1
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Phillips RA, Oh S, Bach SV, Du Y, Miller RA, Kleinman JE, Hyde TM, Hicks SC, Page SC, Martinowich K. Transcriptomic characterization of human lateral septum neurons reveals conserved and divergent marker genes across species. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.22.590602. [PMID: 38712125 PMCID: PMC11071425 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.22.590602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
The lateral septum (LS) is a midline, subcortical structure, which regulates social behaviors that are frequently impaired in neurodevelopmental disorders including schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder. Mouse studies have identified neuronal populations within the LS that express a variety of molecular markers, including vasopressin receptor, oxytocin receptor, and corticotropin releasing hormone receptor, that control specific facets of social behavior. Despite its critical role in the regulation of social behavior and notable gene expression patterns, comprehensive molecular profiling of the human LS has not been performed. Here, we conducted single nucleus RNA-sequencing (snRNA-seq) to generate the first transcriptomic profiles of the human LS using postmortem human brain tissue samples from 3 neurotypical donors. Our analysis identified 4 transcriptionally distinct neuronal cell types within the human LS that are enriched for TRPC4 , the gene encoding Trp-related protein 4. Differential expression analysis revealed a distinct LS neuronal cell type that is enriched for OPRM1 , the gene encoding the μ-opioid receptor. Leveraging recently collected mouse LS snRNA-seq datasets, we also conducted a cross-species analysis. Our results demonstrate that TRPC4 enrichment in the LS is highly conserved between human and mouse, while FREM2 , which encodes FRAS1 related extracellular matrix protein 2, is enriched only in the human LS. Together, these results highlight transcriptional heterogeneity of the human LS, and identify robust marker genes for the human LS.
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2
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Rodriguez LA, Tran MN, Garcia-Flores R, Oh S, Phillips RA, Pattie EA, Divecha HR, Kim SH, Shin JH, Lee YK, Montoya C, Jaffe AE, Collado-Torres L, Page SC, Martinowich K. TrkB-dependent regulation of molecular signaling across septal cell types. Transl Psychiatry 2024; 14:52. [PMID: 38263132 PMCID: PMC10805920 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-02758-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The lateral septum (LS), a GABAergic structure located in the basal forebrain, is implicated in social behavior, learning, and memory. We previously demonstrated that expression of tropomyosin kinase receptor B (TrkB) in LS neurons is required for social novelty recognition. To better understand molecular mechanisms by which TrkB signaling controls behavior, we locally knocked down TrkB in LS and used bulk RNA-sequencing to identify changes in gene expression downstream of TrkB. TrkB knockdown induces upregulation of genes associated with inflammation and immune responses, and downregulation of genes associated with synaptic signaling and plasticity. Next, we generated one of the first atlases of molecular profiles for LS cell types using single nucleus RNA-sequencing (snRNA-seq). We identified markers for the septum broadly, and the LS specifically, as well as for all neuronal cell types. We then investigated whether the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) induced by TrkB knockdown map to specific LS cell types. Enrichment testing identified that downregulated DEGs are broadly expressed across neuronal clusters. Enrichment analyses of these DEGs demonstrated that downregulated genes are uniquely expressed in the LS, and associated with either synaptic plasticity or neurodevelopmental disorders. Upregulated genes are enriched in LS microglia, associated with immune response and inflammation, and linked to both neurodegenerative disease and neuropsychiatric disorders. In addition, many of these genes are implicated in regulating social behaviors. In summary, the findings implicate TrkB signaling in the LS as a critical regulator of gene networks associated with psychiatric disorders that display social deficits, including schizophrenia and autism, and with neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lionel A Rodriguez
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Matthew Nguyen Tran
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Renee Garcia-Flores
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Seyun Oh
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Robert A Phillips
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Pattie
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Heena R Divecha
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Sun Hong Kim
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Joo Heon Shin
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Yong Kyu Lee
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Carly Montoya
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Andrew E Jaffe
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Leonardo Collado-Torres
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Stephanie C Page
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
| | - Keri Martinowich
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- The Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
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3
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Simon RC, Fleming WT, Senthilkumar P, Briones BA, Ishii KK, Hjort MM, Martin MM, Hashikawa K, Sanders AD, Golden SA, Stuber GD. Opioid-driven disruption of the septal complex reveals a role for neurotensin-expressing neurons in withdrawal. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.15.575766. [PMID: 38293241 PMCID: PMC10827099 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.15.575766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Because opioid withdrawal is an intensely aversive experience, persons with opioid use disorder (OUD) often relapse to avoid it. The lateral septum (LS) is a forebrain structure that is important in aversion processing, and previous studies have linked the lateral septum (LS) to substance use disorders. It is unclear, however, which precise LS cell types might contribute to the maladaptive state of withdrawal. To address this, we used single-nucleus RNA-sequencing to interrogate cell type specific gene expression changes induced by chronic morphine and withdrawal. We discovered that morphine globally disrupted the transcriptional profile of LS cell types, but Neurotensin-expressing neurons (Nts; LS-Nts neurons) were selectively activated by naloxone. Using two-photon calcium imaging and ex vivo electrophysiology, we next demonstrate that LS-Nts neurons receive enhanced glutamatergic drive in morphine-dependent mice and remain hyperactivated during opioid withdrawal. Finally, we showed that activating and silencing LS-Nts neurons during opioid withdrawal regulates pain coping behaviors and sociability. Together, these results suggest that LS-Nts neurons are a key neural substrate involved in opioid withdrawal and establish the LS as a crucial regulator of adaptive behaviors, specifically pertaining to OUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rhiana C. Simon
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion (NAPE), University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Weston T. Fleming
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion (NAPE), University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Pranav Senthilkumar
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion (NAPE), University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Brandy A. Briones
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion (NAPE), University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Kentaro K. Ishii
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion (NAPE), University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Madelyn M. Hjort
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion (NAPE), University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Madison M. Martin
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion (NAPE), University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Koichi Hashikawa
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion (NAPE), University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Andrea D. Sanders
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion (NAPE), University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Sam A. Golden
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion (NAPE), University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Garret D. Stuber
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion (NAPE), University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
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4
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Yao Z, van Velthoven CTJ, Kunst M, Zhang M, McMillen D, Lee C, Jung W, Goldy J, Abdelhak A, Aitken M, Baker K, Baker P, Barkan E, Bertagnolli D, Bhandiwad A, Bielstein C, Bishwakarma P, Campos J, Carey D, Casper T, Chakka AB, Chakrabarty R, Chavan S, Chen M, Clark M, Close J, Crichton K, Daniel S, DiValentin P, Dolbeare T, Ellingwood L, Fiabane E, Fliss T, Gee J, Gerstenberger J, Glandon A, Gloe J, Gould J, Gray J, Guilford N, Guzman J, Hirschstein D, Ho W, Hooper M, Huang M, Hupp M, Jin K, Kroll M, Lathia K, Leon A, Li S, Long B, Madigan Z, Malloy J, Malone J, Maltzer Z, Martin N, McCue R, McGinty R, Mei N, Melchor J, Meyerdierks E, Mollenkopf T, Moonsman S, Nguyen TN, Otto S, Pham T, Rimorin C, Ruiz A, Sanchez R, Sawyer L, Shapovalova N, Shepard N, Slaughterbeck C, Sulc J, Tieu M, Torkelson A, Tung H, Valera Cuevas N, Vance S, Wadhwani K, Ward K, Levi B, Farrell C, Young R, Staats B, Wang MQM, Thompson CL, Mufti S, Pagan CM, Kruse L, Dee N, Sunkin SM, Esposito L, Hawrylycz MJ, Waters J, Ng L, Smith K, Tasic B, Zhuang X, Zeng H. A high-resolution transcriptomic and spatial atlas of cell types in the whole mouse brain. Nature 2023; 624:317-332. [PMID: 38092916 PMCID: PMC10719114 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06812-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
The mammalian brain consists of millions to billions of cells that are organized into many cell types with specific spatial distribution patterns and structural and functional properties1-3. Here we report a comprehensive and high-resolution transcriptomic and spatial cell-type atlas for the whole adult mouse brain. The cell-type atlas was created by combining a single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) dataset of around 7 million cells profiled (approximately 4.0 million cells passing quality control), and a spatial transcriptomic dataset of approximately 4.3 million cells using multiplexed error-robust fluorescence in situ hybridization (MERFISH). The atlas is hierarchically organized into 4 nested levels of classification: 34 classes, 338 subclasses, 1,201 supertypes and 5,322 clusters. We present an online platform, Allen Brain Cell Atlas, to visualize the mouse whole-brain cell-type atlas along with the single-cell RNA-sequencing and MERFISH datasets. We systematically analysed the neuronal and non-neuronal cell types across the brain and identified a high degree of correspondence between transcriptomic identity and spatial specificity for each cell type. The results reveal unique features of cell-type organization in different brain regions-in particular, a dichotomy between the dorsal and ventral parts of the brain. The dorsal part contains relatively fewer yet highly divergent neuronal types, whereas the ventral part contains more numerous neuronal types that are more closely related to each other. Our study also uncovered extraordinary diversity and heterogeneity in neurotransmitter and neuropeptide expression and co-expression patterns in different cell types. Finally, we found that transcription factors are major determinants of cell-type classification and identified a combinatorial transcription factor code that defines cell types across all parts of the brain. The whole mouse brain transcriptomic and spatial cell-type atlas establishes a benchmark reference atlas and a foundational resource for integrative investigations of cellular and circuit function, development and evolution of the mammalian brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zizhen Yao
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | | | | | - Meng Zhang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Changkyu Lee
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Won Jung
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jeff Goldy
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Pamela Baker
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Eliza Barkan
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Daniel Carey
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Min Chen
- University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Jennie Close
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Scott Daniel
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Tim Dolbeare
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | | | - James Gee
- University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | | | - Jessica Gloe
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - James Gray
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Windy Ho
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Mike Huang
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Madie Hupp
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Kelly Jin
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Kanan Lathia
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Arielle Leon
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Su Li
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Brian Long
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Zach Madigan
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | - Zoe Maltzer
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Naomi Martin
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Rachel McCue
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Ryan McGinty
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Nicholas Mei
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jose Melchor
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Sven Otto
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Lane Sawyer
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Noah Shepard
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Josef Sulc
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Michael Tieu
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Herman Tung
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Shane Vance
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Katelyn Ward
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Boaz Levi
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Rob Young
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Brian Staats
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | - Shoaib Mufti
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Lauren Kruse
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Nick Dee
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Jack Waters
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Lydia Ng
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | - Xiaowei Zhuang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Hongkui Zeng
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA.
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5
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Xie Y, Reid CM, Granados AA, Garcia MT, Dale-Huang F, Hanson SM, Mancia W, Liu J, Adam M, Mosto O, Pisco AO, Alvarez-Buylla A, Harwell CC. Developmental origin and local signals cooperate to determine septal astrocyte identity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.08.561428. [PMID: 37873089 PMCID: PMC10592657 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.08.561428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Astrocyte specification during development is influenced by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors, but the precise contribution of each remains poorly understood. Here we show that septal astrocytes from Nkx2.1 and Zic4 expressing progenitor zones are allocated into non-overlapping domains of the medial (MS) and lateral septal nuclei (LS) respectively. Astrocytes in these areas exhibit distinctive molecular and morphological features tailored to the unique cellular and synaptic circuit environment of each nucleus. Using single-nucleus (sn) RNA sequencing, we trace the developmental trajectories of cells in the septum and find that neurons and astrocytes undergo region and developmental stage-specific local cell-cell interactions. We show that expression of the classic morphogens Sonic hedgehog (Shh) and Fibroblast growth factors (Fgfs) by MS and LS neurons respectively, functions to promote the molecular specification of local astrocytes in each region. Finally, using heterotopic cell transplantation, we show that both morphological and molecular specifications of septal astrocytes are highly dependent on the local microenvironment, regardless of developmental origins. Our data highlights the complex interplay between intrinsic and extrinsic factors shaping astrocyte identities and illustrates the importance of the local environment in determining astrocyte functional specialization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajun Xie
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, San Francisco, CA
| | - Christopher M. Reid
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, San Francisco, CA
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Ph.D. Program in Neuroscience, Harvard University, Boston, MA
| | | | - Miguel Turrero Garcia
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, San Francisco, CA
| | - Fiona Dale-Huang
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA
| | - Sarah M. Hanson
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, San Francisco, CA
| | - Walter Mancia
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA
| | - Jonathan Liu
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Manal Adam
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, San Francisco, CA
| | - Olivia Mosto
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | | | - Arturo Alvarez-Buylla
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA
| | - Corey C. Harwell
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, San Francisco, CA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
- Lead contact
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6
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García MT, Tran DN, Peterson RE, Stegmann SK, Hanson SM, Reid CM, Xie Y, Vu S, Harwell CC. A developmentally defined population of neurons in the lateral septum controls responses to aversive stimuli. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.24.559205. [PMID: 37873286 PMCID: PMC10592641 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.24.559205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
When interacting with their environment, animals must balance exploratory and defensive behavior to evaluate and respond to potential threats. The lateral septum (LS) is a structure in the ventral forebrain that calibrates the magnitude of behavioral responses to stress-related external stimuli, including the regulation of threat avoidance. The complex connectivity between the LS and other parts of the brain, together with its largely unexplored neuronal diversity, makes it difficult to understand how defined LS circuits control specific behaviors. Here, we describe a mouse model in which a population of neurons with a common developmental origin (Nkx2.1-lineage neurons) are absent from the LS. Using a combination of circuit tracing and behavioral analyses, we found that these neurons receive inputs from the perifornical area of the anterior hypothalamus (PeFAH) and are specifically activated in stressful contexts. Mice lacking Nkx2.1-lineage LS neurons display increased exploratory behavior even under stressful conditions. Our study extends the current knowledge about how defined neuronal populations within the LS can evaluate contextual information to select appropriate behavioral responses. This is a necessary step towards understanding the crucial role that the LS plays in neuropsychiatric conditions where defensive behavior is dysregulated, such as anxiety and aggression disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Turrero García
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, CA
- The Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research; San Francisco, CA
| | - Diana N. Tran
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA
| | | | | | - Sarah M. Hanson
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, CA
- The Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research; San Francisco, CA
| | - Christopher M. Reid
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, CA
- The Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research; San Francisco, CA
- Ph.D. Program in Neuroscience, Harvard University; Boston, MA
| | - Yajun Xie
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, CA
- The Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research; San Francisco, CA
| | - Steve Vu
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA
| | - Corey C. Harwell
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, CA
- The Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research; San Francisco, CA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub San Francisco; San Francisco, CA
- Lead contact
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7
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Rodriguez LA, Tran MN, Garcia-Flores R, Pattie EA, Divecha HR, Kim SH, Shin JH, Lee YK, Montoya C, Jaffe AE, Collado-Torres L, Page SC, Martinowich K. TrkB-dependent regulation of molecular signaling across septal cell types. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.29.547069. [PMID: 37425939 PMCID: PMC10327212 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.29.547069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
The lateral septum (LS), a GABAergic structure located in the basal forebrain, is implicated in social behavior, learning and memory. We previously demonstrated that expression of tropomyosin kinase receptor B (TrkB) in LS neurons is required for social novelty recognition. To better understand molecular mechanisms by which TrkB signaling controls behavior, we locally knocked down TrkB in LS and used bulk RNA-sequencing to identify changes in gene expression downstream of TrkB. TrkB knockdown induces upregulation of genes associated with inflammation and immune responses, and downregulation of genes associated with synaptic signaling and plasticity. Next, we generated one of the first atlases of molecular profiles for LS cell types using single nucleus RNA-sequencing (snRNA-seq). We identified markers for the septum broadly, and the LS specifically, as well as for all neuronal cell types. We then investigated whether the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) induced by TrkB knockdown map to specific LS cell types. Enrichment testing identified that downregulated DEGs are broadly expressed across neuronal clusters. Enrichment analyses of these DEGs demonstrated that downregulated genes are uniquely expressed in the LS, and associated with either synaptic plasticity or neurodevelopmental disorders. Upregulated genes are enriched in LS microglia, associated with immune response and inflammation, and linked to both neurodegenerative disease and neuropsychiatric disorders. In addition, many of these genes are implicated in regulating social behaviors. In summary, the findings implicate TrkB signaling in the LS as a critical regulator of gene networks associated with psychiatric disorders that display social deficits, including schizophrenia and autism, and with neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lionel A. Rodriguez
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Matthew Nguyen Tran
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Renee Garcia-Flores
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Elizabeth A. Pattie
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Heena R. Divecha
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Sun Hong Kim
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Joo Heon Shin
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Yong Kyu Lee
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Carly Montoya
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Andrew E. Jaffe
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Leonardo Collado-Torres
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Stephanie C. Page
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Keri Martinowich
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- The Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
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Yao Z, van Velthoven CTJ, Kunst M, Zhang M, McMillen D, Lee C, Jung W, Goldy J, Abdelhak A, Baker P, Barkan E, Bertagnolli D, Campos J, Carey D, Casper T, Chakka AB, Chakrabarty R, Chavan S, Chen M, Clark M, Close J, Crichton K, Daniel S, Dolbeare T, Ellingwood L, Gee J, Glandon A, Gloe J, Gould J, Gray J, Guilford N, Guzman J, Hirschstein D, Ho W, Jin K, Kroll M, Lathia K, Leon A, Long B, Maltzer Z, Martin N, McCue R, Meyerdierks E, Nguyen TN, Pham T, Rimorin C, Ruiz A, Shapovalova N, Slaughterbeck C, Sulc J, Tieu M, Torkelson A, Tung H, Cuevas NV, Wadhwani K, Ward K, Levi B, Farrell C, Thompson CL, Mufti S, Pagan CM, Kruse L, Dee N, Sunkin SM, Esposito L, Hawrylycz MJ, Waters J, Ng L, Smith KA, Tasic B, Zhuang X, Zeng H. A high-resolution transcriptomic and spatial atlas of cell types in the whole mouse brain. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.06.531121. [PMID: 37034735 PMCID: PMC10081189 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.06.531121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The mammalian brain is composed of millions to billions of cells that are organized into numerous cell types with specific spatial distribution patterns and structural and functional properties. An essential step towards understanding brain function is to obtain a parts list, i.e., a catalog of cell types, of the brain. Here, we report a comprehensive and high-resolution transcriptomic and spatial cell type atlas for the whole adult mouse brain. The cell type atlas was created based on the combination of two single-cell-level, whole-brain-scale datasets: a single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) dataset of ~7 million cells profiled, and a spatially resolved transcriptomic dataset of ~4.3 million cells using MERFISH. The atlas is hierarchically organized into five nested levels of classification: 7 divisions, 32 classes, 306 subclasses, 1,045 supertypes and 5,200 clusters. We systematically analyzed the neuronal, non-neuronal, and immature neuronal cell types across the brain and identified a high degree of correspondence between transcriptomic identity and spatial specificity for each cell type. The results reveal unique features of cell type organization in different brain regions, in particular, a dichotomy between the dorsal and ventral parts of the brain: the dorsal part contains relatively fewer yet highly divergent neuronal types, whereas the ventral part contains more numerous neuronal types that are more closely related to each other. We also systematically characterized cell-type specific expression of neurotransmitters, neuropeptides, and transcription factors. The study uncovered extraordinary diversity and heterogeneity in neurotransmitter and neuropeptide expression and co-expression patterns in different cell types across the brain, suggesting they mediate a myriad of modes of intercellular communications. Finally, we found that transcription factors are major determinants of cell type classification in the adult mouse brain and identified a combinatorial transcription factor code that defines cell types across all parts of the brain. The whole-mouse-brain transcriptomic and spatial cell type atlas establishes a benchmark reference atlas and a foundational resource for deep and integrative investigations of cell type and circuit function, development, and evolution of the mammalian brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zizhen Yao
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | - Meng Zhang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Changkyu Lee
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Won Jung
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jeff Goldy
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Pamela Baker
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Eliza Barkan
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | - Daniel Carey
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Min Chen
- University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Jennie Close
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Scott Daniel
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Tim Dolbeare
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - James Gee
- University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Jessica Gloe
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - James Gray
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Windy Ho
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Kelly Jin
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Kanan Lathia
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Arielle Leon
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Brian Long
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Zoe Maltzer
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Naomi Martin
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Rachel McCue
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Josef Sulc
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Michael Tieu
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Herman Tung
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | - Katelyn Ward
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Boaz Levi
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | - Shoaib Mufti
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Lauren Kruse
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Nick Dee
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Jack Waters
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Lydia Ng
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | - Xiaowei Zhuang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Hongkui Zeng
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
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Besnard A, Leroy F. Top-down regulation of motivated behaviors via lateral septum sub-circuits. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:3119-3128. [PMID: 35581296 PMCID: PMC7613864 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01599-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
How does cognition regulate innate behaviors? While the cognitive functions of the cortex have been extensively studied, we know much less about how cognition can regulate innate motivated behaviors to fulfill physiological, safety and social needs. Selection of appropriate motivated behaviors depends on external stimuli and past experiences that helps to scale priorities. With its abundant inputs from neocortical and allocortical regions, the lateral septum (LS) is ideally positioned to integrate perception and experience signals in order to regulate the activity of hypothalamic and midbrain nuclei that control motivated behaviors. In addition, LS receives numerous subcortical modulatory inputs, which represent the animal internal states and also participate in this regulation. In this perspective, we argue that LS sub-circuits regulate distinct motivated behaviors by integrating neural activity from neocortical, allocortical and neuromodulatory inputs. In addition, we propose that lateral inhibition between LS sub-circuits may allow the emergence of functional units that orchestrates competing motivated behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Felix Leroy
- Instituto de Neurociencias CSIC-UMH, San Juan de Alicante, Spain.
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