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Belmonte-Mateos C, Meister L, Pujades C. Hindbrain rhombomere centers harbor a heterogenous population of dividing progenitors which rely on Notch signaling. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1268631. [PMID: 38020924 PMCID: PMC10652760 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1268631] [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: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Tissue growth and morphogenesis are interrelated processes, whose tight coordination is essential for the production of different cell fates and the timely precise allocation of stem cell capacities. The zebrafish embryonic brainstem, the hindbrain, exemplifies such coupling between spatiotemporal cell diversity acquisition and tissue growth as the neurogenic commitment is differentially distributed over time. Here, we combined cell lineage and in vivo imaging approaches to reveal the emergence of specific cell population properties within the rhombomeres. We studied the molecular identity of hindbrain rhombomere centers and showed that they harbor different progenitor capacities that change over time. By clonal analysis, we revealed that cells within the center of rhombomeres decrease the proliferative capacity to remain mainly in the G1 phase. Proliferating progenitors give rise to neurons by asymmetric and symmetric neurogenic divisions while maintaining the pool of progenitors. The proliferative capacity of these cells differs from their neighbors, and they are delayed in the onset of Notch activity. Through functional studies, we demonstrated that they rely on Notch3 signaling to be maintained as non-committed progenitors. In this study, we show that cells in rhombomere centers, despite the neurogenic asynchrony, might share steps of a similar program with the rhombomere counterparts, to ensure proper tissue growth.
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Slika H, Alimonti P, Raj D, Caraway C, Alomari S, Jackson EM, Tyler B. The Neurodevelopmental and Molecular Landscape of Medulloblastoma Subgroups: Current Targets and the Potential for Combined Therapies. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3889. [PMID: 37568705 PMCID: PMC10417410 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15153889] [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: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant pediatric brain tumor and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality in the pediatric population. Despite the use of multiple therapeutic approaches consisting of surgical resection, craniospinal irradiation, and multiagent chemotherapy, the prognosis of many patients with medulloblastoma remains dismal. Additionally, the high doses of radiation and the chemotherapeutic agents used are associated with significant short- and long-term complications and adverse effects, most notably neurocognitive delay. Hence, there is an urgent need for the development and clinical integration of targeted treatment regimens with greater efficacy and superior safety profiles. Since the adoption of the molecular-based classification of medulloblastoma into wingless (WNT) activated, sonic hedgehog (SHH) activated, group 3, and group 4, research efforts have been directed towards unraveling the genetic, epigenetic, transcriptomic, and proteomic profiles of each subtype. This review aims to delineate the progress that has been made in characterizing the neurodevelopmental and molecular features of each medulloblastoma subtype. It further delves into the implications that these characteristics have on the development of subgroup-specific targeted therapeutic agents. Furthermore, it highlights potential future avenues for combining multiple agents or strategies in order to obtain augmented effects and evade the development of treatment resistance in tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hasan Slika
- Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut P.O. Box 11-0236, Lebanon;
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; (D.R.); (C.C.); (S.A.); (E.M.J.)
| | - Paolo Alimonti
- School of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, 20132 Milan, Italy;
| | - Divyaansh Raj
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; (D.R.); (C.C.); (S.A.); (E.M.J.)
| | - Chad Caraway
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; (D.R.); (C.C.); (S.A.); (E.M.J.)
| | - Safwan Alomari
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; (D.R.); (C.C.); (S.A.); (E.M.J.)
| | - Eric M. Jackson
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; (D.R.); (C.C.); (S.A.); (E.M.J.)
| | - Betty Tyler
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; (D.R.); (C.C.); (S.A.); (E.M.J.)
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Pose-Méndez S, Schramm P, Valishetti K, Köster RW. Development, circuitry, and function of the zebrafish cerebellum. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 80:227. [PMID: 37490159 PMCID: PMC10368569 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-04879-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
The cerebellum represents a brain compartment that first appeared in gnathostomes (jawed vertebrates). Besides the addition of cell numbers, its development, cytoarchitecture, circuitry, physiology, and function have been highly conserved throughout avian and mammalian species. While cerebellar research in avian and mammals is extensive, systematic investigations on this brain compartment in zebrafish as a teleostian model organism started only about two decades ago, but has provided considerable insight into cerebellar development, physiology, and function since then. Zebrafish are genetically tractable with nearly transparent small-sized embryos, in which cerebellar development occurs within a few days. Therefore, genetic investigations accompanied with non-invasive high-resolution in vivo time-lapse imaging represents a powerful combination for interrogating the behavior and function of cerebellar cells in their complex native environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sol Pose-Méndez
- Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, Zoological Institute, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany.
| | - Paul Schramm
- Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, Zoological Institute, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Komali Valishetti
- Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, Zoological Institute, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Reinhard W Köster
- Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, Zoological Institute, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany.
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Wu SR, Butts JC, Caudill MS, Revelli JP, Dhindsa RS, Durham MA, Zoghbi HY. Atoh1 drives the heterogeneity of the pontine nuclei neurons and promotes their differentiation. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadg1671. [PMID: 37390208 PMCID: PMC10313176 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adg1671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023]
Abstract
Pontine nuclei (PN) neurons mediate the communication between the cerebral cortex andthe cerebellum to refine skilled motor functions. Prior studies showed that PN neurons fall into two subtypes based on their anatomic location and region-specific connectivity, but the extent of their heterogeneity and its molecular drivers remain unknown. Atoh1 encodes a transcription factor that is expressed in the PN precursors. We previously showed that partial loss of Atoh1 function in mice results in delayed PN development and impaired motor learning. In this study, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing to elucidate the cell state-specific functions of Atoh1 during PN development and found that Atoh1 regulates cell cycle exit, differentiation, migration, and survival of PN neurons. Our data revealed six previously not known PN subtypes that are molecularly and spatially distinct. We found that the PN subtypes exhibit differential vulnerability to partial loss of Atoh1 function, providing insights into the prominence of PN phenotypes in patients with ATOH1 missense mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sih-Rong Wu
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jessica C. Butts
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Matthew S. Caudill
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jean-Pierre Revelli
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ryan S. Dhindsa
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Mark A. Durham
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Medical Student Scientist Training Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Huda Y. Zoghbi
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
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Espinosa-Medina I, Feliciano D, Belmonte-Mateos C, Linda Miyares R, Garcia-Marques J, Foster B, Lindo S, Pujades C, Koyama M, Lee T. TEMPO enables sequential genetic labeling and manipulation of vertebrate cell lineages. Neuron 2023; 111:345-361.e10. [PMID: 36417906 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.10.035] [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: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
During development, regulatory factors appear in a precise order to determine cell fates over time. Consequently, to investigate complex tissue development, it is necessary to visualize and manipulate cell lineages with temporal control. Current strategies for tracing vertebrate cell lineages lack genetic access to sequentially produced cells. Here, we present TEMPO (Temporal Encoding and Manipulation in a Predefined Order), an imaging-readable genetic tool allowing differential labeling and manipulation of consecutive cell generations in vertebrates. TEMPO is based on CRISPR and powered by a cascade of gRNAs that drive orderly activation and inactivation of reporters and/or effectors. Using TEMPO to visualize zebrafish and mouse neurogenesis, we recapitulated birth-order-dependent neuronal fates. Temporally manipulating cell-cycle regulators in mouse cortex progenitors altered the proportion and distribution of neurons and glia, revealing the effects of temporal gene perturbation on serial cell fates. Thus, TEMPO enables sequential manipulation of molecular factors, crucial to study cell-type specification.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel Feliciano
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Carla Belmonte-Mateos
- Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, PRBB, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Rosa Linda Miyares
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Jorge Garcia-Marques
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnologia, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Madrid 28049, Spain
| | - Benjamin Foster
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Sarah Lindo
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Cristina Pujades
- Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, PRBB, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Minoru Koyama
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Tzumin Lee
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA.
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Hevia CF, Engel-Pizcueta C, Udina F, Pujades C. The neurogenic fate of the hindbrain boundaries relies on Notch3-dependent asymmetric cell divisions. Cell Rep 2022; 39:110915. [PMID: 35675784 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Elucidating the cellular and molecular mechanisms that regulate the balance between progenitor cell proliferation and neuronal differentiation in the construction of the embryonic brain demands the combination of cell lineage and functional approaches. Here, we generate the comprehensive lineage of hindbrain boundary cells by using a CRISPR-based knockin zebrafish transgenic line that specifically labels the boundaries. We unveil that boundary cells asynchronously engage in neurogenesis undergoing a functional transition from neuroepithelial progenitors to radial glia cells, coinciding with the onset of Notch3 signaling that triggers their asymmetrical cell division. Upon notch3 loss of function, boundary cells lose radial glia properties and symmetrically divide undergoing neuronal differentiation. Finally, we show that the fate of boundary cells is to become neurons, the subtype of which relies on their axial position, suggesting that boundary cells contribute to refine the number and proportion of the distinct neuronal populations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Frederic Udina
- Department of Economics and Business, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08002 Barcelona, Spain; Data Science Center, Barcelona School of Economics, 08002 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cristina Pujades
- Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, 08003 Barcelona, Spain.
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Abstract
Atonal homologue 8 (atoh8) is a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor expressed in a variety of embryonic tissues. While several studies have implicated atoh8 in various developmental pathways in other species, its role in zebrafish development remains uncertain. So far, no studies have dealt with an in-depth in situ analysis of the tissue distribution of atoh8 in embryonic zebrafish. We set out to pinpoint the exact location of atoh8 expression in a detailed spatio-temporal analysis in zebrafish during the first 24 h of development (hpf). To our surprise, we observed transcription from pre-segmentation stages in the paraxial mesoderm and during the segmentation stages in the somitic sclerotome and not—as previously reported—in the myotome. With progressing maturation of the somites, the restriction of atoh8 to the sclerotomal compartment became evident. Double in situ hybridisation with atoh8 and myoD revealed that both genes are expressed in the somites at coinciding developmental stages; however, their domains do not spatially overlap. A second domain of atoh8 expression emerged in the embryonic brain in the developing cerebellum and hindbrain. Here, we observed a specific expression pattern which was again in contrast to the previously published suggestion of atoh8 transcription in neural crest cells. Our findings point towards a possible role of atoh8 in sclerotome, cerebellum and hindbrain development. More importantly, the results of this expression analysis provide new insights into early sclerotome development in zebrafish—a field of research in developmental biology which has not received much attention so far.
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Pujades C. The multiple functions of hindbrain boundary cells: Tinkering boundaries? Semin Cell Dev Biol 2020; 107:179-189. [DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2020.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Revised: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 05/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
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