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van der Heijden ME, Rey Hipolito AG, Kim LH, Kizek DJ, Perez RM, Lin T, Sillitoe RV. Glutamatergic cerebellar neurons differentially contribute to the acquisition of motor and social behaviors. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2771. [PMID: 37188723 PMCID: PMC10185563 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38475-9] [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: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Insults to the developing cerebellum can cause motor, language, and social deficits. Here, we investigate whether developmental insults to different cerebellar neurons constrain the ability to acquire cerebellar-dependent behaviors. We perturb cerebellar cortical or nuclei neuron function by eliminating glutamatergic neurotransmission during development, and then we measure motor and social behaviors in early postnatal and adult mice. Altering cortical and nuclei neurons impacts postnatal motor control and social vocalizations. Normalizing neurotransmission in cortical neurons but not nuclei neurons restores social behaviors while the motor deficits remain impaired in adults. In contrast, manipulating only a subset of nuclei neurons leaves social behaviors intact but leads to early motor deficits that are restored by adulthood. Our data uncover that glutamatergic neurotransmission from cerebellar cortical and nuclei neurons differentially control the acquisition of motor and social behaviors, and that the brain can compensate for some but not all perturbations to the developing cerebellum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meike E van der Heijden
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Alejandro G Rey Hipolito
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Linda H Kim
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Dominic J Kizek
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ross M Perez
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
- Development, Disease Models & Therapeutics Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Tao Lin
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Roy V Sillitoe
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
- Development, Disease Models & Therapeutics Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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Boxy P, Nykjær A, Kisiswa L. Building better brains: the pleiotropic function of neurotrophic factors in postnatal cerebellar development. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1181397. [PMID: 37251644 PMCID: PMC10213292 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1181397] [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: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The cerebellum is a multifunctional brain region that controls diverse motor and non-motor behaviors. As a result, impairments in the cerebellar architecture and circuitry lead to a vast array of neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders. Neurotrophins and neurotrophic growth factors play essential roles in the development as well as maintenance of the central and peripheral nervous system which is crucial for normal brain function. Their timely expression throughout embryonic and postnatal stages is important for promoting growth and survival of both neurons and glial cells. During postnatal development, the cerebellum undergoes changes in its cellular organization, which is regulated by a variety of molecular factors, including neurotrophic factors. Studies have shown that these factors and their receptors promote proper formation of the cerebellar cytoarchitecture as well as maintenance of the cerebellar circuits. In this review, we will summarize what is known on the neurotrophic factors' role in cerebellar postnatal development and how their dysregulation assists in developing various neurological disorders. Understanding the expression patterns and signaling mechanisms of these factors and their receptors is crucial for elucidating their function within the cerebellum and for developing therapeutic strategies for cerebellar-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pia Boxy
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience (DANDRITE)–Nordic EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- The Danish National Research Foundation Center, PROMEMO, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Anders Nykjær
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience (DANDRITE)–Nordic EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- The Danish National Research Foundation Center, PROMEMO, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Lilian Kisiswa
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience (DANDRITE)–Nordic EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- The Danish National Research Foundation Center, PROMEMO, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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van der Heijden ME, Lackey EP, Perez R, Ișleyen FS, Brown AM, Donofrio SG, Lin T, Zoghbi HY, Sillitoe RV. Maturation of Purkinje cell firing properties relies on neurogenesis of excitatory neurons. eLife 2021; 10:e68045. [PMID: 34542409 PMCID: PMC8452305 DOI: 10.7554/elife.68045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Preterm infants that suffer cerebellar insults often develop motor disorders and cognitive difficulty. Excitatory granule cells, the most numerous neuron type in the brain, are especially vulnerable and likely instigate disease by impairing the function of their targets, the Purkinje cells. Here, we use regional genetic manipulations and in vivo electrophysiology to test whether excitatory neurons establish the firing properties of Purkinje cells during postnatal mouse development. We generated mutant mice that lack the majority of excitatory cerebellar neurons and tracked the structural and functional consequences on Purkinje cells. We reveal that Purkinje cells fail to acquire their typical morphology and connectivity, and that the concomitant transformation of Purkinje cell firing activity does not occur either. We also show that our mutant pups have impaired motor behaviors and vocal skills. These data argue that excitatory cerebellar neurons define the maturation time-window for postnatal Purkinje cell functions and refine cerebellar-dependent behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meike E van der Heijden
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s HospitalHoustonUnited States
| | - Elizabeth P Lackey
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s HospitalHoustonUnited States
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
| | - Ross Perez
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s HospitalHoustonUnited States
| | - Fatma S Ișleyen
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
| | - Amanda M Brown
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s HospitalHoustonUnited States
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
| | - Sarah G Donofrio
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s HospitalHoustonUnited States
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
| | - Tao Lin
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s HospitalHoustonUnited States
| | - Huda Y Zoghbi
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s HospitalHoustonUnited States
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
| | - Roy V Sillitoe
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s HospitalHoustonUnited States
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Development, Disease Models and Therapeutics Graduate Program, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
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van der Heijden ME, Sillitoe RV. Interactions Between Purkinje Cells and Granule Cells Coordinate the Development of Functional Cerebellar Circuits. Neuroscience 2021; 462:4-21. [PMID: 32554107 PMCID: PMC7736359 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Revised: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Cerebellar development has a remarkably protracted morphogenetic timeline that is coordinated by multiple cell types. Here, we discuss the intriguing cellular consequences of interactions between inhibitory Purkinje cells and excitatory granule cells during embryonic and postnatal development. Purkinje cells are central to all cerebellar circuits, they are the first cerebellar cortical neurons to be born, and based on their cellular and molecular signaling, they are considered the master regulators of cerebellar development. Although rudimentary Purkinje cell circuits are already present at birth, their connectivity is morphologically and functionally distinct from their mature counterparts. The establishment of the Purkinje cell circuit with its mature firing properties has a temporal dependence on cues provided by granule cells. Granule cells are the latest born, yet most populous, neuronal type in the cerebellar cortex. They provide a combination of mechanical, molecular and activity-based cues that shape the maturation of Purkinje cell structure, connectivity and function. We propose that the wiring of Purkinje cells for function falls into two developmental phases: an initial phase that is guided by intrinsic mechanisms and a later phase that is guided by dynamically-acting cues, some of which are provided by granule cells. In this review, we highlight the mechanisms that granule cells use to help establish the unique properties of Purkinje cell firing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meike E van der Heijden
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Roy V Sillitoe
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Development, Disease Models & Therapeutics Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA.
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White JJ, Bosman LWJ, Blot FGC, Osório C, Kuppens BW, Krijnen WHJJ, Andriessen C, De Zeeuw CI, Jaarsma D, Schonewille M. Region-specific preservation of Purkinje cell morphology and motor behavior in the ATXN1[82Q] mouse model of spinocerebellar ataxia 1. Brain Pathol 2021; 31:e12946. [PMID: 33724582 PMCID: PMC8412070 DOI: 10.1111/bpa.12946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Purkinje cells are the primary processing units of the cerebellar cortex and display molecular heterogeneity that aligns with differences in physiological properties, projection patterns, and susceptibility to disease. In particular, multiple mouse models that feature Purkinje cell degeneration are characterized by incomplete and patterned Purkinje cell degeneration, suggestive of relative sparing of Purkinje cell subpopulations, such as those expressing Aldolase C/zebrinII (AldoC) or residing in the vestibulo‐cerebellum. Here, we investigated a well‐characterized Purkinje cell‐specific mouse model for spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) that expresses human ATXN1 with a polyQ expansion (82Q). Our pathological analysis confirms previous findings that Purkinje cells of the vestibulo‐cerebellum, i.e., the flocculonodular lobes, and crus I are relatively spared from key pathological hallmarks: somatodendritic atrophy, and the appearance of p62/SQSTM1‐positive inclusions. However, immunohistological analysis of transgene expression revealed that spared Purkinje cells do not express mutant ATXN1 protein, indicating the sparing of Purkinje cells can be explained by an absence of transgene expression. Additionally, we found that Purkinje cells in other cerebellar lobules that typically express AldoC, not only display severe pathology but also show loss of AldoC expression. The relatively preserved flocculonodular lobes and crus I showed a substantial fraction of Purkinje cells that expressed the mutant protein and displayed pathology as well as loss of AldoC expression. Despite considerable pathology in these lobules, behavioral analyses demonstrated a relative sparing of related functions, suggestive of sufficient functional cerebellar reserve. Together, the data indicate that mutant ATXN1 affects both AldoC‐positive and AldoC‐negative Purkinje cells and disrupts normal parasagittal AldoC expression in Purkinje cells. Our results show that, in a mouse model otherwise characterized by widespread Purkinje cell degeneration, sparing of specific subpopulations is sufficient to maintain normal performance of specific behaviors within the context of the functional, modular map of the cerebellum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua J White
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | | | | | - Catarina Osório
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Bram W Kuppens
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | | | | | - Chris I De Zeeuw
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands.,Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Dick Jaarsma
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands
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