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Gao Z, Pang Z, Lei G, Chen Y, Cai Z, Zhu S, Lin W, Qiu Z, Wang Y, Shen Y, Xu W. Crossing nerve transfer drives sensory input-dependent plasticity for motor recovery after brain injury. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabn5899. [PMID: 36044580 PMCID: PMC9432844 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abn5899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Restoring limb movements after central nervous system injury remains a substantial challenge. Recent studies proved that crossing nerve transfer surgery could rebuild physiological connectivity between the contralesional cortex and the paralyzed arm to compensate for the lost function after brain injury. However, the neural mechanism by which this surgery mediates motor recovery remains still unclear. Here, using a clinical mouse model, we showed that this surgery can restore skilled forelimb function in adult mice with unilateral cortical lesion by inducing cortical remapping and promoting corticospinal tract sprouting. After reestablishing the ipsilateral descending pathway, resecting of the artificially rebuilt peripheral nerve did not affect motor improvements. Furthermore, retaining the sensory afferent, but not the motor efferent, of the transferred nerve was sufficient for inducing brain remapping and facilitating motor restoration. Thus, our results demonstrate that surgically rebuilt sensory input triggers neural plasticity for accelerating motor recovery, which provides an approach for treating central nervous system injuries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengrun Gao
- Department of Hand Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhen Pang
- Department of Hand Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Gaowei Lei
- Department of Hand Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yiming Chen
- Department of Hand Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zeyu Cai
- Department of Hand Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuai Zhu
- Department of Hand Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Weishan Lin
- Department of Hand Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zilong Qiu
- The National Clinical Research Center for Aging and Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yizheng Wang
- The National Clinical Research Center for Aging and Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yundong Shen
- Department of Hand Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- The National Clinical Research Center for Aging and Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery, Jing‘an District Central Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wendong Xu
- Department of Hand Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- The National Clinical Research Center for Aging and Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery, Jing‘an District Central Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, 226000 Nantong, China
- Research Unit of Synergistic Reconstruction of Upper and Lower Limbs After Brain Injury, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
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Verduzco-Flores S, Dorrell W, De Schutter E. A differential Hebbian framework for biologically-plausible motor control. Neural Netw 2022; 150:237-258. [PMID: 35325677 DOI: 10.1016/j.neunet.2022.03.002] [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: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 01/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
In this paper we explore a neural control architecture that is both biologically plausible, and capable of fully autonomous learning. It consists of feedback controllers that learn to achieve a desired state by selecting the errors that should drive them. This selection happens through a family of differential Hebbian learning rules that, through interaction with the environment, can learn to control systems where the error responds monotonically to the control signal. We next show that in a more general case, neural reinforcement learning can be coupled with a feedback controller to reduce errors that arise non-monotonically from the control signal. The use of feedback control can reduce the complexity of the reinforcement learning problem, because only a desired value must be learned, with the controller handling the details of how it is reached. This makes the function to be learned simpler, potentially allowing learning of more complex actions. We use simple examples to illustrate our approach, and discuss how it could be extended to hierarchical architectures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Verduzco-Flores
- Computational Neuroscience Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Okinawa, Japan.
| | - William Dorrell
- Computational Neuroscience Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Erik De Schutter
- Computational Neuroscience Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Okinawa, Japan
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3
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A novel mouse model of contralateral C7 transfer via the pretracheal route: A feasibility study. J Neurosci Methods 2019; 328:108445. [PMID: 31577920 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2019.108445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Revised: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Contralateral seventh cervical nerve transfer (contralateral C7 transfer) is a novel treatment for patients with spastic paralysis, including stroke and traumatic brain injury. However, little is known on changes in plasticity that occur in the intact hemisphere after C7 transfer. An appropriate surgical model is required. NEW METHOD We described in detail the anatomy of the C7 in a mouse model. We designed a pretracheal route by excising the contralateral C6 lamina ventralis, and the largest nerve defect necessary for direct neurorrhaphy was compared with defect lengths in a prespinal route. To test feasibility, we performed in-vivo surgery and assessed nerve regeneration by immunofluorescence, histology, electrophysiology, and behavioral examinations. RESULTS Two types of branching were found in the anterior and posterior divisions of C7, both of which were significantly larger than the sural nerve. The length of the nerve defect was drastically reduced after contralateral C6 lamina ventralis excision. Direct tension-free neurorrhaphy was achieved in 66.7% of mice. The expression of neurofilament in the distal segment of the regenerated C7 increased. Histological examination revealed remyelination. Behavioral tests and electrophysiology tests showed functional recovery in a traumatic brain injury mouse. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS This is the first direct tension-free neurorrhaphy mouse model of contralateral C7 transfer which shortened the time of nerve regeneration; previous models have used nerve grafting. CONCLUSIONS This paper describes a simple, reproducible, and effective mouse model of contralateral C7 transfer for studying brain plasticity and exploring potential new therapies after unilateral cerebral injury.
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Wakatsuki H, Shibata M, Matsuda K, Sato N. Development of a mouse nerve-transfer model for brachial plexus injury. Biomed Res 2019; 40:115-123. [PMID: 31231094 DOI: 10.2220/biomedres.40.115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Nerve transfer involves the use of a portion of a healthy nerve to repair an injured nerve, and the process has been used to alleviate traumatic brachial plexus injuries in humans. Study of the neural mechanisms that occur during nerve transfer, however, requires the establishment of reliable experimental models. In this study, we developed an ulnar-musculocutaneous nerve-transfer model wherein the biceps muscle of a mouse was re-innervated using a donor ulnar nerve. Similar muscle action potentials were detected in both the end-to-end suture of the transected nerve (correctrepair) group and the ulnar-musculocutaneous nerve-transfer group. Also, re-innervated acetylcholine receptor (AChR) clusters and muscle spindles were observed in both procedures. There were fewer re-innervated AChR clusters in the nerve transfer group than in the correct repair group at 4 weeks, but the numbers were equal at 24 weeks following surgery. Thus, our ulnar-musculocutaneous nerve-transfer model allowed physiological and morphological evaluation for re-innervation process in mice and revealed the delay of this process during nerve transfer procedure. This model will provide great opportunities to study regeneration, re-innervation, and functional recovery induced via nerve transfer procedures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanako Wakatsuki
- Division of Gross Anatomy and Morphogenesis, Department of Regenerative and Transplant Medicine, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences.,Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Functional Neuroscience, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences
| | - Minoru Shibata
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Functional Neuroscience, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences
| | - Ken Matsuda
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Functional Neuroscience, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences
| | - Noboru Sato
- Division of Gross Anatomy and Morphogenesis, Department of Regenerative and Transplant Medicine, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences
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5
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Molecular diversity of clustered protocadherin-α required for sensory integration and short-term memory in mice. Sci Rep 2018; 8:9616. [PMID: 29941942 PMCID: PMC6018629 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-28034-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2018] [Accepted: 06/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Clustered protocadherins (Pcdhs) are neuronal cell adhesion molecules characterized by homophilic adhesion between the tetramers of 58 distinct isoforms in mice. The diversity of Pcdhs and resulting highly-specific neuronal adhesion may be required for the formation of neural circuits for executing higher brain functions. However, this hypothesis remains to be tested, because knockout of Pcdh genes produces abnormalities that may interfere with higher brain functions indirectly. In Pcdh-α1,12 mice, only α1, α12 and two constitutive isoforms are expressed out of 14 isoforms. The appearance and behavior of Pcdh-α1,12 mice are similar to those of wild-type mice, and most abnormalities reported in Pcdh-α knockout mice are not present in Pcdh-α1,12 mice. We examined Pcdh-α1,12 mice in detail, and found that cortical depression induced by sensory mismatches between vision and whisker sensation in the visual cortex was impaired. Since Pcdh-α is densely distributed over the cerebral cortex, various types of higher function are likely impaired in Pcdh-α1,12 mice. As expected, visual short-term memory of space/shape was impaired in behavioral experiments using space/shape cues. Furthermore, behavioral learning based on audio-visual associative memory was also impaired. These results indicate that the molecular diversity of Pcdh-α plays essential roles for sensory integration and short-term memory.
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Maniwa K, Yamashita H, Tsukano H, Hishida R, Endo N, Shibata M, Shibuki K. Tomographic optical imaging of cortical responses after crossing nerve transfer in mice. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0193017. [PMID: 29444175 PMCID: PMC5812646 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0193017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2017] [Accepted: 02/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
To understand the neural mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of crossing nerve transfer for brachial plexus injuries in human patients, we investigated the cortical responses after crossing nerve transfer in mice using conventional and tomographic optical imaging. The distal cut ends of the left median and ulnar nerves were connected to the central cut ends of the right median and ulnar nerves with a sciatic nerve graft at 8 weeks of age. Eight weeks after the operation, the responses in the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) elicited by vibratory stimulation applied to the left forepaw were visualized based on activity-dependent flavoprotein fluorescence changes. In untreated mice, the cortical responses to left forepaw stimulation were mainly observed in the right S1. In mice with nerve crossing transfer, cortical responses to left forepaw stimulation were observed in the left S1 together with clear cortical responses in the right S1. We expected that the right S1 responses in the untreated mice were produced by thalamic inputs to layer IV, whereas those in the operated mice were mediated by callosal inputs from the left S1 to layer II/III of the right S1. To confirm this hypothesis, we performed tomographic imaging of flavoprotein fluorescence responses by macroconfocal microscopy. Flavoprotein fluorescence responses in layer IV were dominant compared to those in layer II/III in untreated mice. In contrast, responses in layer II/III were dominant compared to those in layer IV in operated mice. The peak latency of the cortical responses in the operated mice was longer than that in the untreated mice. These results confirmed our expectation that drastic reorganization in the cortical circuits was induced after crossing nerve transfer in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keiichi Maniwa
- Department of Neurophysiology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Haruyoshi Yamashita
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Tsukano
- Department of Neurophysiology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Ryuichi Hishida
- Department of Neurophysiology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Naoto Endo
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Minoru Shibata
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Katsuei Shibuki
- Department of Neurophysiology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
- * E-mail:
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7
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Hasegawa S, Kumagai M, Hagihara M, Nishimaru H, Hirano K, Kaneko R, Okayama A, Hirayama T, Sanbo M, Hirabayashi M, Watanabe M, Hirabayashi T, Yagi T. Distinct and Cooperative Functions for the Protocadherin-α, -β and -γ Clusters in Neuronal Survival and Axon Targeting. Front Mol Neurosci 2016; 9:155. [PMID: 28066179 PMCID: PMC5179546 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2016.00155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2016] [Accepted: 12/07/2016] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The clustered protocadherin (Pcdh) genes are divided into the Pcdhα, Pcdhβ, and Pcdhγ clusters. Gene-disruption analyses in mice have revealed the in vivo functions of the Pcdhα and Pcdhγ clusters. However, all Pcdh protein isoforms form combinatorial cis-hetero dimers and enter trans-homophilic interactions. Here we addressed distinct and cooperative functions in the Pcdh clusters by generating six cluster-deletion mutants (Δα, Δβ, Δγ, Δαβ, Δβγ, and Δαβγ) and comparing their phenotypes: Δα, Δβ, and Δαβ mutants were viable and fertile; Δγ mutants lived less than 12 h; and Δβγ and Δαβγ mutants died shortly after birth. The Pcdhα, Pcdhβ, and Pcdhγ clusters were individually and cooperatively important in olfactory-axon targeting and spinal-cord neuron survival. Neurodegeneration was most severe in Δαβγ mutants, indicating that Pcdhα and Pcdhβ function cooperatively for neuronal survival. The Pcdhα, Pcdhβ, and Pcdhγ clusters share roles in olfactory-axon targeting and neuronal survival, although to different degrees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonoko Hasegawa
- KOKORO-Biology Group, Laboratories for Integrated Biology, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka UniversitySuita, Japan; AMED-CREST, Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED)Suita, Japan
| | - Makiko Kumagai
- KOKORO-Biology Group, Laboratories for Integrated Biology, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka UniversitySuita, Japan; AMED-CREST, Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED)Suita, Japan
| | - Mitsue Hagihara
- KOKORO-Biology Group, Laboratories for Integrated Biology, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka UniversitySuita, Japan; AMED-CREST, Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED)Suita, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Nishimaru
- Division of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Keizo Hirano
- KOKORO-Biology Group, Laboratories for Integrated Biology, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University Suita, Japan
| | - Ryosuke Kaneko
- Bioresource Center, Graduate School of Medicine, Gunma University Maebashi, Japan
| | - Atsushi Okayama
- KOKORO-Biology Group, Laboratories for Integrated Biology, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University Suita, Japan
| | - Teruyoshi Hirayama
- KOKORO-Biology Group, Laboratories for Integrated Biology, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka UniversitySuita, Japan; AMED-CREST, Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED)Suita, Japan
| | - Makoto Sanbo
- Section of Mammalian Transgenesis, Center for Genetic Analysis of Behavior, National Institute for Physiological Sciences Okazaki, Japan
| | - Masumi Hirabayashi
- AMED-CREST, Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED)Suita, Japan; Section of Mammalian Transgenesis, Center for Genetic Analysis of Behavior, National Institute for Physiological SciencesOkazaki, Japan
| | - Masahiko Watanabe
- Department of Anatomy, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine Sapporo, Japan
| | - Takahiro Hirabayashi
- KOKORO-Biology Group, Laboratories for Integrated Biology, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka UniversitySuita, Japan; AMED-CREST, Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED)Suita, Japan
| | - Takeshi Yagi
- KOKORO-Biology Group, Laboratories for Integrated Biology, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka UniversitySuita, Japan; AMED-CREST, Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED)Suita, Japan
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8
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Baba H, Tsukano H, Hishida R, Takahashi K, Horii A, Takahashi S, Shibuki K. Auditory cortical field coding long-lasting tonal offsets in mice. Sci Rep 2016; 6:34421. [PMID: 27687766 PMCID: PMC5043382 DOI: 10.1038/srep34421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2015] [Accepted: 09/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Although temporal information processing is important in auditory perception, the mechanisms for coding tonal offsets are unknown. We investigated cortical responses elicited at the offset of tonal stimuli using flavoprotein fluorescence imaging in mice. Off-responses were clearly observed at the offset of tonal stimuli lasting for 7 s, but not after stimuli lasting for 1 s. Off-responses to the short stimuli appeared in a similar cortical region, when conditioning tonal stimuli lasting for 5–20 s preceded the stimuli. MK-801, an inhibitor of NMDA receptors, suppressed the two types of off-responses, suggesting that disinhibition produced by NMDA receptor-dependent synaptic depression might be involved in the off-responses. The peak off-responses were localized in a small region adjacent to the primary auditory cortex, and no frequency-dependent shift of the response peaks was found. Frequency matching of preceding tonal stimuli with short test stimuli was not required for inducing off-responses to short stimuli. Two-photon calcium imaging demonstrated significantly larger neuronal off-responses to stimuli lasting for 7 s in this field, compared with off-responses to stimuli lasting for 1 s. The present results indicate the presence of an auditory cortical field responding to long-lasting tonal offsets, possibly for temporal information processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hironori Baba
- Department of Neurophysiology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, 1-757 Asahi-machi, Chuo-ku, Niigata 951-8585, Japan.,Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, 1-757 Asahi-machi, Chuo-ku, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Tsukano
- Department of Neurophysiology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, 1-757 Asahi-machi, Chuo-ku, Niigata 951-8585, Japan
| | - Ryuichi Hishida
- Department of Neurophysiology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, 1-757 Asahi-machi, Chuo-ku, Niigata 951-8585, Japan
| | - Kuniyuki Takahashi
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, 1-757 Asahi-machi, Chuo-ku, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Arata Horii
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, 1-757 Asahi-machi, Chuo-ku, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Sugata Takahashi
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, 1-757 Asahi-machi, Chuo-ku, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Katsuei Shibuki
- Department of Neurophysiology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, 1-757 Asahi-machi, Chuo-ku, Niigata 951-8585, Japan
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9
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Mah KM, Houston DW, Weiner JA. The γ-Protocadherin-C3 isoform inhibits canonical Wnt signalling by binding to and stabilizing Axin1 at the membrane. Sci Rep 2016; 6:31665. [PMID: 27530555 PMCID: PMC4987702 DOI: 10.1038/srep31665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2016] [Accepted: 07/21/2016] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The 22 γ-Protocadherin (γ-Pcdh) adhesion molecules encoded by the Pcdhg gene cluster play critical roles in nervous system development, including regulation of dendrite arborisation, neuronal survival, and synaptogenesis. Recently, they have been implicated in suppression of tumour cell growth by inhibition of canonical Wnt signalling, though the mechanisms through which this occurs remain unknown. Here, we show differential regulation of Wnt signalling by individual γ-Pcdhs: The C3 isoform uniquely inhibits the pathway, whilst 13 other isoforms upregulate signalling. Focusing on the C3 isoform, we show that its unique variable cytoplasmic domain (VCD) is the critical one for Wnt pathway inhibition. γ-Pcdh-C3, but not other isoforms, physically interacts with Axin1, a key component of the canonical Wnt pathway. The C3 VCD competes with Dishevelled for binding to the DIX domain of Axin1, which stabilizes Axin1 at the membrane and leads to reduced phosphorylation of Wnt co-receptor Lrp6. Finally, we present evidence that Wnt pathway activity can be modulated up (by γ-Pcdh-A1) or down (by γ-Pcdh-C3) in the cerebral cortex in vivo, using conditional transgenic alleles. Together, these data delineate opposing roles for γ-Pcdh isoforms in regulating Wnt signalling and identify Axin1 as a novel protein interactor of the widely-expressed γ-Pcdh-C3 isoform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kar Men Mah
- Department of Biology, The University of Iowa, 143 Biology Building, Iowa City, 52242, IA, USA.,Integrated Biology Graduate Program, The University of Iowa, 143 Biology Building, Iowa City,52242, IA, USA
| | - Douglas W Houston
- Department of Biology, The University of Iowa, 143 Biology Building, Iowa City, 52242, IA, USA
| | - Joshua A Weiner
- Department of Biology, The University of Iowa, 143 Biology Building, Iowa City, 52242, IA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, 52242, IA, USA
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10
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Spinal mechanisms underlying potentiation of hindpaw responses observed after transient hindpaw ischemia in mice. Sci Rep 2015; 5:11191. [PMID: 26165560 PMCID: PMC4499883 DOI: 10.1038/srep11191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2015] [Accepted: 04/23/2015] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Transient ischemia produces postischemic tingling sensation. Ischemia also produces nerve conduction block that may modulate spinal neural circuits. In the present study, reduced mechanical thresholds for hindpaw-withdrawal reflex were found in mice after transient hindpaw ischemia, which was produced by a high pressure applied around the hindpaw for 30 min. The reduction in the threshold was blocked by spinal application of LY354740, a specific agonist of group II metabotropic glutamate receptors. Neural activities in the spinal cord and the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) were investigated using activity-dependent changes in endogenous fluorescence derived from mitochondrial flavoproteins. Ischemic treatment induced potentiation of the ipsilateral spinal and contralateral S1 responses to hindpaw stimulation. Both types of potentiation were blocked by spinal application of LY354740. The contralateral S1 responses, abolished by lesioning the ipsilateral dorsal column, reappeared after ischemic treatment, indicating that postischemic tingling sensation reflects a sensory modality shift from tactile sensation to nociception in the spinal cord. Changes in neural responses were investigated during ischemic treatment in the contralateral spinal cord and the ipsilateral S1. Potentiation already appeared during ischemic treatment for 30 min. The present findings suggest that the postischemic potentiation shares spinal mechanisms, at least in part, with neuropathic pain.
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11
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Meguro R, Hishida R, Tsukano H, Yoshitake K, Imamura R, Tohmi M, Kitsukawa T, Hirabayashi T, Yagi T, Takebayashi H, Shibuki K. Impaired clustered protocadherin-α leads to aggregated retinogeniculate terminals and impaired visual acuity in mice. J Neurochem 2015; 133:66-72. [PMID: 25650227 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.13053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2014] [Revised: 01/16/2015] [Accepted: 01/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Clustered protocadherins (cPcdhs) comprising cPcdh-α, -β, and -γ, encode a large family of cadherin-like cell-adhesion molecules specific to neurons. Impairment of cPcdh-α results in abnormal neuronal projection patterns in specific brain areas. To elucidate the role of cPcdh-α in retinogeniculate projections, we investigated the morphological patterns of retinogeniculate terminals in the lateral geniculate (LG) nucleus of mice with impaired cPcdh-α. We found huge aggregated retinogeniculate terminals in the dorsal LG nucleus, whereas no such aggregated terminals derived from the retina were observed in the olivary pretectal nucleus and the ventral LG nucleus. These aggregated terminals appeared between P10 and P14, just before eye opening and at the beginning of the refinement stage of the retinogeniculate projections. Reduced visual acuity was observed in adult mice with impaired cPcdh-α, whereas the orientation selectivity and direction selectivity of neurons in the primary visual cortex were apparently normal. These findings suggest that cPcdh-α is required for adequate spacing of retinogeniculate projections, which may be essential for normal development of visual acuity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reiko Meguro
- Division of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
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12
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Jongen JLM, Smits H, Pederzani T, Bechakra M, Hossaini M, Koekkoek SK, Huygen FJPM, De Zeeuw CI, Holstege JC, Joosten EAJ. Spinal autofluorescent flavoprotein imaging in a rat model of nerve injury-induced pain and the effect of spinal cord stimulation. PLoS One 2014; 9:e109029. [PMID: 25279562 PMCID: PMC4184817 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0109029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2014] [Accepted: 08/27/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Nerve injury may cause neuropathic pain, which involves hyperexcitability of spinal dorsal horn neurons. The mechanisms of action of spinal cord stimulation (SCS), an established treatment for intractable neuropathic pain, are only partially understood. We used Autofluorescent Flavoprotein Imaging (AFI) to study changes in spinal dorsal horn metabolic activity. In the Seltzer model of nerve-injury induced pain, hypersensitivity was confirmed using the von Frey and hotplate test. 14 Days after nerve-injury, rats were anesthetized, a bipolar electrode was placed around the affected sciatic nerve and the spinal cord was exposed by a laminectomy at T13. AFI recordings were obtained in neuropathic rats and a control group of naïve rats following 10 seconds of electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve at C-fiber strength, or following non-noxious palpation. Neuropathic rats were then treated with 30 minutes of SCS or sham stimulation and AFI recordings were obtained for up to 60 minutes after cessation of SCS/sham. Although AFI responses to noxious electrical stimulation were similar in neuropathic and naïve rats, only neuropathic rats demonstrated an AFI-response to palpation. Secondly, an immediate, short-lasting, but strong reduction in AFI intensity and area of excitation occurred following SCS, but not following sham stimulation. Our data confirm that AFI can be used to directly visualize changes in spinal metabolic activity following nerve injury and they imply that SCS acts through rapid modulation of nociceptive processing at the spinal level.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Helwin Smits
- Pain Management and Research Center, UMC+, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | | | - Malik Bechakra
- Dept. of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Mehdi Hossaini
- Dept. of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | | | - Chris I. De Zeeuw
- Dept. of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Academy for Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jan C. Holstege
- Dept. of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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Hishida R, Kudoh M, Shibuki K. Multimodal cortical sensory pathways revealed by sequential transcranial electrical stimulation in mice. Neurosci Res 2014; 87:49-55. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2014.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2014] [Revised: 06/27/2014] [Accepted: 07/15/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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14
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Visual Map Shifts based on Whisker-Guided Cues in the Young Mouse Visual Cortex. Cell Rep 2013; 5:1365-74. [DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2013.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2013] [Revised: 10/03/2013] [Accepted: 11/04/2013] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
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15
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Abstract
The mammalian brain is a complex multicellular system involving enormous numbers of neurons. The neuron is the basic functional unit of the brain, and neurons are organized by specialized intercellular connections into circuits with many other neurons. Physiological studies have revealed that individual neurons have remarkably selective response properties, and this individuality is a fundamental requirement for building complex and functionally diverse neural networks. Recent molecular biological studies have revealed genetic bases for neuronal individuality in the mammalian brain. For example, in the rodent olfactory epithelium, individual olfactory neurons express only one type of odorant receptor (OR) out of the over 1000 ORs encoded in the genome. The expressed OR determines the neuron's selective chemosensory response and specifies its axonal targeting to a particular olfactory glomerulus in the olfactory bulb. Neuronal diversity can also be generated in individual cells by the independent and stochastic expression of autosomal alleles, which leads to functional heterozygosity among neurons. Among the many genes that show autosomal stochastic monoallelic expression, approximately 50 members of the clustered protocadherins (Pcdhs) are stochastically expressed in individual neurons in distinct combinations. The clustered Pcdhs belong to a large subfamily of the cadherin superfamily of homophilic cell-adhesion proteins. Loss-of-function analyses show that the clustered Pcdhs have critical functions in the accuracy of axonal projections, synaptic formation, dendritic arborization, and neuronal survival. In addition, cis-tetramers, composed of heteromultimeric clustered Pcdh members, represent selective binding units for cell-cell interactions, and provide exponential numbers of possible cell-surface relationships between individual neurons. The extensive molecular diversity of neuronal cell-surface proteins affects neurons’ individual properties and connectivities. The molecular features of the diverse clustered Pcdh molecules suggest that they provide a genetic basis for neuronal individuality and appropriate neuronal wiring in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takeshi Yagi
- KOKORO-Biology Group, Laboratories for Integrated Biology, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.
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16
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Yagi T. Molecular codes for neuronal individuality and cell assembly in the brain. Front Mol Neurosci 2012; 5:45. [PMID: 22518100 PMCID: PMC3324988 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2012.00045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2012] [Accepted: 03/22/2012] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The brain contains an enormous, but finite, number of neurons. The ability of this limited number of neurons to produce nearly limitless neural information over a lifetime is typically explained by combinatorial explosion; that is, by the exponential amplification of each neuron's contribution through its incorporation into "cell assemblies" and neural networks. In development, each neuron expresses diverse cellular recognition molecules that permit the formation of the appropriate neural cell assemblies to elicit various brain functions. The mechanism for generating neuronal assemblies and networks must involve molecular codes that give neurons individuality and allow them to recognize one another and join appropriate networks. The extensive molecular diversity of cell-surface proteins on neurons is likely to contribute to their individual identities. The clustered protocadherins (Pcdh) is a large subfamily within the diverse cadherin superfamily. The clustered Pcdh genes are encoded in tandem by three gene clusters, and are present in all known vertebrate genomes. The set of clustered Pcdh genes is expressed in a random and combinatorial manner in each neuron. In addition, cis-tetramers composed of heteromultimeric clustered Pcdh isoforms represent selective binding units for cell-cell interactions. Here I present the mathematical probabilities for neuronal individuality based on the random and combinatorial expression of clustered Pcdh isoforms and their formation of cis-tetramers in each neuron. Notably, clustered Pcdh gene products are known to play crucial roles in correct axonal projections, synaptic formation, and neuronal survival. Their molecular and biological features induce a hypothesis that the diverse clustered Pcdh molecules provide the molecular code by which neuronal individuality and cell assembly permit the combinatorial explosion of networks that supports enormous processing capability and plasticity of the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takeshi Yagi
- KOKORO-Biology Group, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Laboratories for Integrated Biology, Osaka University, Yamadaoka, Suita Osaka, Japan
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