1
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Chen HC, He P, McDonald M, Williamson MR, Varadharajan S, Lozzi B, Woo J, Choi DJ, Sardar D, Huang-Hobbs E, Sun H, Ippagunta SM, Jain A, Rao G, Merchant TE, Ellison DW, Noebels JL, Bertrand KC, Mack SC, Deneen B. Histone serotonylation regulates ependymoma tumorigenesis. Nature 2024:10.1038/s41586-024-07751-z. [PMID: 39085609 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07751-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
Bidirectional communication between tumours and neurons has emerged as a key facet of the tumour microenvironment that drives malignancy1,2. Another hallmark feature of cancer is epigenomic dysregulation, in which alterations in gene expression influence cell states and interactions with the tumour microenvironment3. Ependymoma (EPN) is a paediatric brain tumour that relies on epigenomic remodelling to engender malignancy4,5; however, how these epigenetic mechanisms intersect with extrinsic neuronal signalling during EPN tumour progression is unknown. Here we show that the activity of serotonergic neurons regulates EPN tumorigenesis, and that serotonin itself also serves as an activating modification on histones. We found that inhibiting histone serotonylation blocks EPN tumorigenesis and regulates the expression of a core set of developmental transcription factors. High-throughput, in vivo screening of these transcription factors revealed that ETV5 promotes EPN tumorigenesis and functions by enhancing repressive chromatin states. Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is one of the genes repressed by ETV5, and its overexpression suppresses EPN tumour progression and tumour-associated network hyperactivity through synaptic remodelling. Collectively, this study identifies histone serotonylation as a key driver of EPN tumorigenesis, and also reveals how neuronal signalling, neuro-epigenomics and developmental programs are intertwined to drive malignancy in brain cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsiao-Chi Chen
- Program in Cancer and Cell Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Integrative Molecular and Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Peihao He
- Program in Cancer and Cell Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Malcolm McDonald
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Program in Development, Disease, Models and Therapeutics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Michael R Williamson
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Srinidhi Varadharajan
- Center of Excellence in Neuro-Oncology Sciences (CENOS), St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Brittney Lozzi
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Program in Genetics and Genomics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Junsung Woo
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Dong-Joo Choi
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Debosmita Sardar
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Emmet Huang-Hobbs
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Integrative Molecular and Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Hua Sun
- Center of Excellence in Neuro-Oncology Sciences (CENOS), St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Siri M Ippagunta
- Center of Excellence in Neuro-Oncology Sciences (CENOS), St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Antrix Jain
- Mass Spectrometry Proteomics Core, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ganesh Rao
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Thomas E Merchant
- Department of Radiation Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - David W Ellison
- Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Jeffrey L Noebels
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Kelsey C Bertrand
- Division of Neuro-Oncology, Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Stephen C Mack
- Center of Excellence in Neuro-Oncology Sciences (CENOS), St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA.
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA.
- Neurobiology and Brain Tumor Program, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA.
| | - Benjamin Deneen
- Program in Cancer and Cell Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
- Integrative Molecular and Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
- Program in Development, Disease, Models and Therapeutics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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2
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Cho YS, Kim DH, Bae JY, Son JY, Kim JH, Afridi R, Suk K, Ahn DK, Bae YC. Structural reorganization of medullary dorsal horn astrocytes in a rat model of neuropathic pain. Brain Struct Funct 2024:10.1007/s00429-024-02835-y. [PMID: 39052094 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-024-02835-y] [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: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Multiple studies have shown that astrocytes in the medullary dorsal horn (MDH) play an important role in the development of pathologic pain. However, little is known about the structural reorganization of the peripheral astrocytic processes (PAP), the main functional part of the astrocyte, in MDH in neuropathic state. For this, we investigated the structural relationship between PAP and their adjacent presynaptic axon terminals and postsynaptic dendrites in the superficial laminae of the MDH using electron microscopical immunohistochemistry for ezrin, a marker for PAP, and quantitative analysis in a rat model of neuropathic pain following chronic constriction injury of the infraorbital nerve (CCI-ION). We found that, compared to controls, in rats with CCI-ION, (1) the number, % area, surface density, and volume fraction of ezrin-positive (+) PAP, as well as the fraction of synaptic edge apposed by ezrin + PAP and the degree of its coverage of presynaptic axon terminals and postsynaptic dendrites increased significantly, (2) these effects were abolished by administration of the mGluR5 antagonist 2-methyl-6-(phenylethynyl) pyridine (MPEP). These findings indicate that PAP undergoes structural reorganization around the central synapses of sensory afferents following nerve injury, suggest that it may be mediated by mGluR5, and may represent the structural basis for enhancing astrocyte-neuron interaction in neuropathic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Sul Cho
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Do Hyoung Kim
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Young Bae
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Jo Young Son
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Heon Kim
- Brain Science & Engineering Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Ruqayya Afridi
- Department of Pharmacology, BK21 Plus KNU Biomedical Convergence Program, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyoungho Suk
- Brain Science & Engineering Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
- Department of Pharmacology, BK21 Plus KNU Biomedical Convergence Program, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong Kuk Ahn
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
| | - Yong Chul Bae
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
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3
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Baldwin KT, Murai KK, Khakh BS. Astrocyte morphology. Trends Cell Biol 2024; 34:547-565. [PMID: 38180380 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2023.09.006] [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: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Astrocytes are predominant glial cells that tile the central nervous system (CNS). A cardinal feature of astrocytes is their complex and visually enchanting morphology, referred to as bushy, spongy, and star-like. A central precept of this review is that such complex morphological shapes evolved to allow astrocytes to contact and signal with diverse cells at a range of distances in order to sample, regulate, and contribute to the extracellular milieu, and thus participate widely in cell-cell signaling during physiology and disease. The recent use of improved imaging methods and cell-specific molecular evaluations has revealed new information on the structural organization and molecular underpinnings of astrocyte morphology, the mechanisms of astrocyte morphogenesis, and the contributions to disease states of reduced morphology. These insights have reignited interest in astrocyte morphological complexity as a cornerstone of fundamental glial biology and as a critical substrate for multicellular spatial and physiological interactions in the CNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine T Baldwin
- Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
| | - Keith K Murai
- Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital, 1650 Cedar Avenue, Montreal, QC H3G 1A4, Canada.
| | - Baljit S Khakh
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, 10833 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90034, USA; Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, 10833 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90034, USA.
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4
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Kellner V, Parker P, Mi X, Yu G, Saher G, Bergles DE. Conservation of neuron-astrocyte coordinated activity among sensory processing centers of the developing brain. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.15.589519. [PMID: 38659917 PMCID: PMC11042386 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.15.589519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Afferent neurons in developing sensory organs exhibit a prolonged period of burst firing prior to the onset of sensory experience. This intrinsically generated activity propagates from the periphery through central processing centers to promote the survival and physiological maturation of neurons and refine their synaptic connectivity. Recent studies in the auditory system indicate that these bursts of action potentials also trigger metabotropic glutamate receptor-mediated calcium increases within astrocytes that are spatially and temporally correlated with neuronal events; however, it is not known if this phenomenon occurs in other sensory modalities. Here we show using in vivo simultaneous imaging of neuronal and astrocyte calcium activity in awake mouse pups that waves of retinal ganglion cell activity induce spatially and temporally correlated waves of astrocyte activity in the superior colliculus that depend on metabotropic glutamate receptors mGluR5 and mGluR3. Astrocyte calcium transients reliably occurred with each neuronal wave, but peaked more than one second after neuronal events. Despite differences in the temporal features of spontaneous activity in auditory and visual processing regions, individual astrocytes exhibited similar overall calcium activity patterns, providing a conserved mechanism to synchronize neuronal and astrocyte maturation within discrete sensory domains.
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5
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Deckers C, Karbalaei R, Miles NA, Harder EV, Witt E, Harris EP, Reissner K, Wimmer ME, Bangasser DA. Early resource scarcity causes cortical astrocyte enlargement and sex-specific changes in the orbitofrontal cortex transcriptome in adult rats. Neurobiol Stress 2024; 29:100607. [PMID: 38304302 PMCID: PMC10831308 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2024.100607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 01/06/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Astrocyte morphology affects function, including the regulation of glutamatergic signaling. This morphology changes dynamically in response to the environment. However, how early life manipulations alter adult cortical astrocyte morphology is underexplored. Our lab uses brief postnatal resource scarcity, the limited bedding and nesting (LBN) manipulation, in rats. We previously found that LBN augments maternal behaviors and promotes later resilience to adult addiction-related behaviors, reducing impulsivity, risky decision-making, and morphine self-administration. These behaviors rely on glutamatergic transmission in the medial orbitofrontal (mOFC) and medial prefrontal (mPFC) cortex. Here we tested whether LBN changed astrocyte morphology in the mOFC and mPFC of adult rats using a novel viral approach that, unlike traditional markers, fully labels astrocytes. Prior exposure to LBN causes an increase in the surface area and volume of astrocytes in the mOFC and mPFC of adult males and females relative to control-raised rats. We next used bulk RNA sequencing of OFC tissue to assess transcriptional changes that could increase astrocyte size in LBN rats. LBN caused mainly sex-specific changes in differentially expressed genes. Pathway analysis revealed that OFC glutamatergic signaling is altered by LBN in males and females, but the gene changes in that pathway differed across sex. This may represent a convergent sex difference where glutamatergic signaling, which affects astrocyte morphology, is altered by LBN via sex-specific mechanisms. Collectively, these studies highlight that astrocytes may be an important cell type that mediates the effect of early resource scarcity on adult brain function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Deckers
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Reza Karbalaei
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Nylah A. Miles
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Eden V. Harder
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Emily Witt
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Erin P. Harris
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, USA
- Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Georgia State University, Atlanta, USA
| | - Kathryn Reissner
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Mathieu E. Wimmer
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Debra A. Bangasser
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, USA
- Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Georgia State University, Atlanta, USA
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6
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Lee SY, Chung WS. Astrocytic crosstalk with brain and immune cells in healthy and diseased conditions. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2024; 84:102840. [PMID: 38290370 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2024.102840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Astrocytes interact with various cell types, including neurons, vascular cells, microglia, and peripheral immune cells. These interactions are crucial for regulating normal brain functions as well as modulating neuroinflammation in pathological conditions. Recent transcriptomic and proteomic studies have identified critical molecules involved in astrocytic crosstalk with other cells, shedding light on their roles in maintaining brain homeostasis in both healthy and diseased conditions. Astrocytes perform these various roles through either direct or indirect physical associations with neuronal synapses and vasculature. Furthermore, astrocytes can communicate with other immune cells, such as microglia, T cells, and natural killer cells, through secreted molecules during neuroinflammation. In this review, we discuss the critical molecular basis of this astrocytic crosstalk and the underlying mechanisms of astrocyte communication with other cells. We propose that astrocytes function as a central hub in inter-connecting neurons, vasculatures, and immune cells in healthy and diseased brains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Se Young Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea. https://twitter.com/SYLee_neuro
| | - Won-Suk Chung
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea.
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7
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Verkerke M, Berdenis van Berlekom A, Donega V, Vonk D, Sluijs JA, Butt NF, Kistemaker L, de Witte LD, Pasterkamp RJ, Middeldorp J, Hol EM. Transcriptomic and morphological maturation of human astrocytes in cerebral organoids. Glia 2024; 72:362-374. [PMID: 37846809 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24479] [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: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
Cerebral organoids (CerOrgs) derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are a valuable tool to study human astrocytes and their interaction with neurons and microglia. The timeline of astrocyte development and maturation in this model is currently unknown and this limits the value and applicability of the model. Therefore, we generated CerOrgs from three healthy individuals and assessed astrocyte maturation after 5, 11, 19, and 37 weeks in culture. At these four time points, the astrocyte lineage was isolated based on the expression of integrin subunit alpha 6 (ITGA6). Based on the transcriptome of the isolated ITGA6-positive cells, astrocyte development started between 5 and 11 weeks in culture and astrocyte maturation commenced after 11 weeks in culture. After 19 weeks in culture, the ITGA6-positive astrocytes had the highest expression of human mature astrocyte genes, and the predicted functional properties were related to brain homeostasis. After 37 weeks in culture, a subpopulation of ITGA6-negative astrocytes appeared, highlighting the heterogeneity within the astrocytes. The morphology shifted from an elongated progenitor-like morphology to the typical bushy astrocyte morphology. Based on the morphological properties, predicted functional properties, and the similarities with the human mature astrocyte transcriptome, we concluded that ITGA6-positive astrocytes have developed optimally in 19-week-old CerOrgs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marloes Verkerke
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Amber Berdenis van Berlekom
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Vanessa Donega
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Anatomy & Neurosciences, section Clinical Neuroanatomy and Biobanking, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Neuroscience, Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Daniëlle Vonk
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jacqueline A Sluijs
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Nayab F Butt
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Lois Kistemaker
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Lot D de Witte
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - R Jeroen Pasterkamp
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jinte Middeldorp
- Department of Neurobiology & Aging, Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Rijswijk, The Netherlands
| | - Elly M Hol
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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8
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Rosenberg MF, Godoy MI, Wade SD, Paredes MF, Zhang Y, Molofsky AV. β-Adrenergic Signaling Promotes Morphological Maturation of Astrocytes in Female Mice. J Neurosci 2023; 43:8621-8636. [PMID: 37845031 PMCID: PMC10727121 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0357-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes play essential roles in the developing nervous system, including supporting synapse function. These astrocyte support functions emerge coincident with brain maturation and may be tailored in a region-specific manner. For example, gray matter astrocytes have elaborate synapse-associated processes and are morphologically and molecularly distinct from white matter astrocytes. This raises the question of whether there are unique environmental cues that promote gray matter astrocyte identity and synaptogenic function. We previously identified adrenergic receptors as preferentially enriched in developing gray versus white matter astrocytes, suggesting that noradrenergic signaling could be a cue that promotes the functional maturation of gray matter astrocytes. We first characterized noradrenergic projections during postnatal brain development in mouse and human, finding that process density was higher in the gray matter and increased concurrently with astrocyte maturation. RNA sequencing revealed that astrocytes in both species expressed α- and β-adrenergic receptors. We found that stimulation of β-adrenergic receptors increased primary branching of rodent astrocytes in vitro Conversely, astrocyte-conditional knockout of the β1-adrenergic receptor reduced the size of gray matter astrocytes and led to dysregulated sensorimotor integration in female mice. These studies suggest that adrenergic signaling to developing astrocytes impacts their morphology and has implications for adult behavior, particularly in female animals. More broadly, they demonstrate a mechanism through which environmental cues impact astrocyte development. Given the key roles of norepinephrine in brain states, such as arousal, stress, and learning, these findings could prompt further inquiry into how developmental stressors impact astrocyte development and adult brain function.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT This study demonstrates a role for noradrenergic signaling in the development of gray matter astrocytes. We provide new evidence that the β1-adrenergic receptor is robustly expressed by both mouse and human astrocytes, and that conditional KO of the β1-adrenergic receptor from female mouse astrocytes impairs gray matter astrocyte maturation. Moreover, female conditional KO mice exhibit behavioral deficits in two paradigms that test sensorimotor function. Given the emerging interest in moving beyond RNA sequencing to probe specific pathways that underlie astrocyte heterogeneity, this study provides a foundation for future investigation into the effect of noradrenergic signaling on astrocyte functions in conditions where noradrenergic signaling is altered, such as stress, arousal, and learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marci F Rosenberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Weill Institute of Neurosciences, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143
- Medical Scientist Training Program and Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143
| | - Marlesa I Godoy
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | - Sarah D Wade
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Weill Institute of Neurosciences, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143
- Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143
| | - Mercedes F Paredes
- Department of Neurology, Weill Institute of Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub-San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
| | - Ye Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | - Anna V Molofsky
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Weill Institute of Neurosciences, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143
- Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143
- Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143
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9
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Tan CX, Bindu DS, Hardin EJ, Sakers K, Baumert R, Ramirez JJ, Savage JT, Eroglu C. δ-Catenin controls astrocyte morphogenesis via layer-specific astrocyte-neuron cadherin interactions. J Cell Biol 2023; 222:e202303138. [PMID: 37707499 PMCID: PMC10501387 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202303138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes control the formation of specific synaptic circuits via cell adhesion and secreted molecules. Astrocyte synaptogenic functions are dependent on the establishment of their complex morphology. However, it is unknown if distinct neuronal cues differentially regulate astrocyte morphogenesis. δ-Catenin was previously thought to be a neuron-specific protein that regulates dendrite morphology. We found δ-catenin is also highly expressed by astrocytes and required both in astrocytes and neurons for astrocyte morphogenesis. δ-Catenin is hypothesized to mediate transcellular interactions through the cadherin family of cell adhesion proteins. We used structural modeling and biochemical analyses to reveal that δ-catenin interacts with the N-cadherin juxtamembrane domain to promote N-cadherin surface expression. An autism-linked δ-catenin point mutation impaired N-cadherin cell surface expression and reduced astrocyte complexity. In the developing mouse cortex, only lower-layer cortical neurons express N-cadherin. Remarkably, when we silenced astrocytic N-cadherin throughout the cortex, only lower-layer astrocyte morphology was disrupted. These findings show that δ-catenin controls astrocyte-neuron cadherin interactions that regulate layer-specific astrocyte morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christabel Xin Tan
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Evelyn J. Hardin
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Kristina Sakers
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Ryan Baumert
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Juan J. Ramirez
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Justin T. Savage
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Cagla Eroglu
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
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10
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Abstract
Rett syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by loss-of-function mutations in the methyl-CpG binding protein-2 (MeCP2) gene that is characterized by epilepsy, intellectual disability, autistic features, speech deficits, and sleep and breathing abnormalities. Neurologically, patients with all three disorders display microcephaly, aberrant dendritic morphology, reduced spine density, and an imbalance of excitatory/inhibitory signaling. Loss-of-function mutations in the cyclin-dependent kinase-like 5 (CDKL5) and FOXG1 genes also cause similar behavioral and neurobiological defects and were referred to as congenital or variant Rett syndrome. The relatively recent realization that CDKL5 deficiency disorder (CDD), FOXG1 syndrome, and Rett syndrome are distinct neurodevelopmental disorders with some distinctive features have resulted in separate focus being placed on each disorder with the assumption that distinct molecular mechanisms underlie their pathogenesis. However, given that many of the core symptoms and neurological features are shared, it is likely that the disorders share some critical molecular underpinnings. This review discusses the possibility that deregulation of common molecules in neurons and astrocytes plays a central role in key behavioral and neurological abnormalities in all three disorders. These include KCC2, a chloride transporter, vGlut1, a vesicular glutamate transporter, GluD1, an orphan-glutamate receptor subunit, and PSD-95, a postsynaptic scaffolding protein. We propose that reduced expression or activity of KCC2, vGlut1, PSD-95, and AKT, along with increased expression of GluD1, is involved in the excitatory/inhibitory that represents a key aspect in all three disorders. In addition, astrocyte-derived brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), and inflammatory cytokines likely affect the expression and functioning of these molecules resulting in disease-associated abnormalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santosh R D’Mello
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University Shreveport, Shreveport, LA 71104, USA
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11
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Xie Y, Reid CM, Granados AA, Garcia MT, Dale-Huang F, Hanson SM, Mancia W, Liu J, Adam M, Mosto O, Pisco AO, Alvarez-Buylla A, Harwell CC. Developmental origin and local signals cooperate to determine septal astrocyte identity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.08.561428. [PMID: 37873089 PMCID: PMC10592657 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.08.561428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Astrocyte specification during development is influenced by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors, but the precise contribution of each remains poorly understood. Here we show that septal astrocytes from Nkx2.1 and Zic4 expressing progenitor zones are allocated into non-overlapping domains of the medial (MS) and lateral septal nuclei (LS) respectively. Astrocytes in these areas exhibit distinctive molecular and morphological features tailored to the unique cellular and synaptic circuit environment of each nucleus. Using single-nucleus (sn) RNA sequencing, we trace the developmental trajectories of cells in the septum and find that neurons and astrocytes undergo region and developmental stage-specific local cell-cell interactions. We show that expression of the classic morphogens Sonic hedgehog (Shh) and Fibroblast growth factors (Fgfs) by MS and LS neurons respectively, functions to promote the molecular specification of local astrocytes in each region. Finally, using heterotopic cell transplantation, we show that both morphological and molecular specifications of septal astrocytes are highly dependent on the local microenvironment, regardless of developmental origins. Our data highlights the complex interplay between intrinsic and extrinsic factors shaping astrocyte identities and illustrates the importance of the local environment in determining astrocyte functional specialization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajun Xie
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, San Francisco, CA
| | - Christopher M. Reid
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, San Francisco, CA
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Ph.D. Program in Neuroscience, Harvard University, Boston, MA
| | | | - Miguel Turrero Garcia
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, San Francisco, CA
| | - Fiona Dale-Huang
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA
| | - Sarah M. Hanson
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, San Francisco, CA
| | - Walter Mancia
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA
| | - Jonathan Liu
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Manal Adam
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, San Francisco, CA
| | - Olivia Mosto
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | | | - Arturo Alvarez-Buylla
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA
| | - Corey C. Harwell
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, San Francisco, CA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
- Lead contact
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12
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Jin S, Chen X, Tian Y, Jarvis R, Promes V, Yang Y. Astroglial exosome HepaCAM signaling and ApoE antagonization coordinates early postnatal cortical pyramidal neuronal axon growth and dendritic spine formation. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5150. [PMID: 37620511 PMCID: PMC10449881 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40926-2] [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: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Developing astroglia play important roles in regulating synaptogenesis through secreted and contact signals. Whether they regulate postnatal axon growth is unknown. By selectively isolating exosomes using size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) and employing cell-type specific exosome reporter mice, our current results define a secreted astroglial exosome pathway that can spread long-range in vivo and stimulate axon growth of cortical pyramidal neurons. Subsequent biochemical and genetic studies found that surface expression of glial HepaCAM protein essentially and sufficiently mediates the axon-stimulating effect of astroglial exosomes. Interestingly, apolipoprotein E (ApoE), a major astroglia-secreted cholesterol carrier to promote synaptogenesis, strongly inhibits the stimulatory effect of astroglial exosomes on axon growth. Developmental ApoE deficiency also significantly reduces spine density of cortical pyramidal neurons. Together, our study suggests a surface contact mechanism of astroglial exosomes in regulating axon growth and its antagonization by ApoE, which collectively coordinates early postnatal pyramidal neuronal axon growth and dendritic spine formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shijie Jin
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02111, USA
| | - Xuan Chen
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02111, USA
| | - Yang Tian
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02111, USA
| | - Rachel Jarvis
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02111, USA
| | - Vanessa Promes
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02111, USA
| | - Yongjie Yang
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02111, USA.
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, MA, 02111, USA.
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13
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Freitas-Andrade M, Comin CH, Van Dyken P, Ouellette J, Raman-Nair J, Blakeley N, Liu QY, Leclerc S, Pan Y, Liu Z, Carrier M, Thakur K, Savard A, Rurak GM, Tremblay MÈ, Salmaso N, da F Costa L, Coppola G, Lacoste B. Astroglial Hmgb1 regulates postnatal astrocyte morphogenesis and cerebrovascular maturation. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4965. [PMID: 37587100 PMCID: PMC10432480 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40682-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes are intimately linked with brain blood vessels, an essential relationship for neuronal function. However, astroglial factors driving these physical and functional associations during postnatal brain development have yet to be identified. By characterizing structural and transcriptional changes in mouse cortical astrocytes during the first two postnatal weeks, we find that high-mobility group box 1 (Hmgb1), normally upregulated with injury and involved in adult cerebrovascular repair, is highly expressed in astrocytes at birth and then decreases rapidly. Astrocyte-selective ablation of Hmgb1 at birth affects astrocyte morphology and endfoot placement, alters distribution of endfoot proteins connexin43 and aquaporin-4, induces transcriptional changes in astrocytes related to cytoskeleton remodeling, and profoundly disrupts endothelial ultrastructure. While lack of astroglial Hmgb1 does not affect the blood-brain barrier or angiogenesis postnatally, it impairs neurovascular coupling and behavior in adult mice. These findings identify astroglial Hmgb1 as an important player in postnatal gliovascular maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cesar H Comin
- Federal University of São Carlos, Department of Computer Science, São Carlos, Brazil
| | - Peter Van Dyken
- Cellular & Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Julie Ouellette
- Neuroscience Program, The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Cellular & Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Joanna Raman-Nair
- Neuroscience Program, The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Cellular & Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Nicole Blakeley
- Neuroscience Program, The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Cellular & Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Qing Yan Liu
- National Research Council of Canada, Human Health and Therapeutics, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Sonia Leclerc
- National Research Council of Canada, Human Health and Therapeutics, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Youlian Pan
- Digital Technologies, National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Ziying Liu
- Digital Technologies, National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Micaël Carrier
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Karan Thakur
- Neuroscience Program, The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Alexandre Savard
- Neuroscience Program, The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Gareth M Rurak
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Marie-Ève Tremblay
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Natalina Salmaso
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Luciano da F Costa
- University of São Paulo, São Carlos Institute of Physics, FCM-USP, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Baptiste Lacoste
- Neuroscience Program, The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
- Cellular & Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
- University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
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14
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Meng A, Ameroso D, Rios M. mGluR5 in Astrocytes in the Ventromedial Hypothalamus Regulates Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide Neurons and Glucose Homeostasis. J Neurosci 2023; 43:5918-5935. [PMID: 37507231 PMCID: PMC10436691 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0193-23.2023] [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: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) is a functionally heterogeneous nucleus critical for systemic energy, glucose, and lipid balance. We showed previously that the metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) plays essential roles regulating excitatory and inhibitory transmission in SF1+ neurons of the VMH and facilitating glucose and lipid homeostasis in female mice. Although mGluR5 is also highly expressed in VMH astrocytes in the mature brain, its role there influencing central metabolic circuits is unknown. In contrast to the glucose intolerance observed only in female mice lacking mGluR5 in VMH SF1 neurons, selective depletion of mGluR5 in VMH astrocytes enhanced glucose tolerance without affecting food intake or body weight in both adult female and male mice. The improved glucose tolerance was associated with elevated glucose-stimulated insulin release. Astrocytic mGluR5 male and female mutants also exhibited reduced adipocyte size and increased sympathetic tone in gonadal white adipose tissue. Diminished excitatory drive and synaptic inputs onto VMH Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP+) neurons and reduced activity of these cells during acute hyperglycemia underlie the observed changes in glycemic control. These studies reveal an essential role of astrocytic mGluR5 in the VMH regulating the excitatory drive onto PACAP+ neurons and activity of these cells facilitating glucose homeostasis in male and female mice.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Neuronal circuits within the VMH play chief roles in the regulation of whole-body metabolic homeostasis. It remains unclear how astrocytes influence neurotransmission in this region to facilitate energy and glucose balance control. Here, we explored the role of the metabotropic glutamate receptor, mGluR5, using a mouse model with selective depletion of mGluR5 from VMH astrocytes. We show that astrocytic mGluR5 critically regulates the excitatory drive and activity of PACAP-expressing neurons in the VMH to control glucose homeostasis in both female and male mice. Furthermore, mGluR5 in VMH astrocytes influences adipocyte size and sympathetic tone in white adipose tissue. These studies provide novel insight toward the importance of hypothalamic astrocytes participating in central circuits regulating peripheral metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Meng
- Graduate Program in Cell, Molecular and Developmental Biology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02111
| | - Dominique Ameroso
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, United States
| | - Maribel Rios
- Graduate Program in Cell, Molecular and Developmental Biology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02111
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02111
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15
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Deckers C, Karbalaei R, Miles NA, Harder EV, Witt E, Harris EP, Reissner K, Wimmer ME, Bangasser DA. Early resource scarcity causes cortical astrocyte enlargement and sex-specific changes in the orbitofrontal cortex transcriptome in adult rats. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.01.547315. [PMID: 37425737 PMCID: PMC10327175 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.01.547315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Astrocyte morphology affects function, including the regulation of glutamatergic signaling. This morphology changes dynamically in response to the environment. However, how early life manipulations alter adult cortical astrocyte morphology is underexplored. Our lab uses brief postnatal resource scarcity, the limited bedding and nesting (LBN) manipulation, in rats. We previously found that LBN promotes later resilience to adult addiction-related behaviors, reducing impulsivity, risky decision-making, and morphine self-administration. These behaviors rely on glutamatergic transmission in the medial orbitofrontal (mOFC) and medial prefrontal (mPFC) cortex. Here we tested whether LBN changed astrocyte morphology in the mOFC and mPFC of adult rats using a novel viral approach that, unlike traditional markers, fully labels astrocytes. Prior exposure to LBN causes an increase in the surface area and volume of astrocytes in the mOFC and mPFC of adult males and females relative to control-raised rats. We next used bulk RNA sequencing of OFC tissue to assess transcriptional changes that could increase astrocyte size in LBN rats. LBN caused mainly sex-specific changes in differentially expressed genes. However, Park7, which encodes for the protein DJ-1 that alters astrocyte morphology, was increased by LBN across sex. Pathway analysis revealed that OFC glutamatergic signaling is altered by LBN in males and females, but the gene changes in that pathway differed across sex. This may represent a convergent sex difference where glutamatergic signaling, which affects astrocyte morphology, is altered by LBN via sex-specific mechanisms. Collectively, these studies highlight that astrocytes may be an important cell type that mediates the effect of early resource scarcity on adult brain function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Deckers
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia
| | - Reza Karbalaei
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia
| | - Nylah A Miles
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia
| | - Eden V Harder
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Emily Witt
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Erin P Harris
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta
- Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Georgia State University, Atlanta
| | - Kathryn Reissner
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Mathieu E Wimmer
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia
| | - Debra A Bangasser
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta
- Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Georgia State University, Atlanta
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16
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D'Antoni C, Mautone L, Sanchini C, Tondo L, Grassmann G, Cidonio G, Bezzi P, Cordella F, Di Angelantonio S. Unlocking Neural Function with 3D In Vitro Models: A Technical Review of Self-Assembled, Guided, and Bioprinted Brain Organoids and Their Applications in the Study of Neurodevelopmental and Neurodegenerative Disorders. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10762. [PMID: 37445940 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241310762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the complexities of the human brain and its associated disorders poses a significant challenge in neuroscience. Traditional research methods have limitations in replicating its intricacies, necessitating the development of in vitro models that can simulate its structure and function. Three-dimensional in vitro models, including organoids, cerebral organoids, bioprinted brain models, and functionalized brain organoids, offer promising platforms for studying human brain development, physiology, and disease. These models accurately replicate key aspects of human brain anatomy, gene expression, and cellular behavior, enabling drug discovery and toxicology studies while providing insights into human-specific phenomena not easily studied in animal models. The use of human-induced pluripotent stem cells has revolutionized the generation of 3D brain structures, with various techniques developed to generate specific brain regions. These advancements facilitate the study of brain structure development and function, overcoming previous limitations due to the scarcity of human brain samples. This technical review provides an overview of current 3D in vitro models of the human cortex, their development, characterization, and limitations, and explores the state of the art and future directions in the field, with a specific focus on their applications in studying neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara D'Antoni
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Center for Life Nano- and Neuro-Science of Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Lorenza Mautone
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Center for Life Nano- and Neuro-Science of Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Caterina Sanchini
- Center for Life Nano- and Neuro-Science of Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Lucrezia Tondo
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Center for Life Nano- and Neuro-Science of Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Greta Grassmann
- Center for Life Nano- and Neuro-Science of Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 00161 Rome, Italy
- Department of Biochemical Sciences "Alessandro Rossi Fanelli", Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Gianluca Cidonio
- Center for Life Nano- and Neuro-Science of Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Bezzi
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Federica Cordella
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Center for Life Nano- and Neuro-Science of Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Di Angelantonio
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Center for Life Nano- and Neuro-Science of Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 00161 Rome, Italy
- D-Tails s.r.l., 00165 Rome, Italy
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17
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O'Neill KM, Saracino E, Barile B, Mennona NJ, Mola MG, Pathak S, Posati T, Zamboni R, Nicchia GP, Benfenati V, Losert W. Decoding Natural Astrocyte Rhythms: Dynamic Actin Waves Result from Environmental Sensing by Primary Rodent Astrocytes. Adv Biol (Weinh) 2023; 7:e2200269. [PMID: 36709481 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202200269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes are key regulators of brain homeostasis, equilibrating ion, water, and neurotransmitter concentrations and maintaining essential conditions for proper cognitive function. Recently, it has been shown that the excitability of the actin cytoskeleton manifests in second-scale dynamic fluctuations and acts as a sensor of chemophysical environmental cues. However, it is not known whether the cytoskeleton is excitable in astrocytes and how the homeostatic function of astrocytes is linked to the dynamics of the cytoskeleton. Here it is shown that homeostatic regulation involves the excitable dynamics of actin in certain subcellular regions of astrocytes, especially near the cell boundary. The results further indicate that actin dynamics concentrate into "hotspot" regions that selectively respond to certain chemophysical stimuli, specifically the homeostatic challenges of ion or water concentration increases. Substrate topography makes the actin dynamics of astrocytes weaker. Super-resolution images demonstrate that surface topography is also associated with the predominant perpendicular alignment of actin filaments near the cell boundary, whereas flat substrates result in an actin cortex mainly parallel to the cell boundary. Additionally, coculture with neurons increases both the probability of actin dynamics and the strength of hotspots. The excitable systems character of actin thus makes astrocytes direct participants in neural cell network dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate M O'Neill
- Institute for Physical Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Emanuela Saracino
- Institute of Organic Synthesis and Photoreactivity, National Research Council of Italy, 40129, Bologna, Italy
| | - Barbara Barile
- Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70125, Bari, Italy
| | - Nicholas J Mennona
- Institute for Physical Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
- Physics Department, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Maria Grazia Mola
- Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70125, Bari, Italy
| | - Spandan Pathak
- Institute for Physical Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Tamara Posati
- Institute of Organic Synthesis and Photoreactivity, National Research Council of Italy, 40129, Bologna, Italy
| | - Roberto Zamboni
- Institute of Organic Synthesis and Photoreactivity, National Research Council of Italy, 40129, Bologna, Italy
| | - Grazia P Nicchia
- Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70125, Bari, Italy
| | - Valentina Benfenati
- Institute of Organic Synthesis and Photoreactivity, National Research Council of Italy, 40129, Bologna, Italy
| | - Wolfgang Losert
- Institute for Physical Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
- Physics Department, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
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18
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Cheng YT, Luna-Figueroa E, Woo J, Chen HC, Lee ZF, Harmanci AS, Deneen B. Inhibitory input directs astrocyte morphogenesis through glial GABA BR. Nature 2023; 617:369-376. [PMID: 37100909 PMCID: PMC10733939 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06010-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
Communication between neurons and glia has an important role in establishing and maintaining higher-order brain function1. Astrocytes are endowed with complex morphologies, placing their peripheral processes in close proximity to neuronal synapses and directly contributing to their regulation of brain circuits2-4. Recent studies have shown that excitatory neuronal activity promotes oligodendrocyte differentiation5-7; whether inhibitory neurotransmission regulates astrocyte morphogenesis during development is unclear. Here we show that inhibitory neuron activity is necessary and sufficient for astrocyte morphogenesis. We found that input from inhibitory neurons functions through astrocytic GABAB receptor (GABABR) and that its deletion in astrocytes results in a loss of morphological complexity across a host of brain regions and disruption of circuit function. Expression of GABABR in developing astrocytes is regulated in a region-specific manner by SOX9 or NFIA and deletion of these transcription factors results in region-specific defects in astrocyte morphogenesis, which is conferred by interactions with transcription factors exhibiting region-restricted patterns of expression. Together, our studies identify input from inhibitory neurons and astrocytic GABABR as universal regulators of morphogenesis, while further revealing a combinatorial code of region-specific transcriptional dependencies for astrocyte development that is intertwined with activity-dependent processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Ting Cheng
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Estefania Luna-Figueroa
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Junsung Woo
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Hsiao-Chi Chen
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Cancer Cell Biology Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Zhung-Fu Lee
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Development, Disease, Models and Therapeutics Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Akdes Serin Harmanci
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Benjamin Deneen
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
- Cancer Cell Biology Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
- Development, Disease, Models and Therapeutics Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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19
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Markey KM, Saunders JC, Smuts J, von Reyn CR, Garcia ADR. Astrocyte development—More questions than answers. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1063843. [PMID: 37051466 PMCID: PMC10083403 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1063843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The past 15–20 years has seen a remarkable shift in our understanding of astrocyte contributions to central nervous system (CNS) function. Astrocytes have emerged from the shadows of neuroscience and are now recognized as key elements in a broad array of CNS functions. Astrocytes comprise a substantial fraction of cells in the human CNS. Nevertheless, fundamental questions surrounding their basic biology remain poorly understood. While recent studies have revealed a diversity of essential roles in CNS function, from synapse formation and function to blood brain barrier maintenance, fundamental mechanisms of astrocyte development, including their expansion, migration, and maturation, remain to be elucidated. The coincident development of astrocytes and synapses highlights the need to better understand astrocyte development and will facilitate novel strategies for addressing neurodevelopmental and neurological dysfunction. In this review, we provide an overview of the current understanding of astrocyte development, focusing primarily on mammalian astrocytes and highlight outstanding questions that remain to be addressed. We also include an overview of Drosophila glial development, emphasizing astrocyte-like glia given their close anatomical and functional association with synapses. Drosophila offer an array of sophisticated molecular genetic tools and they remain a powerful model for elucidating fundamental cellular and molecular mechanisms governing astrocyte development. Understanding the parallels and distinctions between astrocyte development in Drosophila and vertebrates will enable investigators to leverage the strengths of each model system to gain new insights into astrocyte function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn M. Markey
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | | | - Jana Smuts
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Catherine R. von Reyn
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - A. Denise R. Garcia
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- *Correspondence: A. Denise R. Garcia,
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20
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Cheng YT, Luna-Figueroa E, Woo J, Chen HC, Lee ZF, Harmanci AS, Deneen B. Inhibitory input directs astrocyte morphogenesis through glial GABA B R. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.14.532493. [PMID: 36993256 PMCID: PMC10054985 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.14.532493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Communication between neurons and glia plays an important role in establishing and maintaining higher order brain function. Astrocytes are endowed with complex morphologies which places their peripheral processes in close proximity to neuronal synapses and directly contributes to their regulation of brain circuits. Recent studies have shown that excitatory neuronal activity promotes oligodendrocyte differentiation; whether inhibitory neurotransmission regulates astrocyte morphogenesis during development is unknown. Here we show that inhibitory neuron activity is necessary and sufficient for astrocyte morphogenesis. We found that input from inhibitory neurons functions through astrocytic GABA B R and that its deletion in astrocytes results in a loss of morphological complexity across a host of brain regions and disruption of circuit function. Expression of GABA B R in developing astrocytes is regulated in a region-specific manner by SOX9 or NFIA and deletion of these transcription factors results in region-specific defects in astrocyte morphogenesis, which is conferred by interactions with transcription factors exhibiting region-restricted patterns of expression. Together our studies identify input from inhibitory neurons and astrocytic GABA B R as universal regulators of morphogenesis, while further revealing a combinatorial code of region-specific transcriptional dependencies for astrocyte development that is intertwined with activity-dependent processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Ting Cheng
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX 77030
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX 77030
| | - Estefania Luna-Figueroa
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX 77030
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX 77030
| | - Junsung Woo
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX 77030
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX 77030
| | - Hsiao-Chi Chen
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX 77030
- Cancer Cell Biology Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX 77030
| | - Zhung-Fu Lee
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX 77030
- Development, Disease, Models, and Therapeutics Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Akdes Serin Harmanci
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX 77030
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX 77030
| | - Benjamin Deneen
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX 77030
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX 77030
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX 77030
- Development, Disease, Models, and Therapeutics Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
- Cancer Cell Biology Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX 77030
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX 77030
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21
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Astrocyte heterogeneity and interactions with local neural circuits. Essays Biochem 2023; 67:93-106. [PMID: 36748397 PMCID: PMC10011406 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20220136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes are ubiquitous within the central nervous system (CNS). These cells possess many individual processes which extend out into the neuropil, where they interact with a variety of other cell types, including neurons at synapses. Astrocytes are now known to be active players in all aspects of the synaptic life cycle, including synapse formation and elimination, synapse maturation, maintenance of synaptic homeostasis and modulation of synaptic transmission. Traditionally, astrocytes have been studied as a homogeneous group of cells. However, recent studies have uncovered a surprising degree of heterogeneity in their development and function, suggesting that astrocytes may be matched to neurons to support local circuits. Hence, a better understanding of astrocyte heterogeneity and its implications are needed to understand brain function.
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22
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Nozawa O, Miyata M, Shiotani H, Kameyama T, Komaki R, Shimizu T, Kuriu T, Kashiwagi Y, Sato Y, Koebisu M, Aiba A, Okabe S, Mizutani K, Takai Y. Necl2/3-mediated mechanism for tripartite synapse formation. Development 2023; 150:285820. [PMID: 36458527 DOI: 10.1242/dev.200931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Ramified, polarized protoplasmic astrocytes interact with synapses via perisynaptic astrocyte processes (PAPs) to form tripartite synapses. These astrocyte-synapse interactions mutually regulate their structures and functions. However, molecular mechanisms for tripartite synapse formation remain elusive. We developed an in vitro co-culture system for mouse astrocytes and neurons that induced astrocyte ramifications and PAP formation. Co-cultured neurons were required for astrocyte ramifications in a neuronal activity-dependent manner, and synaptically-released glutamate and activation of astrocytic mGluR5 metabotropic glutamate receptor were likely involved in astrocyte ramifications. Astrocytic Necl2 trans-interacted with axonal Necl3, inducing astrocyte-synapse interactions and astrocyte functional polarization by recruiting EAAT1/2 glutamate transporters and Kir4.1 K+ channel to the PAPs, without affecting astrocyte ramifications. This Necl2/3 trans-interaction increased functional synapse number. Thus, astrocytic Necl2, synaptically-released glutamate and axonal Necl3 cooperatively formed tripartite glutamatergic synapses in vitro. Studies on hippocampal mossy fiber synapses in Necl3 knockout and Necl2/3 double knockout mice confirmed these previously unreported mechanisms for astrocyte-synapse interactions and astrocyte functional polarization in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osamu Nozawa
- Division of Pathogenetic Signaling, Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan
| | - Muneaki Miyata
- Division of Pathogenetic Signaling, Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan
| | - Hajime Shiotani
- Division of Pathogenetic Signaling, Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan
| | - Takeshi Kameyama
- Division of Pathogenetic Signaling, Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan
| | - Ryouhei Komaki
- Division of Pathogenetic Signaling, Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan
| | - Tatsuhiro Shimizu
- Division of Pathogenetic Signaling, Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan
| | - Toshihiko Kuriu
- Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Research and Development Center, Takatsuki, Osaka 569-8686, Japan
| | - Yutaro Kashiwagi
- Department of Cellular Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Yuka Sato
- Department of Cellular Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Michinori Koebisu
- Section of Animal Research and Laboratory of Animal Resources, Center for Disease Biology and Integrative Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Atsu Aiba
- Section of Animal Research and Laboratory of Animal Resources, Center for Disease Biology and Integrative Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Shigeo Okabe
- Department of Cellular Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Kiyohito Mizutani
- Division of Pathogenetic Signaling, Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan
| | - Yoshimi Takai
- Division of Pathogenetic Signaling, Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan
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23
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Jin S, Chen X, Tian Y, Jarvis R, Promes V, Yang Y. Astroglial exosome HepaCAM signaling and ApoE antagonization coordinates early postnatal cortical pyramidal neuronal axon growth and dendritic spine formation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.14.528554. [PMID: 36824898 PMCID: PMC9948960 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.14.528554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Developing astroglia play important roles in regulating synaptogenesis through secreted and contact signals. Whether they regulate postnatal axon growth is unknown. By selectively isolating exosomes using size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) and employing cell-type specific exosome reporter mice, our current results define a secreted astroglial exosome pathway that can spread long-range in vivo and stimulate axon growth of cortical pyramidal neurons. Subsequent biochemical and genetic studies found that surface expression of glial HepaCAM protein essentially and sufficiently mediates the axon-stimulating effect of astroglial exosomes. Interestingly, apolipoprotein E (ApoE), a major astroglia-secreted cholesterol carrier to promote synaptogenesis, strongly inhibits the stimulatory effect of astroglial exosomes on axon growth. Developmental ApoE deficiency also significantly reduces spine density of cortical pyramidal neurons. Together, our study suggests a surface contact mechanism of astroglial exosomes in regulating axon growth and its antagonization by ApoE, which collectively coordinates early postnatal pyramidal neuronal axon growth and dendritic spine formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shijie Jin
- Tufts University School of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, Boston, MA, 02111
| | - Xuan Chen
- Tufts University School of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, Boston, MA, 02111
| | - Yang Tian
- Tufts University School of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, Boston, MA, 02111
| | - Rachel Jarvis
- Tufts University School of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, Boston, MA, 02111
| | - Vanessa Promes
- Tufts University School of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, Boston, MA, 02111
| | - Yongjie Yang
- Tufts University School of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, Boston, MA, 02111
- Tufts University, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Boston, MA, 02111
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24
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Kaul D, Schwab SG, Mechawar N, Ooi L, Matosin N. Alterations in Astrocytic Regulation of Excitation and Inhibition by Stress Exposure and in Severe Psychopathology. J Neurosci 2022; 42:6823-6834. [PMID: 38377014 PMCID: PMC9463979 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2410-21.2022] [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: 12/08/2021] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Dysregulation of excitatory and inhibitory signaling is commonly observed in major psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, depression, and bipolar disorder, and is often targeted by psychological and pharmacological treatment methods. The balance of excitation and inhibition is highly sensitive to severe psychological stress, one of the strongest risk factors for psychiatric disorders. The role of astrocytes in regulating excitatory and inhibitory signaling is now widely recognized; however, the specific involvement of astrocytes in the context of psychiatric disorders with a history of significant stress exposure remains unclear. In this review, we summarize how astrocytes regulate the balance of excitation and inhibition in the context of stress exposure and severe psychopathology, with a focus on the PFC, a brain area highly implicated in psychopathology. We first focus on preclinical models to demonstrate that the duration of stress (particularly acute vs chronic stress) is key to shaping astrocyte function and downstream behavior. We then provide a hypothesis for how astrocytes are involved in stress-associated cortical signaling imbalance, discuss how this directly contributes to phenotypes of psychopathologies, and provide suggestions for future research. We highlight that astrocytes are a key target to understand and treat the dysregulation of cortical signaling associated with stress-related psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominic Kaul
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia
- Molecular Horizons, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia
| | - Sibylle G Schwab
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia
- Molecular Horizons, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia
- School of Medical, Indigenous and Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia
| | - Naguib Mechawar
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, 6875 LaSalle Blvd, Verdun, Quebec H4H 1R3, Canada
| | - Lezanne Ooi
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia
- Molecular Horizons, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia
| | - Natalie Matosin
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia
- Molecular Horizons, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstrasse 2-10, Munich, 80804, Germany
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25
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Pan Y, Monje M. Neuron-Glial Interactions in Health and Brain Cancer. Adv Biol (Weinh) 2022; 6:e2200122. [PMID: 35957525 PMCID: PMC9845196 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202200122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Brain tumors are devastating diseases of the central nervous system. Brain tumor pathogenesis depends on both tumor-intrinsic oncogenic programs and extrinsic microenvironmental factors, including neurons and glial cells. Glial cells (oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, and microglia) make up half of the cells in the brain, and interact with neurons to modulate neurodevelopment and plasticity. Many brain tumor cells exhibit transcriptomic profiles similar to macroglial cells (oligodendrocytes and astrocytes) and their progenitors, making them likely to subvert existing neuron-glial interactions to support tumor pathogenesis. For example, oligodendrocyte precursor cells, a putative glioma cell of origin, can form bona fide synapses with neurons. Such synapses are recently identified in gliomas and drive glioma pathophysiology, underscoring how brain tumor cells can take advantage of neuron-glial interactions to support cancer progression. In this review, it is briefly summarized how neurons and their activity normally interact with glial cells and glial progenitors, and it is discussed how brain tumor cells utilize neuron-glial interactions to support tumor initiation and progression. Unresolved questions on these topics and potential avenues to therapeutically target neuron-glia-cancer interactions in the brain are also pointed out.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Pan
- Department of Symptom Research, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center,co-corresponding: ;
| | - Michelle Monje
- Department of Neurology, Stanford University,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University,co-corresponding: ;
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26
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Men Y, Higashimori H, Reynolds K, Tu L, Jarvis R, Yang Y. Functionally Clustered mRNAs Are Distinctly Enriched at Cortical Astroglial Processes and Are Preferentially Affected by FMRP Deficiency. J Neurosci 2022; 42:5803-5814. [PMID: 35701158 PMCID: PMC9302465 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0274-22.2022] [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: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Mature protoplasmic astroglia in the mammalian CNS uniquely possess a large number of fine processes that have been considered primary sites to mediate astroglia to neuron synaptic signaling. However, localized mechanisms for regulating interactions between astroglial processes and synapses, especially for regulating the expression of functional surface proteins at these fine processes, are largely unknown. Previously, we showed that the loss of the RNA binding protein FMRP in astroglia disrupts astroglial mGluR5 signaling and reduces expression of the major astroglial glutamate transporter GLT1 and glutamate uptake in the cortex of Fmr1 conditional deletion mice. In the current study, by examining ribosome localization using electron microscopy and identifying mRNAs enriched at cortical astroglial processes using synaptoneurosome/translating ribosome affinity purification and RNA-Seq in WT and FMRP-deficient male mice, our results reveal interesting localization-dependent functional clusters of mRNAs at astroglial processes. We further showed that the lack of FMRP preferentially alters the subcellular localization and expression of process-localized mRNAs. Together, we defined the role of FMRP in altering mRNA localization and expression at astroglial processes at the postnatal development (P30-P40) and provided new candidate mRNAs that are potentially regulated by FMRP in cortical astroglia.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Localized mechanisms for regulating interactions between astroglial processes and synapses, especially for regulating the expression of functional surface proteins at these fine processes, are largely unknown. Previously, we showed that the loss of the RNA binding protein FMRP in astroglia disrupts expression of several astroglial surface proteins, such as mGluR5 and major astroglial glutamate transporter GLT1 in the cortex of FMRP-deficient mice. Our current study examined ribosome localization using electron microscopy and identified mRNAs enriched at cortical astroglial processes in WT and FMRP-deficient mice. These results reveal interesting localization-dependent functional clusters of mRNAs at astroglial processes and demonstrate that the lack of FMRP preferentially alters the subcellular localization and expression of process-localized mRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqin Men
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02111
| | - Haruki Higashimori
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02111
| | - Kathryn Reynolds
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02111
| | - Leona Tu
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02111
| | - Rachel Jarvis
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02111
| | - Yongjie Yang
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02111
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts 02111
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27
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Cho FS, Vainchtein ID, Voskobiynyk Y, Morningstar AR, Aparicio F, Higashikubo B, Ciesielska A, Broekaart DWM, Anink JJ, van Vliet EA, Yu X, Khakh BS, Aronica E, Molofsky AV, Paz JT. Enhancing GAT-3 in thalamic astrocytes promotes resilience to brain injury in rodents. Sci Transl Med 2022; 14:eabj4310. [PMID: 35857628 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abj4310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Inflammatory processes induced by brain injury are important for recovery; however, when uncontrolled, inflammation can be deleterious, likely explaining why most anti-inflammatory treatments have failed to improve neurological outcomes after brain injury in clinical trials. In the thalamus, chronic activation of glial cells, a proxy of inflammation, has been suggested as an indicator of increased seizure risk and cognitive deficits that develop after cortical injury. Furthermore, lesions in the thalamus, more than other brain regions, have been reported in patients with viral infections associated with neurological deficits, such as SARS-CoV-2. However, the extent to which thalamic inflammation is a driver or by-product of neurological deficits remains unknown. Here, we found that thalamic inflammation in mice was sufficient to phenocopy the cellular and circuit hyperexcitability, enhanced seizure risk, and disruptions in cortical rhythms that develop after cortical injury. In our model, down-regulation of the GABA transporter GAT-3 in thalamic astrocytes mediated this neurological dysfunction. In addition, GAT-3 was decreased in regions of thalamic reactive astrocytes in mouse models of cortical injury. Enhancing GAT-3 in thalamic astrocytes prevented seizure risk, restored cortical states, and was protective against severe chemoconvulsant-induced seizures and mortality in a mouse model of traumatic brain injury, emphasizing the potential of therapeutically targeting this pathway. Together, our results identified a potential therapeutic target for reducing negative outcomes after brain injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frances S Cho
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.,Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.,Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Ilia D Vainchtein
- Department of Psychiatry/Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Yuliya Voskobiynyk
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | | | - Francisco Aparicio
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.,Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Bryan Higashikubo
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | | | - Diede W M Broekaart
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of (Neuro)Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam 1105 AZ, Netherlands
| | - Jasper J Anink
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of (Neuro)Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam 1105 AZ, Netherlands
| | - Erwin A van Vliet
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of (Neuro)Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam 1105 AZ, Netherlands.,Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1098 XH, Netherlands
| | - Xinzhu Yu
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.,Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Baljit S Khakh
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.,Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Eleonora Aronica
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of (Neuro)Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam 1105 AZ, Netherlands.,Stichting Epilepsie Instellingen Nederland (SEIN), Heemstede 2103 SW, Netherlands
| | - Anna V Molofsky
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.,Department of Psychiatry/Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.,Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Jeanne T Paz
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.,Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.,Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.,Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
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28
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Saint‐Martin M, Goda Y. Astrocyte–synapse interactions and cell adhesion molecules. FEBS J 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/febs.16540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Margaux Saint‐Martin
- Laboratory for Synaptic Plasticity and Connectivity RIKEN Center for Brain Science Wako‐shi, Saitama Japan
| | - Yukiko Goda
- Laboratory for Synaptic Plasticity and Connectivity RIKEN Center for Brain Science Wako‐shi, Saitama Japan
- Synapse Biology Unit Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University Japan
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29
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A closer look at astrocyte morphology: Development, heterogeneity, and plasticity at astrocyte leaflets. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2022; 74:102550. [PMID: 35544965 PMCID: PMC9376008 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2022.102550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes represent an abundant type of glial cell involved in nearly every aspect of central nervous system (CNS) function, including synapse formation and maturation, ion and neurotransmitter homeostasis, blood-brain barrier maintenance, as well as neuronal metabolic support. These various functions are enabled by the morphological complexity that astrocytes adopt. Recent experimental advances in genetic and viral labeling, lineage tracing, and live- and ultrastructural imaging of miniscule astrocytic sub-compartments reveal a complex morphological heterogeneity that is based on the origin, local function, and environmental context in which astrocytes reside. In this minireview, we highlight recent findings that reveal the plastic nature of astrocytes in the healthy brain, particularly at the synapse, and emerging technologies that have advanced our understanding of these morphologically complex cells.
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30
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de Oliveira Figueiredo EC, Calì C, Petrelli F, Bezzi P. Emerging evidence for astrocyte dysfunction in schizophrenia. Glia 2022; 70:1585-1604. [PMID: 35634946 PMCID: PMC9544982 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a complex, chronic mental health disorder whose heterogeneous genetic and neurobiological background influences early brain development, and whose precise etiology is still poorly understood. Schizophrenia is not characterized by gross brain pathology, but involves subtle pathological changes in neuronal populations and glial cells. Among the latter, astrocytes critically contribute to the regulation of early neurodevelopmental processes, and any dysfunctions in their morphological and functional maturation may lead to aberrant neurodevelopmental processes involved in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia, such as mitochondrial biogenesis, synaptogenesis, and glutamatergic and dopaminergic transmission. Studies of the mechanisms regulating astrocyte maturation may therefore improve our understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Corrado Calì
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Torino, Torino, Italy.,Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, Orbassano, Italy
| | - Francesco Petrelli
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Paola Bezzi
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Rome Sapienza, Rome, Italy
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31
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Fang C, Zhang Z, Xu H, Liu Y, Wang X, Yuan L, Xu Y, Zhu Z, Zhang A, Shao A, Lou M. Natural Products for the Treatment of Post-stroke Depression. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:918531. [PMID: 35712727 PMCID: PMC9196125 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.918531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-stroke depression (PSD) is the most frequent and important neuropsychiatric consequence of stroke. It is strongly associated with exacerbated deterioration of functional recovery, physical and cognitive recoveries, and quality of life. However, its mechanism is remarkably complicated, including the neurotransmitters hypothesis (which consists of a monoaminergic hypothesis and glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity hypothesis), inflammation hypothesis, dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, and neurotrophic hypothesis and neuroplasticity. So far, the underlying pathogenesis of PSD has not been clearly defined yet. At present, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have been used as the first-line drugs to treat patients with PSD. Additionally, more than SSRIs, a majority of the current antidepressants complied with multiple side effects, which limits their clinical application. Currently, a wide variety of studies revealed the therapeutic potential of natural products in the management of several diseases, especially PSD, with minor side effects. Accordingly, in our present review, we aim to summarize the therapeutic targets of these compounds and their potential role in-clinic therapy for patients with PSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaoyou Fang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zeyu Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang, China
- Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Houshi Xu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yibo Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang, China
- Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyu Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang, China
- Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ling Yuan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuanzhi Xu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhengyang Zhu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Anke Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang, China
- Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Anke Zhang, ; Anwen Shao, ; Meiqing Lou,
| | - Anwen Shao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang, China
- Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Anke Zhang, ; Anwen Shao, ; Meiqing Lou,
| | - Meiqing Lou
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Anke Zhang, ; Anwen Shao, ; Meiqing Lou,
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32
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Lawal O, Ulloa Severino FP, Eroglu C. The role of astrocyte structural plasticity in regulating neural circuit function and behavior. Glia 2022; 70:1467-1483. [PMID: 35535566 PMCID: PMC9233050 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2021] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Brain circuits undergo substantial structural changes during development, driven by the formation, stabilization, and elimination of synapses. Synaptic connections continue to undergo experience‐dependent structural rearrangements throughout life, which are postulated to underlie learning and memory. Astrocytes, a major glial cell type in the brain, are physically in contact with synaptic circuits through their structural ensheathment of synapses. Astrocytes strongly contribute to the remodeling of synaptic structures in healthy and diseased central nervous systems by regulating synaptic connectivity and behaviors. However, whether structural plasticity of astrocytes is involved in their critical functions at the synapse is unknown. This review will discuss the emerging evidence linking astrocytic structural plasticity to synaptic circuit remodeling and regulation of behaviors. Moreover, we will survey possible molecular and cellular mechanisms regulating the structural plasticity of astrocytes and their non‐cell‐autonomous effects on neuronal plasticity. Finally, we will discuss how astrocyte morphological changes in different physiological states and disease conditions contribute to neuronal circuit function and dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oluwadamilola Lawal
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.,Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Francesco Paolo Ulloa Severino
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.,Department of Neuroscience and Psychology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Cagla Eroglu
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.,Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA.,Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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33
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Early Life Events and Maturation of the Dentate Gyrus: Implications for Neurons and Glial Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23084261. [PMID: 35457079 PMCID: PMC9031216 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23084261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2022] [Revised: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The dentate gyrus (DG), an important part of the hippocampus, plays a significant role in learning, memory, and emotional behavior. Factors potentially influencing normal development of neurons and glial cells in the DG during its maturation can exert long-lasting effects on brain functions. Early life stress may modify maturation of the DG and induce lifelong alterations in its structure and functioning, underlying brain pathologies in adults. In this paper, maturation of neurons and glial cells (microglia and astrocytes) and the effects of early life events on maturation processes in the DG have been comprehensively reviewed. Early postnatal interventions affecting the DG eventually result in an altered number of granule neurons in the DG, ectopic location of neurons and changes in adult neurogenesis. Adverse events in early life provoke proinflammatory changes in hippocampal glia at cellular and molecular levels immediately after stress exposure. Later, the cellular changes may disappear, though alterations in gene expression pattern persist. Additional stressful events later in life contribute to manifestation of glial changes and behavioral deficits. Alterations in the maturation of neuronal and glial cells induced by early life stress are interdependent and influence the development of neural nets, thus predisposing the brain to the development of cognitive and psychiatric disorders.
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34
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Hirrlinger J, Nimmerjahn A. A perspective on astrocyte regulation of neural circuit function and animal behavior. Glia 2022; 70:1554-1580. [PMID: 35297525 PMCID: PMC9291267 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Studies over the past two decades have demonstrated that astrocytes are
tightly associated with neurons and play pivotal roles in neural circuit
development, operation, and adaptation in health and disease. Nevertheless,
precisely how astrocytes integrate diverse neuronal signals, modulate neural
circuit structure and function at multiple temporal and spatial scales, and
influence animal behavior or disease through aberrant excitation and molecular
output remains unclear. This Perspective discusses how new and state-of-the-art
approaches, including fluorescence indicators, opto- and chemogenetic actuators,
genetic targeting tools, quantitative behavioral assays, and computational
methods, might help resolve these longstanding questions. It also addresses
complicating factors in interpreting astrocytes’ role in neural circuit
regulation and animal behavior, such as their heterogeneity, metabolism, and
inter-glial communication. Research on these questions should provide a deeper
mechanistic understanding of astrocyte-neuron assemblies’ role in neural
circuit function, complex behaviors, and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Hirrlinger
- Carl-Ludwig-Institute for Physiology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Department of Neurogenetics, Max-Planck-Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Axel Nimmerjahn
- Waitt Advanced Biophotonics Center, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California
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35
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Thabault M, Turpin V, Maisterrena A, Jaber M, Egloff M, Galvan L. Cerebellar and Striatal Implications in Autism Spectrum Disorders: From Clinical Observations to Animal Models. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:2294. [PMID: 35216408 PMCID: PMC8874522 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23042294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are complex conditions that stem from a combination of genetic, epigenetic and environmental influences during early pre- and postnatal childhood. The review focuses on the cerebellum and the striatum, two structures involved in motor, sensory, cognitive and social functions altered in ASD. We summarize clinical and fundamental studies highlighting the importance of these two structures in ASD. We further discuss the relation between cellular and molecular alterations with the observed behavior at the social, cognitive, motor and gait levels. Functional correlates regarding neuronal activity are also detailed wherever possible, and sexual dimorphism is explored pointing to the need to apprehend ASD in both sexes, as findings can be dramatically different at both quantitative and qualitative levels. The review focuses also on a set of three recent papers from our laboratory where we explored motor and gait function in various genetic and environmental ASD animal models. We report that motor and gait behaviors can constitute an early and quantitative window to the disease, as they often correlate with the severity of social impairments and loss of cerebellar Purkinje cells. The review ends with suggestions as to the main obstacles that need to be surpassed before an appropriate management of the disease can be proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Thabault
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Expérimentales et Cliniques, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Université de Poitiers, 86073 Poitiers, France; (M.T.); (V.T.); (A.M.); (M.J.); (M.E.)
| | - Valentine Turpin
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Expérimentales et Cliniques, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Université de Poitiers, 86073 Poitiers, France; (M.T.); (V.T.); (A.M.); (M.J.); (M.E.)
| | - Alexandre Maisterrena
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Expérimentales et Cliniques, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Université de Poitiers, 86073 Poitiers, France; (M.T.); (V.T.); (A.M.); (M.J.); (M.E.)
| | - Mohamed Jaber
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Expérimentales et Cliniques, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Université de Poitiers, 86073 Poitiers, France; (M.T.); (V.T.); (A.M.); (M.J.); (M.E.)
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Poitiers, 86021 Poitiers, France
| | - Matthieu Egloff
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Expérimentales et Cliniques, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Université de Poitiers, 86073 Poitiers, France; (M.T.); (V.T.); (A.M.); (M.J.); (M.E.)
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Poitiers, 86021 Poitiers, France
| | - Laurie Galvan
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Expérimentales et Cliniques, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Université de Poitiers, 86073 Poitiers, France; (M.T.); (V.T.); (A.M.); (M.J.); (M.E.)
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36
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Schroeder ME, Bassett DS, Meaney DF. A multilayer network model of neuron-astrocyte populations in vitro reveals mGluR5 inhibition is protective following traumatic injury. Netw Neurosci 2022; 6:499-527. [PMID: 35733423 PMCID: PMC9208011 DOI: 10.1162/netn_a_00227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes communicate bidirectionally with neurons, enhancing synaptic plasticity and promoting the synchronization of neuronal microcircuits. Despite recent advances in understanding neuron-astrocyte signaling, little is known about astrocytic modulation of neuronal activity at the population level, particularly in disease or following injury. We used high-speed calcium imaging of mixed cortical cultures in vitro to determine how population activity changes after disruption of glutamatergic signaling and mechanical injury. We constructed a multilayer network model of neuron-astrocyte connectivity, which captured distinct topology and response behavior from single-cell-type networks. mGluR5 inhibition decreased neuronal activity, but did not on its own disrupt functional connectivity or network topology. In contrast, injury increased the strength, clustering, and efficiency of neuronal but not astrocytic networks, an effect that was not observed in networks pretreated with mGluR5 inhibition. Comparison of spatial and functional connectivity revealed that functional connectivity is largely independent of spatial proximity at the microscale, but mechanical injury increased the spatial-functional correlation. Finally, we found that astrocyte segments of the same cell often belong to separate functional communities based on neuronal connectivity, suggesting that astrocyte segments function as independent entities. Our findings demonstrate the utility of multilayer network models for characterizing the multiscale connectivity of two distinct but functionally dependent cell populations. Astrocytes communicate bidirectionally with neurons, enhancing synaptic plasticity and promoting the synchronization of neuronal microcircuits. We constructed a multilayer network model of neuron-astrocyte connectivity based on calcium activity in mixed cortical cultures, and used this model to evaluate the effect of glutamatergic inhibition and mechanical injury on network topology. We found that injury increased the strength, clustering, and efficiency of neuronal but not astrocytic networks, an effect that was not observed in injured networks pretreated with a glutamate receptor antagonist. Our findings demonstrate the utility of multilayer network models for characterizing the multiscale connectivity of two distinct but functionally dependent cell populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret E. Schroeder
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering & Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Danielle S. Bassett
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering & Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Physics & Astronomy, College of Arts & Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Electrical & Systems Engineering, School of Engineering & Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - David F. Meaney
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering & Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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37
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Garcia JP, Dulla CG. Oops!...Glutamate Did it Again. Epilepsy Curr 2022; 22:61-63. [PMID: 35233203 PMCID: PMC8832338 DOI: 10.1177/15357597211055287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
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38
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Singh SK, Kordula T, Spiegel S. Neuronal contact upregulates astrocytic sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 to coordinate astrocyte-neuron cross communication. Glia 2021; 70:712-727. [PMID: 34958493 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes, the most abundant glial cells in the mammalian brain, directly associate with and regulate neuronal processes and synapses and are important regulators of brain development. Yet little is known of the molecular mechanisms that control the establishment of astrocyte morphology and the bi-directional communication between astrocytes and neurons. Here we show that neuronal contact stimulates expression of S1PR1, the receptor for the bioactive sphingolipid metabolite sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), on perisynaptic astrocyte processes and that S1PR1 drives astrocyte morphological complexity and morphogenesis. Moreover, the S1P/S1PR1 axis increases neuronal contact-induced expression of astrocyte secreted synaptogenic factors SPARCL1 and thrombospondin 4 that are involved in neural circuit assembly. Our findings have uncovered new functions for astrocytic S1PR1 signaling in regulation of bi-directional astrocyte-neuron crosstalk at the nexus of astrocyte morphogenesis and synaptogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandeep K Singh
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Tomasz Kordula
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Sarah Spiegel
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
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39
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Ren D, Li JN, Qiu XT, Wan FP, Wu ZY, Fan BY, Zhang MM, Chen T, Li H, Bai Y, Li YQ. Anterior Cingulate Cortex Mediates Hyperalgesia and Anxiety Induced by Chronic Pancreatitis in Rats. Neurosci Bull 2021; 38:342-358. [PMID: 34907496 PMCID: PMC9068840 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-021-00800-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Central sensitization is essential in maintaining chronic pain induced by chronic pancreatitis (CP), but cortical modulation of painful CP remains elusive. Here, we examined the role of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in the pathogenesis of abdominal hyperalgesia in a rat model of CP induced by intraductal administration of trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS). TNBS treatment resulted in long-term abdominal hyperalgesia and anxiety in rats. Morphological data indicated that painful CP induced a significant increase in FOS-expressing neurons in the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) and ACC, and some FOS-expressing neurons in the NTS projected to the ACC. In addition, a larger portion of ascending fibers from the NTS innervated pyramidal neurons, the neural subpopulation primarily expressing FOS under the condition of painful CP, rather than GABAergic neurons within the ACC. CP rats showed increased expression of vesicular glutamate transporter 1, and increased membrane trafficking and phosphorylation of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) subunit NR2B and the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid receptor (AMPAR) subunit GluR1 within the ACC. Microinjection of NMDAR and AMPAR antagonists into the ACC to block excitatory synaptic transmission significantly attenuated abdominal hyperalgesia in CP rats, which was similar to the analgesic effect of endomorphins injected into the ACC. Specifically inhibiting the excitability of ACC pyramidal cells via chemogenetics reduced both hyperalgesia and comorbid anxiety, whereas activating these neurons via optogenetics failed to aggravate hyperalgesia and anxiety in CP rats. Taken together, these findings provide neurocircuit, biochemical, and behavioral evidence for involvement of the ACC in hyperalgesia and anxiety in CP rats, as well as novel insights into the cortical modulation of painful CP, and highlights the ACC as a potential target for neuromodulatory interventions in the treatment of painful CP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Ren
- Department of Anatomy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 510000, China.,Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China
| | - Jia-Ni Li
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China
| | - Xin-Tong Qiu
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China
| | - Fa-Ping Wan
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China.,Department of Anatomy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, China
| | - Zhen-Yu Wu
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China
| | - Bo-Yuan Fan
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xian Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710004, China
| | - Ming-Ming Zhang
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China
| | - Tao Chen
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China
| | - Yang Bai
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China. .,Department of Neurosurgery, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Shenyang, 110016, China.
| | - Yun-Qing Li
- Department of Anatomy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 510000, China. .,Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China. .,Key Laboratory of Brain Science Research and Transformation in Tropical Environment of Hainan Province, Haikou, 570216, China. .,Department of Human Anatomy, College of Basic Medicine, Dali University, Dali, 671000, China.
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40
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Lalo U, Koh W, Lee CJ, Pankratov Y. The tripartite glutamatergic synapse. Neuropharmacology 2021; 199:108758. [PMID: 34433089 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Revised: 07/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Astroglial cells were long considered as structural and metabolic supporting cells are which do not directly participate in information processing in the brain. Discoveries of responsiveness of astrocytes to synaptically-released glutamate and their capability to release agonists of glutamate receptors awakened extensive studies of glia-neuron communications and led to the revolutionary changes in our understanding of brain cellular networks. Nowadays, astrocytes are widely acknowledged as inseparable element of glutamatergic synapses and role for glutamatergic astrocyte-neuron interactions in the brain computation is emerging. Astroglial glutamate receptors, in particular of NMDA, mGluR3 and mGluR5 types, can activate a variety of molecular cascades leading astroglial-driven modulation of extracellular levels of glutamate and activity of neuronal glutamate receptors. Their preferential location to the astroglial perisynaptic processes facilitates interaction of astrocytes with individual excitatory synapses. Bi-directional glutamatergic communication between astrocytes and neurons underpins a complex, spatially-distributed modulation of synaptic signalling thus contributing to the enrichment of information processing by the neuronal networks. Still, further research is needed to bridge the substantial gaps in our understanding of mechanisms and physiological relevance of astrocyte-neuron glutamatergic interactions, in particular ability of astrocytes directly activate neuronal glutamate receptors by releasing glutamate and, arguably, d-Serine. An emerging roles for aberrant changes in glutamatergic astroglial signalling, both neuroprotective and pathogenic, in neurological and neurodegenerative diseases also require further investigation. This article is part of the special Issue on 'Glutamate Receptors - The Glutamatergic Synapse'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulyana Lalo
- School of Life Sciences, Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Kaliningrad, Russia
| | - Wuhyun Koh
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon, 34126, South Korea
| | - C Justin Lee
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon, 34126, South Korea
| | - Yuriy Pankratov
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, United Kingdom.
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41
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Traetta ME, Uccelli NA, Zárate SC, Gómez Cuautle D, Ramos AJ, Reinés A. Long-Lasting Changes in Glial Cells Isolated From Rats Subjected to the Valproic Acid Model of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:707859. [PMID: 34421599 PMCID: PMC8374432 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.707859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Synaptic alterations concomitant with neuroinflammation have been described in patients and experimental models of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, the role of microglia and astroglia in relation to synaptic changes is poorly understood. Male Wistar rats prenatally exposed to valproic acid (VPA, 450 mg/kg, i.p.) or saline (control) at embryonic day 10.5 were used to study synapses, microglia, and astroglia in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) at postnatal days 3 and 35 (PND3 and PND35). Primary cultures of cortical neurons, microglia, and astroglia isolated from control and VPA animals were used to study each cell type individually, neuron-microglia and microglia-astroglia crosstalk. In the PFC of VPA rats, synaptic changes characterized by an increase in the number of excitatory synapses were evidenced at PND3 and persisted until PND35. At PND3, microglia and astroglia from VPA animals were morphologically similar to those of age-matched controls, whereas at PND35, reactive microgliosis and astrogliosis were observed in the PFC of VPA animals. Cortical neurons isolated from VPA rats mimicked in vitro the synaptic pattern seen in vivo. Cortical microglia and astroglia isolated from VPA animals exhibited reactive morphology, increased pro-inflammatory cytokines, and a compromised miRNA processing machinery. Microglia from VPA animals also showed resistance to a phagocytic challenge. In the presence of neurons from VPA animals, microglia isolated from VPA rats revealed a non-reactive morphology and promoted neurite outgrowth, while microglia from control animals displayed a reactive profile and promoted dendritic retraction. In microglia-astroglia co-cultures, microglia from VPA animals displayed a reactive profile and exacerbated astrocyte reactivity. Our study indicates that cortical microglia from VPA animals are insensitive or adapted to neuronal cues expressed by neurons from VPA animals. Further, long-term in vivo microgliosis could be the result of altered microglia-astroglia crosstalk in VPA animals. Thus, our study highlights cortical microglia-astroglia communication as a new mechanism implicated in neuroinflammation in ASD; consequently, we propose that this crosstalk is a potential target for interventions in this disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianela Evelyn Traetta
- Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia "Prof. E. De Robertis" (IBCN), CONICET - Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Cátedra de Farmacología, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Nonthué Alejandra Uccelli
- Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia "Prof. E. De Robertis" (IBCN), CONICET - Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Sandra Cristina Zárate
- Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Histología, Embriología, Biología Celular y Genética, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (INBIOMED), CONICET - Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Dante Gómez Cuautle
- Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia "Prof. E. De Robertis" (IBCN), CONICET - Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alberto Javier Ramos
- Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia "Prof. E. De Robertis" (IBCN), CONICET - Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Histología, Embriología, Biología Celular y Genética, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Analía Reinés
- Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia "Prof. E. De Robertis" (IBCN), CONICET - Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Cátedra de Farmacología, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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42
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Moulson AJ, Squair JW, Franklin RJM, Tetzlaff W, Assinck P. Diversity of Reactive Astrogliosis in CNS Pathology: Heterogeneity or Plasticity? Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:703810. [PMID: 34381334 PMCID: PMC8349991 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.703810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes are essential for the development and homeostatic maintenance of the central nervous system (CNS). They are also critical players in the CNS injury response during which they undergo a process referred to as "reactive astrogliosis." Diversity in astrocyte morphology and gene expression, as revealed by transcriptional analysis, is well-recognized and has been reported in several CNS pathologies, including ischemic stroke, CNS demyelination, and traumatic injury. This diversity appears unique to the specific pathology, with significant variance across temporal, topographical, age, and sex-specific variables. Despite this, there is limited functional data corroborating this diversity. Furthermore, as reactive astrocytes display significant environmental-dependent plasticity and fate-mapping data on astrocyte subsets in the adult CNS is limited, it remains unclear whether this diversity represents heterogeneity or plasticity. As astrocytes are important for neuronal survival and CNS function post-injury, establishing to what extent this diversity reflects distinct established heterogeneous astrocyte subpopulations vs. environmentally dependent plasticity within established astrocyte subsets will be critical for guiding therapeutic development. To that end, we review the current state of knowledge on astrocyte diversity in the context of three representative CNS pathologies: ischemic stroke, demyelination, and traumatic injury, with the goal of identifying key limitations in our current knowledge and suggesting future areas of research needed to address them. We suggest that the majority of identified astrocyte diversity in CNS pathologies to date represents plasticity in response to dynamically changing post-injury environments as opposed to heterogeneity, an important consideration for the understanding of disease pathogenesis and the development of therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron J. Moulson
- Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Jordan W. Squair
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Faculty of Life Sciences, Center for Neuroprosthetics and Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), NeuroRestore, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Robin J. M. Franklin
- Wellcome Trust - MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Wolfram Tetzlaff
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Peggy Assinck
- Wellcome Trust - MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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43
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Dual metabotropic glutamate receptor signaling enables coordination of astrocyte and neuron activity in developing sensory domains. Neuron 2021; 109:2545-2555.e7. [PMID: 34245686 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes play an essential role in the development of neural circuits by positioning transporters and receptors near synapses and secreting factors that promote synaptic maturation. However, the mechanisms that coordinate astrocyte and neural maturation remain poorly understood. Using in vivo imaging in unanesthetized neonatal mice, we show that bursts of neuronal activity passing through nascent sound processing networks reliably induce calcium transients in astrocytes. Astrocyte transients were dependent on intense neuronal activity and constrained to regions near active synapses, ensuring close spatial and temporal coordination of neuron and astrocyte activity. Astrocyte responses were restricted to the pre-hearing period and induced by synergistic activation of two metabotropic glutamate receptors, mGluR5 and mGluR3, which promoted IP3R2-dependent calcium release from intracellular stores. The widespread expression of these receptors by astrocytes during development and the prominence of neuronal burst firing in emerging neural networks may help coordinate the maturation of excitatory synapses.
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44
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Shan L, Zhang T, Fan K, Cai W, Liu H. Astrocyte-Neuron Signaling in Synaptogenesis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:680301. [PMID: 34277621 PMCID: PMC8284252 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.680301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes are the key component of the central nervous system (CNS), serving as pivotal regulators of neuronal synapse formation and maturation through their ability to dynamically and bidirectionally communicate with synapses throughout life. In the past 20 years, numerous astrocyte-derived molecules promoting synaptogenesis have been discovered. However, our understanding of the cell biological basis underlying intra-neuron processes and astrocyte-mediated synaptogenesis is still in its infancy. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of the various ways astrocytes talk to neurons, and highlight astrocytes’ heterogeneity that allow them to displays regional-specific capabilities in boosting synaptogenesis. Finally, we conclude with promises and future directions on how organoids generated from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) effectively address the signaling pathways astrocytes employ in synaptic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Shan
- Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou, China.,Bioland Laboratory (Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou, China
| | - Tongran Zhang
- Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou, China.,Bioland Laboratory (Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou, China
| | - Kevin Fan
- Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States.,Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Weibo Cai
- Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States.,Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Huisheng Liu
- Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou, China.,Bioland Laboratory (Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou, China
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45
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Tan CX, Eroglu C. Cell adhesion molecules regulating astrocyte-neuron interactions. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2021; 69:170-177. [PMID: 33957433 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2021.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
A tripartite synapse comprises a neuronal presynaptic axon and a postsynaptic dendrite, which are closely ensheathed by a perisynaptic astrocyte process. Through their structural and functional association with thousands of neuronal synapses, astrocytes regulate synapse formation and function. Recent work revealed a diverse range of cell adhesion-based mechanisms that mediate astrocyte-synapse interactions at tripartite synapses. Here, we will review some of these findings unveiling a highly dynamic bidirectional signaling between astrocytes and synapses, which orchestrates astrocyte morphological maturation and synapse development. Moreover, we will discuss the roles of these newly discovered molecular pathways in brain physiology and function both in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christabel X Tan
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Cagla Eroglu
- 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, Durham, NC, 27710, USA; Regeneration Next Initiative, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
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46
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Mapping Astrocyte Transcriptional Signatures in Response to Neuroactive Compounds. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22083975. [PMID: 33921461 PMCID: PMC8069033 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22083975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes play central roles in normal brain function and are critical components of synaptic networks that oversee behavioral outputs. Despite their close affiliation with neurons, how neuronal-derived signals influence astrocyte function at the gene expression level remains poorly characterized, largely due to difficulties associated with dissecting neuron- versus astrocyte-specific effects. Here, we use an in vitro system of stem cell-derived astrocytes to identify gene expression profiles in astrocytes that are influenced by neurons and regulate astrocyte development. Furthermore, we show that neurotransmitters and neuromodulators induce distinct transcriptomic and chromatin accessibility changes in astrocytes that are unique to each of these neuroactive compounds. These findings are highlighted by the observation that noradrenaline has a more profound effect on transcriptional profiles of astrocytes compared to glutamate, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), acetylcholine, and serotonin. This is demonstrated through enhanced noradrenaline-induced transcriptomic and chromatin accessibility changes in vitro and through enhanced calcium signaling in vivo. Taken together, our study reveals distinct transcriptomic and chromatin architecture signatures in astrocytes in response to neuronal-derived neuroactive compounds. Since astrocyte function is affected in all neurological disorders, this study provides a new entry point for exploring genetic mechanisms of astrocyte-neuron communication that may be dysregulated in disease.
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47
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Zehnder T, Petrelli F, Romanos J, De Oliveira Figueiredo EC, Lewis TL, Déglon N, Polleux F, Santello M, Bezzi P. Mitochondrial biogenesis in developing astrocytes regulates astrocyte maturation and synapse formation. Cell Rep 2021; 35:108952. [PMID: 33852851 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.108952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 01/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The mechanisms controlling the post-natal maturation of astrocytes play a crucial role in ensuring correct synaptogenesis. We show that mitochondrial biogenesis in developing astrocytes is necessary for coordinating post-natal astrocyte maturation and synaptogenesis. The astrocytic mitochondrial biogenesis depends on the transient upregulation of metabolic regulator peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) co-activator 1α (PGC-1α), which is controlled by metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5). At tissue level, the loss or downregulation of astrocytic PGC-1α sustains astrocyte proliferation, dampens astrocyte morphogenesis, and impairs the formation and function of neighboring synapses, whereas its genetic re-expression is sufficient to restore the mitochondria compartment and correct astroglial and synaptic defects. Our findings show that the developmental enhancement of mitochondrial biogenesis in astrocytes is a critical mechanism controlling astrocyte maturation and supporting synaptogenesis, thus suggesting that astrocytic mitochondria may be a therapeutic target in the case of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders characterized by impaired synaptogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Zehnder
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Rue du Bugnon 9, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Francesco Petrelli
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Rue du Bugnon 9, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jennifer Romanos
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Eva C De Oliveira Figueiredo
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Rue du Bugnon 9, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Tommy L Lewis
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Nicole Déglon
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Laboratory of Neurotherapies and Neuromodulation (LNTM), Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland; Neurosciences Research Center (CRN), Laboratory of Neurotherapies and Neuromodulation (LNTM), Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Franck Polleux
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Mirko Santello
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Paola Bezzi
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Rue du Bugnon 9, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy.
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48
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Restoring glutamate homeostasis in the nucleus accumbens via endocannabinoid-mimetic drug prevents relapse to cocaine seeking behavior in rats. Neuropsychopharmacology 2021; 46:970-981. [PMID: 33514875 PMCID: PMC8115336 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-00955-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2020] [Revised: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Impaired glutamate homeostasis is a key characteristic of the neurobiology of drug addiction in rodent models and contributes to the vulnerability to relapse to drug seeking. Although disrupted astrocytic and presynaptic regulation of glutamate release has been considered to constitute with impaired glutamate homeostasis in rodent model of drug relapse, the involvement of endocannabinoids (eCBs) in this neurobiological process has remained largely unknown. Here, using cocaine self-administration in rats, we investigated the role of endocannabinoids in impaired glutamate homeostasis in the core of nucleus accumbens (NAcore), which was indicated by augmentation of spontaneous synaptic glutamate release, downregulation of metabotropic glutamate receptor 2/3 (mGluR2/3), and mGluR5-mediated astrocytic glutamate release. We found that the endocannabinoid, anandamide (AEA), rather than 2-arachidonoylglycerol elicited glutamate release through presynaptic transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) and astrocytic cannabinoid type-1 receptors (CB1Rs) in the NAcore of saline-yoked rats. In rats with a history of cocaine self-administration and extinction training, AEA failed to alter synaptic glutamate release in the NAcore, whereas CB1R-mediated astrocytic glutamate release by AEA remained functional. In order to induce increased astrocytic glutamate release via exogenous AEA, (R)-methanandamide (methAEA, a metabolically stable form of AEA) was chronically infused in the NAcore via osmotic pumps during extinction training. Restoration of mGluR2/3 function and mGluR5-mediated astrocytic glutamate release was observed after chronic methAEA infusion. Additionally, priming or cue-induced reinstatement of cocaine seeking was inhibited in methAEA-infused rats. These results demonstrate that enhancing endocannabinoid signaling is a potential pathway to restore glutamate homeostasis and may represent a promising therapeutic strategy for preventing cocaine relapse.
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49
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Balouch B, Funnell JL, Ziemba AM, Puhl DL, Lin K, Gottipati MK, Gilbert RJ. Conventional immunomarkers stain a fraction of astrocytes in vitro: A comparison of rat cortical and spinal cord astrocytes in naïve and stimulated cultures. J Neurosci Res 2020; 99:806-826. [PMID: 33295039 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 11/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes are responsible for a wide variety of essential functions throughout the central nervous system. The protein markers glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), glutamate aspartate transporter (GLAST), glutamate transporter-1 (GLT-1), glutamine synthetase (GS), 10-formyltetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase (ALDH1L1), and the transcription factor SOX9 are routinely used to label astrocytes in primary rodent cultures. However, GLAST, GLT-1, GS, and SOX9 are also produced by microglia and oligodendrocytes and GFAP, GLAST, GLT-1, and GS production levels are affected by astrocyte phenotypic changes associated with reactive astrogliosis. No group has performed a comprehensive immunocytochemical evaluation to quantify the percentage of cells labeled by these markers in vitro, nor compared changes in staining between cortex- and spinal cord-derived cells in naïve and stimulated cultures. Here, we quantified the percentage of cells positively stained for these six markers in astrocyte, microglia, and oligodendrocyte cultures isolated from neonatal rat cortices and spinal cords. Additionally, we incubated the astrocytes with transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 or TGF-β3 to determine if the labeling of these markers is altered by these stimuli. We found that only SOX9 in cortical cultures and ALDH1L1 in spinal cord cultures labeled more than 75% of the cells in naïve and stimulated astrocyte cultures and stained less than 5% of the cells in microglia and oligodendrocyte cultures. Furthermore, significantly more cortical than spinal cord astrocytes stained for GFAP, GLAST, and ALDH1L1 in naïve cultures, whereas significantly more spinal cord than cortical astrocytes stained for GLAST and GS in TGF-β1-treated cultures. These findings are important as variability in marker staining may lead to misinterpretation of the astrocyte response in cocultures, migration assays, or engineered disease models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bailey Balouch
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA.,Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA.,Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jessica L Funnell
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA.,Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA
| | - Alexis M Ziemba
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA.,Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA.,Neuroscience Program, Smith College, Northampton, MA, USA
| | - Devan L Puhl
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA.,Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA
| | - Kathy Lin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA.,Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA
| | - Manoj K Gottipati
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA.,Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA.,Center for Brain and Spinal Cord Repair, Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Ryan J Gilbert
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA.,Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA
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50
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Muñoz-Ballester C, Umans RA, Robel S. Leveraging Zebrafish To Study Bona Fide Astrocytes. Trends Neurosci 2020; 44:77-79. [PMID: 33213859 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2020.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
In a recent study, Chen and colleagues demonstrated that zebrafish spinal cord radial glia differentiate into cells that are similar to mammalian astrocytes. This study highlights the validity of the zebrafish model for discovering molecular mechanisms governing astrocyte function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Muñoz-Ballester
- Center for Glial Biology in Health, Disease, and Cancer, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, VA 24016, USA
| | - Robyn A Umans
- Center for Glial Biology in Health, Disease, and Cancer, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, VA 24016, USA
| | - Stefanie Robel
- Center for Glial Biology in Health, Disease, and Cancer, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, VA 24016, USA; School of Neuroscience, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
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