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Gu Z, Stevanovic KD, Cushman JD, Yakel JL. Cholinergic-Sensitive Theta Oscillations in Memory Encoding in Mice. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e1313232024. [PMID: 38331584 PMCID: PMC10957210 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1313-23.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Cholinergic regulation of hippocampal theta oscillations has long been proposed to be a potential mechanism underlying hippocampus-dependent memory encoding processes. However, cholinergic transmission has been traditionally associated with type II theta under urethane anesthesia. The mechanisms and behavioral significance of cholinergic regulation of type I theta in freely exploring animals is much less clear. In this study, we examined the potential behavioral significance of cholinergic regulation of theta oscillations in the object location task in male mice that involves training and testing trials and provides an ideal behavioral task to study the underlying memory encoding and retrieval processes, respectively. Cholinergic regulation of hippocampal theta oscillations and the behavioral outcomes was examined by either intrahippocampal infusion of cholinergic receptor antagonists or knocking out cholinergic receptors in excitatory neurons or interneurons. We found that both muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) and α7 nicotinic AChRs (α7 nAChRs) regulated memory encoding by engaging excitatory neurons and interneurons, respectively. There is a transient upregulated theta oscillation at the beginning of individual object exploration events that only occurred in the training trials, but not in the testing trials. This transient upregulated theta is also the only theta component that significantly differed between training and testing trials and was sensitive to mAChR and α7 nAChR antagonists. Thus, our study has revealed a transient cholinergic-sensitive theta component that is specifically associated with memory encoding, but not memory retrieval, in the object location task, providing direct experimental evidence supporting a role for cholinergic-regulated theta oscillations in hippocampus-dependent memory encoding processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenglin Gu
- Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709
| | - Korey D Stevanovic
- Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709
| | - Jesse D Cushman
- Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709
| | - Jerrel L Yakel
- Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709
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2
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Wilson LR, Plummer NW, Evsyukova IY, Patino D, Stewart CL, Smith KG, Konrad KS, Fry SA, Deal AL, Kilonzo VW, Panda S, Sciolino NR, Cushman JD, Jensen P. Partial or Complete Loss of Norepinephrine Differentially Alters Contextual Fear and Catecholamine Release Dynamics in Hippocampal CA1. Biol Psychiatry Glob Open Sci 2024; 4:51-60. [PMID: 38058990 PMCID: PMC10695841 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2023.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Contextual fear learning is heavily dependent on the hippocampus. Despite evidence that catecholamines contribute to contextual encoding and memory retrieval, the precise temporal dynamics of their release in the hippocampus during behavior is unknown. In addition, new animal models are required to probe the effects of altered catecholamine synthesis on release dynamics and contextual learning. Methods We generated 2 new mouse models of altered locus coeruleus-norepinephrine (NE) synthesis and utilized them together with GRABNE and GRABDA sensors and in vivo fiber photometry to investigate NE and dopamine (DA) release dynamics in the dorsal hippocampal CA1 during contextual fear conditioning. Results Aversive foot shock increased both NE and DA release in the dorsal CA1, while freezing behavior associated with recall of fear memory was accompanied by decreased release. Moreover, we found that freezing at the recent time point was sensitive to both partial and complete loss of locus coeruleus-NE synthesis throughout prenatal and postnatal development, similar to previous observations of mice with global loss of NE synthesis beginning postnatally. In contrast, freezing at the remote time point was compromised only by complete loss of locus coeruleus-NE synthesis beginning prenatally. Conclusions Overall, these findings provide novel insights into the role of NE in contextual fear and the precise temporal dynamics of both NE and DA during freezing behavior and highlight complex relationships between genotype, sex, and NE signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leslie R. Wilson
- Neurobiology Laboratory, NIEHS, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
- Neurobehavioral Core Laboratory, NIEHS, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
| | - Nicholas W. Plummer
- Neurobiology Laboratory, NIEHS, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
| | - Irina Y. Evsyukova
- Neurobiology Laboratory, NIEHS, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
| | - Daniela Patino
- Neurobiology Laboratory, NIEHS, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
| | - Casey L. Stewart
- Neurobiology Laboratory, NIEHS, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
| | - Kathleen G. Smith
- Neurobiology Laboratory, NIEHS, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
| | - Kathryn S. Konrad
- Social and Scientific Systems, Inc., a DLH Holdings Corp Company, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Sydney A. Fry
- Neurobehavioral Core Laboratory, NIEHS, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
| | - Alex L. Deal
- Neurobiology Laboratory, NIEHS, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
| | - Victor W. Kilonzo
- Neurobiology Laboratory, NIEHS, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
| | - Sambit Panda
- Neurobehavioral Core Laboratory, NIEHS, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
| | - Natale R. Sciolino
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Institute for System Genomics, Connecticut Institute for the Brain & Cognitive Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut
| | - Jesse D. Cushman
- Neurobehavioral Core Laboratory, NIEHS, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
| | - Patricia Jensen
- Neurobiology Laboratory, NIEHS, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
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Bridge MF, Wilson LR, Panda S, Stevanovic KD, Letsinger AC, McBride S, Cushman JD. FiPhA: an open-source platform for fiber photometry analysis. Neurophotonics 2024; 11:014305. [PMID: 38406178 PMCID: PMC10885510 DOI: 10.1117/1.nph.11.1.014305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Significance Fiber photometry (FP) is a widely used technique in modern behavioral neuroscience, employing genetically encoded fluorescent sensors to monitor neural activity and neurotransmitter release in awake-behaving animals. However, analyzing photometry data can be both laborious and time-consuming. Aim We propose the fiber photometry analysis (FiPhA) app, which is a general-purpose FP analysis application. The goal is to develop a pipeline suitable for a wide range of photometry approaches, including spectrally resolved, camera-based, and lock-in demodulation. Approach FiPhA was developed using the R Shiny framework and offers interactive visualization, quality control, and batch processing functionalities in a user-friendly interface. Results This application simplifies and streamlines the analysis process, thereby reducing labor and time requirements. It offers interactive visualizations, event-triggered average processing, powerful tools for filtering behavioral events, and quality control features. Conclusions FiPhA is a valuable tool for behavioral neuroscientists working with discrete, event-based FP data. It addresses the challenges associated with analyzing and investigating such data, offering a robust and user-friendly solution without the complexity of having to hand-design custom analysis pipelines. This application thus helps standardize an approach to FP analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew F. Bridge
- Social & Scientific Systems, Inc., a DLH Holdings Corp. Company, Durham, North Carolina, United States
| | - Leslie R. Wilson
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Neurobiology Laboratory, Division of Intramural Research, Durham, North Carolina, United States
| | - Sambit Panda
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Neurobiology Laboratory, Division of Intramural Research, Durham, North Carolina, United States
| | - Korey D. Stevanovic
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Neurobiology Laboratory, Division of Intramural Research, Durham, North Carolina, United States
| | - Ayland C. Letsinger
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Neurobiology Laboratory, Division of Intramural Research, Durham, North Carolina, United States
| | - Sandra McBride
- Social & Scientific Systems, Inc., a DLH Holdings Corp. Company, Durham, North Carolina, United States
| | - Jesse D. Cushman
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Neurobiology Laboratory, Division of Intramural Research, Durham, North Carolina, United States
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Letsinger AC, Nacer SA, Stevanovic KD, Larson GJ, DeFilipp JS, Cushman JD, Yakel JL. Genetic deletion of α7 nAChRs reduces hippocampal granule and pyramidal cell number in both sexes but impairs pattern separation in males only. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1244118. [PMID: 37746145 PMCID: PMC10513752 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1244118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Neurogenesis within the dentate gyrus is thought to play an important role in cognitive processes such as reversal learning and pattern separation. The α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7 nAChR) is expressed early in newly formed granule cells of the dentate gyrus, though its role in neurogenesis and related cognitive function is not fully understood. Methods To better characterize relevant function of α7 nAChRs, we performed unbiased stereology to quantify hippocampal granule cells, pyramidal cells, and total volume and used a touchscreen operant spatial discrimination/reversal task to test pattern separation in a global α7 nAChR knockout mouse line. Results The knockout resulted in an ≈22% reduction in granule cells and a ≈ 20% reduction in pyramidal cells in both sexes, with no change in total hippocampal volume. However, the knockout impaired performance in the touchscreen task for males only. The sex-dependent difference in behavioral, but not stereological, results suggest a divergence in the structure-function relationship in males versus females. Detailed analyses revealed males were more biased by the initial reversal contingency relative to females indicating a potential source of the sex-specific interaction with the loss of α7 nAChRs. Discussion These findings argue that the α7 nAChR plays a critical role in hippocampal development, not just granule cell neurogenesis, and plays a sex-dependent role in cognitive function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayland C. Letsinger
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Samir A. Nacer
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Korey D. Stevanovic
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Gary J. Larson
- Social & Scientific Systems, Inc., a DLH Holdings Corp. Company, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Jemma S. DeFilipp
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Jesse D. Cushman
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Jerrel L. Yakel
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States
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5
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Bridge MF, Wilson LR, Panda S, Stevanovic KD, Letsinger AC, McBride S, Cushman JD. FiPhA: An Open-Source Platform for Fiber Photometry Analysis. bioRxiv 2023:2023.07.21.550098. [PMID: 37546723 PMCID: PMC10401953 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.21.550098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Significance Fiber photometry is a widely used technique in modern behavioral neuroscience, employing genetically encoded fluorescent sensors to monitor neural activity and neurotransmitter release in awake-behaving animals, However, analyzing photometry data can be both laborious and time-consuming. Aim We propose the FiPhA (Fiber Photometry Analysis) app, which is a general-purpose fiber photometry analysis application. The goal is to develop a pipeline suitable for a wide range of photometry approaches, including spectrally resolved, camera-based, and lock-in demodulation. Approach FiPhA was developed using the R Shiny framework and offers interactive visualization, quality control, and batch processing functionalities in a user-friendly interface. Results This application simplifies and streamlines the analysis process, thereby reducing labor and time requirements. It offers interactive visualizations, event-triggered average processing, powerful tools for filtering behavioral events and quality control features. Conclusions FiPhA is a valuable tool for behavioral neuroscientists working with discrete, event-based fiber photometry data. It addresses the challenges associated with analyzing and investigating such data, offering a robust and user-friendly solution without the complexity of having to hand-design custom analysis pipelines. This application thus helps standardize an approach to fiber photometry analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew F. Bridge
- Social & Scientific Systems, Inc., a DLH Holdings Corp. Company, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Leslie R. Wilson
- Neurobiology Laboratory, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Sambit Panda
- Neurobiology Laboratory, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Korey D. Stevanovic
- Neurobiology Laboratory, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Ayland C. Letsinger
- Neurobiology Laboratory, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Sandra McBride
- Social & Scientific Systems, Inc., a DLH Holdings Corp. Company, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Jesse D. Cushman
- Neurobiology Laboratory, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States
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Goral RO, Harper KM, Bernstein BJ, Fry SA, Lamb PW, Moy SS, Cushman JD, Yakel JL. Loss of GABA co-transmission from cholinergic neurons impairs behaviors related to hippocampal, striatal, and medial prefrontal cortex functions. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:1067409. [PMID: 36505727 PMCID: PMC9730538 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.1067409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Altered signaling or function of acetylcholine (ACh) has been reported in various neurological diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Tourette syndrome, epilepsy among others. Many neurons that release ACh also co-transmit the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyrate (GABA) at synapses in the hippocampus, striatum, substantia nigra, and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Although ACh transmission is crucial for higher brain functions such as learning and memory, the role of co-transmitted GABA from ACh neurons in brain function remains unknown. Thus, the overarching goal of this study was to investigate how a systemic loss of GABA co-transmission from ACh neurons affected the behavioral performance of mice. Methods: To do this, we used a conditional knock-out mouse of the vesicular GABA transporter (vGAT) crossed with the ChAT-Cre driver line to selectively ablate GABA co-transmission at ACh synapses. In a comprehensive series of standardized behavioral assays, we compared Cre-negative control mice with Cre-positive vGAT knock-out mice of both sexes. Results: Loss of GABA co-transmission from ACh neurons did not disrupt the animal's sociability, motor skills or sensation. However, in the absence of GABA co-transmission, we found significant alterations in social, spatial and fear memory as well as a reduced reliance on striatum-dependent response strategies in a T-maze. In addition, male conditional knockout (CKO) mice showed increased locomotion. Discussion: Taken together, the loss of GABA co-transmission leads to deficits in higher brain functions and behaviors. Therefore, we propose that ACh/GABA co-transmission modulates neural circuitry involved in the affected behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- R. Oliver Goral
- Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States,Center on Compulsive Behaviors, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Kathryn M. Harper
- Department of Psychiatry and Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Briana J. Bernstein
- Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States,Department of Health and Human Services, Neurobehavioral Core, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Sydney A. Fry
- Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States,Department of Health and Human Services, Neurobehavioral Core, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Patricia W. Lamb
- Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Sheryl S. Moy
- Department of Psychiatry and Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Jesse D. Cushman
- Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States,Department of Health and Human Services, Neurobehavioral Core, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Jerrel L. Yakel
- Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States,*Correspondence: Jerrel L. Yakel
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7
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Sciolino NR, Hsiang M, Mazzone CM, Wilson LR, Plummer NW, Amin J, Smith KG, McGee CA, Fry SA, Yang CX, Powell JM, Bruchas MR, Kravitz AV, Cushman JD, Krashes MJ, Cui G, Jensen P. Natural locus coeruleus dynamics during feeding. Sci Adv 2022; 8:eabn9134. [PMID: 35984878 PMCID: PMC9390985 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abn9134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Recent data demonstrate that noradrenergic neurons of the locus coeruleus (LC-NE) are required for fear-induced suppression of feeding, but the role of endogenous LC-NE activity in natural, homeostatic feeding remains unclear. Here, we found that LC-NE activity was suppressed during food consumption, and the magnitude of this neural response was attenuated as mice consumed more pellets throughout the session, suggesting that LC responses to food are modulated by satiety state. Visual-evoked LC-NE activity was also attenuated in sated mice, suggesting that satiety state modulates LC-NE encoding of multiple behavioral states. We also found that food intake could be attenuated by brief or longer durations of LC-NE activation. Last, we found that activation of the LC to the lateral hypothalamus pathway suppresses feeding and enhances avoidance and anxiety-like responding. Our findings suggest that LC-NE neurons modulate feeding by integrating both external cues (e.g., anxiogenic environmental cues) and internal drives (e.g., satiety).
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Affiliation(s)
- Natale R. Sciolino
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Madeline Hsiang
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Christopher M. Mazzone
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Leslie R. Wilson
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Nicholas W. Plummer
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Jaisal Amin
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Kathleen G. Smith
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Christopher A. McGee
- Comparative Medicine, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Sydney A. Fry
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Cindy X. Yang
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Jeanne M. Powell
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Michael R. Bruchas
- Departments of Anesthesiology and Pharmacology, Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Jesse D. Cushman
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Michael J. Krashes
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Guohong Cui
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Patricia Jensen
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
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8
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Stevanovic KD, Fry SA, DeFilipp JMS, Wu N, Bernstein BJ, Cushman JD. Assessing the importance of sex in a hippocampus-dependent behavioral test battery in C57BL/6NTac mice. Learn Mem 2022; 29:203-215. [PMID: 35882502 PMCID: PMC9374270 DOI: 10.1101/lm.053599.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Inclusion of male and female subjects in behavioral neuroscience research requires a concerted effort to characterize sex differences in standardized behavioral assays. Sex differences in hippocampus-dependent assays have been widely reported but are still poorly characterized. In the present study, we conducted a parametric analysis of spontaneous alternation, object recognition, and fear conditioning in a commonly used control strain, C57BL/6NTac. Our findings show largely similar performance between males and females across the majority of behavioral end points. However, we identified an important difference in nonassociative fear sensitization, whereby females showed an enhanced fear response to the 75-dB tone that is used as the conditional stimulus. In addition, we observed an impairment in object location performance in females that was ameliorated by more extensive habituation to handling. Together, these findings argue that sex differences in nonassociative fear responses to both novel auditory cues and novel objects need to be considered when designing and interpreting cognitive assays in C57BL/6 mice. Furthermore, this elevated fear sensitization could serve as a novel approach to model the increased incidence of anxiety disorders in women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Korey D Stevanovic
- Neurobehavioral Core Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, North Carolina 27709, USA
| | - Sydney A Fry
- Neurobehavioral Core Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, North Carolina 27709, USA
| | - Jemma M S DeFilipp
- Neurobehavioral Core Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, North Carolina 27709, USA
| | - Nicholas Wu
- University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
| | - Briana J Bernstein
- Neurobehavioral Core Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, North Carolina 27709, USA
| | - Jesse D Cushman
- Neurobehavioral Core Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, North Carolina 27709, USA
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9
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Lozoya OA, Xu F, Grenet D, Wang T, Stevanovic KD, Cushman JD, Hagler TB, Gruzdev A, Jensen P, Hernandez B, Riadi G, Moy SS, Santos JH, Woychik RP. Correction: A brain-specific PGC1a fusion transcript affects gene expression and behavioral outcomes in mice. Life Sci Alliance 2021; 5:5/2/e202101295. [PMID: 34819359 PMCID: PMC8616557 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202101295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Oswaldo A Lozoya
- Genomic Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Fuhua Xu
- Genomic Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Dagoberto Grenet
- Genomic Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Tianyuan Wang
- Integrative Bioinformatics Branch, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Korey D Stevanovic
- Neurobehavioral Core Laboratory, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Jesse D Cushman
- Neurobehavioral Core Laboratory, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Thomas B Hagler
- Knockout Mouse Core Facility, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Artiom Gruzdev
- Knockout Mouse Core Facility, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Patricia Jensen
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Bairon Hernandez
- Centro de Bioinformática y Simulación Molecular, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
| | - Gonzalo Riadi
- Centro de Bioinformática y Simulación Molecular, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
| | - Sheryl S Moy
- Department of Psychiatry, Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Janine H Santos
- Genomic Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Richard P Woychik
- Genomic Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, USA
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10
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Lozoya OA, Xu F, Grenet D, Wang T, Stevanovic KD, Cushman JD, Hagler TB, Gruzdev A, Jensen P, Hernandez B, Riadi G, Moy SS, Santos JH, Woychik RP. A brain-specific pgc1α fusion transcript affects gene expression and behavioural outcomes in mice. Life Sci Alliance 2021; 4:4/12/e202101122. [PMID: 34649938 PMCID: PMC8548212 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202101122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Revised: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
This study shows that loss of a brain-specific fusion isoform of PGC1a leads to up-regulation of genes and motor impairments in mice, suggesting functional differences between PGC1 isoforms in the brain. PGC1α is a transcriptional coactivator in peripheral tissues, but its function in the brain remains poorly understood. Various brain-specific Pgc1α isoforms have been reported in mice and humans, including two fusion transcripts (FTs) with non-coding repetitive sequences, but their function is unknown. The FTs initiate at a simple sequence repeat locus ∼570 Kb upstream from the reference promoter; one also includes a portion of a short interspersed nuclear element (SINE). Using publicly available genomics data, here we show that the SINE FT is the predominant form of Pgc1α in neurons. Furthermore, mutation of the SINE in mice leads to altered behavioural phenotypes and significant up-regulation of genes in the female, but not male, cerebellum. Surprisingly, these genes are largely involved in neurotransmission, having poor association with the classical mitochondrial or antioxidant programs. These data expand our knowledge on the role of Pgc1α in neuronal physiology and suggest that different isoforms may have distinct functions. They also highlight the need for further studies before modulating levels of Pgc1α in the brain for therapeutic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oswaldo A Lozoya
- Genomic Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Fuhua Xu
- Genomic Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Dagoberto Grenet
- Genomic Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Tianyuan Wang
- Integrative Bioinformatics Branch, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Korey D Stevanovic
- Neurobehavioral Core Laboratory, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Jesse D Cushman
- Neurobehavioral Core Laboratory, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Thomas B Hagler
- Knockout Mouse Core Facility, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Artiom Gruzdev
- Knockout Mouse Core Facility, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Patricia Jensen
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Bairon Hernandez
- Centro de Bioinformática y Simulación Molecular, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
| | - Gonzalo Riadi
- Centro de Bioinformática y Simulación Molecular, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
| | - Sheryl S Moy
- Department of Psychiatry, Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Janine H Santos
- Genomic Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Richard P Woychik
- Genomic Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, USA
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11
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Grieco F, Bernstein BJ, Biemans B, Bikovski L, Burnett CJ, Cushman JD, van Dam EA, Fry SA, Richmond-Hacham B, Homberg JR, Kas MJH, Kessels HW, Koopmans B, Krashes MJ, Krishnan V, Logan S, Loos M, McCann KE, Parduzi Q, Pick CG, Prevot TD, Riedel G, Robinson L, Sadighi M, Smit AB, Sonntag W, Roelofs RF, Tegelenbosch RAJ, Noldus LPJJ. Measuring Behavior in the Home Cage: Study Design, Applications, Challenges, and Perspectives. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:735387. [PMID: 34630052 PMCID: PMC8498589 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.735387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The reproducibility crisis (or replication crisis) in biomedical research is a particularly existential and under-addressed issue in the field of behavioral neuroscience, where, in spite of efforts to standardize testing and assay protocols, several known and unknown sources of confounding environmental factors add to variance. Human interference is a major contributor to variability both within and across laboratories, as well as novelty-induced anxiety. Attempts to reduce human interference and to measure more "natural" behaviors in subjects has led to the development of automated home-cage monitoring systems. These systems enable prolonged and longitudinal recordings, and provide large continuous measures of spontaneous behavior that can be analyzed across multiple time scales. In this review, a diverse team of neuroscientists and product developers share their experiences using such an automated monitoring system that combines Noldus PhenoTyper® home-cages and the video-based tracking software, EthoVision® XT, to extract digital biomarkers of motor, emotional, social and cognitive behavior. After presenting our working definition of a "home-cage", we compare home-cage testing with more conventional out-of-cage tests (e.g., the open field) and outline the various advantages of the former, including opportunities for within-subject analyses and assessments of circadian and ultradian activity. Next, we address technical issues pertaining to the acquisition of behavioral data, such as the fine-tuning of the tracking software and the potential for integration with biotelemetry and optogenetics. Finally, we provide guidance on which behavioral measures to emphasize, how to filter, segment, and analyze behavior, and how to use analysis scripts. We summarize how the PhenoTyper has applications to study neuropharmacology as well as animal models of neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric illness. Looking forward, we examine current challenges and the impact of new developments. Examples include the automated recognition of specific behaviors, unambiguous tracking of individuals in a social context, the development of more animal-centered measures of behavior and ways of dealing with large datasets. Together, we advocate that by embracing standardized home-cage monitoring platforms like the PhenoTyper, we are poised to directly assess issues pertaining to reproducibility, and more importantly, measure features of rodent behavior under more ethologically relevant scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Briana J Bernstein
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | | | - Lior Bikovski
- Myers Neuro-Behavioral Core Facility, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- School of Behavioral Sciences, Netanya Academic College, Netanya, Israel
| | - C Joseph Burnett
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Jesse D Cushman
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | | | - Sydney A Fry
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | - Bar Richmond-Hacham
- Department of Anatomy and Anthropology, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Judith R Homberg
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Martien J H Kas
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Helmut W Kessels
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | | | - Michael J Krashes
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Vaishnav Krishnan
- Laboratory of Epilepsy and Emotional Behavior, Baylor Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience, and Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Sreemathi Logan
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Allied Health, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| | - Maarten Loos
- Sylics (Synaptologics BV), Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Katharine E McCann
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | | | - Chaim G Pick
- Department of Anatomy and Anthropology, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- The Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson Chair and Center for the Biology of Addictive Diseases, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Thomas D Prevot
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Gernot Riedel
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Lianne Robinson
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Mina Sadighi
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - August B Smit
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - William Sonntag
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Center for Geroscience, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| | | | | | - Lucas P J J Noldus
- Noldus Information Technology BV, Wageningen, Netherlands
- Department of Biophysics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
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12
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Cheng Q, Lamb P, Stevanovic K, Bernstein BJ, Fry SA, Cushman JD, Yakel JL. Differential signalling induced by α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in hippocampal dentate gyrus in vitro and in vivo. J Physiol 2021; 599:4687-4704. [PMID: 34487349 DOI: 10.1113/jp280505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The activation of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) has been shown to improve hippocampus-dependent learning and memory. α7 nAChRs are densely expressed among several different cell types in the hippocampus, with high Ca2+ permeability, although it is unclear if α7 nAChRs mobilize differential signalling mechanisms among distinct neuronal populations. To address this question, we compared α7 nAChR agonist-induced responses (i.e. calcium and cAMP changes) between granule cells and GABAergic neurons in the hippocampal dentate gyrus both in vitro and in vivo. In cultured organotypic hippocampal slices, we observed robust intracellular calcium and cAMP increases in dentate granule cells upon activation of α7 nAChRs. In contrast, GABAergic interneurons displayed little change in either calcium or cAMP concentration after α7 nAChR activation, even though they displayed much larger α7 nAChR current responses than those of dentate granule cells. We found that this was due to smaller α7 nAChR-induced Ca2+ rises in GABAergic interneurons. Thus, the regulation of the Ca2+ transients in different cell types resulted in differential subsequent intracellular signalling cascades and likely the ultimate outcome of α7 nAChR activation. Furthermore, we monitored neuronal activities of dentate granule cells and GABAergic interneurons in vivo via optic fibre photometry. We observed enhancement of neuronal activities after nicotine administration in dentate granule cells, but not in GABAergic neurons, which was absent in α7 nAChR-deficient granule cells. In summary, we reveal a mechanism for α7 nAChR-mediated increase of neuronal activity via cell type-specific intracellular signalling pathways. KEY POINTS: α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are widely distributed throughout the central nervous system and regulate a variety of brain functions including learning and memory. Understanding the cellular signalling mechanisms of their activations among different neuronal populations is important for delineating their actions in cognitive function, and developing effective treatment strategies for cognitive deficits. We report that α7 nAChR activation leads to Ca2+ and cAMP increases in granule cells (but not in GABAergic interneurons) in hippocampal dentate gyrus in vitro, a key region for pattern separation during learning. We also found that nicotine enhanced granule cell (but not in GABAergic interneurons) activity in an α7 nAChR-dependent manner via in vivo fibre photometry recording. Based on our findings, we propose that differential responses to α7 nAChR activation between granule cells and GABAergic interneurons is responsible for the increase of excitation by α7 nAChR agonists in hippocampal circuits synergistically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Cheng
- Neurobiology Laboratory, The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences/National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, USA.,Biological/Biomedical Research Institute, North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Patricia Lamb
- Neurobiology Laboratory, The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences/National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Korey Stevanovic
- Neurobiology Laboratory, The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences/National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Briana J Bernstein
- Neurobiology Laboratory, The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences/National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Sydney A Fry
- Neurobiology Laboratory, The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences/National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Jesse D Cushman
- Neurobiology Laboratory, The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences/National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Jerrel L Yakel
- Neurobiology Laboratory, The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences/National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, USA
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13
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Sills RC, Johnson GA, Anderson RJ, Johnson CL, Staup M, Brown DL, Churchill SR, Kurtz DM, Cushman JD, Waidyanatha S, Robinson VG, Cesta MF, Andrews DMK, Behl M, Shockley KR, Little PB. Qualitative and Quantitative Neuropathology Approaches Using Magnetic Resonance Microscopy (Diffusion Tensor Imaging) and Stereology in a Hexachlorophene Model of Myelinopathy in Sprague-Dawley Rats. Toxicol Pathol 2020; 48:965-980. [PMID: 33334257 PMCID: PMC7755100 DOI: 10.1177/0192623320968210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
It is well established that hexachlorophene, which is used as an antibacterial agent, causes intramyelinic edema in humans and animal models. The hexachlorophene myelinopathy model, in which male Sprague-Dawley rats received 25 to 30 mg/kg hexachlorophene by gavage for up to 5 days, provided an opportunity to compare traditional neuropathology evaluations with magnetic resonance microscopy (MRM) findings. In addition, stereology assessments of 3 neuroanatomical sites were compared to quantitative measurements of similar structures by MRM. There were positive correlations between hematoxylin and eosin and luxol fast blue stains and MRM for identifying intramyelinic edema in the cingulum of corpus callosum, optic chiasm, anterior commissure (aca), lateral olfactory tracts, pyramidal tracts (py), and white matter tracts in the cerebellum. Stereology assessments were focused on the aca, longitudinal fasciculus of the pons, and py and demonstrated differences between control and treated rats, as was observed using MRM. The added value of MRM assessments was the ability to acquire qualitative 3-dimensional (3-D) images and obtain quantitative measurements of intramyelinic edema in 26 neuroanatomical sites in the intact brain. Also, diffusion tensor imaging (fractional anisotropy [FA]) indicated that there were changes in the cytoarchitecture of the white matter as detected by decreases in the FA in the treated compared to the control rats. This study demonstrates creative strategies that are possible using qualitative and quantitative assessments of potential white matter neurotoxicants in nonclinical toxicity studies. Our results lead us to the conclusion that volumetric analysis by MRM and stereology adds significant value to the standard 2-D microscopic evaluations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert C Sills
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, 6857National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - G Allan Johnson
- Duke Center for In Vivo Microscopy, 3065Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Robert J Anderson
- Duke Center for In Vivo Microscopy, 3065Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Michael Staup
- 25913Charles River Laboratories Inc, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | | | - David M Kurtz
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, 6857National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Jesse D Cushman
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, 6857National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Suramya Waidyanatha
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, 6857National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Veronica Godfrey Robinson
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, 6857National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Mark F Cesta
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, 6857National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Danica M K Andrews
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, 6857National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Mamta Behl
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, 6857National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Keith R Shockley
- Division of Intramural Research, 6857National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Peter B Little
- Experimental Pathology Laboratories, Inc, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
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14
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Cushman JD, Drew MR, Krasne FB. The environmental sculpting hypothesis of juvenile and adult hippocampal neurogenesis. Prog Neurobiol 2020; 199:101961. [PMID: 33242572 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2020.101961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
We propose that a major contribution of juvenile and adult hippocampal neurogenesis is to allow behavioral experience to sculpt dentate gyrus connectivity such that sensory attributes that are relevant to the animal's environment are more strongly represented. This "specialized" dentate is then able to store a larger number of discriminable memory representations. Our hypothesis builds on accumulating evidence that neurogenesis declines to low levels prior to adulthood in many species. Rather than being necessary for ongoing hippocampal function, as several current theories posit, we argue that neurogenesis has primarily a prospective function, in that it allows experience to shape hippocampal circuits and optimize them for future learning in the particular environment in which the animal lives. Using an anatomically-based simulation of the hippocampus (BACON), we demonstrate that environmental sculpting of this kind would reduce overlap among hippocampal memory representations and provide representation cells with more information about an animal's current situation; consequently, it would allow more memories to be stored and accurately recalled without significant interference. We describe several new, testable predictions generated by the sculpting hypothesis and evaluate the hypothesis with respect to existing evidence. We argue that the sculpting hypothesis provides a strong rationale for why juvenile and adult neurogenesis occurs specifically in the dentate gyrus and why it declines significantly prior to adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse D Cushman
- Neurobehavioral Core Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC 27709, United States.
| | - Michael R Drew
- Center for Learning and Memory, Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States.
| | - Franklin B Krasne
- Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Box 951563, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563, United States.
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15
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Ago Y, Hayata-Takano A, Kawanai T, Yamauchi R, Takeuchi S, Cushman JD, Rajbhandari AK, Fanselow MS, Hashimoto H, Waschek JA. Impaired extinction of cued fear memory and abnormal dendritic morphology in the prelimbic and infralimbic cortices in VPAC2 receptor (VIPR2)-deficient mice. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2017; 145:222-231. [PMID: 29030297 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2017.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2017] [Revised: 09/25/2017] [Accepted: 10/09/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
The structurally related neuropeptides vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) have been implicated in stress regulation and learning and memory. Several bodies of research have shown the impact of the PACAP specific receptor PAC1 on fear memory, but the roles of other PACAP receptors in regulating fear stress responses remain to be elucidated. Here we aimed to investigate the effects of genetic deletion of VIPR2 encoding the VPAC2 receptor, which binds both VIP and PACAP, on fear-related memory and on dendritic morphology in the brain regions of the fear circuitry. Male VPAC2 receptor knockout (VPAC2-KO) and littermate wild-type control mice were subjected to Pavlovian fear conditioning paradigm. VPAC2-KO mice displayed normal acquisition of fear conditioning, contextual and cued fear memory, but impaired extinction of cued fear memory. Morphological analyses revealed reductions in cell body size and total branch number and length of apical and basal dendrites of prelimbic cortex neurons in VPAC2-KO mice. In addition, Sholl analysis indicated that the amount of dendritic material distal to the soma was decreased, while proximal dendritic material was increased. In the infralimbic cortex, the amount of apical dendritic material proximal to the soma was increased in VPAC2-KO mice, while other indices of morphology did not differ. Finally, there were no differences in dendritic morphology in basolateral amygdala neurons between genotypes. These findings suggest that the VPAC2 receptor plays an important role in the fear extinction processes and the regulation of the dendritic morphology in the prelimbic and infralimbic cortices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukio Ago
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Atsuko Hayata-Takano
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; Molecular Research Center for Children's Mental Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Takuya Kawanai
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Ryosuke Yamauchi
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Shuto Takeuchi
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Jesse D Cushman
- Neurobehavioral Core Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC 27709, USA; Department of Psychology, Brain Research Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Abha K Rajbhandari
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Psychology, Brain Research Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Michael S Fanselow
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Psychology, Brain Research Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Hitoshi Hashimoto
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; Molecular Research Center for Children's Mental Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; Division of Bioscience, Institute for Datability Science, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - James A Waschek
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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16
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Brown RJ, Jun BJ, Cushman JD, Nguyen C, Beighley AH, Blanchard J, Iwamoto K, Schaue D, Harris NG, Jentsch JD, Bluml S, McBride WH. Changes in Imaging and Cognition in Juvenile Rats After Whole-Brain Irradiation. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2016; 96:470-478. [PMID: 27478168 PMCID: PMC5563160 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2016.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2015] [Revised: 06/07/2016] [Accepted: 06/09/2016] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Purpose In pediatric cancer survivors treated with whole-brain irradiation (WBI), long-term cognitive deficits and morbidity develop that are poorly understood and for which there is no treatment. We describe similar cognitive defects in juvenile WBI rats and correlate them with alterations in diffusion tensor imaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) during brain development. Methods and Materials Juvenile Fischer rats received clinically relevant fractionated doses of WBI or a high-dose exposure. Diffusion tensor imaging and MRS were performed at the time of WBI and during the subacute (3-month) and late (6-month) phases, before behavioral testing. Results Fractional anisotropy in the splenium of the corpus callosum increased steadily over the study period, reflecting brain development. WBI did not alter the subacute response, but thereafter there was no further increase in fractional anisotropy, especially in the high-dose group. Similarly, the ratios of various MRS metabolites to creatine increased over the study period, and in general, the most significant changes after WBI were during the late phase and with the higher dose. The most dramatic changes observed were in glutamine-creatine ratios that failed to increase normally between 3 and 6 months after either radiation dose. WBI did not affect the ambulatory response to novel open field testing in the subacute phase, but locomotor habituation was impaired and anxiety-like behaviors increased. As for cognitive measures, the most dramatic impairments were in novel object recognition late after either dose of WBI. Conclusions The developing brains of juvenile rats given clinically relevant fractionated doses of WBI show few abnormalities in the subacute phase but marked late cognitive alterations that may be linked with perturbed MRS signals measured in the corpus callosum. This pathomimetic phenotype of clinically relevant cranial irradiation effects may be useful for modeling, mechanistic evaluations, and testing of mitigation approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J Brown
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, Department of Radiation Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Advanced Imaging Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Rudi Schulte Research Institute, Santa Barbara, California
| | - Brandon J Jun
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, Department of Radiation Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Advanced Imaging Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Rudi Schulte Research Institute, Santa Barbara, California
| | - Jesse D Cushman
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Christine Nguyen
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, Department of Radiation Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Adam H Beighley
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, Department of Radiation Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Johnny Blanchard
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, Department of Radiation Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Kei Iwamoto
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, Department of Radiation Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Dorthe Schaue
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, Department of Radiation Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Neil G Harris
- UCLA Brain Injury Research Center, Department of Neurosurgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA Center for the Health Sciences, Los Angeles, California
| | - James D Jentsch
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Stefan Bluml
- Advanced Imaging Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Rudi Schulte Research Institute, Santa Barbara, California
| | - William H McBride
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, Department of Radiation Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.
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Campagna MV, Faure-Kumar E, Treger JA, Cushman JD, Grogan TR, Kasahara N, Lawson GW. Factors in the Selection of Surface Disinfectants for Use in a Laboratory Animal Setting. J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci 2016; 55:175-188. [PMID: 27025810 PMCID: PMC4783637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2015] [Revised: 06/22/2015] [Accepted: 07/23/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Because surface disinfectants are an important means of pathogen control within laboratory animal facilities, these products must have an appropriate spectrum of antimicrobial activity. However, many other factors must also be considered, including effects on human health, environmental safety, and animal behavior. Aqueous solutions of sodium hypochlorite often are considered to be the 'gold standard' for surface disinfection, but these products can be corrosive, caustic, and aversive in odor. This study was designed to identify disinfectants that are as effective as hypochlorite solutions but more acceptable for use in a laboratory animal setting. An antiviral disinfectant-efficacy assay was developed by using viral vectors that expressed green fluorescence protein as surrogates for wild-type viruses of concern in laboratory animals. Efficacy testing revealed that most of the products were highly effective when used against viral vectors in suspension. However, when the disinfectants were challenged by buffering virus in protein or drying virus on nonporous surfaces, the hypochlorite and peroxymonosulfate products performed the best. Review of safety data sheets for the agents indicated that a peroxide-based product was considerably safer than the other products tested and that the pH of most products was not conducive to disposal down a drain. Behavioral testing of Swiss Webster, C57Bl/6, and BALB/c mice showed that the hypochlorite- and peroxide-based products were clearly aversive, given that the mice consistently avoided these products. All of these factors must be considered when choosing the appropriate disinfectant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael V Campagna
- Division of Laboratory Animal Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA.
| | - Emmanuelle Faure-Kumar
- Department of Medicine, Division of Digestive Diseases, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Janet A Treger
- Department of Medicine, Division of Digestive Diseases, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Jesse D Cushman
- Departments of Psychology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Tristan R Grogan
- Medicine Statistics Core, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Noriyuki Kasahara
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Gregory W Lawson
- Division of Laboratory Animal Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
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Ago Y, Condro MC, Tan YV, Ghiani CA, Colwell CS, Cushman JD, Fanselow MS, Hashimoto H, Waschek JA. Reductions in synaptic proteins and selective alteration of prepulse inhibition in male C57BL/6 mice after postnatal administration of a VIP receptor (VIPR2) agonist. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2015; 232:2181-9. [PMID: 25575489 PMCID: PMC4433594 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-014-3848-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2014] [Accepted: 12/11/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE An abundance of genetic and epidemiologic evidence as well as longitudinal neuroimaging data point to developmental origins for schizophrenia and other mental health disorders. Recent clinical studies indicate that microduplications of VIPR2, encoding the vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) receptor VPAC2, confer significant risk for schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder. Lymphocytes from patients with these mutations exhibited higher VIPR2 gene expression and VIP responsiveness (cAMP induction), but mechanisms by which overactive VPAC2 signaling may lead to these psychiatric disorders are unknown. OBJECTIVES We subcutaneously administered the highly selective VPAC2 receptor agonist Ro 25-1553 to C57BL/6 mice from postnatal day 1 (P1) to P14 to determine if overactivation of VPAC2 receptor signaling during postnatal brain maturation affects synaptogenesis and selected behaviors. RESULTS Western blot analyses on P21 revealed significant reductions of synaptophysin and postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95) in the prefrontal cortex, but not in the hippocampus in Ro 25-1553-treated mice. The same postnatally restricted treatment resulted in a disruption in prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle measured in adult mice. No effects were observed in open-field locomotor activity, sociability in the three-chamber social interaction test, or fear conditioning or extinction. CONCLUSION Overactivation of the VPAC2 receptor in the postnatal mouse results in a reduction in synaptic proteins in the prefrontal cortex and selective alterations in prepulse inhibition. These findings suggest that the VIPR2-linkage to mental health disorders may be due in part to overactive VPAC2 receptor signaling during a critical time of synaptic maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukio Ago
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.,Laboratory of Medicinal Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Michael C. Condro
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Yossan-Var Tan
- INSERM - Unité Mixte de Recherche U905 - IRIB, Université de Rouen, 76183 Rouen Cedex, France
| | - Cristina A. Ghiani
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Christopher S. Colwell
- Laboratory of Circadian and Sleep Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Jesse D. Cushman
- Department of Psychology, Brain Research Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Michael S. Fanselow
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.,Department of Psychology, Brain Research Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Hitoshi Hashimoto
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - James A. Waschek
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.,Correspondence should be addressed to: Dr. James A. Waschek; Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, 635 Charles E. Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. Tel.: +1-310-825-0179; Fax: +1-310-206-5061.
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Abstract
Contextual fear conditioning is thought to involve the synaptic plasticity-dependent establishment in hippocampus of representations of to-be-conditioned contexts which can then become associated with USs in the amygdala. A conceptual and computational model of this process is proposed in which contextual attributes are assumed to be sampled serially and randomly during contextual exposures. Given this assumption, moment-to-moment information about such attributes will often be quite different from one exposure to another and, in particular, between exposures during which representations are created, exposures during which conditioning occurs, and during recall sessions. This presents challenges to current conceptual models of hippocampal function. In order to meet these challenges, our model's hippocampus was made to operate in different modes during representation creation and recall, and non-hippocampal machinery was constructed that controlled these hippocampal modes. This machinery uses a comparison between contextual information currently observed and information associated with existing hippocampal representations of familiar contexts to compute the Bayesian Weight of Evidence that the current context is (or is not) a known one, and it uses this value to assess the appropriateness of creation or recall modes. The model predicts a number of known phenomena such as the immediate shock deficit, spurious fear conditioning to contexts that are absent but similar to actually present ones, and modulation of conditioning by pre-familiarization with contexts. It also predicts a number of as yet unknown phenomena.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franklin B Krasne
- Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA, USA ; Brain Research Institute, University of California Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jesse D Cushman
- Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA, USA ; Brain Research Institute, University of California Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Michael S Fanselow
- Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA, USA ; Brain Research Institute, University of California Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA, USA ; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA, USA
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20
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Abstract
Interleukin-2 (IL-2) has been implicated in neurological disorders including multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease. Peripheral IL-2 deficiency in gene-deleted mice results in T cell mediated autoimmunity that begins to develop slowly after weaning and progressively increases through adulthood. Loss of brain-derived IL-2 results in neurobiological and behavioral abnormalities, and may contribute to the development of CNS autoimmunity by modifying the neuroimmunological milieu of the brain. We have shown previously that IL-2 knockout (KO) mice have altered learning acquisition in the Morris water-maze. Hypothesizing that the learning acquisition deficits in IL-2KO would be associated largely with the loss of brain-derived IL-2, the present study sought to determine if these cognitive alterations are due to the loss the IL-2 gene in the brain and/or autoimmunity resulting from loss of the gene in the peripheral immune system. We found that SCID congenic mice (mice free of IL-2 deficiency induced peripheral autoimmunity) without brain IL-2 (two IL-2KO alleles) did not differ from SCID congenic mice with normal brain IL-2 (two WT IL-2 alleles); thus, contrary to our hypothesis, loss of brain-derived IL-2 did not affect learning acquisition in the water-maze. Compared to adult WT littermates (9 weeks), adult IL-2KO mice with autoimmunity exhibited alterations in learning acquisition in the Morris water-maze whereas younger pre-autoimmune IL-2KO mice (5 weeks) had performance comparable to younger WT littermates, suggesting that the water-maze learning deficits in IL-2KO mice were associated with the development of peripheral autoimmunity. As IL-2KO mice have cytoarchitectural alterations in the dentate gyrus, circuitry involved in the differentiation of contexts (versus places), we also compared IL-2KO mice and littermates in a contextual fear discrimination paradigm. IL-2KO mice were found to have reduced conditioned fear discrimination that was not related to age-associated autoimmunity. Together, these findings suggest that complex interactions between IL-2 deficiency in the brain and immune system may modify brain processes involved in different modalities of learning and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- John M Petitto
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville FL, USA
| | - Jesse D Cushman
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville FL, USA
| | - Zhi Huang
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville FL, USA
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Aghajan ZM, Acharya L, Moore JJ, Cushman JD, Vuong C, Mehta MR. Impaired spatial selectivity and intact phase precession in two-dimensional virtual reality. Nat Neurosci 2014; 18:121-8. [DOI: 10.1038/nn.3884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 169] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2014] [Accepted: 10/29/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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22
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Cushman JD, Moore MD, Olsen RW, Fanselow MS. The role of the δ GABA(A) receptor in ovarian cycle-linked changes in hippocampus-dependent learning and memory. Neurochem Res 2014; 39:1140-6. [PMID: 24667980 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-014-1282-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2014] [Revised: 03/05/2014] [Accepted: 03/13/2014] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The δ subunit of the GABAAR is highly expressed in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus where it mediates a tonic extrasynaptic inhibitory current that is sensitive to neurosteroids. In female mice, the expression level of the δ subunit within the dentate gyrus is elevated in the diestrous relative to estrous phase of the estrous cycle. Previous work in our lab found that female δ-GABAAR KO mice showed enhanced hippocampus-dependent trace but normal hippocampus-independent delay fear conditioning. Wild-type females in this study showed a wide range of freezing levels, whereas δ-GABAAR KO mice expressed only high levels of fear. We hypothesized that the variability in the wild-type mice may have been due to estrous cycle-mediated changes in the expression of the δ-GABAAR, with low levels of freezing in mice that were in the diestrous phase when dentate gyrus tonic inhibition is high. In the present study we tested this hypothesis by utilizing contextual, delay, and trace fear conditioning protocols in mice that were trained and tested in either the diestrous or estrous phases. Consistent with our hypothesis, we found a significant impairment of hippocampus-dependent learning and memory during diestrus relative to estrus in wild-type mice and this impairment was absent in δ-GABAAR mice. These findings argue that the δ-GABAAR plays an important role in estrous cycle-mediated fluctuations in hippocampus-dependent learning and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse D Cushman
- Department of Psychology, Brain Research Institute, University of California Los Angeles, 8578 Franz Hall, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1563, USA,
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23
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Cushman JD, Aharoni DB, Willers B, Ravassard P, Kees A, Vuong C, Popeney B, Arisaka K, Mehta MR. Multisensory control of multimodal behavior: do the legs know what the tongue is doing? PLoS One 2013; 8:e80465. [PMID: 24224054 PMCID: PMC3817119 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0080465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2013] [Accepted: 10/02/2013] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding of adaptive behavior requires the precisely controlled presentation of multisensory stimuli combined with simultaneous measurement of multiple behavioral modalities. Hence, we developed a virtual reality apparatus that allows for simultaneous measurement of reward checking, a commonly used measure in associative learning paradigms, and navigational behavior, along with precisely controlled presentation of visual, auditory and reward stimuli. Rats performed a virtual spatial navigation task analogous to the Morris maze where only distal visual or auditory cues provided spatial information. Spatial navigation and reward checking maps showed experience-dependent learning and were in register for distal visual cues. However, they showed a dissociation, whereby distal auditory cues failed to support spatial navigation but did support spatially localized reward checking. These findings indicate that rats can navigate in virtual space with only distal visual cues, without significant vestibular or other sensory inputs. Furthermore, they reveal the simultaneous dissociation between two reward-driven behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse D. Cushman
- W. M. Keck Center for Neurophysics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Brain Research Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Integrative Center for Learning and Memory, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Daniel B. Aharoni
- W. M. Keck Center for Neurophysics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Brain Research Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Integrative Center for Learning and Memory, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Bernard Willers
- W. M. Keck Center for Neurophysics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Brain Research Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Integrative Center for Learning and Memory, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Pascal Ravassard
- W. M. Keck Center for Neurophysics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Brain Research Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Integrative Center for Learning and Memory, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Ashley Kees
- W. M. Keck Center for Neurophysics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Brain Research Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Integrative Center for Learning and Memory, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Cliff Vuong
- W. M. Keck Center for Neurophysics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Briana Popeney
- W. M. Keck Center for Neurophysics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Katsushi Arisaka
- W. M. Keck Center for Neurophysics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Mayank R. Mehta
- W. M. Keck Center for Neurophysics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Brain Research Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Integrative Center for Learning and Memory, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Department of Neurobiology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
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24
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Nakashiba T, Cushman JD, Pelkey KA, Renaudineau S, Buhl DL, McHugh TJ, Rodriguez Barrera V, Chittajallu R, Iwamoto KS, McBain CJ, Fanselow MS, Tonegawa S. Young dentate granule cells mediate pattern separation, whereas old granule cells facilitate pattern completion. Cell 2012; 149:188-201. [PMID: 22365813 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2012.01.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 609] [Impact Index Per Article: 50.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2011] [Revised: 12/05/2011] [Accepted: 01/12/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Adult-born granule cells (GCs), a minor population of cells in the hippocampal dentate gyrus, are highly active during the first few weeks after functional integration into the neuronal network, distinguishing them from less active, older adult-born GCs and the major population of dentate GCs generated developmentally. To ascertain whether young and old GCs perform distinct memory functions, we created a transgenic mouse in which output of old GCs was specifically inhibited while leaving a substantial portion of young GCs intact. These mice exhibited enhanced or normal pattern separation between similar contexts, which was reduced following ablation of young GCs. Furthermore, these mutant mice exhibited deficits in rapid pattern completion. Therefore, pattern separation requires adult-born young GCs but not old GCs, and older GCs contribute to the rapid recall by pattern completion. Our data suggest that as adult-born GCs age, their function switches from pattern separation to rapid pattern completion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshiaki Nakashiba
- Department of Biology, RIKEN-MIT Center for Neural Circuit Genetics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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Cushman JD, Maldonado J, Kwon EE, Garcia AD, Fan G, Imura T, Sofroniew MV, Fanselow MS. Juvenile neurogenesis makes essential contributions to adult brain structure and plays a sex-dependent role in fear memories. Front Behav Neurosci 2012; 6:3. [PMID: 22347173 PMCID: PMC3270585 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2012.00003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2011] [Accepted: 01/21/2012] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Postnatal neurogenesis (PNN) contributes neurons to olfactory bulb (OB) and dentate gyrus (DG) throughout juvenile development, but the quantitative amount, temporal dynamics and functional roles of this contribution have not been defined. By using transgenic mouse models for cell lineage tracing and conditional cell ablation, we found that juvenile neurogenesis gradually increased the total number of granule neurons by approximately 40% in OB, and by 25% in DG, between 2 weeks and 2 months of age, and that total numbers remained stable thereafter. These findings indicate that the overwhelming majority of net postnatal neuronal addition in these regions occurs during the juvenile period and that adult neurogenesis contributes primarily to replacement of granule cells in both regions. Behavioral analysis in our conditional cell ablation mouse model showed that complete loss of PNN throughout both the juvenile and young adult period produced a specific set of sex-dependent cognitive changes. We observed normal hippocampus-independent delay fear conditioning, but excessive generalization of fear to a novel auditory stimulus, which is consistent with a role for PNN in psychopathology. Standard contextual fear conditioning was intact, however, pre-exposure dependent contextual fear was impaired suggesting a specific role for PNN in incidental contextual learning. Contextual discrimination between two highly similar contexts was enhanced; suggesting either enhanced contextual pattern separation or impaired temporal integration. We also observed a reduced reliance on olfactory cues, consistent with a role for OB PNN in the efficient processing of olfactory information. Thus, juvenile neurogenesis adds substantively to the total numbers of granule neurons in OB and DG during periods of critical juvenile behavioral development, including weaning, early social interactions and sexual maturation, and plays a sex-dependent role in fear memories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse D Cushman
- Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles CA, USA
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Cushman JD, Moore MD, Jacobs NS, Olsen RW, Fanselow MS. Behavioral pharmacogenetic analysis on the role of the α4 GABA(A) receptor subunit in the ethanol-mediated impairment of hippocampus-dependent contextual learning. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2011; 35:1948-59. [PMID: 21943327 DOI: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2011.01546.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A major effect of low-dose ethanol is impairment of hippocampus-dependent cognitive function. α4/δ -containing GABA(A) Rs are highly expressed within the dentate gyrus region of the hippocampus where they mediate a tonic inhibitory current that is sensitive to the enhancement by low ethanol concentrations. These receptors are also powerful modulators of learning and memory, suggesting that they could play an important role in ethanol's cognitive impairing effects. The goal of this study was to develop a high-throughput cognitive ethanol assay, amenable to use in genetically modified mice that could be used to test this hypothesis. METHODS We developed a procedure where preexposure to a conditioning chamber is used to rescue the "immediate shock deficit." Using this task, ethanol can be specifically targeted at the hippocampus-dependent process of contextual learning without interfering with pain sensitivity or behavioral performance. RESULTS Validation of this task in C57BL/6 mice indicated that 1.0 g/kg ethanol and 10 mg/kg allopregnanolone disrupt contextual learning. Ro15-4513 reversed the effects of ethanol but not allopregnanolone, whereas it produced an impairment when given alone. The high-throughput nature of this task allowed for its application in a large cohort of α4 GABA(A) R KO mice. Loss of the α4 GABA(A) R subunit produced an enhanced sensitivity to the cognitive impairing effects of ethanol. This is consistent with the enhanced ethanol sensitivity of synaptic GABA(A) Rs that has been previously observed in the dentate gyrus in these mice, but inconsistent with the reduced ethanol sensitivity of extrasynaptic GABA(A) Rs observed in the same cells. CONCLUSIONS Overall, these findings are consistent with our hypothesis that ethanol acts directly at GABA(A) receptors to impair hippocampus-dependent cognitive function. Furthermore, validation of this high-throughput assay will allow for future studies to use anatomically and temporally restricted genetic manipulations to probe more deeply into the neural mechanisms of ethanol action on learning and memory circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse D Cushman
- Department of Psychology and Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA.
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27
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Jacobs NS, Cushman JD, Fanselow MS. The accurate measurement of fear memory in Pavlovian conditioning: Resolving the baseline issue. J Neurosci Methods 2010; 190:235-9. [PMID: 20471421 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2010.04.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2010] [Revised: 04/04/2010] [Accepted: 04/29/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Fear conditioning has become an indispensable behavioral task in an increasingly vast array of research disciplines. Yet one unresolved issue is how conditional fear to an explicit cue interacts with and is potentially confounded by fear prior to tone presentation, referred to as baseline fear. After tone-shock pairings, we experimentally manipulated baseline fear by presenting unpaired shocks in the testing chamber and then analyzed the accuracy of common methods for reporting tone fear. Our findings indicate that baseline fear and tone fear tend to interact, where freezing to the tone increases as baseline fear increases. However, the form of interaction is not linear across all conditions and none of the commonly used reporting methods were consistently able to eliminate the confounding effects of baseline fear. We propose a methodological solution in which baseline fear is reduced to very low levels by first extinguishing fear to the training context and then pre-exposing to the testing context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan S Jacobs
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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Beck RD, Wasserfall C, Ha GK, Cushman JD, Huang Z, Atkinson MA, Petitto JM. Changes in hippocampal IL-15, related cytokines, and neurogenesis in IL-2 deficient mice. Brain Res 2005; 1041:223-30. [PMID: 15829231 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2005.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2004] [Revised: 02/02/2005] [Accepted: 02/07/2005] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies have demonstrated that interleukin-2 knockout (KO) mice exhibit alterations in hippocampal cytoarchitecture. Several lines of evidence suggest that these variations may result from immune dysregulation and/or autoimmunity. Thus, this study sought to compare adult IL-2 KO mice and wild-type littermates (8-12 weeks of age), the age where differences in hippocampal cytoarchitecture have previously been observed, for differences in measures of neuroimmunological status in the hippocampus. Furthermore, because IL-15 shares the same receptor subunits for signal transduction as IL-2 (IL-2/15Rbeta and gammac) that are enriched in the hippocampus and may induce inflammatory processes in IL-2 KO mice, we sought to test the hypothesis that IL-15 is elevated in the hippocampus of IL-2 KO mice. Compared to wild-type mice, IL-2 KO mice exhibited increased hippocampal protein concentrations of IL-15 as well as IL-12, IP-10, and MCP-1. These cytokine changes, however, did not correlate with levels in the peripheral circulation, and there were no T cells or an increase in MHCII-positive microglia in the hippocampus of IL-2 KO mice. Since elevated levels of certain inflammatory cytokines may impair hippocampal neurogenesis, we also tested the hypothesis that changes in neuroimmunological status would be associated with reductions in neurogenesis of neurons in the dentate gyrus of IL-2 KO mice. Contrary to this hypothesis, compared to wild-type mice, male IL-2 KO mice exhibited increased neurogenesis in both the infrapyramidal and suprapyramidal limbs of the granule cell layer of the dentate gyrus, differences that were not observed between females. These findings indicate that IL-2 gene deletion alters the neuroimmunological status of the mouse hippocampus through a dysregulation of cytokines produced by CNS cells, and in males, these changes are associated with increased hippocampal neurogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ray D Beck
- McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
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Beck RD, King MA, Ha GK, Cushman JD, Huang Z, Petitto JM. IL-2 deficiency results in altered septal and hippocampal cytoarchitecture: relation to development and neurotrophins. J Neuroimmunol 2005; 160:146-53. [PMID: 15710467 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2004.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2004] [Revised: 11/12/2004] [Accepted: 11/12/2004] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
We have found previously that brain IL-2 receptors are enriched in the hippocampal formation, and that loss of this cytokine results in cytoarchitectural alterations in the hippocampus and septum and related behavioral changes in IL-2 knockout (IL-2 KO) mice. These alterations included decreased cholinergic somata in the medial septum/vertical limb of the diagonal band of Broca (MS/vDB) and decreased distance across the infrapyramidal (IP) granule cell layer (GCL) of the dentate gyrus (DG). To extend our previous findings, several experiments were conducted comparing IL-2 KO mice and wild-type littermates to determine (1) whether the GABAergic projection neurons of IL-2 KO mice in this region were also affected; (2) if the reduction in septal cholinergic projection neurons found in adult IL-2 KO mice is present at weaning (and prior to the development of peripheral autoimmune disease); and (3) if loss of IL-2 may result in changes in the neurotrophins, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF), involved in maintenance of hippocampal neurons. No differences in GABAergic neurons in the MS/vDB were found in adult mice, and the reduction in cholinergic neurons seen in adult IL-2 KO mice was not found in animals at postnatal day 21. The number of neurons in the IP-GCL was also significantly reduced. Compared to wild-type mice, IL-2 KO mice had significantly reduced concentration of BDNF protein and increased concentrations of NGF. These data suggest that the septohippocampal neuronal loss in IL-2 KO mice is selective for the cholinergic neurons and appears to be due to a failure in neuronal maintenance/survival that may be, in part, associated with changes in neurotrophins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ray D Beck
- McKnight Brain Institute, L4-118, University of Florida College of Medicine, P.O. Box 100256, Gainesville, FL 32610-0256, USA
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Cushman JD. Duplication of cord laminae resulting in cord compression. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 1988; 9:408-9. [PMID: 3128094 PMCID: PMC8334242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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