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Cauzzo S, Bruno E, Boulet D, Nazac P, Basile M, Callara AL, Tozzi F, Ahluwalia A, Magliaro C, Danglot L, Vanello N. A modular framework for multi-scale tissue imaging and neuronal segmentation. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4102. [PMID: 38778027 PMCID: PMC11111705 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48146-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The development of robust tools for segmenting cellular and sub-cellular neuronal structures lags behind the massive production of high-resolution 3D images of neurons in brain tissue. The challenges are principally related to high neuronal density and low signal-to-noise characteristics in thick samples, as well as the heterogeneity of data acquired with different imaging methods. To address this issue, we design a framework which includes sample preparation for high resolution imaging and image analysis. Specifically, we set up a method for labeling thick samples and develop SENPAI, a scalable algorithm for segmenting neurons at cellular and sub-cellular scales in conventional and super-resolution STimulated Emission Depletion (STED) microscopy images of brain tissues. Further, we propose a validation paradigm for testing segmentation performance when a manual ground-truth may not exhaustively describe neuronal arborization. We show that SENPAI provides accurate multi-scale segmentation, from entire neurons down to spines, outperforming state-of-the-art tools. The framework will empower image processing of complex neuronal circuitries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Cauzzo
- Research Center "E. Piaggio", University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
- Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Unit, Center for Rare Neurological Diseases (ERN-RND), Department of Neurosciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
| | - Ester Bruno
- Research Center "E. Piaggio", University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell'Informazione, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - David Boulet
- Université Paris Cité, Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris (IPNP), INSERM U1266, NeurImag Core Facility, 75014, Paris, France
- Université Paris Cité, Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris (IPNP), INSERM U1266, Membrane traffic and diseased brain, 75014, Paris, France
| | - Paul Nazac
- Université Paris Cité, Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris (IPNP), INSERM U1266, Membrane traffic and diseased brain, 75014, Paris, France
| | - Miriam Basile
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell'Informazione, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Alejandro Luis Callara
- Research Center "E. Piaggio", University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell'Informazione, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Federico Tozzi
- Research Center "E. Piaggio", University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell'Informazione, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Arti Ahluwalia
- Research Center "E. Piaggio", University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell'Informazione, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Chiara Magliaro
- Research Center "E. Piaggio", University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell'Informazione, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Lydia Danglot
- Université Paris Cité, Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris (IPNP), INSERM U1266, NeurImag Core Facility, 75014, Paris, France.
- Université Paris Cité, Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris (IPNP), INSERM U1266, Membrane traffic and diseased brain, 75014, Paris, France.
| | - Nicola Vanello
- Research Center "E. Piaggio", University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell'Informazione, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
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2
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Merino‐Serrais P, Plaza‐Alonso S, Hellal F, Valero‐Freitag S, Kastanauskaite A, Plesnila N, DeFelipe J. Structural changes of CA1 pyramidal neurons after stroke in the contralesional hippocampus. Brain Pathol 2024; 34:e13222. [PMID: 38012061 PMCID: PMC11007010 DOI: 10.1111/bpa.13222] [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: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Significant progress has been made with regard to understanding how the adult brain responds after a stroke. However, a large number of patients continue to suffer lifelong disabilities without adequate treatment. In the present study, we have analyzed possible microanatomical alterations in the contralesional hippocampus from the ischemic stroke mouse model tMCAo 12-14 weeks after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion. After individually injecting Lucifer yellow into pyramidal neurons from the CA1 field of the hippocampus, we performed a detailed three-dimensional analysis of the neuronal complexity, dendritic spine density, and morphology. We found that, in both apical (stratum radiatum) and basal (stratum oriens) arbors, CA1 pyramidal neurons in the contralesional hippocampus of tMCAo mice have a significantly higher neuronal complexity, as well as reduced spine density and alterations in spine volume and spine length. Our results show that when the ipsilateral hippocampus is dramatically damaged, the contralesional hippocampus exhibits several statistically significant selective alterations. However, these alterations are not as significant as expected, which may help to explain the recovery of hippocampal function after stroke. Further anatomical and physiological studies are necessary to better understand the modifications in the "intact" contralesional lesioned brain regions, which are probably fundamental to recover functions after stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Merino‐Serrais
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología BiomédicaUniversidad Politécnica de MadridMadridSpain
- Departamento de Neurobiología Funcional y de SistemasInstituto Cajal, CSICMadridSpain
| | - Sergio Plaza‐Alonso
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología BiomédicaUniversidad Politécnica de MadridMadridSpain
- Departamento de Neurobiología Funcional y de SistemasInstituto Cajal, CSICMadridSpain
| | - Farida Hellal
- Laboratory of Experimental Stroke Research, Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), University Hospital, Ludwig‐Maximilians‐University Munich (LMU)MunichGermany
- iTERM, Helmholtz CenterMunichGermany
- Munich Cluster of Systems Neurology (Synergy)MunichGermany
| | - Susana Valero‐Freitag
- Laboratory of Experimental Stroke Research, Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), University Hospital, Ludwig‐Maximilians‐University Munich (LMU)MunichGermany
| | - Asta Kastanauskaite
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología BiomédicaUniversidad Politécnica de MadridMadridSpain
- Departamento de Neurobiología Funcional y de SistemasInstituto Cajal, CSICMadridSpain
| | - Nikolaus Plesnila
- Laboratory of Experimental Stroke Research, Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), University Hospital, Ludwig‐Maximilians‐University Munich (LMU)MunichGermany
- Munich Cluster of Systems Neurology (Synergy)MunichGermany
| | - Javier DeFelipe
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología BiomédicaUniversidad Politécnica de MadridMadridSpain
- Departamento de Neurobiología Funcional y de SistemasInstituto Cajal, CSICMadridSpain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, Instituto de Salud Carlos IIIMadridSpain
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3
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Zhou H, Bi GQ, Liu G. Intracellular magnesium optimizes transmission efficiency and plasticity of hippocampal synapses by reconfiguring their connectivity. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3406. [PMID: 38649706 PMCID: PMC11035601 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47571-3] [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: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Synapses at dendritic branches exhibit specific properties for information processing. However, how the synapses are orchestrated to dynamically modify their properties, thus optimizing information processing, remains elusive. Here, we observed at hippocampal dendritic branches diverse configurations of synaptic connectivity, two extremes of which are characterized by low transmission efficiency, high plasticity and coding capacity, or inversely. The former favors information encoding, pertinent to learning, while the latter prefers information storage, relevant to memory. Presynaptic intracellular Mg2+ crucially mediates the dynamic transition continuously between the two extreme configurations. Consequently, varying intracellular Mg2+ levels endow individual branches with diverse synaptic computations, thus modulating their ability to process information. Notably, elevating brain Mg2+ levels in aging animals restores synaptic configuration resembling that of young animals, coincident with improved learning and memory. These findings establish intracellular Mg2+ as a crucial factor reconfiguring synaptic connectivity at dendrites, thus optimizing their branch-specific properties in information processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hang Zhou
- Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology, Shenzhen, 518107, China.
- Interdisciplinary Center for Brain Information, Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
| | - Guo-Qiang Bi
- Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology, Shenzhen, 518107, China
- Interdisciplinary Center for Brain Information, Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230031, China
| | - Guosong Liu
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
- NeuroCentria Inc., Walnut Creek, CA, 94596, USA.
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4
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Sun C. Single-Molecule-Resolution Approaches in Synaptic Biology. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:3061-3068. [PMID: 38513216 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c08026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Synapses between neurons are the primary loci for information transfer and storage in the brain. An individual neuron, alone, can make over 10000 synaptic contacts. It is, however, not easy to investigate what goes on locally within a synapse because many synaptic compartments are only a few hundred nanometers wide in size─close to the diffraction limit of light. To observe the biomolecular machinery and processes within synapses, in situ single-molecule techniques are emerging as powerful tools. Guided by important biological questions, this Perspective will highlight recent advances in using these techniques to obtain in situ measurements of synaptic molecules in three aspects: the cell-biological machinery within synapses, the synaptic architecture, and the synaptic neurotransmitter receptors. These advances showcase the increasing importance of single-molecule-resolution techniques for accessing subcellular biophysical and biomolecular information related to the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Sun
- Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience - DANDRITE, Nordic-EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Universitetsbyen 81, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
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5
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Chemparathy DT, Ray S, Ochs C, Ferguson N, Gawande DY, Dravid SM, Callen S, Sil S, Buch S. Neuropathogenic role of astrocyte-derived extracellular vesicles in HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders. J Extracell Vesicles 2024; 13:e12439. [PMID: 38647111 PMCID: PMC11034007 DOI: 10.1002/jev2.12439] [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: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Our previous findings demonstrated that astrocytic HIF-1α plays a major role in HIV-1 Tat-mediated amyloidosis which can lead to Alzheimer's-like pathology-a comorbidity of HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders (HAND). These amyloids can be shuttled in extracellular vesicles, and we sought to assess whether HIV-1 Tat stimulated astrocyte-derived EVs (ADEVs) containing the toxic amyloids could result in neuronal injury in vitro and in vivo. We thus hypothesized that blocking HIF-1α could likely mitigate HIV-1 Tat-ADEV-mediated neuronal injury. Rat hippocampal neurons when exposed to HIV-1 Tat-ADEVs carrying the toxic amyloids exhibited amyloid accumulation and synaptodendritic injury, leading to functional loss as evidenced by alterations in miniature excitatory post synaptic currents. The silencing of astrocytic HIF-1α not only reduced the biogenesis of ADEVs, as well as amyloid cargos, but also ameliorated neuronal synaptodegeneration. Next, we determined the effect of HIV-1 Tat-ADEVs carrying amyloids in the hippocampus of naive mice brains. Naive mice receiving the HIV-1 Tat-ADEVs, exhibited behavioural changes, and Alzheimer's 's-like pathology accompanied by synaptodegeneration. This impairment(s) was not observed in mice injected with HIF-1α silenced ADEVs. This is the first report demonstrating the role of amyloid-carrying ADEVs in mediating synaptodegeneration leading to behavioural changes associated with HAND and highlights the protective role of HIF-1α.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divya T. Chemparathy
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental NeuroscienceUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaNebraskaUSA
| | - Sudipta Ray
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental NeuroscienceUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaNebraskaUSA
| | - Chase Ochs
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental NeuroscienceUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaNebraskaUSA
| | - Natasha Ferguson
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental NeuroscienceUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaNebraskaUSA
| | - Dinesh Y. Gawande
- Department of Pharmacology and NeuroscienceCreighton UniversityOmahaNebraskaUSA
| | - Shashank M. Dravid
- Department of Pharmacology and NeuroscienceCreighton UniversityOmahaNebraskaUSA
| | - Shannon Callen
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental NeuroscienceUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaNebraskaUSA
| | - Susmita Sil
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental NeuroscienceUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaNebraskaUSA
| | - Shilpa Buch
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental NeuroscienceUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaNebraskaUSA
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Kaufhold D, Maristany de Las Casas E, Ocaña-Fernández MDÁ, Cazala A, Yuan M, Kulik A, Cholvin T, Steup S, Sauer JF, Eyre MD, Elgueta C, Strüber M, Bartos M. Spine plasticity of dentate gyrus parvalbumin-positive interneurons is regulated by experience. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113806. [PMID: 38377001 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Experience-driven alterations in neuronal activity are followed by structural-functional modifications allowing cells to adapt to these activity changes. Structural plasticity has been observed for cortical principal cells. However, how GABAergic interneurons respond to experience-dependent network activity changes is not well understood. We show that parvalbumin-expressing interneurons (PVIs) of the dentate gyrus (DG) possess dendritic spines, which undergo behaviorally induced structural dynamics. Glutamatergic inputs at PVI spines evoke signals with high spatial compartmentalization defined by neck length. Mice experiencing novel contexts form more PVI spines with elongated necks and exhibit enhanced network and PVI activity and cFOS expression. Enhanced green fluorescent protein reconstitution across synaptic partner-mediated synapse labeling shows that experience-driven PVI spine growth boosts targeting of PVI spines over shafts by glutamatergic synapses. Our findings propose a role for PVI spine dynamics in regulating PVI excitation by their inputs, which may allow PVIs to dynamically adjust their functional integration in the DG microcircuitry in relation to network computational demands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorthe Kaufhold
- Institute of Physiology I, Faculty of Medicine, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany; Faculty of Biology, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | | | | | - Aurore Cazala
- Institute of Physiology I, Faculty of Medicine, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Mei Yuan
- Institute of Physiology I, Faculty of Medicine, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Akos Kulik
- Institute of Physiology II, Faculty of Medicine, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany; BIOSS Centre for Biological Signaling Studies, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Thibault Cholvin
- Institute of Physiology I, Faculty of Medicine, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Stefanie Steup
- Institute of Physiology I, Faculty of Medicine, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Jonas-Frederic Sauer
- Institute of Physiology I, Faculty of Medicine, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Mark D Eyre
- Institute of Physiology I, Faculty of Medicine, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Claudio Elgueta
- Institute of Physiology I, Faculty of Medicine, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Michael Strüber
- Epilepsy Center Frankfurt Rhine-Main, Center of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Goethe University, 60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Marlene Bartos
- Institute of Physiology I, Faculty of Medicine, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany.
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7
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Reyes-Lizaola S, Luna-Zarate U, Tendilla-Beltrán H, Morales-Medina JC, Flores G. Structural and biochemical alterations in dendritic spines as key mechanisms for severe mental illnesses. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2024; 129:110876. [PMID: 37863171 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2023.110876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
Severe mental illnesses (SMI) collectively affect approximately 20% of the global population, as estimated by the World Health Organization (WHO). Despite having diverse etiologies, clinical symptoms, and pharmacotherapies, these diseases share a common pathophysiological characteristic: the misconnection of brain areas involved in reality perception, executive control, and cognition, including the corticolimbic system. Dendritic spines play a crucial role in excitatory neurotransmission within the central nervous system. These small structures exhibit remarkable plasticity, regulated by factors such as neurotransmitter tone, neurotrophic factors, and innate immunity-related molecules, and other mechanisms - all of which are associated with the pathophysiology of SMI. However, studying dendritic spine mechanisms in both healthy and pathological conditions in patients is fraught with technical limitations. This is where animal models related to these diseases become indispensable. They have played a pivotal role in elucidating the significance of dendritic spines in SMI. In this review, the information regarding the potential role of dendritic spines in SMI was summarized, drawing from clinical and animal model reports. Also, the implications of targeting dendritic spine-related molecules for SMI treatment were explored. Specifically, our focus is on major depressive disorder and the neurodevelopmental disorders schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder. Abundant clinical and basic research has studied the functional and structural plasticity of dendritic spines in these diseases, along with potential pharmacological targets that modulate the dynamics of these structures. These targets may be associated with the clinical efficacy of the pharmacotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Reyes-Lizaola
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Licenciatura en Medicina, Universidad Popular del Estado de Puebla (UPAEP), Puebla, Mexico
| | - Ulises Luna-Zarate
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Licenciatura en Medicina, Universidad de las Américas Puebla (UDLAP), Puebla, Mexico
| | - Hiram Tendilla-Beltrán
- Laboratorio de Neuropsiquiatría, Instituto de Fisiología, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP), Puebla, Mexico
| | - Julio César Morales-Medina
- Centro de Investigación en Reproducción Animal, CINVESTAV-Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, Mexico
| | - Gonzalo Flores
- Laboratorio de Neuropsiquiatría, Instituto de Fisiología, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP), Puebla, Mexico.
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8
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Wildenberg G, Li H, Sampathkumar V, Sorokina A, Kasthuri N. Isochronic development of cortical synapses in primates and mice. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8018. [PMID: 38049416 PMCID: PMC10695974 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43088-3] [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: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The neotenous, or delayed, development of primate neurons, particularly human ones, is thought to underlie primate-specific abilities like cognition. We tested whether synaptic development follows suit-would synapses, in absolute time, develop slower in longer-lived, highly cognitive species like non-human primates than in shorter-lived species with less human-like cognitive abilities, e.g., the mouse? Instead, we find that excitatory and inhibitory synapses in the male Mus musculus (mouse) and Rhesus macaque (primate) cortex form at similar rates, at similar times after birth. Primate excitatory and inhibitory synapses and mouse excitatory synapses also prune in such an isochronic fashion. Mouse inhibitory synapses are the lone exception, which are not pruned and instead continuously added throughout life. The monotony of synaptic development clocks across species with disparate lifespans, experiences, and cognitive abilities argues that such programs are likely orchestrated by genetic events rather than experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregg Wildenberg
- Department of Neurobiology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, USA.
- Argonne National Laboratory, Biosciences Division, Lemont, USA.
| | - Hanyu Li
- Department of Neurobiology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, USA
- Argonne National Laboratory, Biosciences Division, Lemont, USA
| | - Vandana Sampathkumar
- Department of Neurobiology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, USA
- Argonne National Laboratory, Biosciences Division, Lemont, USA
| | - Anastasia Sorokina
- Department of Neurobiology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, USA
- Argonne National Laboratory, Biosciences Division, Lemont, USA
| | - Narayanan Kasthuri
- Department of Neurobiology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, USA.
- Argonne National Laboratory, Biosciences Division, Lemont, USA.
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Ugarte G, Piña R, Contreras D, Godoy F, Rubio D, Rozas C, Zeise M, Vidal R, Escobar J, Morales B. Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): From Abnormal Behavior to Impairment in Synaptic Plasticity. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:1241. [PMID: 37759640 PMCID: PMC10525904 DOI: 10.3390/biology12091241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with high incidence in children and adolescents characterized by motor hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has revealed that neuroanatomical abnormalities such as the volume reduction in the neocortex and hippocampus are shared by several neuropsychiatric diseases such as schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder and ADHD. Furthermore, the abnormal development and postnatal pruning of dendritic spines of neocortical neurons in schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability are well documented. Dendritic spines are dynamic structures exhibiting Hebbian and homeostatic plasticity that triggers intracellular cascades involving glutamate receptors, calcium influx and remodeling of the F-actin network. The long-term potentiation (LTP)-induced insertion of postsynaptic glutamate receptors is associated with the enlargement of spine heads and long-term depression (LTD) with spine shrinkage. Using a murine model of ADHD, a delay in dendritic spines' maturation in CA1 hippocampal neurons correlated with impaired working memory and hippocampal LTP has recently reported. The aim of this review is to summarize recent evidence that has emerged from studies focused on the neuroanatomical and genetic features found in ADHD patients as well as reports from animal models describing the molecular structure and remodeling of dendritic spines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gonzalo Ugarte
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Biology, Faculty of Chemistry and Biology, University of Santiago of Chile, Santiago 9170022, Chile; (G.U.); (D.C.); (F.G.); (D.R.); (C.R.)
| | - Ricardo Piña
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Metropolitan University of Education Sciences, Santiago 7760197, Chile;
- Department of Human Sciences, Faculty of Human Science, Bernardo O’Higgins University, Santiago 8370854, Chile
| | - Darwin Contreras
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Biology, Faculty of Chemistry and Biology, University of Santiago of Chile, Santiago 9170022, Chile; (G.U.); (D.C.); (F.G.); (D.R.); (C.R.)
| | - Felipe Godoy
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Biology, Faculty of Chemistry and Biology, University of Santiago of Chile, Santiago 9170022, Chile; (G.U.); (D.C.); (F.G.); (D.R.); (C.R.)
| | - David Rubio
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Biology, Faculty of Chemistry and Biology, University of Santiago of Chile, Santiago 9170022, Chile; (G.U.); (D.C.); (F.G.); (D.R.); (C.R.)
| | - Carlos Rozas
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Biology, Faculty of Chemistry and Biology, University of Santiago of Chile, Santiago 9170022, Chile; (G.U.); (D.C.); (F.G.); (D.R.); (C.R.)
| | - Marc Zeise
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, University of Santiago of Chile, Santiago 9170022, Chile;
| | - Rodrigo Vidal
- Laboratory of Genomics, Molecular Ecology and Evolutionary Studies, Department of Biology, Faculty of Chemistry and Biology, University of Santiago of Chile, Santiago 9170022, Chile;
| | - Jorge Escobar
- Institute of Chemistry, Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, Valparaíso 2340000, Chile
| | - Bernardo Morales
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Biology, Faculty of Chemistry and Biology, University of Santiago of Chile, Santiago 9170022, Chile; (G.U.); (D.C.); (F.G.); (D.R.); (C.R.)
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10
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Pchitskaya E, Vasiliev P, Smirnova D, Chukanov V, Bezprozvanny I. SpineTool is an open-source software for analysis of morphology of dendritic spines. Sci Rep 2023; 13:10561. [PMID: 37386071 PMCID: PMC10310755 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-37406-4] [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: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Dendritic spines form most excitatory synaptic inputs in neurons and these spines are altered in many neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. Reliable methods to assess and quantify dendritic spines morphology are needed, but most existing methods are subjective and labor intensive. To solve this problem, we developed an open-source software that allows segmentation of dendritic spines from 3D images, extraction of their key morphological features, and their classification and clustering. Instead of commonly used spine descriptors based on numerical metrics we used chord length distribution histogram (CLDH) approach. CLDH method depends on distribution of lengths of chords randomly generated within dendritic spines volume. To achieve less biased analysis, we developed a classification procedure that uses machine-learning algorithm based on experts' consensus and machine-guided clustering tool. These approaches to unbiased and automated measurements, classification and clustering of synaptic spines that we developed should provide a useful resource for a variety of neuroscience and neurodegenerative research applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina Pchitskaya
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurodegeneration, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, Khlopina St. 11, St. Petersburg, Russia, 194021.
| | - Peter Vasiliev
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurodegeneration, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, Khlopina St. 11, St. Petersburg, Russia, 194021
- Department of Applied Mathematics, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, Polytechnicheskaya St. 29, St. Petersburg, Russia, 195251
| | - Daria Smirnova
- Department of Applied Mathematics, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, Polytechnicheskaya St. 29, St. Petersburg, Russia, 195251
| | - Vyacheslav Chukanov
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurodegeneration, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, Khlopina St. 11, St. Petersburg, Russia, 194021
- Department of Applied Mathematics, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, Polytechnicheskaya St. 29, St. Petersburg, Russia, 195251
| | - Ilya Bezprozvanny
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurodegeneration, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, Khlopina St. 11, St. Petersburg, Russia, 194021.
- Department of Physiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.
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11
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Tamada H. Three-dimensional ultrastructure analysis of organelles in injured motor neuron. Anat Sci Int 2023:10.1007/s12565-023-00720-y. [PMID: 37071350 DOI: 10.1007/s12565-023-00720-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023]
Abstract
Morphological analysis of organelles is one of the important clues for understanding the cellular conditions and mechanisms occurring in cells. In particular, nanoscale information within crowded intracellular organelles of tissues provide more direct implications when compared to analyses of cells in culture or isolation. However, there are some difficulties in detecting individual shape using light microscopy, including super-resolution microscopy. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), wherein the ultrastructure can be imaged at the membrane level, cannot determine the whole structure, and analyze it quantitatively. Volume EM, such as focused ion beam/scanning electron microscopy (FIB/SEM), can be a powerful tool to explore the details of three-dimensional ultrastructures even within a certain volume, and to measure several parameters from them. In this review, the advantages of FIB/SEM analysis in organelle studies are highlighted along with the introduction of mitochondrial analysis in injured motor neurons. This would aid in understanding the morphological details of mitochondria, especially those distributed in the cell bodies as well as in the axon initial segment (AIS) in mouse tissues. These regions have not been explored thus far due to the difficulties encountered in accessing their images by conditional microscopies. Some mechanisms of nerve regeneration have also been discussed with reference to the obtained findings. Finally, future perspectives on FIB/SEM are introduced. The combination of biochemical and genetic understanding of organelle structures and a nanoscale understanding of their three-dimensional distribution and morphology will help to match achievements in genomics and structural biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiromi Tamada
- Functional Anatomy and Neuroscience, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-Ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 466-8550, Japan.
- Anatomy, Graduate School of Medicines, University of Fukui, Matsuokashimoaizuki, Eiheiji-Cho, Yoshida-Gun, Fukui, 910-1193, Japan.
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12
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Vaughen JP, Theisen E, Clandinin TR. From seconds to days: Neural plasticity viewed through a lipid lens. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2023; 80:102702. [PMID: 36965206 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2023.102702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/27/2023]
Abstract
Many adult neurons are dynamically remodeled across timescales ranging from the rapid addition and removal of specific synaptic connections, to largescale structural plasticity events that reconfigure circuits over hours, days, and months. Membrane lipids, including brain-enriched sphingolipids, play crucial roles in these processes. In this review, we summarize progress at the intersection of neuronal activity, lipids, and structural remodeling. We highlight how brain activity modulates lipid metabolism to enable adaptive structural plasticity, and showcase glia as key players in membrane remodeling. These studies reveal that lipids act as critical signaling molecules that instruct the dynamic architecture of the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- John P Vaughen
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, United States; Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, United States. https://twitter.com/gliaful
| | - Emma Theisen
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, United States. https://twitter.com/emmaktheisen
| | - Thomas R Clandinin
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, United States.
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13
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Altered integration of excitatory inputs onto the basal dendrites of layer 5 pyramidal neurons in a mouse model of Fragile X syndrome. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2208963120. [PMID: 36595706 PMCID: PMC9926222 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2208963120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Layer 5 (L5) pyramidal neurons receive predictive and sensory inputs in a compartmentalized manner at their apical and basal dendrites, respectively. To uncover how integration of sensory inputs is affected in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), we used two-photon glutamate uncaging to activate spines in the basal dendrites of L5 pyramidal neurons from a mouse model of Fragile X syndrome (FXS), the most common genetic cause of ASD. While subthreshold excitatory inputs integrate linearly in wild-type animals, surprisingly those with FXS summate sublinearly, contradicting what would be expected of sensory hypersensitivity classically associated with ASD. We next investigated the mechanism underlying this sublinearity by performing knockdown of the regulatory β4 subunit of BK channels, which rescued the synaptic integration, a result that was corroborated with numerical simulations. Taken together, these findings suggest that there is a differential impairment in the integration of feedforward sensory and feedback predictive inputs in L5 pyramidal neurons in FXS and potentially other forms of ASD, as a result of specifically localized subcellular channelopathies. These results challenge the traditional view that FXS and other ASD are characterized by sensory hypersensitivity, proposing instead a hyposensitivity of sensory inputs and hypersensitivity of predictive inputs onto cortical neurons.
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14
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Heck N, Santos MD. Dendritic Spines in Learning and Memory: From First Discoveries to Current Insights. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2023; 34:311-348. [PMID: 37962799 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-36159-3_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
The central nervous system is composed of neural ensembles, and their activity patterns are neural correlates of cognitive functions. Those ensembles are networks of neurons connected to each other by synapses. Most neurons integrate synaptic signal through a remarkable subcellular structure called spine. Dendritic spines are protrusions whose diverse shapes make them appear as a specific neuronal compartment, and they have been the focus of studies for more than a century. Soon after their first description by Ramón y Cajal, it has been hypothesized that spine morphological changes could modify neuronal connectivity and sustain cognitive abilities. Later studies demonstrated that changes in spine density and morphology occurred in experience-dependent plasticity during development, and in clinical cases of mental retardation. This gave ground for the assumption that dendritic spines are the particular locus of cerebral plasticity. With the discovery of synaptic long-term potentiation, a research program emerged with the aim to establish whether dendritic spine plasticity could explain learning and memory. The development of live imaging methods revealed on the one hand that dendritic spine remodeling is compatible with learning process and, on the other hand, that their long-term stability is compatible with lifelong memories. Furthermore, the study of the mechanisms of spine growth and maintenance shed new light on the rules of plasticity. In behavioral paradigms of memory, spine formation or elimination and morphological changes were found to correlate with learning. In a last critical step, recent experiments have provided evidence that dendritic spines play a causal role in learning and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Heck
- Laboratory Neurosciences Paris Seine, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France.
| | - Marc Dos Santos
- Department of Neuroscience, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
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15
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Petanjek Z, Banovac I, Sedmak D, Hladnik A. Dendritic Spines: Synaptogenesis and Synaptic Pruning for the Developmental Organization of Brain Circuits. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2023; 34:143-221. [PMID: 37962796 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-36159-3_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Synaptic overproduction and elimination is a regular developmental event in the mammalian brain. In the cerebral cortex, synaptic overproduction is almost exclusively correlated with glutamatergic synapses located on dendritic spines. Therefore, analysis of changes in spine density on different parts of the dendritic tree in identified classes of principal neurons could provide insight into developmental reorganization of specific microcircuits.The activity-dependent stabilization and selective elimination of the initially overproduced synapses is a major mechanism for generating diversity of neural connections beyond their genetic determination. The largest number of overproduced synapses was found in the monkey and human cerebral cortex. The highest (exceeding adult values by two- to threefold) and most protracted overproduction (up to third decade of life) was described for associative layer IIIC pyramidal neurons in the human dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.Therefore, the highest proportion and extraordinarily extended phase of synaptic spine overproduction is a hallmark of neural circuitry in human higher-order associative areas. This indicates that microcircuits processing the most complex human cognitive functions have the highest level of developmental plasticity. This finding is the backbone for understanding the effect of environmental impact on the development of the most complex, human-specific cognitive and emotional capacities, and on the late onset of human-specific neuropsychiatric disorders, such as autism and schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zdravko Petanjek
- Department of Anatomy and Clinical Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
- Center of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
| | - Ivan Banovac
- Department of Anatomy and Clinical Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Center of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Dora Sedmak
- Department of Anatomy and Clinical Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Center of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ana Hladnik
- Department of Anatomy and Clinical Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Center of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
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16
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Sun C, Schuman EM. Logistics of neuronal protein turnover: Numbers and mechanisms. Mol Cell Neurosci 2022; 123:103793. [PMID: 36396040 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2022.103793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Research in the past twenty years or so has revealed that neurons synthesize and degrade proteins at their synapses to enable synaptic proteome remodelling on demand and in real-time. Here we provide a quantitative overview of the decentralized neuronal protein-turnover logistics. We first analyse the huge neuronal protein turnover demand that arises from subcellular compartments outside the cell body, followed by an overview of key quantities and modulation strategies in neuronal protein turnover logistics. In the end, we briefly review recent progress in neuronal local protein synthesis and summarize diverse protein-degradation mechanisms that are found near synapses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Sun
- Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Erin M Schuman
- Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
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17
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Vardalaki D, Chung K, Harnett MT. Filopodia are a structural substrate for silent synapses in adult neocortex. Nature 2022; 612:323-327. [PMID: 36450984 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05483-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Newly generated excitatory synapses in the mammalian cortex lack sufficient AMPA-type glutamate receptors to mediate neurotransmission, resulting in functionally silent synapses that require activity-dependent plasticity to mature. Silent synapses are abundant in early development, during which they mediate circuit formation and refinement, but they are thought to be scarce in adulthood1. However, adults retain a capacity for neural plasticity and flexible learning that suggests that the formation of new connections is still prevalent. Here we used super-resolution protein imaging to visualize synaptic proteins at 2,234 synapses from layer 5 pyramidal neurons in the primary visual cortex of adult mice. Unexpectedly, about 25% of these synapses lack AMPA receptors. These putative silent synapses were located at the tips of thin dendritic protrusions, known as filopodia, which were more abundant by an order of magnitude than previously believed (comprising about 30% of all dendritic protrusions). Physiological experiments revealed that filopodia do indeed lack AMPA-receptor-mediated transmission, but they exhibit NMDA-receptor-mediated synaptic transmission. We further showed that functionally silent synapses on filopodia can be unsilenced through Hebbian plasticity, recruiting new active connections into a neuron's input matrix. These results challenge the model that functional connectivity is largely fixed in the adult cortex and demonstrate a new mechanism for flexible control of synaptic wiring that expands the learning capabilities of the mature brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitra Vardalaki
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA.,Department of Brain & Cognitive Sciences, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Kwanghun Chung
- Department of Brain & Cognitive Sciences, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA.,Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA.,Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA.,Department of Chemical Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA.,Broad Institute of Harvard University and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Mark T Harnett
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA. .,Department of Brain & Cognitive Sciences, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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18
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Bell MK, Holst MV, Lee CT, Rangamani P. Dendritic spine morphology regulates calcium-dependent synaptic weight change. J Gen Physiol 2022; 154:e202112980. [PMID: 35819365 PMCID: PMC9280073 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.202112980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Revised: 05/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Dendritic spines act as biochemical computational units and must adapt their responses according to their activation history. Calcium influx acts as the first signaling step during postsynaptic activation and is a determinant of synaptic weight change. Dendritic spines also come in a variety of sizes and shapes. To probe the relationship between calcium dynamics and spine morphology, we used a stochastic reaction-diffusion model of calcium dynamics in idealized and realistic geometries. We show that despite the stochastic nature of the various calcium channels, receptors, and pumps, spine size and shape can modulate calcium dynamics and subsequently synaptic weight updates in a deterministic manner. Through a series of exhaustive simulations and analyses, we found that the calcium dynamics and synaptic weight change depend on the volume-to-surface area of the spine. The relationships between calcium dynamics and spine morphology identified in idealized geometries also hold in realistic geometries, suggesting that there are geometrically determined deterministic relationships that may modulate synaptic weight change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam K. Bell
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Maven V. Holst
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Christopher T. Lee
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Padmini Rangamani
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
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19
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Abstract
Depression is an episodic form of mental illness characterized by mood state transitions with poorly understood neurobiological mechanisms. Antidepressants reverse the effects of stress and depression on synapse function, enhancing neurotransmission, increasing plasticity, and generating new synapses in stress-sensitive brain regions. These properties are shared to varying degrees by all known antidepressants, suggesting that synaptic remodeling could play a key role in depression pathophysiology and antidepressant function. Still, it is unclear whether and precisely how synaptogenesis contributes to mood state transitions. Here, we review evidence supporting an emerging model in which depression is defined by a distinct brain state distributed across multiple stress-sensitive circuits, with neurons assuming altered functional properties, synapse configurations, and, importantly, a reduced capacity for plasticity and adaptation. Antidepressants act initially by facilitating plasticity and enabling a functional reconfiguration of this brain state. Subsequently, synaptogenesis plays a specific role in sustaining these changes over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Puja K Parekh
- Department of Psychiatry and Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA;
| | - Shane B Johnson
- Department of Psychiatry and Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA;
| | - Conor Liston
- Department of Psychiatry and Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA;
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20
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Bonilla-Quintana M, Rangamani P. Can biophysical models of dendritic spines be used to explore synaptic changes associated with addiction? Phys Biol 2022; 19. [PMID: 35508164 DOI: 10.1088/1478-3975/ac6cbe] [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: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Effective treatments that prevent or reduce drug relapse vulnerability should be developed to relieve the high burden of drug addiction on society. This will only be possible by enhancing the understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the neurobiology of addiction. Recent experimental data have shown that dendritic spines, small protrusions from the dendrites that receive excitatory input, of spiny neurons in the nucleus accumbens exhibit morphological changes during drug exposure and withdrawal. Moreover, these changes relate to the characteristic drug-seeking behavior of addiction. However, due to the complexity of the dendritic spines, we do not yet fully understand the processes underlying their structural changes in response to different inputs. We propose that biophysical models can enhance the current understanding of these processes by incorporating different, and sometimes, discrepant experimental data to identify the shared underlying mechanisms and generate experimentally testable hypotheses. This review aims to give an up-to-date report on biophysical models of dendritic spines, focusing on those models that describe their shape changes, which are well-known to relate to learning and memory. Moreover, it examines how these models can enhance our understanding of the effect of the drugs and the synaptic changes during withdrawal, as well as during neurodegenerative disease progression such as Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayte Bonilla-Quintana
- Mechanical Aerospace Engineering, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California, 92093-0021, UNITED STATES
| | - Padmini Rangamani
- Mechanical Aerospace Engineering, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California, 92093-0021, UNITED STATES
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21
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Tazerart S, Blanchard MG, Miranda-Rottmann S, Mitchell DE, Navea Pina B, Thomas CI, Kamasawa N, Araya R. Selective activation of BK channels in small-headed dendritic spines suppresses excitatory postsynaptic potentials. J Physiol 2022; 600:2165-2187. [PMID: 35194785 DOI: 10.1113/jp282303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Dendritic spines are the main receptacles of excitatory information in the brain. Their particular morphology, with a small head connected to the dendrite by a slender neck, has inspired theoretical and experimental work to understand how these structural features affect the processing, storage and integration of synaptic inputs in pyramidal neurons (PNs). The activation of glutamate receptors in spines triggers a large voltage change as well as calcium signals at the spine head. Thus, voltage-gated and calcium-activated potassium channels located in the spine head likely play a key role in synaptic transmission. Here we study the presence and function of large conductance calcium-activated potassium (BK) channels in spines from layer 5 PNs. We found that BK channels are localized to dendrites and spines regardless of their size, but their activity can only be detected in spines with small head volumes (≤0.09 μm3 ), which reduces the amplitude of two-photon uncaging excitatory postsynaptic potentials recorded at the soma. In addition, we found that calcium signals in spines with small head volumes are significantly larger than those observed in spines with larger head volumes. In accordance with our experimental data, numerical simulations predict that synaptic inputs impinging onto spines with small head volumes generate voltage responses and calcium signals within the spine head itself that are significantly larger than those observed in spines with larger head volumes, which are sufficient to activate spine BK channels. These results show that BK channels are selectively activated in small-headed spines, suggesting a new level of dendritic spine-mediated regulation of synaptic processing, integration and plasticity in cortical PNs. KEY POINTS: BK channels are expressed in the visual cortex and layer 5 pyramidal neuron somata, dendrites and spines regardless of their size. BK channels are selectively activated in small-headed spines (≤0.09 μm3 ), which reduces the amplitude of two-photon (2P) uncaging excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) recorded at the soma. Two-photon imaging revealed that intracellular calcium responses in the head of 2P-activated spines are significantly larger in small-headed spines (≤0.09 μm3 ) than in spines with larger head volumes. In accordance with our experimental data, numerical simulations showed that synaptic inputs impinging onto spines with small head volumes (≤0.09 μm3 ) generate voltage responses and calcium signals within the spine head itself that are significantly larger than those observed in spines with larger head volumes, sufficient to activate spine BK channels and suppress EPSPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Tazerart
- Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada.,The CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montréal, Canada
| | - Maxime G Blanchard
- Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada.,The CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montréal, Canada
| | - Soledad Miranda-Rottmann
- Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada.,The CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montréal, Canada
| | - Diana E Mitchell
- Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada.,The CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montréal, Canada
| | - Bruno Navea Pina
- Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada.,The CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montréal, Canada
| | - Connon I Thomas
- The Imaging Center and Electron Microscopy Core Facility, Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Naomi Kamasawa
- The Imaging Center and Electron Microscopy Core Facility, Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Roberto Araya
- Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada.,The CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montréal, Canada
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22
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Pchitskaya E, Rakovskaya A, Chigray M, Bezprozvanny I. Cytoskeleton Protein EB3 Contributes to Dendritic Spines Enlargement and Enhances Their Resilience to Toxic Effects of Beta-Amyloid. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:2274. [PMID: 35216391 PMCID: PMC8875759 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23042274] [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: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
EB3 protein is expressed abundantly in the nervous system and transiently enters the dendritic spines at the tip of the growing microtubule, which leads to spine enlargement. Nevertheless, the role of dynamic microtubules, and particularly EB3 protein, in synapse function is still elusive. By manipulating the EB3 expression level, we have shown that this protein is required for a normal dendritogenesis. Nonetheless, EB3 overexpression also reduces hippocampal neurons dendritic branching and total dendritic length. This effect likely occurs due to the speeding neuronal development cycle from dendrite outgrowth to the step when dendritic spines are forming. Implementing direct morphometric characterization of dendritic spines, we showed that EB3 overexpression leads to a dramatic increase in the dendritic spine head area. EB3 knockout oppositely reduces spine head area and increases spine neck length and spine neck/spine length ratio. The same effect is observed in conditions of amyloid-beta toxicity, modeling Alzheimer`s disease. Neck elongation is supposed to be a common detrimental effect on the spine's shape, which makes them biochemically and electrically less connected to the dendrite. EB3 also potentiates the formation of presynaptic protein Synapsin clusters and CaMKII-alpha preferential localization in spines rather than in dendrites of hippocampal neurons, while its downregulation has an opposite effect and reduces the size of presynaptic protein clusters Synapsin and PSD95. EB3's role in spine development and maturation determines its neuroprotective effect. EB3 overexpression makes dendritic spines resilient to amyloid-beta toxicity, restores altered PSD95 clustering, and reduces CaMKII-alpha localization in spines observed in this pathological state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina Pchitskaya
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurodegeneration, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, Khlopina St. 11, 194021 St. Petersburg, Russia; (E.P.); (A.R.); (M.C.)
| | - Anastasiya Rakovskaya
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurodegeneration, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, Khlopina St. 11, 194021 St. Petersburg, Russia; (E.P.); (A.R.); (M.C.)
| | - Margarita Chigray
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurodegeneration, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, Khlopina St. 11, 194021 St. Petersburg, Russia; (E.P.); (A.R.); (M.C.)
| | - Ilya Bezprozvanny
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurodegeneration, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, Khlopina St. 11, 194021 St. Petersburg, Russia; (E.P.); (A.R.); (M.C.)
- Department of Physiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
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23
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McDougal RA, Conte C, Eggleston L, Newton AJH, Galijasevic H. Efficient Simulation of 3D Reaction-Diffusion in Models of Neurons and Networks. Front Neuroinform 2022; 16:847108. [PMID: 35655652 PMCID: PMC9152282 DOI: 10.3389/fninf.2022.847108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuronal activity is the result of both the electrophysiology and chemophysiology. A neuron can be well-represented for the purposes of electrophysiological simulation as a tree composed of connected cylinders. This representation is also apt for 1D simulations of their chemophysiology, provided the spatial scale is larger than the diameter of the cylinders and there is radial symmetry. Higher dimensional simulation is necessary to accurately capture the dynamics when these criteria are not met, such as with wave curvature, spines, or diffusion near the soma. We have developed a solution to enable efficient finite volume method simulation of reaction-diffusion kinetics in intracellular 3D regions in neuron and network models and provide an implementation within the NEURON simulator. An accelerated version of the CTNG 3D reconstruction algorithm transforms morphologies suitable for ion-channel based simulations into consistent 3D voxelized regions. Kinetics are then solved using a parallel algorithm based on Douglas-Gunn that handles the irregular 3D geometry of a neuron; these kinetics are coupled to NEURON's 1D mechanisms for ion channels, synapses, pumps, and so forth. The 3D domain may cover the entire cell or selected regions of interest. Simulations with dendritic spines and of the soma reveal details of dynamics that would be missed in a pure 1D simulation. We describe and validate the methods and discuss their performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert A McDougal
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, United States.,Center for Medical Informatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States.,Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Cameron Conte
- Center for Medical Informatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States.,Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States.,Department of Statistics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Lia Eggleston
- Yale College, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Adam J H Newton
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, United States.,Center for Medical Informatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, New York, NY, United States
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Wickham RJ, Genné-Bacon EA, Jacob MH. The Spine Lab: A Short-Duration, Fully-Remote Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience. JOURNAL OF UNDERGRADUATE NEUROSCIENCE EDUCATION : JUNE : A PUBLICATION OF FUN, FACULTY FOR UNDERGRADUATE NEUROSCIENCE 2021; 20:A28-A39. [PMID: 35540947 PMCID: PMC9053429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) are increasingly common approaches to provide students with authentic laboratory experiences. Typically, CUREs are semester-long, in-person experiences that can be financially and time prohibitive for some institutions, faculty, and students. Here, we developed a short-duration, fully-online CURE, the Spine Lab, to provide an opportunity for students to conduct original research. In this CURE, we focused on synaptic spines in the mammalian brain; synapses are the unit structure that functions in rapid information processing. The students worked together in pairs and as a class to analyze cortical neuron spine density and structural morphology changes between a mouse line with learning impairments (forebrain-specific β-catenin knockouts [β-cat cKOs]) and control (Ctl) littermates. The students showed their results in an online poster presentation. Their findings show that spine density is significantly reduced, while spine structural maturation is unaltered in the β-cat cKO. Defining pathophysiological changes caused by CTNNB1/β-catenin loss-of-function provides important insights relevant to human disorders caused by disruptive mutations in this gene. To assess the benefits of this CURE, students completed a pre- and post-test assessment including a content quiz, STEM identity survey, and a standardized CURE survey. Participation in the Spine Lab correlated with improved content and STEM identity scores, and decreased negative attitudes about science. Moreover, direct comparison to the CURE database reveals that the Spine Lab produces comparable benefits to traditional CUREs. This work as a whole suggests that short-duration, fully-online CUREs can provide benefit to students and could be an inclusive tool to improve student outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J. Wickham
- Psychology Department, Elizabethtown College, Elizabethtown, PA 17022
| | - Elizabeth A. Genné-Bacon
- Center for Science Education, Department of Medical Education, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111
| | - Michele H. Jacob
- Department of Neuroscience, Sackler Biomedical Graduate School, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111
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Dyer MS, Woodhouse A, Blizzard CA. Cytoplasmic Human TDP-43 Mislocalization Induces Widespread Dendritic Spine Loss in Mouse Upper Motor Neurons. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11070883. [PMID: 34209287 PMCID: PMC8301870 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11070883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is defined by the destruction of upper- and lower motor neurons. Post-mortem, nearly all ALS cases are positive for cytoplasmic aggregates containing the DNA/RNA binding protein TDP-43. Recent studies indicate that this pathogenic mislocalization of TDP-43 may participate in generating hyperexcitability of the upper motor neurons, the earliest detectable change in ALS patients, yet the mechanisms driving this remain unclear. We investigated how mislocalisation of TDP-43 could initiate network dysfunction in ALS. We employed a tetracycline inducible system to express either human wildtype TDP-43 (TDP-43WT) or human TDP-43 that cannot enter the nucleus (TDP-43ΔNLS) in excitatory neurons (Camk2α promoter), crossed Thy1-YFPH mice to visualize dendritic spines, the major site of excitatory synapses. In comparison to both TDP-43WT and controls, TDP-43ΔNLS drove a robust loss in spine density in all the dendrite regions of the upper motor neurons, most affecting thin spines. This indicates that TDP-43 is involved in the generation of network dysfunction in ALS likely through impacting the formation or durability of excitatory synapses. These findings are relevant to the vast majority of ALS cases, and provides further evidence that upper motor neurons may need to be protected from TDP-43 mediated synaptic excitatory changes early in disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus S. Dyer
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, College Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia;
| | - Adele Woodhouse
- Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, College Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia;
| | - Catherine A. Blizzard
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, College Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia;
- Correspondence:
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