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Chuang CN, Liu HC, Woo TT, Chao JL, Chen CY, Hu HT, Hsueh YP, Wang TF. Noncanonical usage of stop codons in ciliates expands proteins with structurally flexible Q-rich motifs. eLife 2024; 12:RP91405. [PMID: 38393970 PMCID: PMC10942620 DOI: 10.7554/elife.91405] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Serine(S)/threonine(T)-glutamine(Q) cluster domains (SCDs), polyglutamine (polyQ) tracts and polyglutamine/asparagine (polyQ/N) tracts are Q-rich motifs found in many proteins. SCDs often are intrinsically disordered regions that mediate protein phosphorylation and protein-protein interactions. PolyQ and polyQ/N tracts are structurally flexible sequences that trigger protein aggregation. We report that due to their high percentages of STQ or STQN amino acid content, four SCDs and three prion-causing Q/N-rich motifs of yeast proteins possess autonomous protein expression-enhancing activities. Since these Q-rich motifs can endow proteins with structural and functional plasticity, we suggest that they represent useful toolkits for evolutionary novelty. Comparative Gene Ontology (GO) analyses of the near-complete proteomes of 26 representative model eukaryotes reveal that Q-rich motifs prevail in proteins involved in specialized biological processes, including Saccharomyces cerevisiae RNA-mediated transposition and pseudohyphal growth, Candida albicans filamentous growth, ciliate peptidyl-glutamic acid modification and microtubule-based movement, Tetrahymena thermophila xylan catabolism and meiosis, Dictyostelium discoideum development and sexual cycles, Plasmodium falciparum infection, and the nervous systems of Drosophila melanogaster, Mus musculus and Homo sapiens. We also show that Q-rich-motif proteins are expanded massively in 10 ciliates with reassigned TAAQ and TAGQ codons. Notably, the usage frequency of CAGQ is much lower in ciliates with reassigned TAAQ and TAGQ codons than in organisms with expanded and unstable Q runs (e.g. D. melanogaster and H. sapiens), indicating that the use of noncanonical stop codons in ciliates may have coevolved with codon usage biases to avoid triplet repeat disorders mediated by CAG/GTC replication slippage.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hou-Cheng Liu
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia SinicaTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Tai-Ting Woo
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia SinicaTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Ju-Lan Chao
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia SinicaTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Chiung-Ya Chen
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia SinicaTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Hisao-Tang Hu
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia SinicaTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia SinicaTaipeiTaiwan
- Department of Biochemical Science and Technology, National Chiayi UniversityChiayiTaiwan
| | - Ting-Fang Wang
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia SinicaTaipeiTaiwan
- Department of Biochemical Science and Technology, National Chiayi UniversityChiayiTaiwan
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2
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Huang TN, Shih YT, Yen TL, Hsueh YP. Vcp overexpression and leucine supplementation extend lifespan and ameliorate neuromuscular junction phenotypes of a SOD1G93A-ALS mouse model. Hum Mol Genet 2024:ddae022. [PMID: 38382647 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddae022] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Many genes with distinct molecular functions have been linked to genetically heterogeneous amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), including SuperOxide Dismutase 1 (SOD1) and Valosin-Containing Protein (VCP). SOD1 converts superoxide to oxygen and hydrogen peroxide. VCP acts as a chaperon to regulate protein degradation and synthesis and various other cellular responses. Although the functions of these two genes differ, in the current report we show that overexpression of wild-type VCP in mice enhances lifespan and maintains the size of neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) of both male and female SOD1G93A mice, a well-known ALS mouse model. Although VCP exerts multiple functions, its regulation of ER formation and consequent protein synthesis has been shown to play the most important role in controlling dendritic spine formation and social and memory behaviors. Given that SOD1 mutation results in protein accumulation and aggregation, it may direct VCP to the protein degradation pathway, thereby impairing protein synthesis. Since we previously showed that the protein synthesis defects caused by Vcp deficiency can be improved by leucine supplementation, to confirm the role of the VCP-protein synthesis pathway in SOD1-linked ALS, we applied leucine supplementation to SOD1G93A mice and, similar to Vcp overexpression, we found that it extends SOD1G93A mouse lifespan. In addition, the phenotypes of reduced muscle strength and fewer NMJs of SOD1G93A mice are also improved by leucine supplementation. These results support the existence of crosstalk between SOD1 and VCP and suggest a critical role for protein synthesis in ASL. Our study also implies a potential therapeutic treatment for ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tzyy-Nan Huang
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, 128 Sec 2, Academia Rd, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Yu-Tzu Shih
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, 128 Sec 2, Academia Rd, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan, ROC
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tzu-Li Yen
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, 128 Sec 2, Academia Rd, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, 128 Sec 2, Academia Rd, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan, ROC
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3
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Chao YW, Lee YL, Tseng CS, Wang LUH, Hsia KC, Chen H, Fustin JM, Azeem S, Chang TT, Chen CY, Kung FC, Hsueh YP, Huang YS, Chao HW. Improved CaP Nanoparticles for Nucleic Acid and Protein Delivery to Neural Primary Cultures and Stem Cells. ACS Nano 2024; 18:4822-4839. [PMID: 38285698 PMCID: PMC10867895 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c09608] [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] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
Efficiently delivering exogenous materials into primary neurons and neural stem cells (NSCs) has long been a challenge in neurobiology. Existing methods have struggled with complex protocols, unreliable reproducibility, high immunogenicity, and cytotoxicity, causing a huge conundrum and hindering in-depth analyses. Here, we establish a cutting-edge method for transfecting primary neurons and NSCs, named teleofection, by a two-step process to enhance the formation of biocompatible calcium phosphate (CaP) nanoparticles. Teleofection enables both nucleic acid and protein transfection into primary neurons and NSCs, eliminating the need for specialized skills and equipment. It can easily fine-tune transfection efficiency by adjusting the incubation time and nanoparticle quantity, catering to various experimental requirements. Teleofection's versatility allows for the delivery of different cargos into the same cell culture, whether simultaneously or sequentially. This flexibility proves invaluable for long-term studies, enabling the monitoring of neural development and synapse plasticity. Moreover, teleofection ensures the consistent and robust expression of delivered genes, facilitating molecular and biochemical investigations. Teleofection represents a significant advancement in neurobiology, which has promise to transcend the limitations of current gene delivery methods. It offers a user-friendly, cost-effective, and reproducible approach for researchers, potentially revolutionizing our understanding of brain function and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Wen Chao
- Department
of Physiology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110301, Taiwan
- Graduate
Institute of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110301, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Lurk Lee
- Institute
of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115201, Taiwan
- Institute
of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115201, Taiwan
| | - Ching-San Tseng
- Department
of Anatomy, School of Medicine, China Medical
University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan
| | - Lily Ueh-Hsi Wang
- Institute
of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115201, Taiwan
| | - Kuo-Chiang Hsia
- Institute
of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115201, Taiwan
| | - Huatao Chen
- Department
of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
- Key
Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture
and Rural Affairs, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Jean-Michel Fustin
- The
University of Manchester, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, U.K.
| | - Sayma Azeem
- Institute
of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115201, Taiwan
- Taiwan
International Graduate Program in Interdisciplinary Neuroscience, National Yang-Ming Chao-Tung University and Academia
Sinica, Taipei 115201, Taiwan
| | - Tzu-Tung Chang
- Institute
of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115201, Taiwan
| | - Chiung-Ya Chen
- Institute
of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115201, Taiwan
| | - Fan-Che Kung
- Institute
of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115201, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Institute
of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115201, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Shuian Huang
- Institute
of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115201, Taiwan
- Taiwan
International Graduate Program in Interdisciplinary Neuroscience, National Yang-Ming Chao-Tung University and Academia
Sinica, Taipei 115201, Taiwan
- Institute
of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10002, Taiwan
| | - Hsu-Wen Chao
- Department
of Physiology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110301, Taiwan
- Graduate
Institute of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110301, Taiwan
- Department
of Biomedical Science and Environmental Biology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
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Lin YS, Chang YC, Chao TL, Tsai YM, Jhuang SJ, Ho YH, Lai TY, Liu YL, Chen CY, Tsai CY, Hsueh YP, Chang SY, Chuang TH, Lee CY, Hsu LC. The Src-ZNRF1 axis controls TLR3 trafficking and interferon responses to limit lung barrier damage. J Exp Med 2023; 220:214096. [PMID: 37158982 PMCID: PMC10174191 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20220727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Type I interferons are important antiviral cytokines, but prolonged interferon production is detrimental to the host. The TLR3-driven immune response is crucial for mammalian antiviral immunity, and its intracellular localization determines induction of type I interferons; however, the mechanism terminating TLR3 signaling remains obscure. Here, we show that the E3 ubiquitin ligase ZNRF1 controls TLR3 sorting into multivesicular bodies/lysosomes to terminate signaling and type I interferon production. Mechanistically, c-Src kinase activated by TLR3 engagement phosphorylates ZNRF1 at tyrosine 103, which mediates K63-linked ubiquitination of TLR3 at lysine 813 and promotes TLR3 lysosomal trafficking and degradation. ZNRF1-deficient mice and cells are resistant to infection by encephalomyocarditis virus and SARS-CoV-2 because of enhanced type I interferon production. However, Znrf1-/- mice have exacerbated lung barrier damage triggered by antiviral immunity, leading to enhanced susceptibility to respiratory bacterial superinfections. Our study highlights the c-Src-ZNRF1 axis as a negative feedback mechanism controlling TLR3 trafficking and the termination of TLR3 signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- You-Sheng Lin
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University , Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yung-Chi Chang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University , Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tai-Ling Chao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences and Medical Biotechnology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica , Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Min Tsai
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences and Medical Biotechnology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Shu-Jhen Jhuang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Hsin Ho
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University , Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ting-Yu Lai
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University , Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ling Liu
- Immunology Research Center, National Health Research Institutes , Zhunan, Taiwan
| | - Chiung-Ya Chen
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica , Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Yen Tsai
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica , Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica , Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Sui-Yuan Chang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences and Medical Biotechnology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tsung-Hsien Chuang
- Immunology Research Center, National Health Research Institutes , Zhunan, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Yuan Lee
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University , Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Surgery, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Li-Chung Hsu
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University , Taipei, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Immunology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University , Taipei, Taiwan
- Center of Precision Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University , Taipei, Taiwan
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5
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Hu HT, Lin YJ, Wang UTT, Lee SP, Liou YH, Chen BC, Hsueh YP. Autism-related KLHL17 and SYNPO act in concert to control activity-dependent dendritic spine enlargement and the spine apparatus. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002274. [PMID: 37651441 PMCID: PMC10499226 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Dendritic spines, the tiny and actin-rich protrusions emerging from dendrites, are the subcellular locations of excitatory synapses in the mammalian brain that control synaptic activity and plasticity. Dendritic spines contain a specialized form of endoplasmic reticulum (ER), i.e., the spine apparatus, required for local calcium signaling and that is involved in regulating dendritic spine enlargement and synaptic plasticity. Many autism-linked genes have been shown to play critical roles in synaptic formation and plasticity. Among them, KLHL17 is known to control dendritic spine enlargement during development. As a brain-specific disease-associated gene, KLHL17 is expected to play a critical role in the brain, but it has not yet been well characterized. In this study, we report that KLHL17 expression in mice is strongly regulated by neuronal activity and KLHL17 modulates the synaptic distribution of synaptopodin (SYNPO), a marker of the spine apparatus. Both KLHL17 and SYNPO are F-actin-binding proteins linked to autism. SYNPO is known to maintain the structure of the spine apparatus in mature spines and contributes to synaptic plasticity. Our super-resolution imaging using expansion microscopy demonstrates that SYNPO is indeed embedded into the ER network of dendritic spines and that KLHL17 is closely adjacent to the ER/SYNPO complex. Using mouse genetic models, we further show that Klhl17 haploinsufficiency and knockout result in fewer dendritic spines containing ER clusters and an alteration of calcium events at dendritic spines. Accordingly, activity-dependent dendritic spine enlargement and neuronal activation (reflected by extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation and C-FOS expression) are impaired. In addition, we show that the effect of disrupting the KLHL17 and SYNPO association is similar to the results of Klhl17 haploinsufficiency and knockout, further strengthening the evidence that KLHL17 and SYNPO act together to regulate synaptic plasticity. In conclusion, our findings unravel a role for KLHL17 in controlling synaptic plasticity via its regulation of SYNPO and synaptic ER clustering and imply that impaired synaptic plasticity contributes to the etiology of KLHL17-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsiao-Tang Hu
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yung-Jui Lin
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ueh-Ting Tim Wang
- Affiliated Senior High School of National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Research Center for Applied Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Sue-Ping Lee
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yae-Huei Liou
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Bi-Chang Chen
- Research Center for Applied Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
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6
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Yen TL, Huang TN, Lin MH, Hsu TT, Lu MH, Shih PY, Ellegood J, Lerch J, Hsueh YP. Sex bias in social deficits, neural circuits and nutrient demand in Cttnbp2 autism models. Brain 2023; 146:2612-2626. [PMID: 36385662 PMCID: PMC10232293 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awac429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders caused by both genetic and environmental factors are strongly male-biased neuropsychiatric conditions. However, the mechanism underlying the sex bias of autism spectrum disorders remains elusive. Here, we use a mouse model in which the autism-linked gene Cttnbp2 is mutated to explore the potential mechanism underlying the autism sex bias. Autism-like features of Cttnbp2 mutant mice were assessed via behavioural assays. C-FOS staining identified sex-biased brain regions critical to social interaction, with their roles and connectivity then validated by chemogenetic manipulation. Proteomic and bioinformatic analyses established sex-biased molecular deficits at synapses, prompting our hypothesis that male-biased nutrient demand magnifies Cttnbp2 deficiency. Accordingly, intakes of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) and zinc were experimentally altered to assess their effect on autism-like behaviours. Both deletion and autism-linked mutation of Cttnbp2 result in male-biased social deficits. Seven brain regions, including the infralimbic area of the medial prefrontal cortex (ILA), exhibit reduced neural activity in male mutant mice but not in females upon social stimulation. ILA activation by chemogenetic manipulation is sufficient to activate four of those brain regions susceptible to Cttnbp2 deficiency and consequently to ameliorate social deficits in male mice, implying an ILA-regulated neural circuit is critical to male-biased social deficits. Proteomics analysis reveals male-specific downregulated proteins (including SHANK2 and PSD-95, two synaptic zinc-binding proteins) and female-specific upregulated proteins (including RRAGC) linked to neuropsychiatric disorders, which are likely relevant to male-biased deficits and a female protective effect observed in Cttnbp2 mutant mice. Notably, RRAGC is an upstream regulator of mTOR that senses BCAA, suggesting that mTOR exerts a beneficial effect on females. Indeed, increased BCAA intake activates the mTOR pathway and rescues neuronal responses and social behaviours of male Cttnbp2 mutant mice. Moreover, mutant males exhibit greatly increased zinc demand to display normal social behaviours. Mice carrying an autism-linked Cttnbp2 mutation exhibit male-biased social deficits linked to specific brain regions, differential synaptic proteomes and higher demand for BCAA and zinc. We postulate that lower demand for zinc and BCAA are relevant to the female protective effect. Our study reveals a mechanism underlying sex-biased social defects and also suggests a potential therapeutic approach for autism spectrum disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tzu-Li Yen
- Molecular and Cell Biology, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica and Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, ROC
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Tzyy-Nan Huang
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Ming-Hui Lin
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Tsan-Ting Hsu
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Ming-Hsuan Lu
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Pu-Yun Shih
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Jacob Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5T 3H7, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, The University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Jason Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5T 3H7, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, The University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, The University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Molecular and Cell Biology, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica and Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, ROC
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, ROC
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7
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Lin YJ, Huang TN, Hsueh YP. Quantification of the density and morphology of dendritic spines and synaptic protein distribution using Thy1-YFP transgenic mice. STAR Protoc 2023; 4:102290. [PMID: 37149854 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2023.102290] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Synaptopathy, which encompasses morphological deficits and any abnormal protein distribution of synapses, is a critical feature of many neurological diseases. We here provide a protocol using mice stably expressing a Thy1-YFP transgene to assess synaptic features in vivo. We describe steps for recording the entire morphology of projection neurons using confocal microscopy based on YFP signals. We detail assessment of the density and size of dendritic spines and the distributions of synaptic proteins using ImageJ and statistical analysis using Prism. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Shih et al. (2020).1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yung-Jui Lin
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan 11529, Republic of China.
| | - Tzyy-Nan Huang
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan 11529, Republic of China.
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan 11529, Republic of China.
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8
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Fazal SV, Mutschler C, Chen CZ, Turmaine M, Chen CY, Hsueh YP, Ibañez-Grau A, Loreto A, Casillas-Bajo A, Cabedo H, Franklin RJM, Barker RA, Monk KR, Steventon BJ, Coleman MP, Gomez-Sanchez JA, Arthur-Farraj P. SARM1 detection in myelinating glia: sarm1/ Sarm1 is dispensable for PNS and CNS myelination in zebrafish and mice. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1158388. [PMID: 37091921 PMCID: PMC10113485 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1158388] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Since SARM1 mutations have been identified in human neurological disease, SARM1 inhibition has become an attractive therapeutic strategy to preserve axons in a variety of disorders of the peripheral (PNS) and central nervous system (CNS). While SARM1 has been extensively studied in neurons, it remains unknown whether SARM1 is present and functional in myelinating glia? This is an important question to address. Firstly, to identify whether SARM1 dysfunction in other cell types in the nervous system may contribute to neuropathology in SARM1 dependent diseases? Secondly, to ascertain whether therapies altering SARM1 function may have unintended deleterious impacts on PNS or CNS myelination? Surprisingly, we find that oligodendrocytes express sarm1 mRNA in the zebrafish spinal cord and that SARM1 protein is readily detectable in rodent oligodendrocytes in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, activation of endogenous SARM1 in cultured oligodendrocytes induces rapid cell death. In contrast, in peripheral glia, SARM1 protein is not detectable in Schwann cells and satellite glia in vivo and sarm1/Sarm1 mRNA is detected at very low levels in Schwann cells, in vivo, in zebrafish and mouse. Application of specific SARM1 activators to cultured mouse Schwann cells does not induce cell death and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) levels remain unaltered suggesting Schwann cells likely contain no functionally relevant levels of SARM1. Finally, we address the question of whether SARM1 is required for myelination or myelin maintenance. In the zebrafish and mouse PNS and CNS, we show that SARM1 is not required for initiation of myelination and myelin sheath maintenance is unaffected in the adult mouse nervous system. Thus, strategies to inhibit SARM1 function to treat neurological disease are unlikely to perturb myelination in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaline V. Fazal
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Clara Mutschler
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Civia Z. Chen
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Mark Turmaine
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Chiung-Ya Chen
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Andrea Ibañez-Grau
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Alicante, Spain
| | - Andrea Loreto
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Angeles Casillas-Bajo
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Alicante, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de Alicante (ISABIAL), Alicante, Spain
| | - Hugo Cabedo
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Alicante, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de Alicante (ISABIAL), Alicante, Spain
| | - Robin J. M. Franklin
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Altos Labs - Cambridge Institute of Science, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Roger A. Barker
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Kelly R. Monk
- Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | | | - Michael P. Coleman
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Jose A. Gomez-Sanchez
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Alicante, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de Alicante (ISABIAL), Alicante, Spain
- Millennium Nucleus for the Study of Pain (MiNuSPain), Santiago, Chile
| | - Peter Arthur-Farraj
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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9
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Shih PY, Fang YL, Shankar S, Lee SP, Hu HT, Chen H, Wang TF, Hsia KC, Hsueh YP. Phase separation and zinc-induced transition modulate synaptic distribution and association of autism-linked CTTNBP2 and SHANK3. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2664. [PMID: 35562389 PMCID: PMC9106668 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30353-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [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: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Many synaptic proteins form biological condensates via liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS). Synaptopathy, a key feature of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), is likely relevant to the impaired phase separation and/or transition of ASD-linked synaptic proteins. Here, we report that LLPS and zinc-induced liquid-to-gel phase transition regulate the synaptic distribution and protein-protein interaction of cortactin-binding protein 2 (CTTNBP2), an ASD-linked protein. CTTNBP2 forms self-assembled condensates through its C-terminal intrinsically disordered region and facilitates SHANK3 co-condensation at dendritic spines. Zinc binds the N-terminal coiled-coil region of CTTNBP2, promoting higher-order assemblies. Consequently, it leads to reduce CTTNBP2 mobility and enhance the stability and synaptic retention of CTTNBP2 condensates. Moreover, ASD-linked mutations alter condensate formation and synaptic retention of CTTNBP2 and impair mouse social behaviors, which are all ameliorated by zinc supplementation. Our study suggests the relevance of condensate formation and zinc-induced phase transition to the synaptic distribution and function of ASD-linked proteins. Autism impacts synapses. This study reports that autism-linked mutations of CTTNBP2 regulate phase separation to control synaptic enrichment of that protein. A zinc-induced liquid-to-gel transition improves synaptic retention of CTTNBP2 and SHANK3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pu-Yun Shih
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.,Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
| | - Yu-Lun Fang
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.,Department and Graduate Institute of Biochemistry, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Sahana Shankar
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.,Molecular and Cell Biology, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica and Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Sue-Ping Lee
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Hsiao-Tang Hu
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Hsin Chen
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.,Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience, John Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA
| | - Ting-Fang Wang
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.,Molecular and Cell Biology, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica and Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Kuo-Chiang Hsia
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC. .,Molecular and Cell Biology, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica and Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC. .,Molecular and Cell Biology, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica and Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
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10
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Huang HY, Liao HY, Chen X, Wang SW, Cheng CW, Shahed-Al-Mahmud M, Liu YM, Mohapatra A, Chen TH, Lo JM, Wu YM, Ma HH, Chang YH, Tsai HY, Chou YC, Hsueh YP, Tsai CY, Huang PY, Chang SY, Chao TL, Kao HC, Tsai YM, Chen YH, Wu CY, Jan JT, Cheng TJR, Lin KI, Ma C, Wong CH. Vaccination with SARS-CoV-2 spike protein lacking glycan shields elicits enhanced protective responses in animal models. Sci Transl Med 2022; 14:eabm0899. [PMID: 35230146 PMCID: PMC9802656 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abm0899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
A major challenge to end the pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is to develop a broadly protective vaccine that elicits long-term immunity. As the key immunogen, the viral surface spike (S) protein is frequently mutated, and conserved epitopes are shielded by glycans. Here, we revealed that S protein glycosylation has site-differential effects on viral infectivity. We found that S protein generated by lung epithelial cells has glycoforms associated with increased infectivity. Compared to the fully glycosylated S protein, immunization of S protein with N-glycans trimmed to the mono-GlcNAc-decorated state (SMG) elicited stronger immune responses and better protection for human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) transgenic mice against variants of concern (VOCs). In addition, a broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibody was identified from SMG-immunized mice that could neutralize wild-type SARS-CoV-2 and VOCs with subpicomolar potency. Together, these results demonstrate that removal of glycan shields to better expose the conserved sequences has the potential to be an effective and simple approach for developing a broadly protective SARS-CoV-2 vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han-Yi Huang
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.,GIP-TRIAD Master’s Program in Agro-Biomedical Science, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei 100233, Taiwan
| | - Hsin-Yu Liao
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Xiaorui Chen
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Szu-Wen Wang
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.,Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Wei Cheng
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | | | - Yo-Min Liu
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | | | - Ting-Hua Chen
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Jennifer M. Lo
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Min Wu
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Hsiu-Hua Ma
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Hsuan Chang
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.,Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Ho-Yang Tsai
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.,Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chi Chou
- Biomedical Translation Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Yen Tsai
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Pau-Yi Huang
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Sui-Yuan Chang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences and Medical Biotechnology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei 100233, Taiwan.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei 100233, Taiwan
| | - Tai-Ling Chao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences and Medical Biotechnology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei 100233, Taiwan
| | - Han-Chieh Kao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences and Medical Biotechnology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei 100233, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Min Tsai
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences and Medical Biotechnology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei 100233, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Hui Chen
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Chung-Yi Wu
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Jia-Tsrong Jan
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | | | - Kuo-I Lin
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.,Corresponding author. (C.M.); (K.-I.L.); . (C.-H.W.)
| | - Che Ma
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.,Corresponding author. (C.M.); (K.-I.L.); . (C.-H.W.)
| | - Chi-Huey Wong
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.,Department of Chemistry, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.,Corresponding author. (C.M.); (K.-I.L.); . (C.-H.W.)
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11
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Lee K, Jung Y, Vyas Y, Skelton I, Abraham WC, Hsueh YP, Montgomery JM. Dietary zinc supplementation rescues fear-based learning and synaptic function in the Tbr1 +/- mouse model of autism spectrum disorders. Mol Autism 2022; 13:13. [PMID: 35303947 PMCID: PMC8932001 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-022-00494-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [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: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by a dyad of behavioural symptoms—social and communication deficits and repetitive behaviours. Multiple aetiological genetic and environmental factors have been identified as causing or increasing the likelihood of ASD, including serum zinc deficiency. Our previous studies revealed that dietary zinc supplementation can normalise impaired social behaviours, excessive grooming, and heightened anxiety in a Shank3 mouse model of ASD, as well as the amelioration of synapse dysfunction. Here, we have examined the efficacy and breadth of dietary zinc supplementation as an effective therapeutic strategy utilising a non-Shank-related mouse model of ASD—mice with Tbr1 haploinsufficiency. Methods We performed behavioural assays, amygdalar slice whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology, and immunohistochemistry to characterise the synaptic mechanisms underlying the ASD-associated behavioural deficits observed in Tbr1+/− mice and the therapeutic potential of dietary zinc supplementation. Two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Šídák's post hoc test and one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s post hoc multiple comparisons were performed for statistical analysis. Results Our data show that dietary zinc supplementation prevents impairments in auditory fear memory and social interaction, but not social novelty, in the Tbr1+/− mice. Tbr1 haploinsufficiency did not induce excessive grooming nor elevate anxiety in mice. At the synaptic level, dietary zinc supplementation reversed α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR) and N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) hypofunction and normalised presynaptic function at thalamic-lateral amygdala (LA) synapses that are crucial for auditory fear memory. In addition, the zinc supplemented diet significantly restored the synaptic puncta density of the GluN1 subunit essential for functional NMDARs as well as SHANK3 expression in both the basal and lateral amygdala (BLA) of Tbr1+/− mice. Limitations The therapeutic effect of dietary zinc supplementation observed in rodent models may not reproduce the same effects in human patients. The effect of dietary zinc supplementation on synaptic function in other brain structures affected by Tbr1 haploinsufficiency including olfactory bulb and anterior commissure will also need to be examined. Conclusions Our data further the understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the effect of dietary zinc supplementation and verify the efficacy and breadth of its application as a potential treatment strategy for ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Lee
- Department of Physiology and Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 85 Park Road, Grafton, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand
| | - Yewon Jung
- Department of Physiology and Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 85 Park Road, Grafton, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand
| | - Yukti Vyas
- Department of Physiology and Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 85 Park Road, Grafton, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand.,INSERM, Neurocentre Magendie, U1215, Bordeaux, France
| | - Imogen Skelton
- Department of Physiology and Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 85 Park Road, Grafton, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand
| | - Wickliffe C Abraham
- Department of Psychology and Brain Health Research Centre, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, 128, Section 2, Academia Rd., Taipei, 11529, Taiwan
| | - Johanna M Montgomery
- Department of Physiology and Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 85 Park Road, Grafton, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand.
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12
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Li Y, Pazyra-Murphy MF, Avizonis D, de Sá Tavares Russo M, Tang S, Chen CY, Hsueh YP, Bergholz JS, Jiang T, Zhao JJ, Zhu J, Ko KW, Milbrandt J, DiAntonio A, Segal RA. Sarm1 activation produces cADPR to increase intra-axonal Ca++ and promote axon degeneration in PIPN. J Cell Biol 2022; 221:e202106080. [PMID: 34935867 PMCID: PMC8704956 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202106080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [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: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 10/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer patients frequently develop chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), a painful and long-lasting disorder with profound somatosensory deficits. There are no effective therapies to prevent or treat this disorder. Pathologically, CIPN is characterized by a "dying-back" axonopathy that begins at intra-epidermal nerve terminals of sensory neurons and progresses in a retrograde fashion. Calcium dysregulation constitutes a critical event in CIPN, but it is not known how chemotherapies such as paclitaxel alter intra-axonal calcium and cause degeneration. Here, we demonstrate that paclitaxel triggers Sarm1-dependent cADPR production in distal axons, promoting intra-axonal calcium flux from both intracellular and extracellular calcium stores. Genetic or pharmacologic antagonists of cADPR signaling prevent paclitaxel-induced axon degeneration and allodynia symptoms, without mitigating the anti-neoplastic efficacy of paclitaxel. Our data demonstrate that cADPR is a calcium-modulating factor that promotes paclitaxel-induced axon degeneration and suggest that targeting cADPR signaling provides a potential therapeutic approach for treating paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy (PIPN).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yihang Li
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Maria F. Pazyra-Murphy
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Daina Avizonis
- Metabolomics Innovation Resource, Goodman Cancer Research Centre, McGill University, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Mariana de Sá Tavares Russo
- Metabolomics Innovation Resource, Goodman Cancer Research Centre, McGill University, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sophia Tang
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Chiung-Ya Chen
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Johann S. Bergholz
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Broad Institute of Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
| | - Tao Jiang
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Jean J. Zhao
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Broad Institute of Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
| | - Jian Zhu
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
| | - Kwang Woo Ko
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
| | - Jeffrey Milbrandt
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
- Needleman Center for Neurometabolism and Axonal Therapeutics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
| | - Aaron DiAntonio
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
- Needleman Center for Neurometabolism and Axonal Therapeutics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
| | - Rosalind A. Segal
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
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13
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Lee CM, Tian X, Tsao C, Chen P, Huang TN, Hsueh YP, Chen BC. Macro Photography with Lightsheet Illumination Enables Whole Expanded Brain Imaging with Single-cell Resolution. Discoveries (Craiova) 2021; 9:e133. [PMID: 34849398 PMCID: PMC8626140 DOI: 10.15190/d.2021.12] [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] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 06/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Macro photography allows direct visualization of the enlarged whole mouse brain by a combination of lightsheet illumination and expansion microscopy with single-cell resolution. Taking advantage of the long working distance of a camera lens, we imaged a 3.7 cm thick, transparent, fluorescently-labeled expanded brain. In order to improve 3D sectioning capability, we used lightsheet excitation confined as the depth of field of the camera lens. Using 4x sample expansion and 5x optical magnification, macro photography enables imaging of expanded whole mouse brain with an effective resolution of 300 nm, which provides the subcellular structural information at the organ level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Ming Lee
- Research Center for Applied Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Xuejiao Tian
- Research Center for Applied Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.,Brain Research Center, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan
| | - Chieh Tsao
- Research Center for Applied Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Peilin Chen
- Research Center for Applied Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Tzyy-Nan Huang
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Bi-Chang Chen
- Research Center for Applied Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.,Brain Research Center, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan.,Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
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14
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Hsueh YP, Lin YC. Editorial: Autism Signaling Pathways. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:760994. [PMID: 34650407 PMCID: PMC8507849 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.760994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chih Lin
- Program in Neuroscience, Hussman Institute for Autism, Baltimore, MD, United States
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15
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Chen CY, Hung YF, Tsai CY, Shih YC, Chou TF, Lai MZ, Wang TF, Hsueh YP. Transcriptomic Analysis and C-Terminal Epitope Tagging Reveal Differential Processing and Signaling of Endogenous TLR3 and TLR7. Front Immunol 2021; 12:686060. [PMID: 34211474 PMCID: PMC8240634 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.686060] [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] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling is critical for defense against pathogenic infection, as well as for modulating tissue development. Activation of different TLRs triggers common inflammatory responses such as cytokine induction. Here, we reveal differential impacts of TLR3 and TLR7 signaling on transcriptomic profiles in bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs). Apart from self-regulation, TLR3, but not TLR7, induced expression of other TLRs, suggesting that TLR3 activation globally enhances innate immunity. Moreover, we observed diverse influences of TLR3 and TLR7 signaling on genes involved in methylation, caspase and autophagy pathways. We compared endogenous TLR3 and TLR7 by using CRISPR/Cas9 technology to knock in a dual Myc-HA tag at the 3’ ends of mouse Tlr3 and Tlr7. Using anti-HA antibodies to detect endogenous tagged TLR3 and TLR7, we found that both TLRs display differential tissue expression and posttranslational modifications. C-terminal tagging did not impair TLR3 activity. However, it disrupted the interaction between TLR7 and myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (MYD88), the Tir domain-containing adaptor of TLR7, which blocked its downstream signaling necessary to trigger cytokine and chemokine expression. Our study demonstrates different properties for TLR3 and TLR7, and also provides useful mouse models for further investigation of these two RNA-sensing TLRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiung-Ya Chen
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yun-Fen Hung
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Yen Tsai
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Chun Shih
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ting-Fang Chou
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Zong Lai
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ting-Fang Wang
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
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16
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Shih PY, Hsieh BY, Lin MH, Huang TN, Tsai CY, Pong WL, Lee SP, Hsueh YP. CTTNBP2 Controls Synaptic Expression of Zinc-Related Autism-Associated Proteins and Regulates Synapse Formation and Autism-like Behaviors. Cell Rep 2021; 31:107700. [PMID: 32492416 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.107700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [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: 10/31/2019] [Revised: 03/29/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Synaptic dysregulation is a critical feature of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Among various autism-associated genes, cortactin binding protein 2 (CTTNBP2) is a cytoskeleton regulator predominantly expressed in neurons and highly enriched at dendritic spines. Here, using Cttnbp2 knockout and ASD-linked mutant mice, we demonstrate that Cttnbp2 deficiency reduces zinc levels in the brain, alters synaptic protein targeting, impairs dendritic spine formation and ultrastructure of postsynaptic density, and influences neuronal activation and autism-like behaviors. A link to autism, the NMDAR-SHANK pathway, and zinc-related regulation are three features shared by CTTNBP2-regulated synaptic proteins. Zinc supplementation rescues the synaptic expression of CTTNBP2-regulated proteins. Moreover, zinc supplementation and administration of D-cycloserine, an NMDAR coagonist, improve the social behaviors of Cttnbp2-deficient mice. We suggest that CTTNBP2 controls the synaptic expression of a set of zinc-regulated autism-associated genes and influences NMDAR function and signaling, providing an example of how genetic and environmental factor crosstalk controls social behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pu-Yun Shih
- Molecular and Cell Biology, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica and Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China; Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Bing-Yuan Hsieh
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Ming-Hui Lin
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Tzyy-Nan Huang
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Ching-Yen Tsai
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Wen-Li Pong
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Sue-Ping Lee
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Molecular and Cell Biology, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica and Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China; Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, Republic of China.
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17
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Hung YF, Hsueh YP. TLR7 and IL-6 differentially regulate the effects of rotarod exercise on the transcriptomic profile and neurogenesis to influence anxiety and memory. iScience 2021; 24:102384. [PMID: 33981972 PMCID: PMC8082089 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [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: 09/08/2020] [Revised: 02/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Voluntary exercise is well known to benefit brain performance. In contrast, forced exercise induces inflammation-related stress responses and may cause psychiatric disorders. Here, we unexpectedly found that rotarod testing, a frequently applied assay for evaluating rodent motor coordination, induces anxiety and alters spatial learning/memory performance of mice. Rotarod testing upregulated genes involved in the unfolded protein response and stress responses and downregulated genes associated with neurogenesis and neuronal differentiation. It impacts two downstream pathways. The first is the IL-6-dependent pathway, which mediates rotarod-induced anxiety. The second is the Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7)-dependent pathway, which is involved in the effect of rotarod exercise on gene expression and its impact on contextual learning and memory of mice. Thus, although rotarod exercise does not induce systemic inflammation, it influences innate immunity-related responses in the brain, controls gene expression and, consequently, regulates anxiety and contextual learning and memory. Rotarod training at 5 or 10 weeks of age induces anxious behavior in an open field Rotarod training upregulates IL-6 expression in the brain and results in anxiety Rotarod training alters performances of test mice in spatial learning and memory TLR7 controls the rotarod-impacted transcriptomic profiles and contextual memory
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Fen Hung
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, ROC
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18
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Lin YL, Lu MY, Chuang CF, Kuo Y, Lin HE, Li FA, Wang JR, Hsueh YP, Liao F. TLR7 Is Critical for Anti-Viral Humoral Immunity to EV71 Infection in the Spinal Cord. Front Immunol 2021; 11:614743. [PMID: 33679702 PMCID: PMC7935532 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.614743] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Enterovirus 71 (EV71) is a positive single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) virus from the enterovirus genus of Picornaviridae family and causes diseases ranged from the mild disease of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) to the severe disease of neurological involvement in young children. TLR7 is an intracellular pattern recognition receptor (PRR) recognizing viral ssRNA. In this study, we investigated the role of TLR7 in EV71 infection in mouse pups (10-12 days old) and found that wild-type (WT) and TLR7 knock-out (TLR7KO) mice infected with EV71 showed similar limb paralysis at the onset and peak of the disease, comparable loss of motor neurons, and similar levels of antiviral molecules in the spinal cord. These results suggest that TLR7 is not the absolute PRR for EV71 in the spinal cord. Interestingly, TLR7KO mice infected with EV71 exhibited significantly delayed recovery from limb paralysis compared with WT mice. TLR7KO mice infected with EV71 showed significantly decreased levels of IgM and IgG2, important antibodies for antiviral humoral immunity. Furthermore, TLR7KO mice infected with EV71 showed a decrease of germinal center B cells in the spleen compared with WT mice. Altogether, our study suggests that TLR7 plays a critical role in anti-viral humoral immunity rather than in being a PRR in the spinal cord during EV71 infection in young mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Lin Lin
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Mei-Yi Lu
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Fen Chuang
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yali Kuo
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hong-En Lin
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Fu-An Li
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jen-Ren Wang
- National Institute of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, National Health Research Institutes, Tainan, Taiwan.,Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.,Department of Pathology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan.,Center of Infectious Disease and Signaling Research, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Fang Liao
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
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19
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Lu MH, Hsueh YP. Protein synthesis as a modifiable target for autism-related dendritic spine pathophysiologies. FEBS J 2021; 289:2282-2300. [PMID: 33511762 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15733] [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: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is increasingly recognized as a condition of altered brain connectivity. As synapses are fundamental subcellular structures for neuronal connectivity, synaptic pathophysiology has become one of central themes in autism research. Reports disagree upon whether the density of dendritic spines, namely excitatory synapses, is increased or decreased in ASD and whether the protein synthesis that is critical for dendritic spine formation and function is upregulated or downregulated. Here, we review recent evidence supporting a subgroup of ASD models with decreased dendritic spine density (hereafter ASD-DSD), including Nf1 and Vcp mutant mice. We discuss the relevance of branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) insufficiency in relation to unmet protein synthesis demand in ASD-DSD. In contrast to ASD-DSD, ASD models with hyperactive mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) may represent the opposite end of the disease spectrum, often characterized by increases in protein synthesis and dendritic spine density (denoted ASD-ISD). Finally, we propose personalized dietary leucine as a strategy tailored to balancing protein synthesis demand, thereby ameliorating dendritic spine pathophysiologies and autism-related phenotypes in susceptible patients, especially those with ASD-DSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Hsuan Lu
- Department of Medical Education, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
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20
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Cui Y, Ma L, Schacke S, Yin JC, Hsueh YP, Jin H, Morrison H. Merlin cooperates with neurofibromin and Spred1 to suppress the Ras-Erk pathway. Hum Mol Genet 2020; 29:3793-3806. [PMID: 33331896 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddaa263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The Ras-Erk pathway is frequently overactivated in human tumors. Neurofibromatosis types 1 and 2 (NF1, NF2) are characterized by multiple tumors of Schwann cell origin. The NF1 tumor suppressor neurofibromin is a principal Ras-GAP accelerating Ras inactivation, whereas the NF2 tumor suppressor merlin is a scaffold protein coordinating multiple signaling pathways. We have previously reported that merlin interacts with Ras and p120RasGAP. Here, we show that merlin can also interact with the neurofibromin/Spred1 complex via merlin-binding sites present on both proteins. Further, merlin can directly bind to the Ras-binding domain (RBD) and the kinase domain (KiD) of Raf1. As the third component of the neurofibromin/Spred1 complex, merlin cannot increase the Ras-GAP activity; rather, it blocks Ras binding to Raf1 by functioning as a 'selective Ras barrier'. Merlin-deficient Schwann cells require the Ras-Erk pathway activity for proliferation. Accordingly, suppression of the Ras-Erk pathway likely contributes to merlin's tumor suppressor activity. Taken together, our results, and studies by others, support targeting or co-targeting of this pathway as a therapy for NF2 inactivation-related tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Cui
- Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI), 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Lin Ma
- Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI), 07745 Jena, Germany.,College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Stephan Schacke
- Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI), 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Jiani C Yin
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
| | - Hongchuan Jin
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Medical School of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, China
| | - Helen Morrison
- Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI), 07745 Jena, Germany.,Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07743, Germany
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21
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Huang TN, Shih YT, Lin SC, Hsueh YP. Social behaviors and contextual memory of Vcp mutant mice are sensitive to nutrition and can be ameliorated by amino acid supplementation. iScience 2020; 24:101949. [PMID: 33437936 PMCID: PMC7786123 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101949] [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] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 11/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Both genetic variations and nutritional deficiency are associated with autism spectrum disorders and other neurological disorders. However, it is less clear whether or how nutritional deficiency and genetic variations influence each other under pathogenic conditions. "Valosin-containing protein" (VCP, also known as p97) is associated with multiple neurological disorders and regulates dendritic spine formation by controlling endoplasmic reticulum formation and protein synthesis efficiency. Increased protein synthesis ameliorates the dendritic spine defects of Vcp-deficient neurons. Therefore, we investigated if Vcp-deficient mice are sensitive to nutritional conditions. Here, we show that social interaction and contextual memory of Vcp-deficient mice are indeed influenced by different dietary protein levels. Moreover, leucine supplementation ameliorates the behavioral deficits and dendritic spine density of Vcp-deficient mice, strengthening evidence for the role of protein synthesis in VCP function. Our study illustrates that genetic variation and nutrient factors cross-talk to influence neuronal and behavioral phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tzyy-Nan Huang
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, 128, Academia Road, Section 2, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Yu-Tzu Shih
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, 128, Academia Road, Section 2, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Si-Cih Lin
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, 128, Academia Road, Section 2, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, 128, Academia Road, Section 2, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, Republic of China
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22
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Abstract
AbstractSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that causes Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) exhibits two major variants based on mutations of its spike protein, i.e., the D614 prototype and G614 variant. Although neurological symptoms have been frequently reported in patients, it is still unclear whether SARS-CoV-2 impairs neuronal activity or function. Here, we show that expression of both D614 and G614 spike proteins is sufficient to induce phenotypes of impaired neuronal morphology, including defective dendritic spines and shortened dendritic length. Using spike protein-specific monoclonal antibodies, we found that D614 and G614 spike proteins show differential S1/S2 cleavage and cell fusion efficiency. Our findings provide an explanation for higher transmission of the G614 variant and the neurological manifestations observed in COVID-19 patients.
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23
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Hu HT, Huang TN, Hsueh YP. KLHL17/Actinfilin, a brain-specific gene associated with infantile spasms and autism, regulates dendritic spine enlargement. J Biomed Sci 2020; 27:103. [PMID: 33256713 PMCID: PMC7708131 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-020-00696-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Dendritic spines, the actin-rich protrusions emerging from dendrites, are the subcellular locations of excitatory synapses in the mammalian brain. Many actin-regulating molecules modulate dendritic spine morphology. Since dendritic spines are neuron-specific structures, it is reasonable to speculate that neuron-specific or -predominant factors are involved in dendritic spine formation. KLHL17 (Kelch-like 17, also known as Actinfilin), an actin-binding protein, is predominantly expressed in brain. Human genetic study has indicated an association of KLHL17/Actinfilin with infantile spasms, a rare form of childhood epilepsy also resulting in autism and mental retardation, indicating that KLHL17/Actinfilin plays a role in neuronal function. However, it remains elusive if and how KLHL17/Actinfilin regulates neuronal development and brain function. Methods Fluorescent immunostaining and electrophysiological recording were performed to evaluate dendritic spine formation and activity in cultured hippocampal neurons. Knockdown and knockout of KLHL17/Actinfilin and expression of truncated fragments of KLHL17/Actinfilin were conducted to investigate the function of KLHL17/Actinfilin in neurons. Mouse behavioral assays were used to evaluate the role of KLHL17/Actinfilin in brain function. Results We found that KLHL17/Actinfilin tends to form circular puncta in dendritic spines and are surrounded by or adjacent to F-actin. Klhl17 deficiency impairs F-actin enrichment at dendritic spines. Knockdown and knockout of KLHL17/Actinfilin specifically impair dendritic spine enlargement, but not the density or length of dendritic spines. Both N-terminal Broad-Complex, Tramtrack and Bric-a-brac (BTB) domain and C-terminal Kelch domains of KLHL17/Actinfilin are required for F-actin remodeling and enrichment at dendritic spines, as well as dendritic spine enlargement. A reduction of postsynaptic and presynsptic markers at dendritic spines and altered mEPSC profiles due to Klhl17 deficiency evidence impaired synaptic activity in Klhl17-deficient neurons. Our behavioral assays further indicate that Klhl17 deficiency results in hyperactivity and reduced social interaction, strengthening evidence for the physiological role of KLHL17/Actinfilin. Conclusion Our findings provide evidence that KLHL17/Actinfilin modulates F-actin remodeling and contributes to regulation of neuronal morphogenesis, maturation and activity, which is likely relevant to behavioral impairment in Klhl17-deficient mice. Trial registration Non-applicable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsiao-Tang Hu
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, 128, Academia Road, Section 2, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Tzyy-Nan Huang
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, 128, Academia Road, Section 2, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, 128, Academia Road, Section 2, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan, Republic of China.
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24
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Shih PY, Hsieh BY, Tsai CY, Lo CA, Chen BE, Hsueh YP. Autism-linked mutations of CTTNBP2 reduce social interaction and impair dendritic spine formation via diverse mechanisms. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2020; 8:185. [PMID: 33168105 PMCID: PMC7654188 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-020-01053-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Abnormal synaptic formation and signaling is one of the key molecular features of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Cortactin binding protein 2 (CTTNBP2), an ASD-linked gene, is known to regulate the subcellular distribution of synaptic proteins, such as cortactin, thereby controlling dendritic spine formation and maintenance. However, it remains unclear how ASD-linked mutations of CTTNBP2 influence its function. Here, using cultured hippocampal neurons and knockin mouse models, we screen seven ASD-linked mutations in the short form of the Cttnbp2 gene and identify that M120I, R533* and D570Y mutations impair CTTNBP2 protein-protein interactions via divergent mechanisms to reduce dendritic spine density in neurons. R533* mutation impairs CTTNBP2 interaction with cortactin due to lack of the C-terminal proline-rich domain. Through an N-C terminal interaction, M120I mutation at the N-terminal region of CTTNBP2 also negatively influences cortactin interaction. D570Y mutation increases the association of CTTNBP2 with microtubule, resulting in a dendritic localization of CTTNBP2, consequently reducing the distribution of CTTNBP2 in dendritic spines and impairing the synaptic function of CTTNBP2. Finally, we generated heterozygous M120I knockin mice to mimic the genetic variation of patients and found they exhibit reduced social interaction. Our study elucidates that different ASD-linked mutations of CTTNBP2 result in diverse molecular deficits, but all have the similar consequence of synaptic impairment.
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25
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Lee M, Liu YC, Chen C, Lu CH, Lu ST, Huang TN, Hsu MT, Hsueh YP, Cheng PL. Ecm29-mediated proteasomal distribution modulates excitatory GABA responses in the developing brain. J Cell Biol 2020; 219:133566. [PMID: 31910261 PMCID: PMC7041676 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201903033] [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] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2019] [Revised: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuronal GABAergic responses switch from excitatory to inhibitory at an early postnatal period in rodents. The timing of this switch is controlled by intracellular Cl− concentrations, but factors determining local levels of cation-chloride cotransporters remain elusive. Here, we report that local abundance of the chloride importer NKCC1 and timely emergence of GABAergic inhibition are modulated by proteasome distribution, which is mediated through interactions of proteasomes with the adaptor Ecm29 and the axon initial segment (AIS) scaffold protein ankyrin G. Mechanistically, both the Ecm29 N-terminal domain and an intact AIS structure are required for transport and tethering of proteasomes in the AIS region. In mice, Ecm29 knockout (KO) in neurons increases the density of NKCC1 protein in the AIS region, a change that positively correlates with a delay in the GABAergic response switch. Phenotypically, Ecm29 KO mice showed increased firing frequency of action potentials at early postnatal ages and were hypersusceptible to chemically induced convulsive seizures. Finally, Ecm29 KO neurons exhibited accelerated AIS developmental positioning, reflecting a perturbed AIS morphological plastic response to hyperexcitability arising from proteasome inhibition, a phenotype rescued by ectopic Ecm29 expression or NKCC1 inhibition. Together, our findings support the idea that neuronal maturation requires regulation of proteasomal distribution controlled by Ecm29.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Lee
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Chen Liu
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chen Chen
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Huan Lu
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Shao-Tzu Lu
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tzyy-Nan Huang
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Meng-Tsung Hsu
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Lin Cheng
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
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26
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Hsueh YP, Hsu TT, Huang TN. The evolutionarily conserved function of TBR1 in controlling the size of anterior commissure in human and mouse brains. Eur J Hum Genet 2020; 28:997-998. [PMID: 32273580 PMCID: PMC7471398 DOI: 10.1038/s41431-020-0621-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan.
| | - Tsan-Ting Hsu
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan
| | - Tzyy-Nan Huang
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan
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27
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Hsu TT, Huang TN, Hsueh YP. Anterior Commissure Regulates Neuronal Activity of Amygdalae and Influences Locomotor Activity, Social Interaction and Fear Memory in Mice. Front Mol Neurosci 2020; 13:47. [PMID: 32296306 PMCID: PMC7136557 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2020.00047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [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: 01/23/2020] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The two hemispheres of the vertebrate brain are connected through several commissures. Although the anterior commissure (AC) is the most conserved white matter structure in the brains of different vertebrates, its complete physiological functionality remains elusive. Since the AC is involved in the connection between two amygdalae and because amygdalae are critical for emotional behaviors and social interaction, we assessed amygdalar activity and function to investigate the physiological role of the AC. We first performed ex vivo electrophysiological recording on mouse brains to demonstrate that the AC delivers a positive signal to facilitate synaptic responses and to recruit basolateral amygdalar neurons via glutamatergic synapses. Transection was then undertaken to investigate the role of the AC in vivo. Results from in vivo optogenetic stimulation suggest that AC transection impairs mutual activation between two basolateral amygdalae. Behavioral analyses were then used to assess if AC surgical lesioning results in hyperactivity, anxiety, social reduction or learning/memory impairment, which are behavioral features associated with neuropsychiatric disorders, such as autism spectrum disorders. We found that AC transection results in higher locomotor activity, aberrant social interaction and reduced associative memory, but not anxiety. Moreover, systemic administration of D-cycloserine, a coagonist of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor, ameliorated auditory fear memory in AC-transected mice, reinforcing our evidence that the AC potentiates the activity of basolateral amygdalae. Our study suggests that the AC regulates basolateral amygdalar activity and influences neuropsychiatry-related behaviors in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsan-Ting Hsu
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tzyy-Nan Huang
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
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28
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Chen CY, Shih YC, Hung YF, Hsueh YP. Beyond defense: regulation of neuronal morphogenesis and brain functions via Toll-like receptors. J Biomed Sci 2019; 26:90. [PMID: 31684953 PMCID: PMC6827257 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-019-0584-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [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: 07/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are well known as critical pattern recognition receptors that trigger innate immune responses. In addition, TLRs are expressed in neurons and may act as the gears in the neuronal detection/alarm system for making good connections. As neuronal differentiation and circuit formation take place along with programmed cell death, neurons face the challenge of connecting with appropriate targets while avoiding dying or dead neurons. Activation of neuronal TLR3, TLR7 and TLR8 with nucleic acids negatively modulates neurite outgrowth and alters synapse formation in a cell-autonomous manner. It consequently influences neural connectivity and brain function and leads to deficits related to neuropsychiatric disorders. Importantly, neuronal TLR activation does not simply duplicate the downstream signal pathways and effectors of classical innate immune responses. The differences in spatial and temporal expression of TLRs and their ligands likely account for the diverse signaling pathways of neuronal TLRs. In conclusion, the accumulated evidence strengthens the idea that the innate immune system of neurons serves as an alarm system that responds to exogenous pathogens as well as intrinsic danger signals and fine-tune developmental processes of neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiung-Ya Chen
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, 128, Academia Rd., Sec. 2, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan, Republic of China.
| | - Yi-Chun Shih
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, 128, Academia Rd., Sec. 2, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Yun-Fen Hung
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, 128, Academia Rd., Sec. 2, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, 128, Academia Rd., Sec. 2, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan, Republic of China.
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29
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Huang TN, Hsu TT, Lin MH, Chuang HC, Hu HT, Sun CP, Tao MH, Lin JY, Hsueh YP. Interhemispheric Connectivity Potentiates the Basolateral Amygdalae and Regulates Social Interaction and Memory. Cell Rep 2019; 29:34-48.e4. [PMID: 31577954 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.08.082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [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: 03/04/2019] [Revised: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Impaired interhemispheric connectivity is commonly found in various psychiatric disorders, although how interhemispheric connectivity regulates brain function remains elusive. Here, we use the mouse amygdala, a brain region that is critical for social interaction and fear memory, as a model to demonstrate that contralateral connectivity intensifies the synaptic response of basolateral amygdalae (BLA) and regulates amygdala-dependent behaviors. Retrograde tracing and c-FOS expression indicate that contralateral afferents widely innervate BLA non-randomly and that some BLA neurons innervate both contralateral BLA and the ipsilateral central amygdala (CeA). Our optogenetic and electrophysiological studies further suggest that contralateral BLA input results in the synaptic facilitation of BLA neurons, thereby intensifying the responses to cortical and thalamic stimulations. Finally, pharmacological inhibition and chemogenetic disconnection demonstrate that BLA contralateral facilitation is required for social interaction and memory. Our study suggests that interhemispheric connectivity potentiates the synaptic dynamics of BLA neurons and is critical for the full activation and functionality of amygdalae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tzyy-Nan Huang
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Tsan-Ting Hsu
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Ming-Hui Lin
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Hsiu-Chun Chuang
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Hsiao-Tang Hu
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Cheng-Pu Sun
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Mi-Hua Tao
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, ROC
| | - John Y Lin
- School of Medicine, University of Tasmania, TAS 7000, Australia
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, ROC.
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30
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Hsueh YP. Synaptic Formation, Neural Circuits and Neurodevelopmental Disorders Controlled by Signaling, Translation, and Epigenetic Regulation. Dev Neurobiol 2019; 79:2-7. [PMID: 30672130 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2018] [Revised: 11/04/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan, Republic of China
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31
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Huang TN, Yen TL, Qiu LR, Chuang HC, Lerch JP, Hsueh YP. Haploinsufficiency of autism causative gene Tbr1 impairs olfactory discrimination and neuronal activation of the olfactory system in mice. Mol Autism 2019; 10:5. [PMID: 30792833 PMCID: PMC6371489 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-019-0257-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [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: 10/05/2018] [Accepted: 01/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) exhibit two clusters of core symptoms, i.e., social and communication impairment, and repetitive behaviors and sensory abnormalities. Our previous study demonstrated that TBR1, a causative gene of ASD, controls axonal projection and neuronal activation of amygdala and regulates social interaction and vocal communication in a mouse model. Behavioral defects caused by Tbr1 haploinsufficiency can be ameliorated by increasing neural activity via D-cycloserine treatment, an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) coagonist. In this report, we investigate the role of TBR1 in regulating olfaction and test whether D-cycloserine can also improve olfactory defects in Tbr1 mutant mice. Methods We used Tbr1+/− mice as a model to investigate the function of TBR1 in olfactory sensation and discrimination of non-social odors. We employed a behavioral assay to characterize the olfactory defects of Tbr1+/− mice. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and histological analysis were applied to characterize anatomical features. Immunostaining was performed to further analyze differences in expression of TBR1 subfamily members (namely TBR1, TBR2, and TBX21), interneuron populations, and dendritic abnormalities in olfactory bulbs. Finally, C-FOS staining was used to monitor neuronal activation of the olfactory system upon odor stimulation. Results Tbr1+/− mice exhibited smaller olfactory bulbs and anterior commissures, reduced interneuron populations, and an abnormal dendritic morphology of mitral cells in the olfactory bulbs. Tbr1 haploinsufficiency specifically impaired olfactory discrimination but not olfactory sensation. Neuronal activation upon odorant stimulation was reduced in the glomerular layer of Tbr1+/− olfactory bulbs. Furthermore, although the sizes of piriform and perirhinal cortices were not affected by Tbr1 deficiency, neuronal activation was reduced in these two cortical regions in response to odorant stimulation. These results suggest an impairment of neuronal activation in olfactory bulbs and defective connectivity from olfactory bulbs to the upper olfactory system in Tbr1+/− mice. Systemic administration of D-cycloserine, an NMDAR co-agonist, ameliorated olfactory discrimination in Tbr1+/− mice, suggesting that increased neuronal activity has a beneficial effect on Tbr1 deficiency. Conclusions Tbr1 regulates neural circuits and activity in the olfactory system to control olfaction. Tbr1+/− mice can serve as a suitable model for revealing how an autism causative gene controls neuronal circuits, neural activity, and autism-related behaviors. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13229-019-0257-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tzyy-Nan Huang
- 1Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, 128, Academia Rd., Sec. 2, Taipei, 11529 Taiwan
| | - Tzu-Li Yen
- 1Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, 128, Academia Rd., Sec. 2, Taipei, 11529 Taiwan
| | - Lily R Qiu
- 2Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Hsiu-Chun Chuang
- 1Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, 128, Academia Rd., Sec. 2, Taipei, 11529 Taiwan.,4Present address: Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
| | - Jason P Lerch
- 2Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.,3Department of Medical Biophysics, The University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- 1Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, 128, Academia Rd., Sec. 2, Taipei, 11529 Taiwan
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Liu HY, Chen CY, Hung YF, Lin HR, Chao HW, Shih PY, Chuang CN, Li WP, Huang TN, Hsueh YP. RNase A Promotes Proliferation of Neuronal Progenitor Cells via an ERK-Dependent Pathway. Front Mol Neurosci 2018; 11:428. [PMID: 30534052 PMCID: PMC6275325 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2018.00428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 08/27/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Members of the ribonuclease A (RNase A) superfamily regulate various physiological processes. RNase A, the best-studied member of the RNase A superfamily, is widely expressed in different tissues, including brains. We unexpectedly found that RNase A can trigger proliferation of neuronal progenitor cells (NPC) both in vitro and in vivo. RNase A treatment induced cell proliferation in dissociated neuronal cultures and increased cell mass in neurosphere cultures. BrdU (5-Bromo-2'-Deoxyuridine) labeling confirmed the effect of RNase A on cell proliferation. Those dividing cells were Nestin- and SOX2-positive, suggesting that RNase A triggers NPC proliferation. The proliferation inhibitor Ara-C completely suppressed the effect of RNase A on NPC counts, further supporting that RNase A increases NPC number mainly by promoting proliferation. Moreover, we found that RNase A treatment increased ERK phosphorylation and blockade of the ERK pathway inhibited the effect of RNase A on NPC proliferation. Intracerebroventricular injection of RNase A into mouse brain increased the population of 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) or BrdU-labeled cells in the subventricular zone. Those RNase A-induced NPCs were able to migrate into other brain areas, including hippocampus, amygdala, cortex, striatum, and thalamus. In conclusion, our study shows that RNase A promotes proliferation of NPCs via an ERK-dependent pathway and further diversifies the physiological functions of the RNase A family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsin-Yu Liu
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chiung-Ya Chen
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yun-Fen Hung
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hong-Ru Lin
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsu-Wen Chao
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Pu-Yun Shih
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Ning Chuang
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Ping Li
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tzyy-Nan Huang
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
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Wang KZQ, Steer E, Otero PA, Bateman NW, Cheng MH, Scott AL, Wu C, Bahar I, Shih YT, Hsueh YP, Chu CT. PINK1 Interacts with VCP/p97 and Activates PKA to Promote NSFL1C/p47 Phosphorylation and Dendritic Arborization in Neurons. eNeuro 2018; 5:ENEURO.0466-18.2018. [PMID: 30783609 PMCID: PMC6377406 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0466-18.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2018] [Revised: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
While PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1) is well characterized for its role in mitochondrial homeostasis, much less is known concerning its ability to prevent synaptodendritic degeneration. Using unbiased proteomic methods, we identified valosin-containing protein (VCP) as a major PINK1-interacting protein. RNAi studies demonstrate that both VCP and its cofactor NSFL1C/p47 are necessary for the ability of PINK1 to increase dendritic complexity. Moreover, PINK1 regulates phosphorylation of p47, but not the VCP co-factor UFD1. Although neither VCP nor p47 interact directly with PKA, we found that PINK1 binds and phosphorylates the catalytic subunit of PKA at T197 [PKAcat(pT197)], a site known to activate the PKA holoenzyme. PKA in turn phosphorylates p47 at a novel site (S176) to regulate dendritic complexity. Given that PINK1 physically interacts with both the PKA holoenzyme and the VCP-p47 complex to promote dendritic arborization, we propose that PINK1 scaffolds a novel PINK1-VCP-PKA-p47 signaling pathway to orchestrate dendritogenesis in neurons. These findings highlight an important mechanism by which proteins genetically implicated in Parkinson's disease (PD; PINK1) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD; VCP) interact to support the health and maintenance of neuronal arbors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kent Z. Q. Wang
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
| | - Erin Steer
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
| | - P. Anthony Otero
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
| | - Nicholas W. Bateman
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
| | - Mary Hongying Cheng
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
| | - Ana Ligia Scott
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
| | - Christine Wu
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
| | - Ivet Bahar
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
| | - Yu-Tzu Shih
- Academia Sinica, Institute of Molecular Biology, Taipei, Taiwan 11529
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Academia Sinica, Institute of Molecular Biology, Taipei, Taiwan 11529
| | - Charleen T. Chu
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
- Pittsburgh Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Center for Protein Conformational Diseases and Center for Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
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Ko YA, Chan YH, Liu CH, Liang JJ, Chuang TH, Hsueh YP, Lin YL, Lin KI. Blimp-1-Mediated Pathway Promotes Type I IFN Production in Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells by Targeting to Interleukin-1 Receptor-Associated Kinase M. Front Immunol 2018; 9:1828. [PMID: 30131810 PMCID: PMC6091234 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.01828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [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: 03/22/2018] [Accepted: 07/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are a specialized subset of DCs capable of rapidly producing copious amounts of type I IFN (IFN-I) in response to viral infections. The mechanism regulating rapid production of IFN-I after pDCs are exposed to viral nucleic acids remains elusive. Here, we show that the transcription factor Blimp-1 is promptly induced in pDCs after exposure to TLR7 and TLR9 ligands via a unique Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate (Rac)-mediated pathway. Deletion of the Prdm1 gene encoding Blimp-1 impaired production of IFN-I, but not other cytokines, upon viral infection or treatment with CpG DNA in pDCs. Accordingly, mice lacking Blimp-1 in DCs failed to produce IFN-I after CpG stimulation and did not mount proper antiviral responses following flavivirus infection. The development of pDCs in bone marrow as well as the induction of several activation markers, such as CD86, CD69, and MHCII, by CpG stimulation was generally not affected by the absence of Blimp-1. Mechanistically, we found that Blimp-1 controls the activation of IKKα and IRF7 by directly suppressing interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase 3 (Irak3), a negative regulator of TLR signaling, in pDCs. Together, we identify a Blimp-1-dependent pathway that rapidly facilitates IFN-I production by relieving interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase M, encoded by Irak3, in pDCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-An Ko
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.,Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | | | - Chin-Hsiu Liu
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.,Program in Translational Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University and Academia Sinica, Division of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, New Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Jian-Jong Liang
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tsung-Hsien Chuang
- Immunology Research Center, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ling Lin
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Kuo-I Lin
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
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Hung YF, Chen CY, Shih YC, Liu HY, Huang CM, Hsueh YP. Endosomal TLR3, TLR7, and TLR8 control neuronal morphology through different transcriptional programs. J Cell Biol 2018; 217:2727-2742. [PMID: 29777026 PMCID: PMC6080926 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201712113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [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: 12/19/2017] [Revised: 04/09/2018] [Accepted: 05/03/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroinflammation is associated with diverse neurological disorders. Endosomal Toll-like receptors (TLRs) including TLR3, TLR7, and TLR8 cell-autonomously regulate neuronal differentiation. However, the mechanisms by which these three TLRs affect neuronal morphology are unclear. In this study, we compare these TLRs in mouse neurons. By combining in vitro neuronal cultures, in utero electroporation, and transcriptomic profiling, we show that TLR8, TLR7, and TLR3 promote dendritic pruning via MYD88 signaling. However, they induce different transcriptomic profiles related to innate immunity, signaling, and neuronal development. The temporal expression patterns and the effects on neuronal morphology are not identical upon activation of these endosomal TLRs. Pathway analyses and in vitro studies specifically implicate mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling in TLR8-mediated dendritic pruning. We further show that TLR8 is more critical for dendritic arborization at a late development stage in vivo. The activation of TLR8, TLR7, or TLR3 results in dendritic shortening, and TLR7 and TLR3 but not TLR8 also control axonal growth. In-depth transcriptomic analyses show that TLRs use different downstream pathways to control neuronal morphology, which may contribute to neuronal development and pathological responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Fen Hung
- Department of Life Sciences and Institute of Genome Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chiung-Ya Chen
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Chun Shih
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsin-Yu Liu
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | | | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
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Jhang CL, Huang TN, Hsueh YP, Liao W. Mice lacking cyclin-dependent kinase-like 5 manifest autistic and ADHD-like behaviors. Hum Mol Genet 2018; 26:3922-3934. [PMID: 29016850 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddx279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2017] [Accepted: 07/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental disorders frequently share common clinical features and appear high rate of comorbidity, such as those present in patients with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). While characterizing behavioral phenotypes in the mouse model of cyclin-dependent kinase-like 5 (CDKL5) disorder, a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by mutations in the X-linked gene encoding CDKL5, we found that these mice manifested behavioral phenotypes mimicking multiple key features of ASD, such as impaired social interaction and communication, as well as increased stereotypic digging behaviors. These mice also displayed hyper-locomotion, increased aggressiveness and impulsivity, plus deficits in motor and associative learning, resembling primary symptoms of ADHD. Through brain region-specific biochemical analysis, we uncovered that loss of CDKL5 disrupts dopamine synthesis and the expression of social communication-related key genes, such as forkhead-box P2 and mu-opioid receptor, in the corticostriatal circuit. Together, our findings support that CDKL5 plays a role in the comorbid features of autism and ADHD, and mice lacking CDKL5 may serve as an animal model to study the molecular and circuit mechanisms underlying autism-ADHD comorbidity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cian-Ling Jhang
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Cheng-Chi University, Taipei 116, Taiwan
| | - Tzyy-Nan Huang
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
| | - Wenlin Liao
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Cheng-Chi University, Taipei 116, Taiwan.,Research Center for Mind, Brain and Learning, National Cheng-Chi University, Taipei 116, Taiwan
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Shih YT, Hsueh YP. The involvement of endoplasmic reticulum formation and protein synthesis efficiency in VCP- and ATL1-related neurological disorders. J Biomed Sci 2018; 25:2. [PMID: 29310658 PMCID: PMC5757295 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-017-0403-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [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: 09/27/2017] [Accepted: 12/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the biggest organelle in cells and is involved in versatile cellular processes. Formation and maintenance of ER morphology are regulated by a series of proteins controlling membrane fusion and curvature. At least six different ER morphology regulators have been demonstrated to be involved in neurological disorders-including Valosin-containing protein (VCP), Atlastin-1 (ATL1), Spastin (SPAST), Reticulon 2 (RTN2), Receptor expression enhancing protein 1 (REEP1) and RAB10-suggesting a critical role of ER formation in neuronal activity and function. Among these genes, mutations in VCP gene involve in inclusion body myopathy with Paget disease of bone and frontotemporal dementia (IBMPFD), familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP). ATL1 is also one of causative genes of HSP. RAB10 is associated with Parkinson's disease (PD). A recent study showed that VCP and ATL1 work together to regulate dendritic spine formation by controlling ER formation and consequent protein synthesis efficiency. RAB10 shares the same function with VCP and ATL1 to control ER formation and protein synthesis efficiency but acts independently. Increased protein synthesis by adding extra leucine to cultured neurons ameliorated dendritic spine deficits caused by VCP and ATL1 deficiencies, strengthening the significance of protein synthesis in VCP- and ATL1-regulated dendritic spine formation. These findings provide new insight into the roles of ER and protein synthesis in controlling dendritic spine formation and suggest a potential etiology of neurodegenerative disorders caused by mutations in VCP, ATL1 and other genes encoding proteins regulating ER formation and morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Tzu Shih
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, 128, Academia Rd., Sec. 2, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, 128, Academia Rd., Sec. 2, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan.
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Huang TN, Hsueh YP. Calcium/calmodulin-dependent serine protein kinase (CASK), a protein implicated in mental retardation and autism-spectrum disorders, interacts with T-Brain-1 (TBR1) to control extinction of associative memory in male mice. J Psychiatry Neurosci 2017; 42:37-47. [PMID: 28234597 PMCID: PMC5373711 DOI: 10.1503/jpn.150359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human genetic studies have indicated that mutations in calcium/calmodulin-dependent serine protein kinase (CASK) result in X-linked mental retardation and autism-spectrum disorders. We aimed to establish a mouse model to study how Cask regulates mental ability. METHODS Because Cask encodes a multidomain scaffold protein, a possible strategy to dissect how CASK regulates mental ability and cognition is to disrupt specific protein-protein interactions of CASK in vivo and then investigate the impact of individual specific protein interactions. Previous in vitro analyses indicated that a rat CASK T724A mutation reduces the interaction between CASK and T-brain-1 (TBR1) in transfected COS cells. Because TBR1 is critical for glutamate receptor, ionotropic, N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunit 2B (Grin2b) expression and is a causative gene for autism and intellectual disability, we then generated CASK T740A (corresponding to rat CASK T724A) mutant mice using a gene-targeting approach. Immunoblotting, coimmunoprecipitation, histological methods and behavioural assays (including home cage, open field, auditory and contextual fear conditioning and conditioned taste aversion) were applied to investigate expression of CASK and its related proteins, the protein-protein interactions of CASK, and anatomic and behavioural features of CASK T740A mice. RESULTS The CASK T740A mutation attenuated the interaction between CASK and TBR1 in the brain. However, CASK T740A mice were generally healthy, without obvious defects in brain morphology. The most dramatic defect among the mutant mice was in extinction of associative memory, though acquisition was normal. LIMITATIONS The functions of other CASK protein interactions cannot be addressed using CASK T740A mice. CONCLUSION Disruption of the CASK and TBR1 interaction impairs extinction, suggesting the involvement of CASK in cognitive flexibility.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Correspondence to: Y.P. Hsueh, Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, 128, Academia Rd., Sec. 2, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan;
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Wu PJ, Hung YF, Liu HY, Hsueh YP. Deletion of the Inflammasome Sensor Aim2 Mitigates Aβ Deposition and Microglial Activation but Increases Inflammatory Cytokine Expression in an Alzheimer Disease Mouse Model. Neuroimmunomodulation 2017; 24:29-39. [PMID: 28618410 DOI: 10.1159/000477092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2017] [Accepted: 04/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Inflammation is clearly associated with Alzheimer disease (AD). Knockout of Nlrp3, a gene encoding an inflammasome sensor, has been shown to ameliorate AD pathology in a mouse model. Because AIM2 is the most dominant inflammasome sensor expressed in mouse brains, here we investigate whether Aim2 deletion also influences the phenotype of a 5XFAD AD mouse model. METHODS Quantitative RT-PCR, immunostaining, immunoblotting, and behavioral analyses were applied to compare wild-type, Aim2-/-, 5XFAD, and Aim2-/-;5XFAD mice. RESULTS We found that Aim2 knockout mitigates Aβ deposition in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of 5XFAD mice. The activation of microglial cells is also reduced in Aim2-/-;5XFAD brains compared with 5XFAD brains. However, Aim2 knockout does not improve memory and anxiety phenotypes of 5XFAD mice in an open field, cued Y-maze, or Barnes maze. Compared with 5XFAD mice, Il-1 expression levels are not reduced in Aim2-/-;5XFAD mice. Unexpectedly, Il-6 and Il-18 expression levels in 5XFAD brains were further increased when Aim2 was deleted. Thus, inflammatory cytokine expression in 5XFAD brains is upregulated by Aim2 deletion through an unknown mechanism. CONCLUSION Although Aim2 knockout mitigates Aβ deposition and microglial activation, Aim2 deletion does not have a beneficial effect on the spatial memory or cytokine expression of 5XFAD mice. Our findings suggest that Aβ aggregation and microglial activation may not always be correlated with the expression of inflammatory cytokines or cognitive function of 5XFAD mice. Our study also implies that different inflammasomes likely perform distinct roles in different physiological and/or pathological events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Jung Wu
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
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Chen CY, Liu HY, Hsueh YP. TLR3 downregulates expression of schizophrenia gene Disc1 via MYD88 to control neuronal morphology. EMBO Rep 2016; 18:169-183. [PMID: 27979975 PMCID: PMC5210159 DOI: 10.15252/embr.201642586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [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: 04/20/2016] [Revised: 11/08/2016] [Accepted: 11/09/2016] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Viral infection during fetal or neonatal stages increases the risk of developing neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorders. Although neurons express several key regulators of innate immunity, the role of neuronal innate immunity in psychiatric disorders is still unclear. Using cultured neurons and in vivo mouse brain studies, we show here that Toll‐like receptor 3 (TLR3) acts through myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88 (MYD88) to negatively control Disrupted in schizophrenia 1 (Disc1) expression, resulting in impairment of neuronal development. Cytokines are not involved in TLR3‐mediated inhibition of dendrite outgrowth. Instead, TLR3 signaling suppresses expression of several psychiatric disorder‐related genes, including Disc1. The impaired dendritic arborization caused by TLR3 activation is rescued by MYD88 deficiency or DISC1 overexpression. In addition, TLR3 activation at the neonatal stage increases dendritic spine density, but narrows spine heads at postnatal day 21 (P21), suggesting a long‐lasting effect of TLR3 activation on spinogenesis. Our study reveals a novel mechanism of TLR3 in regulation of dendritic morphology and provides an explanation for how environmental factors influence mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiung-Ya Chen
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsin-Yu Liu
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
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Hu HT, Umemori H, Hsueh YP. Postsynaptic SDC2 induces transsynaptic signaling via FGF22 for bidirectional synaptic formation. Sci Rep 2016; 6:33592. [PMID: 27627962 PMCID: PMC5024341 DOI: 10.1038/srep33592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [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: 05/16/2016] [Accepted: 08/30/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Functional synapse formation requires tight coordination between pre- and post-synaptic termini. Previous studies have shown that postsynaptic expression of heparan sulfate proteoglycan syndecan-2 (SDC2) induces dendritic spinogenesis. Those SDC2-induced dendritic spines are frequently associated with presynaptic termini. However, how postsynaptic SDC2 accelerates maturation of corresponding presynaptic termini is unknown. Because fibroblast growth factor 22 (FGF22), a heparan sulfate binding growth factor, has been shown to act as a presynaptic organizer released from the postsynaptic site, it seems possible that postsynaptic SDC2 presents FGF22 to the presynaptic FGF receptor to promote presynaptic differentiation. Here, we show that postsynaptic SDC2 uses its ectodomain to interact with and facilitate dendritic filopodial targeting of FGF22, triggering presynaptic maturation. Since SDC2 also enhances filopodial targeting of NMDAR via interaction with the CASK-mLIN7-MINT1 adaptor complex, presynaptic maturation promoted by FGF22 further feeds back to activate NMDAR at corresponding postsynaptic sites through increased neurotransmitter release and, consequently, promotes the dendritic filopodia-spines (F-S) transition. Meanwhile, via regulation of the KIF17 motor, CaMKII (activated by the NMDAR pathway) may further facilitate FGF22 targeting to dendritic filopodia that receive presynaptic stimulation. Our study suggests a positive feedback that promotes the coordination of postsynaptic and presynaptic differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsiao-Tang Hu
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan
| | - Hisashi Umemori
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan
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Wu PJ, Liu HY, Huang TN, Hsueh YP. AIM 2 inflammasomes regulate neuronal morphology and influence anxiety and memory in mice. Sci Rep 2016; 6:32405. [PMID: 27561456 PMCID: PMC5000013 DOI: 10.1038/srep32405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [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: 04/06/2016] [Accepted: 08/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Inflammasomes are the protein assemblies that consist of inflammasome sensors, adaptor apoptosis-associated speck-like proteins containing a CARD (ASC) and inflammasome caspase. Inflammasomes sense multiple danger signals via various inflammasome sensors and consequently use caspase to trigger proteolytic processing and secretion of IL-1β cytokines. Recent studies have suggested that neurons use their own innate immune system to detect danger signals and regulate neuronal morphology. Here, we investigate whether inflammasomes, the critical components of innate immunity, participate in regulation of neuronal morphology and function. Among various sensors, Absent in melanoma 2 (Aim2) expression in neurons is most prominent. Adding synthetic double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) to cultured neurons induces IL-1β secretion in an AIM2-dependent manner and consequently downregulates dendritic growth but enhances axon extension. The results of Aim2 knockout and knockdown show that AIM2 acts cell-autonomously to regulate neuronal morphology. Behavioral analyses further reveal that Aim2-/- mice exhibit lower locomotor activity, increased anxious behaviors and reduced auditory fear memory. In conclusion, our study suggests that AIM2 inflammasomes regulate neuronal morphology and influence mouse behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Jung Wu
- Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 114, Taiwan.,Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
| | - Hsin-Yu Liu
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
| | - Tzyy-Nan Huang
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 114, Taiwan.,Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
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Huang TN, Hsueh YP. Brain-specific transcriptional regulator T-brain-1 controls brain wiring and neuronal activity in autism spectrum disorders. Front Neurosci 2015; 9:406. [PMID: 26578866 PMCID: PMC4630302 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2015.00406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [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: 04/29/2015] [Accepted: 10/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
T-brain-1 (TBR1) is a brain-specific T-box transcription factor. In 1995, Tbr1 was first identified from a subtractive hybridization that compared mouse embryonic and adult telencephalons. Previous studies of Tbr1−∕− mice have indicated critical roles for TBR1 in the development of the cerebral cortex, amygdala, and olfactory bulb. Neuronal migration and axonal projection are two important developmental features controlled by TBR1. Recently, recurrent de novo disruptive mutations in the TBR1 gene have been found in patients with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Human genetic studies have identified TBR1 as a high-confidence risk factor for ASDs. Because only one allele of the TBR1 gene is mutated in these patients, Tbr1+∕− mice serve as a good genetic mouse model to explore the mechanism by which de novo TBR1 mutation leads to ASDs. Although neuronal migration and axonal projection defects of cerebral cortex are the most prominent phenotypes in Tbr1−∕− mice, these features are not found in Tbr1+∕− mice. Instead, inter- and intra-amygdalar axonal projections and NMDAR expression and activity in amygdala are particularly susceptible to Tbr1 haploinsufficiency. The studies indicated that both abnormal brain wiring (abnormal amygdalar connections) and excitation/inhibition imbalance (NMDAR hypoactivity), two prominent models for ASD etiology, are present in Tbr1+∕− mice. Moreover, calcium/calmodulin-dependent serine protein kinase (CASK) was found to interact with TBR1. The CASK–TBR1 complex had been shown to directly bind the promoter of the Grin2b gene, which is also known as Nmdar2b, and upregulate Grin2b expression. This molecular function of TBR1 provides an explanation for NMDAR hypoactivity in Tbr1+∕− mice. In addition to Grin2b, cell adhesion molecules—including Ntng1, Cdh8, and Cntn2—are also regulated by TBR1 to control axonal projections of amygdala. Taken together, the studies of Tbr1 provide an integrated picture of ASD etiology at the cellular and circuit levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tzyy-Nan Huang
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica Taipei, Taiwan
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Liu HY, Huang CM, Hung YF, Hsueh YP. The microRNAs Let7c and miR21 are recognized by neuronal Toll-like receptor 7 to restrict dendritic growth of neurons. Exp Neurol 2015; 269:202-12. [PMID: 25917529 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2015.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [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: 01/26/2015] [Revised: 04/14/2015] [Accepted: 04/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Inflammatory responses are known to play critical roles in the regulation of neurodevelopment and neurodegeneration. Although microglial cells are recognized as professional immune cells in brains, recent evidence suggests that neurons also express important receptors and regulators of innate immunity, including Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7), which is a receptor for single-stranded RNAs (ssRNAs). Here, we report that neuronal TLR7 recognizes endogenous ligands such as the miRNAs Let7c and miR21 and plays a negative role in controlling neuronal growth in a cell-autonomous manner. We show here that hippocampal CA1 neurons in Tlr7(-/Y) mice had more complex dendritic arbors compared with those of wild-type littermates at postnatal (P) day 7, but not at P21. This observation strengthens a role of TLR7 in restricting neuronal growth during development. In cultured neurons, transient knockdown of Tlr7 promoted axonal and dendritic growth, supporting the cell-autonomous effect of TLR7 on neuronal growth. We observed perceptible levels of Let7c and miR21 in the exosomes of the neuronal cultures as well as in developing brains. Treatment with Let7c and miR21 restricted dendritic growth of wild-type neurons but not Tlr7(-/-) neurons. Our study suggests that neuronal TLR7 is activated by endogenous ligands and thus regulates neuronal morphology. Neuronal innate immune responses may influence neurodevelopment and neurodegeneration through the regulation of neuronal morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsin-Yu Liu
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | | | - Yun-Fen Hung
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
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Chuang HC, Huang TN, Hsueh YP. T-Brain-1--A Potential Master Regulator in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Autism Res 2015; 8:412-26. [PMID: 25600067 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [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: 04/16/2014] [Revised: 09/30/2014] [Accepted: 11/25/2014] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
T-Brain-1 (TBR1), a causative gene in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), encodes a brain-specific T-box transcription factor. It is therefore possible that TBR1 controls the expression of other autism risk factors. The downstream genes of TBR1 have been identified using microarray and promoter analyses. In this study, we annotated individual genes downstream of TBR1 and investigated any associations with ASDs through extensive literature searches. Of 124 TBR1 target genes, 23 were reported to be associated with ASDs. In addition, one gene, Kiaa0319, is a known causative gene for dyslexia, a disorder frequently associated with autism. A change in expression level in 10 of these 24 genes has been previously confirmed. We further validated the alteration of RNA expression levels of Kiaa0319, Baiap2, and Gad1 in Tbr1 deficient mice. Among these 24 genes, four transcription factors Auts2, Nfia, Nr4a2, and Sox5 were found, suggesting that TBR1 controls a transcriptional cascade relevant to autism pathogenesis. A further five of the 24 genes (Cd44, Cdh8, Cntn6, Gpc6, and Ntng1) encode membrane proteins that regulate cell adhesion and axonal outgrowth. These genes likely contribute to the role of TBR1 in regulation of neuronal migration and axonal extension. Besides, decreases in Grin2b expression and increases in Gad1 expression imply that neuronal activity may be aberrant in Tbr1 deficient mice. These analyses provide direction for future experiments to reveal the pathogenic mechanism of autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsiu-Chun Chuang
- Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center.,Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tzyy-Nan Huang
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center.,Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
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Chuang HC, Huang TN, Hsueh YP. Neuronal excitation upregulates Tbr1, a high-confidence risk gene of autism, mediating Grin2b expression in the adult brain. Front Cell Neurosci 2014; 8:280. [PMID: 25309323 PMCID: PMC4159980 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2014.00280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [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: 06/23/2014] [Accepted: 08/24/2014] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The activity-regulated gene expression of transcription factors is required for neural plasticity and function in response to neuronal stimulation. T-brain-1 (TBR1), a critical neuron-specific transcription factor for forebrain development, has been recognized as a high-confidence risk gene for autism spectrum disorders. Here, we show that in addition to its role in brain development, Tbr1 responds to neuronal activation and further modulates the Grin2b expression in adult brains and mature neurons. The expression levels of Tbr1 were investigated using both immunostaining and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analyses. We found that the mRNA and protein expression levels of Tbr1 are induced by excitatory synaptic transmission driven by bicuculline or glutamate treatment in cultured mature neurons. The upregulation of Tbr1 expression requires the activation of both α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionic acid (AMPA) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. Furthermore, behavioral training triggers Tbr1 induction in the adult mouse brain. The elevation of Tbr1 expression is associated with Grin2b upregulation in both mature neurons and adult brains. Using Tbr1-deficient neurons, we further demonstrated that TBR1 is required for the induction of Grin2b upon neuronal activation. Taken together with the previous studies showing that TBR1 binds the Grin2b promoter and controls expression of luciferase reporter driven by Grin2b promoter, the evidence suggests that TBR1 directly controls Grin2b expression in mature neurons. We also found that the addition of the calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) antagonist KN-93, but not the calcium-dependent phosphatase calcineurin antagonist cyclosporin A, to cultured mature neurons noticeably inhibited Tbr1 induction, indicating that neuronal activation upregulates Tbr1 expression in a CaMKII-dependent manner. In conclusion, our study suggests that Tbr1 plays an important role in adult mouse brains in response to neuronal activation to modulate the activity-regulated gene transcription required for neural plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsiu-Chun Chuang
- Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei Taiwan ; Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei Taiwan
| | - Tzyy-Nan Huang
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei Taiwan ; Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei Taiwan
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Shih PY, Lee SP, Chen YK, Hsueh YP. Cortactin-binding protein 2 increases microtubule stability and regulates dendritic arborization. J Cell Sci 2014; 127:3521-34. [PMID: 24928895 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.149476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurons are characterized by subcellular compartments, such as axons, dendrites and synapses, that have highly specialized morphologies and biochemical specificities. Cortactin-binding protein 2 (CTTNBP2), a neuron-specific F-actin regulator, has been shown to play a role in the regulation of dendritic spine formation and their maintenance. Here, we show that, in addition to F-actin, CTTNBP2 also associates with microtubules before mature dendritic spines form. This association of CTTNBP2 and microtubules induced the formation of microtubule bundles. Although the middle (Mid) region of CTTNBP2 was sufficient for its association with microtubules, for microtubule bundling, the N-terminal region containing the coiled-coil motifs (NCC), which mediates the dimerization or oligomerization of CTTNBP2, was also required. Our study indicates that CTTNBP2 proteins form a dimer or oligomer and brings multiple microtubule filaments together to form bundles. In cultured hippocampal neurons, knockdown of CTTNBP2 or expression of the Mid or NCC domain alone reduced the acetylation levels of microtubules and impaired dendritic arborization. This study suggests that CTTNBP2 influences both the F-actin and microtubule cytoskeletons and regulates dendritic spine formation and dendritic arborization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pu-Yun Shih
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Institute of Genome Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 112, Taiwan Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
| | - Sue-Ping Lee
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Kai Chen
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Institute of Genome Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 112, Taiwan Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
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Hu HT, Hsueh YP. Calcium influx and postsynaptic proteins coordinate the dendritic filopodium-spine transition. Dev Neurobiol 2014; 74:1011-29. [PMID: 24753440 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [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: 03/04/2014] [Accepted: 04/14/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Dendritic spines are the major locations of excitatory synapses in the mammalian central nervous system. The transformation from dendritic filopodia to dendritic spines has been recognized as one type of spinogenesis. For instance, syndecan-2 (SDC2), a synaptic heparan sulfate proteoglycan, is highly concentrated at dendritic spines and required for spinogenesis. It induces dendritic filopodia formation, followed by spine formation. However, the molecular regulation of the filopodium-spine transition induced by SDC2 is still unclear. In this report, we show that calcium is an important signal downstream of SDC2 in regulation of filopodium-spine transition but not filopodia formation. SDC2 interacted with the postsynaptic proteins calmodulin-dependent serine kinase (CASK) and LIN7 and further recruited NMDAR to the tips of filopodia induced by SDC2. Calcium influx via NMDAR promoted spine maturation because addition of EGTA or AP5 to the culture medium effectively prevented morphological change from dendritic filopodia to dendritic spines. Our data also indicated that F-actin rearrangement regulated by calcium influx is involved in the morphological change, because the knockdown of gelsolin, a calcium-activated F-actin severing molecule, impaired the filopodium-spine transition induced by SDC2. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that postsynaptic proteins coordinate to trigger calcium signalling and cytoskeleton rearrangement and consequently control filopodium-spine transition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsiao-Tang Hu
- Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, 11490, Taiwan; Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan
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50
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Lin CW, Chen CY, Cheng SJ, Hu HT, Hsueh YP. Sarm1 deficiency impairs synaptic function and leads to behavioral deficits, which can be ameliorated by an mGluR allosteric modulator. Front Cell Neurosci 2014; 8:87. [PMID: 24744698 PMCID: PMC3978259 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2014.00087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [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: 01/02/2014] [Accepted: 03/09/2014] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Innate immune responses have been shown to influence brain development and function. Dysregulation of innate immunity is significantly associated with psychiatric disorders such as autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia, which are well-known neurodevelopmental disorders. Recent studies have revealed that critical players of the innate immune response are expressed in neuronal tissues and regulate neuronal function and activity. For example, Sarm1, a negative regulator that acts downstream of Toll-like receptor (TLR) 3 and 4, is predominantly expressed in neurons. We have previously shown that Sarm1 regulates neuronal morphogenesis and the expression of inflammatory cytokines in the brain, which then affects learning ability, cognitive flexibility, and social interaction. Because impaired neuronal morphogenesis and dysregulation of cytokine expression may disrupt neuronal activity, we investigated whether Sarm1 knockdown affects the synaptic responses of neurons. We here show that reduced Sarm1 expression impairs metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR)-dependent long-term depression (LTD) formation but enhances N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR)-dependent long-term potentiation production in hippocampal CA1 neurons. The expression levels of post-synaptic proteins, including NR2a, NR1, Shank1 and Shank3, are also altered in Sarm1 knockdown mice, suggesting a role for Sarm1 in the maintenance of synaptic homeostasis. The addition of a positive allosteric modulator of mGluR5, CDPPB, ameliorates the LTD defects in slice recording and the behavioral deficits in social interaction and associative memory. These results suggest an important role for mGluR5 signaling in the function of Sarm1. In conclusion, our study demonstrates a role for Sarm1 in the regulation of synaptic plasticity. Through these mechanisms, Sarm1 knockdown results in the impairment of associative memory and social interactions in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Wen Lin
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chiung-Ya Chen
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica Taipei, Taiwan
| | | | - Hsiao-Tang Hu
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica Taipei, Taiwan ; Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica Taipei, Taiwan ; Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center Taipei, Taiwan
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