1
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Choi YK, Feng L, Jeong WK, Kim J. Connecto-informatics at the mesoscale: current advances in image processing and analysis for mapping the brain connectivity. Brain Inform 2024; 11:15. [PMID: 38833195 DOI: 10.1186/s40708-024-00228-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Mapping neural connections within the brain has been a fundamental goal in neuroscience to understand better its functions and changes that follow aging and diseases. Developments in imaging technology, such as microscopy and labeling tools, have allowed researchers to visualize this connectivity through high-resolution brain-wide imaging. With this, image processing and analysis have become more crucial. However, despite the wealth of neural images generated, access to an integrated image processing and analysis pipeline to process these data is challenging due to scattered information on available tools and methods. To map the neural connections, registration to atlases and feature extraction through segmentation and signal detection are necessary. In this review, our goal is to provide an updated overview of recent advances in these image-processing methods, with a particular focus on fluorescent images of the mouse brain. Our goal is to outline a pathway toward an integrated image-processing pipeline tailored for connecto-informatics. An integrated workflow of these image processing will facilitate researchers' approach to mapping brain connectivity to better understand complex brain networks and their underlying brain functions. By highlighting the image-processing tools available for fluroscent imaging of the mouse brain, this review will contribute to a deeper grasp of connecto-informatics, paving the way for better comprehension of brain connectivity and its implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoon Kyoung Choi
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea
| | | | - Won-Ki Jeong
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jinhyun Kim
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, South Korea.
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea.
- KIST-SKKU Brain Research Center, SKKU Institute for Convergence, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea.
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2
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Yang L, Liu F, Hahm H, Okuda T, Li X, Zhang Y, Kalyanaraman V, Heitmeier MR, Samineni VK. Projection-TAGs enable multiplex projection tracing and multi-modal profiling of projection neurons. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.24.590975. [PMID: 38712231 PMCID: PMC11071495 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.24.590975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Single-cell multiomic techniques have sparked immense interest in developing a comprehensive multi-modal map of diverse neuronal cell types and their brain wide projections. However, investigating the spatial organization, transcriptional and epigenetic landscapes of brain wide projection neurons is hampered by the lack of efficient and easily adoptable tools. Here we introduce Projection-TAGs, a retrograde AAV platform that allows multiplex tagging of projection neurons using RNA barcodes. By using Projection-TAGs, we performed multiplex projection tracing of the mouse cortex and high-throughput single-cell profiling of the transcriptional and epigenetic landscapes of the cortical projection neurons. Projection-TAGs can be leveraged to obtain a snapshot of activity-dependent recruitment of distinct projection neurons and their molecular features in the context of a specific stimulus. Given its flexibility, usability, and compatibility, we envision that Projection-TAGs can be readily applied to build a comprehensive multi-modal map of brain neuronal cell types and their projections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lite Yang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University Pain Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Division of Biology & Biomedical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Fang Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University Pain Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Hannah Hahm
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University Pain Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Takao Okuda
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University Pain Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Xiaoyue Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University Pain Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Yufen Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University Pain Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Vani Kalyanaraman
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University Pain Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Monique R. Heitmeier
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University Pain Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Vijay K. Samineni
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University Pain Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
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3
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Phan BN, Ray MH, Xue X, Fu C, Fenster RJ, Kohut SJ, Bergman J, Haber SN, McCullough KM, Fish MK, Glausier JR, Su Q, Tipton AE, Lewis DA, Freyberg Z, Tseng GC, Russek SJ, Alekseyev Y, Ressler KJ, Seney ML, Pfenning AR, Logan RW. Single nuclei transcriptomics in human and non-human primate striatum in opioid use disorder. Nat Commun 2024; 15:878. [PMID: 38296993 PMCID: PMC10831093 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45165-7] [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: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
In brain, the striatum is a heterogenous region involved in reward and goal-directed behaviors. Striatal dysfunction is linked to psychiatric disorders, including opioid use disorder (OUD). Striatal subregions are divided based on neuroanatomy, each with unique roles in OUD. In OUD, the dorsal striatum is involved in altered reward processing, formation of habits, and development of negative affect during withdrawal. Using single nuclei RNA-sequencing, we identified both canonical (e.g., dopamine receptor subtype) and less abundant cell populations (e.g., interneurons) in human dorsal striatum. Pathways related to neurodegeneration, interferon response, and DNA damage were significantly enriched in striatal neurons of individuals with OUD. DNA damage markers were also elevated in striatal neurons of opioid-exposed rhesus macaques. Sex-specific molecular differences in glial cell subtypes associated with chronic stress were found in OUD, particularly female individuals. Together, we describe different cell types in human dorsal striatum and identify cell type-specific alterations in OUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- BaDoi N Phan
- Computational Biology Department, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Madelyn H Ray
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology & Biophysics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
- Whitaker Cardiovascular Institute, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Xiangning Xue
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Chen Fu
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA
| | - Robert J Fenster
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Division of Depression and Anxiety, McLean Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA
| | - Stephen J Kohut
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Behavioral Biology Program, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA
| | - Jack Bergman
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Behavioral Biology Program, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA
| | - Suzanne N Haber
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Rochester, School of Medicine, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA
| | - Kenneth M McCullough
- Basic Neuroscience Division, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA
| | - Madeline K Fish
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Jill R Glausier
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15219, USA
| | - Qiao Su
- Computational Biology Department, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Allison E Tipton
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - David A Lewis
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15219, USA
| | - Zachary Freyberg
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15219, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15219, USA
| | - George C Tseng
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Shelley J Russek
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology & Biophysics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Yuriy Alekseyev
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Kerry J Ressler
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Division of Depression and Anxiety, McLean Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA
| | - Marianne L Seney
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15219, USA
| | - Andreas R Pfenning
- Computational Biology Department, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA.
- Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA.
| | - Ryan W Logan
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology & Biophysics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA.
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA.
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4
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Chen HY, Phan BN, Shim G, Hamersky GR, Sadowski N, O'Donnell TS, Sripathy SR, Bohlen JF, Pfenning AR, Maher BJ. Psychiatric risk gene Transcription Factor 4 (TCF4) regulates the density and connectivity of distinct inhibitory interneuron subtypes. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:4679-4692. [PMID: 37770578 PMCID: PMC11144438 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02248-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
Transcription factor 4 (TCF4) is a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor that is implicated in a variety of psychiatric disorders including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), major depression, and schizophrenia. Autosomal dominant mutations in TCF4 are causal for a specific ASD called Pitt-Hopkins Syndrome (PTHS). However, our understanding of etiological and pathophysiological mechanisms downstream of TCF4 mutations is incomplete. Single cell sequencing indicates TCF4 is highly expressed in GABAergic interneurons (INs). Here, we performed cell-type specific expression analysis (CSEA) and cellular deconvolution (CD) on bulk RNA sequencing data from 5 different PTHS mouse models. Using CSEA we observed differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were enriched in parvalbumin expressing (PV+) INs and CD predicted a reduction in the PV+ INs population. Therefore, we investigated the role of TCF4 in regulating the development and function of INs in the Tcf4+/tr mouse model of PTHS. In Tcf4+/tr mice, immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis of subtype-specific IN markers and reporter mice identified reductions in PV+, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP+), and cortistatin (CST+) expressing INs in the cortex and cholinergic (ChAT+) INs in the striatum, with the somatostatin (SST+) IN population being spared. The reduction of these specific IN populations led to cell-type specific alterations in the balance of excitatory and inhibitory inputs onto PV+ and VIP+ INs and excitatory pyramidal neurons within the cortex. These data indicate TCF4 is a critical regulator of the development of specific subsets of INs and highlight the inhibitory network as an important source of pathophysiology in PTHS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huei-Ying Chen
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - BaDoi N Phan
- Computational Biology Department, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
| | - Gina Shim
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Gregory R Hamersky
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Norah Sadowski
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Thomas S O'Donnell
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Srinidhi Rao Sripathy
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Joseph F Bohlen
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Andreas R Pfenning
- Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
| | - Brady J Maher
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA.
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
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5
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Fang YM, Chen WC, Zheng WJ, Yang YS, Zhang Y, Chen XL, Pei MQ, Lin S, He HF. A cutting-edge strategy for spinal cord injury treatment: resident cellular transdifferentiation. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1237641. [PMID: 37711511 PMCID: PMC10498389 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1237641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Spinal cord injury causes varying degrees of motor and sensory function loss. However, there are no effective treatments for spinal cord repair following an injury. Moreover, significant preclinical advances in bioengineering and regenerative medicine have not yet been translated into effective clinical therapies. The spinal cord's poor regenerative capacity makes repairing damaged and lost neurons a critical treatment step. Reprogramming-based neuronal transdifferentiation has recently shown great potential in repair and plasticity, as it can convert mature somatic cells into functional neurons for spinal cord injury repair in vitro and in vivo, effectively halting the progression of spinal cord injury and promoting functional improvement. However, the mechanisms of the neuronal transdifferentiation and the induced neuronal subtypes are not yet well understood. This review analyzes the mechanisms of resident cellular transdifferentiation based on a review of the relevant recent literature, describes different molecular approaches to obtain different neuronal subtypes, discusses the current challenges and improvement methods, and provides new ideas for exploring therapeutic approaches for spinal cord injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Ming Fang
- Department of Anaesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, China
| | - Wei-Can Chen
- Department of Anaesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, China
| | - Wan-Jing Zheng
- Department of Anaesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, China
| | - Yu-Shen Yang
- Department of Anaesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Anaesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, China
| | - Xin-Li Chen
- Department of Anaesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, China
| | - Meng-Qin Pei
- Department of Anaesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, China
| | - Shu Lin
- Centre of Neurological and Metabolic Research, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, China
- Neuroendocrinology Group, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - He-Fan He
- Department of Anaesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, China
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6
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Cell-type specific profiling of histone post-translational modifications in the adult mouse striatum. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7720. [PMID: 36513652 PMCID: PMC9747932 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35384-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic gene regulation in the heterogeneous brain remains challenging to decipher with current strategies. Bulk tissue analysis from pooled subjects reflects the average of cell-type specific changes across cell-types and individuals, which obscures causal relationships between epigenetic modifications, regulation of gene expression, and complex pathology. To address these limitations, we optimized a hybrid protocol, ICuRuS, for the isolation of nuclei tagged in specific cell-types and histone post translational modification profiling from the striatum of a single mouse. We combined affinity-based isolation of the medium spiny neuron subtypes, Adenosine 2a Receptor or Dopamine Receptor D1, with cleavage of histone-DNA complexes using an antibody-targeted micrococcal nuclease to release DNA complexes for paired end sequencing. Unlike fluorescence activated cell sorting paired with chromatin immunoprecipitation, ICuRuS allowed for robust epigenetic profiling at cell-type specific resolution. Our analysis provides a framework to understand combinatorial relationships between neuronal-subtype-specific epigenetic modifications and gene expression.
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7
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Liu X, Shu Y, Yu P, Li H, Duan W, Wei Z, Li K, Xie W, Zeng Y, Peng D. Classification of severe obstructive sleep apnea with cognitive impairment using degree centrality: A machine learning analysis. Front Neurol 2022; 13:1005650. [PMID: 36090863 PMCID: PMC9453022 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.1005650] [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: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, we aimed to use voxel-level degree centrality (DC) features in combination with machine learning methods to distinguish obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients with and without mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Ninety-nine OSA patients were recruited for rs-MRI scanning, including 51 MCI patients and 48 participants with no mild cognitive impairment. Based on the Automated Anatomical Labeling (AAL) brain atlas, the DC features of all participants were calculated and extracted. Ten DC features were screened out by deleting variables with high pin-correlation and minimum absolute contraction and performing selective operator lasso regression. Finally, three machine learning methods were used to establish classification models. The support vector machine method had the best classification efficiency (AUC = 0.78), followed by random forest (AUC = 0.71) and logistic regression (AUC = 0.77). These findings demonstrate an effective machine learning approach for differentiating OSA patients with and without MCI and provide potential neuroimaging evidence for cognitive impairment caused by OSA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Liu
- Department of Radiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi, China
| | - Yongqiang Shu
- Department of Radiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi, China
| | - Pengfei Yu
- Big Data Center, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi, China
| | - Haijun Li
- Department of PET Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi, China
| | - Wenfeng Duan
- Department of Radiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi, China
| | - Zhipeng Wei
- Department of Radiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi, China
| | - Kunyao Li
- Department of Radiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi, China
| | - Wei Xie
- Department of Radiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi, China
| | - Yaping Zeng
- Department of Radiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi, China
| | - Dechang Peng
- Department of Radiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi, China
- *Correspondence: Dechang Peng
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8
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Lawler AJ, Ramamurthy E, Brown AR, Shin N, Kim Y, Toong N, Kaplow IM, Wirthlin M, Zhang X, Phan BN, Fox GA, Wade K, He J, Ozturk BE, Byrne LC, Stauffer WR, Fish KN, Pfenning AR. Machine learning sequence prioritization for cell type-specific enhancer design. eLife 2022; 11:69571. [PMID: 35576146 PMCID: PMC9110026 DOI: 10.7554/elife.69571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent discoveries of extreme cellular diversity in the brain warrant rapid development of technologies to access specific cell populations within heterogeneous tissue. Available approaches for engineering-targeted technologies for new neuron subtypes are low yield, involving intensive transgenic strain or virus screening. Here, we present Specific Nuclear-Anchored Independent Labeling (SNAIL), an improved virus-based strategy for cell labeling and nuclear isolation from heterogeneous tissue. SNAIL works by leveraging machine learning and other computational approaches to identify DNA sequence features that confer cell type-specific gene activation and then make a probe that drives an affinity purification-compatible reporter gene. As a proof of concept, we designed and validated two novel SNAIL probes that target parvalbumin-expressing (PV+) neurons. Nuclear isolation using SNAIL in wild-type mice is sufficient to capture characteristic open chromatin features of PV+ neurons in the cortex, striatum, and external globus pallidus. The SNAIL framework also has high utility for multispecies cell probe engineering; expression from a mouse PV+ SNAIL enhancer sequence was enriched in PV+ neurons of the macaque cortex. Expansion of this technology has broad applications in cell type-specific observation, manipulation, and therapeutics across species and disease models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa J Lawler
- Computational Biology Department, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, United States.,Biological Sciences Department, Mellon College of Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, United States.,Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Easwaran Ramamurthy
- Computational Biology Department, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, United States.,Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Ashley R Brown
- Computational Biology Department, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, United States.,Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Naomi Shin
- Computational Biology Department, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, United States.,Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Yeonju Kim
- Computational Biology Department, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, United States.,Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Noelle Toong
- Computational Biology Department, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, United States.,Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Irene M Kaplow
- Computational Biology Department, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, United States.,Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Morgan Wirthlin
- Computational Biology Department, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, United States.,Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Xiaoyu Zhang
- Computational Biology Department, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, United States.,Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, United States
| | - BaDoi N Phan
- Computational Biology Department, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, United States.,Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, United States.,Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Grant A Fox
- Computational Biology Department, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, United States.,Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Kirsten Wade
- Department of Psychiatry, Translational Neuroscience Program, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Jing He
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, United States.,Systems Neuroscience Center, Brain Institute, Center for Neuroscience, Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Bilge Esin Ozturk
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Leah C Byrne
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, United States.,Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, United States.,Division of Experimental Retinal Therapies, Department of Clinical Sciences & Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, United States.,Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, United States
| | - William R Stauffer
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Kenneth N Fish
- Department of Psychiatry, Translational Neuroscience Program, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Andreas R Pfenning
- Computational Biology Department, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, United States.,Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, United States
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9
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Grandi FC, Modi H, Kampman L, Corces MR. Chromatin accessibility profiling by ATAC-seq. Nat Protoc 2022; 17:1518-1552. [PMID: 35478247 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-022-00692-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The assay for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing (ATAC-seq) provides a simple and scalable way to detect the unique chromatin landscape associated with a cell type and how it may be altered by perturbation or disease. ATAC-seq requires a relatively small number of input cells and does not require a priori knowledge of the epigenetic marks or transcription factors governing the dynamics of the system. Here we describe an updated and optimized protocol for ATAC-seq, called Omni-ATAC, that is applicable across a broad range of cell and tissue types. The ATAC-seq workflow has five main steps: sample preparation, transposition, library preparation, sequencing and data analysis. This protocol details the steps to generate and sequence ATAC-seq libraries, with recommendations for sample preparation and downstream bioinformatic analysis. ATAC-seq libraries for roughly 12 samples can be generated in 10 h by someone familiar with basic molecular biology, and downstream sequencing analysis can be implemented using benchmarked pipelines by someone with basic bioinformatics skills and with access to a high-performance computing environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiorella C Grandi
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Gladstone Institute of Data Science and Biotechnology, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Hailey Modi
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Gladstone Institute of Data Science and Biotechnology, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Lucas Kampman
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Gladstone Institute of Data Science and Biotechnology, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - M Ryan Corces
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, San Francisco, CA, USA. .,Gladstone Institute of Data Science and Biotechnology, San Francisco, CA, USA. .,Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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Srinivasan C, Phan BN, Lawler AJ, Ramamurthy E, Kleyman M, Brown AR, Kaplow IM, Wirthlin ME, Pfenning AR. Addiction-Associated Genetic Variants Implicate Brain Cell Type- and Region-Specific Cis-Regulatory Elements in Addiction Neurobiology. J Neurosci 2021; 41:9008-9030. [PMID: 34462306 PMCID: PMC8549541 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2534-20.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent large genome-wide association studies have identified multiple confident risk loci linked to addiction-associated behavioral traits. Most genetic variants linked to addiction-associated traits lie in noncoding regions of the genome, likely disrupting cis-regulatory element (CRE) function. CREs tend to be highly cell type-specific and may contribute to the functional development of the neural circuits underlying addiction. Yet, a systematic approach for predicting the impact of risk variants on the CREs of specific cell populations is lacking. To dissect the cell types and brain regions underlying addiction-associated traits, we applied stratified linkage disequilibrium score regression to compare genome-wide association studies to genomic regions collected from human and mouse assays for open chromatin, which is associated with CRE activity. We found enrichment of addiction-associated variants in putative CREs marked by open chromatin in neuronal (NeuN+) nuclei collected from multiple prefrontal cortical areas and striatal regions known to play major roles in reward and addiction. To further dissect the cell type-specific basis of addiction-associated traits, we also identified enrichments in human orthologs of open chromatin regions of female and male mouse neuronal subtypes: cortical excitatory, D1, D2, and PV. Last, we developed machine learning models to predict mouse cell type-specific open chromatin, enabling us to further categorize human NeuN+ open chromatin regions into cortical excitatory or striatal D1 and D2 neurons and predict the functional impact of addiction-associated genetic variants. Our results suggest that different neuronal subtypes within the reward system play distinct roles in the variety of traits that contribute to addiction.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We combine statistical genetic and machine learning techniques to find that the predisposition to for nicotine, alcohol, and cannabis use behaviors can be partially explained by genetic variants in conserved regulatory elements within specific brain regions and neuronal subtypes of the reward system. Our computational framework can flexibly integrate open chromatin data across species to screen for putative causal variants in a cell type- and tissue-specific manner for numerous complex traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaitanya Srinivasan
- Computational Biology Department, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213
| | - BaDoi N Phan
- Computational Biology Department, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213
- Medical Scientist Training Program, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213
| | - Alyssa J Lawler
- Department of Biological Sciences, Mellon College of Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213
| | - Easwaran Ramamurthy
- Computational Biology Department, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213
| | - Michael Kleyman
- Computational Biology Department, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213
| | - Ashley R Brown
- Computational Biology Department, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213
| | - Irene M Kaplow
- Computational Biology Department, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213
- Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213
| | - Morgan E Wirthlin
- Computational Biology Department, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213
- Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213
| | - Andreas R Pfenning
- Computational Biology Department, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213
- Department of Biological Sciences, Mellon College of Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213
- Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213
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