1
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Curtis L, Piggins HD. Diverse genetic alteration dysregulates neuropeptide and intracellular signalling in the suprachiasmatic nuclei. Eur J Neurosci 2024; 60:3921-3945. [PMID: 38924215 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16443] [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: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
In mammals, intrinsic 24 h or circadian rhythms are primarily generated by the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN). Rhythmic daily changes in the transcriptome and proteome of SCN cells are controlled by interlocking transcription-translation feedback loops (TTFLs) of core clock genes and their proteins. SCN cells function as autonomous circadian oscillators, which synchronize through intercellular neuropeptide signalling. Physiological and behavioural rhythms can be severely disrupted by genetic modification of a diverse range of genes and proteins in the SCN. With the advent of next generation sequencing, there is unprecedented information on the molecular profile of the SCN and how it is affected by genetically targeted alteration. However, whether the expression of some genes is more readily affected by genetic alteration of the SCN is unclear. Here, using publicly available datasets from recent RNA-seq assessments of the SCN from genetically altered and control mice, we evaluated whether there are commonalities in transcriptome dysregulation. This was completed for four different phases across the 24 h cycle and was augmented by Gene Ontology Molecular Function (GO:MF) and promoter analysis. Common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and/or enriched GO:MF terms included signalling molecules, their receptors, and core clock components. Finally, examination of the JASPAR database indicated that E-box and CRE elements in the promoter regions of several commonly dysregulated genes. From this analysis, we identify differential expression of genes coding for molecules involved in SCN intra- and intercellular signalling as a potential cause of abnormal circadian rhythms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy Curtis
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Hugh D Piggins
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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2
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Evans JA, Schwartz WJ. On the origin and evolution of the dual oscillator model underlying the photoperiodic clockwork in the suprachiasmatic nucleus. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2024; 210:503-511. [PMID: 37481773 PMCID: PMC10924288 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-023-01659-1] [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: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
Decades have now passed since Colin Pittendrigh first proposed a model of a circadian clock composed of two coupled oscillators, individually responsive to the rising and setting sun, as a flexible solution to the challenge of behavioral and physiological adaptation to the changing seasons. The elegance and predictive power of this postulation has stimulated laboratories around the world in searches to identify and localize such hypothesized evening and morning oscillators, or sets of oscillators, in insects, rodents, and humans, with experimental designs and approaches keeping pace over the years with technological advances in biology and neuroscience. Here, we recount the conceptual origin and highlight the subsequent evolution of this dual oscillator model for the circadian clock in the mammalian suprachiasmatic nucleus; and how, despite our increasingly sophisticated view of this multicellular pacemaker, Pittendrigh's binary conception has remained influential in our clock models and metaphors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer A Evans
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
| | - William J Schwartz
- Department of Neurology, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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3
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Yamaguchi Y. Arginine vasopressin: Critical regulator of circadian homeostasis. Peptides 2024; 177:171229. [PMID: 38663583 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2024.171229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/30/2024]
Abstract
Circadian rhythms optimally regulate numerous physiological processes in an organism and synchronize them with the external environment. The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the center of the circadian clock in mammals, is composed of multiple cell types that form a network that provides the basis for the remarkable stability of the circadian clock. Among the neuropeptides expressed in the SCN, arginine vasopressin (AVP) has attracted much attention because of its deep involvement in the function of circadian rhythms, as elucidated in particular by studies using genetically engineered mice. This review briefly summarizes the current knowledge on the peptidergic distribution and topographic neuronal organization in the SCN, the molecular mechanisms of the clock genes, and the relationship between the SCN and peripheral clocks. With respect to the physiological roles of AVP and AVP-expressing neurons, in addition to a sex-dependent action of AVP in the SCN, studies using AVP receptor knockout mice and mice genetically manipulated to alter the clock properties of AVP neurons are summarized here, highlighting its importance in maintaining circadian homeostasis and its potential as a target for therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshiaki Yamaguchi
- Department of Life Science and Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, Materials and Bioengineering, Kansai University, Suita, Japan.
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4
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Chen R, Nie P, Wang J, Wang GZ. Deciphering brain cellular and behavioral mechanisms: Insights from single-cell and spatial RNA sequencing. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. RNA 2024; 15:e1865. [PMID: 38972934 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 05/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
The brain is a complex computing system composed of a multitude of interacting neurons. The computational outputs of this system determine the behavior and perception of every individual. Each brain cell expresses thousands of genes that dictate the cell's function and physiological properties. Therefore, deciphering the molecular expression of each cell is of great significance for understanding its characteristics and role in brain function. Additionally, the positional information of each cell can provide crucial insights into their involvement in local brain circuits. In this review, we briefly overview the principles of single-cell RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics, the potential issues and challenges in their data processing, and their applications in brain research. We further outline several promising directions in neuroscience that could be integrated with single-cell RNA sequencing, including neurodevelopment, the identification of novel brain microstructures, cognition and behavior, neuronal cell positioning, molecules and cells related to advanced brain functions, sleep-wake cycles/circadian rhythms, and computational modeling of brain function. We believe that the deep integration of these directions with single-cell and spatial RNA sequencing can contribute significantly to understanding the roles of individual cells or cell types in these specific functions, thereby making important contributions to addressing critical questions in those fields. This article is categorized under: RNA Evolution and Genomics > Computational Analyses of RNA RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Development RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renrui Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Pengxing Nie
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jing Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Guang-Zhong Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
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5
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Kim H, Chang W, Chae SJ, Park JE, Seo M, Kim JK. scLENS: data-driven signal detection for unbiased scRNA-seq data analysis. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3575. [PMID: 38678050 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47884-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
High dimensionality and noise have limited the new biological insights that can be discovered in scRNA-seq data. While dimensionality reduction tools have been developed to extract biological signals from the data, they often require manual determination of signal dimension, introducing user bias. Furthermore, a common data preprocessing method, log normalization, can unintentionally distort signals in the data. Here, we develop scLENS, a dimensionality reduction tool that circumvents the long-standing issues of signal distortion and manual input. Specifically, we identify the primary cause of signal distortion during log normalization and effectively address it by uniformizing cell vector lengths with L2 normalization. Furthermore, we utilize random matrix theory-based noise filtering and a signal robustness test to enable data-driven determination of the threshold for signal dimensions. Our method outperforms 11 widely used dimensionality reduction tools and performs particularly well for challenging scRNA-seq datasets with high sparsity and variability. To facilitate the use of scLENS, we provide a user-friendly package that automates accurate signal detection of scRNA-seq data without manual time-consuming tuning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun Kim
- Biomedical Mathematics Group, Pioneer Research Center for Mathematical and Computational Sciences, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon, 34126, Republic of Korea
| | - Won Chang
- Division of Statistics and Data Science, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 45221, USA
| | - Seok Joo Chae
- Biomedical Mathematics Group, Pioneer Research Center for Mathematical and Computational Sciences, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon, 34126, Republic of Korea
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, KAIST, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Eun Park
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Minseok Seo
- Department of Computer and Information Science, Korea University, Sejong, 30019, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Kyoung Kim
- Biomedical Mathematics Group, Pioneer Research Center for Mathematical and Computational Sciences, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon, 34126, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, KAIST, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.
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6
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Smyllie NJ, Hastings MH, Patton AP. Neuron-Astrocyte Interactions and Circadian Timekeeping in Mammals. Neuroscientist 2024:10738584241245307. [PMID: 38602223 DOI: 10.1177/10738584241245307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Almost every facet of our behavior and physiology varies predictably over the course of day and night, anticipating and adapting us to their associated opportunities and challenges. These rhythms are driven by endogenous biological clocks that, when deprived of environmental cues, can continue to oscillate within a period of approximately 1 day, hence circa-dian. Normally, retinal signals synchronize them to the cycle of light and darkness, but disruption of circadian organization, a common feature of modern lifestyles, carries considerable costs to health. Circadian timekeeping pivots around a cell-autonomous molecular clock, widely expressed across tissues. These cellular timers are in turn synchronized by the principal circadian clock of the brain: the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). Intercellular signals make the SCN network a very powerful pacemaker. Previously, neurons were considered the sole SCN timekeepers, with glial cells playing supportive roles. New discoveries have revealed, however, that astrocytes are active partners in SCN network timekeeping, with their cell-autonomous clock regulating extracellular glutamate and GABA concentrations to control circadian cycles of SCN neuronal activity. Here, we introduce circadian timekeeping at the cellular and SCN network levels before focusing on the contributions of astrocytes and their mutual interaction with neurons in circadian control in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola J Smyllie
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Andrew P Patton
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
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7
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Ono D, Weaver DR, Hastings MH, Honma KI, Honma S, Silver R. The Suprachiasmatic Nucleus at 50: Looking Back, Then Looking Forward. J Biol Rhythms 2024; 39:135-165. [PMID: 38366616 PMCID: PMC7615910 DOI: 10.1177/07487304231225706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
It has been 50 years since the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) was first identified as the central circadian clock and 25 years since the last overview of developments in the field was published in the Journal of Biological Rhythms. Here, we explore new mechanisms and concepts that have emerged in the subsequent 25 years. Since 1997, methodological developments, such as luminescent and fluorescent reporter techniques, have revealed intricate relationships between cellular and network-level mechanisms. In particular, specific neuropeptides such as arginine vasopressin, vasoactive intestinal peptide, and gastrin-releasing peptide have been identified as key players in the synchronization of cellular circadian rhythms within the SCN. The discovery of multiple oscillators governing behavioral and physiological rhythms has significantly advanced our understanding of the circadian clock. The interaction between neurons and glial cells has been found to play a crucial role in regulating these circadian rhythms within the SCN. Furthermore, the properties of the SCN network vary across ontogenetic stages. The application of cell type-specific genetic manipulations has revealed components of the functional input-output system of the SCN and their correlation with physiological functions. This review concludes with the high-risk effort of identifying open questions and challenges that lie ahead.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Ono
- Stress Recognition and Response, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
- Department of Neural Regulation, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - David R Weaver
- Department of Neurobiology and NeuroNexus Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Michael H Hastings
- Division of Neurobiology, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
| | - Ken-Ichi Honma
- Research and Education Center for Brain Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Center for Sleep and Circadian Rhythm Disorders, Sapporo Hanazono Hospital, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Sato Honma
- Research and Education Center for Brain Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Center for Sleep and Circadian Rhythm Disorders, Sapporo Hanazono Hospital, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Rae Silver
- Stress Recognition and Response, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
- Department of Neural Regulation, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
- Department of Neuroscience & Behavior, Barnard College and Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York City, New York, USA
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8
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Cox OH, Gianonni-Guzmán MA, Cartailler JP, Cottam MA, McMahon DG. Gene expression plasticity of the mammalian brain circadian clock in response to photoperiod. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.16.580759. [PMID: 38586021 PMCID: PMC10996532 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.16.580759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Seasonal daylength, or circadian photoperiod, is a pervasive environmental signal that profoundly influences physiology and behavior. In mammals, the central circadian clock resides in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) of the hypothalamus where it receives retinal input and synchronizes, or entrains, organismal physiology and behavior to the prevailing light cycle. The process of entrainment induces sustained plasticity in the SCN, but the molecular mechanisms underlying SCN plasticity are incompletely understood. Entrainment to different photoperiods persistently alters the timing, waveform, period, and light resetting properties of the SCN clock and its driven rhythms. To elucidate novel molecular mechanisms of photoperiod plasticity, we performed RNAseq on whole SCN dissected from mice raised in Long (LD 16:8) and Short (LD 8:16) photoperiods. Fewer rhythmic genes were detected in Long photoperiod and in general the timing of gene expression rhythms was advanced 4-6 hours. However, a few genes showed significant delays, including Gem . There were significant changes in the expression clock-associated gene Timeless and in SCN genes related to light responses, neuropeptides, GABA, ion channels, and serotonin. Particularly striking were differences in the expression of the neuropeptide signaling genes Prokr2 and Cck , as well as convergent regulation of the expression of three SCN light response genes, Dusp4 , Rasd1 , and Gem . Transcriptional modulation of Dusp4 and Rasd1, and phase regulation of Gem, are compelling candidate molecular mechanisms for plasticity in the SCN light response through their modulation of the critical NMDAR-MAPK/ERK-CREB/CRE light signaling pathway in SCN neurons. Modulation of Prokr2 and Cck may critically support SCN neural network reconfiguration during photoperiodic entrainment. Our findings identify the SCN light response and neuropeptide signaling gene sets as rich substrates for elucidating novel mechanisms of photoperiod plasticity.
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9
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Tsuno Y, Mieda M. Circadian rhythm mechanism in the suprachiasmatic nucleus and its relation to the olfactory system. Front Neural Circuits 2024; 18:1385908. [PMID: 38590628 PMCID: PMC11000122 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2024.1385908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Animals need sleep, and the suprachiasmatic nucleus, the center of the circadian rhythm, plays an important role in determining the timing of sleep. The main input to the suprachiasmatic nucleus is the retinohypothalamic tract, with additional inputs from the intergeniculate leaflet pathway, the serotonergic afferent from the raphe, and other hypothalamic regions. Within the suprachiasmatic nucleus, two of the major subtypes are vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP)-positive neurons and arginine-vasopressin (AVP)-positive neurons. VIP neurons are important for light entrainment and synchronization of suprachiasmatic nucleus neurons, whereas AVP neurons are important for circadian period determination. Output targets of the suprachiasmatic nucleus include the hypothalamus (subparaventricular zone, paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus, preoptic area, and medial hypothalamus), the thalamus (paraventricular thalamic nuclei), and lateral septum. The suprachiasmatic nucleus also sends information through several brain regions to the pineal gland. The olfactory bulb is thought to be able to generate a circadian rhythm without the suprachiasmatic nucleus. Some reports indicate that circadian rhythms of the olfactory bulb and olfactory cortex exist in the absence of the suprachiasmatic nucleus, but another report claims the influence of the suprachiasmatic nucleus. The regulation of circadian rhythms by sensory inputs other than light stimuli, including olfaction, has not been well studied and further progress is expected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuke Tsuno
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
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10
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Faraci FM, Scheer FA. Hypertension: Causes and Consequences of Circadian Rhythms in Blood Pressure. Circ Res 2024; 134:810-832. [PMID: 38484034 PMCID: PMC10947115 DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.124.323515] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Hypertension is extremely common, affecting approximately 1 in every 2 adults globally. Chronic hypertension is the leading modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease and premature mortality worldwide. Despite considerable efforts to define mechanisms that underlie hypertension, a potentially major component of the disease, the role of circadian biology has been relatively overlooked in both preclinical models and humans. Although the presence of daily and circadian patterns has been observed from the level of the genome to the whole organism, the functional and structural impact of biological rhythms, including mechanisms such as circadian misalignment, remains relatively poorly defined. Here, we review the impact of daily rhythms and circadian systems in regulating blood pressure and the onset, progression, and consequences of hypertension. There is an emphasis on the impact of circadian biology in relation to vascular disease and end-organ effects that, individually or in combination, contribute to complex phenotypes such as cognitive decline and the loss of cardiac and brain health. Despite effective treatment options for some individuals, control of blood pressure remains inadequate in a substantial portion of the hypertensive population. Greater insight into circadian biology may form a foundation for novel and more widely effective molecular therapies or interventions to help in the prevention, treatment, and management of hypertension and its related pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank M. Faraci
- Department of Internal Medicine, Francois M. Abboud Cardiovascular Center, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242-1081
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Francois M. Abboud Cardiovascular Center, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242-1081
| | - Frank A.J.L. Scheer
- Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, 02115
- Medical Chronobiology Program, Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Departments of Medicine and Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, 02115
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11
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Liao M, Gao X, Chen C, Li Q, Guo Q, Huang H, Zhang E, Ju D. Integrated neural tracing and in-situ barcoded sequencing reveals the logic of SCN efferent circuits in regulating circadian behaviors. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2024; 67:518-528. [PMID: 38057622 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-023-2420-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
The circadian clock coordinates rhythms in numerous physiological processes to maintain organismal homeostasis. Since the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is widely accepted as the circadian pacemaker, it is critical to understand the neural mechanisms by which rhythmic information is transferred from the SCN to peripheral clocks. Here, we present the first comprehensive map of SCN efferent connections and suggest a molecular logic underlying these projections. The SCN projects broadly to most major regions of the brain, rather than solely to the hypothalamus and thalamus. The efferent projections from different subtypes of SCN neurons vary in distance and intensity, and blocking synaptic transmission of these circuits affects circadian rhythms in locomotion and feeding to different extents. We also developed a barcoding system to integrate retrograde tracing with in-situ sequencing, allowing us to link circuit anatomy and spatial patterns of gene expression. Analyses using this system revealed that brain regions functioning downstream of the SCN receive input from multiple neuropeptidergic cell types within the SCN, and that individual SCN neurons generally project to a single downstream brain region. This map of SCN efferent connections provides a critical foundation for future investigations into the neural circuits underlying SCN-mediated rhythms in physiology. Further, our new barcoded tracing method provides a tool for revealing the molecular logic of neuronal circuits within heterogeneous brain regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meimei Liao
- College of Biological Sciences, China Agriculture University, Beijing, 100193, China
- National Institute of Biological Sciences (NIBS), Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Xinwei Gao
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Chen Chen
- National Institute of Biological Sciences (NIBS), Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Qi Li
- National Institute of Biological Sciences (NIBS), Beijing, 102206, China
- Tsinghua Institute of Multidisciplinar^ Biomedical Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Qingchun Guo
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, 102206, China
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - He Huang
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 401336, China
| | - Erquan Zhang
- National Institute of Biological Sciences (NIBS), Beijing, 102206, China
- Tsinghua Institute of Multidisciplinar^ Biomedical Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Dapeng Ju
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 401336, China.
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12
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Manoogian ENC, Bahiru MS, Wang EJ, Holder M, Bittman EL. Neuroendocrine effects of the duper mutation in Syrian hamsters: a role for Cryptochrome 1. Front Physiol 2024; 15:1351682. [PMID: 38444761 PMCID: PMC10912188 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2024.1351682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Molecular and physiological determinants of the timing of reproductive events, including the pre-ovulatory LH surge and seasonal fluctuations in fertility, are incompletely understood. We used the Cryptochrome 1-deficient duper mutant to examine the role of this core circadian clock gene in Syrian hamsters. We find that the phase of the LH surge and its stability upon shifts of the light: dark cycle are altered in duper mutants. The intensity of immunoreactive PER1 in GnRH cells of the preoptic area peaks earlier in the day in duper than wild type hamsters. We note that GnRH fibers coursing through the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) contact vasopressin- and VIP-immunoreactive cells, suggesting a possible locus of circadian control of the LH surge. Unlike wild types, duper hamsters do not regress their gonads within 8 weeks of constant darkness, despite evidence of melatonin secretion during the subjective night. In light of the finding that the duper allele is a stop codon in Cryptochrome 1, our results suggest important neuroendocrine functions of this core circadian clock gene.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Eric L. Bittman
- Department of Biology and Program in Neuroscience, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States
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13
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Knudsen-Clark AM, Mwangi D, Cazarin J, Hablitz LM, Kim M, Altman BJ. Circadian rhythms of macrophages are altered by the acidic pH of the tumor microenvironment. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.14.580339. [PMID: 38405770 PMCID: PMC10888792 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.14.580339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Macrophages are prime therapeutic targets due to their pro-tumorigenic and immunosuppressive functions in tumors, but varying efficacy of therapeutic approaches targeting macrophages highlights our incomplete understanding of how the tumor microenvironment (TME) can influence regulation of macrophages. The circadian clock is a key internal regulator of macrophage function, but how circadian rhythms of macrophages may be influenced by the tumor microenvironment remains unknown. We found that conditions associated with the TME such as polarizing stimuli, acidic pH, and elevated lactate concentrations can each alter circadian rhythms in macrophages. Circadian rhythms were enhanced in pro-resolution macrophages but suppressed in pro-inflammatory macrophages, while acidic pH had divergent effects on circadian rhythms depending on macrophage phenotype. While cyclic AMP (cAMP) has been reported to play a role in macrophage response to acidic pH, our results indicate that pH-driven changes in circadian rhythms are not mediated solely by the cAMP signaling pathway. Remarkably, clock correlation distance analysis of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) revealed evidence of circadian disorder in TAMs. This is the first report providing evidence that circadian rhythms of macrophages are altered within the TME. Our data suggest that heterogeneity in circadian rhythms at the population level may underlie this circadian disorder. Finally, we sought to determine how circadian regulation of macrophages impacts tumorigenesis, and found that tumor growth was suppressed when macrophages had a functional circadian clock. Our work demonstrates a novel mechanism by which the tumor microenvironment can influence macrophage biology through altering circadian rhythms, and the contribution of circadian rhythms in macrophages to suppressing tumor growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amelia M. Knudsen-Clark
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Daniel Mwangi
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Juliana Cazarin
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Lauren M. Hablitz
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Minsoo Kim
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Brian J. Altman
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA
- Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA
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Harkany T, Tretiakov E, Varela L, Jarc J, Rebernik P, Newbold S, Keimpema E, Verkhratsky A, Horvath T, Romanov R. Molecularly stratified hypothalamic astrocytes are cellular foci for obesity. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-3748581. [PMID: 38405925 PMCID: PMC10889077 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3748581/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Astrocytes safeguard the homeostasis of the central nervous system1,2. Despite their prominent morphological plasticity under conditions that challenge the brain's adaptive capacity3-5, the classification of astrocytes, and relating their molecular make-up to spatially devolved neuronal operations that specify behavior or metabolism, remained mostly futile6,7. Although it seems unexpected in the era of single-cell biology, the lack of a major advance in stratifying astrocytes under physiological conditions rests on the incompatibility of 'neurocentric' algorithms that rely on stable developmental endpoints, lifelong transcriptional, neurotransmitter, and neuropeptide signatures for classification6-8 with the dynamic functional states, anatomic allocation, and allostatic plasticity of astrocytes1. Simplistically, therefore, astrocytes are still grouped as 'resting' vs. 'reactive', the latter referring to pathological states marked by various inducible genes3,9,10. Here, we introduced a machine learning-based feature recognition algorithm that benefits from the cumulative power of published single-cell RNA-seq data on astrocytes as a reference map to stepwise eliminate pleiotropic and inducible cellular features. For the healthy hypothalamus, this walk-back approach revealed gene regulatory networks (GRNs) that specified subsets of astrocytes, and could be used as landmarking tools for their anatomical assignment. The core molecular censuses retained by astrocyte subsets were sufficient to stratify them by allostatic competence, chiefly their signaling and metabolic interplay with neurons. Particularly, we found differentially expressed mitochondrial genes in insulin-sensing astrocytes and demonstrated their reciprocal signaling with neurons that work antagonistically within the food intake circuitry. As a proof-of-concept, we showed that disrupting Mfn2 expression in astrocytes reduced their ability to support dynamic circuit reorganization, a time-locked feature of satiety in the hypothalamus, thus leading to obesity in mice. Overall, our results suggest that astrocytes in the healthy brain are fundamentally more heterogeneous than previously thought and topologically mirror the specificity of local neurocircuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tibor Harkany
- Center for Brain Research, Medical University of Vienna
| | | | | | - Jasna Jarc
- Center for Brain Research, Medical University of Vienna
| | | | | | - Erik Keimpema
- Medical University of Vienna, Center for Brain Research
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15
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Herb BR, Glover HJ, Bhaduri A, Colantuoni C, Bale TL, Siletti K, Hodge R, Lein E, Kriegstein AR, Doege CA, Ament SA. Single-cell genomics reveals region-specific developmental trajectories underlying neuronal diversity in the human hypothalamus. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadf6251. [PMID: 37939194 PMCID: PMC10631741 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adf6251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
The development and diversity of neuronal subtypes in the human hypothalamus has been insufficiently characterized. To address this, we integrated transcriptomic data from 241,096 cells (126,840 newly generated) in the prenatal and adult human hypothalamus to reveal a temporal trajectory from proliferative stem cell populations to mature hypothalamic cell types. Iterative clustering of the adult neurons identified 108 robust transcriptionally distinct neuronal subtypes representing 10 hypothalamic nuclei. Pseudotime trajectories provided insights into the genes driving formation of these nuclei. Comparisons to single-cell transcriptomic data from the mouse hypothalamus suggested extensive conservation of neuronal subtypes despite certain differences in species-enriched gene expression. The uniqueness of hypothalamic neuronal lineages was examined developmentally by comparing excitatory lineages present in cortex and inhibitory lineages in ganglionic eminence, revealing both distinct and shared drivers of neuronal maturation across the human forebrain. These results provide a comprehensive transcriptomic view of human hypothalamus development through gestation and adulthood at cellular resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian R. Herb
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- UM-MIND, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Kahlert Institute for Addiction Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Hannah J. Glover
- Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center, Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Aparna Bhaduri
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Carlo Colantuoni
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Tracy L. Bale
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Kimberly Siletti
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Rebecca Hodge
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109
| | - Ed Lein
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109
| | - Arnold R. Kriegstein
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- The Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Claudia A. Doege
- Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center, Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Seth A. Ament
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- UM-MIND, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Kahlert Institute for Addiction Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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16
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Vincenzi M, Kremić A, Jouve A, Lattanzi R, Miele R, Benharouga M, Alfaidy N, Migrenne-Li S, Kanthasamy AG, Porcionatto M, Ferrara N, Tetko IV, Désaubry L, Nebigil CG. Therapeutic Potential of Targeting Prokineticin Receptors in Diseases. Pharmacol Rev 2023; 75:1167-1199. [PMID: 37684054 PMCID: PMC10595023 DOI: 10.1124/pharmrev.122.000801] [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: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The prokineticins (PKs) were discovered approximately 20 years ago as small peptides inducing gut contractility. Today, they are established as angiogenic, anorectic, and proinflammatory cytokines, chemokines, hormones, and neuropeptides involved in variety of physiologic and pathophysiological pathways. Their altered expression or mutations implicated in several diseases make them a potential biomarker. Their G-protein coupled receptors, PKR1 and PKR2, have divergent roles that can be therapeutic target for treatment of cardiovascular, metabolic, and neural diseases as well as pain and cancer. This article reviews and summarizes our current knowledge of PK family functions from development of heart and brain to regulation of homeostasis in health and diseases. Finally, the review summarizes the established roles of the endogenous peptides, synthetic peptides and the selective ligands of PKR1 and PKR2, and nonpeptide orthostatic and allosteric modulator of the receptors in preclinical disease models. The present review emphasizes the ambiguous aspects and gaps in our knowledge of functions of PKR ligands and elucidates future perspectives for PK research. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: This review provides an in-depth view of the prokineticin family and PK receptors that can be active without their endogenous ligand and exhibits "constitutive" activity in diseases. Their non- peptide ligands display promising effects in several preclinical disease models. PKs can be the diagnostic biomarker of several diseases. A thorough understanding of the role of prokineticin family and their receptor types in health and diseases is critical to develop novel therapeutic strategies with safety concerns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Vincenzi
- Regenerative Nanomedicine (UMR 1260), INSERM, University of Strasbourg, Center of Research in Biomedicine of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France (M.V., A.K., A.J., L.D., C.G.N.); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology (M.V., R.L.), and Department of Biochemical Sciences "Alessandro Rossi Fanelli" (R.M.), Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; University Grenoble Alpes, INSERM, CEA, Grenoble, France (M.B., N.A.); Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Paris, France (S.M.); Department of Physiology and Pharamacology, Center for Neurologic Disease Research, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia (A.G.K.); Department of Biochemistry, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil (M.A.P.); Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California (N.F.); and Institute of Structural Biology, Helmholtz Munich - German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany (I.V.T.); and BIGCHEM GmbH, Valerystr. 49, Unterschleissheim, Germany (I.V.T.)
| | - Amin Kremić
- Regenerative Nanomedicine (UMR 1260), INSERM, University of Strasbourg, Center of Research in Biomedicine of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France (M.V., A.K., A.J., L.D., C.G.N.); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology (M.V., R.L.), and Department of Biochemical Sciences "Alessandro Rossi Fanelli" (R.M.), Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; University Grenoble Alpes, INSERM, CEA, Grenoble, France (M.B., N.A.); Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Paris, France (S.M.); Department of Physiology and Pharamacology, Center for Neurologic Disease Research, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia (A.G.K.); Department of Biochemistry, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil (M.A.P.); Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California (N.F.); and Institute of Structural Biology, Helmholtz Munich - German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany (I.V.T.); and BIGCHEM GmbH, Valerystr. 49, Unterschleissheim, Germany (I.V.T.)
| | - Appoline Jouve
- Regenerative Nanomedicine (UMR 1260), INSERM, University of Strasbourg, Center of Research in Biomedicine of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France (M.V., A.K., A.J., L.D., C.G.N.); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology (M.V., R.L.), and Department of Biochemical Sciences "Alessandro Rossi Fanelli" (R.M.), Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; University Grenoble Alpes, INSERM, CEA, Grenoble, France (M.B., N.A.); Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Paris, France (S.M.); Department of Physiology and Pharamacology, Center for Neurologic Disease Research, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia (A.G.K.); Department of Biochemistry, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil (M.A.P.); Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California (N.F.); and Institute of Structural Biology, Helmholtz Munich - German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany (I.V.T.); and BIGCHEM GmbH, Valerystr. 49, Unterschleissheim, Germany (I.V.T.)
| | - Roberta Lattanzi
- Regenerative Nanomedicine (UMR 1260), INSERM, University of Strasbourg, Center of Research in Biomedicine of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France (M.V., A.K., A.J., L.D., C.G.N.); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology (M.V., R.L.), and Department of Biochemical Sciences "Alessandro Rossi Fanelli" (R.M.), Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; University Grenoble Alpes, INSERM, CEA, Grenoble, France (M.B., N.A.); Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Paris, France (S.M.); Department of Physiology and Pharamacology, Center for Neurologic Disease Research, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia (A.G.K.); Department of Biochemistry, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil (M.A.P.); Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California (N.F.); and Institute of Structural Biology, Helmholtz Munich - German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany (I.V.T.); and BIGCHEM GmbH, Valerystr. 49, Unterschleissheim, Germany (I.V.T.)
| | - Rossella Miele
- Regenerative Nanomedicine (UMR 1260), INSERM, University of Strasbourg, Center of Research in Biomedicine of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France (M.V., A.K., A.J., L.D., C.G.N.); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology (M.V., R.L.), and Department of Biochemical Sciences "Alessandro Rossi Fanelli" (R.M.), Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; University Grenoble Alpes, INSERM, CEA, Grenoble, France (M.B., N.A.); Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Paris, France (S.M.); Department of Physiology and Pharamacology, Center for Neurologic Disease Research, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia (A.G.K.); Department of Biochemistry, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil (M.A.P.); Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California (N.F.); and Institute of Structural Biology, Helmholtz Munich - German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany (I.V.T.); and BIGCHEM GmbH, Valerystr. 49, Unterschleissheim, Germany (I.V.T.)
| | - Mohamed Benharouga
- Regenerative Nanomedicine (UMR 1260), INSERM, University of Strasbourg, Center of Research in Biomedicine of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France (M.V., A.K., A.J., L.D., C.G.N.); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology (M.V., R.L.), and Department of Biochemical Sciences "Alessandro Rossi Fanelli" (R.M.), Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; University Grenoble Alpes, INSERM, CEA, Grenoble, France (M.B., N.A.); Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Paris, France (S.M.); Department of Physiology and Pharamacology, Center for Neurologic Disease Research, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia (A.G.K.); Department of Biochemistry, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil (M.A.P.); Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California (N.F.); and Institute of Structural Biology, Helmholtz Munich - German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany (I.V.T.); and BIGCHEM GmbH, Valerystr. 49, Unterschleissheim, Germany (I.V.T.)
| | - Nadia Alfaidy
- Regenerative Nanomedicine (UMR 1260), INSERM, University of Strasbourg, Center of Research in Biomedicine of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France (M.V., A.K., A.J., L.D., C.G.N.); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology (M.V., R.L.), and Department of Biochemical Sciences "Alessandro Rossi Fanelli" (R.M.), Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; University Grenoble Alpes, INSERM, CEA, Grenoble, France (M.B., N.A.); Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Paris, France (S.M.); Department of Physiology and Pharamacology, Center for Neurologic Disease Research, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia (A.G.K.); Department of Biochemistry, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil (M.A.P.); Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California (N.F.); and Institute of Structural Biology, Helmholtz Munich - German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany (I.V.T.); and BIGCHEM GmbH, Valerystr. 49, Unterschleissheim, Germany (I.V.T.)
| | - Stephanie Migrenne-Li
- Regenerative Nanomedicine (UMR 1260), INSERM, University of Strasbourg, Center of Research in Biomedicine of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France (M.V., A.K., A.J., L.D., C.G.N.); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology (M.V., R.L.), and Department of Biochemical Sciences "Alessandro Rossi Fanelli" (R.M.), Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; University Grenoble Alpes, INSERM, CEA, Grenoble, France (M.B., N.A.); Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Paris, France (S.M.); Department of Physiology and Pharamacology, Center for Neurologic Disease Research, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia (A.G.K.); Department of Biochemistry, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil (M.A.P.); Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California (N.F.); and Institute of Structural Biology, Helmholtz Munich - German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany (I.V.T.); and BIGCHEM GmbH, Valerystr. 49, Unterschleissheim, Germany (I.V.T.)
| | - Anumantha G Kanthasamy
- Regenerative Nanomedicine (UMR 1260), INSERM, University of Strasbourg, Center of Research in Biomedicine of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France (M.V., A.K., A.J., L.D., C.G.N.); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology (M.V., R.L.), and Department of Biochemical Sciences "Alessandro Rossi Fanelli" (R.M.), Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; University Grenoble Alpes, INSERM, CEA, Grenoble, France (M.B., N.A.); Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Paris, France (S.M.); Department of Physiology and Pharamacology, Center for Neurologic Disease Research, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia (A.G.K.); Department of Biochemistry, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil (M.A.P.); Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California (N.F.); and Institute of Structural Biology, Helmholtz Munich - German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany (I.V.T.); and BIGCHEM GmbH, Valerystr. 49, Unterschleissheim, Germany (I.V.T.)
| | - Marimelia Porcionatto
- Regenerative Nanomedicine (UMR 1260), INSERM, University of Strasbourg, Center of Research in Biomedicine of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France (M.V., A.K., A.J., L.D., C.G.N.); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology (M.V., R.L.), and Department of Biochemical Sciences "Alessandro Rossi Fanelli" (R.M.), Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; University Grenoble Alpes, INSERM, CEA, Grenoble, France (M.B., N.A.); Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Paris, France (S.M.); Department of Physiology and Pharamacology, Center for Neurologic Disease Research, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia (A.G.K.); Department of Biochemistry, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil (M.A.P.); Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California (N.F.); and Institute of Structural Biology, Helmholtz Munich - German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany (I.V.T.); and BIGCHEM GmbH, Valerystr. 49, Unterschleissheim, Germany (I.V.T.)
| | - Napoleone Ferrara
- Regenerative Nanomedicine (UMR 1260), INSERM, University of Strasbourg, Center of Research in Biomedicine of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France (M.V., A.K., A.J., L.D., C.G.N.); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology (M.V., R.L.), and Department of Biochemical Sciences "Alessandro Rossi Fanelli" (R.M.), Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; University Grenoble Alpes, INSERM, CEA, Grenoble, France (M.B., N.A.); Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Paris, France (S.M.); Department of Physiology and Pharamacology, Center for Neurologic Disease Research, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia (A.G.K.); Department of Biochemistry, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil (M.A.P.); Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California (N.F.); and Institute of Structural Biology, Helmholtz Munich - German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany (I.V.T.); and BIGCHEM GmbH, Valerystr. 49, Unterschleissheim, Germany (I.V.T.)
| | - Igor V Tetko
- Regenerative Nanomedicine (UMR 1260), INSERM, University of Strasbourg, Center of Research in Biomedicine of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France (M.V., A.K., A.J., L.D., C.G.N.); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology (M.V., R.L.), and Department of Biochemical Sciences "Alessandro Rossi Fanelli" (R.M.), Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; University Grenoble Alpes, INSERM, CEA, Grenoble, France (M.B., N.A.); Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Paris, France (S.M.); Department of Physiology and Pharamacology, Center for Neurologic Disease Research, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia (A.G.K.); Department of Biochemistry, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil (M.A.P.); Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California (N.F.); and Institute of Structural Biology, Helmholtz Munich - German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany (I.V.T.); and BIGCHEM GmbH, Valerystr. 49, Unterschleissheim, Germany (I.V.T.)
| | - Laurent Désaubry
- Regenerative Nanomedicine (UMR 1260), INSERM, University of Strasbourg, Center of Research in Biomedicine of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France (M.V., A.K., A.J., L.D., C.G.N.); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology (M.V., R.L.), and Department of Biochemical Sciences "Alessandro Rossi Fanelli" (R.M.), Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; University Grenoble Alpes, INSERM, CEA, Grenoble, France (M.B., N.A.); Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Paris, France (S.M.); Department of Physiology and Pharamacology, Center for Neurologic Disease Research, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia (A.G.K.); Department of Biochemistry, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil (M.A.P.); Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California (N.F.); and Institute of Structural Biology, Helmholtz Munich - German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany (I.V.T.); and BIGCHEM GmbH, Valerystr. 49, Unterschleissheim, Germany (I.V.T.)
| | - Canan G Nebigil
- Regenerative Nanomedicine (UMR 1260), INSERM, University of Strasbourg, Center of Research in Biomedicine of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France (M.V., A.K., A.J., L.D., C.G.N.); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology (M.V., R.L.), and Department of Biochemical Sciences "Alessandro Rossi Fanelli" (R.M.), Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; University Grenoble Alpes, INSERM, CEA, Grenoble, France (M.B., N.A.); Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Paris, France (S.M.); Department of Physiology and Pharamacology, Center for Neurologic Disease Research, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia (A.G.K.); Department of Biochemistry, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil (M.A.P.); Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California (N.F.); and Institute of Structural Biology, Helmholtz Munich - German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany (I.V.T.); and BIGCHEM GmbH, Valerystr. 49, Unterschleissheim, Germany (I.V.T.)
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17
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Baldwin M, Buckley CD, Guilak F, Hulley P, Cribbs AP, Snelling S. A roadmap for delivering a human musculoskeletal cell atlas. Nat Rev Rheumatol 2023; 19:738-752. [PMID: 37798481 DOI: 10.1038/s41584-023-01031-2] [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] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
Advances in single-cell technologies have transformed the ability to identify the individual cell types present within tissues and organs. The musculoskeletal bionetwork, part of the wider Human Cell Atlas project, aims to create a detailed map of the healthy musculoskeletal system at a single-cell resolution throughout tissue development and across the human lifespan, with complementary generation of data from diseased tissues. Given the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders, this detailed reference dataset will be critical to understanding normal musculoskeletal function in growth, homeostasis and ageing. The endeavour will also help to identify the cellular basis for disease and lay the foundations for novel therapeutic approaches to treating diseases of the joints, soft tissues and bone. Here, we present a Roadmap delineating the critical steps required to construct the first draft of a human musculoskeletal cell atlas. We describe the key challenges involved in mapping the extracellular matrix-rich, but cell-poor, tissues of the musculoskeletal system, outline early milestones that have been achieved and describe the vision and directions for a comprehensive musculoskeletal cell atlas. By embracing cutting-edge technologies, integrating diverse datasets and fostering international collaborations, this endeavour has the potential to drive transformative changes in musculoskeletal medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathew Baldwin
- The Botnar Institute for Musculoskeletal Sciences, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Christopher D Buckley
- The Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Farshid Guilak
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Shriners Hospitals for Children, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Philippa Hulley
- The Botnar Institute for Musculoskeletal Sciences, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Adam P Cribbs
- The Botnar Institute for Musculoskeletal Sciences, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Sarah Snelling
- The Botnar Institute for Musculoskeletal Sciences, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
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18
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Onodera K, Tsuno Y, Hiraoka Y, Tanaka K, Maejima T, Mieda M. In vivo recording of the circadian calcium rhythm in Prokineticin 2 neurons of the suprachiasmatic nucleus. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16974. [PMID: 37813987 PMCID: PMC10562406 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-44282-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Prokineticin 2 (Prok2) is a small protein expressed in a subpopulation of neurons in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the primary circadian pacemaker in mammals. Prok2 has been implicated as a candidate output molecule from the SCN to control multiple circadian rhythms. Genetic manipulation specific to Prok2-producing neurons would be a powerful approach to understanding their function. Here, we report the generation of Prok2-tTA knock-in mice expressing the tetracycline transactivator (tTA) specifically in Prok2 neurons and an application of these mice to in vivo recording of Ca2+ rhythms in these neurons. First, the specific and efficient expression of tTA in Prok2 neurons was verified by crossing the mice with EGFP reporter mice. Prok2-tTA mice were then used to express a fluorescent Ca2+ sensor protein to record the circadian Ca2+ rhythm in SCN Prok2 neurons in vivo. Ca2+ in these cells showed clear circadian rhythms in both light-dark and constant dark conditions, with their peaks around midday. Notably, the hours of high Ca2+ nearly coincided with the rest period of the behavioral rhythm. These observations fit well with the predicted function of Prok2 neurons as a candidate output pathway of the SCN by suppressing locomotor activity during both daytime and subjective daytime.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaito Onodera
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, 920-8640, Japan
| | - Yusuke Tsuno
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, 920-8640, Japan
| | - Yuichi Hiraoka
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kohichi Tanaka
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takashi Maejima
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, 920-8640, Japan
| | - Michihiro Mieda
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, 920-8640, Japan.
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19
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Bhatnagar A, Murray G, Ray S. Circadian biology to advance therapeutics for mood disorders. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2023; 44:689-704. [PMID: 37648611 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2023.07.008] [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: 05/21/2023] [Revised: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Mood disorders account for a significant global disease burden, and pharmacological innovation is needed as existing medications are suboptimal. A wide range of evidence implicates circadian and sleep dysfunction in the pathogenesis of mood disorders, and there is growing interest in these chronobiological pathways as a focus for treatment innovation. We review contemporary evidence in three promising areas in circadian-clock-based therapeutics in mood disorders: targeting the circadian system informed by mechanistic molecular advances; time-tailoring of medications; and personalizing treatment using circadian parameters. We also consider the limitations and challenges in accelerating the development of new circadian-informed pharmacotherapies for mood disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Apoorva Bhatnagar
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Kandi, Sangareddy, 502284, Telangana, India; Centre for Mental Health, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Greg Murray
- Centre for Mental Health, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Sandipan Ray
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Kandi, Sangareddy, 502284, Telangana, India.
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20
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Davidson AJ, Beckner D, Bonnefont X. A Journey in the Brain's Clock: In Vivo Veritas? BIOLOGY 2023; 12:1136. [PMID: 37627020 PMCID: PMC10452196 DOI: 10.3390/biology12081136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 08/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023]
Abstract
The suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) of the hypothalamus contain the circadian pacemaker that coordinates mammalian rhythms in tune with the day-night cycle. Understanding the determinants of the intrinsic rhythmicity of this biological clock, its outputs, and resetting by environmental cues, has been a longstanding goal of the field. Integrated techniques of neurophysiology, including lesion studies and in vivo multi-unit electrophysiology, have been key to characterizing the rhythmic nature and outputs of the SCN in animal models. In parallel, reduced ex vivo and in vitro approaches have permitted us to unravel molecular, cellular, and multicellular mechanisms underlying the pacemaker properties of the SCN. New questions have emerged in recent years that will require combining investigation at a cell resolution within the physiological context of the living animal: What is the role of specific cell subpopulations in the SCN neural network? How do they integrate various external and internal inputs? What are the circuits involved in controlling other body rhythms? Here, we review what we have already learned about the SCN from in vivo studies, and how the recent development of new genetically encoded tools and cutting-edge imaging technology in neuroscience offers chronobiologists the opportunity to meet these challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alec J. Davidson
- Neuroscience Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA;
| | - Delaney Beckner
- Neuroscience Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA;
| | - Xavier Bonnefont
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, 34094 Montpellier, France
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21
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Richardson R, Feigin CY, Bano-Otalora B, Johnson MR, Allen AE, Park J, McDowell RJ, Mereby SA, Lin IH, Lucas RJ, Mallarino R. The genomic basis of temporal niche evolution in a diurnal rodent. Curr Biol 2023; 33:3289-3298.e6. [PMID: 37480852 PMCID: PMC10529858 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.06.068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
Patterns of diel activity-how animals allocate their activity throughout the 24-h daily cycle-play key roles in shaping the internal physiology of an animal and its relationship with the external environment.1,2,3,4,5 Although shifts in diel activity patterns have occurred numerous times over the course of vertebrate evolution,6 the genomic correlates of such transitions remain unknown. Here, we use the African striped mouse (Rhabdomys pumilio), a species that transitioned from the ancestrally nocturnal diel niche of its close relatives to a diurnal one,7,8,9,10,11 to define patterns of naturally occurring molecular variation in diel niche traits. First, to facilitate genomic analyses, we generate a chromosome-level genome assembly of the striped mouse. Next, using transcriptomics, we show that the switch to daytime activity in this species is associated with a realignment of daily rhythms in peripheral tissues with respect to the light:dark cycle and the central circadian clock. To uncover selection pressures associated with this temporal niche shift, we perform comparative genomic analyses with closely related rodent species and find evidence of relaxation of purifying selection on striped mouse genes in the rod phototransduction pathway. In agreement with this, electroretinogram measurements demonstrate that striped mice have functional differences in dim-light visual responses compared with nocturnal rodents. Taken together, our results show that striped mice have undergone a drastic change in circadian organization and provide evidence that the visual system has been a major target of selection as this species transitioned to a novel temporal niche.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rose Richardson
- Centre for Biological Timing, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK; Division of Neuroscience, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Charles Y Feigin
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA; School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Beatriz Bano-Otalora
- Centre for Biological Timing, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK; Division of Neuroscience, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK; Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology, & Gastroenterology, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Matthew R Johnson
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
| | - Annette E Allen
- Centre for Biological Timing, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK; Division of Neuroscience, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Jongbeom Park
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
| | - Richard J McDowell
- Centre for Biological Timing, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK; Division of Neuroscience, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Sarah A Mereby
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
| | - I-Hsuan Lin
- Bioinformatics Core Facility, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Robert J Lucas
- Centre for Biological Timing, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK; Division of Neuroscience, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK.
| | - Ricardo Mallarino
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA.
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22
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Takeo M, Toyoshima KE, Fujimoto R, Iga T, Takase M, Ogawa M, Tsuji T. Cyclical dermal micro-niche switching governs the morphological infradian rhythm of mouse zigzag hair. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4478. [PMID: 37542032 PMCID: PMC10403492 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39605-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Biological rhythms are involved in almost all types of biological processes, not only physiological processes but also morphogenesis. Currently, how periodic morphological patterns of tissues/organs in multicellular organisms form is not fully understood. Here, using mouse zigzag hair, which has 3 bends, we found that a change in the combination of hair progenitors and their micro-niche and subsequent bend formation occur every three days. Chimeric loss-of-function and gain-of-function of Ptn and Aff3, which are upregulated immediately before bend formation, resulted in defects in the downward movement of the micro-niche and the rhythm of bend formation in an in vivo hair reconstitution assay. Our study demonstrates the periodic change in the combination between progenitors and micro-niche, which is vital for the unique infradian rhythm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makoto Takeo
- Laboratory for Organ Regeneration, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology (CDB) and RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR), Hyogo, 650-0047, Japan
| | - Koh-Ei Toyoshima
- Laboratory for Organ Regeneration, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology (CDB) and RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR), Hyogo, 650-0047, Japan
- OrganTech Inc., Tokyo, 104-0028, Japan
| | - Riho Fujimoto
- Department of Bioscience, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kwansei-Gakuin University, Hyogo, 669-1337, Japan
| | - Tomoyo Iga
- Laboratory for Organ Regeneration, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology (CDB) and RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR), Hyogo, 650-0047, Japan
| | - Miki Takase
- Laboratory for Organ Regeneration, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology (CDB) and RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR), Hyogo, 650-0047, Japan
| | | | - Takashi Tsuji
- Laboratory for Organ Regeneration, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology (CDB) and RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR), Hyogo, 650-0047, Japan.
- OrganTech Inc., Tokyo, 104-0028, Japan.
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23
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Tu HQ, Li S, Xu YL, Zhang YC, Li PY, Liang LY, Song GP, Jian XX, Wu M, Song ZQ, Li TT, Hu HB, Yuan JF, Shen XL, Li JN, Han QY, Wang K, Zhang T, Zhou T, Li AL, Zhang XM, Li HY. Rhythmic cilia changes support SCN neuron coherence in circadian clock. Science 2023; 380:972-979. [PMID: 37262147 DOI: 10.1126/science.abm1962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) drives circadian clock coherence through intercellular coupling, which is resistant to environmental perturbations. We report that primary cilia are required for intercellular coupling among SCN neurons to maintain the robustness of the internal clock in mice. Cilia in neuromedin S-producing (NMS) neurons exhibit pronounced circadian rhythmicity in abundance and length. Genetic ablation of ciliogenesis in NMS neurons enabled a rapid phase shift of the internal clock under jet-lag conditions. The circadian rhythms of individual neurons in cilia-deficient SCN slices lost their coherence after external perturbations. Rhythmic cilia changes drive oscillations of Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) signaling and clock gene expression. Inactivation of Shh signaling in NMS neurons phenocopied the effects of cilia ablation. Thus, cilia-Shh signaling in the SCN aids intercellular coupling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai-Qing Tu
- Nanhu Laboratory, National Center of Biomedical Analysis, Beijing, China
| | - Sen Li
- Nanhu Laboratory, National Center of Biomedical Analysis, Beijing, China
| | - Yu-Ling Xu
- Nanhu Laboratory, National Center of Biomedical Analysis, Beijing, China
| | - Yu-Cheng Zhang
- Nanhu Laboratory, National Center of Biomedical Analysis, Beijing, China
| | - Pei-Yao Li
- Nanhu Laboratory, National Center of Biomedical Analysis, Beijing, China
| | - Li-Yun Liang
- Nanhu Laboratory, National Center of Biomedical Analysis, Beijing, China
| | - Guang-Ping Song
- Nanhu Laboratory, National Center of Biomedical Analysis, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Xiao Jian
- Nanhu Laboratory, National Center of Biomedical Analysis, Beijing, China
| | - Min Wu
- Nanhu Laboratory, National Center of Biomedical Analysis, Beijing, China
| | - Zeng-Qing Song
- Nanhu Laboratory, National Center of Biomedical Analysis, Beijing, China
| | - Ting-Ting Li
- Nanhu Laboratory, National Center of Biomedical Analysis, Beijing, China
| | - Huai-Bin Hu
- Nanhu Laboratory, National Center of Biomedical Analysis, Beijing, China
| | - Jin-Feng Yuan
- Nanhu Laboratory, National Center of Biomedical Analysis, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Lin Shen
- Nanhu Laboratory, National Center of Biomedical Analysis, Beijing, China
| | - Jia-Ning Li
- Nanhu Laboratory, National Center of Biomedical Analysis, Beijing, China
| | - Qiu-Ying Han
- Nanhu Laboratory, National Center of Biomedical Analysis, Beijing, China
| | - Kai Wang
- Nanhu Laboratory, National Center of Biomedical Analysis, Beijing, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- Laboratory Animal Center, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Tao Zhou
- Nanhu Laboratory, National Center of Biomedical Analysis, Beijing, China
| | - Ai-Ling Li
- Nanhu Laboratory, National Center of Biomedical Analysis, Beijing, China
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xue-Min Zhang
- Nanhu Laboratory, National Center of Biomedical Analysis, Beijing, China
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hui-Yan Li
- Nanhu Laboratory, National Center of Biomedical Analysis, Beijing, China
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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24
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Patton AP, Morris EL, McManus D, Wang H, Li Y, Chin JW, Hastings MH. Astrocytic control of extracellular GABA drives circadian timekeeping in the suprachiasmatic nucleus. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2301330120. [PMID: 37186824 PMCID: PMC10214171 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2301330120] [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: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is the master mammalian circadian clock. Its cell-autonomous timing mechanism, a transcriptional/translational feedback loop (TTFL), drives daily peaks of neuronal electrical activity, which in turn control circadian behavior. Intercellular signals, mediated by neuropeptides, synchronize and amplify TTFL and electrical rhythms across the circuit. SCN neurons are GABAergic, but the role of GABA in circuit-level timekeeping is unclear. How can a GABAergic circuit sustain circadian cycles of electrical activity, when such increased neuronal firing should become inhibitory to the network? To explore this paradox, we show that SCN slices expressing the GABA sensor iGABASnFR demonstrate a circadian oscillation of extracellular GABA ([GABA]e) that, counterintuitively, runs in antiphase to neuronal activity, with a prolonged peak in circadian night and a pronounced trough in circadian day. Resolving this unexpected relationship, we found that [GABA]e is regulated by GABA transporters (GATs), with uptake peaking during circadian day, hence the daytime trough and nighttime peak. This uptake is mediated by the astrocytically expressed transporter GAT3 (Slc6a11), expression of which is circadian-regulated, being elevated in daytime. Clearance of [GABA]e in circadian day facilitates neuronal firing and is necessary for circadian release of the neuropeptide vasoactive intestinal peptide, a critical regulator of TTFL and circuit-level rhythmicity. Finally, we show that genetic complementation of the astrocytic TTFL alone, in otherwise clockless SCN, is sufficient to drive [GABA]e rhythms and control network timekeeping. Thus, astrocytic clocks maintain the SCN circadian clockwork by temporally controlling GABAergic inhibition of SCN neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew P. Patton
- Neurobiology Division, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, CambridgeCB2 0QH, United Kingdom
| | - Emma L. Morris
- Neurobiology Division, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, CambridgeCB2 0QH, United Kingdom
| | - David McManus
- Neurobiology Division, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, CambridgeCB2 0QH, United Kingdom
| | - Huan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking University, School of Life Sciences, 100871Beijing, China
| | - Yulong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking University, School of Life Sciences, 100871Beijing, China
| | - Jason W. Chin
- PNAC Division, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, CambridgeCB2 0QH, United Kingdom
| | - Michael H. Hastings
- Neurobiology Division, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, CambridgeCB2 0QH, United Kingdom
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25
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Bafna A, Banks G, Hastings MH, Nolan PM. Dynamic modulation of genomic enhancer elements in the suprachiasmatic nucleus, the site of the mammalian circadian clock. Genome Res 2023; 33:673-688. [PMID: 37156620 PMCID: PMC10317116 DOI: 10.1101/gr.277581.122] [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: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
The mammalian suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), located in the ventral hypothalamus, synchronizes and maintains daily cellular and physiological rhythms across the body, in accordance with environmental and visceral cues. Consequently, the systematic regulation of spatiotemporal gene transcription in the SCN is vital for daily timekeeping. So far, the regulatory elements assisting circadian gene transcription have only been studied in peripheral tissues, lacking the critical neuronal dimension intrinsic to the role of the SCN as central brain pacemaker. By using histone-ChIP-seq, we identified SCN-enriched gene regulatory elements that associated with temporal gene expression. Based on tissue-specific H3K27ac and H3K4me3 marks, we successfully produced the first-ever SCN gene-regulatory map. We found that a large majority of SCN enhancers not only show robust 24-h rhythmic modulation in H3K27ac occupancy, peaking at distinct times of day, but also possess canonical E-box (CACGTG) motifs potentially influencing downstream cycling gene expression. To establish enhancer-gene relationships in the SCN, we conducted directional RNA-seq at six distinct times across the day and night, and studied the association between dynamically changing histone acetylation and gene transcript levels. About 35% of the cycling H3K27ac sites were found adjacent to rhythmic gene transcripts, often preceding the rise in mRNA levels. We also noted that enhancers encompass noncoding, actively transcribing enhancer RNAs (eRNAs) in the SCN, which in turn oscillate, along with cyclic histone acetylation, and correlate with rhythmic gene transcription. Taken together, these findings shed light on genome-wide pretranscriptional regulation operative in the central clock that confers its precise and robust oscillation necessary to orchestrate daily timekeeping in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akanksha Bafna
- Medical Research Council, Harwell Science Campus, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, United Kingdom;
| | - Gareth Banks
- Medical Research Council, Harwell Science Campus, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, United Kingdom
| | - Michael H Hastings
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0QH, United Kingdom
| | - Patrick M Nolan
- Medical Research Council, Harwell Science Campus, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, United Kingdom;
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26
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Piet R. Circadian and kisspeptin regulation of the preovulatory surge. Peptides 2023; 163:170981. [PMID: 36842628 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2023.170981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/28/2023]
Abstract
Fertility in mammals is ultimately controlled by a small population of neurons - the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons - located in the ventral forebrain. GnRH neurons control gonadal function through the release of GnRH, which in turn stimulates the secretion of the anterior pituitary gonadotropins luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). In spontaneous ovulators, ovarian follicle maturation eventually stimulates, via sex steroid feedback, the mid-cycle surge in GnRH and LH secretion that causes ovulation. The GnRH/LH surge is initiated in many species just before the onset of activity through processes controlled by the central circadian clock, ensuring that the neuroendocrine control of ovulation and sex behavior are coordinated. This review aims to give an overview of anatomical and functional studies that collectively reveal some of the mechanisms through which the central circadian clock regulates GnRH neurons and their afferent circuits to drive the preovulatory surge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Piet
- Brain Health Research Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, United States.
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27
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Hitrec T, Petit C, Cryer E, Muir C, Tal N, Fustin JM, Hughes AT, Piggins HD. Timed exercise stabilizes behavioral rhythms but not molecular programs in the brain's suprachiasmatic clock. iScience 2023; 26:106002. [PMID: 36866044 PMCID: PMC9971895 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Timed daily access to a running-wheel (scheduled voluntary exercise; SVE) synchronizes rodent circadian rhythms and promotes stable, 24h rhythms in animals with genetically targeted impairment of neuropeptide signaling (Vipr2 -/- mice). Here we used RNA-seq and/or qRT-PCR to assess how this neuropeptide signaling impairment as well as SVE shapes molecular programs in the brain clock (suprachiasmatic nuclei; SCN) and peripheral tissues (liver and lung). Compared to Vipr2 +/+ animals, the SCN transcriptome of Vipr2 -/- mice showed extensive dysregulation which included core clock components, transcription factors, and neurochemicals. Furthermore, although SVE stabilized behavioral rhythms in these animals, the SCN transcriptome remained dysregulated. The molecular programs in the lung and liver of Vipr2 -/- mice were partially intact, although their response to SVE differed to that of these peripheral tissues in the Vipr2 +/+ mice. These findings highlight that SVE can correct behavioral abnormalities in circadian rhythms without causing large scale alterations to the SCN transcriptome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timna Hitrec
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Neuroscience, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Cheryl Petit
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine, and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Emily Cryer
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Charlotte Muir
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Neuroscience, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Natalie Tal
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine, and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Jean-Michel Fustin
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine, and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Alun T.L. Hughes
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine, and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK,School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool L3 3AF, UK,Corresponding author
| | - Hugh D. Piggins
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Neuroscience, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK,School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine, and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK,Corresponding author
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28
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Abstract
Our physiology and behavior follow precise daily programs that adapt us to the alternating opportunities and challenges of day and night. Under experimental isolation, these rhythms persist with a period of approximately one day (circadian), demonstrating their control by an internal autonomous clock. Circadian time is created at the cellular level by a transcriptional/translational feedback loop (TTFL) in which the protein products of the Period and Cryptochrome genes inhibit their own transcription. Because the accumulation of protein is slow and delayed, the system oscillates spontaneously with a period of ∼24 hours. This cell-autonomous TTFL controls cycles of gene expression in all major tissues and these cycles underpin our daily metabolic programs. In turn, our innumerable cellular clocks are coordinated by a central pacemaker, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus. When isolated in slice culture, the SCN TTFL and its dependent cycles of neural activity persist indefinitely, operating as "a clock in a dish". In vivo, SCN time is synchronized to solar time by direct innervation from specialized retinal photoreceptors. In turn, the precise circadian cycle of action potential firing signals SCN-generated time to hypothalamic and brain stem targets, which co-ordinate downstream autonomic, endocrine, and behavioral (feeding) cues to synchronize and sustain the distributed cellular clock network. Circadian time therefore pervades every level of biological organization, from molecules to society. Understanding its mechanisms offers important opportunities to mitigate the consequences of circadian disruption, so prevalent in modern societies, that arise from shiftwork, aging, and neurodegenerative diseases, not least Huntington's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew P. Patton
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
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29
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Olejniczak I, Campbell B, Tsai YC, Tyagarajan SK, Albrecht U, Ripperger JA. Suprachiasmatic to paraventricular nuclei interaction generates normal food searching rhythms in mice. Front Physiol 2022; 13:909795. [PMID: 36277219 PMCID: PMC9582613 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.909795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Searching for food follows a well-organized decision process in mammals to take up food only if necessary. Moreover, scavenging is preferred during their activity phase. Various time-dependent regulatory processes have been identified originating from the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN), which convert external light information into synchronizing output signals. However, a direct impact of the SCN on the timing of normal food searching has not yet been found. Here, we revisited the function of the SCN to affect when mice look for food. We found that this process was independent of light but modified by the palatability of the food source. Surprisingly, reducing the output from the SCN, in particular from the vasopressin releasing neurons, reduced the amount of scavenging during the early activity phase. The SCN appeared to transmit a signal to the paraventricular nuclei (PVN) via GABA receptor A1. Finally, the interaction of SCN and PVN was verified by retrograde transport-mediated complementation. None of the genetic manipulations affected the uptake of more palatable food. The data indicate that the PVN are sufficient to produce blunted food searching rhythms and are responsive to hedonistic feeding. Nevertheless, the search for normal food during the early activity phase is significantly enhanced by the SCN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iwona Olejniczak
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Benjamin Campbell
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Yuan-Chen Tsai
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Shiva K. Tyagarajan
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Urs Albrecht
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Jürgen A. Ripperger
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
- *Correspondence: Jürgen A. Ripperger,
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30
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Sardoo AM, Zhang S, Ferraro TN, Keck TM, Chen Y. Decoding brain memory formation by single-cell RNA sequencing. Brief Bioinform 2022; 23:6713514. [PMID: 36156112 PMCID: PMC9677489 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbac412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
To understand how distinct memories are formed and stored in the brain is an important and fundamental question in neuroscience and computational biology. A population of neurons, termed engram cells, represents the physiological manifestation of a specific memory trace and is characterized by dynamic changes in gene expression, which in turn alters the synaptic connectivity and excitability of these cells. Recent applications of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) are promising approaches for delineating the dynamic expression profiles in these subsets of neurons, and thus understanding memory-specific genes, their combinatorial patterns and regulatory networks. The aim of this article is to review and discuss the experimental and computational procedures of sc/snRNA-seq, new studies of molecular mechanisms of memory aided by sc/snRNA-seq in human brain diseases and related mouse models, and computational challenges in understanding the regulatory mechanisms underlying long-term memory formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atlas M Sardoo
- Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA
| | - Shaoqiang Zhang
- College of Computer and Information Engineering, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, China
| | - Thomas N Ferraro
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Camden, NJ 08103, USA
| | - Thomas M Keck
- Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA,Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA
| | - Yong Chen
- Corresponding author. Yong Chen, Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA. Tel.: +1 856 256 4500; E-mail:
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Chen M, Zhang L, Shao M, Du J, Xiao Y, Zhang F, Zhang T, Li Y, Zhou Q, Liu K, Wang Z, Wu B. E4BP4 Coordinates Circadian Control of Cognition in Delirium. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2022; 9:e2200559. [PMID: 35713240 PMCID: PMC9376827 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202200559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2022] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Improved understanding of the etiologies of delirium, a common and severe neuropsychiatric syndrome, would facilitate the disease prevention and treatment. Here, the authors invesitgate the role of circadian rhythms in the pathogenesis of delirium. They observe perturbance of circadian rhythms in mouse models of delirium and disrupted clock gene expression in patients with delirium. In turn, physiological and genetic circadian disruptions sensitize mice to delirium with aggravated cognitive impairment. Likewise, global deletion of E4bp4 (E4 promoter-binding protein), a clock gene markedly altered in delirium conditions, results in exacerbated delirium-associated cognitive decline. Cognitive decline in delirium models is attributed to microglial activation and impaired long-term potentiation in the hippocampus. Single-cell RNA-sequencing reveals microglia as the regulatory target of E4bp4. E4bp4 restrains microglial activation via inhibiting the ERK1/2 signaling pathway. Supporting this, mice lacking in microglial E4bp4 are delirious prone, whereas mice with E4bp4 specifically deleted in hippocampal CA1 neurons have a normal phenotype. Mechanistically, E4bp4 inhibits ERK1/2 signaling by trans-repressing Mapk1/3 (genes encoding ERK1/2) via direct binding to a D-box element in the promoter region. These findings define a causal role of clock dysfunction in delirium development and indicate E4bp4 as a regulator of cognition at the crosstalk between circadian clock and delirium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Chen
- Institute of Molecular Rhythm and MetabolismGuangzhou University of Chinese MedicineGuangzhou510006China
- College of PharmacyJinan UniversityGuangzhou510632China
| | - Li Zhang
- College of PharmacyJinan UniversityGuangzhou510632China
| | - Mingting Shao
- Guangdong‐Hongkong‐Macau Institute of CNS RegenerationJinan UniversityGuangzhou510632China
| | - Jianhao Du
- College of PharmacyJinan UniversityGuangzhou510632China
| | - Yifei Xiao
- Institute of Molecular Rhythm and MetabolismGuangzhou University of Chinese MedicineGuangzhou510006China
| | - Fugui Zhang
- Institute of Molecular Rhythm and MetabolismGuangzhou University of Chinese MedicineGuangzhou510006China
| | - Tianpeng Zhang
- Institute of Molecular Rhythm and MetabolismGuangzhou University of Chinese MedicineGuangzhou510006China
| | - Yifang Li
- College of PharmacyJinan UniversityGuangzhou510632China
| | - Qianqian Zhou
- Shenzhen People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical CollegeJinan University; The First Affiliated HospitalSouthern University of Science and Technology)Shenzhen518119China
| | - Kaisheng Liu
- Shenzhen People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical CollegeJinan University; The First Affiliated HospitalSouthern University of Science and Technology)Shenzhen518119China
| | - Zhigang Wang
- Department of Intensive Care UnitFirst Affiliated Hospital of Jinan UniversityGuangzhou510630China
| | - Baojian Wu
- Institute of Molecular Rhythm and MetabolismGuangzhou University of Chinese MedicineGuangzhou510006China
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Patton AP, Smyllie NJ, Chesham JE, Hastings MH. Astrocytes Sustain Circadian Oscillation and Bidirectionally Determine Circadian Period, But Do Not Regulate Circadian Phase in the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus. J Neurosci 2022; 42:5522-5537. [PMID: 35610047 PMCID: PMC9295834 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2337-21.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Revised: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is the master circadian clock of mammals, generating and transmitting an internal representation of environmental time that is produced by the cell-autonomous transcriptional/post-translational feedback loops (TTFLs) of the 10,000 neurons and 3500 glial cells. Recently, we showed that TTFL function in SCN astrocytes alone is sufficient to drive circadian timekeeping and behavior, raising questions about the respective contributions of astrocytes and neurons within the SCN circuit. We compared their relative roles in circadian timekeeping in mouse SCN explants, of either sex. Treatment with the glial-specific toxin fluorocitrate revealed a requirement for metabolically competent astrocytes for circuit-level timekeeping. Recombinase-mediated genetically complemented Cryptochrome (Cry) proteins in Cry1-deficient and/or Cry2-deficient SCNs were used to compare the influence of the TTFLs of neurons or astrocytes in the initiation of de novo oscillation or in pacemaking. While neurons and astrocytes both initiated de novo oscillation and lengthened the period equally, their kinetics were different, with astrocytes taking twice as long. Furthermore, astrocytes could shorten the period, but not as potently as neurons. Chemogenetic manipulation of Gi- and Gq-coupled signaling pathways in neurons acutely advanced or delayed the ensemble phase, respectively. In contrast, comparable manipulations in astrocytes were without effect. Thus, astrocytes can initiate SCN rhythms and bidirectionally control the SCN period, albeit with lower potency than neurons. Nevertheless, their activation does not influence the SCN phase. The emergent SCN properties of high-amplitude oscillation, initiation of rhythmicity, pacemaking, and phase are differentially regulated: astrocytes and neurons sustain the ongoing oscillation, but its phase is determined by neurons.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) encodes and disseminates time-of-day information to allow mammals to adapt their physiology to daily environmental cycles. Recent investigations have revealed a role for astrocytes, in addition to neurons, in the regulation of this rhythm. Using pharmacology, genetic complementation, and chemogenetics, we compared the abilities of neurons and astrocytes in determining the emergent SCN properties of high-amplitude oscillation, initiation of rhythmicity, pacemaking, and determination of phase. These findings parameterize the circadian properties of the astrocyte population in the SCN and reveal the types of circadian information that astrocytes and neurons can contribute within their heterogeneous cellular network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew P Patton
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, United Kingdom
| | - Nicola J Smyllie
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, United Kingdom
| | - Johanna E Chesham
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, United Kingdom
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El Cheikh Hussein L, Fontanaud P, Mollard P, Bonnefont X. Nested calcium dynamics support daily cell unity and diversity in the suprachiasmatic nuclei of free-behaving mice. PNAS NEXUS 2022; 1:pgac112. [PMID: 36741435 PMCID: PMC9896879 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgac112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) of the anterior hypothalamus host the circadian pacemaker that synchronizes mammalian rhythms with the day-night cycle. SCN neurons are intrinsically rhythmic, thanks to a conserved cell-autonomous clock mechanism. In addition, circuit-level emergent properties confer a unique degree of precision and robustness to SCN neuronal rhythmicity. However, the multicellular functional organization of the SCN is not yet fully understood. Indeed, although SCN neurons are well-coordinated, experimental evidences indicate that some neurons oscillate out of phase in SCN explants, and possibly to a larger extent in vivo. Here, to tackle this issue we used microendoscopic Ca2+ i imaging and investigated SCN rhythmicity at a single cell resolution in free-behaving mice. We found that SCN neurons in vivo exhibited fast Ca2+ i spikes superimposed upon slow changes in baseline Ca2+ i levels. Both spikes and baseline followed a time-of-day modulation in many neurons, but independently from each other. Daily rhythms in basal Ca2+ i were highly coordinated, while spike activity from the same neurons peaked at multiple times of the light cycle, and unveiled clock-independent coactivity in neuron subsets. Hence, fast Ca2+ i spikes and slow changes in baseline Ca2+ i levels highlighted how multiple individual activity patterns could articulate within the temporal unity of the SCN cell network in vivo, and provided support for a multiplex neuronal code in the circadian pacemaker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lama El Cheikh Hussein
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, IGF, 141 Rue de la Cardonille, F-34094 Montpellier, Cedex 5, France,BioCampus Montpellier, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, 141 Rue de la Cardonille, F-34094 Montpellier, Cedex 5, France
| | - Pierre Fontanaud
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, IGF, 141 Rue de la Cardonille, F-34094 Montpellier, Cedex 5, France,BioCampus Montpellier, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, 141 Rue de la Cardonille, F-34094 Montpellier, Cedex 5, France
| | - Patrice Mollard
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, IGF, 141 Rue de la Cardonille, F-34094 Montpellier, Cedex 5, France,BioCampus Montpellier, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, 141 Rue de la Cardonille, F-34094 Montpellier, Cedex 5, France
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Shi SQ, Mahoney CE, Houdek P, Zhao W, Anderson MP, Zhuo X, Beaudet A, Sumova A, Scammell TE, Johnson CH. Circadian Rhythms and Sleep Are Dependent Upon Expression Levels of Key Ubiquitin Ligase Ube3a. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:837523. [PMID: 35401134 PMCID: PMC8989470 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.837523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Normal neurodevelopment requires precise expression of the key ubiquitin ligase gene Ube3a. Comparing newly generated mouse models for Ube3a downregulation (models of Angelman syndrome) vs. Ube3a upregulation (models for autism), we find reciprocal effects of Ube3a gene dosage on phenotypes associated with circadian rhythmicity, including the amount of locomotor activity. Consistent with results from neurons in general, we find that Ube3a is imprinted in neurons of the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN), the pacemaking circadian brain locus, despite other claims that SCN neurons were somehow exceptional to these imprinting rules. In addition, Ube3a-deficient mice lack the typical drop in wake late in the dark period and have blunted responses to sleep deprivation. Suppression of physical activity by light in Ube3a-deficient mice is not due to anxiety as measured by behavioral tests and stress hormones; quantification of stress hormones may provide a mechanistic link to sleep alteration and memory deficits caused by Ube3a deficiency, and serve as an easily measurable biomarker for evaluating potential therapeutic treatments for Angelman syndrome. We conclude that reduced Ube3a gene dosage affects not only neurodevelopment but also sleep patterns and circadian rhythms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu-qun Shi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Carrie E. Mahoney
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Pavel Houdek
- Laboratory of Biological Rhythms, Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
| | - Wenling Zhao
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Matthew P. Anderson
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Xinming Zhuo
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | | | - Alena Sumova
- Laboratory of Biological Rhythms, Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
| | - Thomas E. Scammell
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Carl Hirschie Johnson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
- *Correspondence: Carl Hirschie Johnson,
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Multi-Modal Regulation of Circadian Physiology by Interactive Features of Biological Clocks. BIOLOGY 2021; 11:biology11010021. [PMID: 35053019 PMCID: PMC8772734 DOI: 10.3390/biology11010021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The circadian clock is a fundamental biological timing mechanism that generates nearly 24 h rhythms of physiology and behaviors, including sleep/wake cycles, hormone secretion, and metabolism. Evolutionarily, the endogenous clock is thought to confer living organisms, including humans, with survival benefits by adapting internal rhythms to the day and night cycles of the local environment. Mirroring the evolutionary fitness bestowed by the circadian clock, daily mismatches between the internal body clock and environmental cycles, such as irregular work (e.g., night shift work) and life schedules (e.g., jet lag, mistimed eating), have been recognized to increase the risk of cardiac, metabolic, and neurological diseases. Moreover, increasing numbers of studies with cellular and animal models have detected the presence of functional circadian oscillators at multiple levels, ranging from individual neurons and fibroblasts to brain and peripheral organs. These oscillators are tightly coupled to timely modulate cellular and bodily responses to physiological and metabolic cues. In this review, we will discuss the roles of central and peripheral clocks in physiology and diseases, highlighting the dynamic regulatory interactions between circadian timing systems and multiple metabolic factors.
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Astiz M, Delgado-García LM, López-Mascaraque L. Astrocytes as essential time-keepers of the central pacemaker. Glia 2021; 70:808-819. [PMID: 34816453 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Since the early observations made by Santiago Ramon y Cajal more than a century ago till now, astrocytes have gradually gained protagonism as essential partners of neurons in building brain circuits that regulate complex behavior. In mammals, processes such as sleep-wake cycle, locomotor activity, cognition and memory consolidation, homeostatic and hedonic appetite and stress response (among others), are synchronized in 24-h rhythms by the circadian system. In such a way, physiology efficiently anticipates and adapts to daily recurring changes in the environment. The hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is considered the central pacemaker, it has been traditionally described as a nucleus of around 10,000 neurons nearly all GABAergic able to be entrained by light and to convey time information through multiple neuronal and hormonal pathways. Only recently, this neuro-centered view was challenged by breakthrough discoveries implicating astrocytes as essential time-keepers. In the present review, we will describe the current view on the SCN circuit and discuss whether astrocytic functions described in other brain regions and state-of-the-art experimental approaches, could help explaining better those well- and not so well-known features of the central pacemaker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Astiz
- Institute of Neurobiology, Center of Brain, Behavior and Metabolism (CBBM), University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
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Gpr19 is a circadian clock-controlled orphan GPCR with a role in modulating free-running period and light resetting capacity of the circadian clock. Sci Rep 2021; 11:22406. [PMID: 34789778 PMCID: PMC8599615 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-01764-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Gpr19 encodes an evolutionarily conserved orphan G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) with currently no established physiological role in vivo. We characterized Gpr19 expression in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the locus of the master circadian clock in the brain, and determined its role in the context of the circadian rhythm regulation. We found that Gpr19 is mainly expressed in the dorsal part of the SCN, with its expression fluctuating in a circadian fashion. A conserved cAMP-responsive element in the Gpr19 promoter was able to produce circadian transcription in the SCN. Gpr19−/− mice exhibited a prolonged circadian period and a delayed initiation of daily locomotor activity. Gpr19 deficiency caused the downregulation of several genes that normally peak during the night, including Bmal1 and Gpr176. In response to light exposure at night, Gpr19−/− mice had a reduced capacity for light-induced phase-delays, but not for phase-advances. This defect was accompanied by reduced response of c-Fos expression in the dorsal region of the SCN, while apparently normal in the ventral area of the SCN, in Gpr19−/− mice. Thus, our data demonstrate that Gpr19 is an SCN-enriched orphan GPCR with a distinct role in circadian regulation and may provide a potential target option for modulating the circadian clock.
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Morris EL, Patton AP, Chesham JE, Crisp A, Adamson A, Hastings MH. Single-cell transcriptomics of suprachiasmatic nuclei reveal a Prokineticin-driven circadian network. EMBO J 2021; 40:e108614. [PMID: 34487375 PMCID: PMC8521297 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2021108614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Circadian rhythms in mammals are governed by the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), in which 20,000 clock cells are connected together into a powerful time‐keeping network. In the absence of network‐level cellular interactions, the SCN fails as a clock. The topology and specific roles of its distinct cell populations (nodes) that direct network functions are, however, not understood. To characterise its component cells and network structure, we conducted single‐cell sequencing of SCN organotypic slices and identified eleven distinct neuronal sub‐populations across circadian day and night. We defined neuropeptidergic signalling axes between these nodes, and built neuropeptide‐specific network topologies. This revealed their temporal plasticity, being up‐regulated in circadian day. Through intersectional genetics and real‐time imaging, we interrogated the contribution of the Prok2‐ProkR2 neuropeptidergic axis to network‐wide time‐keeping. We showed that Prok2‐ProkR2 signalling acts as a key regulator of SCN period and rhythmicity and contributes to defining the network‐level properties that underpin robust circadian co‐ordination. These results highlight the diverse and distinct contributions of neuropeptide‐modulated communication of temporal information across the SCN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma L Morris
- Division of Neurobiology, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
| | - Andrew P Patton
- Division of Neurobiology, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
| | - Johanna E Chesham
- Division of Neurobiology, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
| | - Alastair Crisp
- Division of Neurobiology, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
| | - Antony Adamson
- The Genome Editing Unit, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Michael H Hastings
- Division of Neurobiology, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
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