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Topchiy I, Mohbat J, Folorunso OO, Wang ZZ, Lazcano-Etchebarne C, Engin E. GABA system as the cause and effect in early development. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 161:105651. [PMID: 38579901 PMCID: PMC11081854 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
GABA is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the adult brain and through its actions on GABAARs, it protects against excitotoxicity and seizure activity, ensures temporal fidelity of neurotransmission, and regulates concerted rhythmic activity of neuronal populations. In the developing brain, the development of GABAergic neurons precedes that of glutamatergic neurons and the GABA system serves as a guide and framework for the development of other brain systems. Despite this early start, the maturation of the GABA system also continues well into the early postnatal period. In this review, we organize evidence around two scenarios based on the essential and protracted nature of GABA system development: 1) disruptions in the development of the GABA system can lead to large scale disruptions in other developmental processes (i.e., GABA as the cause), 2) protracted maturation of this system makes it vulnerable to the effects of developmental insults (i.e., GABA as the effect). While ample evidence supports the importance of GABA/GABAAR system in both scenarios, large gaps in existing knowledge prevent strong mechanistic conclusions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Topchiy
- Division of Basic Neuroscience, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02478, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Julie Mohbat
- Division of Basic Neuroscience, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02478, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA; School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Oluwarotimi O Folorunso
- Division of Basic Neuroscience, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02478, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Ziyi Zephyr Wang
- Division of Basic Neuroscience, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02478, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | | | - Elif Engin
- Division of Basic Neuroscience, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02478, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
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2
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Wang J, O'Reilly M, Cooper IA, Chehrehasa F, Moody H, Beecher K. Mapping GABAergic projections that mediate feeding. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 163:105743. [PMID: 38821151 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
Neuroscience offers important insights into the pathogenesis and treatment of obesity by investigating neural circuits underpinning appetite and feeding. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), one of the most abundant neurotransmitters in the brain, and its associated receptors represent an array of pharmacologically targetable mediators of appetite signalling. Targeting the GABAergic system is therefore an increasingly investigated approach to obesity treatment. However, the many GABAergic projections that control feeding have yet to be collectively analysed. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the relationship between GABAergic signalling and appetite by examining both foundational studies and the results of newly emerging chemogenetic/optogenetic experiments. A current snapshot of these efforts to map GABAergic projections influencing appetite is provided, and potential avenues for further investigation are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Wang
- School of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, Brisbane 4000, QLD, Australia.
| | - Max O'Reilly
- UQ Centre for Clinical Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Building 71/918 Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital Campus, Herston 4029, QLD, Australia
| | | | - Fatemeh Chehrehasa
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, Brisbane 4000, QLD, Australia
| | - Hayley Moody
- Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, Brisbane 4000, QLD, Australia
| | - Kate Beecher
- UQ Centre for Clinical Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Building 71/918 Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital Campus, Herston 4029, QLD, Australia
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3
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Gruol DL, Calderon D, French K, Melkonian C, Huitron-Resendiz S, Cates-Gatto C, Roberts AJ. Neuroimmune interactions with binge alcohol drinking in the cerebellum of IL-6 transgenic mice. Neuropharmacology 2023; 228:109455. [PMID: 36775097 PMCID: PMC10029700 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
The neuroimmune system of the brain, which is comprised primarily of astrocytes and microglia, regulates a variety of homeostatic mechanisms that underlie normal brain function. Numerous conditions, including alcohol consumption, can disrupt this regulatory process by altering brain levels of neuroimmune factors. Alcohol and neuroimmune factors, such as proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-alpha, act at similar targets in the brain, including excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission. Thus, alcohol-induced production of IL-6 and/or TNF-alpha could be important contributing factors to the effects of alcohol on the brain. Recent studies indicate that IL-6 plays a role in alcohol drinking and the effects of alcohol on the brain activity following the cessation of alcohol consumption (post-alcohol period), however information on these topics is limited. Here we used homozygous and heterozygous female and male transgenic mice with increased astrocyte expression of IL-6 to examined further the interactions between alcohol and IL-6 with respect to voluntary alcohol drinking, brain activity during the post-alcohol period, IL-6 signal transduction, and expression of synaptic proteins. Wildtype littermates (WT) served as controls. The transgenic mice model brain neuroimmune status with respect to IL-6 in subjects with a history of persistent alcohol use. Results showed a genotype dependent reduction in voluntary alcohol consumption in the Drinking in the Dark protocol and in frequency-dependent relationships between brain activity in EEG recordings during the post-alcohol period and alcohol consumption. IL-6, TNF-alpha, IL-6 signal transduction partners pSTAT3 and c/EBP beta, and synaptic proteins were shown to play a role in these genotypic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donna L Gruol
- Neuroscience Department, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA.
| | - Delilah Calderon
- Neuroscience Department, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Katharine French
- Neuroscience Department, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Claudia Melkonian
- Neuroscience Department, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | | | - Chelsea Cates-Gatto
- Animal Models Core Facility, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Amanda J Roberts
- Animal Models Core Facility, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
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4
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Zarrouki F, Goutal S, Vacca O, Garcia L, Tournier N, Goyenvalle A, Vaillend C. Abnormal Expression of Synaptic and Extrasynaptic GABAA Receptor Subunits in the Dystrophin-Deficient mdx Mouse. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232012617. [PMID: 36293496 PMCID: PMC9604073 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232012617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder primarily caused by the loss of the full-length Dp427 dystrophin in both muscle and brain. The basis of the central comorbidities in DMD is unclear. Brain dystrophin plays a role in the clustering of central gamma-aminobutyric acid A receptors (GABAARs), and its loss in the mdx mouse alters the clustering of some synaptic subunits in central inhibitory synapses. However, the diversity of GABAergic alterations in this model is still fragmentary. In this study, the analysis of in vivo PET imaging of a benzodiazepine-binding site radioligand revealed that the global density of central GABAARs is unaffected in mdx compared with WT mice. In contrast, semi-quantitative immunoblots and immunofluorescence confocal imaging in tissue sections revealed complex and differential patterns of alterations of the expression levels and/or clustered distribution of a variety of synaptic and extrasynaptic GABAAR subunits in the hippocampus, cerebellum, cortex, and spinal cord. Hence, dystrophin loss not only affects the stabilization of synaptic GABAARs but also influences the subunit composition of GABAARs subtypes at both synaptic and extrasynaptic sites. This study provides new molecular outcome measures and new routes to evaluate the impact of treatments aimed at compensating alterations of the nervous system in DMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faouzi Zarrouki
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut des Neurosciences Paris Saclay, 91400 Saclay, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, Inserm, END-ICAP, 78000 Versailles, France
| | - Sébastien Goutal
- Université Paris-Saclay, INSERM, CNRS, CEA, Laboratoire d’Imagerie Biomédicale Multimodale (BioMaps), Service Hospitalier Frédéric Joliot, 91401 Orsay, France
| | - Ophélie Vacca
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, Inserm, END-ICAP, 78000 Versailles, France
| | - Luis Garcia
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, Inserm, END-ICAP, 78000 Versailles, France
| | - Nicolas Tournier
- Université Paris-Saclay, INSERM, CNRS, CEA, Laboratoire d’Imagerie Biomédicale Multimodale (BioMaps), Service Hospitalier Frédéric Joliot, 91401 Orsay, France
| | - Aurélie Goyenvalle
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, Inserm, END-ICAP, 78000 Versailles, France
| | - Cyrille Vaillend
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut des Neurosciences Paris Saclay, 91400 Saclay, France
- Correspondence:
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5
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Guzikowski NJ, Kavalali ET. Nano-organization of spontaneous GABAergic transmission directs its autonomous function in neuronal signaling. Cell Rep 2022; 40:111172. [PMID: 35947950 PMCID: PMC9392417 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Earlier studies delineated the precise arrangement of proteins that drive neurotransmitter release and postsynaptic signaling at excitatory synapses. However, spatial organization of neurotransmission at inhibitory synapses remains unclear. Here, we took advantage of the molecularly specific interaction of antimalarial artemisinins and the inhibitory synapse scaffold protein, gephyrin, to probe the functional organization of gamma-aminobutyric acid A receptor (GABAAR)-mediated neurotransmission in central synapses. Short-term application of artemisinins severely contracts the size and density of gephyrin and GABAaR γ2 subunit clusters. This size contraction elicits a neuronal activity-independent increase in Bdnf expression due to a specific reduction in GABAergic spontaneous, but not evoked, neurotransmission. The same functional effect could be mimicked by disruption of microtubules that link gephyrin to the neuronal cytoskeleton. These results suggest that the GABAergic postsynaptic apparatus possesses a concentric center-surround organization, where the periphery of gephyrin clusters selectively maintains spontaneous GABAergic neurotransmission facilitating its autonomous function regulating Bdnf expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie J. Guzikowski
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240-7933, USA,Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240-7933, USA
| | - Ege T. Kavalali
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240-7933, USA,Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240-7933, USA,Lead contact,Correspondence:
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6
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Kuljis DA, Micheva KD, Ray A, Wegner W, Bowman R, Madison DV, Willig KI, Barth AL. Gephyrin-Lacking PV Synapses on Neocortical Pyramidal Neurons. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms221810032. [PMID: 34576197 PMCID: PMC8467468 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221810032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Gephyrin has long been thought of as a master regulator for inhibitory synapses, acting as a scaffold to organize γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptors (GABAARs) at the post-synaptic density. Accordingly, gephyrin immunostaining has been used as an indicator of inhibitory synapses; despite this, the pan-synaptic localization of gephyrin to specific classes of inhibitory synapses has not been demonstrated. Genetically encoded fibronectin intrabodies generated with mRNA display (FingRs) against gephyrin (Gephyrin.FingR) reliably label endogenous gephyrin, and can be tagged with fluorophores for comprehensive synaptic quantitation and monitoring. Here we investigated input- and target-specific localization of gephyrin at a defined class of inhibitory synapse, using Gephyrin.FingR proteins tagged with EGFP in brain tissue from transgenic mice. Parvalbumin-expressing (PV) neuron presynaptic boutons labeled using Cre- dependent synaptophysin-tdTomato were aligned with postsynaptic Gephyrin.FingR puncta. We discovered that more than one-third of PV boutons adjacent to neocortical pyramidal (Pyr) cell somas lack postsynaptic gephyrin labeling. This finding was confirmed using correlative fluorescence and electron microscopy. Our findings suggest some inhibitory synapses may lack gephyrin. Gephyrin-lacking synapses may play an important role in dynamically regulating cell activity under different physiological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dika A. Kuljis
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; (D.A.K.); (A.R.); (R.B.)
| | - Kristina D. Micheva
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA; (K.D.M.); (D.V.M.)
| | - Ajit Ray
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; (D.A.K.); (A.R.); (R.B.)
| | - Waja Wegner
- Optical Nanoscopy in Neuroscience, Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany; (W.W.); (K.I.W.)
- Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ryan Bowman
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; (D.A.K.); (A.R.); (R.B.)
| | - Daniel V. Madison
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA; (K.D.M.); (D.V.M.)
| | - Katrin I. Willig
- Optical Nanoscopy in Neuroscience, Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany; (W.W.); (K.I.W.)
- Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Alison L. Barth
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; (D.A.K.); (A.R.); (R.B.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-412-268-1198
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7
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Grupi A, Shapira Z, Yudovich S, Degani-Katzav N, Weiss S. Point-localized, site-specific membrane potential optical recording by single fluorescent nanodiscs. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 1:None. [PMID: 34568861 PMCID: PMC8448295 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpr.2021.100007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Nanodisc technology was implemented as a platform for voltage nanosensors. A fluorescence (Förster) resonance energy transfer (FRET)- based voltage-sensing scheme employing fluorescent nanodiscs and the hydrophobic ion dipicrylamine was developed and utilized to optically record membrane potentials on the single-nanodisc level. Ensemble and single-nanosensor recordings were demonstrated for HEK293 cells and primary cortical neuron cells. Conjugation of nanodiscs to anti-GABAA antibodies allowed for site-specific membrane potential measurements from postsynaptic sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asaf Grupi
- Department of Physics, Institute for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials.,Institute for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Zehavit Shapira
- Department of Physics, Institute for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials.,Institute for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Shimon Yudovich
- Department of Physics, Institute for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials.,Institute for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Nurit Degani-Katzav
- Department of Physics, Institute for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials.,Institute for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Shimon Weiss
- Department of Physics, Institute for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials.,Institute for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel.,Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.,California NanoSystems Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
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8
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Nakamura Y, Morrow DH, Nathanson AJ, Henley JM, Wilkinson KA, Moss SJ. Phosphorylation on Ser-359 of the α2 subunit in GABA type A receptors down-regulates their density at inhibitory synapses. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:12330-12342. [PMID: 32620552 PMCID: PMC7458806 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra120.014303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
GABA type A receptors (GABAARs) mediate fast synaptic inhibition and are trafficked to functionally diverse synapses. However, the precise molecular mechanisms that regulate the synaptic targeting of these receptors are unclear. Whereas it has been previously shown that phosphorylation events in α4, β, and γ subunits of GABAARs govern their function and trafficking, phosphorylation of other subunits has not yet been demonstrated. Here, we show that the α2 subunit of GABAARs is phosphorylated at Ser-359 and enables dynamic regulation of GABAAR binding to the scaffolding proteins gephyrin and collybistin. We initially identified Ser-359 phosphorylation by MS analysis, and additional experiments revealed that it is regulated by the activities of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) and the protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) and/or PP2A. GST-based pulldowns and coimmunoprecipitation experiments demonstrate preferential binding of both gephyrin and collybistin to WT and an S359A phosphonull variant, but not to an S359D phosphomimetic variant. Furthermore, the decreased capacity of the α2 S359D variant to bind collybistin and gephyrin decreased the density of synaptic α2-containing GABAAR clusters and caused an absence of α2 enrichment in the axon initial segment. These results suggest that PKA-mediated phosphorylation and PP1/PP2A-dependent dephosphorylation of the α2 subunit play a role in the dynamic regulation of GABAAR accumulation at inhibitory synapses, thereby regulating the strength of synaptic inhibition. The MS data have been deposited to ProteomeXchange, with the data set identifier PXD019597.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuko Nakamura
- School of Biochemistry, Centre for Synaptic Plasticity, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Danielle H. Morrow
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University, School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Anna J. Nathanson
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University, School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jeremy M. Henley
- School of Biochemistry, Centre for Synaptic Plasticity, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Kevin A. Wilkinson
- School of Biochemistry, Centre for Synaptic Plasticity, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen J. Moss
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University, School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA,Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, United Kingdom,For correspondence: S. J. Moss,
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9
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Gruol DL, Melkonian C, Ly K, Sisouvanthong J, Tan Y, Roberts AJ. Alcohol and IL-6 Alter Expression of Synaptic Proteins in Cerebellum of Transgenic Mice with Increased Astrocyte Expression of IL-6. Neuroscience 2020; 442:124-137. [PMID: 32634532 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.06.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2020] [Revised: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies indicate that neuroimmune factors, including the cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6), play a role in the CNS actions of alcohol. The cerebellum is a sensitive target of alcohol, but few studies have examined a potential role for neuroimmune factors in the actions of alcohol on this brain region. A number of studies have shown that synaptic transmission, and in particular inhibitory synaptic transmission, is an important cerebellar target of alcohol. IL-6 also alters synaptic transmission, although it is unknown if IL-6 targets are also targets of alcohol. This is an important issue because alcohol induces glial production of IL-6, which could then covertly influence the actions of alcohol. The persistent cerebellar effects of both IL-6 and alcohol typically involve chronic exposure and, presumably, altered gene and protein expression. Thus, in the current studies we tested the possibility that proteins involved in inhibitory and excitatory synaptic transmission in the cerebellum are common targets of alcohol and IL-6. We used transgenic mice that express elevated levels of astrocyte produced IL-6 to model persistently elevated expression of IL-6, as would occur in alcohol use disorders, and a chronic intermittent alcohol exposure/withdrawal paradigm (CIE/withdrawal) that is known to produce alcohol dependence. Multiple cerebellar synaptic proteins were assessed by Western blot. Results show that IL-6 and CIE/withdrawal have both unique and common actions that affect synaptic protein expression. These common targets could provide sites for IL-6/alcohol exposure/withdrawal interactions and play an important role in cerebellar symptoms of alcohol use such as ataxia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donna L Gruol
- Neuroscience Department, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
| | - Claudia Melkonian
- Neuroscience Department, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Kristine Ly
- Neuroscience Department, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Jasmin Sisouvanthong
- Neuroscience Department, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Yvette Tan
- Neuroscience Department, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Amanda J Roberts
- Animal Models Core Facility, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
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10
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Boccalaro IL, Schwerdel C, Cristiá-Lara L, Fritschy JM, Rubi L. Dopamine depletion induces neuron-specific alterations of GABAergic transmission in the mouse striatum. Eur J Neurosci 2020; 52:3353-3374. [PMID: 32599671 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Revised: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Lack of dopamine (DA) in the striatum and the consequential dysregulation of thalamocortical circuits are major causes of motor impairments in Parkinson's disease. The striatum receives multiple cortical and subcortical afferents. Its role in movement control and motor skills learning is regulated by DA from the nigrostriatal pathway. In Parkinson's disease, DA loss affects striatal network activity and induces a functional imbalance of its output pathways, impairing thalamocortical function. Striatal projection neurons are GABAergic and form two functionally antagonistic pathways: the direct pathway, originating from DA receptor type 1-expressing medium spiny neurons (D1 R-MSN), and the indirect pathway, from D2 R-MSN. Here, we investigated whether DA depletion in mouse striatum also affects GABAergic function. We recorded GABAergic miniature IPSCs (mIPSC) and tonic inhibition from D1 R- and D2 R-MSN and used immunohistochemical labeling to study GABAA R function and subcellular distribution in DA-depleted and control mice. We observed slower decay kinetics and increased tonic inhibition in D1 R-MSN, while D2 R-MSN had increased mIPSC frequency after DA depletion. Perisomatic synapses containing the GABAA R subunits α1 or α2 were not affected, but there was a strong decrease in non-synaptic GABAA Rs containing these subunits, suggesting altered receptor trafficking. To broaden these findings, we also investigated GABAA Rs in GABAergic and cholinergic interneurons and found cell type-specific alterations in receptor distribution, likely reflecting changes in connectivity. Our results reveal that chronic DA depletion alters striatal GABAergic transmission, thereby affecting cellular and circuit activity. These alterations either result from pathological changes or represent a compensatory mechanism to counteract imbalance of output pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ida Luisa Boccalaro
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Cornelia Schwerdel
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Jean-Marc Fritschy
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lena Rubi
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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11
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Tudeau L, Acuña MA, Albisetti GW, Neumann E, Ralvenius WT, Scheurer L, Poe M, Cook JM, Johannssen HC, Zeilhofer HU. Mice lacking spinal α2GABA A receptors: Altered GABAergic neurotransmission, diminished GABAergic antihyperalgesia, and potential compensatory mechanisms preventing a hyperalgesic phenotype. Brain Res 2020; 1741:146889. [PMID: 32439345 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2020.146889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Revised: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Diminished synaptic inhibition in the superficial spinal dorsal horn contributes to exaggerated pain responses that accompany peripheral inflammation and neuropathy. α2GABAA receptors (α2GABAAR) constitute the most abundant GABAAR subtype at this site and are the targets of recently identified antihyperalgesic compounds. Surprisingly, hoxb8-α2-/- mice that lack α2GABAAR from the spinal cord and peripheral sensory neurons exhibit unaltered sensitivity to acute painful stimuli and develop normal inflammatory and neuropathic hyperalgesia. Here, we provide a comprehensive analysis of GABAergic neurotransmission, of behavioral phenotypes and of possible compensatory mechanisms in hoxb8-α2-/- mice. Our results confirm that hoxb8-α2-/- mice show significantly diminished GABAergic inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) in the superficial dorsal horn but no hyperalgesic phenotype. We also confirm that the potentiation of dorsal horn GABAergic IPSCs by the α2-preferring GABAAR modulator HZ-166 is reduced in hoxb8-α2-/- mice and that hoxb8-α2-/- mice are resistant to the analgesic effects of HZ-166. Tonic GABAergic currents, glycinergic IPSCs, and sensory afferent-evoked EPSCs did not show significant changes in hoxb8-α2-/- mice rendering a compensatory up-regulation of other GABAAR subtypes or of glycine receptors unlikely. Although expression of serotonin and of the serotonin producing enzyme tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH2) was significantly increased in the dorsal horn of hoxb8-α2-/- mice, ablation of serotonergic terminals from the lumbar spinal cord failed to unmask a nociceptive phenotype. Our results are consistent with an important contribution of α2GABAAR to spinal nociceptive control but their ablation early in development appears to activate yet-to-be identified compensatory mechanisms that protect hoxb8-α2-/- mice from hyperalgesia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laetitia Tudeau
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Mario A Acuña
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Gioele W Albisetti
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Elena Neumann
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - William T Ralvenius
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Louis Scheurer
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Michael Poe
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, USA
| | - James M Cook
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, USA
| | - Helge C Johannssen
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Hanns Ulrich Zeilhofer
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland; Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich, CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
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12
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GABRG2 Deletion Linked to Genetic Epilepsy with Febrile Seizures Plus Affects the Expression of GABA A Receptor Subunits and Other Genes at Different Temperatures. Neuroscience 2020; 438:116-136. [PMID: 32418750 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.04.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Revised: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Mutations in γ-aminobutyric acid A receptor (GABAA) subunits and sodium channel genes, especially GABRG2 and SCN1A, have been reported to be associated with febrile seizures (FS) and genetic epilepsy with febrile seizures plus (GEFS+). GEFS+ is a well-known family of epileptic syndrome with autosomal dominant inheritance in children. Its most common phenotypes are febrile seizures often with accessory afebrile generalized tonic-clonic seizures, febrile seizures plus (FS+), severe epileptic encephalopathy, as well as other types of generalized or localization-related seizures. However, the pathogenesis of febrile seizures remains largely unknown. Here, we generated a GABRG2 gene knockout cell line (HT22GABRG2KO) by applying the CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genomic deletion in HT-22 mouse hippocampal neuronal cell line to explore the function of GABRG2 in vitro. With mRNA-seq, we found significant changes in the expression profiles of several epilepsy-related genes when GABRG2 was knockout, some of them showing temperature-induced changes as well. Kyoto Encyclopedia Gene and Genomic (KEGG) analysis revealed a significant alteration in the MAPK and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways. We also observed an up-regulation of the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) family after GABRG2 knockout. Furthermore, the significant decrease in expression of GABRA1 and CACNA1A (but not others) with an increase in temperature is a novel finding. In summary, mutations in the GABAA receptor can lead to a decrease in numbers of receptors, which may cause the impairment of GABAergic pathway signaling. This data has been the first time to reveal that GABRG2 mutations would affect the function of other genes, and based on this finding we hope this work would also provide a new direction for the research of GABRG2 in GEFS+. It also may provide a molecular basis for the severity of epilepsy, and guide the clinical medication for the treatment of the epilepsy focused on the function on GABAA receptors, which, might be a new strategy for genetic diagnosis and targeted treatment of epilepsy.
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13
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Nathanson AJ, Davies PA, Moss SJ. Inhibitory Synapse Formation at the Axon Initial Segment. Front Mol Neurosci 2019; 12:266. [PMID: 31749683 PMCID: PMC6848228 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2019.00266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Accepted: 10/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The axon initial segment (AIS) is the site of action potential (AP) initiation in most neurons and is thus a critical site in the regulation of neuronal excitability. Normal function within the discrete AIS compartment requires intricate molecular machinery to ensure the proper concentration and organization of voltage-gated and ligand-gated ion channels; in humans, dysfunction at the AIS due to channel mutations is commonly associated with epileptic disorders. In this review, we will examine the molecular mechanisms underlying the formation of the only synapses found at the AIS: synapses containing γ-aminobutyric type A receptors (GABAARs). GABAARs are heteropentamers assembled from 19 possible subunits and are the primary mediators of fast synaptic inhibition in the brain. Although the total GABAAR population is incredibly heterogeneous, only one specific GABAAR subtype—the α2-containing receptor—is enriched at the AIS. These AIS synapses are innervated by GABAergic chandelier cells, and this inhibitory signaling is thought to contribute to the tight control of AP firing. Here, we will summarize the progress made in understanding the regulation of GABAAR synapse formation, concentrating on post-translational modifications of subunits and on interactions with intracellular proteins. We will then discuss subtype-specific synapse formation, with a focus on synapses found at the AIS, and how these synapses influence neuronal excitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna J Nathanson
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Paul A Davies
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Stephen J Moss
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States.,AstraZeneca Tufts Laboratory for Basic and Translational Neuroscience, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College, London, United Kingdom
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14
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Automated Macro Approach to Quantify Synapse Density in 2D Confocal Images from Fixed Immunolabeled Neural Tissue Sections. Methods Mol Biol 2019. [PMID: 31432476 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-9686-5_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
This chapter describes an ImageJ/Fiji automated macro approach to estimate synapse densities in 2D fluorescence confocal microscopy images. The main step-by-step imaging workflow is explained, including example macro language scripts that perform all steps automatically for multiple images. Such tool provides a straightforward method for exploratory synapse screenings where hundreds to thousands of images need to be analyzed in order to render significant statistical information. The method can be adapted to any particular set of images where fixed brain slices have been immunolabeled against validated presynaptic and postsynaptic markers.
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15
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Waldvogel H, Biggins F, Singh A, Arasaratnam C, Faull R. Variable colocalisation of GABAA receptor subunits and glycine receptors on neurons in the human hypoglossal nucleus. J Chem Neuroanat 2019; 97:99-111. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2019.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2018] [Revised: 02/21/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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16
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McLaughlin C, Clements J, Oprişoreanu AM, Sylantyev S. The role of tonic glycinergic conductance in cerebellar granule cell signalling and the effect of gain-of-function mutation. J Physiol 2019; 597:2457-2481. [PMID: 30875431 DOI: 10.1113/jp277626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
KEY POINTS A T258F mutation of the glycine receptor increases the receptor affinity to endogenous agonists, modifies single-channel conductance and shapes response decay kinetics. Glycine receptors of cerebellar granule cells play their functional role not continuously, but when the granule cell layer starts receiving a high amount of excitatory inputs. Despite their relative scarcity, tonically active glycine receptors of cerebellar granule cells make a significant impact on action potential generation and inter-neuronal crosstalk, and modulate synaptic plasticity in neural networks; extracellular glycine increases probability of postsynaptic response occurrence acting at NMDA receptors and decreases this probability acting at glycine receptors. Tonic conductance through glycine receptors of cerebellar granule cells is a yet undiscovered element of the biphasic mechanism that regulates processing of sensory inputs in the cerebellum. A T258F point mutation disrupts this biphasic mechanism, thus illustrating the possible role of the gain-of-function mutations of the glycine receptor in development of neural pathologies. ABSTRACT Functional glycine receptors (GlyRs) have been repeatedly detected in cerebellar granule cells (CGCs), where they deliver exclusively tonic inhibitory signals. The functional role of this signalling, however, remains unclear. Apart from that, there is accumulating evidence of the important role of GlyRs in cerebellar structures in development of neural pathologies such as hyperekplexia, which can be triggered by GlyR gain-of-function mutations. In this research we initially tested functional properties of GlyRs, carrying the yet understudied T258F gain-of-function mutation, and found that this mutation makes significant modifications in GlyR response to endogenous agonists. Next, we clarified the role of tonic GlyR conductance in neuronal signalling generated by single CGCs and by neural networks in cell cultures and in living cerebellar tissue of C57Bl-6J mice. We found that GlyRs of CGCs deliver a significant amount of tonic inhibition not continuously, but when the cerebellar granule layer starts receiving substantial excitatory input. Under these conditions tonically active GlyRs become a part of neural signalling machinery allowing generation of action potential (AP) bursts of limited length in response to sensory-evoked signals. GlyRs of CGCs support a biphasic modulatory mechanism which enhances AP firing when excitatory input intensity is low, but suppresses it when excitatory input rises to a certain critical level. This enables one of the key functions of the CGC layer: formation of sensory representations and their translation into motor output. Finally, we have demonstrated that the T258F mutation in CGC GlyRs modifies single-cell and neural network signalling, and breaks a biphasic modulation of the AP-generating machinery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine McLaughlin
- Gene Therapy Group, The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, EH25 9RG, UK
| | - John Clements
- The John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, 131 Garran Road, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Ana-Maria Oprişoreanu
- Center for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, 49 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Sergiy Sylantyev
- Center for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, 49 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, EH16 4SB, UK
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17
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Boccalaro IL, Cristiá-Lara L, Schwerdel C, Fritschy JM, Rubi L. Cell type-specific distribution of GABA A receptor subtypes in the mouse dorsal striatum. J Comp Neurol 2019; 527:2030-2046. [PMID: 30773633 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2018] [Revised: 01/25/2019] [Accepted: 02/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The striatum is the main input nucleus of the basal ganglia, mediating motor and cognitive functions. Striatal projection neurons are GABAergic medium spiny neurons (MSN), expressing either the dopamine receptor type 1 (D1 -R MSN) and forming the direct, movement-promoting pathway, or dopamine receptor type 2 (D2 -R MSN), forming the indirect movement-suppressing pathway. Locally, activity and synchronization of MSN are modulated by several subtypes of GABAergic and cholinergic interneurons. Overall, GABAergic circuits in the striatum remain poorly characterized, and little is known about the intrastriatal connectivity of interneurons and the distribution of GABAA receptor (GABAA R) subtypes, distinguished by their subunit composition, in striatal synapses. Here, by using immunofluorescence in mouse tissue, we investigated the distribution of GABAA Rs containing the α1 , α2 , or α3 subunit in perisomatic synapses of striatal MSN and interneurons, as well as the innervation pattern of D1 R- and D2 R-MSN soma and axonal initial segment (AIS) by GABAergic and cholinergic interneurons. Our results show that perisomatic GABAergic synapses of D1 R- and D2 R-MSN contain the GABAA R α1 and/or α2 subunits, but not the α3 subunit; D2 R-MSN have significantly more α1 -GABAA Rs on their soma than D1 R-MSN. Further, interneurons have few perisomatic synapses containing α2 -GABAA Rs, whereas α3 -GABAA Rs (along with the α1 -GABAA Rs) are abundant in perisomatic synapses of CCK+ , NPY+ /SOM+ , and vAChT+ interneurons. Each MSN and interneuron population analyzed received a distinct pattern of GABAergic and cholinergic innervation, complementing this postsynaptic heterogeneity. In conclusion, intra-striatal GABAergic circuits are distinguished by cell-type specific innervation patterns, differential expression and postsynaptic targeting of GABAA R subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ida Luisa Boccalaro
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Cornelia Schwerdel
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jean-Marc Fritschy
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lena Rubi
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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18
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Franchi SA, Macco R, Astro V, Tonoli D, Savino E, Valtorta F, Sala K, Botta M, de Curtis I. A Method to Culture GABAergic Interneurons Derived from the Medial Ganglionic Eminence. Front Cell Neurosci 2018; 11:423. [PMID: 29358905 PMCID: PMC5766683 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2017.00423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2017] [Accepted: 12/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the mechanisms guiding interneuron development is a central aspect of the current research on cortical/hippocampal interneurons, which is highly relevant to brain function and pathology. In this methodological study we have addressed the setup of protocols for the reproducible culture of dissociated cells from murine medial ganglionic eminences (MGEs), to provide a culture system for the analysis of interneurons in vitro. This study includes the detailed protocols for the preparation of the dissociated cells, and for their culture on optimal substrates for cell migration or differentiation. These cultures enriched in interneurons may allow the investigation of the migratory behavior of interneuron precursors and their differentiation in vitro, up to the formation of morphologically identifiable GABAergic synapses. Live imaging of MGE-derived cells plated on proper substrates shows that they are useful to study the migratory behavior of the precursors, as well as the behavior of growth cones during the development of neurites. Most MGE-derived precursors develop into polarized GABAergic interneurons as determined by axonal, dendritic, and GABAergic markers. We present also a comparison of cells from WT and mutant mice as a proof of principle for the use of these cultures for the analysis of the migration and differentiation of GABAergic cells with different genetic backgrounds. The culture enriched in interneurons described here represents a useful experimental system to examine in a relatively easy and fast way the morpho-functional properties of these cells under physiological or pathological conditions, providing a powerful tool to complement the studies in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sira A Franchi
- Cell Adhesion Unit San Raffaele Scientific Institute and San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Romina Macco
- Cell Adhesion Unit San Raffaele Scientific Institute and San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Veronica Astro
- Cell Adhesion Unit San Raffaele Scientific Institute and San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Diletta Tonoli
- Cell Adhesion Unit San Raffaele Scientific Institute and San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Elisa Savino
- Neuropsychopharmacology Unit, Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute and San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Flavia Valtorta
- Neuropsychopharmacology Unit, Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute and San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Kristyna Sala
- Cell Adhesion Unit San Raffaele Scientific Institute and San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Martina Botta
- Cell Adhesion Unit San Raffaele Scientific Institute and San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Ivan de Curtis
- Cell Adhesion Unit San Raffaele Scientific Institute and San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
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19
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Miller SM, Pelly S, Kalanjati VP, Lee A, Colditz PB, Bjorkman ST. Identification and expression of a unique neonatal variant of the GABA A receptor α 3 subunit. Brain Struct Funct 2017; 223:1025-1033. [PMID: 29282556 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-017-1597-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2016] [Accepted: 12/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The GABAA receptor provides the majority of inhibitory neurotransmission in the adult central nervous system but in immature brain is responsible for much of the excitatory drive, a requirement for normal brain development. It is well established that GABAA receptor subunit expression changes across the course of brain development. In the present study, we have identified a splice variant of the GABAA receptor α3 subunit which appears unique to the developing brain, referred to here as the GABAA receptor α3 subunit neonatal variant (GABAA receptor α3N). RT-PCR and sequence analysis revealed splicing of exon 8 of the α3 subunit. Western blot analysis showed expression of GABAA receptor α3N in the cortex of several neonatal species and significantly reduced expression of this splice variant in the corresponding adult brains. Expression was evident in multiple brain regions and decreased across development in the pig. Fractionation revealed differential cellular localisation in the parietal cortex, hippocampus and thalamus of the full-length GABAA receptor α3 and GABAA receptor α3N. Immunoprecipitation showed direct interaction with the GABAA receptor subunits α1 and γ2 but not with gephyrin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie M Miller
- The University of Queensland, Perinatal Research Centre, UQ Centre for Clinical Research, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, QLD, 4029, Australia
| | - Samuel Pelly
- The University of Queensland, Perinatal Research Centre, UQ Centre for Clinical Research, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, QLD, 4029, Australia
| | - Viskasari P Kalanjati
- The University of Queensland, Perinatal Research Centre, UQ Centre for Clinical Research, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, QLD, 4029, Australia.,The Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia
| | - Aven Lee
- The University of Queensland, Perinatal Research Centre, UQ Centre for Clinical Research, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, QLD, 4029, Australia
| | - Paul B Colditz
- The University of Queensland, Perinatal Research Centre, UQ Centre for Clinical Research, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, QLD, 4029, Australia
| | - S Tracey Bjorkman
- The University of Queensland, Perinatal Research Centre, UQ Centre for Clinical Research, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, QLD, 4029, Australia.
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20
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Vogel E, Krabbe S, Gründemann J, Wamsteeker Cusulin JI, Lüthi A. Projection-Specific Dynamic Regulation of Inhibition in Amygdala Micro-Circuits. Neuron 2017; 91:644-51. [PMID: 27497223 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2016.06.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2015] [Revised: 05/02/2016] [Accepted: 06/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1R)-expressing CCK interneurons are key regulators of cortical circuits. Here we report that retrograde endocannabinoid signaling and CB1R-mediated regulation of inhibitory synaptic transmission onto basal amygdala principal neurons strongly depend on principal neuron projection target. Projection-specific asymmetries in the regulation of local inhibitory micro-circuits may contribute to the selective activation of distinct amygdala output pathways during behavioral changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Vogel
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, 4000 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Sabine Krabbe
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jan Gründemann
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Andreas Lüthi
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, 4000 Basel, Switzerland.
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21
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Franchi SA, Astro V, Macco R, Tonoli D, Barnier JV, Botta M, de Curtis I. Identification of a Protein Network Driving Neuritogenesis of MGE-Derived GABAergic Interneurons. Front Cell Neurosci 2016; 10:289. [PMID: 28066185 PMCID: PMC5174131 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2016.00289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2016] [Accepted: 12/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Interneurons are essential modulators of brain activity and their abnormal maturation may lead to neural and intellectual disabilities. Here we show that cultures derived from murine medial ganglionic eminences (MGEs) produce virtually pure, polarized γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic interneurons that can form morphologically identifiable inhibitory synapses. We show that Rac GTPases and a protein complex including the GIT family scaffold proteins are expressed during maturation in vitro, and are required for the normal development of neurites. GIT1 promotes neurite extension in a conformation-dependent manner, while affecting its interaction with specific partners reduces neurite branching. Proteins of the GIT network are concentrated at growth cones, and interaction mutants may affect growth cone behavior. Our findings identify the PIX/GIT1/liprin-α1/ERC1 network as critical for the regulation of interneuron neurite differentiation in vitro, and show that these cultures represent a valuable system to identify the molecular mechanisms driving the maturation of cortical/hippocampal interneurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sira A Franchi
- Cell Adhesion Unit, Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute and San Raffaele University Milano, Italy
| | - Veronica Astro
- Cell Adhesion Unit, Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute and San Raffaele University Milano, Italy
| | - Romina Macco
- Cell Adhesion Unit, Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute and San Raffaele University Milano, Italy
| | - Diletta Tonoli
- Cell Adhesion Unit, Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute and San Raffaele University Milano, Italy
| | - Jean-Vianney Barnier
- Neuroscience Paris-Saclay Institute, UMR 9197, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique-Université Paris-Sud Orsay, France
| | - Martina Botta
- Cell Adhesion Unit, Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute and San Raffaele University Milano, Italy
| | - Ivan de Curtis
- Cell Adhesion Unit, Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute and San Raffaele University Milano, Italy
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22
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Alvarez FJ. Gephyrin and the regulation of synaptic strength and dynamics at glycinergic inhibitory synapses. Brain Res Bull 2016; 129:50-65. [PMID: 27612963 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2016.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2016] [Revised: 08/23/2016] [Accepted: 09/05/2016] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Glycinergic synapses predominate in brainstem and spinal cord where they modulate motor and sensory processing. Their postsynaptic mechanisms have been considered rather simple because they lack a large variety of glycine receptor isoforms and have relatively simple postsynaptic densities at the ultrastructural level. However, this simplicity is misleading being their postsynaptic regions regulated by a variety of complex mechanisms controlling the efficacy of synaptic inhibition. Early studies suggested that glycinergic inhibitory strength and dynamics depend largely on structural features rather than on molecular complexity. These include regulation of the number of postsynaptic glycine receptors, their localization and the amount of co-localized GABAA receptors and GABA-glycine co-transmission. These properties we now know are under the control of gephyrin. Gephyrin is the first postsynaptic scaffolding protein ever discovered and it was recently found to display a large degree of variation and regulation by splice variants, posttranslational modifications, intracellular trafficking and interactions with the underlying cytoskeleton. Many of these mechanisms are governed by converging excitatory activity and regulate gephyrin oligomerization and receptor binding, the architecture of the postsynaptic density (and by extension the whole synaptic complex), receptor retention and stability. These newly uncovered molecular mechanisms define the size and number of gephyrin postsynaptic regions and the numbers and proportions of glycine and GABAA receptors contained within. All together, they control the emergence of glycinergic synapses of different strength and temporal properties to best match the excitatory drive received by each individual neuron or local dendritic compartment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco J Alvarez
- Department of Physiology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322-3110, United States.
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23
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Fu B, Wang Y, Yang H, Yu T. Effects of Etomidate on GABAergic and Glutamatergic Transmission in Rat Thalamocortical Slices. Neurochem Res 2016; 41:3181-3191. [PMID: 27561291 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-016-2042-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2016] [Revised: 08/10/2016] [Accepted: 08/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Although accumulative evidence indicates that the thalamocortical system is an important target for general anesthetics, the underlying mechanisms of anesthetic action on thalamocortical neurotransmission are not fully understood. The aim of the study is to explore the action of etomidate on glutamatergic and GABAergic transmission in rat thalamocortical slices by using whole cell patch-clamp recording. We found that etomidate mainly prolonged the decay time of spontaneous GABAergic inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs), without changing the frequency. Furthermore, etomidate not only prolonged the decay time of miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs) but also increased the amplitude. On the other hand, etomidate significantly decreased the frequency of spontaneous glutamatergic excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs), without altering the amplitude or decay time in the absence of bicuculline. When GABAA receptors were blocked using bicuculline, the effects of etomidate on sEPSCs were mostly eliminated. These results suggest that etomidate enhances GABAergic transmission mainly through postsynaptic mechanism in thalamocortical neuronal network. Etomidate attenuates glutamatergic transmission predominantly through presynaptic action and requires presynaptic GABAA receptors involvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bao Fu
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical College, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Yuan Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical College, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Hao Yang
- Guizhou Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Organ Protection, Zunyi Medical College, Dalian road 149, Zunyi, 563000, Guizhou, China
| | - Tian Yu
- Guizhou Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Organ Protection, Zunyi Medical College, Dalian road 149, Zunyi, 563000, Guizhou, China.
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24
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Regulation of GABAergic synapse development by postsynaptic membrane proteins. Brain Res Bull 2016; 129:30-42. [PMID: 27453545 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2016.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2016] [Accepted: 07/06/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
In the adult mammalian brain, GABAergic neurotransmission provides the majority of synaptic inhibition that balances glutamatergic excitatory drive and thereby controls neuronal output. It is generally accepted that synaptogenesis is initiated through highly specific protein-protein interactions mediated by membrane proteins expressed in developing presynaptic terminals and postsynaptic membranes. Accumulating studies have uncovered a number of membrane proteins that regulate different aspects of GABAergic synapse development. In this review, we summarize recent advances in understanding of GABAergic synapse development with a focus on postsynaptic membrane molecules, including receptors, synaptogenic cell adhesion molecules and immunoglobulin superfamily proteins.
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25
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Deprez F, Pallotto M, Vogt F, Grabiec M, Virtanen MA, Tyagarajan SK, Panzanelli P, Fritschy JM. Postsynaptic gephyrin clustering controls the development of adult-born granule cells in the olfactory bulb. J Comp Neurol 2016; 523:1998-2016. [PMID: 25772192 DOI: 10.1002/cne.23776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2015] [Revised: 03/06/2015] [Accepted: 03/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
In adult rodent olfactory bulb, GABAergic signaling regulates migration, differentiation, and synaptic integration of newborn granule cells (GCs), migrating from the subventricular zone. Here we show that these effects depend on the formation of a postsynaptic scaffold organized by gephyrin-the main scaffolding protein of GABAergic synapses, which anchors receptors and signaling molecules to the postsynaptic density-and are regulated by the phosphorylation status of gephyrin. Using lentiviral vectors to selectively transfect adult-born GCs, we observed that overexpression of the phospho-deficient gephyrin mutant eGFP-gephyrin(S270A), which facilitates the formation of supernumerary GABAergic synapses in vitro, favors dendritic branching and the formation of transient GABAergic synapses on spines, identified by the presence of α2-GABAA Rs. In contrast, overexpression of the dominant-negative eGFP-gephyrin(L2B) (a chimera that is enzymatically active but clustering defective), curtailed dendritic growth, spine formation, and long-term survival of GCs, pointing to the essential role of gephyrin cluster formation for its function. We could exclude any gephyrin overexpression artifacts, as GCs infected with eGFP-gephyrin were comparable to those infected with eGFP alone. The opposite effects induced by the two gephyrin mutant constructs indicate that the gephyrin scaffold at GABAergic synapses orchestrates signaling cascades acting on the cytoskeleton to regulate neuronal growth and synapse formation. Specifically, gephyrin phosphorylation emerges as a novel mechanism regulating morphological differentiation and long-term survival of adult-born olfactory bulb neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francine Deprez
- University of Zurich, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland.,Neuroscience Center Zurich, ETH and University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Marta Pallotto
- Circuit Dynamics and Connectivity Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Fabia Vogt
- University of Zurich, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Marta Grabiec
- University of Zurich, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Mari A Virtanen
- Department of Neurosciences Fondamentales CMU, University of Geneva, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Shiva K Tyagarajan
- University of Zurich, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland.,Neuroscience Center Zurich, ETH and University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Patrizia Panzanelli
- University of Turin, Department of Neuroscience Rita Levi Montalcini, Turin, Italy
| | - Jean-Marc Fritschy
- University of Zurich, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland.,Neuroscience Center Zurich, ETH and University of Zurich, Switzerland
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26
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Gao Y, Heldt SA. Enrichment of GABAA Receptor α-Subunits on the Axonal Initial Segment Shows Regional Differences. Front Cell Neurosci 2016; 10:39. [PMID: 26973458 PMCID: PMC4771769 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2016.00039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2015] [Accepted: 02/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Although it is generally recognized that certain α-subunits of γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptors (GABAARs) form enriched clusters on the axonal initial segment (AIS), the degree to which these clusters vary in different brain areas is not well known. In the current study, we quantified the density, size, and enrichment ratio of fluorescently labeled α1-, α2-, or α3-subunits aggregates co-localized with the AIS-marker ankyrin G and compared them to aggregates in non-AIS locations among different brain areas including hippocampal subfields, basal lateral amygdala (BLA), prefrontal cortex (PFC), and sensory cortex (CTX). We found regional differences in the enrichment of GABAAR α-subunits on the AIS. Significant enrichment was identified in the CA3 of hippocampus for α1-subunits, in the CA1, CA3, and BLA for α2-subunits, and in the BLA for α3-subunits. Using α-subunit knock-out (KO) mice, we found that BLA enrichment of α2- and α3-subunits were physiologically independent of each other, as the enrichment of one subunit was unaffected by the genomic deletion of the other. To further investigate the unique pattern of α-subunit enrichment in the BLA, we examined the association of α2- and α3-subunits with the presynaptic vesicular GABA transporter (vGAT) and the anchoring protein gephyrin (Geph). As expected, both α2- and α3-subunits on the AIS within the BLA received prominent GABAergic innervation from vGAT-positive terminals. Further, we found that the association of α2- and α3-subunits with Geph was weaker in AIS versus non-AIS locations, suggesting that Geph might be playing a lesser role in the enrichment of α2- and α3-subunits on the AIS. Overall, these observations suggest that GABAARs on the AIS differ in subunit composition across brain regions. As with somatodendritic GABAARs, the distinctive expression pattern of AIS-located GABAAR α-subunits in the BLA, and other brain areas, likely contribute to unique forms of GABAergic inhibitory transmission and pharmacological profiles seen in different brain areas.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Scott A. Heldt
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, MemphisTN, USA
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27
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Bohnsack JP, Carlson SL, Morrow AL. Differential regulation of synaptic and extrasynaptic α4 GABA(A) receptor populations by protein kinase A and protein kinase C in cultured cortical neurons. Neuropharmacology 2016; 105:124-132. [PMID: 26767953 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2016.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2015] [Revised: 12/07/2015] [Accepted: 01/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The GABAA α4 subunit exists in two distinct populations of GABAA receptors. Synaptic GABAA α4 receptors are localized at the synapse and mediate phasic inhibitory neurotransmission, while extrasynaptic GABAA receptors are located outside of the synapse and mediate tonic inhibitory transmission. These receptors have distinct pharmacological and biophysical properties that contribute to interest in how these different subtypes are regulated under physiological and pathological states. We utilized subcellular fractionation procedures to separate these populations of receptors in order to investigate their regulation by protein kinases in cortical cultured neurons. Protein kinase A (PKA) activation decreases synaptic α4 expression while protein kinase C (PKC) activation increases α4 subunit expression, and these effects are associated with increased β3 S408/409 or γ2 S327 phosphorylation respectively. In contrast, PKA activation increases extrasynaptic α4 and δ subunit expression, while PKC activation has no effect. Our findings suggest synaptic and extrasynaptic GABAA α4 subunit expression can be modulated by PKA to inform the development of more specific therapeutics for neurological diseases that involve deficits in GABAergic transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Peyton Bohnsack
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7365, USA; Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill NC, 27599-7178, USA
| | - Stephen L Carlson
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill NC, 27599-7178, USA
| | - A Leslie Morrow
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7365, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7365, USA; Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill NC, 27599-7178, USA.
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28
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Raible DJ, Frey LC, Del Angel YC, Carlsen J, Hund D, Russek SJ, Smith B, Brooks-Kayal AR. JAK/STAT pathway regulation of GABAA receptor expression after differing severities of experimental TBI. Exp Neurol 2015; 271:445-56. [PMID: 26172316 PMCID: PMC5969808 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2015.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2015] [Revised: 06/22/2015] [Accepted: 07/04/2015] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Synaptic inhibition in the adult brain is primarily mediated by the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) type A receptor (GABA(A)R). The distribution, properties, and dynamics of these receptors are largely determined by their subunit composition. Alteration of subunit composition after a traumatic brain injury (TBI) may result in abnormal increased synaptic firing and possibly contribute to injury-related pathology. Several studies have shown that the Janus Kinase/Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription (JAK/STAT) signaling pathway can alter GABA(A)R subunit expression. The present study investigated changes in JAK/STAT pathway activation after two different severities of experimental TBI in the mouse using the controlled cortical impact (CCI) model. It also investigated whether modulating the activation of the JAK/STAT pathway after severe controlled cortical impact (CCI-S) with a JAK/STAT inhibitor (WP1066) alters post-traumatic epilepsy development and/or neurological recovery after injury. Our results demonstrated differential changes in both the activation of STAT3 and the expression of the GABA(A)R α1 and γ2 subunit levels that were dependent on the severity of the injury. The change in the GABA(A)R α1 subunit levels appeared to be at least partly transcriptionally mediated. We were able to selectively reverse the decrease in GABA(A)R α1 protein levels with WP1066 treatment after CCI injury. WP1066 treatment also improved the degree of recovery of vestibular motor function after injury. These findings suggest that the magnitude of JAK/STAT pathway activation and GABA(A)R α1 subunit level decrease is dependent on injury severity in this mouse model of TBI. In addition, reducing JAK/STAT pathway activation after severe experimental TBI reverses the decrease in the GABA(A)R α1 protein levels and improves vestibular motor recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Raible
- Neuroscience Program, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States.
| | - Lauren C Frey
- Department of Neurology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States.
| | - Yasmin Cruz Del Angel
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States.
| | - Jessica Carlsen
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States.
| | - Dana Hund
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States.
| | - Shelley J Russek
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States.
| | - Bret Smith
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, MS508 Chandler Medical Center, 800 Rose Street, Lexington, KY 40536, United States.
| | - Amy R Brooks-Kayal
- Neuroscience Program, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States; Department of Neurology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States; Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States; Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States.
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29
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Costa JT, Mele M, Baptista MS, Gomes JR, Ruscher K, Nobre RJ, de Almeida LP, Wieloch T, Duarte CB. Gephyrin Cleavage in In Vitro Brain Ischemia Decreases GABAA Receptor Clustering and Contributes to Neuronal Death. Mol Neurobiol 2015; 53:3513-3527. [PMID: 26093381 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-015-9283-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2015] [Accepted: 06/02/2015] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid) is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, and changes in GABAergic neurotransmission modulate the activity of neuronal networks. Gephyrin is a scaffold protein responsible for the traffic and synaptic anchoring of GABAA receptors (GABAAR); therefore, changes in gephyrin expression and oligomerization may affect the activity of GABAergic synapses. In this work, we investigated the changes in gephyrin protein levels during brain ischemia and in excitotoxic conditions, which may affect synaptic clustering of GABAAR. We found that gephyrin is cleaved by calpains following excitotoxic stimulation of hippocampal neurons with glutamate, as well as after intrahippocampal injection of kainate, giving rise to a stable cleavage product. Gephyrin cleavage was also observed in cultured hippocampal neurons subjected to transient oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD), an in vitro model of brain ischemia, and after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in mice, a model of focal brain ischemia. Furthermore, a truncated form of gephyrin decreased the synaptic clustering of the protein, reduced the synaptic pool of GABAAR containing γ2 subunits and upregulated OGD-induced cell death in hippocampal cultures. Our results show that excitotoxicity and brain ischemia downregulate full-length gephyrin with a concomitant generation of truncated products, which affect synaptic clustering of GABAAR and cell death.
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Affiliation(s)
- João T Costa
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Miranda Mele
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal.,Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra (IIIUC), Coimbra, 3030-789, Portugal
| | - Márcio S Baptista
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - João R Gomes
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Karsten Ruscher
- Laboratory for Experimental Brain Research, Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, BMC A13, S-22184, Lund, Sweden
| | - Rui J Nobre
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal.,Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra (IIIUC), Coimbra, 3030-789, Portugal
| | - Luís Pereira de Almeida
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal.,Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Tadeusz Wieloch
- Laboratory for Experimental Brain Research, Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, BMC A13, S-22184, Lund, Sweden
| | - Carlos B Duarte
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal. .,Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3004-517, Coimbra, Portugal. .,Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Polo I, Rua Larga, University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal.
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30
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Choii G, Ko J. Gephyrin: a central GABAergic synapse organizer. Exp Mol Med 2015; 47:e158. [PMID: 25882190 DOI: 10.1038/emm.2015.5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2014] [Accepted: 12/18/2014] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Gephyrin is a central element that anchors, clusters and stabilizes glycine and γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptors at inhibitory synapses of the mammalian brain. It self-assembles into a hexagonal lattice and interacts with various inhibitory synaptic proteins. Intriguingly, the clustering of gephyrin, which is regulated by multiple posttranslational modifications, is critical for inhibitory synapse formation and function. In this review, we summarize the basic properties of gephyrin and describe recent findings regarding its roles in inhibitory synapse formation, function and plasticity. We will also discuss the implications for the pathophysiology of brain disorders and raise the remaining open questions in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gayoung Choii
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jaewon Ko
- 1] Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea [2] Department of Psychiatry, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
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31
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Jaiswal MK, Keros S, Zhao M, Inan M, Schwartz TH, Anderson SA, Homanics GE, Goldstein PA. Reduction in focal ictal activity following transplantation of MGE interneurons requires expression of the GABAA receptor α4 subunit. Front Cell Neurosci 2015; 9:127. [PMID: 25914623 PMCID: PMC4391265 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2015.00127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2015] [Accepted: 03/18/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite numerous advances, treatment-resistant seizures remain an important problem. Loss of neuronal inhibition is present in a variety of epilepsy models and is suggested as a mechanism for increased excitability, leading to the proposal that grafting inhibitory interneurons into seizure foci might relieve refractory seizures. Indeed, transplanted medial ganglionic eminence interneuron progenitors (MGE-IPs) mature into GABAergic interneurons that increase GABA release onto cortical pyramidal neurons, and this inhibition is associated with reduced seizure activity. An obvious conclusion is that inhibitory coupling between the new interneurons and pyramidal cells underlies this effect. We hypothesized that the primary mechanism for the seizure-limiting effects following MGE-IP transplantation is the tonic conductance that results from activation of extrasynaptic GABAA receptors (GABAA-Rs) expressed on cortical pyramidal cells. Using in vitro and in vivo recording techniques, we demonstrate that GABAA-R α4 subunit deletion abolishes tonic currents (Itonic) in cortical pyramidal cells and leads to a failure of MGE-IP transplantation to attenuate cortical seizure propagation. These observations should influence how the field proceeds with respect to the further development of therapeutic neuronal transplants (and possibly pharmacological treatments).
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Affiliation(s)
- Manoj K Jaiswal
- C.V. Starr Laboratory for Molecular Neuropharmacology, Department of Anesthesiology, Weill Cornell Medical College New York, NY, USA
| | - Sotirios Keros
- Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medical College New York, NY, USA
| | - Mingrui Zhao
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College New York, NY, USA ; Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medical College New York, NY, USA
| | - Melis Inan
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medical College New York, NY, USA
| | - Theodore H Schwartz
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College New York, NY, USA ; Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medical College New York, NY, USA
| | - Stewart A Anderson
- Department of Psychiatry, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Gregg E Homanics
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Peter A Goldstein
- C.V. Starr Laboratory for Molecular Neuropharmacology, Department of Anesthesiology, Weill Cornell Medical College New York, NY, USA
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32
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Möhler H. The legacy of the benzodiazepine receptor: from flumazenil to enhancing cognition in Down syndrome and social interaction in autism. ADVANCES IN PHARMACOLOGY (SAN DIEGO, CALIF.) 2014; 72:1-36. [PMID: 25600365 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apha.2014.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The study of the psychopharmacology of benzodiazepines continues to provide new insights into diverse brain functions related to vigilance, anxiety, mood, epileptiform activity, schizophrenia, cognitive performance, and autism-related social behavior. In this endeavor, the discovery of the benzodiazepine receptor was a key event, as it supplied the primary benzodiazepine drug-target site, provided the molecular link to the allosteric modulation of GABAA receptors and, following the recognition of GABAA receptor subtypes, furnished the platform for future, more selective drug actions. This review has two parts. In a retrospective first part, it acknowledges the contributions to the field made by my collaborators over the years, initially at Hoffmann-La Roche in Basle and later, in academia, at the University and the ETH of Zurich. In the second part, the new frontier of GABA pharmacology, targeting GABAA receptor subtypes, is reviewed with special focus on nonsedative anxiolytics, antidepressants, analgesics, as well as enhancers of cognition in Down syndrome and attenuators of symptoms of autism spectrum disorders. It is encouraging that a clinical trial has been initiated with a partial inverse agonist acting on α5 GABAA receptors in an attempt to alleviate the cognitive deficits in Down syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanns Möhler
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zurich, Switzerland.
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33
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Molecular basis of the alternative recruitment of GABAA versus glycine receptors through gephyrin. Nat Commun 2014; 5:5767. [DOI: 10.1038/ncomms6767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2014] [Accepted: 11/04/2014] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
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34
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Differential GABAergic and glycinergic inputs of inhibitory interneurons and Purkinje cells to principal cells of the cerebellar nuclei. J Neurosci 2014; 34:9418-31. [PMID: 25009273 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0401-14.2014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The principal neurons of the cerebellar nuclei (CN), the sole output of the olivo-cerebellar system, receive a massive inhibitory input from Purkinje cells (PCs) of the cerebellar cortex. Morphological evidence suggests that CN principal cells are also contacted by inhibitory interneurons, but the properties of this connection are unknown. Using transgenic, tracing, and immunohistochemical approaches in mice, we show that CN interneurons form a large heterogeneous population with GABA/glycinergic phenotypes, distinct from GABAergic olive-projecting neurons. CN interneurons are found to contact principal output neurons, via glycine receptor (GlyR)-enriched synapses, virtually devoid of the main GABA receptor (GABAR) subunits α1 and γ2. Those clusters account for 5% of the total number of inhibitory receptor clusters on principal neurons. Brief optogenetic stimulations of CN interneurons, through selective expression of channelrhodopsin 2 after viral-mediated transfection of the flexed gene in GlyT2-Cre transgenic mice, evoked fast IPSCs in principal cells. GlyR activation accounted for 15% of interneuron IPSC amplitude, while the remaining current was mediated by activation of GABAR. Surprisingly, small GlyR clusters were also found at PC synapses onto principal CN neurons in addition to α1 and γ2 GABAR subunits. However, GlyR activation was found to account for <3% of the PC inhibitory synaptic currents evoked by electrical stimulation. This work establishes CN glycinergic neurons as a significant source of inhibition to CN principal cells, forming contacts molecularly distinct from, but functionally similar to, Purkinje cell synapses. Their impact on CN output, motor learning, and motor execution deserves further investigation.
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35
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Linsalata AE, Chen X, Winters CA, Reese TS. Electron tomography on γ-aminobutyric acid-ergic synapses reveals a discontinuous postsynaptic network of filaments. J Comp Neurol 2014; 522:921-36. [PMID: 23982982 DOI: 10.1002/cne.23453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2012] [Revised: 08/05/2013] [Accepted: 08/13/2013] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The regulation of synaptic strength at γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic synapses is dependent on the dynamic capture, retention, and modulation of GABA A-type receptors by cytoplasmic proteins at GABAergic postsynaptic sites. How these proteins are oriented and organized in the postsynaptic cytoplasm is not yet established. To better understand these structures and gain further insight into the mechanisms by which they regulate receptor populations at postsynaptic sites, we utilized electron tomography to examine GABAergic synapses in dissociated rat hippocampal cultures. GABAergic synapses were identified and selected for tomography by using a set of criteria derived from the structure of immunogold-labeled GABAergic synapses. Tomography revealed a complex postsynaptic network composed of filaments that extend ∼ 100 nm into the cytoplasm from the postsynaptic membrane. The distribution of these postsynaptic filaments was strikingly similar to that of the immunogold label for gephyrin. Filaments were interconnected through uniform patterns of contact, forming complexes composed of 2-12 filaments each. Complexes did not link to form an integrated, continuous scaffold, suggesting that GABAergic postsynaptic specializations are less rigidly organized than glutamatergic postsynaptic densities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander E Linsalata
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892
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36
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Kang Y, Ge Y, Cassidy RM, Lam V, Luo L, Moon KM, Lewis R, Molday RS, Wong ROL, Foster LJ, Craig AM. A combined transgenic proteomic analysis and regulated trafficking of neuroligin-2. J Biol Chem 2014; 289:29350-64. [PMID: 25190809 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m114.549279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Synapses, the basic units of communication in the brain, require complex molecular machinery for neurotransmitter release and reception. Whereas numerous components of excitatory postsynaptic sites have been identified, relatively few proteins are known that function at inhibitory postsynaptic sites. One such component is neuroligin-2 (NL2), an inhibitory synapse-specific cell surface protein that functions in cell adhesion and synaptic organization via binding to neurexins. In this study, we used a transgenic tandem affinity purification and mass spectrometry strategy to isolate and characterize NL2-associated complexes. Complexes purified from brains of transgenic His6-FLAG-YFP-NL2 mice showed enrichment in the Gene Ontology terms cell-cell signaling and synaptic transmission relative to complexes purified from wild type mice as a negative control. In addition to expected components including GABA receptor subunits and gephyrin, several novel proteins were isolated in association with NL2. Based on the presence of multiple components involved in trafficking and endocytosis, we showed that NL2 undergoes dynamin-dependent endocytosis in response to soluble ligand and colocalizes with VPS35 retromer in endosomes. Inhibitory synapses in brain also present a particular challenge for imaging. Whereas excitatory synapses on spines can be imaged with a fluorescent cell fill, inhibitory synapses require a molecular tag. We find the His6-FLAG-YFP-NL2 to be a suitable tag, with the unamplified YFP signal localizing appropriately to inhibitory synapses in multiple brain regions including cortex, hippocampus, thalamus, and basal ganglia. Altogether, we characterize NL2-associated complexes, demonstrate regulated trafficking of NL2, and provide tools for further proteomic and imaging studies of inhibitory synapses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunhee Kang
- From the Brain Research Centre and Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver V6T 2B5, Canada
| | - Yuan Ge
- From the Brain Research Centre and Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver V6T 2B5, Canada
| | - Robert M Cassidy
- From the Brain Research Centre and Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver V6T 2B5, Canada
| | - Vivian Lam
- From the Brain Research Centre and Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver V6T 2B5, Canada
| | - Lin Luo
- From the Brain Research Centre and Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver V6T 2B5, Canada
| | - Kyung-Mee Moon
- the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Centre for High-throughput Biology and
| | - Renate Lewis
- the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, and
| | - Robert S Molday
- the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Centre for Macular Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Rachel O L Wong
- the Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195
| | - Leonard J Foster
- the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Centre for High-throughput Biology and
| | - Ann Marie Craig
- From the Brain Research Centre and Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver V6T 2B5, Canada,
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37
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Abstract
The neurotransmitters GABA and glycine mediate fast synaptic inhibition by activating ligand-gated chloride channels--namely, type A GABA (GABA(A)) and glycine receptors. Both types of receptors are anchored postsynaptically by gephyrin, which self-assembles into a scaffold and interacts with the cytoskeleton. Current research indicates that postsynaptic gephyrin clusters are dynamic assemblies that are held together and regulated by multiple protein-protein interactions. Moreover, post-translational modifications of gephyrin regulate the formation and plasticity of GABAergic synapses by altering the clustering properties of postsynaptic scaffolds and thereby the availability and function of receptors and other signalling molecules. Here, we discuss the formation and regulation of the gephyrin scaffold, its role in GABAergic and glycinergic synaptic function and the implications for the pathophysiology of brain disorders caused by abnormal inhibitory neurotransmission.
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Fritschy JM, Panzanelli P. GABAAreceptors and plasticity of inhibitory neurotransmission in the central nervous system. Eur J Neurosci 2014; 39:1845-65. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 144] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2014] [Revised: 01/29/2014] [Accepted: 01/29/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Marc Fritschy
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology; University of Zurich; Winterthurerstrasse 190 8057 Zurich Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich; University of Zurich and ETH; Zurich Switzerland
| | - Patrizia Panzanelli
- Department of Neuroscience Rita Levi Montalcini; University of Turin; Turin Italy
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Mapelli L, Solinas S, D'Angelo E. Integration and regulation of glomerular inhibition in the cerebellar granular layer circuit. Front Cell Neurosci 2014; 8:55. [PMID: 24616663 PMCID: PMC3933946 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2014.00055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2013] [Accepted: 02/06/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Inhibitory synapses can be organized in different ways and be regulated by a multitude of mechanisms. One of the best known examples is provided by the inhibitory synapses formed by Golgi cells onto granule cells in the cerebellar glomeruli. These synapses are GABAergic and inhibit granule cells through two main mechanisms, phasic and tonic. The former is based on vesicular neurotransmitter release, the latter on the establishment of tonic γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels determined by spillover and regulation of GABA uptake. The mechanisms of post-synaptic integration have been clarified to a considerable extent and have been shown to differentially involve α1 and α6 subunit-containing GABA-A receptors. Here, after reviewing the basic mechanisms of GABAergic transmission in the cerebellar glomeruli, we examine how inhibition controls signal transfer at the mossy fiber-granule cell relay. First of all, we consider how vesicular release impacts on signal timing and how tonic GABA levels control neurotransmission gain. Then, we analyze the integration of these inhibitory mechanisms within the granular layer network. Interestingly, it turns out that glomerular inhibition is just one element in a large integrated signaling system controlled at various levels by metabotropic receptors. GABA-B receptor activation by ambient GABA regulates glutamate release from mossy fibers through a pre-synaptic cross-talk mechanisms, GABA release through pre-synaptic auto-receptors, and granule cell input resistance through post-synaptic receptor activation and inhibition of a K inward-rectifier current. Metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) control GABA release from Golgi cell terminals and Golgi cell input resistance and autorhythmic firing. This complex set of mechanisms implements both homeostatic and winner-take-all processes, providing the basis for fine-tuning inhibitory neurotransmission and for optimizing signal transfer through the cerebellar cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Mapelli
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of PaviaPavia, Italy
- Brain Connectivity Center, C. Mondino National Neurological InstitutePavia, Italy
| | - Sergio Solinas
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of PaviaPavia, Italy
- Brain Connectivity Center, C. Mondino National Neurological InstitutePavia, Italy
| | - Egidio D'Angelo
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of PaviaPavia, Italy
- Brain Connectivity Center, C. Mondino National Neurological InstitutePavia, Italy
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Notter T, Panzanelli P, Pfister S, Mircsof D, Fritschy JM. A protocol for concurrent high-quality immunohistochemical and biochemical analyses in adult mouse central nervous system. Eur J Neurosci 2013; 39:165-75. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2013] [Revised: 11/06/2013] [Accepted: 11/07/2013] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tina Notter
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology; University of Zurich; CH-8057 Zurich Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich; Federal Institute of Technology and University of Zurich; Zurich Switzerland
| | - Patrizia Panzanelli
- Department of Neuroscience Rita Levi Montalcini; University of Turin; Turin Italy
| | - Sandra Pfister
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology; University of Zurich; CH-8057 Zurich Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich; Federal Institute of Technology and University of Zurich; Zurich Switzerland
| | - Dennis Mircsof
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology; University of Zurich; CH-8057 Zurich Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich; Federal Institute of Technology and University of Zurich; Zurich Switzerland
| | - Jean-Marc Fritschy
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology; University of Zurich; CH-8057 Zurich Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich; Federal Institute of Technology and University of Zurich; Zurich Switzerland
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41
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Dopamine D2 receptors regulate collateral inhibition between striatal medium spiny neurons. J Neurosci 2013; 33:14075-86. [PMID: 23986243 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0692-13.2013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The principle neurons of the striatum are GABAergic medium spiny neurons (MSNs), whose collateral synapses onto neighboring neurons play critical roles in striatal function. MSNs can be divided by dopamine receptor expression into D1-class and D2-class MSNs, and alterations in D2 MSNs are associated with various pathological states. Despite overwhelming evidence for D2 receptors (D2Rs) in maintaining proper striatal function, it remains unclear how MSN collaterals are specifically altered by D2R activation. Here, we report that chronic D2R stimulation regulates MSN collaterals in vitro by presynaptic and postsynaptic mechanisms. We used corticostriatal cultures from mice in which MSN subtypes were distinguished by fluorophore expression. Quinpirole, an agonist for D2/3 receptors, was used to chronically activate D2Rs. Quinpirole increased the rate and strength of collateral formation onto D2R-containing MSNs as measured by dual whole-cell patch-clamp recordings. Additionally, these neurons were more sensitive to low concentrations of GABA and exhibited an increase in gephyrin puncta density, suggesting increased postsynaptic GABAA receptors. Last, quinpirole treatment increased presynaptic GABA release sites, as shown by increased frequency of sIPSCs and mIPSCs, correlating with increased VGAT (vesicular GABA transporter) puncta. Combined with the observation that there were no detectable differences in sensitivity to specific GABAA receptor modulators, we provide evidence that D2R activation powerfully transforms MSN collaterals via coordinated presynaptic and postsynaptic alterations. As the D2 class of MSNs is highly implicated in Parkinson's disease and other neurological disorders, our findings may contribute to understanding and treating the changes that occur in these pathological states.
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The class 4 semaphorin Sema4D promotes the rapid assembly of GABAergic synapses in rodent hippocampus. J Neurosci 2013; 33:8961-73. [PMID: 23699507 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0989-13.2013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Proper circuit function in the mammalian nervous system depends on the precise assembly and development of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic connections between neurons. Through a loss-of-function genetic screen in cultured hippocampal neurons, we previously identified the class 4 Semaphorin Sema4D as being required for proper GABAergic synapse development. Here we demonstrate that Sema4D is sufficient to promote GABAergic synapse formation in rodent hippocampus and investigate the kinetics of this activity. We find that Sema4D treatment of rat hippocampal neurons increases the density of GABAergic synapses as detected by immunocytochemistry within 30 min, much more rapidly than has been previously described for a prosynaptogenic molecule, and show that this effect is dependent on the Sema4D receptor PlexinB1 using PlxnB1(-/-) mice. Live imaging studies reveal that Sema4D elicits a rapid enhancement (within 10 min) in the rate of addition of synaptic proteins. Therefore, we demonstrate that Sema4D, via PlexinB1, acts to initiate synapse formation by recruiting molecules to both the presynaptic and the postsynaptic terminals; these nascent synapses subsequently become fully functional by 2 h after Sema4D treatment. In addition, acute treatment of an organotypic hippocampal slice epilepsy model with Sema4D reveals that Sema4D rapidly and dramatically alters epileptiform activity, which is consistent with a Sema4D-mediated shift in the balance of excitation and inhibition within the circuit. These data demonstrate an ability to quickly assemble GABAergic synapses in response to an appropriate signal and suggest a potential area of exploration for the development of novel antiepileptic drugs.
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Tyrosine phosphorylation of GABAA receptor γ2-subunit regulates tonic and phasic inhibition in the thalamus. J Neurosci 2013; 33:12718-27. [PMID: 23904608 PMCID: PMC4400286 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0388-13.2013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
GABA-mediated tonic and phasic inhibition of thalamic relay neurons of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) was studied after ablating tyrosine (Y) phosphorylation of receptor γ2-subunits. As phosphorylation of γ2 Y365 and Y367 reduces receptor internalization, to understand their importance for inhibition we created a knock-in mouse in which these residues are replaced by phenylalanines. On comparing wild-type (WT) and γ2(Y365/367F)+/- (HT) animals (homozygotes are not viable in utero), the expression levels of GABAA receptor α4-subunits were increased in the thalamus of female, but not male mice. Raised δ-subunit expression levels were also observed in female γ2(Y365/367F) +/- thalamus. Electrophysiological analyses revealed no difference in the level of inhibition in male WT and HT dLGN, while both the spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic activity and the tonic current were significantly augmented in female HT relay cells. The sensitivity of tonic currents to the δ-subunit superagonist THIP, and the blocker Zn(2+), were higher in female HT relay cells. This is consistent with upregulation of extrasynaptic GABAA receptors containing α4- and δ-subunits to enhance tonic inhibition. In contrast, the sensitivity of GABAA receptors mediating inhibition in the female γ2(Y356/367F) +/- to neurosteroids was markedly reduced compared with WT. We conclude that disrupting tyrosine phosphorylation of the γ2-subunit activates a sex-specific increase in tonic inhibition, and this most likely reflects a genomic-based compensation mechanism for the reduced neurosteroid sensitivity of inhibition measured in female HT relay neurons.
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Paul J, Zeilhofer HU, Fritschy JM. Selective distribution of GABA(A) receptor subtypes in mouse spinal dorsal horn neurons and primary afferents. J Comp Neurol 2013; 520:3895-911. [PMID: 22522945 DOI: 10.1002/cne.23129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
In the spinal cord dorsal horn, presynaptic GABA(A) receptors (GABA(A)Rs) in the terminals of nociceptors as well as postsynaptic receptors in spinal neurons regulate the transmission of nociceptive and somatosensory signals from the periphery. GABA(A)Rs are heterogeneous and distinguished functionally and pharmacologically by the type of α subunit variant they contain. This heterogeneity raises the possibility that GABA(A)R subtypes differentially regulate specific pain modalities. Here, we characterized the subcellular distribution of GABA(A)R subtypes in nociceptive circuits by using immunohistochemistry with subunit-specific antibodies combined with markers of primary afferents and dorsal horn neurons. Confocal laser scanning microscopy analysis revealed a distinct, partially overlapping laminar distribution of α1-3 and α5 subunit immunoreactivity in laminae I-V. Likewise, a layer-specific pattern was evident for their distribution among glutamatergic, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic, and glycinergic neurons (detected in transgenic mice expressing vesicular glutamate transporter 2-enhanced green fluorescent protein [vGluT2-eGFP], glutamic acid decarboxylase [GAD]67-eGFP, and glycine transporter 2 (GlyT2)-eGFP, respectively). Finally, all four subunits could be detected within primary afferent terminals. C-fibers predominantly contained either α2 or α3 subunit immunoreactivity; terminals from myelinated (Aβ/Aδ) fibers were colabeled in roughly equal proportion with each subunit. The presence of axoaxonic GABAergic synapses was determined by costaining with gephyrin and vesicular inhibitory amino acid transporter to label GABAergic postsynaptic densities and terminals, respectively. Colocalization of the α2 or α3 subunit with these markers was observed in a subset of C-fiber synapses. Furthermore, gephyrin mRNA and protein expression was detected in dorsal root ganglia. Collectively, these results show that differential GABA(A)R distribution in primary afferent terminals and dorsal horn neurons allows for multiple, circuit-specific modes of regulation of nociceptive circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jolly Paul
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
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Pandit S, Jeong JA, Jo JY, Cho HS, Kim DW, Kim JM, Ryu PD, Lee SY, Kim HW, Jeon BH, Park JB. Dual mechanisms diminishing tonic GABAA inhibition of dentate gyrus granule cells in Noda epileptic rats. J Neurophysiol 2013; 110:95-102. [PMID: 23576696 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00727.2012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The Noda epileptic rat (NER), a Wistar colony mutant, spontaneously has tonic-clonic convulsions with paroxysmal discharges. In the present study, we measured phasic and tonic γ-aminobutyric acid A (GABAA) current (I tonic) in NER hippocampal dentate gyrus granule cells and compared the results with those of normal parent strain Wistar rats (WIS). I tonic, revealed by a bicuculline-induced outward shift in holding current, was significantly smaller in NER than in WIS (P < 0.01). The frequency of inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) was also significantly lower in NER than in WIS (P < 0.05), without significant differences in the IPSC amplitude or decay time between WIS and NER. I tonic attenuation in NER was further confirmed in the presence of GABA transporter blockers, NO-711 and nipecotic acid, with no difference in neuronal GABA transporter expression between WIS and NER. I tonic responses to extrasynaptic GABAA receptor agonists (THIP and DS-2) were significantly reduced in NER compared with WIS (P < 0.05). Allopregnanolone caused less I tonic increase in NER than in WIS, while it prolonged the IPSC decay time to a similar rate in the two groups. Expression of the GABAA receptor δ-subunit was decreased in the dentate gyrus of NER relative to that of WIS. Taken together, our results showed that a combination of attenuated presynaptic GABA release and extrasynaptic GABAA receptor expression reduced I tonic amplitude and its sensitivity to neurosteroids, which likely diminishes the gating function of dentate gyrus granule cells and renders NER more susceptible to seizure propagation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sudip Pandit
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine and Brain Research Institute, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, South Korea
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Henny P, Brown MTC, Micklem BR, Magill PJ, Bolam JP. Stereological and ultrastructural quantification of the afferent synaptome of individual neurons. Brain Struct Funct 2013; 219:631-40. [PMID: 23479177 PMCID: PMC3933745 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-013-0523-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2012] [Accepted: 02/08/2013] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Determining the number and placement of synaptic inputs along the distinct plasma membrane domains of neurons is essential for explaining the basis of neuronal activity and function. We detail a strategy that combines juxtacellular labeling, neuronal reconstructions and stereological sampling of inputs at the ultrastructural level to define key elements of the afferent ‘synaptome’ of a given neuron. This approach provides unbiased estimates of the total number and somato-dendritic distribution of synapses made with individual neurons. These organizational properties can be related to the activity of the same neurons previously recorded in vivo, for direct structure–function correlations at the single-cell level. The approach also provides the quantitative data required to develop biologically realistic models that simulate and predict neuronal activity and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Henny
- MRC Anatomical Neuropharmacology Unit, Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3TH, UK,
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Cell type-specific inhibitory inputs to dendritic and somatic compartments of parvalbumin-expressing neocortical interneuron. J Neurosci 2013; 33:544-55. [PMID: 23303934 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2255-12.2013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Parvalbumin (PV)-producing fast-spiking neurons are well known to generate gamma oscillation by mutual chemical and electrical connections in the neocortex. Although it was clearly demonstrated that PV neurons form a dense gap junction network with each other not only at the proximal sites but also at the distal dendrites, comprehensive quantitative data on the chemical connections are still lacking. To elucidate the connectivity, we investigated inhibitory inputs to PV neurons in the somatosensory cortex, using the transgenic mice in which the dendrites and cell bodies of PV neurons were clearly visualized. We first examined GABAergic inputs to PV neurons by labeling postsynaptic and presynaptic sites with the immunoreactivities for gephyrin and vesicular GABA transporter. The density of GABAergic inputs was highest on the cell bodies, and almost linearly decreased to the distal dendrites. We then investigated inhibitory inputs from three distinct subgroups of GABAergic interneurons by visualizing the axon terminals immunopositive for PV, somatostatin (SOM), or vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP). PV and SOM inputs were frequently located on the dendrites with the ratio of 2.5:1, but much less on the cell bodies. By contrast, VIP inputs clearly preferred the cell bodies to the dendrites. Consequently, the dendritic and somatic compartments of PV neurons received ∼60 and 62% of inhibitory inputs from PV and VIP neurons, respectively. This compartmental organization of inhibitory inputs suggests that PV neurons, together with gap junctions, constitute mutual connections at the dendrites, and that their activities are negatively controlled by the somatic inputs of VIP neurons.
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Raible DJ, Frey LC, Cruz Del Angel Y, Russek SJ, Brooks-Kayal AR. GABA(A) receptor regulation after experimental traumatic brain injury. J Neurotrauma 2012; 29:2548-54. [PMID: 22827467 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2012.2483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) type A receptor (GABA(A)R) is responsible for most fast synaptic inhibition in the adult brain. The GABA(A)R protein is composed of multiple subunits that determine the distribution, properties, and dynamics of the receptor. Several studies have shown that the Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JaK/STAT) and early growth response 3 (Egr3) signaling pathways can alter GABA(A)R subunit expression after status epilepticus (SE). In this study we investigated changes in these pathways after experimental TBI in the rat using a lateral fluid percussion injury (FPI) model. Our results demonstrated changes in the expression of several GABA(A)R subunit levels after injury, including GABA(A)R α1 and α4 subunits. This change appears to be transcriptional, and there is an associated increase in the phosphorylation of STAT3, and an increase in the expression of Egr3 and inducible cAMP element repressor (ICER) after FPI. These findings suggest that the activation of the JaK/STAT and Egr3 pathways after TBI may regulate injury-related changes in GABA(A)R subunit expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Raible
- Neuroscience Program, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
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Toossi H, Del Cid-Pellitero E, Stroh T, Jones BE. Somatostatin varicosities contain the vesicular GABA transporter and contact orexin neurons in the hypothalamus. Eur J Neurosci 2012; 36:3388-95. [PMID: 22925106 DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2012.08253.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Somatostatin (SST) is a neuropeptide with known inhibitory actions in the hypothalamus, where it inhibits release of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), while also influencing the sleep-wake cycle. Here we investigated in the rat whether SST neurons might additionally release GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) or glutamate in different regions and whether they might contact orexin neurons that play an important role in the maintenance of wakefulness. In dual-immunostained sections viewed by epifluorescence microscopy, we examined if SST varicosities were immunopositive for the vesicular transporter for GABA (VGAT) or glutamate (VGLUT2) in the posterolateral hypothalamus and neighboring arcuate nucleus and median eminence. Of the SST varicosities in the posterolateral hypothalamus, 18% were immunopositive for VGAT, whereas ≤ 1% were immunopositive for VGLUT2. In the arcuate and median eminence, 26 and 64% were VGAT+ and < 3% VGLUT2 + , respectively. In triple-immunostained sections viewed by epifluorescence and confocal microscopy, SST varicosities were seen in contact with orexin somata, and of these varicosities, a significant proportion (23%) contained VGAT along with synaptophysin, the presynaptic marker for small synaptic vesicles, and a similar proportion (25%) abutted puncta that were immunostained for gephyrin, the postsynaptic marker for GABAergic synapses. Our results indicate that a significant proportion of SST varicosities in the hypothalamus have the capacity to release GABA, to form inhibitory synapses upon orexin neurons, and accordingly through their peptide and/or amino acid, to inhibit orexin neurons, as well as GHRH neurons. Thus while regulating GHRH release, SST neurons could serve to attenuate arousal and permit progression through the sleep cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanieh Toossi
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3A 2B4
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Immunohistochemical evidence for synaptic release of GABA from melanin-concentrating hormone containing varicosities in the locus coeruleus. Neuroscience 2012; 223:269-76. [PMID: 22890079 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2012.07.072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2012] [Revised: 07/26/2012] [Accepted: 07/31/2012] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) is synthesized by neurons located in the hypothalamus and projecting to widespread regions of the brain, including the locus coeruleus (LC), through which MCH could modulate sleep-wake states. Yet MCH does not appear to exert direct postsynaptic effects on target neurons, including the noradrenergic LC neurons. Previous studies using in situ hybridization showed that MCH neurons synthesize glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) and could thus utilize GABA as a neurotransmitter. To determine whether MCH varicosities can release GABA, we examined by fluorescent microscopy in the LC, whether their terminals also contain the vesicular transporter for GABA (VGAT). In dual-immunostained sections, we found that approximately 6% of MCH varicosities was immunopositive for VGAT and a similar proportion for synaptophysin, the presynaptic marker for small synaptic vesicles, whereas <1% was positive for the vesicular glutamate transporter (VGluT2). Moreover, of the MCH varicosities, ∼5% abutted puncta that were immunostained for gephyrin, the postsynaptic marker for GABAergic synapses. In triple-immunostained sections viewed with confocal laser scanning microscopy, we established that MCH varicosities that also contained VGAT or abutted upon gephyrin puncta contacted the tyrosine hydroxylase-immunostained neurons of the LC. Our results suggest that although MCH neurons can influence noradrenergic LC neurons through paracrine release and indirect effects of their peptide, they can also do so through synaptic release and direct postsynaptic effects of GABA and thus serve to inhibit the LC neurons during sleep, when they are silent, and the MCH neurons discharge.
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