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Shore AN, Li K, Safari M, Qunies AM, Spitznagel BD, Weaver CD, Emmitte K, Frankel W, Weston MC. Heterozygous expression of a Kcnt1 gain-of-function variant has differential effects on SST- and PV-expressing cortical GABAergic neurons. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.10.11.561953. [PMID: 37873369 PMCID: PMC10592778 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.11.561953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
More than twenty recurrent missense gain-of-function (GOF) mutations have been identified in the sodium-activated potassium (K Na ) channel gene KCNT1 in patients with severe developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs), most of which are resistant to current therapies. Defining the neuron types most vulnerable to KCNT1 GOF will advance our understanding of disease mechanisms and provide refined targets for precision therapy efforts. Here, we assessed the effects of heterozygous expression of a Kcnt1 GOF variant (Y777H) on K Na currents and neuronal physiology among cortical glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons in mice, including those expressing vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), somatostatin (SST), and parvalbumin (PV), to identify and model the pathogenic mechanisms of autosomal dominant KCNT1 GOF variants in DEEs. Although the Kcnt1 -Y777H variant had no effects on glutamatergic or VIP neuron function, it increased subthreshold K Na currents in both SST and PV neurons but with opposite effects on neuronal output; SST neurons became hypoexcitable with a higher rheobase current and lower action potential (AP) firing frequency, whereas PV neurons became hyperexcitable with a lower rheobase current and higher AP firing frequency. Further neurophysiological and computational modeling experiments showed that the differential effects of the Y777H variant on SST and PV neurons are not likely due to inherent differences in these neuron types, but to an increased persistent sodium current in PV, but not SST, neurons. The Y777H variant also increased excitatory input onto, and chemical and electrical synaptic connectivity between, SST neurons. Together, these data suggest differential pathogenic mechanisms, both direct and compensatory, contribute to disease phenotypes, and provide a salient example of how a pathogenic ion channel variant can cause opposite functional effects in closely related neuron subtypes due to interactions with other ionic conductances.
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Koesters AG, Rich MM, Engisch KL. Homeostatic Synaptic Plasticity of Miniature Excitatory Postsynaptic Currents in Mouse Cortical Cultures Requires Neuronal Rab3A. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.06.14.544980. [PMID: 39071374 PMCID: PMC11275788 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.14.544980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Following prolonged activity blockade, amplitudes of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs) increase, a form of plasticity termed "homeostatic synaptic plasticity." We previously showed that a presynaptic protein, the small GTPase Rab3A, is required for full expression of the increase in miniature endplate current amplitudes following prolonged blockade of action potential activity at the mouse neuromuscular junction in vivo (Wang et al., 2011), but it is unknown whether this form of Rab3A-dependent homeostatic plasticity shares any characteristics with central synapses. We show here that homeostatic synaptic plasticity of mEPSCs is impaired in mouse cortical neuron cultures prepared from Rab3A-/- and mutant mice expressing a single point mutation of Rab3A, Rab3A Earlybird mice. To determine if Rab3A is involved in the well-established homeostatic increase in postsynaptic AMPA-type receptors (AMPARs), we performed a series of experiments in which electrophysiological recordings of mEPSCs and confocal imaging of synaptic AMPAR immunofluorescence were assessed within the same cultures. We found that Rab3A was required for the increase in synaptic AMPARs following prolonged activity blockade, but the increase in mEPSC amplitudes was not always accompanied by an increase in postsynaptic AMPAR levels, suggesting other factors may contribute. Finally, we demonstrate that Rab3A is acting in neurons because only selective loss of Rab3A in neurons, not glia, disrupted the homeostatic increase in mEPSC amplitudes. This is the first demonstration that neuronal Rab3A is required for homeostatic synaptic plasticity and that it does so partially through regulation of the surface expression of AMPA receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew G. Koesters
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
| | - Mark M. Rich
- Department of Neuroscience, Cell Biology and Physiology, Boonshoft School of Medicine, Wright State University, Dayton, OH 45345
| | - Kathrin L. Engisch
- Department of Neuroscience, Cell Biology and Physiology, Boonshoft School of Medicine and the College of Science and Mathematics, Wright State University, Dayton, OH 45435
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Duma GM, Cuozzo S, Wilson L, Danieli A, Bonanni P, Pellegrino G. Excitation/Inhibition balance relates to cognitive function and gene expression in temporal lobe epilepsy: a high density EEG assessment with aperiodic exponent. Brain Commun 2024; 6:fcae231. [PMID: 39056027 PMCID: PMC11272395 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcae231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Patients with epilepsy are characterized by a dysregulation of excitation/inhibition balance (E/I). The assessment of E/I may inform clinicians during the diagnosis and therapy management, even though it is rarely performed. An accessible measure of the E/I of the brain represents a clinically relevant feature. Here, we exploited the exponent of the aperiodic component of the power spectrum of the electroencephalography (EEG) signal, as a non-invasive and cost-effective proxy of the E/I balance. We recorded resting-state activity with high-density EEG from 67 patients with temporal lobe epilepsy and 35 controls. We extracted the exponent of the aperiodic fit of the power spectrum from source-reconstructed EEG and tested differences between patients with epilepsy and controls. Spearman's correlation was performed between the exponent and clinical variables (age of onset, epilepsy duration and neuropsychology) and cortical expression of epilepsy-related genes derived from the Allen Human Brain Atlas. Patients with temporal lobe epilepsy showed a significantly larger exponent, corresponding to inhibition-directed E/I balance, in bilateral frontal and temporal regions. Lower E/I in the left entorhinal and bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortices corresponded to a lower performance of short-term verbal memory. Limited to patients with temporal lobe epilepsy, we detected a significant correlation between the exponent and the cortical expression of GABRA1, GRIN2A, GABRD, GABRG2, KCNA2 and PDYN genes. EEG aperiodic exponent maps the E/I balance non-invasively in patients with epilepsy and reveals a close relationship between altered E/I patterns, cognition and genetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gian Marco Duma
- Scientific Institute IRCCS E.Medea, Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology Unit, 31015, Conegliano, Italy
| | - Simone Cuozzo
- Scientific Institute IRCCS E.Medea, Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology Unit, 31015, Conegliano, Italy
| | - Luc Wilson
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Alberto Danieli
- Scientific Institute IRCCS E.Medea, Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology Unit, 31015, Conegliano, Italy
| | - Paolo Bonanni
- Scientific Institute IRCCS E.Medea, Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology Unit, 31015, Conegliano, Italy
| | - Giovanni Pellegrino
- Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London N6A5C1, Canada
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Vitale C, Natali G, Cerullo MS, Floss T, Michetti C, Grasselli G, Benfenati F. The homeostatic effects of the RE-1 silencing transcription factor on cortical networks are altered under ictogenic conditions in the mouse. Acta Physiol (Oxf) 2024; 240:e14146. [PMID: 38606882 DOI: 10.1111/apha.14146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
AIM The Repressor Element-1 Silencing Transcription Factor (REST) is an epigenetic master regulator playing a crucial role in the nervous system. In early developmental stages, REST downregulation promotes neuronal differentiation and the acquisition of the neuronal phenotype. In addition, postnatal fluctuations in REST expression contribute to shaping neuronal networks and maintaining network homeostasis. Here we investigate the role of the early postnatal deletion of neuronal REST in the assembly and strength of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic connections. METHODS We investigated excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission by patch-clamp recordings in acute neocortical slices in a conditional knockout mouse model (RestGTi) in which Rest was deleted by delivering PHP.eB adeno-associated viruses encoding CRE recombinase under the control of the human synapsin I promoter in the lateral ventricles of P0-P1 pups. RESULTS We show that, under physiological conditions, Rest deletion increased the intrinsic excitability of principal cortical neurons in the primary visual cortex and the density and strength of excitatory synaptic connections impinging on them, without affecting inhibitory transmission. Conversely, in the presence of a pathological excitation/inhibition imbalance induced by pentylenetetrazol, Rest deletion prevented the increase in synaptic excitation and decreased seizure severity. CONCLUSION The data indicate that REST exerts distinct effects on the excitability of cortical circuits depending on whether it acts under physiological conditions or in the presence of pathologic network hyperexcitability. In the former case, REST preserves a correct excitatory/inhibitory balance in cortical circuits, while in the latter REST loses its homeostatic activity and may become pro-epileptogenic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmela Vitale
- Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy
| | - Giulia Natali
- Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - Maria Sabina Cerullo
- Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - Thomas Floss
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Caterina Michetti
- Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - Giorgio Grasselli
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - Fabio Benfenati
- Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy
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5
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Hong R, Zheng T, Marra V, Yang D, Liu JK. Multi-scale modelling of the epileptic brain: advantages of computational therapy exploration. J Neural Eng 2024; 21:021002. [PMID: 38621378 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/ad3eb4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Objective: Epilepsy is a complex disease spanning across multiple scales, from ion channels in neurons to neuronal circuits across the entire brain. Over the past decades, computational models have been used to describe the pathophysiological activity of the epileptic brain from different aspects. Traditionally, each computational model can aid in optimizing therapeutic interventions, therefore, providing a particular view to design strategies for treating epilepsy. As a result, most studies are concerned with generating specific models of the epileptic brain that can help us understand the certain machinery of the pathological state. Those specific models vary in complexity and biological accuracy, with system-level models often lacking biological details.Approach: Here, we review various types of computational model of epilepsy and discuss their potential for different therapeutic approaches and scenarios, including drug discovery, surgical strategies, brain stimulation, and seizure prediction. We propose that we need to consider an integrated approach with a unified modelling framework across multiple scales to understand the epileptic brain. Our proposal is based on the recent increase in computational power, which has opened up the possibility of unifying those specific epileptic models into simulations with an unprecedented level of detail.Main results: A multi-scale epilepsy model can bridge the gap between biologically detailed models, used to address molecular and cellular questions, and brain-wide models based on abstract models which can account for complex neurological and behavioural observations.Significance: With these efforts, we move toward the next generation of epileptic brain models capable of connecting cellular features, such as ion channel properties, with standard clinical measures such as seizure severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongqi Hong
- School of Computer Science, Centre for Human Brain Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Tingting Zheng
- School of Computer Science, Centre for Human Brain Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | | | - Dongping Yang
- Research Centre for Frontier Fundamental Studies, Zhejiang Lab, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Jian K Liu
- School of Computer Science, Centre for Human Brain Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
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6
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Stroh A, Schweiger S, Ramirez JM, Tüscher O. The selfish network: how the brain preserves behavioral function through shifts in neuronal network state. Trends Neurosci 2024; 47:246-258. [PMID: 38485625 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2024.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Neuronal networks possess the ability to regulate their activity states in response to disruptions. How and when neuronal networks turn from physiological into pathological states, leading to the manifestation of neuropsychiatric disorders, remains largely unknown. Here, we propose that neuronal networks intrinsically maintain network stability even at the cost of neuronal loss. Despite the new stable state being potentially maladaptive, neural networks may not reverse back to states associated with better long-term outcomes. These maladaptive states are often associated with hyperactive neurons, marking the starting point for activity-dependent neurodegeneration. Transitions between network states may occur rapidly, and in discrete steps rather than continuously, particularly in neurodegenerative disorders. The self-stabilizing, metastable, and noncontinuous characteristics of these network states can be mathematically described as attractors. Maladaptive attractors may represent a distinct pathophysiological entity that could serve as a target for new therapies and for fostering resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albrecht Stroh
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, Mainz, Germany; Institute of Pathophysiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
| | - Susann Schweiger
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, Mainz, Germany; Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany; Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Mainz, Germany
| | - Jan-Marino Ramirez
- Center for Integrative Brain Research at the Seattle Children's Research Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
| | - Oliver Tüscher
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, Mainz, Germany; Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Mainz, Germany; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
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7
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Koesters AG, Rich MM, Engisch KL. Diverging from the Norm: Reevaluating What Miniature Excitatory Postsynaptic Currents Tell Us about Homeostatic Synaptic Plasticity. Neuroscientist 2024; 30:49-70. [PMID: 35904350 DOI: 10.1177/10738584221112336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The idea that the nervous system maintains a set point of network activity and homeostatically returns to that set point in the face of dramatic disruption-during development, after injury, in pathologic states, and during sleep/wake cycles-is rapidly becoming accepted as a key plasticity behavior, placing it alongside long-term potentiation and depression. The dramatic growth in studies of homeostatic synaptic plasticity of miniature excitatory synaptic currents (mEPSCs) is attributable, in part, to the simple yet elegant mechanism of uniform multiplicative scaling proposed by Turrigiano and colleagues: that neurons sense their own activity and globally multiply the strength of every synapse by a single factor to return activity to the set point without altering established differences in synaptic weights. We have recently shown that for mEPSCs recorded from control and activity-blocked cultures of mouse cortical neurons, the synaptic scaling factor is not uniform but is close to 1 for the smallest mEPSC amplitudes and progressively increases as mEPSC amplitudes increase, which we term divergent scaling. Using insights gained from simulating uniform multiplicative scaling, we review evidence from published studies and conclude that divergent synaptic scaling is the norm rather than the exception. This conclusion has implications for hypotheses about the molecular mechanisms underlying synaptic scaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew G Koesters
- Department of Behavior, Cognition, and Neurophysiology, Environmental Health Effects Laboratory, Naval Medical Research Unit-Dayton, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, USA
| | - Mark M Rich
- Department of Neuroscience, Cell Biology, and Physiology, College of Science and Mathematics, and Boonshoft School of Medicine, Wright State University, Dayton, OH, USA
| | - Kathrin L Engisch
- Department of Neuroscience, Cell Biology, and Physiology, College of Science and Mathematics, and Boonshoft School of Medicine, Wright State University, Dayton, OH, USA
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Bröhl T, Rings T, Pukropski J, von Wrede R, Lehnertz K. The time-evolving epileptic brain network: concepts, definitions, accomplishments, perspectives. FRONTIERS IN NETWORK PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 3:1338864. [PMID: 38293249 PMCID: PMC10825060 DOI: 10.3389/fnetp.2023.1338864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Epilepsy is now considered a network disease that affects the brain across multiple levels of spatial and temporal scales. The paradigm shift from an epileptic focus-a discrete cortical area from which seizures originate-to a widespread epileptic network-spanning lobes and hemispheres-considerably advanced our understanding of epilepsy and continues to influence both research and clinical treatment of this multi-faceted high-impact neurological disorder. The epileptic network, however, is not static but evolves in time which requires novel approaches for an in-depth characterization. In this review, we discuss conceptual basics of network theory and critically examine state-of-the-art recording techniques and analysis tools used to assess and characterize a time-evolving human epileptic brain network. We give an account on current shortcomings and highlight potential developments towards an improved clinical management of epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timo Bröhl
- Department of Epileptology, University of Bonn Medical Centre, Bonn, Germany
- Helmholtz Institute for Radiation and Nuclear Physics, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Thorsten Rings
- Department of Epileptology, University of Bonn Medical Centre, Bonn, Germany
- Helmholtz Institute for Radiation and Nuclear Physics, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Jan Pukropski
- Department of Epileptology, University of Bonn Medical Centre, Bonn, Germany
| | - Randi von Wrede
- Department of Epileptology, University of Bonn Medical Centre, Bonn, Germany
| | - Klaus Lehnertz
- Department of Epileptology, University of Bonn Medical Centre, Bonn, Germany
- Helmholtz Institute for Radiation and Nuclear Physics, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- Interdisciplinary Center for Complex Systems, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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Forte N, Nicois A, Marfella B, Mavaro I, D'Angelo L, Piscitelli F, Scandurra A, De Girolamo P, Baldelli P, Benfenati F, Di Marzo V, Cristino L. Early endocannabinoid-mediated depolarization-induced suppression of excitation delays the appearance of the epileptic phenotype in synapsin II knockout mice. Cell Mol Life Sci 2024; 81:37. [PMID: 38214769 PMCID: PMC11072294 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-05029-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
The mechanism underlying the transition from the pre-symptomatic to the symptomatic state is a crucial aspect of epileptogenesis. SYN2 is a member of a multigene family of synaptic vesicle phosphoproteins playing a fundamental role in controlling neurotransmitter release. Human SYN2 gene mutations are associated with epilepsy and autism spectrum disorder. Mice knocked out for synapsin II (SynII KO) are prone to epileptic seizures that appear after 2 months of age. However, the involvement of the endocannabinoid system, known to regulate seizure development and propagation, in the modulation of the excitatory/inhibitory balance in the epileptic hippocampal network of SynII KO mice has not been explored. In this study, we investigated the impact of endocannabinoids on glutamatergic and GABAergic synapses at hippocampal dentate gyrus granule cells in young pre-symptomatic (1-2 months old) and adult symptomatic (5-8 months old) SynII KO mice. We observed an increase in endocannabinoid-mediated depolarization-induced suppression of excitation in young SynII KO mice, compared to age-matched wild-type controls. In contrast, the endocannabinoid-mediated depolarization-induced suppression of inhibition remained unchanged in SynII KO mice at both ages. This selective alteration of excitatory synaptic transmission was accompanied by changes in hippocampal endocannabinoid levels and cannabinoid receptor type 1 distribution among glutamatergic and GABAergic synaptic terminals contacting the granule cells of the dentate gyrus. Finally, inhibition of type-1 cannabinoid receptors in young pre-symptomatic SynII KO mice induced seizures during a tail suspension test. Our results suggest that endocannabinoids contribute to maintaining network stability in a genetic mouse model of human epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Forte
- Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, National Research Council of Italy, Pozzuoli (NA), Italy
| | - Alessandro Nicois
- Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, National Research Council of Italy, Pozzuoli (NA), Italy
| | - Brenda Marfella
- Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, National Research Council of Italy, Pozzuoli (NA), Italy
| | - Isabella Mavaro
- Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, National Research Council of Italy, Pozzuoli (NA), Italy
| | - Livia D'Angelo
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Fabiana Piscitelli
- Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, National Research Council of Italy, Pozzuoli (NA), Italy
| | - Anna Scandurra
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Paolo De Girolamo
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Pietro Baldelli
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Fabio Benfenati
- Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Di Marzo
- Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, National Research Council of Italy, Pozzuoli (NA), Italy.
- Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Canada Excellence Research Chair on the Microbiome-Endocannabinoidome Axis in Metabolic Health, Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada.
- Heart and Lung Research Institute of Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada.
- Institute for Nutrition and Functional Foods, Centre NUTRISS, Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada.
| | - Luigia Cristino
- Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, National Research Council of Italy, Pozzuoli (NA), Italy.
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Michetti C, Ferrante D, Parisi B, Ciano L, Prestigio C, Casagrande S, Martinoia S, Terranova F, Millo E, Valente P, Giovedi' S, Benfenati F, Baldelli P. Low glycemic index diet restrains epileptogenesis in a gender-specific fashion. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 80:356. [PMID: 37947886 PMCID: PMC10638170 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-04988-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Dietary restriction, such as low glycemic index diet (LGID), have been successfully used to treat drug-resistant epilepsy. However, if such diet could also counteract antiepileptogenesis is still unclear. Here, we investigated whether the administration of LGID during the latent pre-epileptic period, prevents or delays the appearance of the overt epileptic phenotype. To this aim, we used the Synapsin II knockout (SynIIKO) mouse, a model of temporal lobe epilepsy in which seizures manifest 2-3 months after birth, offering a temporal window in which LGID may affect epileptogenesis. Pregnant SynIIKO mice were fed with either LGID or standard diet during gestation and lactation. Both diets were maintained in weaned mice up to 5 months of age. LGID delayed the seizure onset and induced a reduction of seizures severity only in female SynIIKO mice. In parallel with the epileptic phenotype, high-density multielectrode array recordings revealed a reduction of frequency, amplitude, duration, velocity of propagation and spread of interictal events by LGID in the hippocampus of SynIIKO females, but not mutant males, confirming the gender-specific effect. ELISA-based analysis revealed that LGID increased cortico-hippocampal allopregnanolone (ALLO) levels only in females, while it was unable to affect ALLO plasma concentrations in either sex. The results indicate that the gender-specific interference of LGID with the epileptogenic process can be ascribed to a gender-specific increase in cortical ALLO, a neurosteroid known to strengthen GABAergic transmission. The study highlights the possibility of developing a personalized gender-based therapy for temporal lobe epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caterina Michetti
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genova, Genoa, Italy.
- Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Italian Institute of Technology, Genoa, Italy.
| | - Daniele Ferrante
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genova, Genoa, Italy
| | - Barbara Parisi
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genova, Genoa, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Ciano
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genova, Genoa, Italy
- Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Italian Institute of Technology, Genoa, Italy
| | - Cosimo Prestigio
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genova, Genoa, Italy
| | - Silvia Casagrande
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genova, Genoa, Italy
| | - Sergio Martinoia
- Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics and System Engineering, University of Genova, Genoa, Italy
| | - Fabio Terranova
- Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics and System Engineering, University of Genova, Genoa, Italy
| | - Enrico Millo
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genova, Genoa, Italy
| | - Pierluigi Valente
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genova, Genoa, Italy
- IRCCS, Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Silvia Giovedi'
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genova, Genoa, Italy
- IRCCS, Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Fabio Benfenati
- Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Italian Institute of Technology, Genoa, Italy
- IRCCS, Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Pietro Baldelli
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genova, Genoa, Italy.
- IRCCS, Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy.
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11
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Roliz AH, Kothare S. The Relationship Between Sleep, Epilepsy, and Development: a Review. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep 2023; 23:469-477. [PMID: 37458984 DOI: 10.1007/s11910-023-01284-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW To review the relationship between sleep, neurodevelopment, and epilepsy and potential underlying physiological mechanisms. RECENT FINDINGS Recent studies have advanced our understanding of the role of sleep in early brain development and epilepsy. Epileptogenesis has been proposed to occur when there is a failure of normal adaptive processes of synaptic and homeostatic plasticity. This sleep-dependent transformation may explain the cognitive impairment seen in epilepsy, especially when occurring early in life. The glymphatic system, a recently discovered waste clearance system of the central nervous system, has been described as a potential mechanism underlying the relationship between sleep and seizures and may account for the common association between sleep deprivation and increased seizure risk. Epilepsy and associated sleep disturbances can critically affect brain development and neurocognition. Here we highlight recent findings on this topic and emphasize the importance of screening for sleep concerns in people with epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie H Roliz
- Division of Child Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Cohen Children's Medical Center, 2001 Marcus Ave, Suite W290, New Hyde Park, NY, 11042, USA
| | - Sanjeev Kothare
- Division of Child Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Cohen Children's Medical Center, 2001 Marcus Ave, Suite W290, New Hyde Park, NY, 11042, USA.
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Yang J, Prescott SA. Homeostatic regulation of neuronal function: importance of degeneracy and pleiotropy. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1184563. [PMID: 37333893 PMCID: PMC10272428 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1184563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurons maintain their average firing rate and other properties within narrow bounds despite changing conditions. This homeostatic regulation is achieved using negative feedback to adjust ion channel expression levels. To understand how homeostatic regulation of excitability normally works and how it goes awry, one must consider the various ion channels involved as well as the other regulated properties impacted by adjusting those channels when regulating excitability. This raises issues of degeneracy and pleiotropy. Degeneracy refers to disparate solutions conveying equivalent function (e.g., different channel combinations yielding equivalent excitability). This many-to-one mapping contrasts the one-to-many mapping described by pleiotropy (e.g., one channel affecting multiple properties). Degeneracy facilitates homeostatic regulation by enabling a disturbance to be offset by compensatory changes in any one of several different channels or combinations thereof. Pleiotropy complicates homeostatic regulation because compensatory changes intended to regulate one property may inadvertently disrupt other properties. Co-regulating multiple properties by adjusting pleiotropic channels requires greater degeneracy than regulating one property in isolation and, by extension, can fail for additional reasons such as solutions for each property being incompatible with one another. Problems also arise if a perturbation is too strong and/or negative feedback is too weak, or because the set point is disturbed. Delineating feedback loops and their interactions provides valuable insight into how homeostatic regulation might fail. Insofar as different failure modes require distinct interventions to restore homeostasis, deeper understanding of homeostatic regulation and its pathological disruption may reveal more effective treatments for chronic neurological disorders like neuropathic pain and epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane Yang
- Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Steven A. Prescott
- Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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13
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Curia G. Hebbian and homeostatic synaptic plasticity of AMPA receptors in epileptogenesis. Cell Rep Med 2023; 4:101047. [PMID: 37196628 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2023.101047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
AMPA receptors' synaptic plasticity is involved in epileptogenesis. In this issue, Eiro et al.1 demonstrate that Hebbian plasticity is responsible for increased AMPAR in focal seizures, while homeostatic plasticity induces the reduction of AMPAR in generalized onset seizures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Curia
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.
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14
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Melgosa-Ecenarro L, Doostdar N, Radulescu CI, Jackson JS, Barnes SJ. Pinpointing the locus of GABAergic vulnerability in Alzheimer's disease. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2023; 139:35-54. [PMID: 35963663 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.06.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The early stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD) have been linked to microcircuit dysfunction and pathophysiological neuronal firing in several brain regions. Inhibitory GABAergic microcircuitry is a critical feature of stable neural-circuit function in the healthy brain, and its dysregulation has therefore been proposed as contributing to AD-related pathophysiology. However, exactly how the critical balance between excitatory and inhibitory microcircuitry is modified by AD pathogenesis remains unclear. Here, we set the current evidence implicating dysfunctional GABAergic microcircuitry as a driver of early AD pathophysiology in a simple conceptual framework. Our framework is based on a generalised reductionist model of firing-rate control by local feedback inhibition. We use this framework to consider multiple loci that may be vulnerable to disruption by AD pathogenesis. We first start with evidence investigating how AD-related processes may impact the gross number of inhibitory neurons in the network. We then move to discuss how pathology may impact intrinsic cellular properties and firing thresholds of GABAergic neurons. Finally, we cover how AD-related pathogenesis may disrupt synaptic connectivity between excitatory and inhibitory neurons. We use the feedback inhibition framework to discuss and organise the available evidence from both preclinical rodent work and human studies in AD patients and conclude by identifying key questions and understudied areas for future investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leire Melgosa-Ecenarro
- UK Dementia Research Institute, Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Nazanin Doostdar
- UK Dementia Research Institute, Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Carola I Radulescu
- UK Dementia Research Institute, Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Johanna S Jackson
- UK Dementia Research Institute, Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Samuel J Barnes
- UK Dementia Research Institute, Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK.
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15
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Berecki G, Bryson A, Polster T, Petrou S. Biophysical characterization and modelling of SCN1A gain-of-function predicts interneuron hyperexcitability and a predisposition to network instability through homeostatic plasticity. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 179:106059. [PMID: 36868483 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
Abstract
SCN1A gain-of-function variants are associated with early onset developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs) that possess distinct clinical features compared to Dravet syndrome caused by SCN1A loss-of-function. However, it is unclear how SCN1A gain-of-function may predispose to cortical hyper-excitability and seizures. Here, we first report the clinical features of a patient carrying a de novo SCN1A variant (T162I) associated with neonatal-onset DEE, and then characterize the biophysical properties of T162I and three other SCN1A variants associated with neonatal-onset DEE (I236V) and early infantile DEE (P1345S, R1636Q). In voltage clamp experiments, three variants (T162I, P1345S and R1636Q) exhibited changes in activation and inactivation properties that enhanced window current, consistent with gain-of-function. Dynamic action potential clamp experiments utilising model neurons incorporating Nav1.1. channels supported a gain-of-function mechanism for all four variants. Here, the T162I, I236V, P1345S, and R1636Q variants exhibited higher peak firing rates relative to wild type and the T162I and R1636Q variants produced a hyperpolarized threshold and reduced neuronal rheobase. To explore the impact of these variants upon cortical excitability, we used a spiking network model containing an excitatory pyramidal cell (PC) and parvalbumin positive (PV) interneuron population. SCN1A gain-of-function was modelled by enhancing the excitability of PV interneurons and then incorporating three simple forms of homeostatic plasticity that restored pyramidal cell firing rates. We found that homeostatic plasticity mechanisms exerted differential impact upon network function, with changes to PV-to-PC and PC-to-PC synaptic strength predisposing to network instability. Overall, our findings support a role for SCN1A gain-of-function and inhibitory interneuron hyperexcitability in early onset DEE. We propose a mechanism through which homeostatic plasticity pathways can predispose to pathological excitatory activity and contribute to phenotypic variability in SCN1A disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Géza Berecki
- Ion Channels and Disease Group, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia.
| | - Alexander Bryson
- Ion Channels and Disease Group, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Department of Neurology, Austin Health, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia
| | - Tilman Polster
- Krankenhaus Mara, Bethel Epilepsy Centre, Department of Epileptology, Medical School, Bielefeld University, Campus Bielefeld-Bethel, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Steven Petrou
- Ion Channels and Disease Group, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Praxis Precision Medicines, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of the Florey Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3050, Australia.
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16
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Issa NP, Nunn KC, Wu S, Haider HA, Tao JX. Putative roles for homeostatic plasticity in epileptogenesis. Epilepsia 2023; 64:539-552. [PMID: 36617338 PMCID: PMC10015501 DOI: 10.1111/epi.17500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Homeostatic plasticity allows neural circuits to maintain an average activity level while preserving the ability to learn new associations and efficiently transmit information. This dynamic process usually protects the brain from excessive activity, like seizures. However, in certain contexts, homeostatic plasticity might produce seizures, either in response to an acute provocation or more chronically as a driver of epileptogenesis. Here, we review three seizure conditions in which homeostatic plasticity likely plays an important role: acute drug withdrawal seizures, posttraumatic or disconnection epilepsy, and cyclic seizures. Identifying the homeostatic mechanisms active at different stages of development and in different circuits could allow better targeting of therapies, including determining when neuromodulation might be most effective, proposing ways to prevent epileptogenesis, and determining how to disrupt the cycle of recurring seizure clusters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoum P. Issa
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Department of Neurology, 5841 S. Maryland Ave., MC 2030, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637
| | | | - Shasha Wu
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Department of Neurology, 5841 S. Maryland Ave., MC 2030, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637
| | - Hiba A. Haider
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Department of Neurology, 5841 S. Maryland Ave., MC 2030, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637
| | - James X. Tao
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Department of Neurology, 5841 S. Maryland Ave., MC 2030, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637
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17
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Developmental Inhibitory Changes in the Primary Somatosensory Cortex of the Stargazer Mouse Model of Absence Epilepsy. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13010186. [PMID: 36671571 PMCID: PMC9856073 DOI: 10.3390/biom13010186] [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: 12/18/2022] [Revised: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Childhood absence epilepsy seizures arise in the cortico-thalamocortical network due to multiple cellular and molecular mechanisms, which are still under investigation. Understanding the precise mechanisms is imperative given that treatment fails in ~30% of patients while adverse neurological sequelae remain common. Impaired GABAergic neurotransmission is commonly reported in research models investigating these mechanisms. Recently, we reported a region-specific reduction in the whole-tissue and synaptic GABAA receptor (GABAAR) α1 subunit and an increase in whole-tissue GAD65 in the primary somatosensory cortex (SoCx) of the adult epileptic stargazer mouse compared with its non-epileptic (NE) littermate. The current study investigated whether these changes occurred prior to the onset of seizures on postnatal days (PN) 17-18, suggesting a causative role. Synaptic and cytosolic fractions were biochemically isolated from primary SoCx lysates followed by semiquantitative Western blot analyses for GABAAR α1 and GAD65. We found no significant changes in synaptic GABAAR α1 and cytosolic GAD65 in the primary SoCx of the stargazer mice at the critical developmental stages of PN 7-9, 13-15, and 17-18. This indicates that altered levels of GABAAR α1 and GAD65 in adult mice do not directly contribute to the initial onset of absence seizures but are a later consequence of seizure activity.
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18
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Brewster AL. Mossy Cells and Epileptogenesis: From Synaptic Strengthening to Seizures. Epilepsy Curr 2023; 23:50-52. [PMID: 36923346 PMCID: PMC10009121 DOI: 10.1177/15357597221137210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Seizure-Induced Strengthening of a Recurrent Excitatory Circuit in the Dentate Gyrus Is Proconvulsant Nasrallah K, Frechou MA, Yoon YJ, Persaud S, Gonçalves JT, Castillo PE. Proc Natl Acad Sci. 2022;119(32):e2201151119. doi:10.1073/pnas.2201151119 Epilepsy is a devastating brain disorder for which effective treatments are very limited. There is growing interest in early intervention, which requires a better mechanistic understanding of the early stages of this disorder. While diverse brain insults can lead to epileptic activity, a common cellular mechanism relies on uncontrolled recurrent excitatory activity. In the dentate gyrus, excitatory mossy cells (MCs) project extensively onto granule cells (GCs) throughout the hippocampus, thus establishing a recurrent MC-GC-MC excitatory loop. MCs are implicated in temporal lobe epilepsy, a common form of epilepsy, but their role during initial seizures (i.e., before the characteristic MC loss that occurs in late stages) is unclear. Here, we show that initial seizures acutely induced with an intraperitoneal kainic acid (KA) injection in adult mice, a well-established model that leads to experimental epilepsy, not only increased MC and GC activity in vivo but also triggered a brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)-dependent long-term potentiation (LTP) at MC-GC excitatory synapses. Moreover, in vivo induction of MC-GC LTP using MC-selective optogenetic stimulation worsened KA-induced seizures. Conversely, Bdnf genetic removal from GCs, which abolishes LTP, and selective MC silencing were both anticonvulsant. Thus, initial seizures are associated with MC-GC synaptic strengthening, which may promote later epileptic activity. Our findings reveal a potential mechanism of epileptogenesis that may help in developing therapeutic strategies for early intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy L Brewster
- Department of Biological Sciences, Southern Methodist University
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19
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Bryson A, Petrou S. SCN1A channelopathies: Navigating from genotype to neural circuit dysfunction. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1173460. [PMID: 37139072 PMCID: PMC10149698 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1173460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The SCN1A gene is strongly associated with epilepsy and plays a central role for supporting cortical excitation-inhibition balance through the expression of NaV1.1 within inhibitory interneurons. The phenotype of SCN1A disorders has been conceptualized as driven primarily by impaired interneuron function that predisposes to disinhibition and cortical hyperexcitability. However, recent studies have identified SCN1A gain-of-function variants associated with epilepsy, and the presence of cellular and synaptic changes in mouse models that point toward homeostatic adaptations and complex network remodeling. These findings highlight the need to understand microcircuit-scale dysfunction in SCN1A disorders to contextualize genetic and cellular disease mechanisms. Targeting the restoration of microcircuit properties may be a fruitful strategy for the development of novel therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Bryson
- Ion Channels and Disease Group, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- *Correspondence: Alexander Bryson,
| | - Steven Petrou
- Ion Channels and Disease Group, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Praxis Precision Medicines, Inc., Cambridge, MA, United States
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20
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Sciaccaluga M, Ruffolo G, Palma E, Costa C. Traditional and Innovative Anti-seizure Medications Targeting Key Physiopathological Mechanisms: Focus on Neurodevelopment and Neurodegeneration. Curr Neuropharmacol 2023; 21:1736-1754. [PMID: 37143270 PMCID: PMC10514539 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x21666230504160948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the wide range of compounds currently available to treat epilepsy, there is still no drug that directly tackles the physiopathological mechanisms underlying its development. Indeed, antiseizure medications attempt to prevent seizures but are inefficacious in counteracting or rescuing the physiopathological phenomena that underlie their onset and recurrence, and hence do not cure epilepsy. Classically, the altered excitation/inhibition balance is postulated as the mechanism underlying epileptogenesis and seizure generation. This oversimplification, however, does not account for deficits in homeostatic plasticity resulting from either insufficient or excessive compensatory mechanisms in response to a change in network activity. In this respect, both neurodevelopmental epilepsies and those associated with neurodegeneration may share common underlying mechanisms that still need to be fully elucidated. The understanding of these molecular mechanisms shed light on the identification of new classes of drugs able not only to suppress seizures, but also to present potential antiepileptogenic effects or "disease-modifying" properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam Sciaccaluga
- Section of Neurology, S.M. della Misericordia Hospital, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Piazzale Gambuli 1, Perugia, 06129, Italy
| | - Gabriele Ruffolo
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Istituto Pasteur—Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, University of Rome, Sapienza, Rome, 00185, Italy
- IRCCS San Raffaele Roma, Rome, 00166, Italy
| | - Eleonora Palma
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Istituto Pasteur—Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, University of Rome, Sapienza, Rome, 00185, Italy
- IRCCS San Raffaele Roma, Rome, 00166, Italy
| | - Cinzia Costa
- Section of Neurology, S.M. della Misericordia Hospital, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Piazzale Gambuli 1, Perugia, 06129, Italy
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21
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Zhang M, Cheng Y, Zhai Y, Yuan Y, Hu H, Meng X, Fan X, Sun H, Li S. Attenuated iron stress and oxidative stress may participate in anti-seizure and neuroprotective roles of xenon in pentylenetetrazole-induced epileptogenesis. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:1007458. [DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.1007458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The previous studies have demonstrated the excellent neuroprotective effects of xenon. In this study, we verified the anti-seizure and neuroprotective roles of xenon in epileptogenesis and evaluated the involvement of oxidative stress and iron accumulation in the protective roles of xenon. Epileptogenesis was induced by pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) treatment in Sprague-Dawley rats. During epileptogenesis, we found increased levels of iron and oxidative stress accompanied by elevated levels of divalent metal transporter protein 1 and iron regulatory protein 1, which are closely associated with iron accumulation. Meanwhile, the levels of autophagy and mitophagy increased, alongside significant neuronal damage and cognitive deficits. Xenon treatment reversed these effects: oxidative stress and iron stress were reduced, neuronal injury and seizure severity were attenuated, and learning and memory deficits were improved. Thus, our results confirmed the neuroprotective and anti-seizure effects of xenon treatment in PTZ-induced epileptogenesis. The reduction in oxidative and iron stress may be the main mechanisms underlying xenon treatment. Thus, this study provides a potential intervention strategy for epileptogenesis.
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22
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Qiu Y, O’Neill N, Maffei B, Zourray C, Almacellas-Barbanoj A, Carpenter JC, Jones SP, Leite M, Turner TJ, Moreira FC, Snowball A, Shekh-Ahmad T, Magloire V, Barral S, Kurian MA, Walker MC, Schorge S, Kullmann DM, Lignani G. On-demand cell-autonomous gene therapy for brain circuit disorders. Science 2022; 378:523-532. [PMID: 36378958 PMCID: PMC7613996 DOI: 10.1126/science.abq6656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Several neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders are characterized by intermittent episodes of pathological activity. Although genetic therapies offer the ability to modulate neuronal excitability, a limiting factor is that they do not discriminate between neurons involved in circuit pathologies and "healthy" surrounding or intermingled neurons. We describe a gene therapy strategy that down-regulates the excitability of overactive neurons in closed loop, which we tested in models of epilepsy. We used an immediate early gene promoter to drive the expression of Kv1.1 potassium channels specifically in hyperactive neurons, and only for as long as they exhibit abnormal activity. Neuronal excitability was reduced by seizure-related activity, leading to a persistent antiepileptic effect without interfering with normal behaviors. Activity-dependent gene therapy is a promising on-demand cell-autonomous treatment for brain circuit disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yichen Qiu
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Nathanael O’Neill
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Benito Maffei
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Clara Zourray
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Developmental Neurosciences, Zayed Centre for Research Into Rare Disease in Children, GOS−Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Amanda Almacellas-Barbanoj
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Jenna C. Carpenter
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Steffan P. Jones
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Marco Leite
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Thomas J. Turner
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Francisco C. Moreira
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Albert Snowball
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Tawfeeq Shekh-Ahmad
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Vincent Magloire
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Serena Barral
- Department of Developmental Neurosciences, Zayed Centre for Research Into Rare Disease in Children, GOS−Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Manju A. Kurian
- Department of Developmental Neurosciences, Zayed Centre for Research Into Rare Disease in Children, GOS−Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Neurology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London, UK
| | - Matthew C. Walker
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Stephanie Schorge
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology University College London, London, UK
| | - Dimitri M. Kullmann
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Gabriele Lignani
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
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23
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Schiapparelli LM, Xie Y, Sharma P, McClatchy DB, Ma Y, Yates JR, Maximov A, Cline HT. Activity-Induced Cortical Glutamatergic Neuron Nascent Proteins. J Neurosci 2022; 42:7900-7920. [PMID: 36261270 PMCID: PMC9617616 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0707-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuronal activity initiates signaling cascades that culminate in diverse outcomes including structural and functional neuronal plasticity, and metabolic changes. While studies have revealed activity-dependent neuronal cell type-specific transcriptional changes, unbiased quantitative analysis of cell-specific activity-induced dynamics in newly synthesized proteins (NSPs) synthesis in vivo has been complicated by cellular heterogeneity and a relatively low abundance of NSPs within the proteome in the brain. Here we combined targeted expression of mutant MetRS (methionine tRNA synthetase) in genetically defined cortical glutamatergic neurons with tight temporal control of treatment with the noncanonical amino acid, azidonorleucine, to biotinylate NSPs within a short period after pharmacologically induced seizure in male and female mice. By purifying peptides tagged with heavy or light biotin-alkynes and using direct tandem mass spectrometry detection of biotinylated peptides, we quantified activity-induced changes in cortical glutamatergic neuron NSPs. Seizure triggered significant changes in ∼300 NSPs, 33% of which were decreased by seizure. Proteins mediating excitatory and inhibitory synaptic plasticity, including SynGAP1, Pak3, GEPH1, Copine-6, and collybistin, and DNA and chromatin remodeling proteins, including Rad21, Smarca2, and Ddb1, are differentially synthesized in response to activity. Proteins likely to play homeostatic roles in response to activity, such as regulators of proteastasis, intracellular ion control, and cytoskeleton remodeling proteins, are activity induced. Conversely, seizure decreased newly synthetized NCAM, among others, suggesting that seizure induced degradation. Overall, we identified quantitative changes in the activity-induced nascent proteome from genetically defined cortical glutamatergic neurons as a strategy to discover downstream mediators of neuronal plasticity and generate hypotheses regarding their function.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Activity-induced neuronal and synaptic plasticity are mediated by changes in the protein landscape, including changes in the activity-induced newly synthesized proteins; however, identifying neuronal cell type-specific nascent proteome dynamics in the intact brain has been technically challenging. We conducted an unbiased proteomic screen from which we identified significant activity-induced changes in ∼300 newly synthesized proteins in genetically defined cortical glutamatergic neurons within 20 h after pharmacologically induced seizure. Bioinformatic analysis of the dynamic nascent proteome indicates that the newly synthesized proteins play diverse roles in excitatory and inhibitory synaptic plasticity, chromatin remodeling, homeostatic mechanisms, and proteasomal and metabolic functions, extending our understanding of the diversity of plasticity mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucio M Schiapparelli
- Neuroscience Department and Dorris Neuroscience Center, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037
| | - Yi Xie
- Neuroscience Department and Dorris Neuroscience Center, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037
- Skaggs Graduate School, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037
| | - Pranav Sharma
- Neuroscience Department and Dorris Neuroscience Center, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037
- Xosomix, San Diego, California 92121
| | - Daniel B McClatchy
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037
| | - Yuanhui Ma
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037
| | - John R Yates
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037
| | - Anton Maximov
- Neuroscience Department and Dorris Neuroscience Center, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037
| | - Hollis T Cline
- Neuroscience Department and Dorris Neuroscience Center, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037
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Perez-Ternero C, Pallier PN, Tremoleda JL, Delogu A, Fernandes C, Michael-Titus AT, Hobbs AJ. C-type natriuretic peptide preserves central neurological function by maintaining blood-brain barrier integrity. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:991112. [PMID: 36267701 PMCID: PMC9577671 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.991112] [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: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) is highly expressed in the central nervous system (CNS) and key to neuronal development; however, a broader role for CNP in the CNS remains unclear. To address this deficit, we investigated behavioral, sensory and motor abnormalities and blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity in a unique mouse model with inducible, global deletion of CNP (gbCNP-/-). gbCNP-/- mice and wild-type littermates at 12 (young adult) and 65 (aged) weeks of age were investigated for changes in gait and motor coordination (CatWalk™ and rotarod tests), anxiety-like behavior (open field and elevated zero maze tests), and motor and sensory function (modified neurological severity score [mNSS] and primary SHIRPA screen). Vascular permeability was assessed in vivo (Miles assay) with complementary in vitro studies conducted in primary murine brain endothelial cells. Young adult gbCNP-/- mice had normal gait but reduced motor coordination, increased locomotor activity in the open field and elevated zero maze, and had a higher mNSS score. Aged gbCNP-/- animals developed recurrent spontaneous seizures and had impaired gait and wide-ranging motor and sensory dysfunction. Young adult and aged gbCNP-/- mice exhibited increased BBB permeability, which was partially restored in vitro by CNP administration. Cultured brain endothelial cells from gbCNP-/- mice had an abnormal ZO-1 protein distribution. These data suggest that lack of CNP in the CNS impairs tight junction protein arrangement and increases BBB permeability, which is associated with changes in locomotor activity, motor coordination and late-onset seizures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Perez-Ternero
- William Harvey Research Institute, Barts & The London School of Medicine & Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Patrick N. Pallier
- Centre for Neuroscience, Surgery and Trauma, Blizard Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jordi L. Tremoleda
- Centre for Neuroscience, Surgery and Trauma, Blizard Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alessio Delogu
- Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Cathy Fernandes
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Adina T. Michael-Titus
- Centre for Neuroscience, Surgery and Trauma, Blizard Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, United Kingdom
| | - Adrian J. Hobbs
- William Harvey Research Institute, Barts & The London School of Medicine & Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
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25
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Melo E, Fiel J, Milhomens R, Ribeiro T, Navegantes R, Gomes F, Duarte Gomes B, Pereira A. Dynamic coupling between the central and autonomic cardiac nervous systems in patients with refractory epilepsy: A pilot study. Front Neurol 2022; 13:904052. [PMID: 36034270 PMCID: PMC9400810 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.904052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The heart and brain are reciprocally interconnected and engage in two-way communication for homeostatic regulation. Epilepsy is considered a network disease that also affects the autonomic nervous system (ANS). The neurovisceral integration model (NVM) proposes that cardiac vagal tone, indexed by heart rate variability (HRV), can indicate the functional integrity of cognitive neural networks. ANS activity and the pattern of oscillatory EEG activity covary during the transition of arousal states and associations between cortical and autonomic activity are reflected by HRV. Cognitive dysfunction is one of the common comorbidities that occur in epilepsy, including memory, attention, and processing difficulties. Recent studies have shown evidence for the active involvement of alpha activity in cognitive processes through its active role in the control of neural excitability in the cortex through top-down modulation of cortical networks. In the present pilot study, we evaluated the association between resting EEG oscillatory behavior and ANS function in patients with refractory epilepsy. Our results show: (1) In patients with refractory epilepsy, there is a strong positive correlation between HRV and the power of cortical oscillatory cortical activity in all studied EEG bands (delta, theta, alpha, and beta) in all regions of interest in both hemispheres, the opposite pattern found in controls which had low or negative correlation between these variables; (2) higher heartbeat evoked potential amplitudes in patients with refractory epilepsy than in controls. Taken together, these results point to a significant alteration in heart-brain interaction in patients with refractory epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eline Melo
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - José Fiel
- Graduate Program in Electrical Engineering, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Milhomens
- Department of Electrical and Biomedical Engineering, Institute of Technology, Belém, Brazil
| | - Thaynara Ribeiro
- Department of Electrical and Biomedical Engineering, Institute of Technology, Belém, Brazil
| | - Raphael Navegantes
- Graduate Program in Electrical Engineering, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | | | - Bruno Duarte Gomes
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil.,Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Antonio Pereira
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil.,Graduate Program in Electrical Engineering, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil.,Department of Electrical and Biomedical Engineering, Institute of Technology, Belém, Brazil
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26
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Batista Tsukahara VH, de Oliveira Júnior JN, de Oliveira Barth VB, de Oliveira JC, Rosa Cota V, Maciel CD. Data-Driven Network Dynamical Model of Rat Brains During Acute Ictogenesis. Front Neural Circuits 2022; 16:747910. [PMID: 36034337 PMCID: PMC9399918 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2022.747910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders worldwide. Recent findings suggest that the brain is a complex system composed of a network of neurons, and seizure is considered an emergent property resulting from its interactions. Based on this perspective, network physiology has emerged as a promising approach to explore how brain areas coordinate, synchronize and integrate their dynamics, both under perfect health and critical illness conditions. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to present an application of (Dynamic) Bayesian Networks (DBN) to model Local Field Potentials (LFP) data on rats induced to epileptic seizures based on the number of arcs found using threshold analytics. Results showed that DBN analysis captured the dynamic nature of brain connectivity across ictogenesis and a significant correlation with neurobiology derived from pioneering studies employing techniques of pharmacological manipulation, lesion, and modern optogenetics. The arcs evaluated under the proposed approach achieved consistent results based on previous literature, in addition to demonstrating robustness regarding functional connectivity analysis. Moreover, it provided fascinating and novel insights, such as discontinuity between forelimb clonus and generalized tonic-clonic seizure (GTCS) dynamics. Thus, DBN coupled with threshold analytics may be an excellent tool for investigating brain circuitry and their dynamical interplay, both in homeostasis and dysfunction conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Hugo Batista Tsukahara
- Signal Processing Laboratory, School of Engineering of São Carlos, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of São Paulo, São Carlos, Brazil
| | - Jordão Natal de Oliveira Júnior
- Signal Processing Laboratory, School of Engineering of São Carlos, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of São Paulo, São Carlos, Brazil
| | - Vitor Bruno de Oliveira Barth
- Signal Processing Laboratory, School of Engineering of São Carlos, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of São Paulo, São Carlos, Brazil
| | - Jasiara Carla de Oliveira
- Laboratory of Neuroengineering and Neuroscience, Department of Electrical Engineering, Federal University of São João Del-Rei, São João Del Rei, Brazil
| | - Vinicius Rosa Cota
- Laboratory of Neuroengineering and Neuroscience, Department of Electrical Engineering, Federal University of São João Del-Rei, São João Del Rei, Brazil
| | - Carlos Dias Maciel
- Signal Processing Laboratory, School of Engineering of São Carlos, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of São Paulo, São Carlos, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Carlos Dias Maciel
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27
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Dubes S, Soula A, Benquet S, Tessier B, Poujol C, Favereaux A, Thoumine O, Letellier M. miR
‐124‐dependent tagging of synapses by synaptopodin enables input‐specific homeostatic plasticity. EMBO J 2022; 41:e109012. [PMID: 35875872 PMCID: PMC9574720 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2021109012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 06/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Homeostatic synaptic plasticity is a process by which neurons adjust their synaptic strength to compensate for perturbations in neuronal activity. Whether the highly diverse synapses on a neuron respond uniformly to the same perturbation remains unclear. Moreover, the molecular determinants that underlie synapse‐specific homeostatic synaptic plasticity are unknown. Here, we report a synaptic tagging mechanism in which the ability of individual synapses to increase their strength in response to activity deprivation depends on the local expression of the spine‐apparatus protein synaptopodin under the regulation of miR‐124. Using genetic manipulations to alter synaptopodin expression or regulation by miR‐124, we show that synaptopodin behaves as a “postsynaptic tag” whose translation is derepressed in a subpopulation of synapses and allows for nonuniform homeostatic strengthening and synaptic AMPA receptor stabilization. By genetically silencing individual connections in pairs of neurons, we demonstrate that this process operates in an input‐specific manner. Overall, our study shifts the current view that homeostatic synaptic plasticity affects all synapses uniformly to a more complex paradigm where the ability of individual synapses to undergo homeostatic changes depends on their own functional and biochemical state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Dubes
- University of Bordeaux CNRS Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience UMR 5297 Bordeaux France
| | - Anaïs Soula
- University of Bordeaux CNRS Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience UMR 5297 Bordeaux France
| | - Sébastien Benquet
- University of Bordeaux CNRS Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience UMR 5297 Bordeaux France
| | - Béatrice Tessier
- University of Bordeaux CNRS Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience UMR 5297 Bordeaux France
| | - Christel Poujol
- University of Bordeaux CNRS INSERM Bordeaux Imaging Center BIC UMS 3420, US 4 Bordeaux France
| | - Alexandre Favereaux
- University of Bordeaux CNRS Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience UMR 5297 Bordeaux France
| | - Olivier Thoumine
- University of Bordeaux CNRS Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience UMR 5297 Bordeaux France
| | - Mathieu Letellier
- University of Bordeaux CNRS Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience UMR 5297 Bordeaux France
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28
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Morris G, Schorge S. Gene Therapy for Neurological Disease: State of the Art and Opportunities for Next-generation Approaches. Neuroscience 2022; 490:309-314. [PMID: 35304290 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Gene therapy for rare monogenetic neurological disorders is reaching clinics and offering hope to families affected by these diseases. There is also potential for gene therapy to offer new and effective treatments for common, non-genetic disorders. Treatments for Parkinson's Disease are in clinical trials, and treatments for refractory epilepsies are due to enter first-in-human clinical trials in 2022. Gene therapies for these disorders are based on delivering genes that address the mechanism of the disease, not repairing a mutated gene. Similar 'mechanistic' gene therapies could offer treatments to a wide range of neurological and neuropsychiatric diseases where there is a known mechanism that could be restored using gene therapy. However, the permanent nature of most gene therapies is a serious drawback for translation of gene therapies to a wide-range of diseases because it could present risk of irreversible adverse effects. Several lines of research are aimed at developing gene therapy approaches that allow for the treatment to be turned on and off, including: using proteins activated by exogenous ligands, and promoters turned on by activators. We review these approaches and propose an overall de-risking strategy for gene therapy for common neurological and psychiatric diseases. This approach is based on using a temporary mRNA-based treatment to initially assess efficacy and safety of the planned manipulation, and only following with permanent, virally-delivered treatment if the approach appears safe and effective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gareth Morris
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Stephanie Schorge
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
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29
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Müller JA, Betzin J, Santos-Tejedor J, Mayer A, Oprişoreanu AM, Engholm-Keller K, Paulußen I, Gulakova P, McGovern TD, Gschossman LJ, Schönhense E, Wark JR, Lamprecht A, Becker AJ, Waardenberg AJ, Graham ME, Dietrich D, Schoch S. A presynaptic phosphosignaling hub for lasting homeostatic plasticity. Cell Rep 2022; 39:110696. [PMID: 35443170 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Stable function of networks requires that synapses adapt their strength to levels of neuronal activity, and failure to do so results in cognitive disorders. How such homeostatic regulation may be implemented in mammalian synapses remains poorly understood. Here we show that the phosphorylation status of several positions of the active-zone (AZ) protein RIM1 are relevant for synaptic glutamate release. Position RIMS1045 is necessary and sufficient for expression of silencing-induced homeostatic plasticity and is kept phosphorylated by serine arginine protein kinase 2 (SRPK2). SRPK2-induced upscaling of synaptic release leads to additional RIM1 nanoclusters and docked vesicles at the AZ and is not observed in the absence of RIM1 and occluded by RIMS1045E. Our data suggest that SRPK2 and RIM1 represent a presynaptic phosphosignaling hub that is involved in the homeostatic balance of synaptic coupling of neuronal networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Alexander Müller
- Section for Translational Epilepsy Research, Department of Neuropathology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany; Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Julia Betzin
- Section for Translational Epilepsy Research, Department of Neuropathology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Jorge Santos-Tejedor
- Section for Translational Epilepsy Research, Department of Neuropathology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Annika Mayer
- Section for Translational Epilepsy Research, Department of Neuropathology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Ana-Maria Oprişoreanu
- Section for Translational Epilepsy Research, Department of Neuropathology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Kasper Engholm-Keller
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark; Synapse Proteomics, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Polina Gulakova
- Section for Translational Epilepsy Research, Department of Neuropathology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany; Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | | | - Lena Johanna Gschossman
- Section for Translational Epilepsy Research, Department of Neuropathology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany; Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Eva Schönhense
- Section for Translational Epilepsy Research, Department of Neuropathology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Jesse R Wark
- Synapse Proteomics, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia
| | - Alf Lamprecht
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Bonn University, Bonn, Germany
| | - Albert J Becker
- Section for Translational Epilepsy Research, Department of Neuropathology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Ashley J Waardenberg
- Australian Institute for Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Smithfield, QLD 4878, Australia; i-Synapse, Cairns, QLD, Australia
| | - Mark E Graham
- Synapse Proteomics, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia
| | - Dirk Dietrich
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
| | - Susanne Schoch
- Section for Translational Epilepsy Research, Department of Neuropathology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
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30
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Mueller JS, Tescarollo FC, Sun H. DREADDs in Epilepsy Research: Network-Based Review. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:863003. [PMID: 35465094 PMCID: PMC9021489 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.863003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Epilepsy can be interpreted as altered brain rhythms from overexcitation or insufficient inhibition. Chemogenetic tools have revolutionized neuroscience research because they allow “on demand” excitation or inhibition of neurons with high cellular specificity. Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADDs) are the most frequently used chemogenetic techniques in epilepsy research. These engineered muscarinic receptors allow researchers to excite or inhibit targeted neurons with exogenous ligands. As a result, DREADDs have been applied to investigate the underlying cellular and network mechanisms of epilepsy. Here, we review the existing literature that has applied DREADDs to understand the pathophysiology of epilepsy. The aim of this review is to provide a general introduction to DREADDs with a focus on summarizing the current main findings in experimental epilepsy research using these techniques. Furthermore, we explore how DREADDs may be applied therapeutically as highly innovative treatments for epilepsy.
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31
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Brewster AL. A REST paradox: Does it control or enhance neural activity? Epilepsy Curr 2022; 22:196-197. [DOI: 10.1177/15357597221081582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
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32
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Juanico DEO. Neuronal Population Transitions Across a Quiescent-to-Active Frontier and Bifurcation. Front Physiol 2022; 13:840546. [PMID: 35222095 PMCID: PMC8867020 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.840546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The mechanistic understanding of why neuronal population activity hovers on criticality remains unresolved despite the availability of experimental results. Without a coherent mathematical framework, the presence of power-law scaling is not straightforward to reconcile with findings implying epileptiform activity. Although multiple pictures have been proposed to relate the power-law scaling of avalanche statistics to phase transitions, the existence of a phase boundary in parameter space is until now an assumption. Herein, a framework based on differential inclusions, which departs from approaches constructed from differential equations, is shown to offer an adequate consolidation of evidences apparently connected to criticality and those linked to hyperexcitability. Through this framework, the phase boundary is elucidated in a parameter space spanned by variables representing levels of excitation and inhibition in a neuronal network. The interpretation of neuronal populations based on this approach offers insights on the role of pharmacological and endocrinal signaling in the homeostatic regulation of neuronal population activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Drandreb Earl O. Juanico
- DataSc/ense TechnoCoRe, Technological Institute of the Philippines, Quezon City, Philippines
- NICER Program, Center for Advanced Batteries, Quezon City, Philippines
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33
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Prestigio C, Ferrante D, Marte A, Romei A, Lignani G, Onofri F, Valente P, Benfenati F, Baldelli P. REST/NRSF drives homeostatic plasticity of inhibitory synapses in a target-dependent fashion. eLife 2021; 10:e69058. [PMID: 34855580 PMCID: PMC8639147 DOI: 10.7554/elife.69058] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The repressor-element 1-silencing transcription/neuron-restrictive silencer factor (REST/NRSF) controls hundreds of neuron-specific genes. We showed that REST/NRSF downregulates glutamatergic transmission in response to hyperactivity, thus contributing to neuronal homeostasis. However, whether GABAergic transmission is also implicated in the homeostatic action of REST/NRSF is unknown. Here, we show that hyperactivity-induced REST/NRSF activation, triggers a homeostatic rearrangement of GABAergic inhibition, with increased frequency of miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) and amplitude of evoked IPSCs in mouse cultured hippocampal neurons. Notably, this effect is limited to inhibitory-onto-excitatory neuron synapses, whose density increases at somatic level and decreases in dendritic regions, demonstrating a complex target- and area-selectivity. The upscaling of perisomatic inhibition was occluded by TrkB receptor inhibition and resulted from a coordinated and sequential activation of the Npas4 and Bdnf gene programs. On the opposite, the downscaling of dendritic inhibition was REST-dependent, but BDNF-independent. The findings highlight the central role of REST/NRSF in the complex transcriptional responses aimed at rescuing physiological levels of network activity in front of the ever-changing environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cosimo Prestigio
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of GenovaGenovaItaly
- Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Istituto Italiano di TecnologiaGenovaItaly
| | - Daniele Ferrante
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of GenovaGenovaItaly
- Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Istituto Italiano di TecnologiaGenovaItaly
| | - Antonella Marte
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of GenovaGenovaItaly
| | - Alessandra Romei
- Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Istituto Italiano di TecnologiaGenovaItaly
| | - Gabriele Lignani
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square HouseLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Franco Onofri
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of GenovaGenovaItaly
- IRCCS, Ospedale Policlinico San MartinoGenovaItaly
| | - Pierluigi Valente
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of GenovaGenovaItaly
- IRCCS, Ospedale Policlinico San MartinoGenovaItaly
| | - Fabio Benfenati
- Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Istituto Italiano di TecnologiaGenovaItaly
- IRCCS, Ospedale Policlinico San MartinoGenovaItaly
| | - Pietro Baldelli
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of GenovaGenovaItaly
- IRCCS, Ospedale Policlinico San MartinoGenovaItaly
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34
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Conroy LR, Hawkinson TR, Young LEA, Gentry MS, Sun RC. Emerging roles of N-linked glycosylation in brain physiology and disorders. Trends Endocrinol Metab 2021; 32:980-993. [PMID: 34756776 PMCID: PMC8589112 DOI: 10.1016/j.tem.2021.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
N-linked glycosylation is a complex, co- and post-translational series of events that connects metabolism to signaling in almost all cells. Metabolic assembly of N-linked glycans spans multiple cellular compartments, and early N-linked glycan biosynthesis is a central mediator of protein folding and the unfolded protein response (UPR). In the brain, N-linked glycosylated proteins participate in a myriad of processes, from electrical gradients to neurotransmission. However, it is less clear how perturbations in N-linked glycosylation impact and even potentially drive aspects of neurological disorders. In this review, we discuss our current understanding of the metabolic origins of N-linked glycans in the brain, their role in modulating neuronal function, and how aberrant N-linked glycosylation can drive neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey R Conroy
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40508-0536, USA; Markey Cancer Center, Lexington, KY 40508-0536, USA
| | - Tara R Hawkinson
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40508-0536, USA
| | - Lyndsay E A Young
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40508-0536, USA
| | - Matthew S Gentry
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40508-0536, USA
| | - Ramon C Sun
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40508-0536, USA; Markey Cancer Center, Lexington, KY 40508-0536, USA; Sanders Brown Center for Aging, Lexington, KY 40508-0536, USA.
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35
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Cluster Headache Pathophysiology—A Disorder of Network Excitability? CLINICAL AND TRANSLATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/ctn5020016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Patients’ accounts of cluster headache attacks, ictal restlessness, and electrophysiological studies suggest that the pathophysiology involves Aδ-fibre nociceptors and the network processing their input. Continuous activity of the trigeminal autonomic reflex throughout the in-bout period results in central sensitization of these networks in many patients. It is likely that several factors force circadian rhythmicity upon the disease. In addition to sensitization, circadian changes in pain perception and autonomic innervation might influence the excitability of the trigeminal cervical complex. Summation of several factors influencing pain perception might render neurons vulnerable to spontaneous depolarization, particularly at the beginning of rapid drops of the pain threshold (“summation headache”). In light of studies suggesting an impairment of short-term synaptic plasticity in CH patients, we suggest that the physiologic basis of CH attacks might be network overactivity—similarly to epileptic seizures. Case reports documenting cluster-like attacks support the idea of distinct factors being transiently able to induce attacks and being relevant in the pathophysiology of the disorder. A sustained and recurring proneness to attacks likely requires changes in the activity of other structures among which the hypothalamus is the most probable candidate.
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36
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Henley JM, Nair JD, Seager R, Yucel BP, Woodhall G, Henley BS, Talandyte K, Needs HI, Wilkinson KA. Kainate and AMPA receptors in epilepsy: Cell biology, signalling pathways and possible crosstalk. Neuropharmacology 2021; 195:108569. [PMID: 33915142 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Revised: 03/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Epilepsy is caused when rhythmic neuronal network activity escapes normal control mechanisms, resulting in seizures. There is an extensive and growing body of evidence that the onset and maintenance of epilepsy involves alterations in the trafficking, synaptic surface expression and signalling of kainate and AMPA receptors (KARs and AMPARs). The KAR subunit GluK2 and AMPAR subunit GluA2 are key determinants of the properties of their respective assembled receptors. Both subunits are subject to extensive protein interactions, RNA editing and post-translational modifications. In this review we focus on the cell biology of GluK2-containing KARs and GluA2-containing AMPARs and outline how their regulation and dysregulation is implicated in, and affected by, seizure activity. Further, we discuss role of KARs in regulating AMPAR surface expression and plasticity, and the relevance of this to epilepsy. This article is part of the special issue on 'Glutamate Receptors - Kainate receptors'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy M Henley
- School of Biochemistry, Centre for Synaptic Plasticity, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK; Centre for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia.
| | - Jithin D Nair
- School of Biochemistry, Centre for Synaptic Plasticity, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Richard Seager
- School of Biochemistry, Centre for Synaptic Plasticity, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Busra P Yucel
- School of Biochemistry, Centre for Synaptic Plasticity, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Gavin Woodhall
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Aston Triangle, Birmingham, B4 7ET, UK
| | - Benjamin S Henley
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, The Medical School, Newcastle University, Framlington Place, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Karolina Talandyte
- School of Biochemistry, Centre for Synaptic Plasticity, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Hope I Needs
- School of Biochemistry, Centre for Synaptic Plasticity, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Kevin A Wilkinson
- School of Biochemistry, Centre for Synaptic Plasticity, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK.
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37
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Karapinar R, Schwitalla JC, Eickelbeck D, Pakusch J, Mücher B, Grömmke M, Surdin T, Knöpfel T, Mark MD, Siveke I, Herlitze S. Reverse optogenetics of G protein signaling by zebrafish non-visual opsin Opn7b for synchronization of neuronal networks. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4488. [PMID: 34301944 PMCID: PMC8302595 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24718-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Opn7b is a non-visual G protein-coupled receptor expressed in zebrafish. Here we find that Opn7b expressed in HEK cells constitutively activates the Gi/o pathway and illumination with blue/green light inactivates G protein-coupled inwardly rectifying potassium channels. This suggests that light acts as an inverse agonist for Opn7b and can be used as an optogenetic tool to inhibit neuronal networks in the dark and interrupt constitutive inhibition in the light. Consistent with this prediction, illumination of recombinant expressed Opn7b in cortical pyramidal cells results in increased neuronal activity. In awake mice, light stimulation of Opn7b expressed in pyramidal cells of somatosensory cortex reliably induces generalized epileptiform activity within a short (<10 s) delay after onset of stimulation. Our study demonstrates a reversed mechanism for G protein-coupled receptor control and Opn7b as a tool for controlling neural circuit properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raziye Karapinar
- Department of Zoology and Neurobiology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- Laboratory of Optogenetics and Circuit Neuroscience, Imperial College London, London, UK
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | | | - Dennis Eickelbeck
- Department of Zoology and Neurobiology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- Laboratory of Optogenetics and Circuit Neuroscience, Imperial College London, London, UK
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Johanna Pakusch
- Behavioral Neuroscience, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Brix Mücher
- Department of Zoology and Neurobiology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Michelle Grömmke
- Behavioral Neuroscience, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Tatjana Surdin
- Department of Zoology and Neurobiology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Thomas Knöpfel
- Laboratory of Optogenetics and Circuit Neuroscience, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Melanie D Mark
- Behavioral Neuroscience, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
| | - Ida Siveke
- Department of Zoology and Neurobiology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK/DKFZ), West German Cancer Center, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Stefan Herlitze
- Department of Zoology and Neurobiology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
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38
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Carpenter JC, Lignani G. Gene Editing and Modulation: the Holy Grail for the Genetic Epilepsies? Neurotherapeutics 2021; 18:1515-1523. [PMID: 34235638 PMCID: PMC8608979 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-021-01081-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Epilepsy is a complex neurological disorder for which there are a large number of monogenic subtypes. Monogenic epilepsies are often severe and disabling, featuring drug-resistant seizures and significant developmental comorbidities. These disorders are potentially amenable to a precision medicine approach, of which genome editing using CRISPR/Cas represents the holy grail. Here we consider mutations in some of the most 'common' rare epilepsy genes and discuss the different CRISPR/Cas approaches that could be taken to cure these disorders. We consider scenarios where CRISPR-mediated gene modulation could serve as an effective therapeutic strategy and discuss whether a single gene corrective approach could hold therapeutic potential in the context of homeostatic compensation in the developing, highly dynamic brain. Despite an incomplete understanding of the mechanisms of the genetic epilepsies and current limitations of gene editing tools, CRISPR-mediated approaches have game-changing potential in the treatment of genetic epilepsy over the next decade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna C Carpenter
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square House, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Gabriele Lignani
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square House, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.
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39
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Vannini E, Restani L, Dilillo M, McDonnell LA, Caleo M, Marra V. Synaptic Vesicles Dynamics in Neocortical Epilepsy. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:606142. [PMID: 33362472 PMCID: PMC7758433 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.606142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuronal hyperexcitability often results from an unbalance between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission, but the synaptic alterations leading to enhanced seizure propensity are only partly understood. Taking advantage of a mouse model of neocortical epilepsy, we used a combination of photoconversion and electron microscopy to assess changes in synaptic vesicles pools in vivo. Our analyses reveal that epileptic networks show an early onset lengthening of active zones at inhibitory synapses, together with a delayed spatial reorganization of recycled vesicles at excitatory synapses. Proteomics of synaptic content indicate that specific proteins were increased in epileptic mice. Altogether, our data reveal a complex landscape of nanoscale changes affecting the epileptic synaptic release machinery. In particular, our findings show that an altered positioning of release-competent vesicles represent a novel signature of epileptic networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora Vannini
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council (CNR), Pisa, Italy.,Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom.,Fondazione Umberto Veronesi, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Restani
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council (CNR), Pisa, Italy
| | | | | | - Matteo Caleo
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council (CNR), Pisa, Italy.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Marra
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
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