z, Wang Z, Yang L, Liu G, Shang Z, Duan Y, Du H, Li Z, You Y, Li X, Yang Z, Zhang Z. Transcription Factor VAX1 Regulates the Regional Specification of the Subpallium Through Repressing Gsx2. Mol Neurobiol 2021; 58:3729-3744. [PMID: 33821423 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-021-02378-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Specification of the progenitors' regional identity is a pivotal step during development of the cerebral cortex and basal ganglia. The molecular mechanisms underlying progenitor regionalization, however, are poorly understood. Here we showed that the transcription factor Vax1 was highly expressed in the developing subpallium. In its absence, the RNA-Seq analysis, in situ RNA hybridization, and immunofluorescence staining results showed that the cell proliferation was increased in the subpallium, but the neuronal differentiation was blocked. Moreover, the dLGE expands ventrally, and the vLGE, MGE, and septum get smaller. Finally, overexpressed VAX1 in the LGE progenitors strongly inhibits Gsx2 expression. Taken together, our findings show that Vax1 is crucial for subpallium regionalization by repressing Gsx2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Wen
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, 138 Yi Xue Yuan Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Zihao Su
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, 138 Yi Xue Yuan Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Ziwu Wang
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, 138 Yi Xue Yuan Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Lin Yang
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, 138 Yi Xue Yuan Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Guoping Liu
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, 138 Yi Xue Yuan Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Zicong Shang
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, 138 Yi Xue Yuan Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yangyang Duan
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, 138 Yi Xue Yuan Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Heng Du
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, 138 Yi Xue Yuan Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Zhenmeiyu Li
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, 138 Yi Xue Yuan Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yan You
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, 138 Yi Xue Yuan Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xiaosu Li
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, 138 Yi Xue Yuan Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Zhengang Yang
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, 138 Yi Xue Yuan Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Zhuangzhi Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, 138 Yi Xue Yuan Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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30
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Talley MJ, Nardini D, Qin S, Prada CE, Ehrman LA, Waclaw RR. A role for sustained MAPK activity in the mouse ventral telencephalon. Dev Biol 2021; 476:137-147. [PMID: 33775695 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2021.03.019] [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: 08/27/2020] [Revised: 03/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The MAPK pathway is a major growth signal that has been implicated during the development of progenitors, neurons, and glia in the embryonic brain. Here, we show that the MAPK pathway plays an important role in the generation of distinct cell types from progenitors in the ventral telencephalon. Our data reveal that phospho-p44/42 (called p-ERK1/2) and the ETS transcription factor Etv5, both downstream effectors in the MAPK pathway, show a regional bias in expression during ventral telencephalic development, with enriched expression in the dorsal region of the LGE and ventral region of the MGE at E13.5 and E15.5. Interestingly, expression of both factors becomes more uniform in ventricular zone (VZ) progenitors by E18.5. To gain insight into the role of MAPK activity during progenitor cell development, we used a cre inducible constitutively active MEK1 allele (RosaMEK1DD/+) in combination with a ventral telencephalon enriched cre (Gsx2e-cre) or a dorsal telencephalon enriched cre (Emx1cre/+). Sustained MEK/MAPK activity in the ventral telencephalon (Gsx2e-cre; RosaMEK1DD/+) expanded dorsal lateral ganglionic eminence (dLGE) enriched genes (Gsx2 and Sp8) and oligodendrocyte progenitor cell (OPC) markers (Olig2, Pdgfrα, and Sox10), and also reduced markers in the ventral (v) LGE domain (Isl1 and Foxp1). Activation of MEK/MAPK activity in the dorsal telencephalon (Emx1cre/+; RosaMEK1DD/+) did not initially activate the expression of dLGE or OPC genes at E15.5 but ectopic expression of Gsx2 and OPC markers were observed at E18.5. These results support the idea that MAPK activity as readout by p-ERK1/2 and Etv5 expression is enriched in distinct subdomains of ventral telencephalic progenitors during development. In addition, sustained activation of the MEK/MAPK pathway in the ventral or dorsal telencephalon influences dLGE and OPC identity from progenitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Jo Talley
- Graduate Program in Molecular and Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Research Foundation, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Diana Nardini
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Shenyue Qin
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Carlos E Prada
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Lisa A Ehrman
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Ronald R Waclaw
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.
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31
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Franchini LF. Genetic Mechanisms Underlying Cortical Evolution in Mammals. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:591017. [PMID: 33659245 PMCID: PMC7917222 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.591017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The remarkable sensory, motor, and cognitive abilities of mammals mainly depend on the neocortex. Thus, the emergence of the six-layered neocortex in reptilian ancestors of mammals constitutes a fundamental evolutionary landmark. The mammalian cortex is a columnar epithelium of densely packed cells organized in layers where neurons are generated mainly in the subventricular zone in successive waves throughout development. Newborn cells move away from their site of neurogenesis through radial or tangential migration to reach their specific destination closer to the pial surface of the same or different cortical area. Interestingly, the genetic programs underlying neocortical development diversified in different mammalian lineages. In this work, I will review several recent studies that characterized how distinct transcriptional programs relate to the development and functional organization of the neocortex across diverse mammalian lineages. In some primates such as the anthropoids, the neocortex became extremely large, especially in humans where it comprises around 80% of the brain. It has been hypothesized that the massive expansion of the cortical surface and elaboration of its connections in the human lineage, has enabled our unique cognitive capacities including abstract thinking, long-term planning, verbal language and elaborated tool making capabilities. I will also analyze the lineage-specific genetic changes that could have led to the modification of key neurodevelopmental events, including regulation of cell number, neuronal migration, and differentiation into specific phenotypes, in order to shed light on the evolutionary mechanisms underlying the diversity of mammalian brains including the human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucía Florencia Franchini
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular (INGEBI), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Hamline MY, Corcoran CM, Wamstad JA, Miletich I, Feng J, Lohr JL, Hemberger M, Sharpe PT, Gearhart MD, Bardwell VJ. OFCD syndrome and extraembryonic defects are revealed by conditional mutation of the Polycomb-group repressive complex 1.1 (PRC1.1) gene BCOR. Dev Biol 2020; 468:110-132. [PMID: 32692983 PMCID: PMC9583620 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2020.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BCOR is a critical regulator of human development. Heterozygous mutations of BCOR in females cause the X-linked developmental disorder Oculofaciocardiodental syndrome (OFCD), and hemizygous mutations of BCOR in males cause gestational lethality. BCOR associates with Polycomb group proteins to form one subfamily of the diverse Polycomb repressive complex 1 (PRC1) complexes, designated PRC1.1. Currently there is limited understanding of differing developmental roles of the various PRC1 complexes. We therefore generated a conditional exon 9-10 knockout Bcor allele and a transgenic conditional Bcor expression allele and used these to define multiple roles of Bcor, and by implication PRC1.1, in mouse development. Females heterozygous for Bcor exhibiting mosaic expression due to the X-linkage of the gene showed reduced postnatal viability and had OFCD-like defects. By contrast, Bcor hemizygosity in the entire male embryo resulted in embryonic lethality by E9.5. We further dissected the roles of Bcor, focusing on some of the tissues affected in OFCD through use of cell type specific Cre alleles. Mutation of Bcor in neural crest cells caused cleft palate, shortening of the mandible and tympanic bone, ectopic salivary glands and abnormal tongue musculature. We found that defects in the mandibular region, rather than in the palate itself, led to palatal clefting. Mutation of Bcor in hindlimb progenitor cells of the lateral mesoderm resulted in 2/3 syndactyly. Mutation of Bcor in Isl1-expressing lineages that contribute to the heart caused defects including persistent truncus arteriosus, ventricular septal defect and fetal lethality. Mutation of Bcor in extraembryonic lineages resulted in placental defects and midgestation lethality. Ubiquitous over expression of transgenic Bcor isoform A during development resulted in embryonic defects and midgestation lethality. The defects we have found in Bcor mutants provide insights into the etiology of the OFCD syndrome and how BCOR-containing PRC1 complexes function in development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Y Hamline
- The Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology and Genetics Graduate Program, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA; University of Minnesota Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Connie M Corcoran
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Joseph A Wamstad
- The Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology and Genetics Graduate Program, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Isabelle Miletich
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, King's College London, London, SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Jifan Feng
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, King's College London, London, SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Jamie L Lohr
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Myriam Hemberger
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Paul T Sharpe
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, King's College London, London, SE1 9RT, UK; Medical Research Council Centre for Transplantation, King's College London, London, SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Micah D Gearhart
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA; Developmental Biology Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
| | - Vivian J Bardwell
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA; Developmental Biology Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA; Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
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33
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Diaz C, Puelles L. Developmental Genes and Malformations in the Hypothalamus. Front Neuroanat 2020; 14:607111. [PMID: 33324176 PMCID: PMC7726113 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2020.607111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The hypothalamus is a heterogeneous rostral forebrain region that regulates physiological processes essential for survival, energy metabolism, and reproduction, mainly mediated by the pituitary gland. In the updated prosomeric model, the hypothalamus represents the rostralmost forebrain, composed of two segmental regions (terminal and peduncular hypothalamus), which extend respectively into the non-evaginated preoptic telencephalon and the evaginated pallio-subpallial telencephalon. Complex genetic cascades of transcription factors and signaling molecules rule their development. Alterations of some of these molecular mechanisms acting during forebrain development are associated with more or less severe hypothalamic and pituitary dysfunctions, which may be associated with brain malformations such as holoprosencephaly or septo-optic dysplasia. Studies on transgenic mice with mutated genes encoding critical transcription factors implicated in hypothalamic-pituitary development are contributing to understanding the high clinical complexity of these pathologies. In this review article, we will analyze first the complex molecular genoarchitecture of the hypothalamus resulting from the activity of previous morphogenetic signaling centers and secondly some malformations related to alterations in genes implicated in the development of the hypothalamus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Diaz
- Department of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine and Institute for Research in Neurological Disabilities, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain
| | - Luis Puelles
- Department of Human Anatomy and Psychobiology and IMIB-Arrixaca Institute, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
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Ravikumar M, Smith RAA, Nurcombe V, Cool SM. Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans: Key Mediators of Stem Cell Function. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:581213. [PMID: 33330458 PMCID: PMC7710810 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.581213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) are an evolutionarily ancient subclass of glycoproteins with exquisite structural complexity. They are ubiquitously expressed across tissues and have been found to exert a multitude of effects on cell behavior and the surrounding microenvironment. Evidence has shown that heterogeneity in HSPG composition is crucial to its functions as an essential scaffolding component in the extracellular matrix as well as a vital cell surface signaling co-receptor. Here, we provide an overview of the significance of HSPGs as essential regulators of stem cell function. We discuss the various roles of HSPGs in distinct stem cell types during key physiological events, from development through to tissue homeostasis and regeneration. The contribution of aberrant HSPG production to altered stem cell properties and dysregulated cellular homeostasis characteristic of cancer is also reviewed. Finally, we consider approaches to better understand and exploit the multifaceted functions of HSPGs in influencing stem cell characteristics for cell therapy and associated culture expansion strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maanasa Ravikumar
- Glycotherapeutics Group, Institute of Medical Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Raymond Alexander Alfred Smith
- Glycotherapeutics Group, Institute of Medical Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Victor Nurcombe
- Glycotherapeutics Group, Institute of Medical Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), Singapore, Singapore.,Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University-Imperial College London, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Simon M Cool
- Glycotherapeutics Group, Institute of Medical Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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Nagai-Tanima M, Hong S, Hu P, Carrington B, Sood R, Roessler E, Muenke M. Rare hypomorphic human variation in the heptahelical domain of SMO contributes to holoprosencephaly phenotypes. Hum Mutat 2020; 41:2105-2118. [PMID: 32906187 DOI: 10.1002/humu.24103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2020] [Revised: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Holoprosencephaly (HPE) is the most common congenital anomaly affecting the forebrain and face in humans and occurs as frequently as 1:250 conceptions or 1:10,000 livebirths. Sonic Hedgehog signaling molecule is one of the best characterized HPE genes that plays crucial roles in numerous developmental processes including midline neural patterning and craniofacial development. The Frizzled class G-protein coupled receptor Smoothened (SMO), whose signaling activity is tightly regulated, is the sole obligate transducer of Hedgehog-related signals. However, except for previous reports of somatic oncogenic driver mutations in human cancers (or mosaic tumors in rare syndromes), any potential disease-related role of SMO genetic variation in humans is largely unknown. To our knowledge, ours is the first report of a human hypomorphic variant revealed by functional testing of seven distinct nonsynonymous SMO variants derived from HPE molecular and clinical data. Here we describe several zebrafish bioassays developed and guided by a systems biology analysis. This analysis strategy, and detection of hypomorphic variation in human SMO, demonstrates the necessity of integrating the genomic variant findings in HPE probands with other components of the Hedgehog gene regulatory network in overall medical interpretations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Momoko Nagai-Tanima
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Sungkook Hong
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Ping Hu
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Blake Carrington
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Zebrafish Core, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Raman Sood
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Zebrafish Core, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Erich Roessler
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Maximilian Muenke
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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Fitzgerald M, Sotuyo N, Tischfield DJ, Anderson SA. Generation of cerebral cortical GABAergic interneurons from pluripotent stem cells. Stem Cells 2020; 38:1375-1386. [PMID: 32638460 DOI: 10.1002/stem.3252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2018] [Revised: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The cerebral cortex functions by the complex interactions of intrinsic and extrinsic neuronal activities, glial actions, and the effects of humoral factors. The intrinsic neuronal influences are mediated by two major subclasses: excitatory glutamatergic neurons that generally have axonal projections extending beyond the neuron's locality and inhibitory GABAergic neurons that generally project locally. These interneurons can be grouped based on morphological, neurochemical, electrophysiological, axonal targeting, and circuit influence characteristics. Cortical interneurons (CIns) can also be grouped based on their origins within the subcortical telencephalon. Interneuron subtypes, of which a dozen or more are thought to exist, are characterized by combinations of these subgrouping features. Due to their well-documented relevance to the causes of and treatments for neuropsychiatric disorders, and to their remarkable capacity to migrate extensively following transplantation, there has been tremendous interest in generating cortical GABAergic interneurons from human pluripotent stem cells. In this concise review, we discuss recent progress in understanding how interneuron subtypes are generated in vivo, and how that progress is being applied to the generation of rodent and human CIns in vitro. In addition, we will discuss approaches for the rigorous designation of interneuron subgroups or subtypes in transplantation studies, and challenges to this field, including the protracted maturation of human interneurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Fitzgerald
- The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Nathaniel Sotuyo
- The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - David J Tischfield
- The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Stewart A Anderson
- The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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37
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Lund C, Yellapragada V, Vuoristo S, Balboa D, Trova S, Allet C, Eskici N, Pulli K, Giacobini P, Tuuri T, Raivio T. Characterization of the human GnRH neuron developmental transcriptome using a GNRH1-TdTomato reporter line in human pluripotent stem cells. Dis Model Mech 2020; 13:dmm040105. [PMID: 31996360 PMCID: PMC7075073 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.040105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons provide a fundamental signal for the onset of puberty and subsequent reproductive functions by secretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone. Their disrupted development or function leads to congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (CHH). To model the development of human GnRH neurons, we generated a stable GNRH1-TdTomato reporter cell line in human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) using CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing. RNA-sequencing of the reporter clone, differentiated into GnRH neurons by dual SMAD inhibition and FGF8 treatment, revealed 6461 differentially expressed genes between progenitors and GnRH neurons. Expression of the transcription factor ISL1, one of the top 50 most upregulated genes in the TdTomato-expressing GnRH neurons, was confirmed in 10.5 gestational week-old human fetal GnRH neurons. Among the differentially expressed genes, we detected 15 genes that are implicated in CHH and several genes that are implicated in human puberty timing. Finally, FGF8 treatment in the neuronal progenitor pool led to upregulation of 37 genes expressed both in progenitors and in TdTomato-expressing GnRH neurons, which suggests upstream regulation of these genes by FGF8 signaling during GnRH neuron differentiation. These results illustrate how hPSC-derived human GnRH neuron transcriptomic analysis can be utilized to dissect signaling pathways and gene regulatory networks involved in human GnRH neuron development.This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carina Lund
- Stem Cells and Metabolism Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Medicum, Faculty of Medicine, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Venkatram Yellapragada
- Stem Cells and Metabolism Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Medicum, Faculty of Medicine, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sanna Vuoristo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 00029 Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Diego Balboa
- Centre for Genomic Regulation, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sara Trova
- Inserm, Laboratory of Development and Plasticity of the Neuroendocrine Brain, Jean-Pierre Aubert Research Center, U1172 Lille, France
| | - Cecile Allet
- Inserm, Laboratory of Development and Plasticity of the Neuroendocrine Brain, Jean-Pierre Aubert Research Center, U1172 Lille, France
| | - Nazli Eskici
- Stem Cells and Metabolism Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Medicum, Faculty of Medicine, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Kristiina Pulli
- Stem Cells and Metabolism Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Medicum, Faculty of Medicine, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Paolo Giacobini
- Inserm, Laboratory of Development and Plasticity of the Neuroendocrine Brain, Jean-Pierre Aubert Research Center, U1172 Lille, France
- University of Lille, FHU 1000 Days for Health, School of Medicine, 59000 Lille, France
| | - Timo Tuuri
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 00029 Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Taneli Raivio
- Stem Cells and Metabolism Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Medicum, Faculty of Medicine, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- New Children's Hospital, Pediatric Research Center, 00029 Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
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Sheehan CJ, McMahon JJ, Serdar LD, Silver DL. Dosage-dependent requirements of Magoh for cortical interneuron generation and survival. Development 2020; 147:dev.182295. [PMID: 31857347 DOI: 10.1242/dev.182295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2019] [Accepted: 11/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Embryonic interneuron development underlies cortical function and its disruption contributes to neurological disease. Yet the mechanisms by which viable interneurons are produced from progenitors remain poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate dosage-dependent requirements of the exon junction complex component Magoh for interneuron genesis in mouse. Conditional Magoh ablation from interneuron progenitors, but not post-mitotic neurons, depletes cortical interneuron number through adulthood, with increased severity in homozygotes. Using live imaging, we discover that Magoh deficiency delays progenitor mitotic progression in a dosage-sensitive fashion, with 40% of homozygous progenitors failing to divide. This shows that Magoh is required in progenitors for both generation and survival of newborn progeny. Transcriptome analysis implicates p53 signaling; moreover, p53 ablation in Magoh haploinsufficient progenitors rescues apoptosis, completely recovering interneuron number. In striking contrast, in Magoh homozygotes, p53 loss fails to rescue interneuron number and mitotic delay, further implicating mitotic defects in interneuron loss. Our results demonstrate that interneuron development is intimately dependent upon progenitor mitosis duration and uncover a crucial post-transcriptional regulator of interneuron fate relevant for neurodevelopmental pathologies.This article has an associated 'The people behind the papers' interview.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles J Sheehan
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - John J McMahon
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Lucas D Serdar
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Debra L Silver
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA .,Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.,Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.,Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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39
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Wullimann MF, Umeasalugo KE. Sonic hedgehog expression in zebrafish forebrain identifies the teleostean pallidal signaling center and shows preglomerular complex and posterior tubercular dopamine cells to arise from shh cells. J Comp Neurol 2019; 528:1321-1348. [PMID: 31760659 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Revised: 11/15/2019] [Accepted: 11/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Ventralization, a major patterning process in the developing vertebrate neural tube (central nervous system, CNS), depends on Sonic hedgehog (SHH) as a main signaling morphogen. We studied the CNS of late larval and young adult zebrafish in a transgenic shh-GFP line revealing increased neuroanatomical detail due to the progressed differentiation state compared to earlier stages. Some major findings emerge from the present study. (a) shh -GFP is still expressed along the adult zebrafish CNS neuraxis in most locations seen in larvae. (b) We newly identify a ventroposterior shh pallidal domain representing the basal telencephalic signaling center important for basal ganglia development known in other vertebrates (i.e., the anterior entopeduncular area-basal medial ganglionic eminence of mammals). (c) We further show late-emerging shh-GFP positive radial glia cells in the medial zone of the dorsal telencephalon (i.e., the teleostan pallial amygdala). (d) Immunostains for tyrosine hydroxylase demonstrate that there is selective colocalization in adult dopamine cells with shh-GFP in the posterior tuberculum, including in projection cells to striatum, which represents a striking parallel to amniote mesodiencephalic dopamine cell origin from shh expressing floor plate cells. (e) There is no colocalization of shh and islet1 as shown by respective shh-GFP and islet1-GFP lines. (f) The only radially far migrated shh-GFP cells are located in the preglomerular area. (g) There are no adult cerebellar and tectal shh-GFP cells confirming their exclusive role during early development as previously reported by our laboratory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario F Wullimann
- Department Biology II, Division of Neurobiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU Munich), Munich, Germany
| | - Kosisochukwu E Umeasalugo
- Department Biology II, Division of Neurobiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU Munich), Munich, Germany
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40
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Garcia KE, Stewart WG, Espinosa MG, Gleghorn JP, Taber LA. Molecular and mechanical signals determine morphogenesis of the cerebral hemispheres in the chicken embryo. Development 2019; 146:146/20/dev174318. [PMID: 31604710 DOI: 10.1242/dev.174318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2018] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
During embryonic development, the telecephalon undergoes extensive growth and cleaves into right and left cerebral hemispheres. Although molecular signals have been implicated in this process and linked to congenital abnormalities, few studies have examined the role of mechanical forces. In this study, we quantified morphology, cell proliferation and tissue growth in the forebrain of chicken embryos during Hamburger-Hamilton stages 17-21. By altering embryonic cerebrospinal fluid pressure during development, we found that neuroepithelial growth depends on not only chemical morphogen gradients but also mechanical feedback. Using these data, as well as published information on morphogen activity, we developed a chemomechanical growth law to mathematically describe growth of the neuroepithelium. Finally, we constructed a three-dimensional computational model based on these laws, with all parameters based on experimental data. The resulting model predicts forebrain shapes consistent with observations in normal embryos, as well as observations under chemical or mechanical perturbation. These results suggest that molecular and mechanical signals play important roles in early forebrain morphogenesis and may contribute to the development of congenital malformations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara E Garcia
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University, 1 Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Wade G Stewart
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware, 150 Academy Street, Newark, DE 19716, USA
| | - M Gabriela Espinosa
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University, 1 Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Jason P Gleghorn
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware, 150 Academy Street, Newark, DE 19716, USA
| | - Larry A Taber
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University, 1 Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
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41
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Molnár Z, Clowry GJ, Šestan N, Alzu'bi A, Bakken T, Hevner RF, Hüppi PS, Kostović I, Rakic P, Anton ES, Edwards D, Garcez P, Hoerder‐Suabedissen A, Kriegstein A. New insights into the development of the human cerebral cortex. J Anat 2019; 235:432-451. [PMID: 31373394 PMCID: PMC6704245 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 190] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The cerebral cortex constitutes more than half the volume of the human brain and is presumed to be responsible for the neuronal computations underlying complex phenomena, such as perception, thought, language, attention, episodic memory and voluntary movement. Rodent models are extremely valuable for the investigation of brain development, but cannot provide insight into aspects that are unique or highly derived in humans. Many human psychiatric and neurological conditions have developmental origins but cannot be studied adequately in animal models. The human cerebral cortex has some unique genetic, molecular, cellular and anatomical features, which need to be further explored. The Anatomical Society devoted its summer meeting to the topic of Human Brain Development in June 2018 to tackle these important issues. The meeting was organized by Gavin Clowry (Newcastle University) and Zoltán Molnár (University of Oxford), and held at St John's College, Oxford. The participants provided a broad overview of the structure of the human brain in the context of scaling relationships across the brains of mammals, conserved principles and recent changes in the human lineage. Speakers considered how neuronal progenitors diversified in human to generate an increasing variety of cortical neurons. The formation of the earliest cortical circuits of the earliest generated neurons in the subplate was discussed together with their involvement in neurodevelopmental pathologies. Gene expression networks and susceptibility genes associated to neurodevelopmental diseases were discussed and compared with the networks that can be identified in organoids developed from induced pluripotent stem cells that recapitulate some aspects of in vivo development. New views were discussed on the specification of glutamatergic pyramidal and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic interneurons. With the advancement of various in vivo imaging methods, the histopathological observations can be now linked to in vivo normal conditions and to various diseases. Our review gives a general evaluation of the exciting new developments in these areas. The human cortex has a much enlarged association cortex with greater interconnectivity of cortical areas with each other and with an expanded thalamus. The human cortex has relative enlargement of the upper layers, enhanced diversity and function of inhibitory interneurons and a highly expanded transient subplate layer during development. Here we highlight recent studies that address how these differences emerge during development focusing on diverse facets of our evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoltán Molnár
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and GeneticsUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
| | - Gavin J. Clowry
- Institute of NeuroscienceNewcastle UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
| | - Nenad Šestan
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of MedicineNew HavenCTUSA
| | - Ayman Alzu'bi
- Department of Basic Medical SciencesFaculty of MedicineYarmouk UniversityIrbidJordan
| | | | | | - Petra S. Hüppi
- Dept. de l'enfant et de l'adolescentHôpitaux Universitaires de GenèveGenèveSwitzerland
| | - Ivica Kostović
- Croatian Institute for Brain ResearchSchool of MedicineUniversity of ZagrebZagrebCroatia
| | - Pasko Rakic
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of MedicineNew HavenCTUSA
| | - E. S. Anton
- UNC Neuroscience CenterDepartment of Cell and Molecular PhysiologyThe University of North Carolina School of MedicineChapel HillNCUSA
| | - David Edwards
- Centre for the Developing BrainBiomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences,King's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Patricia Garcez
- Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, UFRJInstitute of Biomedical SciencesRio de JaneiroBrazil
| | | | - Arnold Kriegstein
- Department of NeurologyUniversity of California, San Francisco (UCSF)San FranciscoCAUSA
- The Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell ResearchUCSFSan FranciscoCAUSA
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42
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Linscott ML, Chung WCJ. TET1 regulates fibroblast growth factor 8 transcription in gonadotropin releasing hormone neurons. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0220530. [PMID: 31361780 PMCID: PMC6667164 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0220530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Fibroblast growth factor 8 (FGF8) is a potent morphogen that regulates the ontogenesis of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons, which control the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, and therefore reproductive success. Indeed, FGF8 and FGFR1 deficiency severely compromises vertebrate reproduction in mice and humans and is associated with Kallmann Syndrome (KS), a congenital disease characterized by hypogonadotropic hypogonadism associated with anosmia. Our laboratory demonstrated that FGF8 signaling through FGFR1, both of which are KS-related genes, is necessary for proper GnRH neuron development in mice and humans. Here, we investigated the possibility that non-genetic factors, such as the epigenome, may contribute to KS onset. For this purpose, we developed an embryonic explant model, utilizing the mouse olfactory placode (OP), the birthplace of GnRH neurons. We show that TET1, which converts 5-methylcytosine residues (5mC) to 5-hydroxymethylated cytosines (5hmC), controls transcription of Fgf8 during GnRH neuron ontogenesis. Through MeDIP and ChIP RT-qPCR we found that TET1 bound to specific CpG islands on the Fgf8 promoter. We found that the temporal expression of Fgf8 correlates with not only TET1 binding, but also with 5hmC enrichment. siRNA knockdown of Tet1 reduced Fgf8 and Fgfr1 mRNA expression. During this time period, Fgf8 also switched histone status, most likely via recruitment of EZH2, a major component of the polycomb repressor complex-2 (PRC2) at E13.5. Together, these studies underscore the significance of epigenetics and chromatin modifications to temporally regulated genes involved in KS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan L. Linscott
- Department of Biological Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Wilson C. J. Chung
- Department of Biological Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, United States of America
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, United States of America
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43
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Shparberg RA, Glover HJ, Morris MB. Modeling Mammalian Commitment to the Neural Lineage Using Embryos and Embryonic Stem Cells. Front Physiol 2019; 10:705. [PMID: 31354503 PMCID: PMC6637848 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Early mammalian embryogenesis relies on a large range of cellular and molecular mechanisms to guide cell fate. In this highly complex interacting system, molecular circuitry tightly controls emergent properties, including cell differentiation, proliferation, morphology, migration, and communication. These molecular circuits include those responsible for the control of gene and protein expression, as well as metabolism and epigenetics. Due to the complexity of this circuitry and the relative inaccessibility of the mammalian embryo in utero, mammalian neural commitment remains one of the most challenging and poorly understood areas of developmental biology. In order to generate the nervous system, the embryo first produces two pluripotent populations, the inner cell mass and then the primitive ectoderm. The latter is the cellular substrate for gastrulation from which the three multipotent germ layers form. The germ layer definitive ectoderm, in turn, is the substrate for multipotent neurectoderm (neural plate and neural tube) formation, representing the first morphological signs of nervous system development. Subsequent patterning of the neural tube is then responsible for the formation of most of the central and peripheral nervous systems. While a large number of studies have assessed how a competent neurectoderm produces mature neural cells, less is known about the molecular signatures of definitive ectoderm and neurectoderm and the key molecular mechanisms driving their formation. Using pluripotent stem cells as a model, we will discuss the current understanding of how the pluripotent inner cell mass transitions to pluripotent primitive ectoderm and sequentially to the multipotent definitive ectoderm and neurectoderm. We will focus on the integration of cell signaling, gene activation, and epigenetic control that govern these developmental steps, and provide insight into the novel growth factor-like role that specific amino acids, such as L-proline, play in this process.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Michael B. Morris
- Embryonic Stem Cell Laboratory, Discipline of Physiology, School of Medical Sciences, Bosch Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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44
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De Clercq S, Keruzore M, Desmaris E, Pollart C, Assimacopoulos S, Preillon J, Ascenzo S, Matson CK, Lee M, Nan X, Li M, Nakagawa Y, Hochepied T, Zarkower D, Grove EA, Bellefroid EJ. DMRT5 Together with DMRT3 Directly Controls Hippocampus Development and Neocortical Area Map Formation. Cereb Cortex 2019; 28:493-509. [PMID: 28031177 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhw384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2016] [Accepted: 11/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Mice that are constitutively null for the zinc finger doublesex and mab-3 related (Dmrt) gene, Dmrt5/Dmrta2, show a variety of patterning abnormalities in the cerebral cortex, including the loss of the cortical hem, a powerful cortical signaling center. In conditional Dmrt5 gain of function and loss of function mouse models, we generated bidirectional changes in the neocortical area map without affecting the hem. Analysis indicated that DMRT5, independent of the hem, directs the rostral-to-caudal pattern of the neocortical area map. Thus, DMRT5 joins a small number of transcription factors shown to control directly area size and position in the neocortex. Dmrt5 deletion after hem formation also reduced hippocampal size and shifted the position of the neocortical/paleocortical boundary. Dmrt3, like Dmrt5, is expressed in a gradient across the cortical primordium. Mice lacking Dmrt3 show cortical patterning defects akin to but milder than those in Dmrt5 mutants, perhaps in part because Dmrt5 expression increases in the absence of Dmrt3. DMRT5 upregulates Dmrt3 expression and negatively regulates its own expression, which may stabilize the level of DMRT5. Together, our findings indicate that finely tuned levels of DMRT5, together with DMRT3, regulate patterning of the cerebral cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah De Clercq
- ULB Institute of Neuroscience (UNI), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), B-6041 Gosselies, Belgium
| | - Marc Keruzore
- ULB Institute of Neuroscience (UNI), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), B-6041 Gosselies, Belgium
| | - Elodie Desmaris
- ULB Institute of Neuroscience (UNI), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), B-6041 Gosselies, Belgium
| | - Charlotte Pollart
- ULB Institute of Neuroscience (UNI), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), B-6041 Gosselies, Belgium
| | | | - Julie Preillon
- ULB Institute of Neuroscience (UNI), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), B-6041 Gosselies, Belgium
| | - Sabrina Ascenzo
- ULB Institute of Neuroscience (UNI), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), B-6041 Gosselies, Belgium
| | - Clinton K Matson
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development , Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Melody Lee
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Xinsheng Nan
- School of Medicine and School of Bioscience , Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3XQ, UK
| | - Meng Li
- School of Medicine and School of Bioscience , Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3XQ, UK
| | - Yasushi Nakagawa
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Tino Hochepied
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium.,Inflammation Research Center, VIB, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - David Zarkower
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development , Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Grove
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Eric J Bellefroid
- ULB Institute of Neuroscience (UNI), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), B-6041 Gosselies, Belgium
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45
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Shi J, Gao Q, Cao Y, Fu J. Dennd1a, a susceptibility gene for polycystic ovary syndrome, is essential for mouse embryogenesis. Dev Dyn 2019; 248:351-362. [PMID: 30884041 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.28] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Revised: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 03/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The DENND1A has been identified as a guanine nucleotide exchange factor for small GTPase Rab35, which functions in endocytic trafficking to mediate the recycling of selective cargos. Genetic alterations within the DENND1A gene have been implicated in human disease such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). However, the role of DENND1A in developmental and reproductive processes is largely unknown. RESULTS Using Dennd1a gene knockout mice, we uncovered that homogeneous Dennd1a-/- mutants died around embryonic day (E) 14.5. The brain of Dennd1a-/- embryos exhibited defects, partially attributed to the dysregulation of cell division and survival in the telencephalon. The transcription of Fgf8 mRNA was ectopically elevated in the dorsal midline of telencephalon, concomitant with a decrease of active β-catenin and Axin2 in the brain of Dennd1a-/- embryos. During liver morphogenesis, the ablation of Dennd1a impaired hepatic cell proliferation, the differentiation of hepatocyte, and hepatic hematopoiesis. In addition, loss of Dennd1a also affected the development of primordial germ cells. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrate that Dennd1a, a susceptibility gene for PCOS, is essential for embryogenesis, probably through the mediation of endocytic recycling of selective cargos that are involved in cell signaling crucial for the development of multiple embryonic organ systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Shi
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Qing Gao
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Yongzhi Cao
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Jiang Fu
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
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46
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Hong S, Hu P, Roessler E, Hu T, Muenke M. Loss-of-function mutations in FGF8 can be independent risk factors for holoprosencephaly. Hum Mol Genet 2019; 27:1989-1998. [PMID: 29584859 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddy106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2017] [Accepted: 03/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The utilization of next generation sequencing has been shown to accelerate gene discovery in human disease. However, our confidence in the correct disease-associations of rare variants continues to depend on functional analysis. Here, we employ a sensitive assay of human FGF8 variants in zebrafish to demonstrate that the spectrum of isoforms of FGF8 produced by alternative splicing can provide key insights into the genetic susceptibility to human malformations. In addition, we describe novel mutations in the FGF core structure that have both subtle and profound effects on ligand posttranslational processing and biological activity. Finally, we solve a case of apparent digenic inheritance of novel variants in SHH and FGF8, two genes known to functionally coregulate each other in the developing forebrain, as a simpler case of FGF8 diminished function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sungkook Hong
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-3717, USA
| | - Ping Hu
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-3717, USA
| | - Erich Roessler
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-3717, USA
| | - Tommy Hu
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-3717, USA
| | - Maximilian Muenke
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-3717, USA
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47
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Jones WD, Guadiana SM, Grove EA. A model of neocortical area patterning in the lissencephalic mouse may hold for larger gyrencephalic brains. J Comp Neurol 2019; 527:1461-1477. [PMID: 30689213 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2018] [Revised: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 01/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
In the mouse, two telencephalic signaling centers orchestrate embryonic patterning of the cerebral cortex. From the rostral patterning center in the telencephalon, the Fibroblast Growth Factor, FGF8, disperses as a morphogen to establish the rostral to caudal axis of the neocortical area map. FGF8 coordinates with Wnt3a from the cortical hem to regulate graded expression of transcription factors that position neocortical areas, and control hippocampal development. Whether similar signaling centers pattern the much larger cortices of carnivore and primate species, however, is unclear. The limited dispersion range of FGF8 and Wnt3a is inconsistent with patterning larger cortical primordia. Yet the implication that different mechanisms organize cortex in different mammals flies in the face of the tenet that developmental patterning mechanisms are conserved across vertebrate species. In the present study, both signaling centers were identified in the ferret telencephalon, as were expression gradients of the patterning transcription factor genes regulated by FGF8 and Wnt3a. Notably, at the stage corresponding to the peak period of FGF8 signaling in the mouse neocortical primordium (NP), the NP was the same size in ferret and mouse, which would allow morphogen patterning of the ferret NP. Subsequently, the size of ferret neocortex shot past that of the mouse. Images from online databases further suggest that NP growth in humans, too, is slowed in early cortical development. We propose that if early growth in larger brains is held back, mechanisms that pattern the neocortical area map in the mouse could be conserved across mammalian species.
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Affiliation(s)
- William D Jones
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Sarah M Guadiana
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Elizabeth A Grove
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.,Committee on Development, Regeneration and Stem Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.,Committee on Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
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48
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Abstract
Brain development is a highly regulated process that involves the precise spatio-temporal activation of cell signaling cues. Transcription factors play an integral role in this process by relaying information from external signaling cues to the genome. The transcription factor Forkhead box G1 (FOXG1) is expressed in the developing nervous system with a critical role in forebrain development. Altered dosage of FOXG1 due to deletions, duplications, or functional gain- or loss-of-function mutations, leads to a complex array of cellular effects with important consequences for human disease including neurodevelopmental disorders. Here, we review studies in multiple species and cell models where FOXG1 dose is altered. We argue against a linear, symmetrical relationship between FOXG1 dosage states, although FOXG1 levels at the right time and place need to be carefully regulated. Neurodevelopmental disease states caused by mutations in FOXG1 may therefore be regulated through different mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuwan C Hettige
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Psychiatric Genetics Group, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Carl Ernst
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Psychiatric Genetics Group, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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49
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Dinsmore CJ, Soriano P. MAPK and PI3K signaling: At the crossroads of neural crest development. Dev Biol 2018; 444 Suppl 1:S79-S97. [PMID: 29453943 PMCID: PMC6092260 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2018.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2018] [Revised: 02/06/2018] [Accepted: 02/06/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Receptor tyrosine kinase-mediated growth factor signaling is essential for proper formation and development of the neural crest. The many ligands and receptors implicated in these processes signal through relatively few downstream pathways, frequently converging on the MAPK and PI3K pathways. Despite decades of study, there is still considerable uncertainty about where and when these signaling pathways are required and how they elicit particular responses. This review summarizes our current understanding of growth factor-induced MAPK and PI3K signaling in the neural crest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin J Dinsmore
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Philippe Soriano
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA.
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50
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Han X, Gu X, Zhang Q, Wang Q, Cheng Y, Pleasure SJ, Zhao C. FoxG1 Directly Represses Dentate Granule Cell Fate During Forebrain Development. Front Cell Neurosci 2018; 12:452. [PMID: 30532694 PMCID: PMC6265346 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2018.00452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2018] [Accepted: 11/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The cortex consists of 100s of neuronal subtypes that are organized into distinct functional regions; however, the mechanisms underlying cell fate determination remain unclear. Foxg1 is involved in several developmental processes, including telencephalic patterning, cell proliferation and cell fate determination. Constitutive disruption of Foxg1 leads to the transformation of cortical neurons into Cajal-Retzius (CR) cells, accompanied by a substantial expansion of the cortical hem through the consumption of the cortex. However, rather than the induction of a cell fate switch, another group has reported a large lateral to medial repatterning of the developing telencephalon as the explanation for this change in cell type output. Here, we conditionally disrupted Foxg1 in telencephalic progenitor cells by crossing Foxg1fl/fl mice with Nestin-CreERTM mice combined with tamoxifen (TM) induction at distinct developmental stages beginning at E10.5 to further elucidate the role of FoxG1 in cell fate determination after telencephalon pattern formation. The number of dentate gyrus (DG) granule-like cells was significantly increased in the cortex. The increase was even detected after deletion at E14.5. In vivo mosaic deletion and in vitro cell culture further revealed a cell-autonomous role for FoxG1 in repressing granule cell fate. However, the cortical hem, which is required for the patterning and the development of the hippocampus, was only slightly enlarged and thus may not contribute to the cell fate switch. Lef1 expression was significantly upregulated in the lateral, cortical VZ and FoxG1 may function upstream of Wnt signaling. Our results provide new insights into the functions of FoxG1 and the mechanisms of cell fate determination during telencephalic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Han
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaochun Gu
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Qianqian Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Qingxia Wang
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yao Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Samuel J Pleasure
- Programs in Neuroscience and Developmental Stem Cell Biology, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Chunjie Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
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