1
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Calì C. Regulated exocytosis from astrocytes: a matter of vesicles? Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1393165. [PMID: 38800570 PMCID: PMC11116621 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1393165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Corrado Calì
- Department of Neuroscience “Rita Levi Montalcini”, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, Orbassano, Italy
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2
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Baldwin KT, Murai KK, Khakh BS. Astrocyte morphology. Trends Cell Biol 2023:S0962-8924(23)00204-0. [PMID: 38180380 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2023.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Astrocytes are predominant glial cells that tile the central nervous system (CNS). A cardinal feature of astrocytes is their complex and visually enchanting morphology, referred to as bushy, spongy, and star-like. A central precept of this review is that such complex morphological shapes evolved to allow astrocytes to contact and signal with diverse cells at a range of distances in order to sample, regulate, and contribute to the extracellular milieu, and thus participate widely in cell-cell signaling during physiology and disease. The recent use of improved imaging methods and cell-specific molecular evaluations has revealed new information on the structural organization and molecular underpinnings of astrocyte morphology, the mechanisms of astrocyte morphogenesis, and the contributions to disease states of reduced morphology. These insights have reignited interest in astrocyte morphological complexity as a cornerstone of fundamental glial biology and as a critical substrate for multicellular spatial and physiological interactions in the CNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine T Baldwin
- Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
| | - Keith K Murai
- Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital, 1650 Cedar Avenue, Montreal, QC H3G 1A4, Canada.
| | - Baljit S Khakh
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, 10833 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90034, USA; Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, 10833 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90034, USA.
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3
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Villanueva CB, Stephensen HJT, Mokso R, Benraiss A, Sporring J, Goldman SA. Astrocytic engagement of the corticostriatal synaptic cleft is disrupted in a mouse model of Huntington's disease. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2210719120. [PMID: 37279261 PMCID: PMC10268590 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2210719120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Astroglial dysfunction contributes to the pathogenesis of Huntington's disease (HD), and glial replacement can ameliorate the disease course. To establish the topographic relationship of diseased astrocytes to medium spiny neuron (MSN) synapses in HD, we used 2-photon imaging to map the relationship of turboRFP-tagged striatal astrocytes and rabies-traced, EGFP-tagged coupled neuronal pairs in R6/2 HD and wild-type (WT) mice. The tagged, prospectively identified corticostriatal synapses were then studied by correlated light electron microscopy followed by serial block-face scanning EM, allowing nanometer-scale assessment of synaptic structure in 3D. By this means, we compared the astrocytic engagement of single striatal synapses in HD and WT brains. R6/2 HD astrocytes exhibited constricted domains, with significantly less coverage of mature dendritic spines than WT astrocytes, despite enhanced engagement of immature, thin spines. These data suggest that disease-dependent changes in the astroglial engagement and sequestration of MSN synapses enable the high synaptic and extrasynaptic levels of glutamate and K+ that underlie striatal hyperexcitability in HD. As such, these data suggest that astrocytic structural pathology may causally contribute to the synaptic dysfunction and disease phenotype of those neurodegenerative disorders characterized by network overexcitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Benitez Villanueva
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Copenhagen N2200, Denmark
| | - Hans J. T. Stephensen
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Copenhagen N2200, Denmark
- Department of Computer Science, University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Science, Copenhagen N2200, Denmark
| | - Rajmund Mokso
- Faculty of Engineering, Division of Solid Mechanics, Lund University, Lund22100, Sweden
| | - Abdellatif Benraiss
- Center for Translational Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY14642
| | - Jon Sporring
- Department of Computer Science, University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Science, Copenhagen N2200, Denmark
| | - Steven A. Goldman
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Copenhagen N2200, Denmark
- Center for Translational Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY14642
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4
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Savtchenko LP, Rusakov DA. Glutamate-Transporter Unbinding in Probabilistic Synaptic Environment Facilitates Activation of Distant NMDA Receptors. Cells 2023; 12:1610. [PMID: 37371080 DOI: 10.3390/cells12121610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Once outside the synaptic cleft, the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate is rapidly bound by its high-affinity transporters, which are expressed in abundance on the surface of perisynaptic astroglia. While this binding and the subsequent uptake of glutamate constrain excitatory transmission mainly within individual synapses, there is growing evidence for the physiologically important extrasynaptic actions of glutamate. However, the mechanistic explanation and the scope of such actions remain obscure. Furthermore, a significant proportion of glutamate molecules initially bound by transporters could be released back into the extracellular space before being translocated into astrocytes. To understand the implications of such effects, we simulated the release, diffusion, and transporter and receptor interactions of glutamate molecules in the synaptic environment. The latter was represented via trial-by-trial stochastic generation of astroglial and neuronal elements in the brain neuropil (overlapping spheroids of varied sizes), rather than using the 'average' morphology, thus reflecting the probabilistic nature of neuropil architectonics. Our simulations predict significant activation of high-affinity receptors, such as receptors of the NMDA type, at distances beyond half-micron from the glutamate release site, with glutamate-transporter unbinding playing an important role. These theoretical predictions are consistent with recent glutamate imaging data, thus lending support to the concept of significant volume-transmitted actions of glutamate in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonid P Savtchenko
- UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Dmitri A Rusakov
- UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
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5
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Fritschi L, Lenk K. Parameter Inference for an Astrocyte Model using Machine Learning Approaches. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.16.540982. [PMID: 37292854 PMCID: PMC10245674 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.16.540982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes are the largest subset of glial cells and perform structural, metabolic, and regulatory functions. They are directly involved in the communication at neuronal synapses and the maintenance of brain homeostasis. Several disorders, such as Alzheimer's, epilepsy, and schizophrenia, have been associated with astrocyte dysfunction. Computational models on various spatial levels have been proposed to aid in the understanding and research of astrocytes. The difficulty of computational astrocyte models is to fastly and precisely infer parameters. Physics informed neural networks (PINNs) use the underlying physics to infer parameters and, if necessary, dynamics that can not be observed. We have applied PINNs to estimate parameters for a computational model of an astrocytic compartment. The addition of two techniques helped with the gradient pathologies of the PINNS, the dynamic weighting of various loss components and the addition of Transformers. To overcome the issue that the neural network only learned the time dependence but did not know about eventual changes of the input stimulation to the astrocyte model, we followed an adaptation of PINNs from control theory (PINCs). In the end, we were able to infer parameters from artificial, noisy data, with stable results for the computational astrocyte model.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kerstin Lenk
- Institute of Neural Engineering, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed, 8010 Graz, Austria
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6
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Delgado L, Navarrete M. Shining the Light on Astrocytic Ensembles. Cells 2023; 12:1253. [PMID: 37174653 PMCID: PMC10177371 DOI: 10.3390/cells12091253] [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: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
While neurons have traditionally been considered the primary players in information processing, the role of astrocytes in this mechanism has largely been overlooked due to experimental constraints. In this review, we propose that astrocytic ensembles are active working groups that contribute significantly to animal conduct and suggest that studying the maps of these ensembles in conjunction with neurons is crucial for a more comprehensive understanding of behavior. We also discuss available methods for studying astrocytes and argue that these ensembles, complementarily with neurons, code and integrate complex behaviors, potentially specializing in concrete functions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marta Navarrete
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 28002 Madrid, Spain
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7
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Fomitcheva IV, Sword J, Shi Y, Kirov SA. Plasticity of perisynaptic astroglia during ischemia-induced spreading depolarization. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:5469-5483. [PMID: 36368909 PMCID: PMC10152098 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac434] [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: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
High astroglial capacity for glutamate and potassium clearance aids in recovering spreading depolarization (SD)-evoked disturbance of ion homeostasis during stroke. Since perisynaptic astroglia cannot be imaged with diffraction-limited light microscopy, nothing is known about the impact of SD on the ultrastructure of a tripartite synapse. We used serial section electron microscopy to assess astroglial synaptic coverage in the sensorimotor cortex of urethane-anesthetized male and female mice during and after SD evoked by transient bilateral common carotid artery occlusion. At the subcellular level, astroglial mitochondria were remarkably resilient to SD compared to dendritic mitochondria that were fragmented by SD. Overall, 482 synapses in `Sham' during `SD' and `Recovery' groups were randomly selected and analyzed in 3D. Perisynaptic astroglia was present at the axon-spine interface (ASI) during SD and after recovery. Astrocytic processes were more likely found at large synapses on mushroom spines after recovery, while the length of the ASI perimeter surrounded by astroglia has also significantly increased at large synapses. These findings suggest that as larger synapses have a bigger capacity for neurotransmitter release during SD, they attract astroglial processes to their perimeter during recovery, limiting extrasynaptic glutamate escape and further enhancing the astrocytic ability to protect synapses in stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioulia V Fomitcheva
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA 30912, United States
| | - Jeremy Sword
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA 30912, United States
| | - Yang Shi
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA 30912, United States
- Division of Biostatistics and Data Science, Department of Population Health Sciences, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA 30912, United States
| | - Sergei A Kirov
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA 30912, United States
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA 30912, United States
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8
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Aten S, Du Y, Taylor O, Dye C, Collins K, Thomas M, Kiyoshi C, Zhou M. Chronic Stress Impairs the Structure and Function of Astrocyte Networks in an Animal Model of Depression. Neurochem Res 2023; 48:1191-1210. [PMID: 35796915 PMCID: PMC9823156 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-022-03663-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Now astrocytes appear to be the key contributors to the pathophysiology of major depression. Evidence in rodents shows that chronic stress is associated with a decreased expression of astrocytic GFAP-immunoreactivity within the cortex in addition to changes in the complexity and length of astrocyte processes. Furthermore, postmortem brains of individuals with depression have revealed a decrease in astrocyte density. Notably, astrocytes are extensively coupled to one another through gap junctions to form a network, or syncytium, and we have previously demonstrated that syncytial isopotentiality is a mechanism by which astrocytes function as an efficient system with respect to brain homeostasis. Interestingly, the question of how astrocyte network function changes following chronic stress is yet to be elucidated. Here, we sought to examine the effects of chronic stress on network-level astrocyte (dys)function. Using a transgenic aldh1l1-eGFP astrocyte reporter mouse, a six-week unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) paradigm as a rodent model of major depression, and immunohistochemical approaches, we show that the morphology of individual astrocytes is altered by chronic stress exposure. Additionally, in astrocyte syncytial isopotentiality measurement, we found that UCMS impairs the syncytial coupling strength of astrocytes within the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex-two brain regions that have been implicated in the regulation of mood. Together, these findings reveal that chronic stress leads to astrocyte atrophy and impaired gap junction coupling, raising the prospect that both individual and network-level astrocyte functionality are important in the etiology of major depression and other neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sydney Aten
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Graves Hall, Rm 4066C, 333 W. 10th Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
- Department of Neurology, Division of Sleep Medicine, and Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yixing Du
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Graves Hall, Rm 4066C, 333 W. 10th Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Olivia Taylor
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Graves Hall, Rm 4066C, 333 W. 10th Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Courtney Dye
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Graves Hall, Rm 4066C, 333 W. 10th Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Kelsey Collins
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Graves Hall, Rm 4066C, 333 W. 10th Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Matthew Thomas
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Graves Hall, Rm 4066C, 333 W. 10th Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Conrad Kiyoshi
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Graves Hall, Rm 4066C, 333 W. 10th Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
- Northern Marianas College, Saipan, MP, USA
| | - Min Zhou
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Graves Hall, Rm 4066C, 333 W. 10th Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.
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9
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Salmon CK, Syed TA, Kacerovsky JB, Alivodej N, Schober AL, Sloan TFW, Pratte MT, Rosen MP, Green M, Chirgwin-Dasgupta A, Mehta S, Jilani A, Wang Y, Vali H, Mandato CA, Siddiqi K, Murai KK. Organizing principles of astrocytic nanoarchitecture in the mouse cerebral cortex. Curr Biol 2023; 33:957-972.e5. [PMID: 36805126 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.01.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes are increasingly understood to be important regulators of central nervous system (CNS) function in health and disease; yet, we have little quantitative understanding of their complex architecture. While broad categories of astrocytic structures are known, the discrete building blocks that compose them, along with their geometry and organizing principles, are poorly understood. Quantitative investigation of astrocytic complexity is impeded by the absence of high-resolution datasets and robust computational approaches to analyze these intricate cells. To address this, we produced four ultra-high-resolution datasets of mouse cerebral cortex using serial electron microscopy and developed astrocyte-tailored computer vision methods for accurate structural analysis. We unearthed specific anatomical building blocks, structural motifs, connectivity hubs, and hierarchical organizations of astrocytes. Furthermore, we found that astrocytes interact with discrete clusters of synapses and that astrocytic mitochondria are distributed to lie closer to larger clusters of synapses. Our findings provide a geometrically principled, quantitative understanding of astrocytic nanoarchitecture and point to an unexpected level of complexity in how astrocytes interact with CNS microanatomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher K Salmon
- Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery, Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital, 1650 Cedar Avenue, Montreal, QC H3G 1A4, Canada
| | - Tabish A Syed
- School of Computer Science and Centre for Intelligent Machines, McGill University, 3480 Rue University, Montreal, QC H3A 2A7, Canada; MILA - Québec AI Institute, 6666 Rue Saint-Urbain, Montreal, QC H2S 3H1, Canada
| | - J Benjamin Kacerovsky
- Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery, Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital, 1650 Cedar Avenue, Montreal, QC H3G 1A4, Canada
| | - Nensi Alivodej
- Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery, Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital, 1650 Cedar Avenue, Montreal, QC H3G 1A4, Canada
| | - Alexandra L Schober
- Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery, Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital, 1650 Cedar Avenue, Montreal, QC H3G 1A4, Canada
| | | | - Michael T Pratte
- Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery, Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital, 1650 Cedar Avenue, Montreal, QC H3G 1A4, Canada
| | - Michael P Rosen
- Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery, Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital, 1650 Cedar Avenue, Montreal, QC H3G 1A4, Canada
| | - Miranda Green
- Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery, Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital, 1650 Cedar Avenue, Montreal, QC H3G 1A4, Canada
| | - Adario Chirgwin-Dasgupta
- Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery, Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital, 1650 Cedar Avenue, Montreal, QC H3G 1A4, Canada
| | - Shaurya Mehta
- School of Computer Science and Centre for Intelligent Machines, McGill University, 3480 Rue University, Montreal, QC H3A 2A7, Canada
| | - Affan Jilani
- School of Computer Science and Centre for Intelligent Machines, McGill University, 3480 Rue University, Montreal, QC H3A 2A7, Canada
| | - Yanan Wang
- School of Computer Science and Centre for Intelligent Machines, McGill University, 3480 Rue University, Montreal, QC H3A 2A7, Canada
| | - Hojatollah Vali
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, McGill University, 3640 Rue University, Montreal, QC H3A 0C7, Canada
| | - Craig A Mandato
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, McGill University, 3640 Rue University, Montreal, QC H3A 0C7, Canada
| | - Kaleem Siddiqi
- School of Computer Science and Centre for Intelligent Machines, McGill University, 3480 Rue University, Montreal, QC H3A 2A7, Canada; MILA - Québec AI Institute, 6666 Rue Saint-Urbain, Montreal, QC H2S 3H1, Canada.
| | - Keith K Murai
- Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery, Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital, 1650 Cedar Avenue, Montreal, QC H3G 1A4, Canada.
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10
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Liu L, Gao H, Li J, Chen S. Probing microdomain Ca 2+ activity and synaptic transmission with a node-based tripartite synapse model. FRONTIERS IN NETWORK PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 3:1111306. [PMID: 36926546 PMCID: PMC10013067 DOI: 10.3389/fnetp.2023.1111306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytic fine processes are the most minor structures of astrocytes but host much of the Ca2+ activity. These localized Ca2+ signals spatially restricted to microdomains are crucial for information processing and synaptic transmission. However, the mechanistic link between astrocytic nanoscale processes and microdomain Ca2+ activity remains hazily understood because of the technical difficulties in accessing this structurally unresolved region. In this study, we used computational models to disentangle the intricate relations of morphology and local Ca2+ dynamics involved in astrocytic fine processes. We aimed to answer: 1) how nano-morphology affects local Ca2+ activity and synaptic transmission, 2) and how fine processes affect Ca2+ activity of large process they connect. To address these issues, we undertook the following two computational modeling: 1) we integrated the in vivo astrocyte morphological data from a recent study performed with super-resolution microscopy that discriminates sub-compartments of various shapes, referred to as nodes and shafts to a classic IP3R-mediated Ca2+ signaling framework describing the intracellular Ca2+ dynamics, 2) we proposed a node-based tripartite synapse model linking with astrocytic morphology to predict the effect of structural deficits of astrocytes on synaptic transmission. Extensive simulations provided us with several biological insights: 1) the width of nodes and shafts could strongly influence the spatiotemporal variability of Ca2+ signals properties but what indeed determined the Ca2+ activity was the width ratio between nodes and shafts, 2) the connectivity of nodes to larger processes markedly shaped the Ca2+ signal of the parent process rather than nodes morphology itself, 3) the morphological changes of astrocytic part might potentially induce the abnormality of synaptic transmission by affecting the level of glutamate at tripartite synapses. Taken together, this comprehensive model which integrated theoretical computation and in vivo morphological data highlights the role of the nanomorphology of astrocytes in signal transmission and its possible mechanisms related to pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Langzhou Liu
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- MoE Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics, School of Engineering Sciences, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Huayi Gao
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- MoE Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics, School of Engineering Sciences, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jinyu Li
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- MoE Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics, School of Engineering Sciences, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shangbin Chen
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- MoE Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics, School of Engineering Sciences, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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11
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Goenaga J, Araque A, Kofuji P, Herrera Moro Chao D. Calcium signaling in astrocytes and gliotransmitter release. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2023; 15:1138577. [PMID: 36937570 PMCID: PMC10017551 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2023.1138577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Glia are as numerous in the brain as neurons and widely known to serve supportive roles such as structural scaffolding, extracellular ionic and neurotransmitter homeostasis, and metabolic support. However, over the past two decades, several lines of evidence indicate that astrocytes, which are a type of glia, play active roles in neural information processing. Astrocytes, although not electrically active, can exhibit a form of excitability by dynamic changes in intracellular calcium levels. They sense synaptic activity and release neuroactive substances, named gliotransmitters, that modulate neuronal activity and synaptic transmission in several brain areas, thus impacting animal behavior. This "dialogue" between astrocytes and neurons is embodied in the concept of the tripartite synapse that includes astrocytes as integral elements of synaptic function. Here, we review the recent work and discuss how astrocytes via calcium-mediated excitability modulate synaptic information processing at various spatial and time scales.
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12
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Brunskine C, Passlick S, Henneberger C. Structural Heterogeneity of the GABAergic Tripartite Synapse. Cells 2022; 11:cells11193150. [PMID: 36231112 PMCID: PMC9563275 DOI: 10.3390/cells11193150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The concept of the tripartite synapse describes the close interaction of pre- and postsynaptic elements and the surrounding astrocyte processes. For glutamatergic synapses, it is established that the presence of astrocytic processes and their structural arrangements varies considerably between and within brain regions and between synapses of the same neuron. In contrast, less is known about the organization of astrocytic processes at GABAergic synapses although bi-directional signaling is known to exist at these synapses too. Therefore, we established super-resolution expansion microscopy of GABAergic synapses and nearby astrocytic processes in the stratum radiatum of the mouse hippocampal CA1 region. By visualizing the presynaptic vesicular GABA transporter and the postsynaptic clustering protein gephyrin, we documented the subsynaptic heterogeneity of GABAergic synaptic contacts. We then compared the volume distribution of astrocytic processes near GABAergic synapses between individual synapses and with glutamatergic synapses. We made two novel observations. First, astrocytic processes were more abundant at the GABAergic synapses with large postsynaptic gephyrin clusters. Second, astrocytic processes were less abundant in the vicinity of GABAergic synapses compared to glutamatergic, suggesting that the latter may be selectively approached by astrocytes. Because of the GABA transporter distribution, we also speculate that this specific arrangement enables more efficient re-uptake of GABA into presynaptic terminals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cindy Brunskine
- Institute of Cellular Neurosciences, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Stefan Passlick
- Institute of Cellular Neurosciences, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Christian Henneberger
- Institute of Cellular Neurosciences, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 53127 Bonn, Germany
- Correspondence:
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13
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Increased Extrasynaptic Glutamate Escape in Stochastically Shaped Probabilistic Synaptic Environment. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10102406. [PMID: 36289667 PMCID: PMC9599130 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10102406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2022] [Revised: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Excitatory synapses in the brain are often surrounded by nanoscopic astroglial processes that express high-affinity glutamate transporters at a high surface density. This ensures that the bulk of glutamate leaving the synaptic cleft is taken up for its subsequent metabolic conversion and replenishment in neurons. Furthermore, variations in the astroglial coverage of synapses can thus determine to what extent glutamate released into the synaptic cleft could activate its receptors outside the cleft. The biophysical determinants of extrasynaptic glutamate actions are complex because they involve a competition between transporters and target receptors of glutamate in the tortuous space of synaptic environment. To understand key spatiotemporal relationships between the extrasynaptic landscapes of bound and free glutamate, we explored a detailed Monte Carlo model for its release, diffusion, and uptake. We implemented a novel representation of brain neuropil in silico as a space filled with randomly scattered, overlapping spheres (spheroids) of distributed size. The parameters of perisynaptic space, astroglial presence, and glutamate transport were constrained by the empirical data obtained for the 'average' environment of common cortical synapses. Our simulations provide a glimpse of the perisynaptic concentration landscapes of free and transporter-bound glutamate relationship, suggesting a significant tail of space-average free glutamate within 3 ms post-release.
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14
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Vignoli B, Canossa M. Perirhinal Cortex LTP Does Not Require Astrocyte BDNF-TrkB Signaling. Cells 2022; 11:cells11091501. [PMID: 35563806 PMCID: PMC9103847 DOI: 10.3390/cells11091501] [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: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurons release and respond to brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) with bursts of brain activity. BDNF action is known to extend to peri-synaptic astrocytes, contributing to synaptic strengthening. This implies that astrocytes have a set of dynamic responses, some of which might be secondary to activation of the tropomyosin tyrosine kinase B (TrkB) receptor. Here, we assessed the contribution of BDNF to long-term synaptic potentiation (LTP), by specifically deleting TrkB in cortical astrocytes. TrkB deletion had no effect on LTP induction, stabilization and maintenance, indicating that TrkB signaling in astrocytes is extraneous to transducing BDNF activity for synaptic strengthening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice Vignoli
- Department of Physics, University of Trento, 38123 Povo (TN), Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Marco Canossa
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, 38123 Povo (TN), Italy;
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15
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Gorzo KA, Gordon GR. Photonics tools begin to clarify astrocyte calcium transients. NEUROPHOTONICS 2022; 9:021907. [PMID: 35211642 PMCID: PMC8857908 DOI: 10.1117/1.nph.9.2.021907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes integrate information from neurons and the microvasculature to coordinate brain activity and metabolism. Using a variety of calcium-dependent cellular mechanisms, these cells impact numerous aspects of neurophysiology in health and disease. Astrocyte calcium signaling is highly diverse, with complex spatiotemporal features. Here, we review astrocyte calcium dynamics and the optical imaging tools used to measure and analyze these events. We briefly cover historical calcium measurements, followed by our current understanding of how calcium transients relate to the structure of astrocytes. We then explore newer photonics tools including super-resolution techniques and genetically encoded calcium indicators targeted to specific cellular compartments and how these have been applied to astrocyte biology. Finally, we provide a brief overview of analysis software used to accurately quantify the data and ultimately aid in our interpretation of the various functions of astrocyte calcium transients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsea A. Gorzo
- University of Calgary, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Grant R. Gordon
- University of Calgary, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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16
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Connexin 43 gap junction-mediated astrocytic network reconstruction attenuates isoflurane-induced cognitive dysfunction in mice. J Neuroinflammation 2022; 19:64. [PMID: 35255943 PMCID: PMC8903726 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-022-02424-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a common complication following anesthesia and surgery. General anesthetic isoflurane has potential neurotoxicity and induces cognitive impairments, but the exact mechanism remains unclear. Astrocytes form interconnected networks in the adult brain through gap junctions (GJs), which primarily comprise connexin 43 (Cx43), and play important roles in brain homeostasis and functions such as memory. However, the role of the GJ-Cx43-mediated astrocytic network in isoflurane-induced cognitive dysfunction has not been defined. Methods 4-month-old male C57BL/6 mice were exposure to long-term isoflurane to induce cognitive impairment. To simulate an in vitro isoflurane-induced cognitive dysfunction‐like condition, primary mouse astrocytes were subjected to long-term isoflurane exposure. Cognitive function was assessed by Y-maze and fear conditioning tests. Western blot was used to determine the expression levels of different functional configurations of Cx43. The morphology of the GJs-Cx43 was evaluated by immunofluorescence staining. Levels of IL-1β and IL-6 were examined by ELISA. The ability of GJs-Cx43-mediated intercellular communication was examined by lucifer yellow dye transfer assay. Ethidium bromide uptake assays were used to measure the activity of Cx43 hemichannels. The ultrastructural morphology of astrocyte gap junctions and tripartite synapse were observed by transmission electron microscopy. Results After long-term isoflurane anesthesia, the GJs formed by Cx43 in the mouse hippocampus and primary mouse astrocytes were significantly reduced, GJs function was impaired, hemichannel activity was enhanced, the levels of IL-1β and IL-6 were increased, and mice showed significant cognitive impairment. After treatment with the novel GJ-Cx43 enhancer ZP1609, GJ-Cx43-mediated astrocytic network function was enhanced, neuroinflammation was alleviated, and ameliorated cognition dysfunction induced by long-term isoflurane exposure. However, ZP1609 enhances the astrocytic network by promoting Cx43 to form GJs without affecting hemichannel activity. Additionally, our data showed that long-term isoflurane exposure does not alter the structure of tripartite synapse. Conclusion Our results reveal a novel mechanism of the GJ-Cx43-mediated astrocytic network involved in isoflurane-induced neuroinflammation and cognitive impairments, which provides new mechanistic insight into the pathogenesis of POCD and identifies potential targets for its treatment. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12974-022-02424-y.
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17
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Ultrastructural view of astrocyte arborization, astrocyte-astrocyte and astrocyte-synapse contacts, intracellular vesicle-like structures, and mitochondrial network. Prog Neurobiol 2022; 213:102264. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2022.102264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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18
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O'Donovan B, Neugornet A, Neogi R, Xia M, Ortinski P. Cocaine experience induces functional adaptations in astrocytes: Implications for synaptic plasticity in the nucleus accumbens shell. Addict Biol 2021; 26:e13042. [PMID: 33864336 DOI: 10.1111/adb.13042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes have become established as an important regulator of neuronal activity in the brain. Accumulating literature demonstrates that cocaine self-administration in rodent models induces structural changes within astrocytes that may influence their interaction with the surrounding neurons. Here, we provide evidence that cocaine impacts astrocytes at the functional level and alters neuronal sensitivity to astrocyte-derived glutamate. We report that a 14-day period of short access to cocaine (2 h/day) decreases spontaneous astrocytic Ca2+ transients and precipitates changes in astrocyte network activity in the nucleus accumbens shell. This is accompanied by increased prevalence of slow inward currents, a physiological marker of neuronal activation by astrocytic glutamate, in a subset of medium spiny neurons. Within, but not outside, of this subset, we observe an increase in duration and frequency of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-mediated synaptic events. Additionally, we find that the link between synaptic NMDA receptor plasticity and neuron sensitivity to astrocytic glutamate is maintained independent of drug exposure and is observed in both cocaine and saline control animals. Imaging analyses of neuronal Ca2+ activity show no effect of cocaine self-administration on individual cells or on neuronal network activity in brain slices. Therefore, our data indicate that cocaine self-administration promotes astrocyte-specific functional changes that can be linked to increased glutamate-mediated coupling with principal neurons in the nucleus accumbens. Such coupling may be spatially restricted as it does not result in a broad impact on network structure of local neuronal circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernadette O'Donovan
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine University of Kentucky Lexington Kentucky USA
| | - Austin Neugornet
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine University of Kentucky Lexington Kentucky USA
| | - Richik Neogi
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine University of Kentucky Lexington Kentucky USA
- Integrated Biomedical Sciences University of Kentucky Lexington Kentucky USA
| | - Mengfan Xia
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine University of Kentucky Lexington Kentucky USA
| | - Pavel Ortinski
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine University of Kentucky Lexington Kentucky USA
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19
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Vignoli B, Sansevero G, Sasi M, Rimondini R, Blum R, Bonaldo V, Biasini E, Santi S, Berardi N, Lu B, Canossa M. Astrocytic microdomains from mouse cortex gain molecular control over long-term information storage and memory retention. Commun Biol 2021; 4:1152. [PMID: 34611268 PMCID: PMC8492720 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02678-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Memory consolidation requires astrocytic microdomains for protein recycling; but whether this lays a mechanistic foundation for long-term information storage remains enigmatic. Here we demonstrate that persistent synaptic strengthening invited astrocytic microdomains to convert initially internalized (pro)-brain-derived neurotrophic factor (proBDNF) into active prodomain (BDNFpro) and mature BDNF (mBDNF) for synaptic re-use. While mBDNF activates TrkB, we uncovered a previously unsuspected function for the cleaved BDNFpro, which increases TrkB/SorCS2 receptor complex at post-synaptic sites. Astrocytic BDNFpro release reinforced TrkB phosphorylation to sustain long-term synaptic potentiation and to retain memory in the novel object recognition behavioral test. Thus, the switch from one inactive state to a multi-functional one of the proBDNF provides post-synaptic changes that survive the initial activation. This molecular asset confines local information storage in astrocytic microdomains to selectively support memory circuits. Beatrice Vignoli et al. examine potential molecular mechanisms of long-term storage information in mice. Their results suggest that astrocytes may help convert neuronal BDNF precursor into active prodomain and mature forms to enhance post-synaptic signaling and memory, providing further insight into the development of memory circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice Vignoli
- Department of Physics, University of Trento, 38123, Povo (TN), Italy. .,Department of Cellular Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, 38123, Povo (TN), Italy.
| | - Gabriele Sansevero
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council (IN-CNR), 56100, Pisa, Italy
| | - Manju Sasi
- Institute of Clinical Neurobiology and Department of Neurology, University Hospital Würzburg, 97078, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Roberto Rimondini
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences (DIMEC), University of Bologna, 40126, Bologna, Italy
| | - Robert Blum
- Institute of Clinical Neurobiology and Department of Neurology, University Hospital Würzburg, 97078, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Valerio Bonaldo
- Department of Cellular Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, 38123, Povo (TN), Italy
| | - Emiliano Biasini
- Department of Cellular Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, 38123, Povo (TN), Italy
| | - Spartaco Santi
- Institute of Molecular Genetics "Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza", National Research Council of Italy, 40136, Bologna, Italy.,IRCCS, Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136, Bologna, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Berardi
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research, Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, 50100, Florence, Italy
| | - Bai Lu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China
| | - Marco Canossa
- Department of Cellular Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, 38123, Povo (TN), Italy.
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20
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Zhang X, Alnafisah RS, Hamoud ARA, Shukla R, Wen Z, McCullumsmith RE, O'Donovan SM. Role of Astrocytes in Major Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Neurochem Res 2021; 46:2715-2730. [PMID: 33411227 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-020-03212-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes are the primary homeostatic cells of the central nervous system, essential for normal neuronal development and function, metabolism and response to injury and inflammation. Here, we review postmortem studies examining changes in astrocytes in subjects diagnosed with the neuropsychiatric disorders schizophrenia (SCZ), major depressive disorder (MDD), and bipolar disorder (BPD). We discuss the astrocyte-related changes described in the brain in these disorders and the potential effects of psychotropic medication on these findings. Finally, we describe emerging tools that can be used to study the role of astrocytes in neuropsychiatric illness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolu Zhang
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine, Block Health Science Building, 3000 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
| | - Rawan S Alnafisah
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine, Block Health Science Building, 3000 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
| | - Abdul-Rizaq A Hamoud
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine, Block Health Science Building, 3000 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
| | - Rammohan Shukla
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine, Block Health Science Building, 3000 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
| | - Zhexing Wen
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Cell Biology, and Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Robert E McCullumsmith
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine, Block Health Science Building, 3000 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA.,Neurosciences Institute, ProMedica, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Sinead M O'Donovan
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine, Block Health Science Building, 3000 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA.
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21
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Liu X, Ying J, Wang X, Zheng Q, Zhao T, Yoon S, Yu W, Yang D, Fang Y, Hua F. Astrocytes in Neural Circuits: Key Factors in Synaptic Regulation and Potential Targets for Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Front Mol Neurosci 2021; 14:729273. [PMID: 34658786 PMCID: PMC8515196 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.729273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes are the major glial cells in the brain, which play a supporting role in the energy and nutritional supply of neurons. They were initially regarded as passive space-filling cells, but the latest progress in the study of the development and function of astrocytes highlights their active roles in regulating synaptic transmission, formation, and plasticity. In the concept of "tripartite synapse," the bidirectional influence between astrocytes and neurons, in addition to their steady-state and supporting function, suggests that any negative changes in the structure or function of astrocytes will affect the activity of neurons, leading to neurodevelopmental disorders. The role of astrocytes in the pathophysiology of various neurological and psychiatric disorders caused by synaptic defects is increasingly appreciated. Understanding the roles of astrocytes in regulating synaptic development and the plasticity of neural circuits could help provide new treatments for these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang, China
| | - Jun Ying
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang, China
| | - Xifeng Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Qingcui Zheng
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang, China
| | - Tiancheng Zhao
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Sungtae Yoon
- Helping Minds International Charitable Foundation, New York, NY, United States
| | - Wen Yu
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang, China
| | - Danying Yang
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang, China
| | - Yang Fang
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang, China
| | - Fuzhou Hua
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang, China
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22
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Mielnicka A, Michaluk P. Exocytosis in Astrocytes. Biomolecules 2021; 11:1367. [PMID: 34572580 PMCID: PMC8471187 DOI: 10.3390/biom11091367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Until recently, astrocytes were thought to be a part of a simple "brain glue" providing only a supporting role for neurons. However, the discoveries of the last two decades have proven astrocytes to be dynamic partners participating in brain metabolism and actively influencing communication between neurons. The means of astrocyte-neuron communication are diverse, although regulated exocytosis has received the most attention but also caused the most debate. Similar to most of eukaryotic cells, astrocytes have a complex range of vesicular organelles which can undergo exocytosis as well as intricate molecular mechanisms that regulate this process. In this review, we focus on the components needed for regulated exocytosis to occur and summarise the knowledge about experimental evidence showing its presence in astrocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Piotr Michaluk
- BRAINCITY, Laboratory of Neurobiology, The Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, PAS, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland;
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23
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Semyanov A, Verkhratsky A. Astrocytic processes: from tripartite synapses to the active milieu. Trends Neurosci 2021; 44:781-792. [PMID: 34479758 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2021.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
We define a new concept of 'active milieu' that unifies all components of nervous tissue (neuronal and glial compartments, extracellular space, extracellular matrix, and vasculature) into a dynamic information processing system. Within this framework, we focus on the role of astrocytic processes, classified into organelle-containing branches and organelle-free leaflets. We argue that astrocytic branches with emanating leaflets are homologous to dendritic shafts with spines. Within the active milieu, astrocytic processes are engaged in reciprocal interactions with neuronal compartments and communication with other cellular and non-cellular elements of the nervous tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexey Semyanov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 117997, Russia; Faculty of Biology, Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia; Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia.
| | - Alexei Verkhratsky
- Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia; Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK; Achucarro Center for Neuroscience, IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, 48011 Bilbao, Spain; Department of Neurosciences, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU and CIBERNED, Leioa, Spain.
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24
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Sherwood MW, Arizono M, Panatier A, Mikoshiba K, Oliet SHR. Astrocytic IP 3Rs: Beyond IP 3R2. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:695817. [PMID: 34393726 PMCID: PMC8363081 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.695817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes are sensitive to ongoing neuronal/network activities and, accordingly, regulate neuronal functions (synaptic transmission, synaptic plasticity, behavior, etc.) by the context-dependent release of several gliotransmitters (e.g., glutamate, glycine, D-serine, ATP). To sense diverse input, astrocytes express a plethora of G-protein coupled receptors, which couple, via Gi/o and Gq, to the intracellular Ca2+ release channel IP3-receptor (IP3R). Indeed, manipulating astrocytic IP3R-Ca2+ signaling is highly consequential at the network and behavioral level: Depleting IP3R subtype 2 (IP3R2) results in reduced GPCR-Ca2+ signaling and impaired synaptic plasticity; enhancing IP3R-Ca2+ signaling affects cognitive functions such as learning and memory, sleep, and mood. However, as a result of discrepancies in the literature, the role of GPCR-IP3R-Ca2+ signaling, especially under physiological conditions, remains inconclusive. One primary reason for this could be that IP3R2 has been used to represent all astrocytic IP3Rs, including IP3R1 and IP3R3. Indeed, IP3R1 and IP3R3 are unique Ca2+ channels in their own right; they have unique biophysical properties, often display distinct distribution, and are differentially regulated. As a result, they mediate different physiological roles to IP3R2. Thus, these additional channels promise to enrich the diversity of spatiotemporal Ca2+ dynamics and provide unique opportunities for integrating neuronal input and modulating astrocyte–neuron communication. The current review weighs evidence supporting the existence of multiple astrocytic-IP3R isoforms, summarizes distinct sub-type specific properties that shape spatiotemporal Ca2+ dynamics. We also discuss existing experimental tools and future refinements to better recapitulate the endogenous activities of each IP3R isoform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark W Sherwood
- University of Bordeaux, INSERM, Neurocentre Magendie, U1215, Bordeaux, France
| | - Misa Arizono
- University of Bordeaux, CNRS, Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, IINS, UMR 5297, Bordeaux, France
| | - Aude Panatier
- University of Bordeaux, INSERM, Neurocentre Magendie, U1215, Bordeaux, France
| | - Katsuhiko Mikoshiba
- ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.,Faculty of Science, Toho University, Funabashi, Japan.,RIKEN CLST, Kobe, Japan
| | - Stéphane H R Oliet
- University of Bordeaux, INSERM, Neurocentre Magendie, U1215, Bordeaux, France
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25
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Savtchenko LP, Zheng K, Rusakov DA. Buffering by Transporters Can Spare Geometric Hindrance in Controlling Glutamate Escape. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:707813. [PMID: 34366791 PMCID: PMC8342858 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.707813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The surface of astrocyte processes that often surround excitatory synapses is packed with high-affinity glutamate transporters, largely preventing extrasynaptic glutamate escape. The shape and prevalence of perisynaptic astroglia vary among brain regions, in some cases providing a complete isolation of synaptic connections from the surrounding tissue. The perception has been that the geometry of perisynaptic environment is therefore essential to preventing extrasynaptic glutamate escape. To understand to what degree this notion holds, we modelled brain neuropil as a space filled with a scatter of randomly sized, overlapping spheres representing randomly shaped cellular elements and intercellular lumen. Simulating release and diffusion of glutamate molecules inside the interstitial gaps in this medium showed that high-affinity transporters would efficiently constrain extrasynaptic spread of glutamate even when diffusion passages are relatively open. We thus estimate that, in the hippocampal or cerebellar neuropil, the bulk of glutamate released by a synaptic vesicle is rapidly bound by transporters (or high-affinity target receptors) mainly in close proximity of the synaptic cleft, whether or not certain physiological or pathological events change local tissue geometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonid P. Savtchenko
- UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Dmitri A. Rusakov
- UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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26
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Mednikova YS, Voronkov DN, Khudoerkov RM, Pasikova NV, Zakharova NM. The Active and Passive Components of Neuronal Excitation and its Glial Support. Biophysics (Nagoya-shi) 2021. [DOI: 10.1134/s0006350921040126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
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27
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Rusakov DA, Stewart MG. Synaptic environment and extrasynaptic glutamate signals: The quest continues. Neuropharmacology 2021; 195:108688. [PMID: 34174263 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Revised: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Behaviour of a mammal relies on the brain's excitatory circuits equipped with glutamatergic synapses. In most cases, glutamate escaping from the synaptic cleft is rapidly buffered and taken up by high-affinity transporters expressed by nearby perisynaptic astroglial processes (PAPs). The spatial relationship between glutamatergic synapses and PAPs thus plays a crucial role in understanding glutamate signalling actions, yet its intricate features can only be fully appreciated using methods that operate beyond the diffraction limit of light. Here, we examine principal aspects pertaining to the receptor actions of glutamate, inside and outside the synaptic cleft in the brain, where the organisation of synaptic micro-physiology and micro-environment play a critical part. In what conditions and how far glutamate can escape the synaptic cleft activating its target receptors outside the immediate synapse has long been the subject of debate. Evidence is also emerging that neuronal activity- and astroglia-dependent glutamate spillover actions could be important across the spectrum of cognitive functions This article is part of the special issue on 'Glutamate Receptors - The Glutamatergic Synapse'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitri A Rusakov
- UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.
| | - Michael G Stewart
- Dept of Life Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK.
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28
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Minge D, Domingos C, Unichenko P, Behringer C, Pauletti A, Anders S, Herde MK, Delekate A, Gulakova P, Schoch S, Petzold GC, Henneberger C. Heterogeneity and Development of Fine Astrocyte Morphology Captured by Diffraction-Limited Microscopy. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:669280. [PMID: 34149361 PMCID: PMC8211899 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.669280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The fine processes of single astrocytes can contact many thousands of synapses whose function they can modulate through bi-directional signaling. The spatial arrangement of astrocytic processes and neuronal structures is relevant for such interactions and for the support of neuronal signaling by astrocytes. At the same time, the geometry of perisynaptic astrocyte processes is variable and dynamically regulated. Studying these fine astrocyte processes represents a technical challenge, because many of them cannot be fully resolved by diffraction-limited microscopy. Therefore, we have established two indirect parameters of astrocyte morphology, which, while not fully resolving local geometry by design, provide statistical measures of astrocyte morphology: the fraction of tissue volume that astrocytes occupy and the density of resolvable astrocytic processes. Both are straightforward to obtain using widely available microscopy techniques. We here present the approach and demonstrate its robustness across various experimental conditions using mainly two-photon excitation fluorescence microscopy in acute slices and in vivo as well as modeling. Using these indirect measures allowed us to analyze the morphology of relatively large populations of astrocytes. Doing so we captured the heterogeneity of astrocytes within and between the layers of the hippocampal CA1 region and the developmental profile of astrocyte morphology. This demonstrates that volume fraction (VF) and segment density are useful parameters for describing the structure of astrocytes. They are also suitable for online monitoring of astrocyte morphology with widely available microscopy techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Minge
- Institute of Cellular Neurosciences, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Cátia Domingos
- Institute of Cellular Neurosciences, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Petr Unichenko
- Institute of Cellular Neurosciences, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Charlotte Behringer
- Institute of Cellular Neurosciences, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Alberto Pauletti
- Institute of Cellular Neurosciences, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Stefanie Anders
- Institute of Cellular Neurosciences, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Michel K Herde
- Institute of Cellular Neurosciences, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Andrea Delekate
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | - Polina Gulakova
- Department of Neuropathology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Susanne Schoch
- Department of Neuropathology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Gabor C Petzold
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany.,Division of Vascular Neurology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Christian Henneberger
- Institute of Cellular Neurosciences, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.,German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany.,Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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29
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Herde MK, Bohmbach K, Domingos C, Vana N, Komorowska-Müller JA, Passlick S, Schwarz I, Jackson CJ, Dietrich D, Schwarz MK, Henneberger C. Local Efficacy of Glutamate Uptake Decreases with Synapse Size. Cell Rep 2021; 32:108182. [PMID: 32966786 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2017] [Revised: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Synaptically released glutamate is largely cleared by glutamate transporters localized on perisynaptic astrocyte processes. Therefore, the substantial variability of astrocyte coverage of individual hippocampal synapses implies that the efficacy of local glutamate uptake and thus the spatial fidelity of synaptic transmission is synapse dependent. By visualization of sub-diffraction-limit perisynaptic astrocytic processes and adjacent postsynaptic spines, we show that, relative to their size, small spines display a stronger coverage by astroglial transporters than bigger neighboring spines. Similarly, glutamate transients evoked by synaptic stimulation are more sensitive to pharmacological inhibition of glutamate uptake at smaller spines, whose high-affinity N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) are better shielded from remotely released glutamate. At small spines, glutamate-induced and NMDAR-dependent Ca2+ entry is also more strongly increased by uptake inhibition. These findings indicate that spine size inversely correlates with the efficacy of local glutamate uptake and thereby likely determines the probability of synaptic crosstalk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michel K Herde
- Institute of Cellular Neurosciences, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Kirsten Bohmbach
- Institute of Cellular Neurosciences, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Cátia Domingos
- Institute of Cellular Neurosciences, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Natascha Vana
- Department for Neurosurgery, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | | | - Stefan Passlick
- Institute of Cellular Neurosciences, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Inna Schwarz
- Institute of Epileptology, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Colin J Jackson
- Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Dirk Dietrich
- Department for Neurosurgery, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Martin K Schwarz
- Institute of Epileptology, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Christian Henneberger
- Institute of Cellular Neurosciences, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany; Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK; German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany.
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30
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Ryan RM, Ingram SL, Scimemi A. Regulation of Glutamate, GABA and Dopamine Transporter Uptake, Surface Mobility and Expression. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:670346. [PMID: 33927596 PMCID: PMC8076567 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.670346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurotransmitter transporters limit spillover between synapses and maintain the extracellular neurotransmitter concentration at low yet physiologically meaningful levels. They also exert a key role in providing precursors for neurotransmitter biosynthesis. In many cases, neurons and astrocytes contain a large intracellular pool of transporters that can be redistributed and stabilized in the plasma membrane following activation of different signaling pathways. This means that the uptake capacity of the brain neuropil for different neurotransmitters can be dynamically regulated over the course of minutes, as an indirect consequence of changes in neuronal activity, blood flow, cell-to-cell interactions, etc. Here we discuss recent advances in the mechanisms that control the cell membrane trafficking and biophysical properties of transporters for the excitatory, inhibitory and modulatory neurotransmitters glutamate, GABA, and dopamine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renae M. Ryan
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Susan L. Ingram
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
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31
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Lim D, Semyanov A, Genazzani A, Verkhratsky A. Calcium signaling in neuroglia. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 362:1-53. [PMID: 34253292 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2021.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Glial cells exploit calcium (Ca2+) signals to perceive the information about the activity of the nervous tissue and the tissue environment to translate this information into an array of homeostatic, signaling and defensive reactions. Astrocytes, the best studied glial cells, use several Ca2+ signaling generation pathways that include Ca2+ entry through plasma membrane, release from endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and from mitochondria. Activation of metabotropic receptors on the plasma membrane of glial cells is coupled to an enzymatic cascade in which a second messenger, InsP3 is generated thus activating intracellular Ca2+ release channels in the ER endomembrane. Astrocytes also possess store-operated Ca2+ entry and express several ligand-gated Ca2+ channels. In vivo astrocytes generate heterogeneous Ca2+ signals, which are short and frequent in distal processes, but large and relatively rare in soma. In response to neuronal activity intracellular and inter-cellular astrocytic Ca2+ waves can be produced. Astrocytic Ca2+ signals are involved in secretion, they regulate ion transport across cell membranes, and are contributing to cell morphological plasticity. Therefore, astrocytic Ca2+ signals are linked to fundamental functions of the central nervous system ranging from synaptic transmission to behavior. In oligodendrocytes, Ca2+ signals are generated by plasmalemmal Ca2+ influx, or by release from intracellular stores, or by combination of both. Microglial cells exploit Ca2+ permeable ionotropic purinergic receptors and transient receptor potential channels as well as ER Ca2+ release. In this contribution, basic morphology of glial cells, glial Ca2+ signaling toolkit, intracellular Ca2+ signals and Ca2+-regulated functions are discussed with focus on astrocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitry Lim
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy.
| | - Alexey Semyanov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia; Faculty of Biology, Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia; Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Armando Genazzani
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
| | - Alexei Verkhratsky
- Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia; Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom; Achucarro Centre for Neuroscience, IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain.
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32
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Verisokin AY, Verveyko DV, Postnov DE, Brazhe AR. Modeling of Astrocyte Networks: Toward Realistic Topology and Dynamics. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:645068. [PMID: 33746715 PMCID: PMC7973220 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.645068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuronal firing and neuron-to-neuron synaptic wiring are currently widely described as orchestrated by astrocytes—elaborately ramified glial cells tiling the cortical and hippocampal space into non-overlapping domains, each covering hundreds of individual dendrites and hundreds thousands synapses. A key component to astrocytic signaling is the dynamics of cytosolic Ca2+ which displays multiscale spatiotemporal patterns from short confined elemental Ca2+ events (puffs) to Ca2+ waves expanding through many cells. Here, we synthesize the current understanding of astrocyte morphology, coupling local synaptic activity to astrocytic Ca2+ in perisynaptic astrocytic processes and morphology-defined mechanisms of Ca2+ regulation in a distributed model. To this end, we build simplified realistic data-driven spatial network templates and compile model equations as defined by local cell morphology. The input to the model is spatially uncorrelated stochastic synaptic activity. The proposed modeling approach is validated by statistics of simulated Ca2+ transients at a single cell level. In multicellular templates we observe regular sequences of cell entrainment in Ca2+ waves, as a result of interplay between stochastic input and morphology variability between individual astrocytes. Our approach adds spatial dimension to the existing astrocyte models by employment of realistic morphology while retaining enough flexibility and scalability to be embedded in multiscale heterocellular models of neural tissue. We conclude that the proposed approach provides a useful description of neuron-driven Ca2+-activity in the astrocyte syncytium.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Darya V Verveyko
- Department of Theoretical Physics, Kursk State University, Kursk, Russia
| | - Dmitry E Postnov
- Department of Optics and Biophotonics, Saratov State University, Saratov, Russia
| | - Alexey R Brazhe
- Department of Biophysics, Biological Faculty, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia.,Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry RAS, Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
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33
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Popov A, Brazhe A, Denisov P, Sutyagina O, Li L, Lazareva N, Verkhratsky A, Semyanov A. Astrocyte dystrophy in ageing brain parallels impaired synaptic plasticity. Aging Cell 2021; 20:e13334. [PMID: 33675569 PMCID: PMC7963330 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2020] [Revised: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Little is known about age-dependent changes in structure and function of astrocytes and of the impact of these on the cognitive decline in the senescent brain. The prevalent view on the age-dependent increase in reactive astrogliosis and astrocytic hypertrophy requires scrutiny and detailed analysis. Using two-photon microscopy in conjunction with 3D reconstruction, Sholl and volume fraction analysis, we demonstrate a significant reduction in the number and the length of astrocytic processes, in astrocytic territorial domains and in astrocyte-to-astrocyte coupling in the aged brain. Probing physiology of astrocytes with patch clamp, and Ca2+ imaging revealed deficits in K+ and glutamate clearance and spatiotemporal reorganisation of Ca2+ events in old astrocytes. These changes paralleled impaired synaptic long-term potentiation (LTP) in hippocampal CA1 in old mice. Our findings may explain the astroglial mechanisms of age-dependent decline in learning and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Popov
- Shemyakin‐Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic ChemistryRussian Academy of SciencesMoscowRussia
- Institute of NeuroscienceNizhny Novgorod UniversityNizhny NovgorodRussia
| | - Alexey Brazhe
- Shemyakin‐Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic ChemistryRussian Academy of SciencesMoscowRussia
- Faculty of BiologyMoscow State UniversityMoscowRussia
| | - Pavel Denisov
- Shemyakin‐Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic ChemistryRussian Academy of SciencesMoscowRussia
- Institute of NeuroscienceNizhny Novgorod UniversityNizhny NovgorodRussia
| | - Oksana Sutyagina
- Shemyakin‐Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic ChemistryRussian Academy of SciencesMoscowRussia
- Institute of NeuroscienceNizhny Novgorod UniversityNizhny NovgorodRussia
| | - Li Li
- Department of PhysiologyJiaxing University College of MedicineZhejiang ProChina
| | | | - Alexei Verkhratsky
- Sechenov First Moscow State Medical UniversityMoscowRussia
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and HealthThe University of ManchesterManchesterUK
- Achucarro Center for NeuroscienceIKERBASQUEBasque Foundation for ScienceBilbaoSpain
- Department of NeurosciencesUniversity of the Basque Country UPV/EHU and CIBERNEDLeioaSpain
| | - Alexey Semyanov
- Shemyakin‐Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic ChemistryRussian Academy of SciencesMoscowRussia
- Faculty of BiologyMoscow State UniversityMoscowRussia
- Sechenov First Moscow State Medical UniversityMoscowRussia
- Department of PhysiologyJiaxing University College of MedicineZhejiang ProChina
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34
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Aboufares El Alaoui A, Jackson M, Fabri M, de Vivo L, Bellesi M. Characterization of Subcellular Organelles in Cortical Perisynaptic Astrocytes. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 14:573944. [PMID: 33633542 PMCID: PMC7901967 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.573944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Perisynaptic astrocytic processes (PAPs) carry out several different functions, from metabolite clearing to control of neuronal excitability and synaptic plasticity. All these functions are likely orchestrated by complex cellular machinery that resides within the PAPs and relies on a fine interplay between multiple subcellular components. However, traditional transmission electron microscopy (EM) studies have found that PAPs are remarkably poor of intracellular organelles, failing to explain how such a variety of PAP functions are achieved in the absence of a proportional complex network of intracellular structures. Here, we use serial block-face scanning EM to reconstruct and describe in three dimensions PAPs and their intracellular organelles in two different mouse cortical regions. We described five distinct organelles, which included empty and full endosomes, phagosomes, mitochondria, and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) cisternae, distributed within three PAPs categories (branches, branchlets, and leaflets). The majority of PAPs belonged to the leaflets category (~60%), with branchlets representing a minority (~37%). Branches were rarely in contact with synapses (<3%). Branches had a higher density of mitochondria and ER cisternae than branchlets and leaflets. Also, branches and branchlets displayed organelles more frequently than leaflets. Endosomes and phagosomes, which accounted for more than 60% of all the organelles detected, were often associated with the same PAP. Likewise, mitochondria and ER cisternae, representing ~40% of all organelles were usually associated. No differences were noted between the organelle distribution of the somatosensory and the anterior cingulate cortex. Finally, the organelle distribution in PAPs did not largely depend on the presence of a spine apparatus or a pre-synaptic mitochondrion in the synapse that PAPs were enwrapping, with some exceptions regarding the presence of phagosomes and ER cisternae, which were slightly more represented around synapses lacking a spine apparatus and a presynaptic mitochondrion, respectively. Thus, PAPs contain several subcellular organelles that could underlie the diverse astrocytic functions carried out at central synapses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amina Aboufares El Alaoui
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy.,School of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Molly Jackson
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Mara Fabri
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy
| | - Luisa de Vivo
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Michele Bellesi
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
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35
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Henneberger C, Bard L, Panatier A, Reynolds JP, Kopach O, Medvedev NI, Minge D, Herde MK, Anders S, Kraev I, Heller JP, Rama S, Zheng K, Jensen TP, Sanchez-Romero I, Jackson CJ, Janovjak H, Ottersen OP, Nagelhus EA, Oliet SHR, Stewart MG, Nägerl UV, Rusakov DA. LTP Induction Boosts Glutamate Spillover by Driving Withdrawal of Perisynaptic Astroglia. Neuron 2020; 108:919-936.e11. [PMID: 32976770 PMCID: PMC7736499 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2020.08.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2019] [Revised: 06/14/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Extrasynaptic actions of glutamate are limited by high-affinity transporters expressed by perisynaptic astroglial processes (PAPs): this helps maintain point-to-point transmission in excitatory circuits. Memory formation in the brain is associated with synaptic remodeling, but how this affects PAPs and therefore extrasynaptic glutamate actions is poorly understood. Here, we used advanced imaging methods, in situ and in vivo, to find that a classical synaptic memory mechanism, long-term potentiation (LTP), triggers withdrawal of PAPs from potentiated synapses. Optical glutamate sensors combined with patch-clamp and 3D molecular localization reveal that LTP induction thus prompts spatial retreat of astroglial glutamate transporters, boosting glutamate spillover and NMDA-receptor-mediated inter-synaptic cross-talk. The LTP-triggered PAP withdrawal involves NKCC1 transporters and the actin-controlling protein cofilin but does not depend on major Ca2+-dependent cascades in astrocytes. We have therefore uncovered a mechanism by which a memory trace at one synapse could alter signal handling by multiple neighboring connections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Henneberger
- UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK; Institute of Cellular Neurosciences, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 53175 Bonn, Germany.
| | - Lucie Bard
- UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Aude Panatier
- INSERM U1215, Neurocentre Magendie, 33000 Bordeaux, France; Université de Bordeaux, 33000 Bordeaux, France; Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, CNRS UMR 5297, 33000 Bordeaux, France
| | - James P Reynolds
- UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Olga Kopach
- UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | | | - Daniel Minge
- Institute of Cellular Neurosciences, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Michel K Herde
- Institute of Cellular Neurosciences, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Stefanie Anders
- Institute of Cellular Neurosciences, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Igor Kraev
- Life Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, UK
| | - Janosch P Heller
- UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Sylvain Rama
- UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Kaiyu Zheng
- UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Thomas P Jensen
- UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | | | - Colin J Jackson
- Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Acton, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Harald Janovjak
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria; EMBL Australia, Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Science, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Ole Petter Ottersen
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, 0317 Oslo, Norway; Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Stephane H R Oliet
- INSERM U1215, Neurocentre Magendie, 33000 Bordeaux, France; Université de Bordeaux, 33000 Bordeaux, France
| | | | - U Valentin Nägerl
- Université de Bordeaux, 33000 Bordeaux, France; Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, CNRS UMR 5297, 33000 Bordeaux, France.
| | - Dmitri A Rusakov
- UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK.
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36
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Montes de Oca Balderas P, Matus Núñez M, Picones A, Hernández-Cruz A. NMDAR in cultured astrocytes: Flux-independent pH sensor and flux-dependent regulator of mitochondria and plasma membrane-mitochondria bridging. FASEB J 2020; 34:16622-16644. [PMID: 33131132 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202001300r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Revised: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor (NMDAR) is critical for neurotransmission as a Ca2+ channel. Nonetheless, flux-independent signaling has also been demonstrated. Astrocytes express NMDAR distinct from its neuronal counterpart, but cultured astrocytes have no electrophysiological response to NMDA. We recently demonstrated that in cultured astrocytes, NMDA at pH6 (NMDA/pH6) acting through the NMDAR elicits flux-independent Ca2+ release from the Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) and depletes mitochondrial membrane potential (mΔΨ). Here we show that Ca2+ release is due to pH6 sensing by NMDAR, whereas mΔΨ depletion requires both: pH6 and flux-dependent NMDAR signaling. Plasma membrane (PM) NMDAR guard a non-random distribution relative to the ER and mitochondria. Also, NMDA/pH6 induces ER stress, endocytosis, PM electrical capacitance reduction, mitochondria-ER, and -nuclear contacts. Strikingly, it also produces the formation of PM invaginations near mitochondria along with structures referred to here as PM-mitochondrial bridges (PM-m-br). These and earlier data strongly suggest PM-mitochondria communication. As proof of the concept of mass transfer, we found that NMDA/pH6 provoked mitochondria labeling by the PM dye FM-4-64FX. NMDA/pH6 caused PM depolarization, cell acidification, and Ca2+ release from most mitochondria. Finally, the MCU and microtubules were not involved in mΔΨ depletion, while actin cytoskeleton was partially involved. These findings demonstrate that NMDAR has concomitant flux-independent and flux-dependent actions in cultured astrocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavel Montes de Oca Balderas
- Unidad de Neurobiología Dinámica, Department of Neurochemistry, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, México City, México.,Laboratorio Nacional de Canalopatías, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México City, México
| | - Mauricio Matus Núñez
- Laboratorio Nacional de Canalopatías, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México City, México
| | - Arturo Picones
- Laboratorio Nacional de Canalopatías, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México City, México
| | - Arturo Hernández-Cruz
- Laboratorio Nacional de Canalopatías, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México City, México
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37
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Augusto-Oliveira M, Arrifano GP, Takeda PY, Lopes-Araújo A, Santos-Sacramento L, Anthony DC, Verkhratsky A, Crespo-Lopez ME. Astroglia-specific contributions to the regulation of synapses, cognition and behaviour. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 118:331-357. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.07.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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38
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Verkhratsky A, Semyanov A, Zorec R. Physiology of Astroglial Excitability. FUNCTION (OXFORD, ENGLAND) 2020; 1:zqaa016. [PMID: 35330636 PMCID: PMC8788756 DOI: 10.1093/function/zqaa016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2020] [Revised: 08/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Classic physiology divides all neural cells into excitable neurons and nonexcitable neuroglia. Neuroglial cells, chiefly responsible for homeostasis and defense of the nervous tissue, coordinate their complex homeostatic responses with neuronal activity. This coordination reflects a specific form of glial excitability mediated by complex changes in intracellular concentration of ions and second messengers organized in both space and time. Astrocytes are equipped with multiple molecular cascades, which are central for regulating homeostasis of neurotransmitters, ionostasis, synaptic connectivity, and metabolic support of the central nervous system. Astrocytes are further provisioned with multiple receptors for neurotransmitters and neurohormones, which upon activation trigger intracellular signals mediated by Ca2+, Na+, and cyclic AMP. Calcium signals have distinct organization and underlying mechanisms in different astrocytic compartments thus allowing complex spatiotemporal signaling. Signals mediated by fluctuations in cytosolic Na+ are instrumental for coordination of Na+ dependent astrocytic transporters with tissue state and homeostatic demands. Astroglial ionic excitability may also involve K+, H+, and Cl-. The cyclic AMP signalling system is, in comparison to ions, much slower in targeting astroglial effector mechanisms. This evidence review summarizes the concept of astroglial intracellular excitability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexei Verkhratsky
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK,Achucarro Center for Neuroscience, Ikerbasque, 48011 Bilbao, Spain,Address correspondence to A.V. (e-mail: )
| | - Alexey Semyanov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117997, Russia,Faculty of Biology, Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia,Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Robert Zorec
- Celica Biomedical, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia,Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology-Molecular Cell Physiology, Institute of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
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39
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Semyanov A, Henneberger C, Agarwal A. Making sense of astrocytic calcium signals — from acquisition to interpretation. Nat Rev Neurosci 2020; 21:551-564. [DOI: 10.1038/s41583-020-0361-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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40
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Popov A, Denisov P, Bychkov M, Brazhe A, Lyukmanova E, Shenkarev Z, Lazareva N, Verkhratsky A, Semyanov A. Caloric restriction triggers morphofunctional remodeling of astrocytes and enhances synaptic plasticity in the mouse hippocampus. Cell Death Dis 2020; 11:208. [PMID: 32231202 PMCID: PMC7105492 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-020-2406-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Calorie-restricted (CR) diet has multiple beneficial effects on brain function. Here we report morphological and functional changes in hippocampal astrocytes in 3-months-old mice subjected to 1 month of the diet. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were performed in the CA1 stratum (str.) radiatum astrocytes of hippocampal slices. The cells were also loaded with fluorescent dye through the patch pipette. CR did not affect the number of astrocytic branches but increased the volume fraction (VF) of distal perisynaptic astrocytic leaflets. The astrocyte growth did not lead to a decrease in the cell input resistance, which may be attributed to a decrease in astrocyte coupling through the gap junctions. Western blotting revealed a decrease in the expression of Cx43 but not Cx30. Immunocytochemical analysis demonstrated a decrease in the density and size of Cx43 clusters. Cx30 cluster density did not change, while their size increased in the vicinity of astrocytic soma. CR shortened K+ and glutamate transporter currents in astrocytes in response to 5 × 50 Hz Schaffer collateral stimulation. However, no change in the expression of astrocytic glutamate transporter 1 (GLT-1) was observed, while the level of glutamine synthetase (GS) decreased. These findings suggest that enhanced enwrapping of synapses by the astrocytic leaflets reduces glutamate and K+ spillover. Reduced spillover led to a decreased contribution of extrasynaptic N2B containing N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) to the tail of burst-induced EPSCs. The magnitude of long-term potentiation (LTP) in the glutamatergic CA3–CA1 synapses was significantly enhanced after CR. This enhancement was abolished by N2B-NMDARs antagonist. Our findings suggest that astrocytic morphofunctional remodeling is responsible for enhanced synaptic plasticity, which provides a basis for improved learning and memory reported after CR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Popov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya street 16/10, Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - Pavel Denisov
- University of Nizhny Novgorod, Gagarin Ave. 23, Nizhny Novgorod, 603950, Russia
| | - Maxim Bychkov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya street 16/10, Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - Alexey Brazhe
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya street 16/10, Moscow, 117997, Russia.,Faculty of Biology, Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1/12, Moscow, 119234, Russia
| | - Ekaterina Lyukmanova
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya street 16/10, Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - Zakhar Shenkarev
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya street 16/10, Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - Natalia Lazareva
- Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Bolshaya Pirogovskaya, 19с1, Moscow, 119146, Russia
| | - Alexei Verkhratsky
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK. .,Achucarro Center for Neuroscience, IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, 48011, Bilbao, Spain.
| | - Alexey Semyanov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya street 16/10, Moscow, 117997, Russia. .,Faculty of Biology, Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1/12, Moscow, 119234, Russia. .,Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Bolshaya Pirogovskaya, 19с1, Moscow, 119146, Russia.
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41
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King CM, Bohmbach K, Minge D, Delekate A, Zheng K, Reynolds J, Rakers C, Zeug A, Petzold GC, Rusakov DA, Henneberger C. Local Resting Ca 2+ Controls the Scale of Astroglial Ca 2+ Signals. Cell Rep 2020; 30:3466-3477.e4. [PMID: 32160550 PMCID: PMC7068654 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.02.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2018] [Revised: 12/21/2019] [Accepted: 02/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Astroglia regulate neurovascular coupling while engaging in signal exchange with neurons. The underlying cellular machinery is thought to rely on astrocytic Ca2+ signals, but what controls their amplitude and waveform is poorly understood. Here, we employ time-resolved two-photon excitation fluorescence imaging in acute hippocampal slices and in cortex in vivo to find that resting [Ca2+] predicts the scale (amplitude) and the maximum (peak) of astroglial Ca2+ elevations. We bidirectionally manipulate resting [Ca2+] by uncaging intracellular Ca2+ or Ca2+ buffers and use ratiometric imaging of a genetically encoded Ca2+ indicator to establish that alterations in resting [Ca2+] change co-directionally the peak level and anti-directionally the amplitude of local Ca2+ transients. This relationship holds for spontaneous and for induced (for instance by locomotion) Ca2+ signals. Our findings uncover a basic generic rule of Ca2+ signal formation in astrocytes, thus also associating the resting Ca2+ level with the physiological "excitability" state of astroglia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire M King
- Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Kirsten Bohmbach
- Institute of Cellular Neurosciences, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Daniel Minge
- Institute of Cellular Neurosciences, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Andrea Delekate
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | - Kaiyu Zheng
- Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - James Reynolds
- Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Cordula Rakers
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | - Andre Zeug
- Cellular Neurophysiology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Gabor C Petzold
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany; Department of Neurology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | | | - Christian Henneberger
- Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK; Institute of Cellular Neurosciences, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany.
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42
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Vardjan N, Parpura V, Verkhratsky A, Zorec R. Gliocrine System: Astroglia as Secretory Cells of the CNS. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2019; 1175:93-115. [PMID: 31583585 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-13-9913-8_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes are secretory cells, actively participating in cell-to-cell communication in the central nervous system (CNS). They sense signaling molecules in the extracellular space, around the nearby synapses and also those released at much farther locations in the CNS, by their cell surface receptors, get excited to then release their own signaling molecules. This contributes to the brain information processing, based on diffusion within the extracellular space around the synapses and on convection when locales relatively far away from the release sites are involved. These functions resemble secretion from endocrine cells, therefore astrocytes were termed to be a part of the gliocrine system in 2015. An important mechanism, by which astrocytes release signaling molecules is the merger of the vesicle membrane with the plasmalemma, i.e., exocytosis. Signaling molecules stored in astroglial secretory vesicles can be discharged into the extracellular space after the vesicle membrane fuses with the plasma membrane. This leads to a fusion pore formation, a channel that must widen to allow the exit of the Vesiclal cargo. Upon complete vesicle membrane fusion, this process also integrates other proteins, such as receptors, transporters and channels into the plasma membrane, determining astroglial surface signaling landscape. Vesiclal cargo, together with the whole vesicle can also exit astrocytes by the fusion of multivesicular bodies with the plasma membrane (exosomes) or by budding of vesicles (ectosomes) from the plasma membrane into the extracellular space. These astroglia-derived extracellular vesicles can later interact with various target cells. Here, the characteristics of four types of astroglial secretory vesicles: synaptic-like microvesicles, dense-core vesicles, secretory lysosomes, and extracellular vesicles, are discussed. Then machinery for vesicle-based exocytosis, second messenger regulation and the kinetics of exocytotic vesicle content discharge or release of extracellular vesicles are considered. In comparison to rapidly responsive, electrically excitable neurons, the receptor-mediated cytosolic excitability-mediated astroglial exocytotic vesicle-based transmitter release is a relatively slow process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Vardjan
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology-Molecular Cell Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Pathophysiology, University of Ljubljana, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia. .,Celica Biomedical, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Vladimir Parpura
- Department of Neurobiology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Alexei Verkhratsky
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK.,Center for Basic and Translational Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Achucarro Center for Neuroscience, IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, 48011, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Robert Zorec
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology-Molecular Cell Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Pathophysiology, University of Ljubljana, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia. .,Celica Biomedical, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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43
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Verkhratsky A, Rodrigues JJ, Pivoriunas A, Zorec R, Semyanov A. Astroglial atrophy in Alzheimer’s disease. Pflugers Arch 2019; 471:1247-1261. [DOI: 10.1007/s00424-019-02310-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Revised: 08/23/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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44
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Denizot A, Arizono M, Nägerl UV, Soula H, Berry H. Simulation of calcium signaling in fine astrocytic processes: Effect of spatial properties on spontaneous activity. PLoS Comput Biol 2019; 15:e1006795. [PMID: 31425510 PMCID: PMC6726244 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1006795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Revised: 09/04/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes, a glial cell type of the central nervous system, have emerged as detectors and regulators of neuronal information processing. Astrocyte excitability resides in transient variations of free cytosolic calcium concentration over a range of temporal and spatial scales, from sub-microdomains to waves propagating throughout the cell. Despite extensive experimental approaches, it is not clear how these signals are transmitted to and integrated within an astrocyte. The localization of the main molecular actors and the geometry of the system, including the spatial organization of calcium channels IP3R, are deemed essential. However, as most calcium signals occur in astrocytic ramifications that are too fine to be resolved by conventional light microscopy, most of those spatial data are unknown and computational modeling remains the only methodology to study this issue. Here, we propose an IP3R-mediated calcium signaling model for dynamics in such small sub-cellular volumes. To account for the expected stochasticity and low copy numbers, our model is both spatially explicit and particle-based. Extensive simulations show that spontaneous calcium signals arise in the model via the interplay between excitability and stochasticity. The model reproduces the main forms of calcium signals and indicates that their frequency crucially depends on the spatial organization of the IP3R channels. Importantly, we show that two processes expressing exactly the same calcium channels can display different types of calcium signals depending on the spatial organization of the channels. Our model with realistic process volume and calcium concentrations successfully reproduces spontaneous calcium signals that we measured in calcium micro-domains with confocal microscopy and predicts that local variations of calcium indicators might contribute to the diversity of calcium signals observed in astrocytes. To our knowledge, this model is the first model suited to investigate calcium dynamics in fine astrocytic processes and to propose plausible mechanisms responsible for their variability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey Denizot
- INRIA, F-69603, Villeurbanne, France
- Univ Lyon, LIRIS, UMR5205 CNRS, F-69621, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Misa Arizono
- Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
- Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, CNRS UMR 5297, Bordeaux, France
| | - U. Valentin Nägerl
- Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
- Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, CNRS UMR 5297, Bordeaux, France
| | - Hédi Soula
- INRIA, F-69603, Villeurbanne, France
- Univ P&M Curie, CRC, INSERM UMRS 1138, F-75006, Paris, France
| | - Hugues Berry
- INRIA, F-69603, Villeurbanne, France
- Univ Lyon, LIRIS, UMR5205 CNRS, F-69621, Villeurbanne, France
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45
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Eilert-Olsen M, Hjukse JB, Thoren AE, Tang W, Enger R, Jensen V, Pettersen KH, Nagelhus EA. Astroglial endfeet exhibit distinct Ca 2+ signals during hypoosmotic conditions. Glia 2019; 67:2399-2409. [PMID: 31350866 DOI: 10.1002/glia.23692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2019] [Revised: 07/12/2019] [Accepted: 07/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytic endfeet cover the brain surface and form a sheath around the cerebral vasculature. An emerging concept is that endfeet control blood-brain water transport and drainage of interstitial fluid and waste along paravascular pathways. Little is known about the signaling mechanisms that regulate endfoot volume and hence the width of these drainage pathways. Here, we used the genetically encoded fluorescent Ca2+ indicator GCaMP6f to study Ca2+ signaling within astrocytic somata, processes, and endfeet in response to an osmotic challenge known to induce cell swelling. Acute cortical slices were subjected to artificial cerebrospinal fluid with 20% reduction in osmolarity while GCaMP6f fluorescence was imaged with two-photon microscopy. Ca2+ signals induced by hypoosmotic conditions were observed in all astrocytic compartments except the soma. The Ca2+ response was most prominent in subpial and perivascular endfeet and included spikes with single peaks, plateau-type elevations, and rapid oscillations, the latter restricted to subpial endfeet. Genetic removal of the type 2 inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate receptor (IP3R2) severely suppressed the Ca2+ responses in endfeet but failed to affect brain water accumulation in vivo after water intoxication. Furthermore, the increase in endfoot Ca2+ spike rate during hypoosmotic conditions was attenuated in mutant mice lacking the aquaporin-4 anchoring molecule dystrophin and after blockage of transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 channels. We conclude that the characteristics and underpinning of Ca2+ responses to hypoosmotic stress differ within the astrocytic territory and that IP3R2 is essential for the Ca2+ signals only in subpial and perivascular endfeet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martine Eilert-Olsen
- Division of Physiology, Department of Molecular Medicine, GliaLab and Letten Centre, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jarand B Hjukse
- Division of Physiology, Department of Molecular Medicine, GliaLab and Letten Centre, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Anna E Thoren
- Division of Physiology, Department of Molecular Medicine, GliaLab and Letten Centre, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Wannan Tang
- Division of Physiology, Department of Molecular Medicine, GliaLab and Letten Centre, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Rune Enger
- Division of Physiology, Department of Molecular Medicine, GliaLab and Letten Centre, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Neurology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Vidar Jensen
- Division of Physiology, Department of Molecular Medicine, GliaLab and Letten Centre, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Klas H Pettersen
- Division of Physiology, Department of Molecular Medicine, GliaLab and Letten Centre, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Erlend A Nagelhus
- Division of Physiology, Department of Molecular Medicine, GliaLab and Letten Centre, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Neurology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
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46
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Wade JJ, Breslin K, Wong-Lin K, Harkin J, Flanagan B, Van Zalinge H, Hall S, Dallas M, Bithell A, Verkhratsky A, McDaid L. Calcium Microdomain Formation at the Perisynaptic Cradle Due to NCX Reversal: A Computational Study. Front Cell Neurosci 2019; 13:185. [PMID: 31133809 PMCID: PMC6513884 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2018] [Accepted: 04/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
It has recently been proposed using a multi-compartmental mathematical model that negatively fixed charged membrane-associated sites constrain the flow of cations in perisynaptic astroglial processes. This restricted movement of ions between the perisynaptic cradle (PsC), principal astroglial processes and the astrocyte soma gives rise to potassium (K+) and sodium (Na+) microdomains at the PsC. The present paper extends the above model to demonstrate that the formation of an Na+ microdomain can reverse the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX) thus providing an additional source of calcium (Ca2+) at the PsC. Results presented clearly show that reversal of the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger is instigated by a glutamate transporter coupled increase in concentration of cytoplasmic [Na+]i at the PsC, which and instigates Ca2+ influx through the NCX. As the flow of Ca2+ along the astrocyte process and away from the PsC is also constrained by Ca2+ binding proteins, then a Ca2+ microdomain forms at the PsC. The paper also serves to demonstrate that the EAAT, NKA, and NCX represent the minimal requirement necessary and sufficient for the development of a Ca2+ microdomain and that these mechanisms directly link neuronal activity and glutamate release to the formation of localized Na+ and Ca2+ microdomains signals at the PsC. This local source of Ca2+ can provide a previously underexplored form of astroglial Ca2+ signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Joseph Wade
- Computational Neuroscience and Neural Engineering (CNET) Research Team, Intelligent Systems Research Centre, Ulster University, Derry, United Kingdom
| | - Kevin Breslin
- Computational Neuroscience and Neural Engineering (CNET) Research Team, Intelligent Systems Research Centre, Ulster University, Derry, United Kingdom
| | - KongFatt Wong-Lin
- Neural Systems and Neurotechnology Research Team, Intelligent Systems Research Centre, Ulster University, Derry, United Kingdom
| | - Jim Harkin
- Computational Neuroscience and Neural Engineering (CNET) Research Team, Intelligent Systems Research Centre, Ulster University, Derry, United Kingdom
| | - Bronac Flanagan
- Computational Neuroscience and Neural Engineering (CNET) Research Team, Intelligent Systems Research Centre, Ulster University, Derry, United Kingdom
| | - Harm Van Zalinge
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Electronics, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Steve Hall
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Electronics, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Mark Dallas
- Reading School of Pharmacy, University of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom
| | - Angela Bithell
- Reading School of Pharmacy, University of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom
| | - Alexei Verkhratsky
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Achucarro Center for Neuroscience, IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Liam McDaid
- Computational Neuroscience and Neural Engineering (CNET) Research Team, Intelligent Systems Research Centre, Ulster University, Derry, United Kingdom
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47
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Gordleeva SY, Ermolaeva AV, Kastalskiy IA, Kazantsev VB. Astrocyte as Spatiotemporal Integrating Detector of Neuronal Activity. Front Physiol 2019; 10:294. [PMID: 31057412 PMCID: PMC6482266 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2018] [Accepted: 03/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The functional role of astrocyte calcium signaling in brain information processing was intensely debated in recent decades. This interest was motivated by high resolution imaging techniques showing highly developed structure of distal astrocyte processes. Another point was the evidence of bi-directional astrocytic regulation of neuronal activity. To analyze the effects of interplay of calcium signals in processes and in soma mediating correlations between local signals and the cell-level response of the astrocyte we proposed spatially extended model of the astrocyte calcium dynamics. Specifically, we investigated how spatiotemporal properties of Ca2+ dynamics in spatially extended astrocyte model can coordinate (e.g., synchronize) networks of neurons and synapses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan Yu Gordleeva
- Department of Neurotechnology, Lobachevsky State University, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Anastasia V Ermolaeva
- Department of Neurotechnology, Lobachevsky State University, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | | | - Victor B Kazantsev
- Department of Neurotechnology, Lobachevsky State University, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
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48
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Semyanov A. Spatiotemporal pattern of calcium activity in astrocytic network. Cell Calcium 2019; 78:15-25. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ceca.2018.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Revised: 12/16/2018] [Accepted: 12/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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49
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Reynolds JP, Zheng K, Rusakov DA. Multiplexed calcium imaging of single-synapse activity and astroglial responses in the intact brain. Neurosci Lett 2019; 689:26-32. [PMID: 29908948 PMCID: PMC6335263 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2018.06.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2018] [Revised: 06/11/2018] [Accepted: 06/13/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
All-optical registration of neuronal and astrocytic activities within the intact mammalian brain has improved significantly with recent advances in optical sensors and biophotonics. However, relating single-synapse release events and local astroglial responses to sensory stimuli in an intact animal has not hitherto been feasible. Here, we present a multiplexed multiphoton excitation imaging approach for assessing the relationship between presynaptic Ca2+ entry at thalamocortical axonal boutons and perisynaptic astrocytic Ca2+ elevations, induced by whisker stimulation in the barrel cortex of C57BL/6 mice. We find that, unexpectedly, Ca2+ elevations in the perisynaptic astrocytic regions consistently precede local presynaptic Ca2+ signals during spontaneous brain activity associated with anaesthesia. The methods described here can be adapted to a variety of optical sensors and are compatible with experimental designs that might necessitate repeated sampling of single synapses over a longitudinal behavioural paradigm.
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Affiliation(s)
- James P Reynolds
- UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK.
| | - Kaiyu Zheng
- UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Dmitri A Rusakov
- UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK.
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50
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Cresswell-Clay E, Crock N, Tabak J, Erlebacher G. A Compartmental Model to Investigate Local and Global Ca 2+ Dynamics in Astrocytes. Front Comput Neurosci 2018; 12:94. [PMID: 30555315 PMCID: PMC6284150 DOI: 10.3389/fncom.2018.00094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Accepted: 11/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Intracellular Ca2+ dynamics in astrocytes can be triggered by neuronal activity and in turn regulate a variety of downstream processes that modulate neuronal function. In this fashion, astrocytic Ca2+ signaling is regarded as a processor of neural network activity by means of complex spatial and temporal Ca2+ dynamics. Accordingly, a key step is to understand how different patterns of neural activity translate into spatiotemporal dynamics of intracellular Ca2+ in astrocytes. Here, we introduce a minimal compartmental model for astrocytes that can qualitatively reproduce essential hierarchical features of spatiotemporal Ca2+ dynamics in astrocytes. We find that the rate of neuronal firing determines the rate of Ca2+ spikes in single individual processes as well as in the soma of the cell, while correlations of incoming neuronal activity are important in determining the rate of “global” Ca2+ spikes that can engulf soma and the majority of processes. Significantly, our model predicts that whether the endoplasmic reticulum is shared between soma and processes or not determines the relationship between the firing rate of somatic Ca2+ events and the rate of neural network activity. Together these results provide intuition about how neural activity in combination with inherent cellular properties shapes spatiotemporal astrocytic Ca2+ dynamics, and provide experimentally testable predictions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan Cresswell-Clay
- Computational Intelligence Lab, Department of Scientific Computing, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, United States
| | - Nathan Crock
- Computational Intelligence Lab, Department of Scientific Computing, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, United States
| | - Joël Tabak
- Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Science, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Gordon Erlebacher
- Computational Intelligence Lab, Department of Scientific Computing, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, United States
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