1
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Lazzerini Ospri L, Zhan JJ, Thomsen MB, Wang H, Komal R, Tang Q, Messanvi F, du Hoffmann J, Cravedi K, Chudasama Y, Hattar S, Zhao H. Light affects the prefrontal cortex via intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells. Sci Adv 2024; 10:eadh9251. [PMID: 38552022 PMCID: PMC10980283 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adh9251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024]
Abstract
The ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) is a part of the limbic system engaged in the regulation of social, emotional, and cognitive states, which are characteristically impaired in disorders of the brain such as schizophrenia and depression. Here, we show that intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) modulate, through light, the integrity, activity, and function of the vmPFC. This regulatory role, which is independent of circadian and mood alterations, is mediated by an ipRGC-thalamic-corticolimbic pathway. Lack of ipRGC signaling in mice causes dendritic degeneration, dysregulation of genes involved in synaptic plasticity, and depressed neuronal activity in the vmPFC. These alterations primarily undermine the ability of the vmPFC to regulate emotions. Our discovery provides a potential light-dependent mechanism for certain PFC-centric disorders in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jesse J. Zhan
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Michael B. Thomsen
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Hui Wang
- National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Ruchi Komal
- National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Qijun Tang
- National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Fany Messanvi
- National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Johann du Hoffmann
- National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Kevin Cravedi
- National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Yogita Chudasama
- National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Samer Hattar
- National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Haiqing Zhao
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
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2
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Qian C, Xin Y, Qi C, Wang H, Dong BC, Zack DJ, Blackshaw S, Hattar S, Zhou FQ, Qian J. Intercellular communication atlas reveals Oprm1 as a neuroprotective factor for retinal ganglion cells. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2206. [PMID: 38467611 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46428-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 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: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Previous studies of neuronal survival have primarily focused on identifying intrinsic mechanisms controlling the process. This study explored how intercellular communication contributes to retinal ganglion cell (RGC) survival following optic nerve crush based on single-cell RNA-seq analysis. We observed transcriptomic changes in retinal cells in response to the injury, with astrocytes and Müller glia having the most interactions with RGCs. By comparing RGC subclasses characterized by distinct resilience to cell death, we found that the high-survival RGCs tend to have more ligand-receptor interactions with neighboring cells. We identified 47 interactions stronger in high-survival RGCs, likely mediating neuroprotective effects. We validated one identified target, the μ-opioid receptor (Oprm1), to be neuroprotective in three retinal injury models. Although the endogenous Oprm1 is preferentially expressed in intrinsically photosensitive RGCs, its neuroprotective effect can be transferred to other subclasses by pan-RGC overexpression of Oprm1. Lastly, manipulating the Oprm1 activity improved visual functions in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Qian
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ying Xin
- Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Cheng Qi
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Hui Wang
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Bryan C Dong
- Neuroscience Study Program, Krieger School of Arts & Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Donald J Zack
- Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Seth Blackshaw
- Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Samer Hattar
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Feng-Quan Zhou
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Jiang Qian
- Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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3
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Lucas RJ, Allen AE, Brainard GC, Brown TM, Dauchy RT, Didikoglu A, Do MTH, Gaskill BN, Hattar S, Hawkins P, Hut RA, McDowell RJ, Nelson RJ, Prins JB, Schmidt TM, Takahashi JS, Verma V, Voikar V, Wells S, Peirson SN. Recommendations for measuring and standardizing light for laboratory mammals to improve welfare and reproducibility in animal research. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002535. [PMID: 38470868 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Light enables vision and exerts widespread effects on physiology and behavior, including regulating circadian rhythms, sleep, hormone synthesis, affective state, and cognitive processes. Appropriate lighting in animal facilities may support welfare and ensure that animals enter experiments in an appropriate physiological and behavioral state. Furthermore, proper consideration of light during experimentation is important both when it is explicitly employed as an independent variable and as a general feature of the environment. This Consensus View discusses metrics to use for the quantification of light appropriate for nonhuman mammals and their application to improve animal welfare and the quality of animal research. It provides methods for measuring these metrics, practical guidance for their implementation in husbandry and experimentation, and quantitative guidance on appropriate light exposure for laboratory mammals. The guidance provided has the potential to improve data quality and contribute to reduction and refinement, helping to ensure more ethical animal use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J Lucas
- Centre for Biological Timing, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Annette E Allen
- Centre for Biological Timing, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - George C Brainard
- Department of Neurology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Timothy M Brown
- Centre for Biological Timing, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Robert T Dauchy
- Department of Structural and Cellular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, Tulane, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Altug Didikoglu
- Department of Neuroscience, Izmir Institute of Technology, Gülbahçe, Urla, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Michael Tri H Do
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Center for Life Science, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Brianna N Gaskill
- Novartis Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Samer Hattar
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms (SLCR), National Institute of Mental Health, John Edward Porter Neuroscience Research Center, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | | | - Roelof A Hut
- Chronobiology Unit, Groningen Institute of Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Richard J McDowell
- Centre for Biological Timing, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Randy J Nelson
- Department of Neuroscience, Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States of America
| | - Jan-Bas Prins
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
- Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Tiffany M Schmidt
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Joseph S Takahashi
- Department of Neuroscience, Peter O'Donnell Jr Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
| | - Vandana Verma
- NASA Ames Research Center, Space Biosciences Division, Moffett Field, California, United States of America
| | - Vootele Voikar
- Laboratory Animal Center and Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sara Wells
- The Mary Lyon Centre, MRC Harwell, Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Stuart N Peirson
- Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute (SCNi), Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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4
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Kumari R, Pascalau R, Wang H, Bajpayi S, Yurgel M, Quansah K, Hattar S, Tampakakis E, Kuruvilla R. Sympathetic NPY controls glucose homeostasis, cold tolerance, and cardiovascular functions in mice. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113674. [PMID: 38236776 PMCID: PMC10951981 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113674] [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] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is best known for its effects in the brain as an orexigenic and anxiolytic agent and in reducing energy expenditure. NPY is also co-expressed with norepinephrine (NE) in sympathetic neurons. Although NPY is generally considered to modulate noradrenergic responses, its specific roles in autonomic physiology remain under-appreciated. Here, we show that sympathetic-derived NPY is essential for metabolic and cardiovascular regulation in mice. NPY and NE are co-expressed in 90% of prevertebral sympathetic neurons and only 43% of paravertebral neurons. NPY-expressing neurons primarily innervate blood vessels in peripheral organs. Sympathetic-specific NPY deletion elicits pronounced metabolic and cardiovascular defects in mice, including reductions in insulin secretion, glucose tolerance, cold tolerance, and pupil size and elevated heart rate, while notably, however, basal blood pressure was unchanged. These findings provide insight into target tissue-specific functions of NPY derived from sympathetic neurons and imply its potential involvement in metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raniki Kumari
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Raluca Pascalau
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Hui Wang
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Sheetal Bajpayi
- Division of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Maria Yurgel
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Kwaku Quansah
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; Division of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Samer Hattar
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Emmanouil Tampakakis
- Division of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Rejji Kuruvilla
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
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5
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Lazzerini-Ospri L, Zhan JJ, Thomsen MB, Wang H, Messanvi F, du Hoffmann J, Cravedi K, Komal R, Chudasama Y, Zhao H, Hattar S. WITHDRAWN: Light affects the prefrontal cortex via intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells. bioRxiv 2023:2023.09.22.556752. [PMID: 37808740 PMCID: PMC10557604 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.22.556752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
This manuscript has been withdrawn by bioRxiv following a formal request by the NIH Intramural Research Integrity Office owing to lack of author consent.
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6
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Hunyara JL, Daly KM, Torres K, Yurgel ME, Komal R, Hattar S, Kolodkin AL. Teneurin-3 regulates the generation of non-image-forming visual circuitry and responsiveness to light in the suprachiasmatic nucleus. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002412. [PMID: 38048352 PMCID: PMC10729976 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 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: 02/12/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Visual system function depends upon the elaboration of precise connections between retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axons and their central targets in the brain. Though some progress has been made in defining the molecules that regulate RGC connectivity required for the assembly and function of image-forming circuitry, surprisingly little is known about factors required for intrinsically photosensitive RGCs (ipRGCs) to target a principal component of the non-image-forming circuitry: the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). Furthermore, the molecules required for forming circuits critical for circadian behaviors within the SCN are not known. We observe here that the adhesion molecule teneurin-3 (Tenm3) is highly expressed in vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) neurons located in the core region of the SCN. Since Tenm3 is required for other aspects of mammalian visual system development, we investigate roles for Tenm3 in regulating ipRGC-SCN connectivity and function. Our results show that Tenm3 negatively regulates association between VIP and arginine vasopressin (AVP) neurons within the SCN and is essential for M1 ipRGC axon innervation to the SCN. Specifically, in Tenm3-/- mice, we find a reduction in ventro-medial innervation to the SCN. Despite this reduction, Tenm3-/- mice have higher sensitivity to light and faster re-entrainment to phase advances, probably due to the increased association between VIP and AVP neurons. These data show that Tenm3 plays key roles in elaborating non-image-forming visual system circuitry and that it influences murine responses to phase-advancing light stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- John L. Hunyara
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - K. M. Daly
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms (SLCR), National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Katherine Torres
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Maria E. Yurgel
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms (SLCR), National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Ruchi Komal
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms (SLCR), National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Samer Hattar
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms (SLCR), National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Alex L. Kolodkin
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
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7
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Qian C, Xin Y, Cheng Q, Wang H, Zack D, Blackshaw S, Hattar S, Feng-Quan Z, Qian J. Intercellular communication atlas reveals Oprm1 as a neuroprotective factor for retinal ganglion cells. Res Sq 2023:rs.3.rs-3193738. [PMID: 37645816 PMCID: PMC10462234 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3193738/v1] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
The progressive death of mature neurons often results in neurodegenerative diseases. While the previous studies have mostly focused on identifying intrinsic mechanisms controlling neuronal survival, the extracellular environment also plays a critical role in regulating cell viability. Here we explore how intercellular communication contributes to the survival of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) following the optic nerve crush (ONC). Although the direct effect of the ONC is restricted to the RGCs, we observed transcriptomic responses in other retinal cells to the injury based on the single-cell RNA-seq, with astrocytes and Müller glia having the most interactions with RGCs. By comparing the RGC subclasses showing distinct resilience to ONC-induced cell death, we found that the high-survival RGCs tend to have more ligand-receptor interactions with other retinal cells, suggesting that these RGCs are intrinsically programmed to foster more communication with their surroundings. Furthermore, we identified top 47 interactions that are stronger in the high-survival RGCs, likely representing neuroprotective interactions. We performed functional assays on one of the receptors, μ opioid receptor (Oprm1), a receptor known to play roles in regulating pain, reward, and addictive behavior. Although Oprm1 is preferentially expressed in intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs), its neuroprotective effect could be transferred to multiple RGC subclasses by specific overexpressing Oprm1 in pan-RGCs in ONC, excitotoxicity, and glaucoma models. Lastly, manipulating Oprm1 activity improved visual functions and altered pupillary light response in mice. Our study provides an atlas of cell-cell interactions in both intact and post-ONC retina and an effective strategy to predict molecular mechanisms in neuroprotection, underlying the principal role played by extracellular environment in supporting neuron survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Qian
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States
| | - Ying Xin
- Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States
| | - Qi Cheng
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States
| | - Hui Wang
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States
| | - Donald Zack
- Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States
| | - Seth Blackshaw
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States
| | - Samer Hattar
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States
| | - Zhou Feng-Quan
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States
- Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiang Qian
- Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States
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8
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Kumari R, Pascalau R, Wang H, Bajpayi S, Yurgel M, Quansah K, Hattar S, Tampakakis E, Kuruvilla R. Sympathetic NPY controls glucose homeostasis, cold tolerance, and cardiovascular functions in mice. bioRxiv 2023:2023.07.24.550381. [PMID: 37546870 PMCID: PMC10402010 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.24.550381] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is best known for its effects in the brain as an orexigenic and anxiolytic agent and in reducing energy expenditure. NPY is also co-expressed with Norepinephrine (NE) in sympathetic neurons. Although NPY is generally considered to modulate noradrenergic responses, its specific roles in autonomic physiology remain under-appreciated. Here, we show that sympathetic-derived NPY is essential for metabolic and cardiovascular regulation in mice. NPY and NE are co-expressed in 90% of prevertebral sympathetic neurons and only 43% of paravertebral neurons. NPY-expressing neurons primarily innervate blood vessels in peripheral organs. Sympathetic-specific deletion of NPY elicits pronounced metabolic and cardiovascular defects in mice, including reductions in insulin secretion, glucose tolerance, cold tolerance, pupil size, and an elevation in heart rate, while notably, however, basal blood pressure was unchanged. These findings provide new knowledge about target tissue-specific functions of NPY derived from sympathetic neurons and imply its potential involvement in metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raniki Kumari
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, 21218, USA
| | - Raluca Pascalau
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, 21218, USA
| | - Hui Wang
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, USA
| | - Sheetal Bajpayi
- Division of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, 21205, USA
| | - Maria Yurgel
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, USA
| | - Kwaku Quansah
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, 21218, USA
- Division of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, 21205, USA
| | - Samer Hattar
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, USA
| | - Emmanouil Tampakakis
- Division of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, 21205, USA
| | - Rejji Kuruvilla
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, 21218, USA
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9
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Qian C, Xin Y, Qi C, Wang H, Dong BC, Zack D, Blackshaw S, Hattar S, Zhou FQ, Qian J. Intercellular communication atlas reveals Oprm1 as a neuroprotective factor for retinal ganglion cells. bioRxiv 2023:2023.07.14.549118. [PMID: 37502873 PMCID: PMC10370148 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.14.549118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
The progressive death of mature neurons often results in neurodegenerative diseases. While the previous studies have mostly focused on identifying intrinsic mechanisms controlling neuronal survival, the extracellular environment also plays a critical role in regulating cell viability. Here we explore how intercellular communication contributes to the survival of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) following the optic nerve crush (ONC). Although the direct effect of the ONC is restricted to the RGCs, we observed transcriptomic responses in other retinal cells to the injury based on the single-cell RNA-seq, with astrocytes and Müller glia having the most interactions with RGCs. By comparing the RGC subclasses with distinct resilience to ONC-induced cell death, we found that the high-survival RGCs tend to have more ligand-receptor interactions with other retinal cells, suggesting that these RGCs are intrinsically programmed to foster more communication with their surroundings. Furthermore, we identified the top 47 interactions that are stronger in the high-survival RGCs, likely representing neuroprotective interactions. We performed functional assays on one of the receptors, μ-opioid receptor (Oprm1), a receptor known to play roles in regulating pain, reward, and addictive behavior. Although Oprm1 is preferentially expressed in intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGC), its neuroprotective effect could be transferred to multiple RGC subclasses by selectively overexpressing Oprm1 in pan-RGCs in ONC, excitotoxicity, and glaucoma models. Lastly, manipulating Oprm1 activity improved visual functions or altered pupillary light response in mice. Our study provides an atlas of cell-cell interactions in intact and post-ONC retina, and a strategy to predict molecular mechanisms controlling neuroprotection, underlying the principal role played by extracellular environment in supporting neuron survival.
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10
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Flood MD, Veloz HLB, Hattar S, Carvalho-de-Souza JL. Robust visual cortex evoked potentials (VEP) in Gnat1 and Gnat2 knockout mice. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:1090037. [PMID: 36605613 PMCID: PMC9807669 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.1090037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) express the photopigment melanopsin, imparting to themselves the ability to respond to light in the absence of input from rod or cone photoreceptors. Since their discovery ipRGCs have been found to play a significant role in non-image-forming aspects of vision, including circadian photoentrainment, neuroendocrine regulation, and pupillary control. In the past decade it has become increasingly clear that some ipRGCs also contribute directly to pattern-forming vision, the ability to discriminate shapes and objects. However, the degree to which melanopsin-mediated phototransduction, versus that of rods and cones, contributes to this function is still largely unknown. Earlier attempts to quantify this contribution have relied on genetic knockout models that target key phototransductive proteins in rod and cone photoreceptors, ideally to isolate melanopsin-mediated responses. In this study we used the Gnat1-/-; Gnat2cpfl3/cpfl3 mouse model, which have global knockouts for the rod and cone α-transducin proteins. These genetic modifications completely abolish rod and cone photoresponses under light-adapted conditions, locking these cells into a "dark" state. We recorded visually evoked potentials in these animals and found that they still showed robust light responses, albeit with reduced light sensitivity, with similar magnitudes to control mice. These responses had characteristics that were in line with a melanopsin-mediated signal, including delayed kinetics and increased saturability. Additionally, we recorded electroretinograms in a sub-sample of these mice and were unable to find any characteristic waveform related the activation of photoreceptors or second-order retinal neurons, suggesting ipRGCs as the origin of light responses. Our results show a profound ability for melanopsin phototransduction to directly contribute to the primary pattern-forming visual pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael D. Flood
- Department of Anesthesiology, College of Medicine, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Hannah L. B. Veloz
- Department of Anesthesiology, College of Medicine, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Samer Hattar
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms (SLCR), National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Joao L. Carvalho-de-Souza
- Department of Anesthesiology, College of Medicine, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States,Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States,Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, College of Medicine, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States,BIO5 Institute, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States,*Correspondence: Joao L. Carvalho-de-Souza,
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11
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Mapps AA, Boehm E, Beier C, Keenan WT, Langel J, Liu M, Thomsen MB, Hattar S, Zhao H, Tampakakis E, Kuruvilla R. Satellite glia modulate sympathetic neuron survival, activity, and autonomic function. eLife 2022; 11:74295. [PMID: 35997251 PMCID: PMC9433091 DOI: 10.7554/elife.74295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Satellite glia are the major glial cells in sympathetic ganglia, enveloping neuronal cell bodies. Despite this intimate association, the extent to which sympathetic functions are influenced by satellite glia in vivo remains unclear. Here, we show that satellite glia are critical for metabolism, survival, and activity of sympathetic neurons and modulate autonomic behaviors in mice. Adult ablation of satellite glia results in impaired mTOR signaling, soma atrophy, reduced noradrenergic enzymes, and loss of sympathetic neurons. However, persisting neurons have elevated activity, and satellite glia-ablated mice show increased pupil dilation and heart rate, indicative of enhanced sympathetic tone. Satellite glia-specific deletion of Kir4.1, an inward-rectifying potassium channel, largely recapitulates the cellular defects observed in glia-ablated mice, suggesting that satellite glia act in part via K+-dependent mechanisms. These findings highlight neuron–satellite glia as functional units in regulating sympathetic output, with implications for disorders linked to sympathetic hyper-activity such as cardiovascular disease and hypertension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurelia A Mapps
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States
| | - Erica Boehm
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States
| | - Corinne Beier
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms (SLCR), National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - William T Keenan
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States
| | - Jennifer Langel
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms (SLCR), National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Michael Liu
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States
| | - Michael B Thomsen
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms (SLCR), National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Samer Hattar
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms (SLCR), National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Haiqing Zhao
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States
| | | | - Rejji Kuruvilla
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States
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12
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Weil T, Daly KM, Yarur Castillo H, Thomsen MB, Wang H, Mercau ME, Hattar S, Tejeda H, Fernandez DC. Daily changes in light influence mood via inhibitory networks within the thalamic perihabenular nucleus. Sci Adv 2022; 8:eabn3567. [PMID: 35687680 PMCID: PMC9187232 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abn3567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to irregular lighting schedules leads to deficits in affective behaviors. The retino-recipient perihabenular nucleus (PHb) of the dorsal thalamus has been shown to mediate these effects in mice. However, the mechanisms of how light information is processed within the PHb remains unknown. Here, we show that the PHb contains a distinct cluster of GABAergic neurons that receive direct retinal input. These neurons are part of a larger inhibitory network composed of the thalamic reticular nucleus and zona incerta, known to modulate thalamocortical communication. In addition, PHbGABA neurons locally modulate excitatory-relay neurons, which project to limbic centers. Chronic exposure to irregular light-dark cycles alters photo-responsiveness and synaptic output of PHbGABA neurons, disrupting daily oscillations of genes associated with inhibitory and excitatory PHb signaling. Consequently, selective and chronic PHbGABA manipulation results in mood alterations that mimic those caused by irregular light exposure. Together, light-mediated disruption of PHb inhibitory networks underlies mood deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tenley Weil
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms (SLCR), National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - K. M. Daly
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms (SLCR), National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Hector Yarur Castillo
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Michael B. Thomsen
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms (SLCR), National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Huikun Wang
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Maria E. Mercau
- Department of Immunobiology, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Samer Hattar
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms (SLCR), National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Hugo Tejeda
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Diego C. Fernandez
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms (SLCR), National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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13
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Schoonderwoerd RA, Buck TM, Andriessen CA, Wijnholds J, Hattar S, Meijer JH, Deboer T. Sleep Deprivation Does not Change the Flash Electroretinogram in Wild-type and Opn4-/-Gnat1-/- Mice. J Biol Rhythms 2022; 37:216-221. [PMID: 35132885 PMCID: PMC9008555 DOI: 10.1177/07487304221074995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Sleep deprivation reduces the response of neuronal activity in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and the phase shift in circadian behaviour to phase shifting light pulses, and thus seems to impair the adaptation of the circadian clock to the external light-dark cycle. The question remains where in the pathway of light input to the SCN the response is reduced. We therefore investigated whether the electroretinogram (ERG) changes after sleep deprivation in wild-type mice and in Opn4−/−Gnat1−/− mutant male mice. We found that the ERG is clearly affected by the Opn4−/−Gnat1−/− mutations, but that the ERG after sleep deprivation does not differ from the baseline response. The difference between wild-type and mutant is in accordance with the lack of functional rod and melanopsin in the retina of the mutant mice. We conclude that the decrease in light responsiveness of the SCN after sleep deprivation is probably not caused by changes at the retinal level, but rather at the postsynaptic site within the SCN, reflecting affected neurotransmitter signalling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin A Schoonderwoerd
- Laboratory for Neurophysiology, Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Thilo M Buck
- Department of Ophthalmology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | | | - Jan Wijnholds
- Department of Ophthalmology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Samer Hattar
- Section of Light and Circadian Rhythms, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Johanna H Meijer
- Laboratory for Neurophysiology, Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Tom Deboer
- Laboratory for Neurophysiology, Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
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14
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Mapps AA, Thomsen MB, Boehm E, Zhao H, Hattar S, Kuruvilla R. Diversity of satellite glia in sympathetic and sensory ganglia. Cell Rep 2022; 38:110328. [PMID: 35108545 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [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: 06/04/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Satellite glia are the major glial type found in sympathetic and sensory ganglia in the peripheral nervous system, and specifically, contact neuronal cell bodies. Sympathetic and sensory neurons differ in morphological, molecular, and electrophysiological properties. However, the molecular diversity of the associated satellite glial cells remains unclear. Here, using single-cell RNA sequencing analysis, we identify five different populations of satellite glia from sympathetic and sensory ganglia. We define three shared populations of satellite glia enriched in immune-response genes, immediate-early genes, and ion channels/ECM-interactors, respectively. Sensory- and sympathetic-specific satellite glia are differentially enriched for modulators of lipid synthesis and metabolism. Sensory glia are also specifically enriched for genes involved in glutamate turnover. Furthermore, satellite glia and Schwann cells can be distinguished by unique transcriptional signatures. This study reveals the remarkable heterogeneity of satellite glia in the peripheral nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurelia A Mapps
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles Street, 200 Mudd Hall, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Michael B Thomsen
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles Street, 200 Mudd Hall, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms (SLCR), National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Erica Boehm
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles Street, 200 Mudd Hall, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Haiqing Zhao
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles Street, 200 Mudd Hall, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Samer Hattar
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms (SLCR), National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Rejji Kuruvilla
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles Street, 200 Mudd Hall, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
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15
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Chakraborty R, Landis EG, Mazade R, Yang V, Strickland R, Hattar S, Stone RA, Iuvone PM, Pardue MT. Melanopsin modulates refractive development and myopia. Exp Eye Res 2022; 214:108866. [PMID: 34838844 PMCID: PMC8792255 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2021.108866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [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: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Myopia, or nearsightedness, is the most common form of refractive abnormality and is characterized by excessive ocular elongation in relation to ocular power. Retinal neurotransmitter signaling, including dopamine, is implicated in myopic ocular growth, but the visual pathways that initiate and sustain myopia remain unclear. Melanopsin-expressing retinal ganglion cells (mRGCs), which detect light, are important for visual function, and have connections with retinal dopamine cells. Here, we investigated how mRGCs influence normal and myopic refractive development using two mutant mouse models: Opn4-/- mice that lack functional melanopsin photopigments and intrinsic mRGC responses but still receive other photoreceptor-mediated input to these cells; and Opn4DTA/DTA mice that lack intrinsic and photoreceptor-mediated mRGC responses due to mRGC cell death. In mice with intact vision or form-deprivation, we measured refractive error, ocular properties including axial length and corneal curvature, and the levels of retinal dopamine and its primary metabolite, L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPAC). Myopia was measured as a myopic shift, or the difference in refractive error between the form-deprived and contralateral eyes. We found that Opn4-/- mice had altered normal refractive development compared to Opn4+/+ wildtype mice, starting ∼4D more myopic but developing ∼2D greater hyperopia by 16 weeks of age. Consistent with hyperopia at older ages, 16 week-old Opn4-/- mice also had shorter eyes compared to Opn4+/+ mice (3.34 vs 3.42 mm). Opn4DTA/DTA mice, however, were more hyperopic than both Opn4+/+ and Opn4-/- mice across development ending with even shorter axial lengths. Despite these differences, both Opn4-/- and Opn4DTA/DTA mice had ∼2D greater myopic shifts in response to form-deprivation compared to Opn4+/+ mice. Furthermore, when vision was intact, dopamine and DOPAC levels were similar between Opn4-/- and Opn4+/+ mice, but higher in Opn4DTA/DTA mice, which differed with age. However, form-deprivation reduced retinal dopamine and DOAPC by ∼20% in Opn4-/- compared to Opn4+/+ mice but did not affect retinal dopamine and DOPAC in Opn4DTA/DTA mice. Lastly, systemically treating Opn4-/- mice with the dopamine precursor L-DOPA reduced their form-deprivation myopia by half compared to non-treated mice. Collectively our findings show that disruption of retinal melanopsin signaling alters the rate and magnitude of normal refractive development, yields greater susceptibility to form-deprivation myopia, and changes dopamine signaling. Our results suggest that mRGCs participate in the eye's response to myopigenic stimuli, acting partly through dopaminergic mechanisms, and provide a potential therapeutic target underling myopia progression. We conclude that proper mRGC function is necessary for correct refractive development and protection from myopia progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranjay Chakraborty
- Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University School of Medicine, 1365B Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States,Center for Visual and Neurocognitive Rehabilitation, Atlanta VA Health Care System, 1670 Clairmont Rd, Decatur, GA 30033, United States,College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Optometry and Vision Science, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5001, Adelaide, Australia,Caring Futures Institute, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Erica G. Landis
- Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University School of Medicine, 1365B Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States,Center for Visual and Neurocognitive Rehabilitation, Atlanta VA Health Care System, 1670 Clairmont Rd, Decatur, GA 30033, United States,Neuroscience Program, Emory University School of Medicine, 1365 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States
| | - Reece Mazade
- Center for Visual and Neurocognitive Rehabilitation, Atlanta VA Health Care System, 1670 Clairmont Rd, Decatur, GA 30033, United States,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 313 Ferst Dr, Atlanta, GA 30332, United States
| | - Victoria Yang
- Center for Visual and Neurocognitive Rehabilitation, Atlanta VA Health Care System, 1670 Clairmont Rd, Decatur, GA 30033, United States,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 313 Ferst Dr, Atlanta, GA 30332, United States
| | - Ryan Strickland
- Center for Visual and Neurocognitive Rehabilitation, Atlanta VA Health Care System, 1670 Clairmont Rd, Decatur, GA 30033, United States,Neuroscience Program, Emory University School of Medicine, 1365 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States
| | - Samer Hattar
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms, NIMH, NIH, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, Maryland, USA 20892
| | - Richard A. Stone
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - P. Michael Iuvone
- Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University School of Medicine, 1365B Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States,Department of Pharmacology, Emory University School of Medicine, 1365B Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States
| | - Machelle T. Pardue
- Center for Visual and Neurocognitive Rehabilitation, Atlanta VA Health Care System, 1670 Clairmont Rd, Decatur, GA 30033, United States,Neuroscience Program, Emory University School of Medicine, 1365 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 313 Ferst Dr, Atlanta, GA 30332, United States
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16
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Brodie-Kommit J, Clark BS, Shi Q, Shiau F, Kim DW, Langel J, Sheely C, Ruzycki PA, Fries M, Javed A, Cayouette M, Schmidt T, Badea T, Glaser T, Zhao H, Singer J, Blackshaw S, Hattar S. Atoh7-independent specification of retinal ganglion cell identity. Sci Adv 2021; 7:7/11/eabe4983. [PMID: 33712461 PMCID: PMC7954457 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abe4983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) relay visual information from the eye to the brain. RGCs are the first cell type generated during retinal neurogenesis. Loss of function of the transcription factor Atoh7, expressed in multipotent early neurogenic retinal progenitors leads to a selective and essentially complete loss of RGCs. Therefore, Atoh7 is considered essential for conferring competence on progenitors to generate RGCs. Despite the importance of Atoh7 in RGC specification, we find that inhibiting apoptosis in Atoh7-deficient mice by loss of function of Bax only modestly reduces RGC numbers. Single-cell RNA sequencing of Atoh7;Bax-deficient retinas shows that RGC differentiation is delayed but that the gene expression profile of RGC precursors is grossly normal. Atoh7;Bax-deficient RGCs eventually mature, fire action potentials, and incorporate into retinal circuitry but exhibit severe axonal guidance defects. This study reveals an essential role for Atoh7 in RGC survival and demonstrates Atoh7-dependent and Atoh7-independent mechanisms for RGC specification.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brian S Clark
- John F. Hardesty, MD, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Qing Shi
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Fion Shiau
- John F. Hardesty, MD, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Dong Won Kim
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jennifer Langel
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Catherine Sheely
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Philip A Ruzycki
- John F. Hardesty, MD, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Michel Fries
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montréal, QC H2W 1R7, Canada
- Molecular Biology Programs, Université de Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Awais Javed
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montréal, QC H2W 1R7, Canada
- Molecular Biology Programs, Université de Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Michel Cayouette
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montréal, QC H2W 1R7, Canada
- Molecular Biology Programs, Université de Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Tiffany Schmidt
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Tudor Badea
- National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Research and Development Institute, Transylvania University of Brasov, School of Medicine, Brasov, Romania
| | - Tom Glaser
- Department of Cell Biology and Human Anatomy, University of California, Davis School of Medicine, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Haiqing Zhao
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Joshua Singer
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Seth Blackshaw
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Samer Hattar
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA.
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17
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Eskin M, Eskin A, Hardin P, Hattar S, Johnson C, Page T. Arnold Eskin. J Biol Rhythms 2021. [DOI: 10.1177/0748730420988369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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18
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Hartmann MC, McCulley WD, Johnson ST, Salisbury CS, Vaidya N, Smith CG, Hattar S, Rosenwasser AM. Photic Regulation of Circadian Rhythms and Voluntary Ethanol Intake: Role of Melanopsin-expressing Intrinsically Photosensitive Retinal Ganglion Cells. J Biol Rhythms 2020; 36:146-159. [PMID: 33357136 DOI: 10.1177/0748730420981228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
"Non-image-forming" (NIF) effects of light are mediated primarily by a subset of intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) expressing the photopigment, melanopsin (OPN4). These NIF functions include circadian entrainment, pupillary reflexes, and photic effects on sleep, mood, and cognition. We recently reported that mice of multiple genotypes exhibit reduced voluntary ethanol intake under both constant darkness (DD) and constant light (LL) relative to standard light-dark (LD) conditions. In the present study, we sought to determine whether these effects are mediated by melanopsin-expressing ipRGCs and their potential relationship to photic effects on the circadian system. To this end, we examined the effects of environmental lighting regimen on both ethanol intake and circadian activity rhythms in a genetically engineered mouse model (Opn4aDTA/aDTA) in which melanopsin expression is completely blocked while ipRGCs are progressively ablated due to activation of attenuated diphtheria toxin A (aDTA) transgene under the control of the Opn4 promoter. As expected from previous studies, Opn4aDTA/aDTA mice displayed dramatic attenuation of circadian photosensitivity, but surprisingly, showed identical suppression of ethanol intake under both DD and LL as that seen in controls. These results demonstrate that the effects of lighting regimen on voluntary ethanol intake are independent of melanopsin-expressing ipRGCs and ipRGC-mediated photic effects on the circadian system. Rather, these effects are likely mediated by classical retinal photoreceptors and central pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew C Hartmann
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, The University of Maine, Orono, Maine
- Department of Psychology, The University of Maine, Orono, Maine
| | | | | | | | - Nikhil Vaidya
- School of Biology and Ecology, The University of Maine, Orono, Maine
| | - Caitlin G Smith
- Department of Psychology, The University of Maine, Orono, Maine
- School of Biology and Ecology, The University of Maine, Orono, Maine
| | - Samer Hattar
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Alan M Rosenwasser
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, The University of Maine, Orono, Maine
- Department of Psychology, The University of Maine, Orono, Maine
- School of Biology and Ecology, The University of Maine, Orono, Maine
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19
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Paksarian D, Rudolph KE, Stapp EK, Dunster GP, He J, Mennitt D, Hattar S, Casey JA, James P, Merikangas KR. Association of Outdoor Artificial Light at Night With Mental Disorders and Sleep Patterns Among US Adolescents. JAMA Psychiatry 2020; 77:1266-1275. [PMID: 32639562 PMCID: PMC7344797 DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2020.1935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [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: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Indoor nighttime light exposure influences sleep and circadian rhythms and is known to affect mood-associated brain circuits in animals. However, little is known about the association between levels of nighttime outdoor light and sleep and mental health in the population, especially among adolescents. OBJECTIVE To estimate associations of outdoor artificial light at night (ALAN) with sleep patterns and past-year mental disorder among US adolescents. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This population-based, cross-sectional study of US adolescents used the National Comorbidity Survey-Adolescent Supplement, a nationally representative cross-sectional survey conducted from February 2001 through January 2004. A probability sample of adolescents aged 13 to 18 years was included. Analyses were conducted between February 2019 and April 2020. EXPOSURES Levels of outdoor ALAN, measured by satellite, with means calculated within census block groups. ALAN values were transformed into units of radiance (nW/cm2/sr). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Self-reported habitual sleep patterns (weeknight bedtime, weeknight sleep duration, weekend bedtime delay, and weekend oversleep) and past-year mood, anxiety, behavior, and substance use disorders, measured via an in-person structured diagnostic interview. Parent-reported information was included in behavior disorder diagnoses. RESULTS Among 10 123 adolescents (4953 boys [51.3%]; mean [SE] age, 15.2 [0.06] years [weighted]; 6483 for behavior disorder outcomes), ALAN was positively associated with indicators of social disadvantage, such as racial/ethnic minority status (median [IQR] ALAN: white adolescents, 12.96 [30.51] nW/cm2/sr; Hispanic adolescents: 38.54 [47.84] nW/cm2/sr; non-Hispanic black adolescents: 37.39 [51.88] nW/cm2/sr; adolescents of other races/ethnicities: 30.94 [49.93] nW/cm2/sr; P < .001) and lower family income (median [IQR] ALAN by family income-to-poverty ratio ≤1.5: 26.76 [52.48] nW/cm2/sr; >6: 21.46 [34.38] nW/cm2/sr; P = .005). After adjustment for several sociodemographic characteristics, as well as area-level population density and socioeconomic status, this study found that higher ALAN levels were associated with later weeknight bedtime, and those in the lowest quartile of ALAN reported the longest weeknight sleep duration. Those in the highest quartile of ALAN went to bed 29 (95% CI, 15-43) minutes later and reported 11 (95% CI, 19-2) fewer minutes of sleep than those in the lowest quartile. ALAN was also positively associated with prevalence of past-year mood and anxiety disorder: each median absolute deviation increase in ALAN was associated with 1.07 (95% CI, 1.00-1.14) times the odds of mood disorder and 1.10 (95% CI, 1.05-1.16) times the odds of anxiety disorder. Further analyses revealed associations with bipolar disorder (odds ratio [OR], 1.19 [95% CI, 1.05-1.35]), specific phobias (OR, 1.18 [95% CI, 1.11-1.26]), and major depressive disorder or dysthymia (OR, 1.07 [95% CI, 1.00-1.15]). Among adolescent girls, differences in weeknight bedtime by ALAN (third and fourth quartiles vs first quartile) were greater with increasing years since menarche (F3, 8.15; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this study, area-level outdoor ALAN was associated with less favorable sleep patterns and mood and anxiety disorder in adolescents. Future studies should elucidate whether interventions to reduce exposure to ALAN may positively affect mental and sleep health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Paksarian
- Genetic Epidemiology Research Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Kara E. Rudolph
- Mailman School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Emma K. Stapp
- Genetic Epidemiology Research Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Gideon P. Dunster
- Genetic Epidemiology Research Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Jianping He
- Genetic Epidemiology Research Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Daniel Mennitt
- Mechanical Engineering Practice, Exponent, Denver, Colorado
| | - Samer Hattar
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Joan A. Casey
- Mailman School of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Peter James
- Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Division of Chronic Disease Research Across the Lifecourse (CoRAL), Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Maryland,Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Maryland
| | - Kathleen R. Merikangas
- Genetic Epidemiology Research Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland
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20
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Beier C, Zhang Z, Yurgel M, Hattar S. Projections of ipRGCs and conventional RGCs to retinorecipient brain nuclei. J Comp Neurol 2020; 529:1863-1875. [PMID: 33104235 PMCID: PMC10081000 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), the output neurons of the retina, allow us to perceive our visual environment. RGCs respond to rod/cone input through the retinal circuitry, however, a small population of RGCs are in addition intrinsically photosensitive (ipRGCs) and project to unique targets in the brain to modulate a broad range of subconscious visual behaviors such as pupil constriction and circadian photoentrainment. Despite the discovery of ipRGCs nearly two decades ago, there is still little information about how or if conventional RGCs (non-ipRGCs) target ipRGC-recipient nuclei to influence subconscious visual behavior. Using a dual recombinase fluorescent reporter strategy, we showed that conventional RGCs innervate many subconscious ipRGC-recipient nuclei, apart from the suprachiasmatic nucleus. We revealed previously unrecognized stratification patterns of retinal innervation from ipRGCs and conventional RGCs in the ventral portion of the lateral geniculate nucleus. Further, we found that the percent innervation of ipRGCs and conventional RGCs across ipsi- and contralateral nuclei differ. Our data provide a blueprint to understand how conventional RGCs and ipRGCs innervate different brain regions to influence subconscious visual behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corinne Beier
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms, NIMH, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Ze Zhang
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms, NIMH, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Maria Yurgel
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms, NIMH, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Samer Hattar
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms, NIMH, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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21
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Duy PQ, Komal R, Richardson MES, Hahm KS, Fernandez DC, Hattar S. Light Has Diverse Spatiotemporal Molecular Changes in the Mouse Suprachiasmatic Nucleus. J Biol Rhythms 2020; 35:576-587. [PMID: 33030409 PMCID: PMC10046259 DOI: 10.1177/0748730420961214] [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] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
To be physiologically relevant, the period of the central circadian pacemaker, located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), has to match the solar day in a process known as circadian photoentrainment. However, little is known about the spatiotemporal molecular changes that occur in the SCN in response to light. In this study, we sought to systematically characterize the circadian and light effects on activity-dependent markers of transcriptional (cFos), translational (pS6), and epigenetic (pH3) activities in the mouse SCN. To investigate circadian versus light influences on these molecular responses, we harvested brains from adult wild-type mice in darkness at different circadian times (CT) or from mice exposed to a 15-min light pulse at the middle of the subjective day (CT6, no phase shifts), early subjective night (CT14, large phase delays), or late subjective night (CT22, small phase advances). We found that cFos and pS6 exhibited rhythmic circadian expression in the SCN with distinct spatial rhythms, whereas pH3 expression was undetectable at all circadian phases. cFos rhythms were largely limited to the SCN shell, whereas pS6 rhythms encompassed the entire SCN. pH3, pS6, and cFos showed gating in response to light; however, we were surprised to find that the expression levels of these markers were not higher at phases when larger phase shifts are observed behaviorally (CT14 versus CT22). We then used animals lacking melanopsin (melanopsin knockout [MKO]), which show deficits in phase delays, to further investigate whether changes in these molecular markers correspond to behavioral phase shifts. Surprisingly, only pS6 showed deficits in MKOs at CT14. Therefore, our previous understanding of the molecular pathways that lead to circadian photoentrainment needs to be revised.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phan Q Duy
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.,Medical Scientist Training Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Ruchi Komal
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | | | - Katie S Hahm
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Diego C Fernandez
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Samer Hattar
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
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22
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Fernandez DC, Komal R, Langel J, Ma J, Duy PQ, Penzo MA, Zhao H, Hattar S. Retinal innervation tunes circuits that drive nonphotic entrainment to food. Nature 2020; 581:194-198. [PMID: 32404998 PMCID: PMC7291822 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2204-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [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: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Daily changes in light and food availability are major time cues that influence circadian timing1. However, little is known about the circuits that integrate these time cues to drive a coherent circadian output1-3. Here we investigate whether retinal inputs modulate entrainment to nonphotic cues such as time-restricted feeding. Photic information is relayed to the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)-the central circadian pacemaker-and the intergeniculate leaflet (IGL) through intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs)4. We show that adult mice that lack ipRGCs from the early postnatal stages have impaired entrainment to time-restricted feeding, whereas ablation of ipRGCs at later stages had no effect. Innervation of ipRGCs at early postnatal stages influences IGL neurons that express neuropeptide Y (NPY) (hereafter, IGLNPY neurons), guiding the assembly of a functional IGLNPY-SCN circuit. Moreover, silencing IGLNPY neurons in adult mice mimicked the deficits that were induced by ablation of ipRGCs in the early postnatal stages, and acute inhibition of IGLNPY terminals in the SCN decreased food-anticipatory activity. Thus, innervation of ipRGCs in the early postnatal period tunes the IGLNPY-SCN circuit to allow entrainment to time-restricted feeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Carlos Fernandez
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Ruchi Komal
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jennifer Langel
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jun Ma
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Phan Q Duy
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA.,MSTP, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Mario A Penzo
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Haiqing Zhao
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Samer Hattar
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA.
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23
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Tufford AR, Onyak JR, Sondereker KB, Lucas JA, Earley AM, Mattar P, Hattar S, Schmidt TM, Renna JM, Cayouette M. Melanopsin Retinal Ganglion Cells Regulate Cone Photoreceptor Lamination in the Mouse Retina. Cell Rep 2019; 23:2416-2428. [PMID: 29791852 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.04.086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2017] [Revised: 03/05/2018] [Accepted: 04/17/2018] [Indexed: 10/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Newborn neurons follow molecular cues to reach their final destination, but whether early life experience influences lamination remains largely unexplored. As light is among the first stimuli to reach the developing nervous system via intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs), we asked whether ipRGCs could affect lamination in the developing mouse retina. We show here that ablation of ipRGCs causes cone photoreceptors to mislocalize at different apicobasal positions in the retina. This effect is partly mediated by light-evoked activity in ipRGCs, as dark rearing or silencing of ipRGCs leads a subset of cones to mislocalize. Furthermore, ablation of ipRGCs alters the cone transcriptome and decreases expression of the dopamine receptor D4, while injection of L-DOPA or D4 receptor agonist rescues the displaced cone phenotype observed in dark-reared animals. These results show that early light-mediated activity in ipRGCs influences neuronal lamination and identify ipRGC-elicited dopamine release as a mechanism influencing cone position.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adele R Tufford
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada; Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | | | | | - Jasmine A Lucas
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Aaron M Earley
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Pierre Mattar
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Samer Hattar
- National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Tiffany M Schmidt
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Jordan M Renna
- Department of Biology, University of Akron, Akron, OH, USA
| | - Michel Cayouette
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada; Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada; Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada; Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology and Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.
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24
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Zhan J, Komal R, Keenan WT, Hattar S, Fernandez DC. Non-invasive Strategies for Chronic Manipulation of DREADD-controlled Neuronal Activity. J Vis Exp 2019. [PMID: 31498301 DOI: 10.3791/59439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Chemogenetic strategies have emerged as reliable tools for remote control of neuronal activity. Among these, designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADDs) have become the most popular chemogenetic approach used in modern neuroscience. Most studies deliver the ligand clozapine-N-oxide (CNO) using a single intraperitoneal injection, which is suitable for the acute activation/inhibition of the targeted neuronal population. There are, however, only a few examples of strategies for chronic modulation of DREADD-controlled neurons, the majority of which rely on the use of delivery systems that require surgical intervention. Here, we expand on two non-invasive strategies for delivering the ligand CNO to chronically manipulate neural population in mice. CNO was administered either by using repetitive (daily) eye-drops, or chronically through the animal's drinking water. These non-invasive paradigms result in robust activation of the designer receptors that persisted throughout the CNO treatments. The methods described here offer alternatives for the chronic DREADD-mediated control of neuronal activity and may be useful for experiments designed to evaluate behavior in freely moving animals, focusing on less-invasive CNO delivery methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse Zhan
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms (SLCR), National Institute of Mental Health
| | - Ruchi Komal
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms (SLCR), National Institute of Mental Health
| | - William T Keenan
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Neuroscience, Scripps Research Institute
| | - Samer Hattar
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms (SLCR), National Institute of Mental Health
| | - Diego C Fernandez
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms (SLCR), National Institute of Mental Health;
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25
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Rupp AC, Ren M, Altimus CM, Fernandez DC, Richardson M, Turek F, Hattar S, Schmidt TM. Distinct ipRGC subpopulations mediate light's acute and circadian effects on body temperature and sleep. eLife 2019; 8:44358. [PMID: 31333190 PMCID: PMC6650245 DOI: 10.7554/elife.44358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2018] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The light environment greatly impacts human alertness, mood, and cognition by both acute regulation of physiology and indirect alignment of circadian rhythms. These processes require the melanopsin-expressing intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs), but the relevant downstream brain areas involved remain elusive. ipRGCs project widely in the brain, including to the central circadian pacemaker, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). Here we show that body temperature and sleep responses to acute light exposure are absent after genetic ablation of all ipRGCs except a subpopulation that projects to the SCN. Furthermore, by chemogenetic activation of the ipRGCs that avoid the SCN, we show that these cells are sufficient for acute changes in body temperature. Our results challenge the idea that the SCN is a major relay for the acute effects of light on non-image forming behaviors and identify the sensory cells that initiate light’s profound effects on body temperature and sleep. Light, whether natural or artificial, affects our everyday lives in several ways. Exposure to light impacts on our health and well-being. It plays a crucial but indirect role in helping to align our internal body clock with the 24-hour cycle of day and night, and a burst of bright light in the middle of the night can wake us up from sleep. Decades of research have revealed the circuitry that controls the indirect effects of light on the body's internal clock. A tiny set of cells in the base of the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN for short) generates the body’s daily or “circadian” rhythm. A small group of nerve cells in the retina of the eye called intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) connect with the SCN. These ipRGCs relay information about light to the SCN to ensure that daily rhythms happen at the appropriate times of day. But scientists do not yet know if the same brain circuits regulate the direct effects of light on alertness. Mice are often used in studies of circadian rhythms but, unlike humans, mice are normally active at night and sleep throughout the day. This means that a burst of bright light in the middle of the night causes mice to become less alert. Now, in experiments with mice, Rupp et al. show there are two separate circuits from the retina to the brain that influence wakefulness. In the experiments, some mice were genetically engineered to only have ipRGCs that connect with the SCN and to lack those that connect with other brain areas. These mice lived in cages with a normal day/night cycle and their body temperature and sleep-related brain activity were monitored as Rupp et al. sporadically exposed them to bright light at night. These mice continued their normal routines and were unaffected by the bursts of light. In a second set of experiments, ipRGCs that do not connect with the SCN were activated in other mice. This caused an immediate and sustained drop in the body temperature of the mice, which is linked to them becoming less alert. The experiments suggest that the circuit that connects ipRGCs to the SCN to align the body’s circadian rhythm with light does not control the direct effect of light on wakefulness. Instead, a separate circuit that extends from ipRGCs to an unknown part of the brain area influences wakefulness. Better understanding this second circuit could allow scientists to develop ways to keep people like emergency personnel or overnight shift workers awake and alert at night while avoiding harmful disruptions to their circadian rhythms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan C Rupp
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States
| | - Michelle Ren
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, United States
| | - Cara M Altimus
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States
| | - Diego C Fernandez
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States
| | - Melissa Richardson
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States
| | - Fred Turek
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, United States
| | - Samer Hattar
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States.,Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States
| | - Tiffany M Schmidt
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, United States
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26
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Bray ER, Yungher BJ, Levay K, Ribeiro M, Dvoryanchikov G, Ayupe AC, Thakor K, Marks V, Randolph M, Danzi MC, Schmidt TM, Chaudhari N, Lemmon VP, Hattar S, Park KK. Thrombospondin-1 Mediates Axon Regeneration in Retinal Ganglion Cells. Neuron 2019; 103:642-657.e7. [PMID: 31255486 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.05.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [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: 10/05/2018] [Revised: 02/11/2019] [Accepted: 05/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Neuronal subtypes show diverse injury responses, but the molecular underpinnings remain elusive. Using transgenic mice that allow reliable visualization of axonal fate, we demonstrate that intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) are both resilient to cell death and highly regenerative. Using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), we show genes that are differentially expressed in ipRGCs and that associate with their survival and axon regeneration. Strikingly, thrombospondin-1 (Thbs1) ranked as the most differentially expressed gene, along with the well-documented injury-response genes Atf3 and Jun. THBS1 knockdown in RGCs eliminated axon regeneration. Conversely, RGC overexpression of THBS1 enhanced regeneration in both ipRGCs and non-ipRGCs, an effect that was dependent on syndecan-1, a known THBS1-binding protein. All structural domains of the THBS1 were not equally effective; the trimerization and C-terminal domains promoted regeneration, while the THBS type-1 repeats were dispensable. Our results identify cell-type-specific induction of Thbs1 as a novel gene conferring high regenerative capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric R Bray
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Benjamin J Yungher
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Konstantin Levay
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Marcio Ribeiro
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Gennady Dvoryanchikov
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Department of Otolaryngology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Ana C Ayupe
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Kinjal Thakor
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Victoria Marks
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Michael Randolph
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Matt C Danzi
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Tiffany M Schmidt
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Nirupa Chaudhari
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Department of Otolaryngology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Vance P Lemmon
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Samer Hattar
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Kevin K Park
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA.
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27
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Eldred KC, Hadyniak SE, Hussey KA, Brenerman B, Zhang PW, Chamling X, Sluch VM, Welsbie DS, Hattar S, Taylor J, Wahlin K, Zack DJ, Johnston RJ. Thyroid hormone signaling specifies cone subtypes in human retinal organoids. Science 2018; 362:362/6411/eaau6348. [PMID: 30309916 PMCID: PMC6249681 DOI: 10.1126/science.aau6348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 148] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.7] [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: 06/30/2018] [Accepted: 08/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Cone photoreceptors in the human retina enable daytime, color, and high-acuity vision. The three subtypes of human cones are defined by the visual pigment that they express: blue-opsin (short wavelength; S), green-opsin (medium wavelength; M), or red-opsin (long wavelength; L). Mutations that affect opsin expression or function cause various forms of color blindness and retinal degeneration. RATIONALE: Our current understanding of the vertebrate eye has been derived primarily from the study of model organisms. We studied the human retina to understand the developmental mechanisms that generate the mosaic of mutually exclusive cone subtypes. Specification of human cones occurs in a two-step process. First, a decision occurs between S versus L/M cone fates. If the L/M fate is chosen, a subsequent choice is made between expression of L- or M-opsin. To determine the mechanism that controls the first decision between S and L/M cone fates, we studied human retinal organoids derived from stem cells. RESULTS: We found that human organoids and retinas have similar distributions, gene expression profiles, and morphologies of cone subtypes. During development, S cones are specified first, followed by L/M cones. This temporal switch from specification of S cones to generation of L/M cones is controlled by thyroid hormone (TH) signaling. In retinal organoids that lacked thyroid hormone receptor β (Thrβ), all cones developed into the S subtype. Thrβ binds with high affinity to triiodothyronine (T3), the more active form of TH, to regulate gene expression. We observed that addition of T3 early during development induced L/M fate in nearly all cones. Thus, TH signaling through Thrβ is necessary and sufficient to induce L/M cone fate and suppress S fate. TH exists largely in two states: thyroxine (T4), the most abundant circulating form of TH, and T3, which binds TH receptors with high affinity. We hypothesized that the retina itself could modulate TH levels to control subtype fates. We found that deiodinase 3 (DIO3), an enzyme that degrades both T3 and T4, was expressed early in organoid and retina development. Conversely, deiodinase 2 (DIO2), an enzyme that converts T4 to active T3, as well as TH carriers and transporters, were expressed later in development. Temporally dynamic expression of TH-degrading and -activating proteins supports a model in which the retina itself controls TH levels, ensuring low TH signaling early to specify S cones and high TH signaling later in development to produce L/M cones. CONCLUSION: Studies of model organisms and human epidemiology often generate hypotheses about human biology that cannot be studied in humans. Organoids provide a system to determine the mechanisms of human development, enabling direct testing of hypotheses in developing human tissue. Our studies identify temporal regulation of TH signaling as a mechanism that controls cone subtype specification in humans. Consistent with our findings, preterm human infants with low T3 and T4 have an increased incidence of color vision defects. Moreover, our identification of a mechanism that generates one cone subtype while suppressing the other, coupled with successful transplantation and incorporation of stem cell-derived photoreceptors in mice, suggests that the promise of therapies to treat human diseases such as color blindness, retinitis pigmentosa, and macular degeneration will be achieved in the near future. ■ The mechanisms underlying specification of neuronal subtypes within the human nervous system are largely unknown. The blue (S), green (M), and red (L) cones of the retina enable high-acuity daytime and color vision. To determine the mechanism that controls S versus L/M fates, we studied the differentiation of human retinal organoids. Organoids and retinas have similar distributions, expression profiles, and morphologies of cone subtypes. S cones are specified first, followed by L/M cones, and thyroid hormone signaling controls this temporal switch. Dynamic expression of thyroid hormone–degrading and –activating proteins within the retina ensures low signaling early to specify S cones and high signaling late to produce L/M cones. This work establishes organoids as a model for determining mechanisms of human development with promising utility for therapeutics and vision repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiara C Eldred
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Sarah E Hadyniak
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Katarzyna A Hussey
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Boris Brenerman
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Ping-Wu Zhang
- Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Xitiz Chamling
- Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Valentin M Sluch
- Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Derek S Welsbie
- Shiley Eye Institute, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Samer Hattar
- National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - James Taylor
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.,Department of Computer Science, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Karl Wahlin
- Shiley Eye Institute, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Donald J Zack
- Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.,Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.,Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Robert J Johnston
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
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28
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Fernandez DC, Fogerson PM, Lazzerini Ospri L, Thomsen MB, Layne RM, Severin D, Zhan J, Singer JH, Kirkwood A, Zhao H, Berson DM, Hattar S. Light Affects Mood and Learning through Distinct Retina-Brain Pathways. Cell 2018; 175:71-84.e18. [PMID: 30173913 PMCID: PMC6190605 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2018.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 253] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.2] [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: 12/12/2017] [Revised: 05/03/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Light exerts a range of powerful biological effects beyond image vision, including mood and learning regulation. While the source of photic information affecting mood and cognitive functions is well established, viz. intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs), the central mediators are unknown. Here, we reveal that the direct effects of light on learning and mood utilize distinct ipRGC output streams. ipRGCs that project to the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) mediate the effects of light on learning, independently of the SCN's pacemaker function. Mood regulation by light, on the other hand, requires an SCN-independent pathway linking ipRGCs to a previously unrecognized thalamic region, termed perihabenular nucleus (PHb). The PHb is integrated in a distinctive circuitry with mood-regulating centers and is both necessary and sufficient for driving the effects of light on affective behavior. Together, these results provide new insights into the neural basis required for light to influence mood and learning.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Michael B Thomsen
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Robert M Layne
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Daniel Severin
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Jesse Zhan
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Joshua H Singer
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Alfredo Kirkwood
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Haiqing Zhao
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - David M Berson
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Samer Hattar
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
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29
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Lu Q, Ganjawala TH, Hattar S, Abrams GW, Pan ZH. A Robust Optomotor Assay for Assessing the Efficacy of Optogenetic Tools for Vision Restoration. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2018; 59:1288-1294. [PMID: 29625451 PMCID: PMC5839255 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.17-23278] [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] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose To develop an animal behavioral assay for the quantitative assessment of the functional efficacy of optogenetic therapies. Methods A triple-knockout (TKO) mouse line, Gnat1−/−Cnga3−/−Opn4−/−, and a double-knockout mouse line, Gnat1−/−Cnga3−/−, were employed. The expression of channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) and its three more light-sensitive mutants, ChR2-L132C, ChR2-L132C/T159C, and ChR2-132C/T159S, in inner retinal neurons was achieved using rAAV2 vectors via intravitreal delivery. Pupillary constriction was assessed by measuring the pupil diameter. The optomotor response (OMR) was examined using a homemade optomotor system equipped with light-emitting diodes as light stimulation. Results A robust OMR was restored in the ChR2-mutant-expressing TKO mice; however, significant pupillary constriction was observed only for the ChR2-L132C/T159S mutant. The ability to evoke an OMR was dependent on both the light intensity and grating frequency. The most light-sensitive frequency for the three ChR2 mutants was approximately 0.042 cycles per degree. Among the three ChR2 mutants, ChR2-L132C/T159S was the most light sensitive, followed by ChR2-L132C/T159C and ChR2-L132C. Melanopsin-mediated pupillary constriction resulted in a substantial reduction in the light sensitivity of the ChR2-mediated OMR. Conclusions The OMR assay using TKO mice enabled the quantitative assessment of the efficacy of different optogenetic tools and the properties of optogenetically restored vision. Thus, the assay can serve as a valuable tool for developing effective optogenetic therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Lu
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, United States.,Department of Ophthalmology, Kresge Eye Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, United States
| | - Tushar H Ganjawala
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, United States
| | - Samer Hattar
- National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States
| | - Gary W Abrams
- Department of Ophthalmology, Kresge Eye Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, United States
| | - Zhuo-Hua Pan
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, United States.,Department of Ophthalmology, Kresge Eye Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, United States
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30
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Bedont JL, Rohr KE, Bathini A, Hattar S, Blackshaw S, Sehgal A, Evans JA. Asymmetric vasopressin signaling spatially organizes the master circadian clock. J Comp Neurol 2018; 526:2048-2067. [PMID: 29931690 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [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: 10/09/2017] [Revised: 05/07/2018] [Accepted: 03/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is the neural network that drives daily rhythms in behavior and physiology. The SCN encodes environmental changes through the phasing of cellular rhythms across its anteroposterior axis, but it remains unknown what signaling mechanisms regulate clock function along this axis. Here we demonstrate that arginine vasopressin (AVP) signaling organizes the SCN into distinct anteroposterior domains. Spatial mapping of SCN gene expression using in situ hybridization delineated anterior and posterior domains for AVP signaling components, including complementary patterns of V1a and V1b expression that suggest different roles for these two AVP receptors. Similarly, anteroposterior patterning of transcripts involved in Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide- and Prokineticin2 signaling was evident across the SCN. Using bioluminescence imaging, we then revealed that inhibiting V1A and V1B signaling alters period and phase differentially along the anteroposterior SCN. V1 antagonism lengthened period the most in the anterior SCN, whereas changes in phase were largest in the posterior SCN. Further, separately antagonizing V1A and V1B signaling modulated SCN function in a manner that mapped onto anteroposterior expression patterns. Lastly, V1 antagonism influenced SCN period and phase along the dorsoventral axis, complementing effects on the anteroposterior axis. Together, these results indicate that AVP signaling modulates SCN period and phase in a spatially specific manner, which is expected to influence how the master clock interacts with downstream tissues and responds to environmental changes. More generally, we reveal anteroposterior asymmetry in neuropeptide signaling as a recurrent organizational motif that likely influences neural computations in the SCN clock network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph L Bedont
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.,Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21218
| | - Kayla E Rohr
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, 53233
| | - Abhijith Bathini
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21218
| | - Samer Hattar
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21218.,Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218
| | - Seth Blackshaw
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21218.,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21218.,Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21218.,Center for Human Systems Biology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21218.,Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21218
| | - Amita Sehgal
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
| | - Jennifer A Evans
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, 53233
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31
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Mason IC, Boubekri M, Figueiro MG, Hasler BP, Hattar S, Hill SM, Nelson RJ, Sharkey KM, Wright KP, Boyd WA, Brown MK, Laposky AD, Twery MJ, Zee PC. Circadian Health and Light: A Report on the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's Workshop. J Biol Rhythms 2018; 33:451-457. [PMID: 30033850 DOI: 10.1177/0748730418789506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Despite the omnipresence of artificial and natural light exposure, there exists little guidance in the United States and elsewhere on light exposure in terms of timing, intensity, spectrum, and other light characteristics known to affect human health, performance, and well-being; in parallel, there is little information regarding the quantity and characteristics of light exposure that people receive. To address this, the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research, in the Division of Lung Diseases, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, held a workshop in August 2016 on circadian health and light. Workshop participants discussed scientific research advances on the effects of light on human physiology, identified remaining knowledge gaps in these research areas, and articulated opportunities to use appropriate lighting to protect and improve circadian-dependent health. Based on this workshop, participants put forth the following strategic intent, objectives, and strategies to guide discovery, measurement, education, and implementation of the appropriate use of light to achieve, promote, and maintain circadian health in modern society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivy C Mason
- Center for Circadian and Sleep Medicine, Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Mohamed Boubekri
- Illinois School of Architecture, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois
| | - Mariana G Figueiro
- Lighting Research Center, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York
| | - Brant P Hasler
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Samer Hattar
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Steven M Hill
- Departments of Structural and Cellular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - Randy J Nelson
- Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry, Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia
| | - Katherine M Sharkey
- Departments of Medicine and Psychiatry & Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Kenneth P Wright
- Sleep and Chronobiology Laboratory, Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
| | - Windy A Boyd
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
| | - Marishka K Brown
- Division of Lung Diseases, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Aaron D Laposky
- Division of Lung Diseases, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Michael J Twery
- Division of Lung Diseases, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Phyllis C Zee
- Center for Circadian and Sleep Medicine, Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
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32
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Abstract
Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADDs) are an important tool for modulating and understanding neural circuits. Depending on the DREADD system used, DREADD-targeted neurons can be activated or repressed in vivo following a dose of the DREADD agonist clozapine-N-oxide (CNO). Because DREADD experiments often involve behavioral assays, the method of CNO delivery is important. Currently, the most common delivery method is intraperitoneal (IP) injection. IP injection is both a fast and reliable technique, but it is painful and stressful particularly when many injections are required. We sought an alternative CNO delivery paradigm, which would retain the speed and reliability of IP injections without being as invasive. Here, we show that CNO can be effectively delivered topically via eye-drops. Eye-drops robustly activated DREADD-expressing neurons in the brain and peripheral tissues and does so at the same dosages as IP injection. Eye-drops provide an easier, less invasive and less stressful method for activating DREADDs in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- William T. Keenan
- Biology Department, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Diego C. Fernandez
- Biology Department, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
- National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Lukas J. Shumway
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Haiqing Zhao
- Biology Department, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Samer Hattar
- National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
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33
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Divya MS, Rasheed VA, Schmidt T, Lalitha S, Hattar S, James J. Intraocular Injection of ES Cell-Derived Neural Progenitors Improve Visual Function in Retinal Ganglion Cell-Depleted Mouse Models. Front Cell Neurosci 2017; 11:295. [PMID: 28979193 PMCID: PMC5611488 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2017.00295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2017] [Accepted: 09/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Retinal ganglion cell (RGC) transplantation is a promising strategy to restore visual function resulting from irreversible RGC degeneration occurring in glaucoma or inherited optic neuropathies. We previously demonstrated FGF2 induced differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells (ESC) to RGC lineage, capable of retinal ganglion cell layer (GCL) integration upon transplantation. Here, we evaluated possible improvement of visual function by transplantation of ES cell derived neural progenitors in RGC depleted glaucoma mice models. ESC derived neural progenitors (ES-NP) were transplanted into N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) injected, RGC-ablated mouse models and a pre-clinical glaucoma mouse model (DBA/2J) having sustained higher intra ocular pressure (IOP). Visual acuity and functional integration was evaluated by behavioral experiments and immunohistochemistry, respectively. GFP-expressing ES-NPs transplanted in NMDA-injected RGC-depleted mice differentiated into RGC lineage and possibly integrating into GCL. An improvement in visual acuity was observed after 2 months of transplantation, when compared to the pre-transplantation values. Expression of c-Fos in the transplanted cells, upon light induction, further suggests functional integration into the host retinal circuitry. However, the transplanted cells did not send axonal projections into optic nerve. Transplantation experiments in DBA/2J mouse showed no significant improvement in visual functions, possibly due to both host and transplanted retinal cell death which could be due to an inherent high IOP. We showed that, ES NPs transplanted into the retina of RGC-ablated mouse models could survive, differentiate to RGC lineage, and possibly integrate into GCL to improve visual function. However, for the survival of transplanted cells in glaucoma, strategies to control the IOP are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mundackal S Divya
- Neuro-Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, Neurobiology Division, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for BiotechnologyThiruvananthapuram, India
| | - Vazhanthodi A Rasheed
- Neuro-Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, Neurobiology Division, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for BiotechnologyThiruvananthapuram, India
| | - Tiffany Schmidt
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimore, MD, United States
| | - Soundararajan Lalitha
- Neuro-Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, Neurobiology Division, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for BiotechnologyThiruvananthapuram, India
| | - Samer Hattar
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimore, MD, United States
| | - Jackson James
- Neuro-Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, Neurobiology Division, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for BiotechnologyThiruvananthapuram, India
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Liu K, Kim J, Kim DW, Zhang YS, Bao H, Denaxa M, Lim SA, Kim E, Liu C, Wickersham IR, Pachnis V, Hattar S, Song J, Brown SP, Blackshaw S. Lhx6-positive GABA-releasing neurons of the zona incerta promote sleep. Nature 2017; 548:582-587. [PMID: 28847002 DOI: 10.1038/nature23663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2016] [Accepted: 07/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Multiple populations of wake-promoting neurons have been characterized in mammals, but few sleep-promoting neurons have been identified. Wake-promoting cell types include hypocretin and GABA (γ-aminobutyric-acid)-releasing neurons of the lateral hypothalamus, which promote the transition to wakefulness from non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Here we show that a subset of GABAergic neurons in the mouse ventral zona incerta, which express the LIM homeodomain factor Lhx6 and are activated by sleep pressure, both directly inhibit wake-active hypocretin and GABAergic cells in the lateral hypothalamus and receive inputs from multiple sleep-wake-regulating neurons. Conditional deletion of Lhx6 from the developing diencephalon leads to decreases in both NREM and REM sleep. Furthermore, selective activation and inhibition of Lhx6-positive neurons in the ventral zona incerta bidirectionally regulate sleep time in adult mice, in part through hypocretin-dependent mechanisms. These studies identify a GABAergic subpopulation of neurons in the ventral zona incerta that promote sleep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Liu
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Juhyun Kim
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Dong Won Kim
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Yi Stephanie Zhang
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Hechen Bao
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | | | - Szu-Aun Lim
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Eileen Kim
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Chang Liu
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Ian R Wickersham
- The McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Samer Hattar
- National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Juan Song
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Solange P Brown
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Seth Blackshaw
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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35
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Chew KS, Renna JM, McNeill DS, Fernandez DC, Keenan WT, Thomsen MB, Ecker JL, Loevinsohn GS, VanDunk C, Vicarel DC, Tufford A, Weng S, Gray PA, Cayouette M, Herzog ED, Zhao H, Berson DM, Hattar S. A subset of ipRGCs regulates both maturation of the circadian clock and segregation of retinogeniculate projections in mice. eLife 2017; 6. [PMID: 28617242 PMCID: PMC5513697 DOI: 10.7554/elife.22861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [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: 11/01/2016] [Accepted: 06/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The visual system consists of two major subsystems, image-forming circuits that drive conscious vision and non-image-forming circuits for behaviors such as circadian photoentrainment. While historically considered non-overlapping, recent evidence has uncovered crosstalk between these subsystems. Here, we investigated shared developmental mechanisms. We revealed an unprecedented role for light in the maturation of the circadian clock and discovered that intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) are critical for this refinement process. In addition, ipRGCs regulate retinal waves independent of light, and developmental ablation of a subset of ipRGCs disrupts eye-specific segregation of retinogeniculate projections. Specifically, a subset of ipRGCs, comprising ~200 cells and which project intraretinally and to circadian centers in the brain, are sufficient to mediate both of these developmental processes. Thus, this subset of ipRGCs constitute a shared node in the neural networks that mediate light-dependent maturation of the circadian clock and light-independent refinement of retinogeniculate projections. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.22861.001
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Affiliation(s)
- Kylie S Chew
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States.,Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - Jordan M Renna
- Department of Biology, Program in Integrated Bioscience, The University of Akron, Akron, United States
| | - David S McNeill
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States
| | - Diego C Fernandez
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States
| | - William T Keenan
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States
| | - Michael B Thomsen
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States
| | - Jennifer L Ecker
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States
| | | | - Cassandra VanDunk
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University, St. Louis, United States.,Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, United States
| | - Daniel C Vicarel
- Department of Biology, Program in Integrated Bioscience, The University of Akron, Akron, United States
| | - Adele Tufford
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut De Recherches Cliniques De Montréal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Shijun Weng
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, United States
| | - Paul A Gray
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University, St. Louis, United States.,Indigo Agriculture, Charlestown, United States
| | - Michel Cayouette
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut De Recherches Cliniques De Montréal, Montreal, Canada.,Faculty of Medicine, Université De Montréal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Erik D Herzog
- Department of Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, United States
| | - Haiqing Zhao
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States
| | - David M Berson
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, United States
| | - Samer Hattar
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States
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36
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Chew KS, Fernandez DC, Hattar S, Südhof TC, Martinelli DC. Anatomical and Behavioral Investigation of C1ql3 in the Mouse Suprachiasmatic Nucleus. J Biol Rhythms 2017; 32:222-236. [PMID: 28553739 DOI: 10.1177/0748730417704766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Many biochemical, physiological, and behavioral processes such as glucose metabolism, body temperature, and sleep-wake cycles show regular daily rhythms. These circadian rhythms are adjusted to the environmental light-dark cycle by a central pacemaker located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in order for the processes to occur at appropriate times of day. Here, we investigated the expression and function of a synaptic organizing protein, C1QL3, in the SCN. We found that C1ql3 is robustly expressed in the SCN. C1ql3 knockout mice have a reduced density of excitatory synapses in the SCN. In addition, these mice exhibited less consolidated activity to the active portions of the day and period lengthening following a 15-minute phase-delaying light pulse. These data identify C1QL3 as a signaling molecule that is highly expressed in SCN neurons, where it contributes to the formation and/or maintenance of glutamatergic synapses and plays a role in circadian behaviors, which may include circadian aftereffects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kylie S Chew
- Department of Biology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.,Department of Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Diego C Fernandez
- Department of Biology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.,1. Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms (SLCR), National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Samer Hattar
- Department of Biology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.,The Solomon Snyder-Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.,1. Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms (SLCR), National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Thomas C Südhof
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California.,Howard Hughes Medical, Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - David C Martinelli
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California.,Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut
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37
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Abstract
The discovery of a third type of photoreceptors in the mammalian retina, intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs), has had a revolutionary impact on chronobiology. We can now properly account for numerous non-vision-related functions of light, including its effect on the circadian system. Here, we give an overview of ipRGCs and their function as it relates specifically to mood and biological rhythms. Although circadian disruptions have been traditionally hypothesized to be the mediators of light's effects on mood, here we present an alternative model that dispenses with assumptions of causality between the two phenomena and explains mood regulation by light via another ipRGC-dependent mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Lazzerini Ospri
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205;
| | - Glen Prusky
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 10065
| | - Samer Hattar
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205; .,Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218
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38
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Bedont JL, LeGates TA, Buhr E, Bathini A, Ling JP, Bell B, Wu MN, Wong PC, Van Gelder RN, Mongrain V, Hattar S, Blackshaw S. An LHX1-Regulated Transcriptional Network Controls Sleep/Wake Coupling and Thermal Resistance of the Central Circadian Clockworks. Curr Biol 2016; 27:128-136. [PMID: 28017605 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2016.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2016] [Revised: 09/03/2016] [Accepted: 11/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is the central circadian clock in mammals. It is entrained by light but resistant to temperature shifts that entrain peripheral clocks [1-5]. The SCN expresses many functionally important neuropeptides, including vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), which drives light entrainment, synchrony, and amplitude of SCN cellular clocks and organizes circadian behavior [5-16]. The transcription factor LHX1 drives SCN Vip expression, and cellular desynchrony in Lhx1-deficient SCN largely results from Vip loss [17, 18]. LHX1 regulates many genes other than Vip, yet activity rhythms in Lhx1-deficient mice are similar to Vip-/- mice under light-dark cycles and only somewhat worse in constant conditions. We suspected that LHX1 targets other than Vip have circadian functions overlooked in previous studies. In this study, we compared circadian sleep and temperature rhythms of Lhx1- and Vip-deficient mice and found loss of acute light control of sleep in Lhx1 but not Vip mutants. We also found loss of circadian resistance to fever in Lhx1 but not Vip mice, which was partially recapitulated by heat application to cultured Lhx1-deficient SCN. Having identified VIP-independent functions of LHX1, we mapped the VIP-independent transcriptional network downstream of LHX1 and a largely separable VIP-dependent transcriptional network. The VIP-independent network does not affect core clock amplitude and synchrony, unlike the VIP-dependent network. These studies identify Lhx1 as the first gene required for temperature resistance of the SCN clockworks and demonstrate that acute light control of sleep is routed through the SCN and its immediate output regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph L Bedont
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Tara A LeGates
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Ethan Buhr
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98104, USA
| | - Abhijith Bathini
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Jonathan P Ling
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Benjamin Bell
- McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Mark N Wu
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Philip C Wong
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | | | - Valerie Mongrain
- Department of Neuroscience, Université de Montreal, Montreal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Samer Hattar
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
| | - Seth Blackshaw
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; Center for Human Systems Biology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
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Jaaro-Peled H, Altimus C, LeGates T, Cash-Padgett T, Zoubovsky S, Hikida T, Ishizuka K, Hattar S, Mongrain V, Sawa A. Abnormal wake/sleep pattern in a novel gain-of-function model of DISC1. Neurosci Res 2016; 112:63-69. [PMID: 27354230 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2016.06.006] [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] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2014] [Revised: 06/16/2016] [Accepted: 06/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Sleep disturbances are common in psychiatric disorders, but the causal relationship between the two and the underlying genetic factors is unclear. The DISC1 gene is strongly linked to mood disorders and schizophrenia in a Scottish pedigree. In an earlier study we found a sleep homeostasis disturbance in a Drosophila model overexpressing wild-type human DISC1. Here we aimed to explore the relationship between sleep and the DISC1 gene in a mammalian model, a novel transgenic mouse model expressing full-length human DISC1. We assessed circadian rhythms by monitoring wheel running activity under normal 24-h light:dark conditions and in constant darkness and found the DISC1 mice to have normal circadian photoentrainment and normal intrinsic circadian period. We also assessed sleep duration and quality in the DISC1 mice and found that they were awake longer than wild-type controls at baseline with a tendency for lower rebound of delta activity during recovery from a short sleep deprivation. Thus we suggest that DISC1 may be involved in sleep regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Jaaro-Peled
- Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, United States.
| | - Cara Altimus
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, United States
| | - Tara LeGates
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, United States
| | - Tyler Cash-Padgett
- Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, United States
| | - Sandra Zoubovsky
- Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, United States
| | - Takatoshi Hikida
- Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, United States
| | - Koko Ishizuka
- Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, United States
| | - Samer Hattar
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, United States.
| | | | - Akira Sawa
- Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, United States.
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Walker MT, Rupp A, Elsaesser R, Güler AD, Sheng W, Weng S, Berson DM, Hattar S, Montell C. RdgB2 is required for dim-light input into intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells. Mol Biol Cell 2015; 26:3671-8. [PMID: 26269578 PMCID: PMC4603936 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e15-05-0288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [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: 05/18/2015] [Revised: 07/30/2015] [Accepted: 08/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
A subset of retinal ganglion cells is intrinsically photosensitive (ipRGCs) and contributes directly to the pupillary light reflex and circadian photoentrainment under bright-light conditions. ipRGCs are also indirectly activated by light through cellular circuits initiated in rods and cones. A mammalian homologue (RdgB2) of a phosphoinositide transfer/exchange protein that functions in Drosophila phototransduction is expressed in the retinal ganglion cell layer. This raised the possibility that RdgB2 might function in the intrinsic light response in ipRGCs, which depends on a cascade reminiscent of Drosophila phototransduction. Here we found that under high light intensities, RdgB2(-/-) mutant mice showed normal pupillary light responses and circadian photoentrainment. Consistent with this behavioral phenotype, the intrinsic light responses of ipRGCs in RdgB2(-/-) were indistinguishable from wild-type. In contrast, under low-light conditions, RdgB2(-/-) mutants displayed defects in both circadian photoentrainment and the pupillary light response. The RdgB2 protein was not expressed in ipRGCs but was in GABAergic amacrine cells, which provided inhibitory feedback onto bipolar cells. We propose that RdgB2 is required in a cellular circuit that transduces light input from rods to bipolar cells that are coupled to GABAergic amacrine cells and ultimately to ipRGCs, thereby enabling ipRGCs to respond to dim light.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marquis T Walker
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205
| | - Alan Rupp
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218
| | - Rebecca Elsaesser
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205
| | - Ali D Güler
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218 Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903
| | - Wenlong Sheng
- Institute of Neurobiology, Institute of Brain Science and State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Shijun Weng
- Institute of Neurobiology, Institute of Brain Science and State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912
| | - David M Berson
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912
| | - Samer Hattar
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218
| | - Craig Montell
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205 Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara CA 93106
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Riazifar H, Sun G, Wang X, Rupp A, Vemaraju S, Ross-Cisneros FN, Lang RA, Sadun AA, Hattar S, Guan MX, Huang T. Phenotypic and functional characterization of Bst+/- mouse retina. Dis Model Mech 2015; 8:969-76. [PMID: 26035379 PMCID: PMC4527279 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.018176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2014] [Accepted: 05/01/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The belly spot and tail (Bst+/−) mouse phenotype is caused by mutations of the ribosomal protein L24 (Rpl24). Among various phenotypes in Bst+/− mice, the most interesting are its retinal abnormalities, consisting of delayed closure of choroid fissures, decreased ganglion cells and subretinal vascularization. We further characterized the Bst+/− mouse and investigated the underlying molecular mechanisms to assess the feasibility of using this strain as a model for stem cell therapy of retinal degenerative diseases due to retinal ganglion cell (RGC) loss. We found that, although RGCs are significantly reduced in retinal ganglion cell layer in Bst+/− mouse, melanopsin+ RGCs, also called ipRGCs, appear to be unchanged. Pupillary light reflex was completely absent in Bst+/− mice but they had a normal circadian rhythm. In order to examine the pathological abnormalities in Bst+/− mice, we performed electron microscopy in RGC and found that mitochondria morphology was deformed, having irregular borders and lacking cristae. The complex activities of the mitochondrial electron transport chain were significantly decreased. Finally, for subretinal vascularization, we also found that angiogenesis is delayed in Bst+/− associated with delayed hyaloid regression. Characterization of Bst+/− retina suggests that the Bst+/− mouse strain could be a useful murine model. It might be used to explore further the pathogenesis and strategy of treatment of retinal degenerative diseases by employing stem cell technology. Summary: We characterized Bst+/− mice and found that pupillary light reflex was completely absent, which could be used as a readout for the efficacy of stem cell therapy in this model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamidreza Riazifar
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Human Genetics, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Guoli Sun
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Xinjian Wang
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Alan Rupp
- Johns Hopkins University, Department of Biology, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Shruti Vemaraju
- Vision Science Group, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Fred N Ross-Cisneros
- Doheny Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Richard A Lang
- Vision Science Group, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Alfredo A Sadun
- Doheny Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Samer Hattar
- Johns Hopkins University, Department of Biology, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Min-Xin Guan
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Taosheng Huang
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Human Genetics, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
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Abstract
PURPOSE To better understand how photoreceptors and their circuits support luminance-dependent spatial visual behavior. METHODS Grating thresholds for optokinetic tracking were measured under defined luminance conditions in mice with genetic alterations of photoreceptor activity. RESULTS The luminance conditions that enable cone- and rod-mediated behavior, and the luminance range over which rod and cone functions overlap, were characterized. The AII amacrine pathway was found to support low-resolution and high-contrast function, with the rod-cone pathway supporting high-resolution and low-contrast function. Rods alone were also shown to be capable of driving cone-like spatial visual function, but only when cones were genetically maintained in a physiological dark state. CONCLUSIONS The study defined how luminance signals drive rod- and cone-mediated spatial visual behavior and revealed new and unexpected contributions for rods that depend on an interaction between cone and rod systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nazia M Alam
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York, United States Burke Medical Research Institute, White Plains, New York, United States
| | - Cara M Altimus
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
| | - Robert M Douglas
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Samer Hattar
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
| | - Glen T Prusky
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York, United States Burke Medical Research Institute, White Plains, New York, United States
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Abstract
Intrinsically photoreceptive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) contain the photopigment melanopsin and convey retinal light inputs to the circadian system via the retinohypothalamic tract (RHT) projection to the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). The principal neurotransmitter of this projection is glutamate, and ipRGCs use the vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (VGLUT2) to package glutamate into synaptic vesicles. However, these neurons contain other potential neurotransmitters, such as pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP). To test the role of glutamate in mediating ipRGC light inputs into the SCN, we crossed mice in which Cre-recombinase expression is driven by the melanopsin promotor (Opn4(Cre/+)) with mice in which the second exon of VGLUT2 is flanked by loxP sites (VGLUT2(fl/fl)), producing ipRGCs that are unable to package glutamate into synaptic vesicles. Such mice had free-running circadian rhythms that did not entrain to a 12:12 light-dark (12:12 LD) cycle, nor did they show a phase delay after a 45-min light pulse administered at circadian time (CT) 14. A small subset of the mice did appear to entrain to the 12:12 LD cycle with a positive phase angle to lights-off; a similar entrainment pattern could be achieved in free-running mice if they were exposed to a 12:12 LD cycle with light of a greater intensity. Glutamate transmission from the ipRGCs is necessary for normal light entrainment of the SCN at moderate (0.35 W/m(2)) light levels, but residual transmission (possibly by PACAP in ipRGCs or by other RGCs) can weakly entrain animals, particularly at very high (6.53 W/m(2)) light levels, although it may be less effective at suppressing locomotor activity (light masking).
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Affiliation(s)
- Heinrich S Gompf
- Department of Neurology, Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA
| | - Patrick M Fuller
- Department of Neurology, Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA
| | - Samer Hattar
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, MD
| | - Clifford B Saper
- Department of Neurology, Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA
| | - Jun Lu
- Department of Neurology, Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA
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44
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Xue Y, Shen SQ, Jui J, Rupp AC, Byrne LC, Hattar S, Flannery JG, Corbo JC, Kefalov VJ. CRALBP supports the mammalian retinal visual cycle and cone vision. J Clin Invest 2015; 125:727-38. [PMID: 25607845 DOI: 10.1172/jci79651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2014] [Accepted: 12/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the cellular retinaldehyde-binding protein (CRALBP, encoded by RLBP1) can lead to severe cone photoreceptor-mediated vision loss in patients. It is not known how CRALBP supports cone function or how altered CRALBP leads to cone dysfunction. Here, we determined that deletion of Rlbp1 in mice impairs the retinal visual cycle. Mice lacking CRALBP exhibited M-opsin mislocalization, M-cone loss, and impaired cone-driven visual behavior and light responses. Additionally, M-cone dark adaptation was largely suppressed in CRALBP-deficient animals. While rearing CRALBP-deficient mice in the dark prevented the deterioration of cone function, it did not rescue cone dark adaptation. Adeno-associated virus-mediated restoration of CRALBP expression specifically in Müller cells, but not retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, rescued the retinal visual cycle and M-cone sensitivity in knockout mice. Our results identify Müller cell CRALBP as a key component of the retinal visual cycle and demonstrate that this pathway is important for maintaining normal cone-driven vision and accelerating cone dark adaptation.
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45
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Schmidt TM, Alam NM, Chen S, Kofuji P, Li W, Prusky GT, Hattar S. A role for melanopsin in alpha retinal ganglion cells and contrast detection. Neuron 2014; 82:781-8. [PMID: 24853938 PMCID: PMC4083763 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2014.03.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 159] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.9] [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] [Accepted: 02/26/2014] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Distinct subclasses of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) mediate vision and nonimage-forming functions such as circadian photoentrainment. This distinction stems from studies that ablated melanopsin-expressing intrinsically photosensitive RGCs (ipRGCs) and showed deficits in nonimage-forming behaviors, but not image vision. However, we show that the ON alpha RGC, a conventional RGC type, is intrinsically photosensitive in mammals. In addition to their classical response to fast changes in contrast through rod/cone signaling, melanopsin expression allows ON alpha RGCs to signal prior light exposure and environmental luminance over long periods of time. Consistent with the high contrast sensitivity of ON alpha RGCs, mice lacking either melanopsin or ON alpha RGCs have behavioral deficits in contrast sensitivity. These findings indicate a surprising role for melanopsin and ipRGCs in vision.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nazia M. Alam
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medical College, Burke Medical Research Institute, White Plains, NY 10605, USA
| | - Shan Chen
- National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Paulo Kofuji
- University of Minnesota, Department of Neuroscience, Minneapolis, MN 55455
| | - Wei Li
- National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Glen T. Prusky
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medical College, Burke Medical Research Institute, White Plains, NY 10605, USA
| | - Samer Hattar
- Johns Hopkins University, Department of Biology, Baltimore, MD 21218
- Johns Hopkins University, Department of Neuroscience, Baltimore, MD 21218
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46
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Bedont JL, LeGates TA, Slat EA, Byerly MS, Wang H, Hu J, Rupp AC, Qian J, Wong GW, Herzog ED, Hattar S, Blackshaw S. Lhx1 controls terminal differentiation and circadian function of the suprachiasmatic nucleus. Cell Rep 2014; 7:609-22. [PMID: 24767996 PMCID: PMC4254772 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2014.03.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [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: 01/27/2014] [Revised: 02/23/2014] [Accepted: 03/21/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Vertebrate circadian rhythms are organized by the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). Despite its physiological importance, SCN development is poorly understood. Here, we show that Lim homeodomain transcription factor 1 (Lhx1) is essential for terminal differentiation and function of the SCN. Deletion of Lhx1 in the developing SCN results in loss of SCN-enriched neuropeptides involved in synchronization and coupling to downstream oscillators, among other aspects of circadian function. Intact, albeit damped, clock gene expression rhythms persist in Lhx1-deficient SCN; however, circadian activity rhythms are highly disorganized and susceptible to surprising changes in period, phase, and consolidation following neuropeptide infusion. Our results identify a factor required for SCN terminal differentiation. In addition, our in vivo study of combinatorial SCN neuropeptide disruption uncovered synergies among SCN-enriched neuropeptides in regulating normal circadian function. These animals provide a platform for studying the central oscillator's role in physiology and cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph L Bedont
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Tara A LeGates
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Emily A Slat
- Department of Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Mardi S Byerly
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Hong Wang
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Jianfei Hu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Alan C Rupp
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Jiang Qian
- Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - G William Wong
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; Center for Metabolism and Obesity Research, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Erik D Herzog
- Department of Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Samer Hattar
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Seth Blackshaw
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; Center for High-Throughput Biology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
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47
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Blasic JR, Matos-Cruz V, Ujla D, Cameron EG, Hattar S, Halpern ME, Robinson PR. Identification of critical phosphorylation sites on the carboxy tail of melanopsin. Biochemistry 2014; 53:2644-9. [PMID: 24678795 PMCID: PMC4010260 DOI: 10.1021/bi401724r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [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] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Light-activated
opsins undergo carboxy-terminal phosphorylation,
which contributes to the deactivation of their photoresponse. The
photopigment melanopsin possesses an unusually long carboxy tail containing
37 serine and threonine sites that are potential sites for phosphorylation
by a G-protein dependent kinase (GRK). Here, we show that a small
cluster of six to seven sites is sufficient for deactivation of light-activated
mouse melanopsin. Surprisingly, these sites are distinct from those
that regulate deactivation of rhodopsin. In zebrafish, there are five
different melanopsin genes that encode proteins with distinct carboxy-terminal
domains. Naturally occurring changes in the same cluster of phosphorylatable
amino acids provides diversity in the deactivation kinetics of the
zebrafish proteins. These results suggest that variation in phosphorylation
sites provides flexibility in the duration and kinetics of melanopsin-mediated
light responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph R Blasic
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore County , Baltimore, Maryland 21250, United States
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48
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Mao CA, Li H, Zhang Z, Kiyama T, Panda S, Hattar S, Ribelayga C, Mills S, Wang S. Regulation of ipRGCs by Tbr2. J Vis 2013. [DOI: 10.1167/13.15.41] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
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49
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Abstract
Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), the output neurons of the retina, have axons that project via the optic nerve to diverse targets in the brain. Typically, RGC axons do not branch before exiting the retina and thus do not provide it with synaptic feedback. Although a small subset of RGCs with intraretinal axon collaterals has been previously observed in human, monkey, cat, and turtle, their function remains unknown. A small, more recently identified population of RGCs expresses the photopigment melanopsin. These intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) transmit an irradiance-coding signal to visual nuclei in the brain, contributing both to image-forming vision and to several nonimage-forming functions, including circadian photoentrainment and the pupillary light reflex. In this study, using melanopsin immunolabeling in monkey and a genetic method to sparsely label the melanopsin cells in mouse, we show that a subgroup of ipRGCs have axons that branch en route to the optic disc, forming intraretinal axon collaterals that terminate in the inner plexiform layer of the retina. The previously described collateral-bearing population identified by intracellular dye injection is anatomically indistinguishable from the collateral-bearing melanopsin cells identified here, suggesting they are a subset of the melanopsin-expressing RGC type and may therefore share its functional properties. Identification of an anatomically distinct subpopulation in mouse, monkey, and human suggests this pathway may be conserved in these and other species (turtle and cat) with intraretinal axon collaterals. We speculate that ipRGC axon collaterals constitute a likely synaptic pathway for feedback of an irradiance signal to modulate retinal light responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah R. Joo
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218
- Department of Biological Structure and the National Primate Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195
| | - Beth B. Peterson
- Department of Biological Structure and the National Primate Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195
| | - Dennis M. Dacey
- Department of Biological Structure and the National Primate Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195
| | - Samer Hattar
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218
| | - Shih-Kuo Chen
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218
- Department of Zoology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan 106
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50
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Chen SK, Chew KS, McNeill DS, Keeley PW, Ecker JL, Mao BQ, Pahlberg J, Kim B, Lee SCS, Fox M, Guido W, Wong KY, Sampath AP, Reese BE, Kuruvilla R, Hattar S. Apoptosis regulates ipRGC spacing necessary for rods and cones to drive circadian photoentrainment. Neuron 2013; 77:503-15. [PMID: 23395376 PMCID: PMC3569737 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2012.11.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [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] [Accepted: 11/12/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
The retina consists of ordered arrays of individual types of neurons for processing vision. Here, we show that such order is necessary for intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) to function as irradiance detectors. We found that during development, ipRGCs undergo proximity-dependent Bax-mediated apoptosis. Bax mutant mice exhibit disrupted ipRGC spacing and dendritic stratification with an increase in abnormally localized synapses. ipRGCs are the sole conduit for light input to circadian photoentrainment, and either their melanopsin-based photosensitivity or ability to relay rod/cone input is sufficient for circadian photoentrainment. Remarkably, the disrupted ipRGC spacing does not affect melanopsin-based circadian photoentrainment but severely impairs rod/cone-driven photoentrainment. We demonstrate reduced rod/cone-driven cFos activation and electrophysiological responses in ipRGCs, suggesting that impaired synaptic input to ipRGCs underlies the photoentrainment deficits. Thus, for irradiance detection, developmental apoptosis is necessary for the spacing and connectivity of ipRGCs that underlie their functioning within a neural network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shih-Kuo Chen
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Kylie S. Chew
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - David S. McNeill
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Patrick W. Keeley
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Departments of Psychological and Brain Sciences and Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106
| | - Jennifer L. Ecker
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Buqing Q. Mao
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90089
| | - Johan Pahlberg
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90089
| | - Bright Kim
- Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48105
| | - Sammy C. S. Lee
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Departments of Psychological and Brain Sciences and Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106
| | - Michael Fox
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA, 804-828-0952
| | - William Guido
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA, 804-828-0952
| | - Kwoon Y. Wong
- Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48105
| | - Alapakkam P. Sampath
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90089
| | - Benjamin E. Reese
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Departments of Psychological and Brain Sciences and Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106
| | - Rejji Kuruvilla
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Samer Hattar
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- The Solomon Snyder-Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University-School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
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