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Meneghini S, Modena D, Colombo G, Coatti A, Milani N, Madaschi L, Amadeo A, Becchetti A. The β2V287L nicotinic subunit linked to sleep-related epilepsy differently affects fast-spiking and regular spiking somatostatin-expressing neurons in murine prefrontal cortex. Prog Neurobiol 2022; 214:102279. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2022.102279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 04/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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Mahalakshmi AM, Ray B, Tuladhar S, Hediyal TA, Raj P, Rathipriya AG, Qoronfleh MW, Essa MM, Chidambaram SB. Impact of Pharmacological and Non-Pharmacological Modulators on Dendritic Spines Structure and Functions in Brain. Cells 2021; 10:3405. [PMID: 34943913 PMCID: PMC8699406 DOI: 10.3390/cells10123405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 11/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Dendritic spines are small, thin, hair-like protrusions found on the dendritic processes of neurons. They serve as independent compartments providing large amplitudes of Ca2+ signals to achieve synaptic plasticity, provide sites for newer synapses, facilitate learning and memory. One of the common and severe complication of neurodegenerative disease is cognitive impairment, which is said to be closely associated with spine pathologies viz., decreased in spine density, spine length, spine volume, spine size etc. Many treatments targeting neurological diseases have shown to improve the spine structure and distribution. However, concise data on the various modulators of dendritic spines are imperative and a need of the hour. Hence, in this review we made an attempt to consolidate the effects of various pharmacological (cholinergic, glutamatergic, GABAergic, serotonergic, adrenergic, and dopaminergic agents) and non-pharmacological modulators (dietary interventions, enriched environment, yoga and meditation) on dendritic spines structure and functions. These data suggest that both the pharmacological and non-pharmacological modulators produced significant improvement in dendritic spine structure and functions and in turn reversing the pathologies underlying neurodegeneration. Intriguingly, the non-pharmacological approaches have shown to improve intellectual performances both in preclinical and clinical platforms, but still more technology-based evidence needs to be studied. Thus, we conclude that a combination of pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention may restore cognitive performance synergistically via improving dendritic spine number and functions in various neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arehally M. Mahalakshmi
- Department of Pharmacology, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru 570015, Karnataka, India; (A.M.M.); (B.R.); (S.T.); (T.A.H.); (P.R.)
- SIG-Brain, Behaviour and Cognitive Neurosciences Research (BBRC), JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru 570015, Karnataka, India
| | - Bipul Ray
- Department of Pharmacology, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru 570015, Karnataka, India; (A.M.M.); (B.R.); (S.T.); (T.A.H.); (P.R.)
- Centre for Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, Central Animal Facility, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru 570015, Karnataka, India
| | - Sunanda Tuladhar
- Department of Pharmacology, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru 570015, Karnataka, India; (A.M.M.); (B.R.); (S.T.); (T.A.H.); (P.R.)
- Centre for Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, Central Animal Facility, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru 570015, Karnataka, India
| | - Tousif Ahmed Hediyal
- Department of Pharmacology, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru 570015, Karnataka, India; (A.M.M.); (B.R.); (S.T.); (T.A.H.); (P.R.)
- Centre for Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, Central Animal Facility, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru 570015, Karnataka, India
| | - Praveen Raj
- Department of Pharmacology, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru 570015, Karnataka, India; (A.M.M.); (B.R.); (S.T.); (T.A.H.); (P.R.)
| | | | - M. Walid Qoronfleh
- Q3CG Research Institute (QRI), Research and Policy Division, 7227 Rachel Drive, Ypsilanti, MI 48917, USA;
| | - Musthafa Mohamed Essa
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, CAMS, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat 123, Oman
- Ageing and Dementia Research Group, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat 123, Oman
- Biomedical Sciences Department, University of Pacific, Sacramento, CA 95211, USA
| | - Saravana Babu Chidambaram
- Department of Pharmacology, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru 570015, Karnataka, India; (A.M.M.); (B.R.); (S.T.); (T.A.H.); (P.R.)
- SIG-Brain, Behaviour and Cognitive Neurosciences Research (BBRC), JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru 570015, Karnataka, India
- Centre for Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, Central Animal Facility, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru 570015, Karnataka, India
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Vallés AS, Barrantes FJ. Dysregulation of Neuronal Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor-Cholesterol Crosstalk in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Mol Neurosci 2021; 14:744597. [PMID: 34803605 PMCID: PMC8604044 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.744597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a set of complex neurodevelopmental diseases that include impaired social interaction, delayed and disordered language, repetitive or stereotypic behavior, restricted range of interests, and altered sensory processing. The underlying causes of the core symptoms remain unclear, as are the factors that trigger their onset. Given the complexity and heterogeneity of the clinical phenotypes, a constellation of genetic, epigenetic, environmental, and immunological factors may be involved. The lack of appropriate biomarkers for the evaluation of neurodevelopmental disorders makes it difficult to assess the contribution of early alterations in neurochemical processes and neuroanatomical and neurodevelopmental factors to ASD. Abnormalities in the cholinergic system in various regions of the brain and cerebellum are observed in ASD, and recently altered cholesterol metabolism has been implicated at the initial stages of the disease. Given the multiple effects of the neutral lipid cholesterol on the paradigm rapid ligand-gated ion channel, the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, we explore in this review the possibility that the dysregulation of nicotinic receptor-cholesterol crosstalk plays a role in some of the neurological alterations observed in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Sofía Vallés
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca (UNS-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Francisco J Barrantes
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (BIOMED), UCA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Vallés AS, Barrantes FJ. Dendritic spine membrane proteome and its alterations in autistic spectrum disorder. ADVANCES IN PROTEIN CHEMISTRY AND STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY 2021; 128:435-474. [PMID: 35034726 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apcsb.2021.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Dendritic spines are small protrusions stemming from the dendritic shaft that constitute the primary specialization for receiving and processing excitatory neurotransmission in brain synapses. The disruption of dendritic spine function in several neurological and neuropsychiatric diseases leads to severe information-processing deficits with impairments in neuronal connectivity and plasticity. Spine dysregulation is usually accompanied by morphological alterations to spine shape, size and/or number that may occur at early pathophysiological stages and not necessarily be reflected in clinical manifestations. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is one such group of diseases involving changes in neuronal connectivity and abnormal morphology of dendritic spines on postsynaptic neurons. These alterations at the subcellular level correlate with molecular changes in the spine proteome, with alterations in the copy number, topography, or in severe cases in the phenotype of the molecular components, predominantly of those proteins involved in spine recognition and adhesion, reflected in abnormally short lifetimes of the synapse and compensatory increases in synaptic connections. Since cholinergic neurotransmission participates in the regulation of cognitive function (attention, memory, learning processes, cognitive flexibility, social interactions) brain acetylcholine receptors are likely to play an important role in the dysfunctional synapses in ASD, either directly or indirectly via the modulatory functions exerted on other neurotransmitter receptor proteins and spine-resident proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Sofía Vallés
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca (UNS-CONICET), Bahía Blanca, Argentina
| | - Francisco J Barrantes
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (BIOMED), UCA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Kipp BT, Nunes PT, Galaj E, Hitchcock B, Nasra T, Poynor KR, Heide SK, Reitz NL, Savage LM. Adolescent Ethanol Exposure Alters Cholinergic Function and Apical Dendritic Branching Within the Orbital Frontal Cortex. Neuroscience 2021; 473:52-65. [PMID: 34450212 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.08.014] [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: 06/04/2021] [Revised: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
During adolescence, heavy binge-like ethanol consumption can lead to frontocortical structural and functional impairments. These impairments are likely driven by adolescence being a critical time point for maturation of brain regions associated with higher-order cognitive functioning. Rodent models of heavy binge-like ethanol exposure show consistent disruptions to the typical development of the prefrontal cortex (PFC). All deep cortical layers receive cholinergic projections that originate from the Nucleus basalis of Meynert (NbM) complex. These cholinergic projections are highly involved in learning, memory, and attention. Adolescent intermittent ethanol exposure (AIE) induces cholinergic dysfunction as a result of an epigenetic suppression of the genes that drive the cholinergic phenotype. The current study used a model of AIE to assess structural and functional changes to the frontal cortex and NbM following binge-like ethanol exposure in adolescence. Western blot analysis revealed long-term disruptions of the cholinergic circuit following AIE: choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) was suppressed in the NbM and vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) was suppressed in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). In vivo microdialysis for acetylcholine efflux during a spatial memory task determined changes in cholinergic modulation within the PFC following AIE. However, AIE spared performance on the spatial memory task and on an operant reversal task. In a second study, Golgi-Cox staining determined that AIE increased apical dendritic complexity in the OFC, with sex influencing whether the increase in branching occurred near or away from the soma. Spine density or maturity was not affected, likely compensating for a disruption in neurotransmitter function following AIE.
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Affiliation(s)
- B T Kipp
- Department of Psychology, Binghamton University of the State University of New York, New York, USA
| | - P T Nunes
- Department of Psychology, Binghamton University of the State University of New York, New York, USA
| | - E Galaj
- Department of Psychology, Binghamton University of the State University of New York, New York, USA
| | - B Hitchcock
- Department of Psychology, Binghamton University of the State University of New York, New York, USA
| | - T Nasra
- Department of Psychology, Binghamton University of the State University of New York, New York, USA
| | - K R Poynor
- Department of Psychology, Binghamton University of the State University of New York, New York, USA
| | - S K Heide
- Department of Psychology, Binghamton University of the State University of New York, New York, USA
| | - N L Reitz
- Department of Psychology, Binghamton University of the State University of New York, New York, USA
| | - L M Savage
- Department of Psychology, Binghamton University of the State University of New York, New York, USA.
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Borroni V, Barrantes FJ. Homomeric and Heteromeric α7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors in Health and Some Central Nervous System Diseases. MEMBRANES 2021; 11:membranes11090664. [PMID: 34564481 PMCID: PMC8465519 DOI: 10.3390/membranes11090664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are pentameric ligand-gated ion channels involved in the modulation of essential brain functions such as memory, learning, and attention. Homomeric α7 nAChR, formed exclusively by five identical α7 subunits, is involved in rapid synaptic transmission, whereas the heteromeric oligomers composed of α7 in combination with β subunits display metabotropic properties and operate in slower time frames. At the cellular level, the activation of nAChRs allows the entry of Na+ and Ca2+; the two cations depolarize the membrane and trigger diverse cellular signals, depending on the type of nAChR pentamer and neurons involved, the location of the intervening cells, and the networks of which these neuronal cells form part. These features make the α7 nAChR a central player in neurotransmission, metabolically associated Ca2+-mediated signaling, and modulation of diverse fundamental processes operated by other neurotransmitters in the brain. Due to its ubiquitous distribution and the multiple functions it displays in the brain, the α7 nAChR is associated with a variety of neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders whose exact etiopathogenic mechanisms are still elusive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia Borroni
- Instituto de Tecnología en Polímeros y Nanotecnología (ITPN-UBA-CONICET), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Buenos Aires C1127AAR, Argentina;
| | - Francisco J. Barrantes
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Institute for Biomedical Research, UCA–CONICET, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Catholic University of Argentina, Av. Alicia Moreau de Justo 1600, Buenos Aires C1107AAZ, Argentina
- Correspondence:
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Nicotinic Receptors in Sleep-Related Hypermotor Epilepsy: Pathophysiology and Pharmacology. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10120907. [PMID: 33255633 PMCID: PMC7761363 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10120907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Sleep-related hypermotor epilepsy (SHE) is characterized by hyperkinetic focal seizures, mainly arising in the neocortex during non-rapid eye movements (NREM) sleep. The familial form is autosomal dominant SHE (ADSHE), which can be caused by mutations in genes encoding subunits of the neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR), Na+-gated K+ channels, as well as non-channel signaling proteins, such as components of the gap activity toward rags 1 (GATOR1) macromolecular complex. The causative genes may have different roles in developing and mature brains. Under this respect, nicotinic receptors are paradigmatic, as different pathophysiological roles are exerted by distinct nAChR subunits in adult and developing brains. The widest evidence concerns α4 and β2 subunits. These participate in heteromeric nAChRs that are major modulators of excitability in mature neocortical circuits as well as regulate postnatal synaptogenesis. However, growing evidence implicates mutant α2 subunits in ADSHE, which poses interpretive difficulties as very little is known about the function of α2-containing (α2*) nAChRs in the human brain. Planning rational therapy must consider that pharmacological treatment could have different effects on synaptic maturation and adult excitability. We discuss recent attempts towards precision medicine in the mature brain and possible approaches to target developmental stages. These issues have general relevance in epilepsy treatment, as the pathogenesis of genetic epilepsies is increasingly recognized to involve developmental alterations.
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Nasirova N, Quina LA, Agosto-Marlin IM, Ramirez JM, Lambe EK, Turner EE. Dual recombinase fate mapping reveals a transient cholinergic phenotype in multiple populations of developing glutamatergic neurons. J Comp Neurol 2020; 528:283-307. [PMID: 31396962 PMCID: PMC6889053 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2019] [Revised: 07/16/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Cholinergic transmission shapes the maturation of glutamatergic circuits, yet the developmental sources of acetylcholine have not been systematically explored. Here, we have used Cre-recombinase-mediated genetic labeling to identify and map both mature and developing CNS neurons that express choline acetyltransferase (ChAT). Correction of a significant problem with a widely used ChatCre transgenic line ensures that this map does not contain expression artifacts. ChatCre marks all known cholinergic systems in the adult brain, but also identifies several brain areas not usually regarded as cholinergic, including specific thalamic and hypothalamic neurons, the subiculum, the lateral parabrachial nucleus, the cuneate/gracilis nuclei, and the pontocerebellar system. This ChatCre fate map suggests transient developmental expression of a cholinergic phenotype in areas important for cognition, motor control, and respiration. We therefore examined expression of ChAT and the vesicular acetylcholine transporter in the embryonic and early postnatal brain to determine the developmental timing of this transient cholinergic phenotype, and found that it mirrored the establishment of relevant glutamatergic projection pathways. We then used an intersectional genetic strategy combining ChatCre with Vglut2Flp to show that these neurons adopt a glutamatergic fate in the adult brain. The transient cholinergic phenotype of these glutamatergic neurons suggests a homosynaptic source of acetylcholine for the maturation of developing glutamatergic synapses. These findings thus define critical windows during which specific glutamatergic circuits may be vulnerable to disruption by nicotine in utero, and suggest new mechanisms for pediatric disorders associated with maternal smoking, such as sudden infant death syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nailyam Nasirova
- Center for Integrative Brain Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute
| | - Lely A. Quina
- Center for Integrative Brain Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute
| | | | - Jan-Marino Ramirez
- Center for Integrative Brain Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute
| | - Evelyn K. Lambe
- Departments of Physiology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Eric E. Turner
- Center for Integrative Brain Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle WA, 98101
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Femi-Akinlosotu OM, Shokunbi MT, Naicker T. Dendritic and Synaptic Degeneration in Pyramidal Neurons of the Sensorimotor Cortex in Neonatal Mice With Kaolin-Induced Hydrocephalus. Front Neuroanat 2019; 13:38. [PMID: 31110476 PMCID: PMC6501759 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2019.00038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2018] [Accepted: 03/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Obstructive hydrocephalus is a brain disorder in which the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is altered in a manner that causes expansion of fluid-filled intracranial compartments particularly the ventricles. The pyramidal neurons of the sensorimotor cortex are excitatory in nature and their dendritic spines are targets of excitatory synapses. This study evaluated the effect of hydrocephalus on dendritic arborization and synaptic structure of the pyramidal neurons of the sensorimotor cortex of neonatal hydrocephalic mice. Sterile kaolin suspension (0.01 ml of 250 mg/mL) was injected intracisternally into day old mice. Control animals mice received sham injections. Pups were weighed and sacrificed on postnatal days (PND) 7, 14 and 21. Fixed brain tissue blocks were silver impregnated using a modified Golgi staining technique and immunolabeled with synaptophysin to determine dendritic morphology and synaptic integrity respectively. Data were analyzed using ANOVA at α 0.05. Golgi staining revealed diminished arborization of the basal dendrites and loss of dendritic spines in the pyramidal neurons of hydrocephalic mice. Compared to age-matched controls, there was a significant reduction in the percentage immunoreactivity of anti-synaptophysin in hydrocephalic mice on PND 7 (14.26 ± 1.91% vs. 62.57 ± 9.40%), PND 14 (4.19 ± 1.57% vs. 93.01 ± 1.66%) and PND 21 (17.55 ± 2.76% vs. 99.11 ± 0.63%) respectively. These alterations suggest impaired neuronal connections that are essential for the development of cortical circuits and may be the structural basis of the neurobehavioral deficits observed in neonatal hydrocephalus.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Matthew T. Shokunbi
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Thajasvarie Naicker
- Optics & Imaging Centre, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
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