1
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Cho N, Kontou G, Smalley JL, Bope C, Dengler J, Montrose K, Deeb TZ, Brandon NJ, Yamamoto T, Davies PA, Giamas G, Moss SJ. The brain-specific kinase LMTK3 regulates neuronal excitability by decreasing KCC2-dependent neuronal Cl - extrusion. iScience 2024; 27:109512. [PMID: 38715938 PMCID: PMC11075064 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
LMTK3 is a brain-specific transmembrane serine/threonine protein kinase that acts as a scaffold for protein phosphatase-1 (PP1). Although LMKT3 has been identified as a risk factor for autism and epilepsy, its physiological significance is unknown. Here, we demonstrate that LMTK3 copurifies and binds to KCC2, a neuron-specific K+/Cl- transporter. KCC2 activity is essential for Cl--mediated hyperpolarizing GABAAR receptor currents, the unitary events that underpin fast synaptic inhibition. LMTK3 acts to promote the association of KCC2 with PP1 to promote the dephosphorylation of S940 within its C-terminal cytoplasmic domain, a process the diminishes KCC2 activity. Accordingly, acute inhibition of LMTK3 increases KCC2 activity dependent upon S940 and increases neuronal Cl- extrusion. Consistent with this, LMTK3 inhibition reduced intrinsic neuronal excitability and the severity of seizure-like events in vitro. Thus, LMTK3 may have profound effects on neuronal excitability as an endogenous modulator of KCC2 activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noell Cho
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Georgina Kontou
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Joshua L. Smalley
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Christopher Bope
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Jacob Dengler
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Kristopher Montrose
- Cell Signal Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
| | - Tarek Z. Deeb
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | | | - Tadashi Yamamoto
- Cell Signal Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
| | - Paul A. Davies
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Georgios Giamas
- Department for Biochemistry and Biomedicine, University of Sussex Brighton, Brighton BN1 9RH, UK
| | - Stephen J. Moss
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02111, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London WC1 6BT, UK
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2
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Järvelä V, Hamze M, Komulainen-Ebrahim J, Rahikkala E, Piispala J, Kallio M, Kangas SM, Nickl T, Huttula M, Hinttala R, Uusimaa J, Medina I, Immonen EV. A novel pathogenic SLC12A5 missense variant in epilepsy of infancy with migrating focal seizures causes impaired KCC2 chloride extrusion. Front Mol Neurosci 2024; 17:1372662. [PMID: 38660387 PMCID: PMC11039960 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2024.1372662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The potassium-chloride co-transporter 2, KCC2, is a neuron-specific ion transporter that plays a multifunctional role in neuronal development. In mature neurons, KCC2 maintains a low enough intracellular chloride concentration essential for inhibitory neurotransmission. During recent years, pathogenic variants in the KCC2 encoding gene SLC12A5 affecting the functionality or expression of the transporter protein have been described in several patients with epilepsy of infancy with migrating focal seizures (EIMFS), a devastating early-onset developmental and epileptic encephalopathy. In this study, we identified a novel recessively inherited SLC12A5 c.692G>A, p. (R231H) variant in a patient diagnosed with severe and drug-resistant EIMFS and profound intellectual disability. The functionality of the variant was assessed in vitro by means of gramicidin-perforated patch-clamp experiments and ammonium flux assay, both of which indicated a significant reduction in chloride extrusion. Based on surface immunolabeling, the variant showed a reduction in membrane expression. These findings implicate pathogenicity of the SLC12A5 variant that leads to impaired inhibitory neurotransmission, increasing probability for hyperexcitability and epileptogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viivi Järvelä
- Nano and Molecular Systems Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Research Unit of Clinical Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Medical Research Center Oulu, University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
| | - Mira Hamze
- INMED, INSERM, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Jonna Komulainen-Ebrahim
- Research Unit of Clinical Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Medical Research Center Oulu, University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
- Department of Children and Adolescents, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
| | - Elisa Rahikkala
- Research Unit of Clinical Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Medical Research Center Oulu, University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
| | - Johanna Piispala
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
| | - Mika Kallio
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
| | - Salla M. Kangas
- Research Unit of Clinical Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Medical Research Center Oulu, University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
| | - Tereza Nickl
- Research Unit of Clinical Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Medical Research Center Oulu, University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
- Laboratory of Transgenic Models of Diseases, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
| | - Marko Huttula
- Nano and Molecular Systems Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Reetta Hinttala
- Research Unit of Clinical Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Medical Research Center Oulu, University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
- Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Johanna Uusimaa
- Research Unit of Clinical Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Medical Research Center Oulu, University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
- Department of Children and Adolescents, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
| | - Igor Medina
- INMED, INSERM, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Esa-Ville Immonen
- Nano and Molecular Systems Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Research Unit of Clinical Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Medical Research Center Oulu, University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
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3
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Kreis A, Issa F, Yerna X, Jabbour C, Schakman O, de Clippele M, Tajeddine N, Pierrot N, Octave JN, Gualdani R, Gailly P. Conditional deletion of KCC2 impairs synaptic plasticity and both spatial and nonspatial memory. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1081657. [PMID: 37168681 PMCID: PMC10164999 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1081657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The postsynaptic inhibition through GABAA receptors (GABAAR) relies on two mechanisms, a shunting effect due to an increase in the postsynaptic membrane conductance and, in mature neurons, a hyperpolarization effect due to an entry of chloride into postsynaptic neurons. The second effect requires the action of the K+-Cl- cotransporter KCC2 which extrudes Cl- from the cell and maintains its cytosolic concentration very low. Neuronal chloride equilibrium seems to be dysregulated in several neurological and psychiatric conditions such as epilepsy, anxiety, schizophrenia, Down syndrome, or Alzheimer's disease. In the present study, we used the KCC2 Cre-lox knockdown system to investigate the role of KCC2 in synaptic plasticity and memory formation in adult mice. Tamoxifen-induced conditional deletion of KCC2 in glutamatergic neurons of the forebrain was performed at 3 months of age and resulted in spatial and nonspatial learning impairment. On brain slices, the stimulation of Schaffer collaterals by a theta burst induced long-term potentiation (LTP). The lack of KCC2 did not affect potentiation of field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSP) measured in the stratum radiatum (dendrites) but increased population spike (PS) amplitudes measured in the CA1 somatic layer, suggesting a reinforcement of the EPSP-PS potentiation, i.e., an increased ability of EPSPs to generate action potentials. At the cellular level, KCC2 deletion induced a positive shift in the reversal potential of GABAAR-driven Cl- currents (EGABA), suggesting an intracellular accumulation of chloride subsequent to the downregulation of KCC2. After treatment with bumetanide, an antagonist of the Na+-K+-Cl- cotransporter NKCC1, spatial memory impairment, chloride accumulation, and EPSP-PS potentiation were rescued in mice lacking KCC2. The presented results emphasize the importance of chloride equilibrium and GABA-inhibiting ability in synaptic plasticity and memory formation.
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4
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Rigkou A, Magyar A, Speer JM, Roussa E. TGF-β2 Regulates Transcription of the K +/Cl - Cotransporter 2 (KCC2) in Immature Neurons and Its Phosphorylation at T1007 in Differentiated Neurons. Cells 2022; 11:cells11233861. [PMID: 36497119 PMCID: PMC9739967 DOI: 10.3390/cells11233861] [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: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
KCC2 mediates extrusion of K+ and Cl- and assuresthe developmental "switch" in GABA function during neuronal maturation. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying KCC2 regulation are not fully elucidated. We investigated the impact of transforming growth factor beta 2 (TGF-β2) on KCC2 during neuronal maturation using quantitative RT-PCR, immunoblotting, immunofluorescence and chromatin immunoprecipitation in primary mouse hippocampal neurons and brain tissue from Tgf-β2-deficient mice. Inhibition of TGF-β/activin signaling downregulates Kcc2 transcript in immature neurons. In the forebrain of Tgf-β2-/- mice, expression of Kcc2, transcription factor Ap2β and KCC2 protein is downregulated. AP2β binds to Kcc2 promoter, a binding absent in Tgf-β2-/-. In hindbrain/brainstem tissue of Tgf-β2-/- mice, KCC2 phosphorylation at T1007 is increased and approximately half of pre-Bötzinger-complex neurons lack membrane KCC2 phenotypes rescued through exogenous TGF-β2. These results demonstrate that TGF-β2 regulates KCC2 transcription in immature neurons, possibly acting upstream of AP2β, and contributes to the developmental dephosphorylation of KCC2 at T1007. The present work suggests multiple and divergent roles for TGF-β2 on KCC2 during neuronal maturation and provides novel mechanistic insights for TGF-β2-mediated regulation of KCC2 gene expression, posttranslational modification and surface expression. We propose TGF-β2 as a major regulator of KCC2 with putative implications for pathophysiological conditions.
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5
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Zavalin K, Hassan A, Fu C, Delpire E, Lagrange AH. Loss of KCC2 in GABAergic Neurons Causes Seizures and an Imbalance of Cortical Interneurons. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:826427. [PMID: 35370549 PMCID: PMC8966887 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.826427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
K-Cl transporter KCC2 is an important regulator of neuronal development and neuronal function at maturity. Through its canonical transporter role, KCC2 maintains inhibitory responses mediated by γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) type A receptors. During development, late onset of KCC2 transporter activity defines the period when depolarizing GABAergic signals promote a wealth of developmental processes. In addition to its transporter function, KCC2 directly interacts with a number of proteins to regulate dendritic spine formation, cell survival, synaptic plasticity, neuronal excitability, and other processes. Either overexpression or loss of KCC2 can lead to abnormal circuit formation, seizures, or even perinatal death. GABA has been reported to be especially important for driving migration and development of cortical interneurons (IN), and we hypothesized that properly timed onset of KCC2 expression is vital to this process. To test this hypothesis, we created a mouse with conditional knockout of KCC2 in Dlx5-lineage neurons (Dlx5 KCC2 cKO), which targets INs and other post-mitotic GABAergic neurons in the forebrain starting during embryonic development. While KCC2 was first expressed in the INs of layer 5 cortex, perinatal IN migrations and laminar localization appeared to be unaffected by the loss of KCC2. Nonetheless, the mice had early seizures, failure to thrive, and premature death in the second and third weeks of life. At this age, we found an underlying change in IN distribution, including an excess number of somatostatin neurons in layer 5 and a decrease in parvalbumin-expressing neurons in layer 2/3 and layer 6. Our research suggests that while KCC2 expression may not be entirely necessary for early IN migration, loss of KCC2 causes an imbalance in cortical interneuron subtypes, seizures, and early death. More work will be needed to define the specific cellular basis for these findings, including whether they are due to abnormal circuit formation versus the sequela of defective IN inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirill Zavalin
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Anjana Hassan
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Cary Fu
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Eric Delpire
- Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Andre H. Lagrange
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States,Department of Neurology, Tennessee Valley Healthcare – Veterans Affairs (TVH VA), Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States,*Correspondence: Andre H. Lagrange,
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6
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Virtanen MA, Uvarov P, Mavrovic M, Poncer JC, Kaila K. The Multifaceted Roles of KCC2 in Cortical Development. Trends Neurosci 2021; 44:378-392. [PMID: 33640193 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2021.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
KCC2, best known as the neuron-specific chloride-extruder that sets the strength and polarity of GABAergic currents during neuronal maturation, is a multifunctional molecule that can regulate cytoskeletal dynamics via its C-terminal domain (CTD). We describe the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in the multiple functions of KCC2 and its splice variants, ranging from developmental apoptosis and the control of early network events to the formation and plasticity of cortical dendritic spines. The versatility of KCC2 actions at the cellular and subcellular levels is also evident in mature neurons during plasticity, disease, and aging. Thus, KCC2 has emerged as one of the most important molecules that shape the overall neuronal phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mari A Virtanen
- Molecular and Integrative Biosciences, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; Neuroscience Center, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Pavel Uvarov
- Molecular and Integrative Biosciences, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; Neuroscience Center, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Martina Mavrovic
- Molecular and Integrative Biosciences, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; Neuroscience Center, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Oslo, 0372 Oslo, Norway
| | - Jean Christophe Poncer
- INSERM, UMRS 1270, 75005 Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, 75005 Paris, France; Institut du Fer à Moulin, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Kai Kaila
- Molecular and Integrative Biosciences, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; Neuroscience Center, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
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7
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Josiah SS, Meor Azlan NF, Zhang J. Targeting the WNK-SPAK/OSR1 Pathway and Cation-Chloride Cotransporters for the Therapy of Stroke. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:1232. [PMID: 33513812 PMCID: PMC7865768 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22031232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Stroke is one of the major culprits responsible for morbidity and mortality worldwide, and the currently available pharmacological strategies to combat this global disease are scanty. Cation-chloride cotransporters (CCCs) are expressed in several tissues (including neurons) and extensively contribute to the maintenance of numerous physiological functions including chloride homeostasis. Previous studies have implicated two CCCs, the Na+-K+-Cl- and K+-Cl- cotransporters (NKCCs and KCCs) in stroke episodes along with their upstream regulators, the with-no-lysine kinase (WNKs) family and STE20/SPS1-related proline/alanine rich kinase (SPAK) or oxidative stress response kinase (OSR1) via a signaling pathway. As the WNK-SPAK/OSR1 pathway reciprocally regulates NKCC and KCC, a growing body of evidence implicates over-activation and altered expression of NKCC1 in stroke pathology whilst stimulation of KCC3 during and even after a stroke event is neuroprotective. Both inhibition of NKCC1 and activation of KCC3 exert neuroprotection through reduction in intracellular chloride levels and thus could be a novel therapeutic strategy. Hence, this review summarizes the current understanding of functional regulations of the CCCs implicated in stroke with particular focus on NKCC1, KCC3, and WNK-SPAK/OSR1 signaling and discusses the current and potential pharmacological treatments for stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jinwei Zhang
- Hatherly Laboratories, Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Medical School, College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4PS, UK; (S.S.J.); (N.F.M.A.)
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8
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Chakraborty M, Asraf H, Sekler I, Hershfinkel M. ZnR/GPR39 controls cell migration by orchestrating recruitment of KCC3 into protrusions, re-organization of actin and activation of MMP. Cell Calcium 2021; 94:102330. [PMID: 33465674 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceca.2020.102330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Actin re-organization and degradation of extracellular matrix by metalloproteases (MMPs) facilitate formation of cellular protrusions that are required for cell proliferation and migration. We find that Zn2+ activation of the Gq-coupled receptor ZnR/GPR39 controls these processes by regulating K+/Cl- co-transporter KCC3, which modulates cell volume. Silencing of KCC3 expression or activity reverses ZnR/GPR39 enhancement of cell proliferation, migration and invasion through Matrigel. Activation of ZnR/GPR39 recruits KCC3 into F-actin rich membrane protrusions, suggesting that it can locally control volume changes. Immunofluorescence analysis indicates that Zn2+ activation of ZnR/GPR39 and KCC3 are required to enhance formation of F-actin stress fibers and cellular protrusions. In addition, ZnR/GPR39 upregulation of KCC3-dependent transport increases the activity of matrix metalloproteases MMP2 and MMP9. Our study establishes a mechanism in which ZnR/GPR39 orchestrates localization and activation of KCC3, formation of F-actin rich cell protrusions and activation of MMPs, and thereby controls cell proliferation and migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moumita Chakraborty
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology and The Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Hila Asraf
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology and The Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Israel Sekler
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology and The Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Michal Hershfinkel
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology and The Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
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9
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Kontou G, Josephine Ng SF, Cardarelli RA, Howden JH, Choi C, Ren Q, Rodriguez Santos MA, Bope CE, Dengler JS, Kelley MR, Davies PA, Kittler JT, Brandon NJ, Moss SJ, Smalley JL. KCC2 is required for the survival of mature neurons but not for their development. J Biol Chem 2021; 296:100364. [PMID: 33539918 PMCID: PMC7949141 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 01/24/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The K+/Cl- cotransporter KCC2 (SLC12A5) allows mature neurons in the CNS to maintain low intracellular Cl- levels that are critical in mediating fast hyperpolarizing synaptic inhibition via type A γ-aminobutyric acid receptors (GABAARs). In accordance with this, compromised KCC2 activity results in seizures, but whether such deficits directly contribute to the subsequent changes in neuronal structure and viability that lead to epileptogenesis remains to be assessed. Canonical hyperpolarizing GABAAR currents develop postnatally, which reflect a progressive increase in KCC2 expression levels and activity. To investigate the role that KCC2 plays in regulating neuronal viability and architecture, we have conditionally ablated KCC2 expression in developing and mature neurons. Decreasing KCC2 expression in mature neurons resulted in the rapid activation of the extrinsic apoptotic pathway. Intriguingly, direct pharmacological inhibition of KCC2 in mature neurons was sufficient to rapidly induce apoptosis, an effect that was not abrogated via blockade of neuronal depolarization using tetrodotoxin (TTX). In contrast, ablating KCC2 expression in immature neurons had no discernable effects on their subsequent development, arborization, or dendritic structure. However, removing KCC2 in immature neurons was sufficient to ablate the subsequent postnatal development of hyperpolarizing GABAAR currents. Collectively, our results demonstrate that KCC2 plays a critical role in neuronal survival by limiting apoptosis, and mature neurons are highly sensitive to the loss of KCC2 function. In contrast, KCC2 appears to play a minimal role in mediating neuronal development or architecture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgina Kontou
- AstraZeneca-Tufts Laboratory of Basic and Translational Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Shu Fun Josephine Ng
- AstraZeneca-Tufts Laboratory of Basic and Translational Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ross A Cardarelli
- AstraZeneca-Tufts Laboratory of Basic and Translational Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jack H Howden
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Catherine Choi
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Qiu Ren
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Christopher E Bope
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jake S Dengler
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Matt R Kelley
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Paul A Davies
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Josef T Kittler
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Nicholas J Brandon
- AstraZeneca-Tufts Laboratory of Basic and Translational Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Neuroscience, IMED Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Stephen J Moss
- AstraZeneca-Tufts Laboratory of Basic and Translational Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University College London, London, UK.
| | - Joshua L Smalley
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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10
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Kesaf S, Khirug S, Dinh E, Saez Garcia M, Soni S, Orav E, Delpire E, Taira T, Lauri SE, Rivera C. The Kainate Receptor Subunit GluK2 Interacts With KCC2 to Promote Maturation of Dendritic Spines. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:252. [PMID: 33005130 PMCID: PMC7479265 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.00252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Kainate receptors (KAR) play a crucial role in the plasticity and functional maturation of glutamatergic synapses. However, how they regulate structural plasticity of dendritic spines is not known. The GluK2 subunit was recently shown to coexist in a functional complex with the neuronal K-Cl cotransporter KCC2. Apart from having a crucial role in the maturation of GABAergic transmission, KCC2 has a morphogenic role in the maturation of dendritic spines. Here, we show that in vivo local inactivation of GluK2 expression in CA3 hippocampal neurons induces altered morphology of dendritic spines and reduction in mEPSC frequency. GluK2 deficiency also resulted in a strong change in the subcellular distribution of KCC2 as well as a smaller somatodendritic gradient in the reversal potential of GABAA. Strikingly, the aberrant morphology of dendritic spines in GluK2-deficient CA3 pyramidal neurons was restored by overexpression of KCC2. GluK2 silencing in hippocampal neurons significantly reduced the expression of 4.1N and functional form of the actin filament severing protein cofilin. Consistently, assessment of actin dynamics using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) of β-actin showed a significant increase in the stability of F-actin filaments in dendritic spines. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that GluK2-KCC2 interaction plays an important role in the structural maturation of dendritic spines. This also provides novel insights into the connection between KAR dysfunction, structural plasticity, and developmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebnem Kesaf
- HiLIFE Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Molecular and Integrative Biosciences Research Program, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Stanislav Khirug
- HiLIFE Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Emilie Dinh
- Developmental Biology Institute of Marseille, Marseille, France
| | - Marta Saez Garcia
- HiLIFE Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Shetal Soni
- HiLIFE Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ester Orav
- HiLIFE Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Molecular and Integrative Biosciences Research Program, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Eric Delpire
- Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Tomi Taira
- HiLIFE Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sari E Lauri
- HiLIFE Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Molecular and Integrative Biosciences Research Program, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Claudio Rivera
- HiLIFE Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Institut de Neurobiologie de la Méditerranée (INMED) UMR901, Marseille, France
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Duy PQ, He M, He Z, Kahle KT. Preclinical insights into therapeutic targeting of KCC2 for disorders of neuronal hyperexcitability. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2020; 24:629-637. [PMID: 32336175 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2020.1762174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder of neuronal hyperexcitability that begets recurrent and unprovoked seizures. The lack of a truly satisfactory pharmacotherapy for epilepsy highlights the clinical urgency for the discovery of new drug targets. To that end, targeting the electroneutral K+/Cl- cotransporter KCC2 has emerged as a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of epilepsy. AREAS COVERED We summarize the roles of KCC2 in the maintenance of synaptic inhibition and the evidence linking KCC2 dysfunction to epileptogenesis. We also discuss preclinical proof-of-principle studies that demonstrate that augmentation of KCC2 function can reduce seizure activity. Moreover, potential strategies to modulate KCC2 activity for therapeutic benefit are highlighted. EXPERT OPINION Although KCC2 is a promising drug target, questions remain before clinical translation. It is unclear whether increasing KCC2 activity can reverse epileptogenesis, the ultimate curative goal for epilepsy therapy that extends beyond seizure reduction. Furthermore, the potential adverse effects associated with increased KCC2 function have not been studied. Continued investigations into the neurobiology of KCC2 will help to translate promising preclinical insights into viable therapeutic avenues that leverage fundamental properties of KCC2 to treat medically intractable epilepsy and other disorders of failed synaptic inhibition with attendant neuronal hyperexcitability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phan Q Duy
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine , New Haven, CT, USA.,Medical Scientist Training Program, Yale University School of Medicine , New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Miao He
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, and Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School , Boston, MA, USA
| | - Zhigang He
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, and Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School , Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kristopher T Kahle
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine , New Haven, CT, USA.,Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine , New Haven, CT, USA.,Departments of Pediatrics and Cellular & Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine , New Haven, CT, USA.,Yale-Rockefeller NIH Centers for Mendelian Genomics, Yale University , New Haven, CT, USA.,Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale School of Medicine , New Haven, CT, USA
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Zions M, Meehan EF, Kress ME, Thevalingam D, Jenkins EC, Kaila K, Puskarjov M, McCloskey DP. Nest Carbon Dioxide Masks GABA-Dependent Seizure Susceptibility in the Naked Mole-Rat. Curr Biol 2020; 30:2068-2077.e4. [PMID: 32359429 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.03.071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2019] [Revised: 11/27/2019] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
African naked mole-rats were likely the first mammals to evolve eusociality, and thus required adaptations to conserve energy and tolerate the low oxygen (O2) and high carbon dioxide (CO2) of a densely populated fossorial nest. As hypercapnia is known to suppress neuronal activity, we studied whether naked mole-rats might demonstrate energy savings in GABAergic inhibition. Using whole-colony behavioral monitoring of captive naked mole-rats, we found a durable nest, characterized by high CO2 levels, where all colony members spent the majority of their time. Analysis of the naked mole-rat genome revealed, uniquely among mammals, a histidine point variation in the neuronal potassium-chloride cotransporter 2 (KCC2). A histidine missense substitution mutation at this locus in the human ortholog of KCC2, found previously in patients with febrile seizures and epilepsy, has been demonstrated to diminish neuronal Cl- extrusion capacity, and thus impairs GABAergic inhibition. Seizures were observed, without pharmacological intervention, in adult naked mole-rats exposed to a simulated hyperthermic surface environment, causing systemic hypocapnic alkalosis. Consistent with the diminished function of KCC2, adult naked mole-rats demonstrate a reduced efficacy of inhibition that manifests as triggering of seizures at room temperature by the GABAA receptor (GABAAR) positive allosteric modulator diazepam. These seizures are blocked in the presence of nest-like levels of CO2 and likely to be mediated through GABAAR activity, based on in vitro recordings. Thus, altered GABAergic inhibition adds to a growing list of adaptations in the naked mole-rat and provides a plausible proximate mechanism for nesting behavior, where a return to the colony nest restores GABA-mediated inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Zions
- PhD Program in Neuroscience, Graduate Center of The City University of New York, New York, NY 10016, USA; Center for Developmental Neuroscience, College of Staten Island in the City University of New York, Staten Island, NY 10314, USA
| | - Edward F Meehan
- Department of Psychology, College of Staten Island in the City University of New York, Staten Island, NY 10314, USA; Department of Computer Science, College of Staten Island in the City University of New York, Staten Island, NY 10314, USA
| | - Michael E Kress
- Department of Computer Science, College of Staten Island in the City University of New York, Staten Island, NY 10314, USA; PhD Program in Computer Science, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Donald Thevalingam
- PhD Program in Neuroscience, Graduate Center of The City University of New York, New York, NY 10016, USA; Center for Developmental Neuroscience, College of Staten Island in the City University of New York, Staten Island, NY 10314, USA
| | - Edmund C Jenkins
- Center for Developmental Neuroscience, College of Staten Island in the City University of New York, Staten Island, NY 10314, USA
| | - Kai Kaila
- Neuroscience Center (HiLIFE), University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Molecular and Integrative Biosciences, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Martin Puskarjov
- Center for Developmental Neuroscience, College of Staten Island in the City University of New York, Staten Island, NY 10314, USA; Molecular and Integrative Biosciences, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Dan P McCloskey
- PhD Program in Neuroscience, Graduate Center of The City University of New York, New York, NY 10016, USA; Center for Developmental Neuroscience, College of Staten Island in the City University of New York, Staten Island, NY 10314, USA; Department of Psychology, College of Staten Island in the City University of New York, Staten Island, NY 10314, USA.
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13
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Mavrovic M, Uvarov P, Delpire E, Vutskits L, Kaila K, Puskarjov M. Loss of non-canonical KCC2 functions promotes developmental apoptosis of cortical projection neurons. EMBO Rep 2020; 21:e48880. [PMID: 32064760 DOI: 10.15252/embr.201948880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Revised: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
KCC2, encoded in humans by the SLC12A5 gene, is a multifunctional neuron-specific protein initially identified as the chloride (Cl- ) extruder critical for hyperpolarizing GABAA receptor currents. Independently of its canonical function as a K-Cl cotransporter, KCC2 regulates the actin cytoskeleton via molecular interactions mediated through its large intracellular C-terminal domain (CTD). Contrary to the common assumption that embryonic neocortical projection neurons express KCC2 at non-significant levels, here we show that loss of KCC2 enhances apoptosis of late-born upper-layer cortical projection neurons in the embryonic brain. In utero electroporation of plasmids encoding truncated, transport-dead KCC2 constructs retaining the CTD was as efficient as of that encoding full-length KCC2 in preventing elimination of migrating projection neurons upon conditional deletion of KCC2. This was in contrast to the effect of a full-length KCC2 construct bearing a CTD missense mutation (KCC2R952H ), which disrupts cytoskeletal interactions and has been found in patients with neurological and psychiatric disorders, notably seizures and epilepsy. Together, our findings indicate ion transport-independent, CTD-mediated regulation of developmental apoptosis by KCC2 in migrating cortical projection neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Mavrovic
- Molecular and Integrative Biosciences, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Neuroscience Center, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Pavel Uvarov
- Molecular and Integrative Biosciences, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Neuroscience Center, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Eric Delpire
- Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Laszlo Vutskits
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva Medical School, Geneva 4, Switzerland.,Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology, Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva 4, Switzerland
| | - Kai Kaila
- Molecular and Integrative Biosciences, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Neuroscience Center, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Martin Puskarjov
- Molecular and Integrative Biosciences, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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