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Fletcher PA, Smiljanic K, Prévide RM, Constantin S, Sherman AS, Coon SL, Stojilkovic SS. The astroglial and stem cell functions of adult rat folliculostellate cells. Glia 2023; 71:205-228. [PMID: 36093576 PMCID: PMC9772113 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The mammalian pituitary gland is a complex organ consisting of hormone-producing cells, anterior lobe folliculostellate cells (FSCs), posterior lobe pituicytes, vascular pericytes and endothelial cells, and Sox2-expressing stem cells. We present single-cell RNA sequencing and immunohistofluorescence analyses of pituitary cells of adult female rats with a focus on the transcriptomic profiles of nonhormonal cell types. Samples obtained from whole pituitaries and separated anterior and posterior lobe cells contained all expected pituitary resident cell types and lobe-specific vascular cell subpopulations. FSCs and pituicytes expressed S100B, ALDOC, EAAT1, ALDH1A1, and VIM genes and proteins, as well as other astroglial marker genes, some common and some cell type-specific. We also found that the SOX2 gene and protein were expressed in ~15% of pituitary cells, including FSCs, pituicytes, and a fraction of hormone-producing cells, arguing against its stem cell specificity. FSCs comprised two Sox2-expressing subclusters; FS1 contained more cells but lower genetic diversity, while FS2 contained proliferative cells, shared genes with hormone-producing cells, and expressed genes consistent with stem cell niche formation, regulation of cell proliferation and stem cell pluripotency, including the Hippo and Wnt pathways. FS1 cells were randomly distributed in the anterior and intermediate lobes, while FS2 cells were localized exclusively in the marginal zone between the anterior and intermediate lobes. These data indicate the identity of the FSCs as anterior pituitary-specific astroglia, with FS1 cells representing differentiated cells equipped for classical FSC roles and FS2 cells exhibiting additional stem cell-like features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick A. Fletcher
- Laboratory of Biological Modeling, National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Kosara Smiljanic
- Section on Cellular Signaling, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Rafael M. Prévide
- Section on Cellular Signaling, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Stephanie Constantin
- Section on Cellular Signaling, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Arthur S. Sherman
- Laboratory of Biological Modeling, National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Steven L. Coon
- Molecular Genomics Core, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, 20892
| | - Stanko S. Stojilkovic
- Section on Cellular Signaling, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892
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Ahi EP, Tsakoumis E, Brunel M, Schmitz M. Transcriptional study reveals a potential leptin-dependent gene regulatory network in zebrafish brain. FISH PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY 2021; 47:1283-1298. [PMID: 34236575 PMCID: PMC8302498 DOI: 10.1007/s10695-021-00967-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The signal mediated by leptin hormone and its receptor is a major regulator of body weight, food intake and metabolism. In mammals and many teleost fish species, leptin has an anorexigenic role and inhibits food intake by influencing the appetite centres in the hypothalamus. However, the regulatory connections between leptin and downstream genes mediating its appetite-regulating effects are still not fully explored in teleost fish. In this study, we used a loss of function leptin receptor zebrafish mutant and real-time quantitative PCR to assess brain expression patterns of several previously identified anorexigenic genes downstream of leptin signal under different feeding conditions (normal feeding, 7-day fasting, 2 and 6-h refeeding). These downstream factors include members of cart genes, crhb and gnrh2, as well as selected genes co-expressed with them based on a zebrafish co-expression database. Here, we found a potential gene expression network (GRN) comprising the abovementioned genes by a stepwise approach of identifying co-expression modules and predicting their upstream regulators. Among the transcription factors (TFs) predicted as potential upstream regulators of this GRN, we found expression pattern of sp3a to be correlated with transcriptional changes of the downstream gene network. Interestingly, the expression and transcriptional activity of Sp3 orthologous gene in mammals have already been implicated to be under the influence of leptin signal. These findings suggest a potentially conserved regulatory connection between leptin and sp3a, which is predicted to act as a transcriptional driver of a downstream gene network in the zebrafish brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ehsan Pashay Ahi
- Department of Organismal Biology, Comparative Physiology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18A, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 9, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Emmanouil Tsakoumis
- Department of Organismal Biology, Comparative Physiology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18A, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mathilde Brunel
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Allmas Allé 5, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Monika Schmitz
- Department of Organismal Biology, Comparative Physiology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18A, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
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Chen S, Guo X, He X, Di R, Zhang X, Zhang J, Wang X, Chu M. Insight Into Pituitary lncRNA and mRNA at Two Estrous Stages in Small Tail Han Sheep With Different FecB Genotypes. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021; 12:789564. [PMID: 35178025 PMCID: PMC8844552 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2021.789564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The pituitary is a remarkably dynamic organ with roles in hormone (FSH and LH) synthesis and secretion. In animals with the FecB (fecundity Booroola) mutation, the pituitary experiences hormone fluctuations during the follicular-luteal transition, which is implicated in the expression and regulation of many genes and regulators. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a novel type of regulatory factors for the reproductive process. Nevertheless, the expression patterns of lncRNAs and their roles in FecB-mediated follicular development and ovulation remain obscure. Thus, we profiled the pituitary transcriptome during the follicular (F, 45 h after evacuation vaginal sponges) and luteal (L, 216 h after evacuation vaginal sponges) phases in FecB-mutant homozygous (BB) and wild-type (WW) Small Tail Han sheep. We identified 78 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 41 differentially expressed lncRNAs (DELs) between BB_F and BB_L, 32 DEGs and 26 DELs between BB_F and WW_F, 16 DEGs and 29 DELs between BB_L and WW_L, and 50 DEGs and 18 DELs between WW_F and WW_L. The results of real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) correlated well with the transcriptome data. In both the follicular and luteal phases, DEGs (GRID2, glutamate ionotropic receptor delta type subunit 2; ST14, ST14 transmembrane serine protease matriptase) were enriched in hormone synthesis, secretion, and action. MSTRG.47470 and MSTRG.101530 were the trans-regulated elements of ID1 (inhibitor of DNA binding 3, HLH protein) and the DEG ID3 (inhibitor of DNA binding 3, HLH protein), and EEF2 (eukaryotic translation elongation factor 2), respectively; these factors might be involved in melatonin and peptide hormone secretion. In the FecB-mediated follicular phase, MSTRG.125392 targeted seizure-related 6 homolog like (SEZ6L), and MSTRG.125394 and MSTRG.83276 targeted the DEG KCNQ3 (potassium voltage-gated channel subfamily Q member 3) in cis, while MSTRG.55861 targeted FKBP4 (FKBP prolyl isomerase 4) in trans. In the FecB-mediated luteal phase, LOC105613905, MSTRG.81536, and MSTRG.150434 modulated TGFB1, SMAD3, OXT, respectively, in trans. We postulated that the FecB mutation in pituitary tissue elevated the expression of certain genes associated with pituitary development and hormone secretion. Furthermore, this study provides new insights into how the pituitary regulates follicular development and ovulation, illustrated by the effect of the FecB mutation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si Chen
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaofei Guo
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Tianjin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiaoyun He
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ran Di
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaosheng Zhang
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Tianjin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Tianjin, China
| | - Jinlong Zhang
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Tianjin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiangyu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Xiangyu Wang, ; Mingxing Chu,
| | - Mingxing Chu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Xiangyu Wang, ; Mingxing Chu,
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Ghanemi A, Melouane A, Yoshioka M, St-Amand J. Exercise and High-Fat Diet in Obesity: Functional Genomics Perspectives of Two Energy Homeostasis Pillars. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11080875. [PMID: 32752100 PMCID: PMC7463441 DOI: 10.3390/genes11080875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The heavy impact of obesity on both the population general health and the economy makes clarifying the underlying mechanisms, identifying pharmacological targets, and developing efficient therapies for obesity of high importance. The main struggle facing obesity research is that the underlying mechanistic pathways are yet to be fully revealed. This limits both our understanding of pathogenesis and therapeutic progress toward treating the obesity epidemic. The current anti-obesity approaches are mainly a controlled diet and exercise which could have limitations. For instance, the “classical” anti-obesity approach of exercise might not be practical for patients suffering from disabilities that prevent them from routine exercise. Therefore, therapeutic alternatives are urgently required. Within this context, pharmacological agents could be relatively efficient in association to an adequate diet that remains the most efficient approach in such situation. Herein, we put a spotlight on potential therapeutic targets for obesity identified following differential genes expression-based studies aiming to find genes that are differentially expressed under diverse conditions depending on physical activity and diet (mainly high-fat), two key factors influencing obesity development and prognosis. Such functional genomics approaches contribute to elucidate the molecular mechanisms that both control obesity development and switch the genetic, biochemical, and metabolic pathways toward a specific energy balance phenotype. It is important to clarify that by “gene-related pathways”, we refer to genes, the corresponding proteins and their potential receptors, the enzymes and molecules within both the cells in the intercellular space, that are related to the activation, the regulation, or the inactivation of the gene or its corresponding protein or pathways. We believe that this emerging area of functional genomics-related exploration will not only lead to novel mechanisms but also new applications and implications along with a new generation of treatments for obesity and the related metabolic disorders especially with the modern advances in pharmacological drug targeting and functional genomics techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdelaziz Ghanemi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; (A.G.); (A.M.)
- Functional Genomics Laboratory, Endocrinology and Nephrology Axis, CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Center, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada;
| | - Aicha Melouane
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; (A.G.); (A.M.)
- Functional Genomics Laboratory, Endocrinology and Nephrology Axis, CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Center, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada;
| | - Mayumi Yoshioka
- Functional Genomics Laboratory, Endocrinology and Nephrology Axis, CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Center, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada;
| | - Jonny St-Amand
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; (A.G.); (A.M.)
- Functional Genomics Laboratory, Endocrinology and Nephrology Axis, CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Center, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-418-654-2296; Fax: +1-418-654-2761
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5
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Sander M, Wu Z, Strasburger CJ. Short stature explained by dimerization of human growth hormone induced by a p.C53S point mutation. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:4893-4901. [PMID: 32132170 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.009101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2019] [Revised: 02/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
A homozygous mutation in growth hormone 1 (GH1) was recently identified in an individual with growth failure. This mutation, c.705G>C, causes replacement of cysteine at position 53 of the 191-amino-acid sequence of 22 kDa human GH (hGH) with serine (p.C53S). This hGH molecule (hereafter referred to as GH-C53S) lacks the disulfide bond between p.Cys-53 and p.Cys-165, which is highly conserved among species. It has been reported previously that monomeric GH-C53S has reduced bioactivity compared with WT GH (GH-WT) because of its decreased ability to bind and activate the GH receptor in vitro In this study, we discovered that substitution of p.Cys-53 in hGH significantly increased formation of hGH dimers in pituitary cells. We expressed His-tagged hGH variants in the cytoplasm of genetically modified Rosetta-gami B DE3 Escherichia coli cells, facilitating high-yield production. We observed that the bioactivity of monomeric GH-C53S is 25.2% of that of GH-WT and that dimeric GH-C53S-His has no significant bioactivity in cell proliferation assays. We also found that the expression of GH-C53S in pituitary cells deviates from that of GH-WT. GH-C53S was exclusively stained in the Golgi apparatus, and no secretory granules formed for this variant, impairing its stimulated release. In summary, the unpaired Cys-165 in GH-C53S forms a disulfide bond linking two hGH molecules in pituitary cells. We conclude that the GH-C53S dimer is inactive and responsible for the growth failure in the affected individual.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Sander
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Nutritional Medicine, Campus Charité Mitte, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Zida Wu
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Nutritional Medicine, Campus Charité Mitte, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian J Strasburger
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Nutritional Medicine, Campus Charité Mitte, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
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6
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Fu B, Yu X, Tong J, Pang M, Zhou Y, Liu Q, Tao W. Comparative transcriptomic analysis of hypothalamus-pituitary-liver axis in bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis) with differential growth rate. BMC Genomics 2019; 20:328. [PMID: 31039751 PMCID: PMC6492341 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-019-5691-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 04/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Growth rate is one of the most important features for aquaculture species and deciphering its regulation mechanism has great significance both in genetics and in economics. Hypothalamus-pituitary growth axis (HP growth axis) or neuro-endocrine axis plays a vital role in growth regulation in different aquaculture animals. Results In this study, the HP and liver transcriptomes of two female groups (H and L) with phenotypically extreme growth rate were sequenced using RNA-Seq. A total of 30,524 and 22,341 genes were found expressed in the two tissues, respectively. The average expression levels for the two tissues were almost the same, but the median differed significantly. A differential expression analysis between H and L groups identified 173 and 204 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in HP and liver tissue, respectively. Pathway analysis revealed that DEGs in HP tissue were enriched in regulation of cell proliferation and angiogenesis while in liver tissue these genes were overrepresented in sterol biosynthesis and transportation. Genomic overlapping analyses found that 4 and 5 DEGs were within growth-related QTL in HP and liver tissue respectively. A deeper analysis of these 9 genes revealed 3 genes were functionally linked to the trait of interest. The expression of 2075 lncRNAs in HP tissue and 1490 in liver tissue were also detected, and some of lncRNAs were highly expressed in the two tissues. Conclusions Above all, the results of the present study greatly contributed to the knowledge of the regulation of growth and then assisted the design of new selection strategies for bighead carp with improved growth-related traits. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-019-5691-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beide Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Innnovation Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaomu Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Innnovation Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, People's Republic of China
| | - Jingou Tong
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Innnovation Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, People's Republic of China.
| | - Meixia Pang
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Innnovation Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, People's Republic of China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Ying Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Innnovation Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, People's Republic of China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Qingshan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Innnovation Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, People's Republic of China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Wenjing Tao
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development (Ministry of Education), Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science of Chongqing, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
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De Groef B, Grommen SVH, Darras VM. Forever young: Endocrinology of paedomorphosis in the Mexican axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum). Gen Comp Endocrinol 2018; 266:194-201. [PMID: 29777689 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2018.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2018] [Revised: 05/09/2018] [Accepted: 05/14/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The Mexican axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) is a salamander species that does not undergo metamorphosis, resulting in the retention of juvenile characteristics in the mature breeding stage (paedomorphosis). Here we review the endocrinological studies investigating the proximate cause of axolotl paedomorphosis with a focus on the hypothalamo-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis. It is well established that axolotl paedomorphosis is a consequence of low activity of the HPT axis. The pituitary hormone thyrotropin (TSH) is capable of inducing metamorphosis in the axolotl, which indicates that all processes and interactions in the HPT axis below the pituitary level are functional, but that TSH release is impaired. In metamorphosing species, TSH secretion is largely controlled by the hypothalamic neuropeptide corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), which seems to have lost its thyrotropic activity in the axolotl. However, preliminary experiments have not yet confirmed a role for faulty CRH signalling in axolotl paedomorphosis. Other hypothalamic factors and potential pituitary inhibitors need to be investigated to identify their roles in amphibian metamorphosis and axolotl paedomorphosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bert De Groef
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Microbiology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria 3086, Australia.
| | - Sylvia V H Grommen
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Microbiology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria 3086, Australia.
| | - Veerle M Darras
- Laboratory of Comparative Endocrinology, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, B3000 Leuven, Belgium.
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Cope ER, Voy BH, Whitlock BK, Staton M, Lane T, Davitt J, Mulliniks JT. Beta-hydroxybutyrate infusion identifies acutely differentially expressed genes related to metabolism and reproduction in the hypothalamus and pituitary of castrated male sheep. Physiol Genomics 2018; 50:468-477. [PMID: 29625019 DOI: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00104.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
To identify molecular pathways that couple metabolic imbalances and reproduction, we randomly assigned 10 castrated male sheep to be centrally injected into the lateral ventricle through intracerebroventricular cannulas with 1 ml of β-hydroxybutyric acid sodium salt solution (BHB; 12,800 µmol/l) or saline solution (CON; 0.9% NaCl). Approximately 2 h postinjection, sheep were humanely euthanized, and hypothalamus and pituitary tissues were harvested for transcriptome characterization by RNA sequencing. RNA was extracted from the hypothalamus and pituitary and sequenced at a high depth (hypothalamus: 468,912,732 reads; pituitary: 515,106,092 reads) with the Illumina Hi-Seq 2500 platform and aligned to Bos taurus and Ovis aries genomes. Of the total raw reads, 87% (hypothalamus) and 90.5% (pituitary) mapped to the reference O. aries genome. Within these read sets, ~56% in hypothalamus and 69% in pituitary mapped to either known or putative protein coding genes. Fragments per kilobase of transcripts per million normalized counts were averaged and ranked to identify the transcript expression level. Gene Ontology analysis (DAVID Bioinformatics Resources) was utilized to identify biological process functions related to genes shared between tissues, as well as functional categories with tissue-specific enrichment. Between CON- and BHB-treated sheep, 11 and 44 genes were differentially expressed (adj. P < 0.05) within the pituitary and hypothalamus, respectively. Functional enrichment analyses revealed BHB altered expression of genes in pathways related to stimulus perception, inflammation, and cell cycle control. The set of genes altered by BHB creates a foundation from which to identify the signaling pathways that impact reproduction during metabolic imbalances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily R Cope
- Department of Animal Science, University of Tennessee , Knoxville, Tennessee
| | - Brynn H Voy
- Department of Animal Science, University of Tennessee , Knoxville, Tennessee
| | - Brian K Whitlock
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Tennessee , Knoxville, Tennessee
| | - Meg Staton
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, University of Tennessee , Knoxville, Tennessee
| | - Thomas Lane
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, University of Tennessee , Knoxville, Tennessee
| | - Jack Davitt
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, University of Tennessee , Knoxville, Tennessee
| | - J Travis Mulliniks
- Department of Animal Science, University of Tennessee , Knoxville, Tennessee
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Khan AM, Grant AH, Martinez A, Burns GAPC, Thatcher BS, Anekonda VT, Thompson BW, Roberts ZS, Moralejo DH, Blevins JE. Mapping Molecular Datasets Back to the Brain Regions They are Extracted from: Remembering the Native Countries of Hypothalamic Expatriates and Refugees. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2018; 21:101-193. [PMID: 30334222 PMCID: PMC6310046 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-94593-4_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
This article focuses on approaches to link transcriptomic, proteomic, and peptidomic datasets mined from brain tissue to the original locations within the brain that they are derived from using digital atlas mapping techniques. We use, as an example, the transcriptomic, proteomic and peptidomic analyses conducted in the mammalian hypothalamus. Following a brief historical overview, we highlight studies that have mined biochemical and molecular information from the hypothalamus and then lay out a strategy for how these data can be linked spatially to the mapped locations in a canonical brain atlas where the data come from, thereby allowing researchers to integrate these data with other datasets across multiple scales. A key methodology that enables atlas-based mapping of extracted datasets-laser-capture microdissection-is discussed in detail, with a view of how this technology is a bridge between systems biology and systems neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arshad M Khan
- UTEP Systems Neuroscience Laboratory, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA.
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA.
- Border Biomedical Research Center, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA.
| | - Alice H Grant
- UTEP Systems Neuroscience Laboratory, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
- Graduate Program in Pathobiology, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
| | - Anais Martinez
- UTEP Systems Neuroscience Laboratory, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
- Graduate Program in Pathobiology, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
| | - Gully A P C Burns
- Information Sciences Institute, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Marina del Rey, CA, USA
| | - Brendan S Thatcher
- VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Office of Research and Development Medical Research Service, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Vishwanath T Anekonda
- VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Office of Research and Development Medical Research Service, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Benjamin W Thompson
- VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Office of Research and Development Medical Research Service, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Zachary S Roberts
- VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Office of Research and Development Medical Research Service, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Daniel H Moralejo
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - James E Blevins
- VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Office of Research and Development Medical Research Service, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA
- Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
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High frequency of rare variants with a moderate-to-high predicted biological effect in protocadherin genes of extremely obese. GENES AND NUTRITION 2014; 9:399. [PMID: 24682882 DOI: 10.1007/s12263-014-0399-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2014] [Accepted: 03/17/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Relatively rare variants with a moderate-to-high biological effect may contribute to the genetic predisposition of common disorders. To investigate this for obesity, we performed exome sequencing for 30 young (mean age: 29.7 years) extremely obese Caucasian subjects (mean body mass index: 51.1 kg/m(2); m/f = 11/29). Rare variants with a moderate-to-high predicted biological effect were assembled and subjected to functional clustering analysis. It showed that the 55 clustered protocadherin genes on chromosome 5q31 have a significantly (P = 0.002) higher frequency of rare variants than a set of 325 reference genes. Since the protocadherin genes are expressed in the hypothalamus, we tested another 167 genes related to the function of the hypothalamus, but in those genes, the frequency of rare variants was not different from that of the reference genes. To verify the relation of variation in the protocadherin genes with extreme obesity, we analyzed data from more than 4,000 European Americans present on the Exome Variant Server, representing a sample of the general population. The significant enrichment of rare variants in the protocadherin genes was only observed with the group of extremely obese individuals but not in the "general population", indicating an association between rare variants in the protocadherin cluster genes and extreme obesity.
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Abel BS, Shaw ND, Brown JM, Adams JM, Alati T, Martin KA, Pitteloud N, Seminara SB, Plummer L, Pignatelli D, Crowley WF, Welt CK, Hall JE. Responsiveness to a physiological regimen of GnRH therapy and relation to genotype in women with isolated hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2013; 98:E206-16. [PMID: 23341491 PMCID: PMC3565114 DOI: 10.1210/jc.2012-3294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Isolated hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (IHH) is caused by defective GnRH secretion or action resulting in absent or incomplete pubertal development and infertility. Most women with IHH ovulate with physiological GnRH replacement, implicating GnRH deficiency as the etiology. However, a subset does not respond normally, suggesting the presence of defects at the pituitary or ovary. OBJECTIVES The objective of the study was to unmask pituitary or ovarian defects in IHH women using a physiological regimen of GnRH replacement, relating these responses to genes known to cause IHH. DESIGN, SETTING, AND SUBJECTS This study is a retrospective analysis of 37 IHH women treated with iv pulsatile GnRH (75 ng/kg per bolus). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Serum gonadotropin and sex steroid levels were measured, and 14 genes implicated in IHH were sequenced. RESULTS During their first cycle of GnRH replacement, normal cycles were recreated in 60% (22 of 37) of IHH women. Thirty percent of women (12 of 37) demonstrated an attenuated gonadotropin response, indicating pituitary resistance, and 10% (3 of 37) exhibited an exaggerated FSH response, consistent with ovarian resistance. Mutations in CHD7, FGFR1, KAL1, TAC3, and TACR3 were documented in IHH women with normal cycles, whereas mutations were identified in GNRHR, PROKR2, and FGFR1 in those with pituitary resistance. Women with ovarian resistance were mutation negative. CONCLUSIONS Although physiological replacement with GnRH recreates normal menstrual cycle dynamics in most IHH women, hypogonadotropic responses in the first week of treatment identify a subset of women with pituitary dysfunction, only some of whom have mutations in GNRHR. IHH women with hypergonadotropic responses to GnRH replacement, consistent with an additional ovarian defect, did not have mutations in genes known to cause IHH, similar to our findings in a subset of IHH men with evidence of an additional testicular defect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brent S Abel
- Reproductive Endocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Reproductive Endocrine Sciences Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
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