1
|
Engström Ruud L, Font-Gironès F, Zajdel J, Kern L, Teixidor-Deulofeu J, Mannerås-Holm L, Carreras A, Becattini B, Björefeldt A, Hanse E, Fenselau H, Solinas G, Brüning JC, Wunderlich TF, Bäckhed F, Ruud J. Activation of GFRAL + neurons induces hypothermia and glucoregulatory responses associated with nausea and torpor. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113960. [PMID: 38507407 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113960] [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: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
GFRAL-expressing neurons actuate aversion and nausea, are targets for obesity treatment, and may mediate metformin effects by long-term GDF15-GFRAL agonism. Whether GFRAL+ neurons acutely regulate glucose and energy homeostasis is, however, underexplored. Here, we report that cell-specific activation of GFRAL+ neurons using a variety of techniques causes a torpor-like state, including hypothermia, the release of stress hormones, a shift from glucose to lipid oxidation, and impaired insulin sensitivity, glucose tolerance, and skeletal muscle glucose uptake but augmented glucose uptake in visceral fat. Metabolomic analysis of blood and transcriptomics of muscle and fat indicate alterations in ketogenesis, insulin signaling, adipose tissue differentiation and mitogenesis, and energy fluxes. Our findings indicate that acute GFRAL+ neuron activation induces endocrine and gluco- and thermoregulatory responses associated with nausea and torpor. While chronic activation of GFRAL signaling promotes weight loss in obesity, these results show that acute activation of GFRAL+ neurons causes hypothermia and hyperglycemia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Linda Engström Ruud
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Ferran Font-Gironès
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Joanna Zajdel
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Lara Kern
- Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, Cologne, Germany
| | - Júlia Teixidor-Deulofeu
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Louise Mannerås-Holm
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, The Wallenberg Laboratory, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Alba Carreras
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, The Wallenberg Laboratory, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Barbara Becattini
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, The Wallenberg Laboratory, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Andreas Björefeldt
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Eric Hanse
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | | | - Giovanni Solinas
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, The Wallenberg Laboratory, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Jens C Brüning
- Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, Cologne, Germany
| | | | - Fredrik Bäckhed
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, The Wallenberg Laboratory, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden; Department of Clinical Physiology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Johan Ruud
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Mariani Y, Covelo A, Rodrigues RS, Julio-Kalajzić F, Pagano Zottola AC, Lavanco G, Fabrizio M, Gisquet D, Drago F, Cannich A, Baufreton J, Marsicano G, Bellocchio L. Striatopallidal cannabinoid type-1 receptors mediate amphetamine-induced sensitization. Curr Biol 2023; 33:5011-5022.e6. [PMID: 37879332 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.09.075] [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: 02/26/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
Repeated exposure to psychostimulants, such as amphetamine, causes a long-lasting enhancement in the behavioral responses to the drug, called behavioral sensitization.1 This phenomenon involves several neuronal systems and brain areas, among which the dorsal striatum plays a key role.2 The endocannabinoid system (ECS) has been proposed to participate in this effect, but the neuronal basis of this interaction has not been investigated.3 In the CNS, the ECS exerts its functions mainly acting through the cannabinoid type-1 (CB1) receptor, which is highly expressed at terminals of striatal medium spiny neurons (MSNs) belonging to both the direct and indirect pathways.4 In this study, we show that, although striatal CB1 receptors are not involved in the acute response to amphetamine, the behavioral sensitization and related synaptic changes require the activation of CB1 receptors specifically located at striatopallidal MSNs (indirect pathway). These results highlight a new mechanism of psychostimulant sensitization, a phenomenon that plays a key role in the health-threatening effects of these drugs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yamuna Mariani
- Univ. Bordeaux, INSERM, Neurocentre Magendie, U1215, 33000 Bordeaux, France
| | - Ana Covelo
- Univ. Bordeaux, INSERM, Neurocentre Magendie, U1215, 33000 Bordeaux, France
| | - Rui S Rodrigues
- Univ. Bordeaux, INSERM, Neurocentre Magendie, U1215, 33000 Bordeaux, France
| | | | - Antonio C Pagano Zottola
- Univ. Bordeaux, INSERM, Neurocentre Magendie, U1215, 33000 Bordeaux, France; Institut de Biochimie et Génétique Cellulaires, UMR 5095, 33077 Bordeaux, France
| | - Gianluca Lavanco
- Univ. Bordeaux, INSERM, Neurocentre Magendie, U1215, 33000 Bordeaux, France; University of Palermo, Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties of Excellence "G. D'Alessandro," 90127 Palermo, Italy
| | - Michela Fabrizio
- Univ. Bordeaux, INSERM, Neurocentre Magendie, U1215, 33000 Bordeaux, France; Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), College de France, CNRS, INSERM, 5 Université PSL, 75231 Paris, France
| | - Doriane Gisquet
- Univ. Bordeaux, INSERM, Neurocentre Magendie, U1215, 33000 Bordeaux, France
| | - Filippo Drago
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, Catania 95124, Italy
| | - Astrid Cannich
- Univ. Bordeaux, INSERM, Neurocentre Magendie, U1215, 33000 Bordeaux, France
| | | | - Giovanni Marsicano
- Univ. Bordeaux, INSERM, Neurocentre Magendie, U1215, 33000 Bordeaux, France.
| | - Luigi Bellocchio
- Univ. Bordeaux, INSERM, Neurocentre Magendie, U1215, 33000 Bordeaux, France.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Pupak A, Singh A, Sancho-Balsells A, Alcalá-Vida R, Espina M, Giralt A, Martí E, Ørom UAV, Ginés S, Brito V. Altered m6A RNA methylation contributes to hippocampal memory deficits in Huntington's disease mice. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:416. [PMID: 35819730 PMCID: PMC9276730 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04444-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
N6-methyladenosine (m6A) regulates many aspects of RNA metabolism and is involved in learning and memory processes. Yet, the impact of a dysregulation of post-transcriptional m6A editing on synaptic impairments in neurodegenerative disorders remains unknown. Here we investigated the m6A methylation pattern in the hippocampus of Huntington’s disease (HD) mice and the potential role of the m6A RNA modification in HD cognitive symptomatology. m6A modifications were evaluated in HD mice subjected to a hippocampal cognitive training task through m6A immunoprecipitation sequencing (MeRIP-seq) and the relative levels of m6A-modifying proteins (FTO and METTL14) by subcellular fractionation and Western blot analysis. Stereotaxic CA1 hippocampal delivery of AAV-shFTO was performed to investigate the effect of RNA m6A dysregulation in HD memory deficits. Our results reveal a m6A hypermethylation in relevant HD and synaptic related genes in the hippocampal transcriptome of Hdh+/Q111 mice. Conversely, m6A is aberrantly regulated in an experience-dependent manner in the HD hippocampus leading to demethylation of important components of synapse organization. Notably, the levels of RNA demethylase (FTO) and methyltransferase (METTL14) were modulated after training in the hippocampus of WT mice but not in Hdh+/Q111 mice. Finally, inhibition of FTO expression in the hippocampal CA1 region restored memory disturbances in symptomatic Hdh+/Q111 mice. Altogether, our results suggest that a differential RNA methylation landscape contributes to HD cognitive symptoms and uncover a role of m6A as a novel hallmark of HD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anika Pupak
- Departament de Biomedicina, Facultat de Medicina, Institut de Neurosciències, Universitat de Barcelona, Casanova 143, 08036, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ankita Singh
- Department for Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Anna Sancho-Balsells
- Departament de Biomedicina, Facultat de Medicina, Institut de Neurosciències, Universitat de Barcelona, Casanova 143, 08036, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Rafael Alcalá-Vida
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Marc Espina
- Departament de Biomedicina, Facultat de Medicina, Institut de Neurosciències, Universitat de Barcelona, Casanova 143, 08036, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Albert Giralt
- Departament de Biomedicina, Facultat de Medicina, Institut de Neurosciències, Universitat de Barcelona, Casanova 143, 08036, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Eulàlia Martí
- Departament de Biomedicina, Facultat de Medicina, Institut de Neurosciències, Universitat de Barcelona, Casanova 143, 08036, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Silvia Ginés
- Departament de Biomedicina, Facultat de Medicina, Institut de Neurosciències, Universitat de Barcelona, Casanova 143, 08036, Barcelona, Spain. .,Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain. .,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain.
| | - Verónica Brito
- Departament de Biomedicina, Facultat de Medicina, Institut de Neurosciències, Universitat de Barcelona, Casanova 143, 08036, Barcelona, Spain. .,Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain. .,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Wang D, Li Y, Xu X, Zhao S, Wang Z, Yang J, Zhang X, Pan J, Wang Y, Liu M. FTO knockdown alleviates hypoxia-induced PC12 cell injury by stabilizing GADD45B in an IGF2BP2-dependent manner. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2022; 619:166-172. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2022.06.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
|
5
|
Abstract
The prevalence of obesity has tripled over the past four decades, imposing an enormous burden on people's health. Polygenic (or common) obesity and rare, severe, early-onset monogenic obesity are often polarized as distinct diseases. However, gene discovery studies for both forms of obesity show that they have shared genetic and biological underpinnings, pointing to a key role for the brain in the control of body weight. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) with increasing sample sizes and advances in sequencing technology are the main drivers behind a recent flurry of new discoveries. However, it is the post-GWAS, cross-disciplinary collaborations, which combine new omics technologies and analytical approaches, that have started to facilitate translation of genetic loci into meaningful biology and new avenues for treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ruth J. F. Loos
- grid.5254.60000 0001 0674 042XNovo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark ,grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Charles Bronfman Institute for Personalized Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA ,grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA ,grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA
| | - Giles S. H. Yeo
- MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, University of Cambridge Metabolic Research Laboratories, Wellcome-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Oster H, Mittag J, Schmid SM. [From neuroendocrinology to widespread diseases in internal medicine]. Dtsch Med Wochenschr 2021; 146:287-291. [PMID: 33592665 DOI: 10.1055/a-1273-1657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
|
7
|
Jabłońska J, Szumiec Ł, Zieliński P, Rodriguez Parkitna J. Time elapsed between choices in a probabilistic task correlates with repeating the same decision. Eur J Neurosci 2021; 53:2639-2654. [PMID: 33559232 PMCID: PMC8248175 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Revised: 01/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Reinforcement learning causes an action that yields a positive outcome more likely to be taken in the future. Here, we investigate how the time elapsed from an action affects subsequent decisions. Groups of C57BL6/J mice were housed in IntelliCages with access to water and chow ad libitum; they also had access to bottles with a reward: saccharin solution, alcohol, or a mixture of the two. The probability of receiving a reward in two of the cage corners changed between 0.9 and 0.3 every 48 hr over a period of ~33 days. As expected, in most animals, the odds of repeating a corner choice were increased if that choice was previously rewarded. Interestingly, the time elapsed from the previous choice also influenced the probability of repeating the choice, and this effect was independent of previous outcome. Behavioral data were fitted to a series of reinforcement learning models. Best fits were achieved when the reward prediction update was coupled with separate learning rates from positive and negative outcomes and additionally a “fictitious” update of the expected value of the nonselected choice. Additional inclusion of a time‐dependent decay of the expected values improved the fit marginally in some cases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Judyta Jabłońska
- Department of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Łukasz Szumiec
- Department of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Piotr Zieliński
- Department of Structure Research of Condensed Matter, The Henryk Niewodniczański Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Jan Rodriguez Parkitna
- Department of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Lippert RN, Hess S, Klemm P, Burgeno LM, Jahans-Price T, Walton ME, Kloppenburg P, Brüning JC. Maternal high-fat diet during lactation reprograms the dopaminergic circuitry in mice. J Clin Invest 2021; 130:3761-3776. [PMID: 32510473 DOI: 10.1172/jci134412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2019] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The maternal perinatal environment modulates brain formation, and altered maternal nutrition has been linked to the development of metabolic and psychiatric disorders in the offspring. Here, we showed that maternal high-fat diet (HFD) feeding during lactation in mice elicits long-lasting changes in gene expression in the offspring's dopaminergic circuitry. This translated into silencing of dopaminergic midbrain neurons, reduced connectivity to their downstream targets, and reduced stimulus-evoked dopamine (DA) release in the striatum. Despite the attenuated activity of DA midbrain neurons, offspring from mothers exposed to HFD feeding exhibited a sexually dimorphic expression of DA-related phenotypes, i.e., hyperlocomotion in males and increased intake of palatable food and sucrose in females. These phenotypes arose from concomitantly increased spontaneous activity of D1 medium spiny neurons (MSNs) and profoundly decreased D2 MSN projections. Overall, we have unraveled a fundamental restructuring of dopaminergic circuitries upon time-restricted altered maternal nutrition to induce persistent behavioral changes in the offspring.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- R N Lippert
- Department of Neuronal Control of Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, Cologne, Germany.,National Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - S Hess
- Biocenter, Institute for Zoology, and.,Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - P Klemm
- Department of Neuronal Control of Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, Cologne, Germany
| | - L M Burgeno
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - T Jahans-Price
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - M E Walton
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - P Kloppenburg
- Biocenter, Institute for Zoology, and.,Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - J C Brüning
- Department of Neuronal Control of Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, Cologne, Germany.,National Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany.,Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Center for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Preventive Medicine (CEPD), University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Hepatic FTO is dispensable for the regulation of metabolism but counteracts HCC development in vivo. Mol Metab 2020; 42:101085. [PMID: 32956847 PMCID: PMC7560164 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2020.101085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the FTO gene encoding an m6Am and an m6A demethylase are associated with obesity. Moreover, recent studies have linked a dysregulation of m6A modifications and its machinery, including FTO, to the development of several forms of cancers. However, the functional role of hepatic FTO in metabolism and the development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a proteotypic obesity-associated cancer, remains unclear. Thus, we aimed to reveal the role of hepatic FTO in metabolism and in the initiation and progression of HCC in vivo. Methods We generated mice with hepatic FTO deficiency (FTOL−KO). The effect of hepatic FTO on metabolism was investigated by extensive metabolic phenotyping. To determine the impact of hepatic FTO on HCC development, FTOL−KO and Ctrl mice were subjected to long-term diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced HCC-development and the tumor initiation phase was examined via a short-term DEN protocol. Results In long-term DEN experiments, FTOL−KO mice exhibit increased HCC burden compared to Ctrl mice. In the tumor initiation phase, Ctrl mice display a dynamic regulation of FTO upon induction of liver damage, while this response is abrogated in FTO-deficient mice. Proteomic analyses revealed that liver damage-induced increases in FTO expression reduce CUL4A protein abundance. Functionally, simultaneous knockdown of Cul4a reverses the increased hepatocyte proliferation observed upon loss of FTO. Conclusion Collectively, our study demonstrates that hepatic FTO is dispensable for the control of energy homeostasis and glucose metabolism. However, we show a protective function of FTO in liver carcinogenesis and suggest the FTO-dependent dynamic mRNA demethylation of Cul4a in the initiation of HCC development contributes to this effect. Hepatic FTO is dispensable for whole body metabolism. FTO is dynamically regulated upon acute liver damage and controls proliferation. Hepatic FTO function protects against the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Cul4a is a downstream target of FTO, and Cul4a knockdown reduces damage-induced proliferation in FTOL−KO livers.
Collapse
|
10
|
Early-Life m 6A RNA Demethylation by Fat Mass and Obesity-Associated Protein (FTO) Influences Resilience or Vulnerability to Heat Stress Later in Life. eNeuro 2020; 7:ENEURO.0549-19.2020. [PMID: 32554504 PMCID: PMC7329298 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0549-19.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2019] [Revised: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Early life heat stress leads to either resilience or vulnerability to a similar stress later in life. We have previously shown that this tuning of the stress response depends on neural network organization in the preoptic anterior hypothalamus (PO/AH) thermal response center and is regulated by epigenetic mechanisms. Here, we expand our understanding of stress response establishment describing a role for epitranscriptomic regulation of the epigenetic machinery. Specifically, we explore the role of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA methylation in long-term response to heat stress. Heat conditioning of 3-d-old chicks diminished m6A RNA methylation in the hypothalamus, simultaneously with an increase in the mRNA levels of the m6A demethylase, fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO). Moreover, a week later, methylation of two heat stress-related transcripts, histone 3 lysine 27 (H3K27) methyltransferase, enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), were downregulated in harsh-heat-conditioned chicks. During heat challenge a week after conditioning, there was a reduction of m6A levels in mild-heat-conditioned chicks and an elevation in harsh-heat-conditioned ones. This increase in m6A modification was negatively correlated with the expression levels of both BDNF and EZH2. Antisense “knock-down” of FTO caused an elevation of global m6A RNA methylation, reduction of EZH2 and BDNF mRNA levels, and decrease in global H3K27 dimethylation as well as dimethyl H3K27 level along BDNF coding region, and, finally, led to heat vulnerability. These findings emphasize the multilevel regulation of gene expression, including both epigenetic and epitranscriptomic regulatory mechanisms, fine-tuning the neural network organization in a response to stress.
Collapse
|
11
|
de Araújo TM, Velloso LA. Hypothalamic IRX3: A New Player in the Development of Obesity. Trends Endocrinol Metab 2020; 31:368-377. [PMID: 32035736 DOI: 10.1016/j.tem.2020.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Revised: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have identified SNPs of the fat mass and obesity (FTO) gene as the most important risk alleles for obesity. However, how the presence of risk alleles affect phenotype is still a matter of intense investigation. In 2014, a study revealed that long-range enhancers from the intronic regions of the FTO gene regulate iroquois-class homeobox protein (IRX)3 expression. IRX3 is expressed in hypothalamic pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons and changes in its expression levels affect body adiposity by modifying food intake and energy expenditure. These findings have placed IRX3 as a potential target for the treatment of obesity. Here, we review studies that evaluated the roles of IRX3 in development, neurogenesis, and body energy homeostasis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thiago Matos de Araújo
- Laboratory of Cell Signaling, Obesity and Comorbidities Research Center, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Licio A Velloso
- Laboratory of Cell Signaling, Obesity and Comorbidities Research Center, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Kiryk A, Janusz A, Zglinicki B, Turkes E, Knapska E, Konopka W, Lipp HP, Kaczmarek L. IntelliCage as a tool for measuring mouse behavior - 20 years perspective. Behav Brain Res 2020; 388:112620. [PMID: 32302617 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Since the 1980s, we have witnessed the rapid development of genetically modified mouse models of human diseases. A large number of transgenic and knockout mice have been utilized in basic and applied research, including models of neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders. To assess the biological function of mutated genes, modern techniques are critical to detect changes in behavioral phenotypes. We review the IntelliCage, a high-throughput system that is used for behavioral screening and detailed analyses of complex behaviors in mice. The IntelliCage was introduced almost two decades ago and has been used in over 150 studies to assess both spontaneous and cognitive behaviors. We present a critical analysis of experimental data that have been generated using this device.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Kiryk
- Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Artur Janusz
- Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Bartosz Zglinicki
- Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Emir Turkes
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University, Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ewelina Knapska
- BRAINCITY, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Witold Konopka
- Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Hans-Peter Lipp
- Institute of Anatomy, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Leszek Kaczmarek
- BRAINCITY, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Li J, Yang X, Qi Z, Sang Y, Liu Y, Xu B, Liu W, Xu Z, Deng Y. The role of mRNA m 6A methylation in the nervous system. Cell Biosci 2019; 9:66. [PMID: 31452869 PMCID: PMC6701067 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-019-0330-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2019] [Accepted: 08/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Epitranscriptomics, also known as “RNA epigenetics”, is a chemical modification for RNA regulation. Ribonucleic acid (RNA) methylation is considered to be a major discovery following the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and histone methylation. Messenger RNA (mRNA) methylation modification accounts for more than 60% of all RNA modifications and N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is known as one of the most common type of eukaryotic mRNA methylation modifications in current. The m6A modification is a dynamic reversible modification, which can directly or indirectly affect biological processes, such as RNA degradation, translation and splicing, and can play important biological roles in vivo. This article introduces the mRNA m6A methylation modification enzymes and binding proteins, and reviews the research progress and related mechanisms of the role of mRNA m6A methylation in the nervous system from the aspects of neural stem cells, learning and memory, brain development, axon growth and glioblastoma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiashuo Li
- School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122 Liaoning China
| | - Xinxin Yang
- School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122 Liaoning China
| | - Zhipeng Qi
- School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122 Liaoning China
| | - Yanqi Sang
- School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122 Liaoning China
| | - Yanan Liu
- School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122 Liaoning China
| | - Bin Xu
- School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122 Liaoning China
| | - Wei Liu
- School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122 Liaoning China
| | - Zhaofa Xu
- School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122 Liaoning China
| | - Yu Deng
- School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122 Liaoning China
| |
Collapse
|