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Silva NT, Ramírez-Buriticá J, Pritchett DL, Carey MR. Climbing fibers provide essential instructive signals for associative learning. Nat Neurosci 2024; 27:940-951. [PMID: 38565684 PMCID: PMC11088996 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-024-01594-7] [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: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Supervised learning depends on instructive signals that shape the output of neural circuits to support learned changes in behavior. Climbing fiber (CF) inputs to the cerebellar cortex represent one of the strongest candidates in the vertebrate brain for conveying neural instructive signals. However, recent studies have shown that Purkinje cell stimulation can also drive cerebellar learning and the relative importance of these two neuron types in providing instructive signals for cerebellum-dependent behaviors remains unresolved. In the present study we used cell-type-specific perturbations of various cerebellar circuit elements to systematically evaluate their contributions to delay eyeblink conditioning in mice. Our findings reveal that, although optogenetic stimulation of either CFs or Purkinje cells can drive learning under some conditions, even subtle reductions in CF signaling completely block learning to natural stimuli. We conclude that CFs and corresponding Purkinje cell complex spike events provide essential instructive signals for associative cerebellar learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Tatiana Silva
- Neuroscience Program, Champalimaud Center for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
| | | | - Dominique L Pritchett
- Neuroscience Program, Champalimaud Center for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal.
- Biology Department, Howard University, Washington, DC, USA.
| | - Megan R Carey
- Neuroscience Program, Champalimaud Center for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal.
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2
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Altahini S, Arnoux I, Stroh A. Optogenetics 2.0: challenges and solutions towards a quantitative probing of neural circuits. Biol Chem 2024; 405:43-54. [PMID: 37650383 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2023-0194] [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: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
To exploit the full potential of optogenetics, we need to titrate and tailor optogenetic methods to emulate naturalistic circuit function. For that, the following prerequisites need to be met: first, we need to target opsin expression not only to genetically defined neurons per se, but to specifically target a functional node. Second, we need to assess the scope of optogenetic modulation, i.e. the fraction of optogenetically modulated neurons. Third, we need to integrate optogenetic control in a closed loop setting. Fourth, we need to further safe and stable gene expression and light delivery to bring optogenetics to the clinics. Here, we review these concepts for the human and rodent brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saleh Altahini
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, D-55122 Mainz, Germany
| | - Isabelle Arnoux
- Cerebral Physiopathology Laboratory, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, College de France, Centre national de la recherche scientifique, Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale, Université PSL, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Albrecht Stroh
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, D-55122 Mainz, Germany
- Institute of Pathophysiology, University Medical Center Mainz, D-55128 Mainz, Germany
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3
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Piette C, Gervasi N, Venance L. Synaptic plasticity through a naturalistic lens. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2023; 15:1250753. [PMID: 38145207 PMCID: PMC10744866 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2023.1250753] [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: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
From the myriad of studies on neuronal plasticity, investigating its underlying molecular mechanisms up to its behavioral relevance, a very complex landscape has emerged. Recent efforts have been achieved toward more naturalistic investigations as an attempt to better capture the synaptic plasticity underpinning of learning and memory, which has been fostered by the development of in vivo electrophysiological and imaging tools. In this review, we examine these naturalistic investigations, by devoting a first part to synaptic plasticity rules issued from naturalistic in vivo-like activity patterns. We next give an overview of the novel tools, which enable an increased spatio-temporal specificity for detecting and manipulating plasticity expressed at individual spines up to neuronal circuit level during behavior. Finally, we put particular emphasis on works considering brain-body communication loops and macroscale contributors to synaptic plasticity, such as body internal states and brain energy metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Piette
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), College de France, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | | | - Laurent Venance
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), College de France, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France
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4
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Wang S, Kfoury C, Marion A, Lévesque M, Avoli M. Modulation of in vitro epileptiform activity by optogenetic stimulation of parvalbumin-positive interneurons. J Neurophysiol 2022; 128:837-846. [PMID: 36043700 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00192.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
GABAA signaling is surprisingly involved in the initiation of epileptiform activity since increased interneuron firing, presumably leading to excessive GABA release, often precedes ictal discharges. Field potential theta (4-12 Hz) oscillations, which are thought to mirror the synchronization of interneuron networks, also lead to ictogenesis. However, the exact role of parvalbumin-positive (PV) interneurons in generating theta oscillations linked to epileptiform discharges remains unexplored. We analyzed here the field responses recorded in the CA3, entorhinal cortex (EC) and dentate gyrus (DG) during 8 Hz optogenetic stimulation of PV-positive interneurons in brain slices obtained from PV-ChR2 mice during 4-aminopyridine (4AP) application. This optogenetic protocol triggered similar field oscillations in both control conditions and during 4AP application. However, in the presence of 4AP, optogenetic stimuli also induced: (i) interictal discharges that were associated in all regions with 8 Hz field oscillations; and (ii) low-voltage fast onset ictal discharges. Interictal and ictal events occurred more frequently during optogenetic activation than during periods of no stimulation. 4AP also increased synchronicity during PV-interneuron activation in all three regions. In opsin-negative mice, optogenetic stimulation did not change the rate of both types of epileptiform activity. Our findings suggest that PV-interneuron recruitment at theta (8 Hz) frequency contributes to epileptiform synchronization in limbic structures in the in vitro 4AP model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyan Wang
- Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital and Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Cristen Kfoury
- Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital and Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Alexis Marion
- Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital and Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Maxime Lévesque
- Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital and Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Massimo Avoli
- Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital and Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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5
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Abstract
Optogenetic actuators enable highly precise spatiotemporal interrogation of biological processes at levels ranging from the subcellular to cells, circuits and behaving organisms. Although their application in neuroscience has traditionally focused on the control of spiking activity at the somatodendritic level, the scope of optogenetic modulators for direct manipulation of presynaptic functions is growing. Presynaptically localized opsins combined with light stimulation at the terminals allow light-mediated neurotransmitter release, presynaptic inhibition, induction of synaptic plasticity and specific manipulation of individual components of the presynaptic machinery. Here, we describe presynaptic applications of optogenetic tools in the context of the unique cell biology of axonal terminals, discuss their potential shortcomings and outline future directions for this rapidly developing research area.
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6
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Papaioannou S, Medini P. Advantages, Pitfalls, and Developments of All Optical Interrogation Strategies of Microcircuits in vivo. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:859803. [PMID: 35837124 PMCID: PMC9274136 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.859803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The holy grail for every neurophysiologist is to conclude a causal relationship between an elementary behaviour and the function of a specific brain area or circuit. Our effort to map elementary behaviours to specific brain loci and to further manipulate neural activity while observing the alterations in behaviour is in essence the goal for neuroscientists. Recent advancements in the area of experimental brain imaging in the form of longer wavelength near infrared (NIR) pulsed lasers with the development of highly efficient optogenetic actuators and reporters of neural activity, has endowed us with unprecedented resolution in spatiotemporal precision both in imaging neural activity as well as manipulating it with multiphoton microscopy. This readily available toolbox has introduced a so called all-optical physiology and interrogation of circuits and has opened new horizons when it comes to precisely, fast and non-invasively map and manipulate anatomically, molecularly or functionally identified mesoscopic brain circuits. The purpose of this review is to describe the advantages and possible pitfalls of all-optical approaches in system neuroscience, where by all-optical we mean use of multiphoton microscopy to image the functional response of neuron(s) in the network so to attain flexible choice of the cells to be also optogenetically photostimulated by holography, in absence of electrophysiology. Spatio-temporal constraints will be compared toward the classical reference of electrophysiology methods. When appropriate, in relation to current limitations of current optical approaches, we will make reference to latest works aimed to overcome these limitations, in order to highlight the most recent developments. We will also provide examples of types of experiments uniquely approachable all-optically. Finally, although mechanically non-invasive, all-optical electrophysiology exhibits potential off-target effects which can ambiguate and complicate the interpretation of the results. In summary, this review is an effort to exemplify how an all-optical experiment can be designed, conducted and interpreted from the point of view of the integrative neurophysiologist.
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7
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Gilhooley MJ, Lindner M, Palumaa T, Hughes S, Peirson SN, Hankins MW. A systematic comparison of optogenetic approaches to visual restoration. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2022; 25:111-123. [PMID: 35402632 PMCID: PMC8956963 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2022.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
During inherited retinal degenerations (IRDs), vision is lost due to photoreceptor cell death; however, a range of optogenetic tools have been shown to restore light responses in animal models. Restored response characteristics vary between tools and the neuronal cell population to which they are delivered: the interplay between these is complex, but targeting upstream neurons (such as retinal bipolar cells) may provide functional benefit by retaining intraretinal signal processing. In this study, our aim was to compare two optogenetic tools: mammalian melanopsin (hOPN4) and microbial red-shifted channelrhodopsin (ReaChR) expressed within two subpopulations of surviving cells in a degenerate retina. Intravitreal adeno-associated viral vectors and mouse models utilising the Cre/lox system restricted expression to populations dominated by bipolar cells or retinal ganglion cells and was compared with non-targeted delivery using the chicken beta actin (CBA) promoter. In summary, we found bipolar-targeted optogenetic tools produced faster kinetics and flatter intensity-response relationships compared with non-targeted or retinal-ganglion-cell-targeted hOPN4. Hence, optogenetic tools of both mammalian and microbial origins show advantages when targeted to bipolar cells. This demonstrates the advantage of bipolar-cell-targeted optogenetics for vision restoration in IRDs. We therefore developed a bipolar-cell-specific gene delivery system employing a compressed promoter with the potential for clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J. Gilhooley
- Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
- Jules Thorne SCNi, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
- The Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, 11-43 Bath Street, London EC1V 9EL, UK
- Moorfields Eye Hospital, 162, City Road, London EC1V 2PD, UK
| | - Moritz Lindner
- Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
- Jules Thorne SCNi, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
- Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Department of Neurophysiology, Philipps University, Deutschhausstrasse 1-2, Marburg 35037, Germany
| | - Teele Palumaa
- Jules Thorne SCNi, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
- East Tallinn Central Hospital Eye Clinic, Ravi 18, 10138 Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Steven Hughes
- Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
- Jules Thorne SCNi, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Stuart N. Peirson
- Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
- Jules Thorne SCNi, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Mark W. Hankins
- Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
- Jules Thorne SCNi, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
- Corresponding author Mark W. Hankins, Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK.
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8
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Dorgans K, Guo D, Kurima K, Wickens J, Uusisaari MY. Designing AAV Vectors for Monitoring the Subtle Calcium Fluctuations of Inferior Olive Network in vivo. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:825056. [PMID: 35573836 PMCID: PMC9093741 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.825056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors, used as vehicles for gene transfer into the brain, are a versatile and powerful tool of modern neuroscience that allow identifying specific neuronal populations, monitoring and modulating their activity. For consistent and reproducible results, the AAV vectors must be engineered so that they reliably and accurately target cell populations. Furthermore, transgene expression must be adjusted to sufficient and safe levels compatible with the physiology of studied cells. We undertook the effort to identify and validate an AAV vector that could be utilized for researching the inferior olivary (IO) nucleus, a structure gating critical timing-related signals to the cerebellum. By means of systematic construct generation and quantitative expression profiling, we succeeded in creating a viral tool for specific and strong transfection of the IO neurons without adverse effects on their physiology. The potential of these tools is demonstrated by expressing the calcium sensor GCaMP6s in adult mouse IO neurons. We could monitor subtle calcium fluctuations underlying two signatures of intrinsic IO activity: the subthreshold oscillations (STOs) and the variable-duration action potential waveforms both in-vitro and in-vivo. Further, we show that the expression levels of GCaMP6s allowing such recordings are compatible with the delicate calcium-based dynamics of IO neurons, inviting future work into the network dynamics of the olivo-cerebellar system in behaving animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Dorgans
- Neuronal Rhythms in Movement Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Da Guo
- Neuronal Rhythms in Movement Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Kiyoto Kurima
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Jeff Wickens
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Marylka Yoe Uusisaari
- Neuronal Rhythms in Movement Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa, Japan
- *Correspondence: Marylka Yoe Uusisaari
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9
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Jeschke M, Ohl FW, Wang X. Effects of Cortical Cooling on Sound Processing in Auditory Cortex and Thalamus of Awake Marmosets. Front Neural Circuits 2022; 15:786740. [PMID: 35069125 PMCID: PMC8766342 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.786740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The auditory thalamus is the central nexus of bottom-up connections from the inferior colliculus and top-down connections from auditory cortical areas. While considerable efforts have been made to investigate feedforward processing of sounds in the auditory thalamus (medial geniculate body, MGB) of non-human primates, little is known about the role of corticofugal feedback in the MGB of awake non-human primates. Therefore, we developed a small, repositionable cooling probe to manipulate corticofugal feedback and studied neural responses in both auditory cortex and thalamus to sounds under conditions of normal and reduced cortical temperature. Cooling-induced increases in the width of extracellularly recorded spikes in auditory cortex were observed over the distance of several hundred micrometers away from the cooling probe. Cortical neurons displayed reduction in both spontaneous and stimulus driven firing rates with decreased cortical temperatures. In thalamus, cortical cooling led to increased spontaneous firing and either increased or decreased stimulus driven activity. Furthermore, response tuning to modulation frequencies of temporally modulated sounds and spatial tuning to sound source location could be altered (increased or decreased) by cortical cooling. Specifically, best modulation frequencies of individual MGB neurons could shift either toward higher or lower frequencies based on the vector strength or the firing rate. The tuning of MGB neurons for spatial location could both sharpen or widen. Elevation preference could shift toward higher or lower elevations and azimuth tuning could move toward ipsilateral or contralateral locations. Such bidirectional changes were observed in many parameters which suggests that the auditory thalamus acts as a filter that could be adjusted according to behaviorally driven signals from auditory cortex. Future work will have to delineate the circuit elements responsible for the observed effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus Jeschke
- Laboratory of Auditory Neurophysiology, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States,Department Systems Physiology of Learning, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany,Auditory Neuroscience and Optogenetics Group, Cognitive Hearing in Primates Laboratory, German Primate Center-Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany,*Correspondence: Marcus Jeschke
| | - Frank W. Ohl
- Department Systems Physiology of Learning, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany,Institute of Biology, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany,Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences (CBBS), Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Xiaoqin Wang
- Laboratory of Auditory Neurophysiology, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States,Xiaoqin Wang
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10
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Ceto S, Courtine G. Optogenetic Interrogation of Circuits Following Neurotrauma. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 14:803856. [PMID: 34975403 PMCID: PMC8716760 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.803856] [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: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological and engineering strategies for neural repair and recovery from neurotrauma continue to emerge at a rapid pace. Until recently, studies of the impact of neurotrauma and repair strategies on the reorganization of the central nervous system have focused on broadly defined circuits and pathways. Optogenetic modulation and recording methods now enable the interrogation of precisely defined neuronal populations in the brain and spinal cord, allowing unprecedented precision in electrophysiological and behavioral experiments. This mini-review summarizes the spectrum of light-based tools that are currently available to probe the properties and functions of well-defined neuronal subpopulations in the context of neurotrauma. In particular, we highlight the challenges to implement these tools in damaged and reorganizing tissues, and we discuss best practices to overcome these obstacles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Ceto
- Center for Neuroprosthetics and Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, Switzerland.,Defitech Center for Interventional Neurotherapies (.NeuroRestore), EPFL/CHUV/UNIL, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Grégoire Courtine
- Center for Neuroprosthetics and Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, Switzerland.,Defitech Center for Interventional Neurotherapies (.NeuroRestore), EPFL/CHUV/UNIL, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Neurosurgery, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
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11
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Fenno LE, Levy R, Yizhar O. Molecular Optimization of Rhodopsin-Based Tools for Neuroscience Applications. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2501:289-310. [PMID: 35857234 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2329-9_14] [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: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
There is no question that genetically encoded tools have revolutionized neuroscience. These include optically modulated tools for writing-in (optogenetics) and reading-out (calcium, voltage, and neurotransmitter indicators) neural activity as well as precision expression of these reagents using virally mediated delivery. With few exceptions, these powerful approaches are derived from naturally occurring molecules that are sourced from diverse organisms that span all kingdoms of life. Successful expression of genetic tools in standard neuroscience model organisms requires optimizing gene structure, taking into account differences in both protein translation and trafficking. Myriad approaches have resolved these two challenges, resulting in order-of-magnitude increases in functional expression. In this chapter, we focus on synthesizing prior experience in successfully enabling the transition of genes across kingdoms with a goal of facilitating the production of the next generation of molecular tools for neuroscience. We then provide a detailed protocol that allows expression and testing of novel genetically encoded tools in mammalian cell lines and primary cultured neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lief E Fenno
- Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, University of Texas Austin Dell Medical School, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Rivka Levy
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ofer Yizhar
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
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12
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A short period of early life oxytocin treatment rescues social behavior dysfunction via suppression of hippocampal hyperactivity in male mice. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:4157-4171. [PMID: 35840800 PMCID: PMC9718675 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01692-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Early sensory experiences interact with genes to shape precise neural circuits during development. This process is vital for proper brain function in adulthood. Neurological dysfunctions caused by environmental alterations and/or genetic mutation may share the same molecular or cellular mechanisms. Here, we show that early life bilateral whisker trimming (BWT) subsequently affects social discrimination in adult male mice. Enhanced activation of the hippocampal dorsal CA3 (dCA3) in BWT mice was observed during social preference tests. Optogenetic activation of dCA3 in naive mice impaired social discrimination, whereas chemogenetic silencing of dCA3 rescued social discrimination deficit in BWT mice. Hippocampal oxytocin (OXT) is reduced after whisker trimming. Neonatal intraventricular compensation of OXT relieved dCA3 over-activation and prevented social dysfunction. Neonatal knockdown of OXT receptor in dCA3 mimics the effects of BWT, and cannot be rescued by OXT treatment. Social behavior deficits in a fragile X syndrome mouse model (Fmr1 KO mice) could also be recovered by early life OXT treatment, through negating dCA3 over-activation. Here, a possible avenue to prevent social dysfunction is uncovered.
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13
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Acharya AR, Vandekerckhove B, Larsen LE, Delbeke J, Wadman WJ, Vonck K, Carette E, Meurs A, Vanfleteren J, Boon P, Missinne J, Raedt R. In vivoblue light illumination for optogenetic inhibition: effect on local temperature and excitability of the rat hippocampus. J Neural Eng 2021; 18. [PMID: 34951406 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/ac3ef4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Objective.The blue light-activated inhibitory opsin, stGtACR2, is gaining prominence as a neuromodulatory tool due its ability to shunt-inhibit neurons and is being frequently used inin vivoexperimentation. However, experiments involving stGtACR2 use longer durations of blue light pulses, which inadvertently heat up the local brain tissue and confound experimental results. Therefore, the heating effects of illumination parameters used forin vivooptogenetic inhibition must be evaluated.Approach.To assess blue light (473 nm)-induced heating of the brain, we used a computational model as well as direct temperature measurements using a fiber Bragg grating (FBG). The effects of different light power densities (LPDs) and pulse durations on evoked potentials (EP) recorded from dentate gyrus were assessed. For opsin-negative rats, LPDs between 127 and 636 mW mm-2and pulse durations between 20 and 5120 ms were tested while for stGtACR2 expressing rats, LPD of 127 mW mm-2and pulse durations between 20 and 640 ms were tested.Main results.Increasing LPDs and pulse durations logarithmically increased the peak temperature and significantly decreased the population spike (PS) amplitude and latencies of EPs. For a pulse duration of 5120 ms, the tissue temperature increased by 0.6 °C-3.4 °C. All tested LPDs decreased the PS amplitude in opsin-negative rats, but 127 mW mm-2had comparatively minimal effects and a significant effect of increasing light pulse duration was seen from 320 ms and beyond. This corresponded with an average temperature increase of 0.2 °C-1.1 °C at the recorded site. Compared to opsin-negative rats, illumination in stGtACR2-expressing rats resulted in much greater inhibition of EPs.Significance.Our study demonstrates that light-induced heating of the brain can be accurately measuredin vivousing FBG sensors. Such light-induced heating alone can affect neuronal excitability. Useful neuromodulation by the activation of stGtACR2 is still possible while minimizing thermal effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anirudh R Acharya
- 4Brain Team, Department of Head and Skin, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Bram Vandekerckhove
- Center for Microsystems Technology, Imec and Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Lars Emil Larsen
- 4Brain Team, Department of Head and Skin, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jean Delbeke
- 4Brain Team, Department of Head and Skin, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Wytse J Wadman
- 4Brain Team, Department of Head and Skin, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Kristl Vonck
- 4Brain Team, Department of Head and Skin, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Evelien Carette
- 4Brain Team, Department of Head and Skin, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Alfred Meurs
- 4Brain Team, Department of Head and Skin, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jan Vanfleteren
- Center for Microsystems Technology, Imec and Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Paul Boon
- 4Brain Team, Department of Head and Skin, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jeroen Missinne
- Center for Microsystems Technology, Imec and Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Robrecht Raedt
- 4Brain Team, Department of Head and Skin, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
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14
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Adesnik H, Abdeladim L. Probing neural codes with two-photon holographic optogenetics. Nat Neurosci 2021; 24:1356-1366. [PMID: 34400843 PMCID: PMC9793863 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-021-00902-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Optogenetics ushered in a revolution in how neuroscientists interrogate brain function. Because of technical limitations, the majority of optogenetic studies have used low spatial resolution activation schemes that limit the types of perturbations that can be made. However, neural activity manipulations at finer spatial scales are likely to be important to more fully understand neural computation. Spatially precise multiphoton holographic optogenetics promises to address this challenge and opens up many new classes of experiments that were not previously possible. More specifically, by offering the ability to recreate extremely specific neural activity patterns in both space and time in functionally defined ensembles of neurons, multiphoton holographic optogenetics could allow neuroscientists to reveal fundamental aspects of the neural codes for sensation, cognition and behavior that have been beyond reach. This Review summarizes recent advances in multiphoton holographic optogenetics that substantially expand its capabilities, highlights outstanding technical challenges and provides an overview of the classes of experiments it can execute to test and validate key theoretical models of brain function. Multiphoton holographic optogenetics could substantially accelerate the pace of neuroscience discovery by helping to close the loop between experimental and theoretical neuroscience, leading to fundamental new insights into nervous system function and disorder.
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15
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Kolesov DV, Sokolinskaya EL, Lukyanov KA, Bogdanov AM. Molecular Tools for Targeted Control of Nerve Cell Electrical Activity. Part I. Acta Naturae 2021; 13:52-64. [PMID: 34707897 PMCID: PMC8526180 DOI: 10.32607/actanaturae.11414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In modern life sciences, the issue of a specific, exogenously directed
manipulation of a cell’s biochemistry is a highly topical one. In the
case of electrically excitable cells, the aim of the manipulation is to control
the cells’ electrical activity, with the result being either excitation
with subsequent generation of an action potential or inhibition and suppression
of the excitatory currents. The techniques of electrical activity stimulation
are of particular significance in tackling the most challenging basic problem:
figuring out how the nervous system of higher multicellular organisms
functions. At this juncture, when neuroscience is gradually abandoning the
reductionist approach in favor of the direct investigation of complex neuronal
systems, minimally invasive methods for brain tissue stimulation are becoming
the basic element in the toolbox of those involved in the field. In this
review, we describe three approaches that are based on the delivery of
exogenous, genetically encoded molecules sensitive to external stimuli into the
nervous tissue. These approaches include optogenetics (Part I) as well as
chemogenetics and thermogenetics (Part II), which are significantly different
not only in the nature of the stimuli and structure of the appropriate effector
proteins, but also in the details of experimental applications. The latter
circumstance is an indication that these are rather complementary than
competing techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. V. Kolesov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, 117997 Russia
| | - E. L. Sokolinskaya
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, 117997 Russia
| | - K. A. Lukyanov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, 117997 Russia
| | - A. M. Bogdanov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, 117997 Russia
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16
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Mocanu VM, Shmuel A. Optical Imaging-Based Guidance of Viral Microinjections and Insertion of a Laminar Electrophysiology Probe Into a Predetermined Barrel in Mouse Area S1BF. Front Neural Circuits 2021; 15:541676. [PMID: 34054436 PMCID: PMC8158817 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.541676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Wide-field Optical Imaging of Intrinsic Signals (OI-IS; Grinvald et al., 1986) is a method for imaging functional brain hemodynamic responses, mainly used to image activity from the surface of the cerebral cortex. It localizes small functional modules – such as cortical columns – with great spatial resolution and spatial specificity relative to the site of increases in neuronal activity. OI-IS is capable of imaging responses either through an intact or thinned skull or following a craniotomy. Therefore, it is minimally invasive, which makes it ideal for survival experiments. Here we describe OI-IS-based methods for guiding microinjections of optogenetics viral vectors in proximity to small functional modules (S1 barrels) of the cerebral cortex and for guiding the insertion of electrodes for electrophysiological recording into such modules. We validate our proposed methods by tissue processing of the cerebral barrel field area, revealing the track of the electrode in a predetermined barrel. In addition, we demonstrate the use of optical imaging to visualize the spatial extent of the optogenetics photostimulation, making it possible to estimate one of the two variables that conjointly determine which region of the brain is stimulated. Lastly, we demonstrate the use of OI-IS at high-magnification for imaging the upper recording contacts of a laminar probe, making it possible to estimate the insertion depth of all contacts relative to the surface of the cortex. These methods support the precise positioning of microinjections and recording electrodes, thus overcoming the variability in the spatial position of fine-scale functional modules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor M Mocanu
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Amir Shmuel
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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17
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Lindner M, Gilhooley MJ, Peirson SN, Hughes S, Hankins MW. The functional characteristics of optogenetic gene therapy for vision restoration. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:1597-1613. [PMID: 32728765 PMCID: PMC7904736 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-020-03597-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Revised: 06/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Optogenetic strategies to restore vision in patients blind from end-stage retinal degenerations aim to render remaining retinal neurons light-sensitive. We present an innovative combination of multi-electrode array recordings together with a complex pattern-generating light source as a toolset to determine the extent to which neural retinal responses to complex light stimuli can be restored following viral delivery of red-shifted channelrhodopsin in the retinally degenerated mouse. Our data indicate that retinal output level spatiotemporal response characteristics achieved by optogenetic gene therapy closely parallel those observed for normal mice but equally reveal important limitations, some of which could be mitigated using bipolar-cell targeted gene-delivery approaches. As clinical trials are commencing, these data provide important new information on the capacity and limitations of channelrhodopsin-based gene therapies. The toolset we established enables comparing optogenetic constructs and stem-cell-based techniques, thereby providing an efficient and sensitive starting point to identify future approaches for vision restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moritz Lindner
- The Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
- Oxford Eye Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK.
- Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Department of Neurophysiology, Philipps University, Marburg, Germany.
| | - Michael J Gilhooley
- The Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Oxford Eye Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
- Department of Neuroophthalmology, Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK
| | - Stuart N Peirson
- The Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Steven Hughes
- The Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Mark W Hankins
- The Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
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18
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Asano T, Teh DBL, Yawo H. Application of Optogenetics for Muscle Cells and Stem Cells. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1293:359-375. [PMID: 33398826 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-15-8763-4_23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
This chapter describes the current progress of basic research, and potential therapeutic applications primarily focused on the optical manipulation of muscle cells and neural stem cells using microbial rhodopsin as a light-sensitive molecule. Since the contractions of skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscle cells are mainly regulated through their membrane potential, several studies have been demonstrated to up- or downregulate the muscle contraction directly or indirectly using optogenetic actuators or silencers with defined stimulation patterns and intensities. Light-dependent oscillation of membrane potential also facilitates the maturation of myocytes with the development of T tubules and sarcomere structures, tandem arrays of minimum contractile units consists of contractile proteins and cytoskeletal proteins. Optogenetics has been applied to various stem cells and multipotent/pluripotent cells such as embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to generate light-sensitive neurons and to facilitate neuroscience. The chronic optical stimulation of the channelrhodopsin-expressing neural stem cells facilitates their neural differentiation. There are potential therapeutic applications of optogenetics in cardiac pacemaking, muscle regeneration/maintenance, locomotion recovery for the treatment of muscle paralysis due to motor neuron diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Optogenetics would also facilitate maturation, network integration of grafted neurons, and improve the microenvironment around them when applied to stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshifumi Asano
- Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Daniel Boon Loong Teh
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Hiromu Yawo
- The Institute for Solid State Physics, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan.
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19
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Yamamoto N, Marks WD, Kitamura T. Cell-Type-Specific Optogenetic Techniques Reveal Neural Circuits Crucial for Episodic Memories. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1293:429-447. [PMID: 33398831 PMCID: PMC8612024 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-15-8763-4_28] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The formation and maintenance of episodic memories are important for our daily life. Accumulating evidence from extensive studies with pharmacological, electrophysiological, and molecular biological approaches has shown that both entorhinal cortex (EC) and hippocampus (HPC) are crucial for the formation and recall of episodic memory. However, to further understand the neural mechanisms of episodic memory processes in the EC-HPC network, cell-type-specific manipulation of neural activity with high temporal resolution during memory process has become necessary. Recently, the technological innovation of optogenetics combined with pharmacological, molecular biological, and electrophysiological approaches has significantly advanced our understanding of the circuit mechanisms for learning and memory. Optogenetic techniques with transgenic mice and/or viral vectors enable us to manipulate the neural activity of specific cell populations as well as specific neural projections with millisecond-scale temporal control during animal behavior. Integrating optogenetics with drug-regulatable activity-dependent gene expression systems has identified memory engram cells, which are a subpopulation of cells that encode a specific episode. Finally, millisecond pulse stimulation of neural activity by optogenetics has further achieved (a) identification of synaptic connectivity between targeted pairs of neural populations, (b) cell-type-specific single-unit electrophysiological recordings, and (c) artificial induction and modification of synaptic plasticity in targeted synapses. In this chapter, we summarize technological and conceptual advancements in the field of neurobiology of learning and memory as revealed by optogenetic approaches in the rodent EC-HPC network for episodic memories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Yamamoto
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - William D Marks
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Takashi Kitamura
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
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20
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21
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Mandino F, Cerri DH, Garin CM, Straathof M, van Tilborg GAF, Chakravarty MM, Dhenain M, Dijkhuizen RM, Gozzi A, Hess A, Keilholz SD, Lerch JP, Shih YYI, Grandjean J. Animal Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Trends and Path Toward Standardization. Front Neuroinform 2020; 13:78. [PMID: 32038217 PMCID: PMC6987455 DOI: 10.3389/fninf.2019.00078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal whole-brain functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) provides a non-invasive window into brain activity. A collection of associated methods aims to replicate observations made in humans and to identify the mechanisms underlying the distributed neuronal activity in the healthy and disordered brain. Animal fMRI studies have developed rapidly over the past years, fueled by the development of resting-state fMRI connectivity and genetically encoded neuromodulatory tools. Yet, comparisons between sites remain hampered by lack of standardization. Recently, we highlighted that mouse resting-state functional connectivity converges across centers, although large discrepancies in sensitivity and specificity remained. Here, we explore past and present trends within the animal fMRI community and highlight critical aspects in study design, data acquisition, and post-processing operations, that may affect the results and influence the comparability between studies. We also suggest practices aimed to promote the adoption of standards within the community and improve between-lab reproducibility. The implementation of standardized animal neuroimaging protocols will facilitate animal population imaging efforts as well as meta-analysis and replication studies, the gold standards in evidence-based science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Mandino
- Singapore Bioimaging Consortium, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Domenic H. Cerri
- Center for Animal MRI, Department of Neurology, Biomedical Research Imaging Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Clement M. Garin
- Direction de la Recherche Fondamentale, MIRCen, Institut de Biologie François Jacob, Commissariat à l’Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
- Neurodegenerative Diseases Laboratory, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR 9199, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Milou Straathof
- Biomedical MR Imaging and Spectroscopy Group, Center for Image Sciences, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Geralda A. F. van Tilborg
- Biomedical MR Imaging and Spectroscopy Group, Center for Image Sciences, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - M. Mallar Chakravarty
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Biological and Biomedical Engineering, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Marc Dhenain
- Direction de la Recherche Fondamentale, MIRCen, Institut de Biologie François Jacob, Commissariat à l’Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
- Neurodegenerative Diseases Laboratory, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR 9199, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Rick M. Dijkhuizen
- Biomedical MR Imaging and Spectroscopy Group, Center for Image Sciences, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Alessandro Gozzi
- Functional Neuroimaging Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Centre for Neuroscience and Cognitive Systems @ UNITN, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Andreas Hess
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Friedrich–Alexander University Erlangen–Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Shella D. Keilholz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Tech, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Jason P. Lerch
- Hospital for Sick Children, Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative NeuroImaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Yen-Yu Ian Shih
- Center for Animal MRI, Department of Neurology, Biomedical Research Imaging Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Joanes Grandjean
- Singapore Bioimaging Consortium, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Donders Institute, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
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22
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Michoud F, Sottas L, Browne LE, Asboth L, Latremoliere A, Sakuma M, Courtine G, Woolf CJ, Lacour SP. Optical cuff for optogenetic control of the peripheral nervous system. J Neural Eng 2019; 15:015002. [PMID: 28978778 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/aa9126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Nerves in the peripheral nervous system (PNS) contain axons with specific motor, somatosensory and autonomic functions. Optogenetics offers an efficient approach to selectively activate axons within the nerve. However, the heterogeneous nature of nerves and their tortuous route through the body create a challenging environment to reliably implant a light delivery interface. APPROACH Here, we propose an optical peripheral nerve interface-an optocuff-, so that optogenetic modulation of peripheral nerves become possible in freely behaving mice. MAIN RESULTS Using this optocuff, we demonstrate orderly recruitment of motor units with epineural optical stimulation of genetically targeted sciatic nerve axons, both in anaesthetized and in awake, freely behaving animals. Behavioural experiments and histology show the optocuff does not damage the nerve thus is suitable for long-term experiments. SIGNIFICANCE These results suggest that the soft optocuff might be a straightforward and efficient tool to support more extensive study of the PNS using optogenetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frédéric Michoud
- Bertarelli Foundation Chair in Neuroprosthetic Technology, Laboratory for Soft Bioelectronics Interface, Institute of Microengineering, Institute of Bioengineering, Centre for Neuroprosthetics, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1202 Geneva, Switzerland. Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, United States of America. FM Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, United States of America
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23
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Meng X, Murali S, Cheng YF, Lu J, Hight AE, Kanumuri VV, Brown MC, Holt JR, Lee DJ, Edge ASB. Increasing the expression level of ChR2 enhances the optogenetic excitability of cochlear neurons. J Neurophysiol 2019; 122:1962-1974. [PMID: 31533018 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00828.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Optogenetics comprise a promising alternative to electrical stimulation for characterization of neural circuits and for the next generation of neural prostheses. Optogenetic stimulation relies on expression of photosensitive microbial proteins in animal cells to initiate a flow of ions into the cells in response to visible light. Here, we generated a novel transgenic mouse model in which we studied the optogenetic activation of spiral ganglion neurons, the primary afferent neurons of the auditory system, and showed a strong optogenetic response, with a similar amplitude as the acoustically evoked response. A twofold increase in the level of channelrhodopsin expression significantly increased the photosensitivity at both the single cell and organismal levels but also partially compromised the native electrophysiological properties of the neurons. The importance of channelrhodopsin expression level to optogenetic stimulation, revealed by these quantitative measurements, will be significant for the characterization of neural circuitry and for the use of optogenetics in neural prostheses.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study reveals a dose-response relationship between channelrhodopsin expression and optogenetic excitation. Both single cell and organismal responses depend on the expression level of the heterologous protein. Expression level of the opsin is thus an important variable in determining the outcome of an optogenetic experiment. These results are key to the implementation of neural prostheses based on optogenetics, such as next generation cochlear implants, which would use light to elicit a neural response to sound.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiankai Meng
- Eaton-Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Otolaryngology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Swetha Murali
- Department of Otolaryngology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Yen-Fu Cheng
- Eaton-Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jingrong Lu
- Eaton-Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ariel E Hight
- Eaton-Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Vivek V Kanumuri
- Eaton-Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Otolaryngology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - M Christian Brown
- Eaton-Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Otolaryngology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jeffrey R Holt
- Department of Otolaryngology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Otolaryngology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Daniel J Lee
- Eaton-Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Otolaryngology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Albert S B Edge
- Eaton-Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Otolaryngology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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24
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Optogenetics in Brain Research: From a Strategy to Investigate Physiological Function to a Therapeutic Tool. PHOTONICS 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/photonics6030092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Dissecting the functional roles of neuronal circuits and their interaction is a crucial step in basic neuroscience and in all the biomedical field. Optogenetics is well-suited to this purpose since it allows us to study the functionality of neuronal networks on multiple scales in living organisms. This tool was recently used in a plethora of studies to investigate physiological neuronal circuit function in addition to dysfunctional or pathological conditions. Moreover, optogenetics is emerging as a crucial technique to develop new rehabilitative and therapeutic strategies for many neurodegenerative diseases in pre-clinical models. In this review, we discuss recent applications of optogenetics, starting from fundamental research to pre-clinical applications. Firstly, we described the fundamental components of optogenetics, from light-activated proteins to light delivery systems. Secondly, we showed its applications to study neuronal circuits in physiological or pathological conditions at the cortical and subcortical level, in vivo. Furthermore, the interesting findings achieved using optogenetics as a therapeutic and rehabilitative tool highlighted the potential of this technique for understanding and treating neurological diseases in pre-clinical models. Finally, we showed encouraging results recently obtained by applying optogenetics in human neuronal cells in-vitro.
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25
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Dombrowski T, Rankovic V, Moser T. Toward the Optical Cochlear Implant. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2019; 9:cshperspect.a033225. [PMID: 30323016 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a033225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
When hearing fails, cochlear implants (CIs) provide open speech perception to most of the currently half a million CI users. CIs bypass the defective sensory organ and stimulate the auditory nerve electrically. The major bottleneck of current CIs is the poor coding of spectral information, which results from wide current spread from each electrode contact. As light can be more conveniently confined, optical stimulation of the auditory nerve presents a promising perspective for a fundamental advance of CIs. Moreover, given the improved frequency resolution of optical excitation and its versatility for arbitrary stimulation patterns the approach also bears potential for auditory research. Here, we review the current state of the art focusing on the emerging concept of optogenetic stimulation of the auditory pathway. Developing optogenetic stimulation for auditory research and future CIs requires efforts toward viral gene transfer to the neurons, design and characterization of appropriate optogenetic actuators, as well as engineering of multichannel optical implants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Dombrowski
- Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and InnerEarLab, University Medical Center, 37075 Göttingen, Germany.,Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ruhr University Bochum, St. Elisabeth Hospital, 44787 Bochum, Germany
| | - Vladan Rankovic
- Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and InnerEarLab, University Medical Center, 37075 Göttingen, Germany.,Auditory Neuroscience and Optogenetics Group, German Primate Center, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Tobias Moser
- Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and InnerEarLab, University Medical Center, 37075 Göttingen, Germany.,Auditory Neuroscience and Optogenetics Group, German Primate Center, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.,Auditory Neuroscience Group, Max-Planck-Institute for Experimental Medicine, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
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26
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Glasgow SD, McPhedrain R, Madranges JF, Kennedy TE, Ruthazer ES. Approaches and Limitations in the Investigation of Synaptic Transmission and Plasticity. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2019; 11:20. [PMID: 31396073 PMCID: PMC6667546 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2019.00020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 07/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The numbers and strengths of synapses in the brain change throughout development, and even into adulthood, as synaptic inputs are added, eliminated, and refined in response to ongoing neural activity. A number of experimental techniques can assess these changes, including single-cell electrophysiological recording which offers measurements of synaptic inputs with high temporal resolution. Coupled with electrical stimulation, photoactivatable opsins, and caged compounds, to facilitate fine spatiotemporal control over release of neurotransmitters, electrophysiological recordings allow for precise dissection of presynaptic and postsynaptic mechanisms of action. Here, we discuss the strengths and pitfalls of various techniques commonly used to analyze synapses, including miniature excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) postsynaptic currents, evoked release, and optogenetic stimulation. Together, these techniques can provide multiple lines of convergent evidence to generate meaningful insight into the emergence of circuit connectivity and maturation. A full understanding of potential caveats and alternative explanations for findings is essential to avoid data misinterpretation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Edward S. Ruthazer
- Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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27
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Pittolo S, Lee H, Lladó A, Tosi S, Bosch M, Bardia L, Gómez-Santacana X, Llebaria A, Soriano E, Colombelli J, Poskanzer KE, Perea G, Gorostiza P. Reversible silencing of endogenous receptors in intact brain tissue using 2-photon pharmacology. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:13680-13689. [PMID: 31196955 PMCID: PMC6613107 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1900430116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The physiological activity of proteins is often studied with loss-of-function genetic approaches, but the corresponding phenotypes develop slowly and can be confounding. Photopharmacology allows direct, fast, and reversible control of endogenous protein activity, with spatiotemporal resolution set by the illumination method. Here, we combine a photoswitchable allosteric modulator (alloswitch) and 2-photon excitation using pulsed near-infrared lasers to reversibly silence metabotropic glutamate 5 (mGlu5) receptor activity in intact brain tissue. Endogenous receptors can be photoactivated in neurons and astrocytes with pharmacological selectivity and with an axial resolution between 5 and 10 µm. Thus, 2-photon pharmacology using alloswitch allows investigating mGlu5-dependent processes in wild-type animals, including synaptic formation and plasticity, and signaling pathways from intracellular organelles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Pittolo
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Hyojung Lee
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anna Lladó
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sébastien Tosi
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Miquel Bosch
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lídia Bardia
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xavier Gómez-Santacana
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IQAC-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Amadeu Llebaria
- Institute of Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IQAC-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Eduardo Soriano
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology, and Immunology, University of Barcelona (UB), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), 08010 Barcelona, Spain
- Network Center of Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), 28031 Madrid, Spain
| | - Julien Colombelli
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Kira E Poskanzer
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), CA 94158
- Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158
| | - Gertrudis Perea
- Cajal Institute, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IC-CSIC), 28002 Madrid, Spain
| | - Pau Gorostiza
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028 Barcelona, Spain;
- Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), 08010 Barcelona, Spain
- Network Center of Biomedical Research in Bioengineering, Biomaterials, and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), 50015 Zaragoza, Spain
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Muir J, Lopez J, Bagot RC. Wiring the depressed brain: optogenetic and chemogenetic circuit interrogation in animal models of depression. Neuropsychopharmacology 2019; 44:1013-1026. [PMID: 30555161 PMCID: PMC6461994 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-018-0291-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2018] [Accepted: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The advent of optogenetics and chemogenetics has revolutionized the study of neural circuit mechanisms of behavioral dysregulation in psychiatric disease. These powerful technologies allow manipulation of specific neurons to determine causal relationships between neuronal activity and behavior. Optogenetic tools have been key to mapping the circuitry underlying depression-like behavior in animal models, clarifying the contribution of the ventral tegmental area, nucleus accumbens, medial prefrontal cortex, ventral hippocampus, and other limbic areas, to stress susceptibility. In comparison, chemogenetics have been relatively underutilized, despite offering unique advantages for probing long-term effects of manipulating neuronal activity. The ongoing development of optogenetic tools to probe in vivo function of ever-more specific circuits, combined with greater integration of chemogenetic tools and recent advances in vivo imaging techniques will continue to advance our understanding of the circuit mechanisms of depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessie Muir
- 0000 0004 1936 8649grid.14709.3bIntegrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montréal, QC Canada
| | - Joëlle Lopez
- 0000 0004 1936 8649grid.14709.3bDepartment of Psychology, McGill University, Montréal, QC Canada
| | - Rosemary C. Bagot
- 0000 0004 1936 8649grid.14709.3bDepartment of Psychology, McGill University, Montréal, QC Canada ,Ludmer Center for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Montréal, QC Canada
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30
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Maimon BE, Diaz M, Revol ECM, Schneider AM, Leaker B, Varela CE, Srinivasan S, Weber MB, Herr HM. Optogenetic Peripheral Nerve Immunogenicity. Sci Rep 2018; 8:14076. [PMID: 30232391 PMCID: PMC6145901 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-32075-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 08/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Optogenetic technologies have been the subject of great excitement within the scientific community for their ability to demystify complex neurophysiological pathways in the central (CNS) and peripheral nervous systems (PNS). The excitement surrounding optogenetics has also extended to the clinic with a trial for ChR2 in the treatment of retinitis pigmentosa currently underway and additional trials anticipated for the near future. In this work, we identify the cause of loss-of-expression in response to transdermal illumination of an optogenetically active peroneal nerve following an anterior compartment (AC) injection of AAV6-hSyn-ChR2(H134R) with and without a fluorescent reporter. Using Sprague Dawley Rag2-/- rats and appropriate controls, we discover optogenetic loss-of-expression is chiefly elicited by ChR2-mediated immunogenicity in the spinal cord, resulting in both CNS motor neuron death and ipsilateral muscle atrophy in both low and high Adeno-Associated Virus (AAV) dosages. We further employ pharmacological immunosuppression using a slow-release tacrolimus pellet to demonstrate sustained transdermal optogenetic expression up to 12 weeks. These results suggest that all dosages of AAV-mediated optogenetic expression within the PNS may be unsafe. Clinical optogenetics for both PNS and CNS applications should take extreme caution when employing opsins to treat disease and may require concurrent immunosuppression. Future work in optogenetics should focus on designing opsins with lesser immunogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin E Maimon
- MIT Media Lab, Center for Extreme Bionics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology (HST), Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Maurizio Diaz
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Emilie C M Revol
- Department of Bioengineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Alexis M Schneider
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ben Leaker
- Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology (HST), Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Claudia E Varela
- Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology (HST), Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Shriya Srinivasan
- MIT Media Lab, Center for Extreme Bionics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology (HST), Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Matthew B Weber
- MIT Media Lab, Center for Extreme Bionics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology (HST), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hugh M Herr
- MIT Media Lab, Center for Extreme Bionics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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31
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Mattingly M, Weineck K, Costa J, Cooper RL. Hyperpolarization by activation of halorhodopsin results in enhanced synaptic transmission: Neuromuscular junction and CNS circuit. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0200107. [PMID: 29969493 PMCID: PMC6029800 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0200107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2018] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Optogenetics offers a unique method to regulate the activity of select neural circuits. However, the electrophysiological consequences of targeted optogenetic manipulation upon the entire circuit remain poorly understood. Analysis of the sensory-CNS-motor circuit in Drosophila larvae expressing eHpHR and ChR2-XXL revealed unexpected patterns of excitability. Optical stimulation of motor neurons targeted to express eNpHR resulted in inhibition followed by excitation of body wall contraction with repetitive stimulation in intact larvae. In situ preparations with direct electrophysiological measures showed an increased responsiveness to excitatory synaptic activity induced by sensory stimulation within a functional neural circuit. To ensure proper function of eNpHR and ChR2-XXL they were expressed in body wall muscle and direct electrophysiological measurements were obtained. Under eNpHR induced hyperpolarization the muscle remained excitable with increased amplitude of excitatory postsynaptic synaptic potentials. Theoretical models to explain the observations are presented. This study aids in increasing the understanding of the varied possible influences with light activated proteins within intact neural circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Mattingly
- Department of Biology and Center for Muscle Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, United States of America
| | - Kristin Weineck
- Department of Biology and Center for Muscle Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, United States of America
- Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Jennifer Costa
- Department of Biology and Center for Muscle Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, United States of America
| | - Robin L. Cooper
- Department of Biology and Center for Muscle Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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32
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Tochitsky I, Kienzler MA, Isacoff E, Kramer RH. Restoring Vision to the Blind with Chemical Photoswitches. Chem Rev 2018; 118:10748-10773. [PMID: 29874052 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.7b00723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Degenerative retinal diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) affect millions of people around the world and lead to irreversible vision loss if left untreated. A number of therapeutic strategies have been developed over the years to treat these diseases or restore vision to already blind patients. In this Review, we describe the development and translational application of light-sensitive chemical photoswitches to restore visual function to the blind retina and compare the translational potential of photoswitches with other vision-restoring therapies. This therapeutic strategy is enabled by an efficient fusion of chemical synthesis, chemical biology, and molecular biology and is broadly applicable to other biological systems. We hope this Review will be of interest to chemists as well as neuroscientists and clinicians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Tochitsky
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center , Boston Children's Hospital , Boston , Massachusetts 02115 , United States.,Department of Neurobiology , Harvard Medical School , Boston , Massachusetts 02115 , United States
| | - Michael A Kienzler
- Department of Chemistry , University of Maine , Orono , Maine 04469 , United States
| | - Ehud Isacoff
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology , University of California , Berkeley , California 94720 , United States.,Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute , University of California , Berkeley , California 94720 , United States.,Bioscience Division , Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory , Berkeley , California 94720 , United States
| | - Richard H Kramer
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology , University of California , Berkeley , California 94720 , United States.,Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute , University of California , Berkeley , California 94720 , United States
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33
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Anastasiades PG, Marques‐Smith A, Butt SJB. Studies of cortical connectivity using optical circuit mapping methods. J Physiol 2018; 596:145-162. [PMID: 29110301 PMCID: PMC5767689 DOI: 10.1113/jp273463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2017] [Accepted: 10/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
An important consideration when probing the function of any neuron is to uncover the source of synaptic input onto the cell, its intrinsic physiology and efferent targets. Over the years, electrophysiological approaches have generated considerable insight into these properties in a variety of cortical neuronal subtypes and circuits. However, as researchers explore neuronal function in greater detail, they are increasingly turning to optical techniques to bridge the gap between local network interactions and behaviour. The application of optical methods has increased dramatically over the past decade, spurred on by the optogenetic revolution. In this review, we provide an account of recent innovations, providing researchers with a primer detailing circuit mapping strategies in the cerebral cortex. We will focus on technical aspects of performing neurotransmitter uncaging and channelrhodopsin-assisted circuit mapping, with the aim of identifying common pitfalls that can negatively influence the collection of reliable data.
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34
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Delbeke J, Hoffman L, Mols K, Braeken D, Prodanov D. And Then There Was Light: Perspectives of Optogenetics for Deep Brain Stimulation and Neuromodulation. Front Neurosci 2017; 11:663. [PMID: 29311765 PMCID: PMC5732983 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2017.00663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2017] [Accepted: 11/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) has evolved into a well-accepted add-on treatment for patients with severe Parkinsons disease as well as for other chronic neurological conditions. The focal action of electrical stimulation can yield better responses and it exposes the patient to fewer side effects compared to pharmaceuticals distributed throughout the body toward the brain. On the other hand, the current practice of DBS is hampered by the relatively coarse level of neuromodulation achieved. Optogenetics, in contrast, offers the perspective of much more selective actions on the various physiological structures, provided that the stimulated cells are rendered sensitive to the action of light. Optogenetics has experienced tremendous progress since its first in vivo applications about 10 years ago. Recent advancements of viral vector technology for gene transfer substantially reduce vector-associated cytotoxicity and immune responses. This brings about the possibility to transfer this technology into the clinic as a possible alternative to DBS and neuromodulation. New paths could be opened toward a rich panel of clinical applications. Some technical issues still limit the long term use in humans but realistic perspectives quickly emerge. Despite a rapid accumulation of observations about patho-physiological mechanisms, it is still mostly serendipity and empiric adjustments that dictate clinical practice while more efficient logically designed interventions remain rather exceptional. Interestingly, it is also very much the neuro technology developed around optogenetics that offers the most promising tools to fill in the existing knowledge gaps about brain function in health and disease. The present review examines Parkinson's disease and refractory epilepsy as use cases for possible optogenetic stimulation therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Delbeke
- LCEN3, Department of Neurology, Institute of Neuroscience, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - Katrien Mols
- Neuroscience Research Flanders, Leuven, Belgium.,Life Science and Imaging, Imec, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Dimiter Prodanov
- Neuroscience Research Flanders, Leuven, Belgium.,Environment, Health and Safety, Imec, Leuven, Belgium
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35
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Najac M, Raman IM. Synaptic excitation by climbing fibre collaterals in the cerebellar nuclei of juvenile and adult mice. J Physiol 2017; 595:6703-6718. [PMID: 28795396 PMCID: PMC5663862 DOI: 10.1113/jp274598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2017] [Accepted: 08/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
KEY POINTS The inferior olive sends instructive motor signals to the cerebellum via the climbing fibre projection, which sends collaterals directly to large premotor neurons of the mouse cerebellar nuclei (CbN cells). Optogenetic activation of inferior olivary axons in vitro evokes EPSCs in CbN cells of several hundred pA to more than 1 nA. The inputs are three-fold larger at younger ages, 12 to 14 days old, than at 2 months old, suggesting a strong functional role for this pathway earlier in development. The EPSCs are multipeaked, owing to burst firing in several olivary afferents that fire asynchronously. The convergence of climbing fibre collaterals onto CbN cells decreases from ∼40 to ∼8, which is consistent with the formation of closed-loop circuits in which each CbN neuron receives input from 4-7 collaterals from inferior olivary neurons as well as from all 30-50 Purkinje cells that are innervated by those olivary neurons. ABSTRACT The inferior olive conveys instructive signals to the cerebellum that drive sensorimotor learning. Inferior olivary neurons transmit their signals via climbing fibres, which powerfully excite Purkinje cells, evoking complex spikes and depressing parallel fibre synapses. Additionally, however, these climbing fibres send collaterals to the cerebellar nuclei (CbN). In vivo and in vitro data suggest that climbing fibre collateral excitation is weak in adult mice, raising the question of whether the primary role of this pathway may be developmental. We therefore examined climbing fibre collateral input to large premotor CbN cells over development by virally expressing channelrhodopsin in the inferior olive. In acute cerebellar slices from postnatal day (P)12-14 mice, light-evoked EPSCs were large (> 1 nA at -70 mV). The amplitude of these EPSCs decreased over development, reaching a plateau of ∼350 pA at P20-60. Trains of EPSCs (5 Hz) depressed strongly throughout development, whereas convergence estimates indicated that the total number of functional afferents decreased with age. EPSC waveforms consisted of multiple peaks, probably resulting from action potential bursts in single collaterals and variable times to spike threshold in converging afferents. Activating climbing fibre collaterals evoked well-timed increases in firing probability in CbN neurons, especially in younger mice. The initially strong input, followed by the decrement in synaptic strength coinciding with the pruning of climbing fibres in the cerebellar cortex, implicates the climbing fibre collateral pathway in early postnatal development. Additionally, the persistence of substantial synaptic input at least to P60 suggests that this pathway may function in cerebellar processing into adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marion Najac
- Department of NeurobiologyNorthwestern UniversityEvanstonILUSA
| | - Indira M. Raman
- Department of NeurobiologyNorthwestern UniversityEvanstonILUSA
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36
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McCall JG, Siuda ER, Bhatti DL, Lawson LA, McElligott ZA, Stuber GD, Bruchas MR. Locus coeruleus to basolateral amygdala noradrenergic projections promote anxiety-like behavior. eLife 2017; 6. [PMID: 28708061 PMCID: PMC5550275 DOI: 10.7554/elife.18247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 177] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2016] [Accepted: 07/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Increased tonic activity of locus coeruleus noradrenergic (LC-NE) neurons induces anxiety-like and aversive behavior. While some information is known about the afferent circuitry that endogenously drives this neural activity and behavior, the downstream receptors and anatomical projections that mediate these acute risk aversive behavioral states via the LC-NE system remain unresolved. Here we use a combination of retrograde tracing, fast-scan cyclic voltammetry, electrophysiology, and in vivo optogenetics with localized pharmacology to identify neural substrates downstream of increased tonic LC-NE activity in mice. We demonstrate that photostimulation of LC-NE fibers in the BLA evokes norepinephrine release in the basolateral amygdala (BLA), alters BLA neuronal activity, conditions aversion, and increases anxiety-like behavior. Additionally, we report that β-adrenergic receptors mediate the anxiety-like phenotype of increased NE release in the BLA. These studies begin to illustrate how the complex efferent system of the LC-NE system selectively mediates behavior through distinct receptor and projection-selective mechanisms. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.18247.001
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan G McCall
- Department of Anesthesiology, Division of Basic Research, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States.,Washington University Pain Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States.,Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States.,Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States
| | - Edward R Siuda
- Department of Anesthesiology, Division of Basic Research, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States.,Washington University Pain Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States.,Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States.,Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States
| | - Dionnet L Bhatti
- Department of Anesthesiology, Division of Basic Research, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States.,Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States
| | - Lamley A Lawson
- Department of Anesthesiology, Division of Basic Research, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States
| | - Zoe A McElligott
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, United States.,Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, United States
| | - Garret D Stuber
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, United States.,Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, United States.,Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, United States
| | - Michael R Bruchas
- Department of Anesthesiology, Division of Basic Research, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States.,Washington University Pain Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States.,Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States.,Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University, St. Louis, United States
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37
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El-Shamayleh Y, Kojima Y, Soetedjo R, Horwitz GD. Selective Optogenetic Control of Purkinje Cells in Monkey Cerebellum. Neuron 2017. [PMID: 28648497 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2017.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Purkinje cells of the primate cerebellum play critical but poorly understood roles in the execution of coordinated, accurate movements. Elucidating these roles has been hampered by a lack of techniques for manipulating spiking activity in these cells selectively-a problem common to most cell types in non-transgenic animals. To overcome this obstacle, we constructed AAV vectors carrying the channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) gene under the control of a 1 kb L7/Pcp2 promoter. We injected these vectors into the cerebellar cortex of rhesus macaques and tested vector efficacy in three ways. Immunohistochemical analyses confirmed selective ChR2 expression in Purkinje cells. Neurophysiological recordings confirmed robust optogenetic activation. Optical stimulation of the oculomotor vermis caused saccade dysmetria. Our results demonstrate the utility of AAV-L7-ChR2 for revealing the contributions of Purkinje cells to circuit function and behavior, and they attest to the feasibility of promoter-based, targeted, genetic manipulations in primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmine El-Shamayleh
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific St., HSB I-728, UW Mailbox 357290, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Washington National Primate Research Center, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific St., HSB I-728, UW Mailbox 357290, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Yoshiko Kojima
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific St., HSB I-728, UW Mailbox 357290, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Washington National Primate Research Center, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific St., HSB I-728, UW Mailbox 357290, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Robijanto Soetedjo
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific St., HSB I-728, UW Mailbox 357290, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Washington National Primate Research Center, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific St., HSB I-728, UW Mailbox 357290, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Gregory D Horwitz
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific St., HSB I-728, UW Mailbox 357290, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Washington National Primate Research Center, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific St., HSB I-728, UW Mailbox 357290, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
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38
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Wu W, Xiong W, Zhang P, Chen L, Fang J, Shields C, Xu XM, Jin X. Increased threshold of short-latency motor evoked potentials in transgenic mice expressing Channelrhodopsin-2. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0178803. [PMID: 28562670 PMCID: PMC5451077 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0178803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2017] [Accepted: 05/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Transgenic mice that express channelrhodopsin-2 or its variants provide a powerful tool for optogenetic study of the nervous system. Previous studies have established that introducing such exogenous genes usually does not alter anatomical, electrophysiological, and behavioral properties of neurons in these mice. However, in a line of Thy1-ChR2-YFP transgenic mice (line 9, Jackson lab), we found that short-latency motor evoked potentials (MEPs) induced by transcranial magnetic stimulation had a longer latency and much lower amplitude than that of wild type mice. MEPs evoked by transcranial electrical stimulation also had a much higher threshold in ChR2 mice, although similar amplitudes could be evoked in both wild and ChR2 mice at maximal stimulation. In contrast, long-latency MEPs evoked by electrically stimulating the motor cortex were similar in amplitude and latency between wild type and ChR2 mice. Whole-cell patch clamp recordings from layer V pyramidal neurons of the motor cortex in ChR2 mice revealed no significant differences in intrinsic membrane properties and action potential firing in response to current injection. These data suggest that corticospinal tract is not accountable for the observed abnormality. Motor behavioral assessments including BMS score, rotarod, and grid-walking test showed no significant differences between the two groups. Because short-latency MEPs are known to involve brainstem reticulospinal tract, while long-latency MEPs mainly involve primary motor cortex and dorsal corticospinal tract, we conclude that this line of ChR2 transgenic mice has normal function of motor cortex and dorsal corticospinal tract, but reduced excitability and responsiveness of reticulospinal tracts. This abnormality needs to be taken into account when using these mice for related optogenetic study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wu
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Stark Neuroscience Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America.,Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Group, Stark Neuroscience Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Wenhui Xiong
- Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Group, Stark Neuroscience Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Stark Neuroscience Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Ping Zhang
- Norton Neuroscience Institute, Norton Healthcare, Louisville, Kentucky, United States of America
| | - Lifang Chen
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Stark Neuroscience Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America.,Department of Acupuncture, Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Jianqiao Fang
- Department of Acupuncture, Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.,Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Christopher Shields
- Norton Neuroscience Institute, Norton Healthcare, Louisville, Kentucky, United States of America
| | - Xiao-Ming Xu
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Stark Neuroscience Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America.,Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Group, Stark Neuroscience Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Stark Neuroscience Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Xiaoming Jin
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Stark Neuroscience Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America.,Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Group, Stark Neuroscience Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Stark Neuroscience Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
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39
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Li Q, Ni RR, Hong H, Goh KY, Rossi M, Fast VG, Zhou L. Electrophysiological Properties and Viability of Neonatal Rat Ventricular Myocyte Cultures with Inducible ChR2 Expression. Sci Rep 2017; 7:1531. [PMID: 28484220 PMCID: PMC5431527 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-01723-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2016] [Accepted: 04/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2)-based optogenetic technique has been increasingly applied to cardiovascular research. However, the potential effects of ChR2 protein overexpression on cardiomyocytes are not completely understood. The present work aimed to examine how the doxycycline-inducible lentiviral-mediated ChR2 expression may affect cell viability and electrophysiological property of neonatal rat ventricular myocyte (NRVM) cultures. Primary NVRMs were infected with lentivirus containing ChR2 or YFP gene and subjected to cytotoxicity analysis. ChR2-expressing cultures were then paced electrically or optically with a blue light-emitting diode, with activation spread recorded simultaneously using optical mapping. Results showed that ChR2 could be readily transduced to NRVMs by the doxycycline-inducible lentiviral system; however, high-level ChR2 (but not YFP) expression was associated with substantial cytotoxicity, which hindered optical pacing. Application of bromodeoxyuridine significantly reduced cell damage, allowing stimulation with light. Simultaneous optical Vm mapping showed that conduction velocity, action potential duration, and dVm/dtmax were similar in ChR2-expressing and control cultures. Finally, the ChR2-expressing cultures could be optically paced at multiple sites, with significantly reduced overall activation time. In summary, we demonstrated that inducible lentiviral-mediated ChR2 overexpression might cause cytotoxicity in NRVM cultures, which could be alleviated without impairing electrophysiological function, allowing simultaneous optical pacing and Vm mapping.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qince Li
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Disease, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1900 University Blvd, Birmingham, 35294, Alabama, USA.,Comprehensive Cardiovascular Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, 35294, Alabama, USA
| | - Rong Ruby Ni
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Disease, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1900 University Blvd, Birmingham, 35294, Alabama, USA.,Comprehensive Cardiovascular Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, 35294, Alabama, USA
| | - Huixian Hong
- Comprehensive Cardiovascular Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, 35294, Alabama, USA
| | - Kah Yong Goh
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Disease, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1900 University Blvd, Birmingham, 35294, Alabama, USA.,Comprehensive Cardiovascular Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, 35294, Alabama, USA
| | - Michael Rossi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1670 University Blvd, Birmingham, 35294, Alabama, USA
| | - Vladimir G Fast
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1670 University Blvd, Birmingham, 35294, Alabama, USA. .,Cardiac Rhythm Management Laboratory, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, 35294, Alabama, USA.
| | - Lufang Zhou
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Disease, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1900 University Blvd, Birmingham, 35294, Alabama, USA. .,Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1670 University Blvd, Birmingham, 35294, Alabama, USA. .,Cardiac Rhythm Management Laboratory, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, 35294, Alabama, USA. .,Comprehensive Cardiovascular Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, 35294, Alabama, USA.
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40
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Liu S, Li C, Xing Y, Wang Y, Tao F. Role of Neuromodulation and Optogenetic Manipulation in Pain Treatment. Curr Neuropharmacol 2017; 14:654-61. [PMID: 26935535 PMCID: PMC4981737 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x14666160303110503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2015] [Revised: 01/30/2016] [Accepted: 02/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuromodulation, including invasive and non-invasive stimulation, has been used to treat intractable chronic pain. However, the mechanisms by which neuromodulation produces antinociceptive effect still remain uncertain. Optogenetic manipulation, a recently developed novel approach, has already proven its value to clinicians by providing new insights into mechanisms of current clinical neuromodulation methods as well as pathophysiology of nervous system diseases at the circuit level. Here, we discuss the principles of two neuromodulation methods (deep brain stimulation and motor cortex stimulation) and their applications in pain treatment. More important, we summarize the new information from recent studies regarding optogenetic manipulation in neuroscience research and its potential utility in pain study.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Feng Tao
- Department of Biomedical Sciences at Texas A&M University Baylor College of Dentistry, 3302 Gaston Avenue, Dallas, Texas.
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41
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Karathanos TV, Boyle PM, Trayanova NA. Light-based Approaches to Cardiac Arrhythmia Research: From Basic Science to Translational Applications. CLINICAL MEDICINE INSIGHTS-CARDIOLOGY 2016; 10:47-60. [PMID: 27840581 PMCID: PMC5094582 DOI: 10.4137/cmc.s39711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2016] [Revised: 09/27/2016] [Accepted: 10/09/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Light has long been used to image the heart, but now it can be used to modulate its electrophysiological function. Imaging modalities and techniques have long constituted an indispensable part of arrhythmia research and treatment. Recently, advances in the fields of optogenetics and photodynamic therapy have provided scientists with more effective approaches for probing, studying and potentially devising new treatments for cardiac arrhythmias. This article is a review of research toward the application of these techniques. It contains (a) an overview of advancements in technology and research that have contributed to light-based cardiac applications and (b) a summary of current and potential future applications of light-based control of cardiac cells, including modulation of heart rhythm, manipulation of cardiac action potential morphology, quantitative analysis of arrhythmias, defibrillation and cardiac ablation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas V. Karathanos
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Institute for Computational Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Patrick M. Boyle
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Institute for Computational Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Natalia A. Trayanova
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Institute for Computational Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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42
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Rapid signalling in distinct dopaminergic axons during locomotion and reward. Nature 2016; 535:505-10. [PMID: 27398617 PMCID: PMC4970879 DOI: 10.1038/nature18942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 359] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2015] [Accepted: 06/20/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Dopaminergic projections from the midbrain to striatum are critical for motor control, as their degeneration in Parkinson’s disease results in profound movement deficits. Paradoxically, most recording methods report rapid phasic dopamine signaling (~100ms bursts) to unpredicted rewards, with little evidence for movement-related signaling. The leading model posits that phasic signaling in striatum targeting dopamine neurons drive reward-based learning, while slow variations in firing (tens of seconds to minutes) in these same neurons bias animals towards or away from movement. However, despite widespread acceptance of this model, current methods have provided little evidence to support or refute it. Here, using new optical recording methods, we report the discovery of rapid phasic signaling in striatum-targeting dopaminergic axons that was associated with, and capable of triggering, locomotion in mice. Axons expressing these signals were largely distinct from those signaling during unexpected rewards. These results suggest that dopaminergic neuromodulation can differentially impact motor control and reward learning with sub-second precision and suggest that both precise signal timing and neuronal subtype are important parameters to consider in the treatment of dopamine-related disorders.
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Wu 吴秋雨 Q, Kolb I, Callahan BM, Su Z, Stoy W, Kodandaramaiah SB, Neve R, Zeng H, Boyden ES, Forest CR, Chubykin AA. Integration of autopatching with automated pipette and cell detection in vitro. J Neurophysiol 2016; 116:1564-1578. [PMID: 27385800 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00386.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2016] [Accepted: 07/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Patch clamp is the main technique for measuring electrical properties of individual cells. Since its discovery in 1976 by Neher and Sakmann, patch clamp has been instrumental in broadening our understanding of the fundamental properties of ion channels and synapses in neurons. The conventional patch-clamp method requires manual, precise positioning of a glass micropipette against the cell membrane of a visually identified target neuron. Subsequently, a tight "gigaseal" connection between the pipette and the cell membrane is established, and suction is applied to establish the whole cell patch configuration to perform electrophysiological recordings. This procedure is repeated manually for each individual cell, making it labor intensive and time consuming. In this article we describe the development of a new automatic patch-clamp system for brain slices, which integrates all steps of the patch-clamp process: image acquisition through a microscope, computer vision-based identification of a patch pipette and fluorescently labeled neurons, micromanipulator control, and automated patching. We validated our system in brain slices from wild-type and transgenic mice expressing channelrhodopsin 2 under the Thy1 promoter (line 18) or injected with a herpes simplex virus-expressing archaerhodopsin, ArchT. Our computer vision-based algorithm makes the fluorescent cell detection and targeting user independent. Compared with manual patching, our system is superior in both success rate and average trial duration. It provides more reliable trial-to-trial control of the patching process and improves reproducibility of experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuyu Wu 吴秋雨
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
| | - Ilya Kolb
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Brendan M Callahan
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Zhaolun Su
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
| | - William Stoy
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Suhasa B Kodandaramaiah
- MIT Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts; McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota; and
| | - Rachael Neve
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Hongkui Zeng
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, Washington
| | - Edward S Boyden
- MIT Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts; McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Craig R Forest
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia; George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia
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Saunders BT, Richard JM, Janak PH. Contemporary approaches to neural circuit manipulation and mapping: focus on reward and addiction. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2016; 370:20140210. [PMID: 26240425 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2014.0210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Tying complex psychological processes to precisely defined neural circuits is a major goal of systems and behavioural neuroscience. This is critical for understanding adaptive behaviour, and also how neural systems are altered in states of psychopathology, such as addiction. Efforts to relate psychological processes relevant to addiction to activity within defined neural circuits have been complicated by neural heterogeneity. Recent advances in technology allow for manipulation and mapping of genetically and anatomically defined neurons, which when used in concert with sophisticated behavioural models, have the potential to provide great insight into neural circuit bases of behaviour. Here we discuss contemporary approaches for understanding reward and addiction, with a focus on midbrain dopamine and cortico-striato-pallidal circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin T Saunders
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Jocelyn M Richard
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Patricia H Janak
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
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45
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Bosch D, Asede D, Ehrlich I. Ex Vivo Optogenetic Dissection of Fear Circuits in Brain Slices. J Vis Exp 2016:e53628. [PMID: 27077317 DOI: 10.3791/53628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Optogenetic approaches are now widely used to study the function of neural populations and circuits by combining targeted expression of light-activated proteins and subsequent manipulation of neural activity by light. Channelrhodopsins (ChRs) are light-gated cation-channels and when fused to a fluorescent protein their expression allows for visualization and concurrent activation of specific cell types and their axonal projections in defined areas of the brain. Via stereotactic injection of viral vectors, ChR fusion proteins can be constitutively or conditionally expressed in specific cells of a defined brain region, and their axonal projections can subsequently be studied anatomically and functionally via ex vivo optogenetic activation in brain slices. This is of particular importance when aiming to understand synaptic properties of connections that could not be addressed with conventional electrical stimulation approaches, or in identifying novel afferent and efferent connectivity that was previously poorly understood. Here, a few examples illustrate how this technique can be applied to investigate these questions to elucidating fear-related circuits in the amygdala. The amygdala is a key region for acquisition and expression of fear, and storage of fear and emotional memories. Many lines of evidence suggest that the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) participates in different aspects of fear acquisition and extinction, but its precise connectivity with the amygdala is just starting to be understood. First, it is shown how ex vivo optogenetic activation can be used to study aspects of synaptic communication between mPFC afferents and target cells in the basolateral amygdala (BLA). Furthermore, it is illustrated how this ex vivo optogenetic approach can be applied to assess novel connectivity patterns using a group of GABAergic neurons in the amygdala, the paracapsular intercalated cell cluster (mpITC), as an example.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Bosch
- Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research and Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tuebingen
| | | | - Ingrid Ehrlich
- Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research and Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tuebingen;
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46
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Cheng MY, Aswendt M, Steinberg GK. Optogenetic Approaches to Target Specific Neural Circuits in Post-stroke Recovery. Neurotherapeutics 2016; 13:325-40. [PMID: 26701667 PMCID: PMC4824024 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-015-0411-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability in the USA, yet treatment options are very limited. Functional recovery can occur after stroke and is attributed, in part, to rewiring of neural connections in areas adjacent to or remotely connected to the infarct. A better understanding of neural circuit rewiring is thus an important step toward developing future therapeutic strategies for stroke recovery. Because stroke disrupts functional connections in peri-infarct and remotely connected regions, it is important to investigate brain-wide network dynamics during post-stroke recovery. Optogenetics is a revolutionary neuroscience tool that uses bioengineered light-sensitive proteins to selectively activate or inhibit specific cell types and neural circuits within milliseconds, allowing greater specificity and temporal precision for dissecting neural circuit mechanisms in diseases. In this review, we discuss the current view of post-stroke remapping and recovery, including recent studies that use optogenetics to investigate neural circuit remapping after stroke, as well as optogenetic stimulation to enhance stroke recovery. Multimodal approaches employing optogenetics in conjunction with other readouts (e.g., in vivo neuroimaging techniques, behavior assays, and next-generation sequencing) will advance our understanding of neural circuit reorganization during post-stroke recovery, as well as provide important insights into which brain circuits to target when designing brain stimulation strategies for future clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Y Cheng
- Department of Neurosurgery, R281, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305-5327, USA.
| | - Markus Aswendt
- Department of Neurosurgery, R281, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305-5327, USA
| | - Gary K Steinberg
- Department of Neurosurgery, R281, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305-5327, USA.
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47
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Abdala AP, Paton JFR, Smith JC. Defining inhibitory neurone function in respiratory circuits: opportunities with optogenetics? J Physiol 2015; 593:3033-46. [PMID: 25384785 PMCID: PMC4532524 DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2014.280610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2014] [Accepted: 10/30/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Pharmacological and mathematical modelling studies support the view that synaptic inhibition in mammalian brainstem respiratory circuits is essential for generating normal and stable breathing movements. GABAergic and glycinergic neurones are known components of these circuits but their precise functional roles have not been established, especially within key microcircuits of the respiratory pre-Bötzinger (pre-BötC) and Bötzinger (BötC) complexes involved in phasic control of respiratory pump and airway muscles. Here, we review briefly current concepts of relevant complexities of inhibitory synapses and the importance of synaptic inhibition in the operation of these microcircuits. We highlight results and limitations of classical pharmacological studies that have suggested critical functions of synaptic inhibition. We then explore the potential opportunities for optogenetic strategies that represent a promising new approach for interrogating function of inhibitory circuits, including a hypothetical wish list for optogenetic approaches to allow expedient application of this technology. We conclude that recent technical advances in optogenetics should provide a means to understand the role of functionally select and regionally confined subsets of inhibitory neurones in key respiratory circuits such as those in the pre-BötC and BötC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Paula Abdala
- School of Physiology and Pharmacology, Bristol CardioVascular, Medical Science Building, University of BristolBristol, UK
| | - Julian F R Paton
- School of Physiology and Pharmacology, Bristol CardioVascular, Medical Science Building, University of BristolBristol, UK
| | - Jeffrey C Smith
- Cellular and Systems Neurobiology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of HealthBethesda, MD, USA
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48
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Parr-Brownlie LC, Bosch-Bouju C, Schoderboeck L, Sizemore RJ, Abraham WC, Hughes SM. Lentiviral vectors as tools to understand central nervous system biology in mammalian model organisms. Front Mol Neurosci 2015; 8:14. [PMID: 26041987 PMCID: PMC4434958 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2015.00014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2015] [Accepted: 04/30/2015] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Lentiviruses have been extensively used as gene delivery vectors since the mid-1990s. Usually derived from the human immunodeficiency virus genome, they mediate efficient gene transfer to non-dividing cells, including neurons and glia in the adult mammalian brain. In addition, integration of the recombinant lentiviral construct into the host genome provides permanent expression, including the progeny of dividing neural precursors. In this review, we describe targeted vectors with modified envelope glycoproteins and expression of transgenes under the regulation of cell-selective and inducible promoters. This technology has broad utility to address fundamental questions in neuroscience and we outline how this has been used in rodents and primates. Combining viral tract tracing with immunohistochemistry and confocal or electron microscopy, lentiviral vectors provide a tool to selectively label and trace specific neuronal populations at gross or ultrastructural levels. Additionally, new generation optogenetic technologies can be readily utilized to analyze neuronal circuit and gene functions in the mature mammalian brain. Examples of these applications, limitations of current systems and prospects for future developments to enhance neuroscience knowledge will be reviewed. Finally, we will discuss how these vectors may be translated from gene therapy trials into the clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise C. Parr-Brownlie
- Department of Anatomy, Brain Health Research Centre, University of OtagoDunedin, New Zealand
- Brain Research New Zealand Centre of Research ExcellenceDunedin, New Zealand
| | | | - Lucia Schoderboeck
- Brain Research New Zealand Centre of Research ExcellenceDunedin, New Zealand
- Department of Biochemistry, Brain Health Research Centre, University of OtagoDunedin, New Zealand
- Department of Psychology, Brain Health Research Centre, University of OtagoDunedin, New Zealand
| | - Rachel J. Sizemore
- Department of Anatomy, Brain Health Research Centre, University of OtagoDunedin, New Zealand
- Brain Research New Zealand Centre of Research ExcellenceDunedin, New Zealand
| | - Wickliffe C. Abraham
- Brain Research New Zealand Centre of Research ExcellenceDunedin, New Zealand
- Department of Psychology, Brain Health Research Centre, University of OtagoDunedin, New Zealand
| | - Stephanie M. Hughes
- Brain Research New Zealand Centre of Research ExcellenceDunedin, New Zealand
- Department of Biochemistry, Brain Health Research Centre, University of OtagoDunedin, New Zealand
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49
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Allen BD, Singer AC, Boyden ES. Principles of designing interpretable optogenetic behavior experiments. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 22:232-8. [PMID: 25787711 PMCID: PMC4371169 DOI: 10.1101/lm.038026.114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Over the last decade, there has been much excitement about the use of optogenetic tools to test whether specific cells, regions, and projection pathways are necessary or sufficient for initiating, sustaining, or altering behavior. However, the use of such tools can result in side effects that can complicate experimental design or interpretation. The presence of optogenetic proteins in cells, the effects of heat and light, and the activity of specific ions conducted by optogenetic proteins can result in cellular side effects. At the network level, activation or silencing of defined neural populations can alter the physiology of local or distant circuits, sometimes in undesired ways. We discuss how, in order to design interpretable behavioral experiments using optogenetics, one can understand, and control for, these potential confounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian D Allen
- Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA Departments of Biological Engineering and Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - Annabelle C Singer
- Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA Departments of Biological Engineering and Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - Edward S Boyden
- Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA Departments of Biological Engineering and Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
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50
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Tochitsky I, Kramer RH. Optopharmacological tools for restoring visual function in degenerative retinal diseases. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2015; 34:74-8. [PMID: 25706312 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2015.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2015] [Revised: 01/26/2015] [Accepted: 01/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are progressive retinal diseases that result from the death of rod and cone photoreceptors, ultimately leading to blindness. The only currently approved vision restoration treatment employs an implanted retinal 'chip' as a prosthetic device to electrically stimulate retinal neurons that survive after the photoreceptors are gone, thereby restoring light-driven neural signaling to the brain. Alternative strategies have been proposed, which would utilize optogenetic or optopharmacological tools to enable direct optical stimulation of surviving retinal neurons. Here, we review the latest studies evaluating the feasibility of these molecular tools as potential therapeutics for restoring visual function in human blinding disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Tochitsky
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Richard H Kramer
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
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