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Gao S, Zhu R, Qin Y, Tang W, Zhou H. Sg-snn: a self-organizing spiking neural network based on temporal information. Cogn Neurodyn 2025; 19:14. [PMID: 39801909 PMCID: PMC11718035 DOI: 10.1007/s11571-024-10199-6] [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: 07/28/2024] [Revised: 10/21/2024] [Accepted: 11/06/2024] [Indexed: 01/16/2025] Open
Abstract
Neurodynamic observations indicate that the cerebral cortex evolved by self-organizing into functional networks, These networks, or distributed clusters of regions, display various degrees of attention maps based on input. Traditionally, the study of network self-organization relies predominantly on static data, overlooking temporal information in dynamic neuromorphic data. This paper proposes Temporal Self-Organizing (TSO) method for neuromorphic data processing using a spiking neural network. The TSO method incorporates information from multiple time steps into the selection strategy of the Best Matching Unit (BMU) neurons. It enables the coupled BMUs to radiate the weight across the same layer of neurons, ultimately forming a hierarchical self-organizing topographic map of concern. Additionally, we simulate real neuronal dynamics, introduce a glial cell-mediated Glial-LIF (Leaky Integrate-and-fire) model, and adjust multiple levels of BMUs to optimize the attention topological map.Experiments demonstrate that the proposed Self-organizing Glial Spiking Neural Network (SG-SNN) can generate attention topographies for dynamic event data from coarse to fine. A heuristic method based on cognitive science effectively guides the network's distribution of excitatory regions. Furthermore, the SG-SNN shows improved accuracy on three standard neuromorphic datasets: DVS128-Gesture, CIFAR10-DVS, and N-Caltech 101, with accuracy improvements of 0.3%, 2.4%, and 0.54% respectively. Notably, the recognition accuracy on the DVS128-Gesture dataset reaches 99.3%, achieving state-of-the-art (SOTA) performance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Yu Qin
- Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | | | - Hao Zhou
- Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
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2
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Evans WR, Baskar SS, Vellore A, Costa ARCE, Jacob C, Ravoori S, Arigbe A, Huda R. Chemogenetic Control of Striatal Astrocytes Improves Parkinsonian Motor Deficits in Mice. Glia 2025; 73:1188-1202. [PMID: 39902809 PMCID: PMC12012328 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24679] [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: 05/24/2024] [Revised: 12/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2025] [Indexed: 02/06/2025]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by the degeneration of dopaminergic nigrostriatal inputs, which causes striatal network dysfunction and leads to pronounced motor deficits. Recent evidence highlights astrocytes as a potential local source for striatal neuromodulation. There is substantial evidence for norepinephrine-mediated recruitment of cortical astrocyte activity during movement and locomotion. However, it is unclear how astrocytes in the striatum, a region devoid of norepinephrine neuromodulatory inputs, respond during locomotion. Moreover, it remains unknown how dopamine loss affects striatal astrocyte activity and whether astrocyte activity regulates behavioral deficits in PD. We addressed these questions by performing astrocyte-specific calcium recordings and manipulations using in vivo fiber photometry and chemogenetics. We find that locomotion elicits astrocyte calcium activity over a slower timescale than neurons. Acute pharmacological blockade of dopamine receptors only moderately reduced locomotion-related astrocyte activity. Yet, unilateral dopamine depletion significantly attenuated astrocyte calcium responses. Chemogenetic stimulation of Gi-coupled receptors partially improved this functional astrocyte deficit in dopamine-lesioned mice. In parallel, chemogenetic manipulation restored asymmetrical motor deficits and moderately improved open-field exploratory behavior. Together, our results establish a novel role for functional striatal astrocyte signaling in modulating motor function in PD and highlight non-neuronal targets for potential PD therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wesley R. Evans
- WM Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Department of Cell Biology and NeuroscienceRutgers UniversityPiscatawayNew JerseyUSA
| | - Sindhuja S. Baskar
- WM Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Department of Cell Biology and NeuroscienceRutgers UniversityPiscatawayNew JerseyUSA
| | - Angelica Vellore
- WM Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Department of Cell Biology and NeuroscienceRutgers UniversityPiscatawayNew JerseyUSA
| | - Ana Raquel Castro E. Costa
- WM Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Department of Cell Biology and NeuroscienceRutgers UniversityPiscatawayNew JerseyUSA
| | - Cynthia Jacob
- WM Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Department of Cell Biology and NeuroscienceRutgers UniversityPiscatawayNew JerseyUSA
| | - Sanya Ravoori
- WM Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Department of Cell Biology and NeuroscienceRutgers UniversityPiscatawayNew JerseyUSA
| | - Abimbola Arigbe
- WM Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Department of Cell Biology and NeuroscienceRutgers UniversityPiscatawayNew JerseyUSA
| | - Rafiq Huda
- WM Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Department of Cell Biology and NeuroscienceRutgers UniversityPiscatawayNew JerseyUSA
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3
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Mi X, Chen ABY, Duarte D, Carey E, Taylor CR, Braaker PN, Bright M, Almeida RG, Lim JX, Ruetten VMS, Wang Y, Wang M, Zhang W, Zheng W, Reitman ME, Huang Y, Wang X, Li L, Deng H, Shi SH, Poskanzer KE, Lyons DA, Nimmerjahn A, Ahrens MB, Yu G. Fast, accurate, and versatile data analysis platform for the quantification of molecular spatiotemporal signals. Cell 2025; 188:2794-2809.e21. [PMID: 40203826 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2025.03.012] [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: 05/31/2024] [Revised: 01/13/2025] [Accepted: 03/06/2025] [Indexed: 04/11/2025]
Abstract
Optical recording of intricate molecular dynamics is becoming an indispensable technique for biological studies, accelerated by the development of new or improved biosensors and microscopy technology. This creates major computational challenges to extract and quantify biologically meaningful spatiotemporal patterns embedded within complex and rich data sources, many of which cannot be captured with existing methods. Here, we introduce activity quantification and analysis (AQuA2), a fast, accurate, and versatile data analysis platform built upon advanced machine-learning techniques. It decomposes complex live-imaging-based datasets into elementary signaling events, allowing accurate and unbiased quantification of molecular activities and identification of consensus functional units. We demonstrate applications across a wide range of biosensors, cell types, organs, animal models, microscopy techniques, and imaging approaches. As exemplar findings, we show how AQuA2 identified drug-dependent interactions between neurons and astroglia, as well as distinct sensorimotor signal propagation patterns in the mouse spinal cord.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuelong Mi
- Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Arlington, VA 22203, USA
| | - Alex Bo-Yuan Chen
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Daniela Duarte
- Waitt Advanced Biophotonics Center, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Erin Carey
- Waitt Advanced Biophotonics Center, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Charlotte R Taylor
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Philipp N Braaker
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh BioQuarter, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Mark Bright
- Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Arlington, VA 22203, USA
| | - Rafael G Almeida
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh BioQuarter, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Jing-Xuan Lim
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Virginia M S Ruetten
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA; Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit, UCL, London W1T 4JG, UK
| | - Yizhi Wang
- Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Arlington, VA 22203, USA
| | - Mengfan Wang
- Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Arlington, VA 22203, USA
| | - Weizhan Zhang
- Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Wei Zheng
- Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Arlington, VA 22203, USA
| | - Michael E Reitman
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Yongkang Huang
- IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xiaoyu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Lei Li
- IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - HanFei Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Song-Hai Shi
- IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Kira E Poskanzer
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - David A Lyons
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh BioQuarter, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Axel Nimmerjahn
- Waitt Advanced Biophotonics Center, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
| | - Misha B Ahrens
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA.
| | - Guoqiang Yu
- Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Beijing National Research Center for Information Science and Technology, Beijing 100084, China.
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4
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Anding A, Ren B, Padmashri R, Burkovetskaya M, Dunaevsky A. Activity of human-specific Interlaminar Astrocytes in a Chimeric Mouse Model of Fragile X Syndrome. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2025:2025.02.26.640426. [PMID: 40060700 PMCID: PMC11888414 DOI: 10.1101/2025.02.26.640426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/15/2025]
Abstract
Astrocytes, a subtype of glial cells, have multiple roles in regulating neuronal development and homeostasis. In addition to the typical mammalian astrocytes, in the primate cortex interlaminar astrocytes are located in the superficial layer and project long processes traversing multiple layers of the cerebral cortex. Previously, we described a human stem cell based chimeric mouse model where interlaminar astrocytes develop. Here, we utilized this model to study the calcium signaling properties of interlaminar astrocytes. To determine how interlaminar astrocytes could contribute to neurodevelopmental disorders, we generated a chimeric mouse model for Fragile X syndrome. We report that FXS interlaminar astrocytes exhibit hyperexcitable calcium signaling and are associated with dendritic spines with increased turnover rate.
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Dancker TA, Elhawy MI, Rittershauß R, Tian Q, Schwarz Y, Hoffmann MDA, Carlein C, Wyatt A, Wahl V, Speyerer D, Kandah A, Boehm U, Prates Roma L, Bruns D, Lipp P, Krasteva-Christ G, Lauterbach MA. Functional Microendoscopy Reveals Calcium Responses of Single Cells in Tracheal Tuft Cells and Kidney Podocytes. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2025; 21:e2411341. [PMID: 40166809 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202411341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2024] [Revised: 03/21/2025] [Indexed: 04/02/2025]
Abstract
Microendoscopy, a crucial technology for minimally invasive investigations of organs, facilitates studies within confined cavities. However, conventional microendoscopy is often limited by probe size and the constraint of using a single excitation wavelength. In response to these constraints, a multichannel microendoscope with a slender profile of only 360 µm is engineered. Functional signals both in situ and in vivo are successfully captured from individual single cells, employing a specially developed software suite for image processing, and exhibiting an effective resolution of 4.6 µm, allowing for the resolution of subcellular neuronal structures. This system enabled the first examination of calcium dynamics in vivo in murine tracheal tuft cells (formerly named brush cells) and in situ in kidney podocytes. Additionally, it recorded ratiometric redox reactions in various biological settings, including intact explanted organs and pancreatic islet cultures. The flexibility and streamlined operation of the microendoscopic technique open new avenues for conducting in vivo research, allowing for studies of tissue and organ function at cellular resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias A Dancker
- Molecular Imaging, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), Saarland University, Kirrberger Str. 100, building 48, 66421, Homburg, Saarland, Germany
| | - Mohamed Ibrahem Elhawy
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Saarland University, Kirrberger Str. 100, building 61, 66421, Homburg, Saarland, Germany
- Center for Gender Specific Biology and Medicine (CGBM), Saarland University, Kirrberger Str. 100, 66421, Homburg, Saarland, Germany
| | - Ramona Rittershauß
- Molecular Cell Biology, Center for Molecular Signaling (PZMS), Saarland University, Kirrberger Str. 100, building 61, 66421, Homburg, Saarland, Germany
| | - Qinghai Tian
- Molecular Cell Biology, Center for Molecular Signaling (PZMS), Saarland University, Kirrberger Str. 100, building 61, 66421, Homburg, Saarland, Germany
| | - Yvonne Schwarz
- Molecular Neurophysiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), Saarland University, Kirrberger Str. 100, building 48, 66421, Homburg, Saarland, Germany
| | - Markus D A Hoffmann
- Biophysics, Center for Human and Molecular Biology (ZHMB), Saarland University, Kirrberger Str. 100, building 48, 66421, Homburg, Saarland, Germany
| | - Christopher Carlein
- Biophysics, Center for Human and Molecular Biology (ZHMB), Saarland University, Kirrberger Str. 100, building 48, 66421, Homburg, Saarland, Germany
| | - Amanda Wyatt
- Experimental Pharmacology, Center for Molecular Signaling (PZMS), Saarland University, Kirrberger Str. 100, building 45&46, 66421, Homburg, Saarland, Germany
- Center for Gender Specific Biology and Medicine (CGBM), Saarland University, Kirrberger Str. 100, 66421, Homburg, Saarland, Germany
| | - Vanessa Wahl
- Experimental Pharmacology, Center for Molecular Signaling (PZMS), Saarland University, Kirrberger Str. 100, building 45&46, 66421, Homburg, Saarland, Germany
- Center for Gender Specific Biology and Medicine (CGBM), Saarland University, Kirrberger Str. 100, 66421, Homburg, Saarland, Germany
| | - Daniel Speyerer
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Saarland University, Kirrberger Str. 100, building 61, 66421, Homburg, Saarland, Germany
- Center for Gender Specific Biology and Medicine (CGBM), Saarland University, Kirrberger Str. 100, 66421, Homburg, Saarland, Germany
| | - Alaa Kandah
- Molecular Imaging, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), Saarland University, Kirrberger Str. 100, building 48, 66421, Homburg, Saarland, Germany
| | - Ulrich Boehm
- Experimental Pharmacology, Center for Molecular Signaling (PZMS), Saarland University, Kirrberger Str. 100, building 45&46, 66421, Homburg, Saarland, Germany
- Center for Gender Specific Biology and Medicine (CGBM), Saarland University, Kirrberger Str. 100, 66421, Homburg, Saarland, Germany
| | - Leticia Prates Roma
- Biophysics, Center for Human and Molecular Biology (ZHMB), Saarland University, Kirrberger Str. 100, building 48, 66421, Homburg, Saarland, Germany
| | - Dieter Bruns
- Molecular Neurophysiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), Saarland University, Kirrberger Str. 100, building 48, 66421, Homburg, Saarland, Germany
| | - Peter Lipp
- Molecular Cell Biology, Center for Molecular Signaling (PZMS), Saarland University, Kirrberger Str. 100, building 61, 66421, Homburg, Saarland, Germany
| | - Gabriela Krasteva-Christ
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Saarland University, Kirrberger Str. 100, building 61, 66421, Homburg, Saarland, Germany
- Center for Gender Specific Biology and Medicine (CGBM), Saarland University, Kirrberger Str. 100, 66421, Homburg, Saarland, Germany
| | - Marcel A Lauterbach
- Molecular Imaging, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), Saarland University, Kirrberger Str. 100, building 48, 66421, Homburg, Saarland, Germany
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6
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Petersen N, McCann KE, Stavarache MA, Kim LY, Weinshenker D, Winder DG. Adenosine A 2A Receptors Link Astrocytic α 1-Adrenergic Signaling to Wake-Promoting Dopamine Neurons. Biol Psychiatry 2025; 97:915-928. [PMID: 39419462 PMCID: PMC11991893 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.09.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Revised: 09/19/2024] [Accepted: 09/30/2024] [Indexed: 10/19/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sleep and arousal disorders are common, but the underlying physiology of wakefulness is not fully understood. The locus coeruleus promotes arousal via α1-adrenergic receptor (α1AR)-driven recruitment of wake-promoting dopamine neurons in the ventral periaqueductal gray (vPAGDA neurons). α1AR expression is enriched on vPAG astrocytes, and chemogenetic activation of astrocytic Gq signaling promotes wakefulness. Astrocytes can release extracellular gliotransmitters, such as ATP and adenosine, but the mechanism underlying how vPAG astrocytic α1ARs influence sleep/wake behavior and vPAGDA neuron physiology is unknown. METHODS In this study, we utilized genetic manipulations with ex vivo calcium imaging in vPAGDA neurons and astrocytes, patch-clamp electrophysiology, and behavioral experiments in mice to test our hypothesis that astrocytic α1ARs mediate noradrenergic modulation of wake-promoting vPAGDA neurons via adenosine signaling. RESULTS Activation of α1ARs with phenylephrine increased calcium transients in vPAGDA neurons and vPAG astrocytes and increased vPAGDA neuron excitability ex vivo. Chemogenetic Gq-DREADD (designer receptor exclusively activated by designer drugs) activation of vPAG astrocytes similarly increased vPAGDA neuron calcium activity and intrinsic excitability. Conversely, short hairpin RNA knockdown of vPAG astrocytic α1ARs reduced the excitatory effect of phenylephrine on vPAGDA neurons and blunted arousal during the wake phase. Pharmacological blockade of adenosine A2A receptors precluded the α1AR-induced increase in vPAGDA calcium activity and excitability in brain slices, as well as the wake-promoting effects of vPAG α1AR activation in vivo. CONCLUSIONS We have identified a crucial role for vPAG astrocytic α1ARs in sustaining arousal through heightened excitability and activity of vPAGDA neurons mediated by local A2A receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Petersen
- Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee; Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Katharine E McCann
- Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia; Neuroscience Undergraduate Program, School of Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia
| | | | - Lisa Y Kim
- School for Science and Math at Vanderbilt, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - David Weinshenker
- Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Danny G Winder
- Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee; Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Neurobiology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts.
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7
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Xin Q, Wang J, Zheng J, Tan Y, Jia X, Ni Z, Xu Z, Feng J, Wu Z, Li Y, Li XM, Ma H, Hu H. Neuron-astrocyte coupling in lateral habenula mediates depressive-like behaviors. Cell 2025:S0092-8674(25)00411-8. [PMID: 40280131 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2025.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2024] [Revised: 01/08/2025] [Accepted: 04/03/2025] [Indexed: 04/29/2025]
Abstract
The lateral habenula (LHb) neurons and astrocytes have been strongly implicated in depression etiology, but it was not clear how the two dynamically interact during depression onset. Here, using multi-brain-region calcium photometry recording in freely moving mice, we discover that stress induces a most rapid astrocytic calcium rise and a bimodal neuronal response in the LHb. LHb astrocytic calcium requires the α1A-adrenergic receptor and depends on a recurrent neural network between the LHb and locus coeruleus (LC). Through the gliotransmitter glutamate and ATP/adenosine, LHb astrocytes mediate the second-wave LHb neuronal activation and norepinephrine (NE) release. Activation or inhibition of LHb astrocytic calcium signaling facilitates or prevents stress-induced depressive-like behaviors, respectively. These results identify a stress-induced positive feedback loop in the LHb-LC axis, with astrocytes being a critical signaling relay. The identification of this prominent neuron-glia interaction may shed light on stress management and depression prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianqian Xin
- Department of Neurobiology, Affiliated Mental Health Center & Hangzhou Seventh People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Nanhu Brain-Computer Interface Institute, Liangzhu Laboratory, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science and Brain-Machine Integration, State Key Laboratory of Brain-Machine Intelligence, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Junying Wang
- Department of Neurobiology, Affiliated Mental Health Center & Hangzhou Seventh People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Nanhu Brain-Computer Interface Institute, Liangzhu Laboratory, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science and Brain-Machine Integration, State Key Laboratory of Brain-Machine Intelligence, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Jinkun Zheng
- Nanhu Brain-Computer Interface Institute, Liangzhu Laboratory, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science and Brain-Machine Integration, State Key Laboratory of Brain-Machine Intelligence, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Yi Tan
- Department of Neurobiology, Affiliated Mental Health Center & Hangzhou Seventh People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Nanhu Brain-Computer Interface Institute, Liangzhu Laboratory, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science and Brain-Machine Integration, State Key Laboratory of Brain-Machine Intelligence, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China; Department of Psychiatry and International Institutes of Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu 322000, China
| | - Xiaoning Jia
- Nanhu Brain-Computer Interface Institute, Liangzhu Laboratory, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science and Brain-Machine Integration, State Key Laboratory of Brain-Machine Intelligence, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Zheyi Ni
- Nanhu Brain-Computer Interface Institute, Liangzhu Laboratory, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science and Brain-Machine Integration, State Key Laboratory of Brain-Machine Intelligence, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Zijie Xu
- Nanhu Brain-Computer Interface Institute, Liangzhu Laboratory, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science and Brain-Machine Integration, State Key Laboratory of Brain-Machine Intelligence, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Jiesi Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking University School of Life Sciences, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Zhaofa Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking University School of Life Sciences, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yulong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking University School of Life Sciences, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Xiao-Ming Li
- Nanhu Brain-Computer Interface Institute, Liangzhu Laboratory, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science and Brain-Machine Integration, State Key Laboratory of Brain-Machine Intelligence, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Huan Ma
- Nanhu Brain-Computer Interface Institute, Liangzhu Laboratory, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science and Brain-Machine Integration, State Key Laboratory of Brain-Machine Intelligence, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Hailan Hu
- Department of Neurobiology, Affiliated Mental Health Center & Hangzhou Seventh People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Nanhu Brain-Computer Interface Institute, Liangzhu Laboratory, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science and Brain-Machine Integration, State Key Laboratory of Brain-Machine Intelligence, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China; Department of Psychiatry and International Institutes of Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu 322000, China.
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8
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Lines J, Corkrum M, Aguilar J, Araque A. The Duality of Astrocyte Neuromodulation: Astrocytes Sense Neuromodulators and Are Neuromodulators. J Neurochem 2025; 169:e70054. [PMID: 40191899 PMCID: PMC11978396 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.70054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2025] [Revised: 03/15/2025] [Accepted: 03/17/2025] [Indexed: 04/10/2025]
Abstract
Neuromodulation encompasses different processes that regulate neuronal and network function. Classical neuromodulators originating from long-range nuclei, such as acetylcholine, norepinephrine, or dopamine, act with a slower time course and wider spatial range than fast synaptic transmission and action potential firing. Accumulating evidence in vivo indicates that astrocytes, which are known to actively participate in synaptic function at tripartite synapses, are also involved in neuromodulatory processes. The present article reviews recent findings obtained in vivo indicating that astrocytes express receptors for neuromodulators that elevate their internal calcium and stimulate the release of gliotransmitters, which regulate synaptic and network function, and hence mediate, at least partially, the effects of neuromodulators. In addition, we propose that astrocytes act in local support of neuromodulators by spatially and temporally integrating neuronal and neuromodulatory signals to regulate neural network function. The presence of astrocyte-neuron hysteresis loops suggests astrocyte-neuron interaction at tripartite synapses scales up to astrocyte-neuronal networks that modulate neural network function. We finally propose that astrocytes sense the environmental conditions, including neuromodulators and network function states, and provide homeostatic control that maximizes the dynamic range of neural network activity. In summary, we propose that astrocytes are critical in mediating the effects of neuromodulators, and they also act as neuromodulators to provide neural network homeostasis thus optimizing information processing in the brain. Hence, astrocytes sense ongoing neuronal activity along with neuromodulators and, acting as neuromodulators, inform the neurons about the state of the internal system and the external world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Lines
- Nash Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Michelle Corkrum
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Juan Aguilar
- Experimental Neurophysiology. Hospital Nacional de Parapléjicos. SESCAM. Finca de la Peraleda, S/N, 45071 Toledo, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Castilla-La Mancha (IDISCAM)
| | - Alfonso Araque
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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9
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Duque M, Chen AB, Hsu E, Narayan S, Rymbek A, Begum S, Saher G, Cohen AE, Olson DE, Li Y, Prober DA, Bergles DE, Fishman MC, Engert F, Ahrens MB. Ketamine induces plasticity in a norepinephrine-astroglial circuit to promote behavioral perseverance. Neuron 2025; 113:426-443.e5. [PMID: 39694033 PMCID: PMC11889991 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.11.011] [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: 03/16/2024] [Revised: 08/08/2024] [Accepted: 11/20/2024] [Indexed: 12/20/2024]
Abstract
Transient exposure to ketamine can trigger lasting changes in behavior and mood. We found that brief ketamine exposure causes long-term suppression of futility-induced passivity in larval zebrafish, reversing the "giving-up" response that normally occurs when swimming fails to cause forward movement. Whole-brain imaging revealed that ketamine hyperactivates the norepinephrine-astroglia circuit responsible for passivity. After ketamine washout, this circuit exhibits hyposensitivity to futility, leading to long-term increased perseverance. Pharmacological, chemogenetic, and optogenetic manipulations show that norepinephrine and astrocytes are necessary and sufficient for ketamine's long-term perseverance-enhancing aftereffects. In vivo calcium imaging revealed that astrocytes in adult mouse cortex are similarly activated during futility in the tail suspension test and that acute ketamine exposure also induces astrocyte hyperactivation. The cross-species conservation of ketamine's modulation of noradrenergic-astroglial circuits and evidence that plasticity in this pathway can alter the behavioral response to futility hold promise for identifying new strategies to treat affective disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Duque
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA.
| | - Alex B Chen
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA.
| | - Eric Hsu
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Sujatha Narayan
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Altyn Rymbek
- Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute for Neuroscience, Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Shahinoor Begum
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Gesine Saher
- Department of Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen 37075, Germany
| | - Adam E Cohen
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - David E Olson
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA; Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA; Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95618, USA; Institute for Psychedelics and Neurotherapeutics, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Yulong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking University School of Life Sciences, Beijing 100871, China; PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing 100871, China
| | - David A Prober
- Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute for Neuroscience, Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Dwight E Bergles
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Mark C Fishman
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Florian Engert
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Misha B Ahrens
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA.
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10
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Kim SH, Lee J, Jang M, Roh SE, Kim S, Lee JH, Seo J, Baek J, Hwang JY, Baek IS, Lee YS, Shigetomi E, Lee CJ, Koizumi S, Kim SK, Kim SJ. Cerebellar Bergmann glia integrate noxious information and modulate nocifensive behaviors. Nat Neurosci 2025; 28:336-345. [PMID: 39748107 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-024-01807-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2024] [Indexed: 01/04/2025]
Abstract
The cerebellum is activated by noxious stimuli and pathological pain but its role in noxious information processing remains unknown. Here, we show that in mice, cutaneous noxious electrical stimuli induced noradrenaline (NA) release from locus coeruleus (LC) terminals in the cerebellar cortex. Bergmann glia (BG) accumulated these LC-NA signals by increasing intracellular calcium in an integrative manner ('flares'). BG flares were also elicited in response to an intraplantar capsaicin injection. Chemogenetic inactivation of LC terminals or BG in the cerebellar cortex or BG-specific knockdown of α1-adrenergic receptors suppressed BG flares, reduced nocifensive licking and had analgesic effects in nerve injury-induced chronic neuropathic pain. Moreover, chemogenetic activation of BG or an intraplantar capsaicin injection reduced Purkinje cell firing, which may disinhibit the output activity of the deep cerebellar nuclei. These results suggest a role for BG in computing noxious information from the LC and in modulating pain-related behaviors by regulating cerebellar output.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung Ha Kim
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jaegeon Lee
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Mirae Jang
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Seung-Eon Roh
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Soobin Kim
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Ji Hwan Lee
- Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jewoo Seo
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jinhee Baek
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jae Yoon Hwang
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - In Seon Baek
- Department of Science in Korean Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Yong-Seok Lee
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Memory Network Medical Research Center, Neuroscience Research Institute, Wide River Institute of Immunology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Eiji Shigetomi
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
- Yamanashi GLIA Center, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - C Justin Lee
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon, Korea
| | - Schuichi Koizumi
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
- Yamanashi GLIA Center, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Sun Kwang Kim
- Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea.
- Department of Science in Korean Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea.
| | - Sang Jeong Kim
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- Memory Network Medical Research Center, Neuroscience Research Institute, Wide River Institute of Immunology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
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11
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Černe U, Horvat A, Sanjković E, Kozoderc N, Kreft M, Zorec R, Scholz N, Vardjan N. Ca 2+ excitability of glia to neuromodulator octopamine in Drosophila living brain is greater than that of neurons. Acta Physiol (Oxf) 2025; 241:e14270. [PMID: 39801347 PMCID: PMC11726276 DOI: 10.1111/apha.14270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2024] [Revised: 11/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/01/2025] [Indexed: 01/16/2025]
Abstract
AIM Octopamine in the Drosophila brain has a neuromodulatory role similar to that of noradrenaline in mammals. After release from Tdc2 neurons, octopamine/tyramine may trigger intracellular Ca2+ signaling via adrenoceptor-like receptors on neural cells, modulating neurotransmission. Octopamine/tyramine receptors are expressed in neurons and glia, but how each of these cell types responds to octopamine remains elusive. This study aimed to characterize Ca2+ responses of neurons and astrocytes to neuromodulatory octopamine signals. METHODS We expressed Ca2+ indicator jGCaMP7b in specific cell type in adult Drosophila brains and performed intracellular Ca2+ imaging in the brain optic lobes upon bath application of octopamine by confocal microscopy. RESULTS Octopamine-stimulated Ca2+ responses in neurons were different from those of glial cells. The amplitude of octopamine-mediated Ca2+ signals in neurons was 3.4-fold greater than in astrocytes. However, astrocytes were more sensitive to octopamine; the median effective concentration that triggered Ca2+ responses was nearly 6-fold lower in astrocytes than in neurons. In both cell types, Ca2+ transients are shaped by Gq and Gs protein-coupled octopamine/tyramine receptors. Our snRNA-seq database screening uncovered differential expression patterns of these receptors between brain cell types, which may explain the difference in Ca2+ signaling. CONCLUSION In the brain optic lobes, astrocytes, not neurons, appear to be the sole responders to low concentration octopamine signals, and therefore likely drive synaptic plasticity and visual processing. Given the interconnectivity of the optic lobes with other brain regions, octopaminergic signals acting through the optic lobe astrocytes may also influence higher-order brain functions including learning and memory.
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Grants
- P40 OD018537 NIH HHS
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (FOR 2149, 265903901/P01; CRC 1423, 421152132/B06)
- Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency (P3-0310, J3-2523, J3-50104, MR+ 2019, I0-0034, I0-0022: MRIC-Carl Zeiss Reference Centre for Laser Confocal Microscopy)
- European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) action CA18133 (European Research Network on Signal Transduction (ERNEST))
- European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) action CA18133 (European Research Network on Signal Transduction (ERNEST))
- Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency (P3‐0310, J3‐2523, J3‐50104, MR+ 2019, I0‐0034, I0‐0022: MRIC‐Carl Zeiss Reference Centre for Laser Confocal Microscopy)
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (FOR 2149, 265903901/P01; CRC 1423, 421152132/B06)
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Affiliation(s)
- Urška Černe
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology‐Molecular Cell Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of PathophysiologyUniversity of LjubljanaLjubljanaSlovenia
- Laboratory of Cell Engineering, Celica BiomedicalLjubljanaSlovenia
| | - Anemari Horvat
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology‐Molecular Cell Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of PathophysiologyUniversity of LjubljanaLjubljanaSlovenia
- Laboratory of Cell Engineering, Celica BiomedicalLjubljanaSlovenia
| | - Ena Sanjković
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology‐Molecular Cell Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of PathophysiologyUniversity of LjubljanaLjubljanaSlovenia
| | - Nika Kozoderc
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology‐Molecular Cell Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of PathophysiologyUniversity of LjubljanaLjubljanaSlovenia
| | - Marko Kreft
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology‐Molecular Cell Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of PathophysiologyUniversity of LjubljanaLjubljanaSlovenia
- Laboratory of Cell Engineering, Celica BiomedicalLjubljanaSlovenia
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical FacultyUniversity of LjubljanaLjubljanaSlovenia
| | - Robert Zorec
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology‐Molecular Cell Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of PathophysiologyUniversity of LjubljanaLjubljanaSlovenia
- Laboratory of Cell Engineering, Celica BiomedicalLjubljanaSlovenia
| | - Nicole Scholz
- Division of General Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Rudolf Schönheimer Institute of BiochemistryLeipzig UniversityLeipzigGermany
| | - Nina Vardjan
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology‐Molecular Cell Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of PathophysiologyUniversity of LjubljanaLjubljanaSlovenia
- Laboratory of Cell Engineering, Celica BiomedicalLjubljanaSlovenia
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12
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Moreno-García A, Serrat R, Julio-Kalajzic F, Bernal-Chico A, Baraibar AM, Matute C, Marsicano G, Mato S. In Vivo Assessment of Cortical Astrocyte Network Dysfunction During Autoimmune Demyelination: Correlation With Disease Severity. J Neurochem 2025; 169:e16305. [PMID: 39957272 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.16305] [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: 10/11/2024] [Revised: 01/02/2025] [Accepted: 01/03/2025] [Indexed: 02/18/2025]
Abstract
Cortical damage and dysfunction is a pathological hallmark of multiple sclerosis (MS) that correlates with the severity of physical and cognitive disability. Astrocytes participate in MS pathobiology through a variety of mechanisms, and abnormal astrocytic calcium signaling has been pointed as a pathogenic mechanism of cortical dysfunction in MS. However, in vivo evidence supporting deregulation of astrocyte calcium-dependent mechanisms in cortical MS is still limited. Here, we applied fiber photometry to the longitudinal analysis of spontaneous and sensory-evoked astrocyte network activity in the somatosensory cortex of mice in an experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). We found that freely moving EAE mice exhibit spontaneously occurring astrocyte calcium signals of increased duration and reduced amplitude. Concomitantly, cortical astrocytes in EAE mice responded to sensory stimulation with calcium events of decreased amplitude. The emergence of aberrant astrocyte calcium signals in the somatosensory cortex paralleled the onset of neurological symptomatology, and changes in the amplitude of both spontaneous and evoked responses were selectively correlated to the severity of neurological deficits. These results highlight the imbalance of astrocyte network activity in the brain cortex during autoimmune inflammation and further support the relevance of astrocyte-based pathobiology as an underlying mechanism of cortical dysfunction in MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Moreno-García
- Department of Neurosciences, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain
- Neuroinmunology Group, Biobizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Spain
| | - R Serrat
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
- INSERM, U1215 NeuroCentre Magendie, Bordeaux, France
| | - F Julio-Kalajzic
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
- INSERM, U1215 NeuroCentre Magendie, Bordeaux, France
| | - A Bernal-Chico
- Department of Neurosciences, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain
- Neuroinmunology Group, Biobizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Spain
| | - A M Baraibar
- Department of Neurosciences, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain
- Neuroinmunology Group, Biobizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Spain
| | - C Matute
- Department of Neurosciences, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain
- University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - G Marsicano
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
- INSERM, U1215 NeuroCentre Magendie, Bordeaux, France
| | - S Mato
- Department of Neurosciences, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain
- Neuroinmunology Group, Biobizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Spain
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13
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Bridi MC, Luo N, Kim G, Menarchek BJ, Lee RA, Rodriguez B, Severin D, Moreno C, Contreras A, Wesselborg C, O’Ferrall C, Patel R, Bertrand S, Kannan S, Kirkwood A. Daily oscillation of the excitation/inhibition ratio is disrupted in two mouse models of autism. iScience 2025; 28:111494. [PMID: 39850357 PMCID: PMC11754079 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.111494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2024] [Revised: 11/13/2024] [Accepted: 11/26/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2025] Open
Abstract
Alterations to the excitation/inhibition (E/I) ratio are postulated to underlie behavioral phenotypes in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) patients and mouse models. However, in wild type mice the E/I ratio is not constant, but instead oscillates across the 24-h day. Therefore, we tested whether E/I regulation, rather than the overall E/I ratio, is disrupted in two ASD-related mouse lines: Fmr1 KO and BTBR, models of syndromic and idiopathic ASD, respectively. The E/I ratio is dysregulated in both models, but in different ways: the oscillation is lost in Fmr1 KO and reversed in BTBR mice. Phenotypes in both models associate with differences the timing of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission and endocannabinoid signaling compared to wild type mice, but not with altered sleep. These findings raise the possibility that ASD-related phenotypes may be produced by a mismatch between E/I and behavioral state, rather than alterations to overall E/I levels per se.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle C.D. Bridi
- Zanvyl Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Nancy Luo
- Zanvyl Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Grace Kim
- Zanvyl Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Rachel A. Lee
- Department of Neuroscience, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Bryan Rodriguez
- Department of Neuroscience, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Daniel Severin
- Zanvyl Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Cristian Moreno
- Zanvyl Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Altagracia Contreras
- Zanvyl Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Christian Wesselborg
- Zanvyl Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Caroline O’Ferrall
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ruchit Patel
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sarah Bertrand
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sujatha Kannan
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Alfredo Kirkwood
- Zanvyl Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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14
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Hike D, Liu X, Xie Z, Zhang B, Choi S, Zhou XA, Liu A, Murstein A, Jiang Y, Devor A, Yu X. High-resolution awake mouse fMRI at 14 tesla. eLife 2025; 13:RP95528. [PMID: 39786364 PMCID: PMC11717365 DOI: 10.7554/elife.95528] [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] [Indexed: 01/12/2025] Open
Abstract
High-resolution awake mouse functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) remains challenging despite extensive efforts to address motion-induced artifacts and stress. This study introduces an implantable radio frequency (RF) surface coil design that minimizes image distortion caused by the air/tissue interface of mouse brains while simultaneously serving as a headpost for fixation during scanning. Furthermore, this study provides a thorough acclimation method used to accustom animals to the MRI environment minimizing motion-induced artifacts. Using a 14 T scanner, high-resolution fMRI enabled brain-wide functional mapping of visual and vibrissa stimulation at 100 µm×100 µm×200 µm resolution with a 2 s per frame sampling rate. Besides activated ascending visual and vibrissa pathways, robust blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) responses were detected in the anterior cingulate cortex upon visual stimulation and spread through the ventral retrosplenial area (VRA) with vibrissa air-puff stimulation, demonstrating higher-order sensory processing in association cortices of awake mice. In particular, the rapid hemodynamic responses in VRA upon vibrissa stimulation showed a strong correlation with the hippocampus, thalamus, and prefrontal cortical areas. Cross-correlation analysis with designated VRA responses revealed early positive BOLD signals at the contralateral barrel cortex (BC) occurring 2 s prior to the air-puff in awake mice with repetitive stimulation, which was not detected using a randomized stimulation paradigm. This early BC activation indicated a learned anticipation through the vibrissa system and association cortices in awake mice under continuous exposure of repetitive air-puff stimulation. This work establishes a high-resolution awake mouse fMRI platform, enabling brain-wide functional mapping of sensory signal processing in higher association cortical areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Hike
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General HospitalCharlestownUnited States
| | - Xiaochen Liu
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General HospitalCharlestownUnited States
| | - Zeping Xie
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General HospitalCharlestownUnited States
| | - Bei Zhang
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General HospitalCharlestownUnited States
| | - Sangcheon Choi
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General HospitalCharlestownUnited States
| | - Xiaoqing Alice Zhou
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General HospitalCharlestownUnited States
| | - Andy Liu
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General HospitalCharlestownUnited States
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Boston UniversityBostonUnited States
| | - Alyssa Murstein
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General HospitalCharlestownUnited States
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Boston UniversityBostonUnited States
| | - Yuanyuan Jiang
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General HospitalCharlestownUnited States
| | - Anna Devor
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General HospitalCharlestownUnited States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston UniversityBostonUnited States
| | - Xin Yu
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General HospitalCharlestownUnited States
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15
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Li B, Sun Q, Ding F, Xu Q, Kang N, Xue Y, Ladron-de-Guevara A, Hirase H, Weikop P, Gong S, Smith N, Nedergaard M. Anti-seizure effects of norepinephrine-induced free fatty acid release. Cell Metab 2025; 37:223-238.e5. [PMID: 39486416 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2024.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 10/10/2024] [Indexed: 11/04/2024]
Abstract
The brain's ability to rapidly transition between sleep, quiet wakefulness, and states of high vigilance is remarkable. Cerebral norepinephrine (NE) plays a key role in promoting wakefulness, but how does the brain avoid neuronal hyperexcitability upon arousal? Here, we show that NE exposure results in the generation of free fatty acids (FFAs) within the plasma membrane from both astrocytes and neurons. In turn, FFAs dampen excitability by differentially modulating the activity of astrocytic and neuronal Na+, K+, ATPase. Direct application of FFA to the occipital cortex in awake, behaving mice dampened visual-evoked potentials (VEPs). Conversely, blocking FFA production via local application of a lipase inhibitor heightened VEP and triggered seizure-like activity. These results suggest that FFA release is a crucial step in NE signaling that safeguards against hyperexcitability. Targeting lipid-signaling pathways may offer a novel therapeutic approach for seizure prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baoman Li
- Division of Glial Disease and Therapeutics, Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA; Department of Forensic Analytical Toxicology, School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, China.
| | - Qian Sun
- Division of Glial Disease and Therapeutics, Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Fengfei Ding
- Division of Glial Disease and Therapeutics, Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Qiwu Xu
- Division of Glial Disease and Therapeutics, Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Ning Kang
- Division of Glial Disease and Therapeutics, Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Yang Xue
- Division of Glial Disease and Therapeutics, Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Antonio Ladron-de-Guevara
- Division of Glial Disease and Therapeutics, Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Hajime Hirase
- Division of Glial Disease and Therapeutics, Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA; Division of Glial Disease and Therapeutics, Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Pia Weikop
- Division of Glial Disease and Therapeutics, Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Sheng Gong
- Division of Glial Disease and Therapeutics, Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA; Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Nathan Smith
- Division of Glial Disease and Therapeutics, Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA; Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY 14642
| | - Maiken Nedergaard
- Division of Glial Disease and Therapeutics, Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA; Division of Glial Disease and Therapeutics, Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark.
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16
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Zinsmaier AK, Nestler EJ, Dong Y. Astrocytic G Protein-Coupled Receptors in Drug Addiction. ENGINEERING (BEIJING, CHINA) 2025; 44:256-265. [PMID: 40109668 PMCID: PMC11922559 DOI: 10.1016/j.eng.2024.12.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/22/2025]
Abstract
Understanding the cellular mechanisms of drug addiction remains a key task in current brain research. While neuron-based mechanisms have been extensively explored over the past three decades, recent evidence indicates a critical involvement of astrocytes, the main type of non-neuronal cells in the brain. In response to extracellular stimuli, astrocytes modulate the activity of neurons, synaptic transmission, and neural network properties, collectively influencing brain function. G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) expressed on astrocyte surfaces respond to neuron- and environment-derived ligands by activating or inhibiting astrocytic signaling, which in turn regulates adjacent neurons and their circuitry. In this review, we focus on the dopamine D1 receptors (D1R) and metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGLUR5 or GRM5)-two GPCRs that have been critically implicated in the acquisition and maintenance of addiction-related behaviors. Positioned as an introductory-level review, this article briefly discusses astrocyte biology, outlines earlier discoveries about the role of astrocytes in substance-use disorders (SUDs), and provides detailed discussion about astrocytic D1Rs and mGLUR5s in regulating synapse and network functions in the nucleus accumbens (NAc)-a brain region that mediates addiction-related emotional and motivational responses. This review serves as a stepping stone for readers of Engineering to explore links between astrocytic GPCRs and drug addiction and other psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eric J Nestler
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, NY 10029, USA
| | - Yan Dong
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
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17
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Cooke P, Linden DJ. Functional Regrowth of Norepinephrine Axons in the Adult Mouse Brain Following Injury. eNeuro 2025; 12:ENEURO.0418-24.2024. [PMID: 39725517 PMCID: PMC11729145 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0418-24.2024] [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: 09/25/2024] [Accepted: 09/30/2024] [Indexed: 12/28/2024] Open
Abstract
It is widely believed that axons in the central nervous system of adult mammals do not regrow following injury. This failure is thought, at least in part, to underlie the limited recovery of function following injury to the brain or spinal cord. Some studies of fixed tissue have suggested that, counter to dogma, norepinephrine (NE) axons regrow following brain injury. Here, we have used in vivo two-photon microscopy in layer 1 of the primary somatosensory cortex in transgenic mice harboring a fluorophore selectively expressed in NE neurons. This protocol allowed us to explore the dynamic nature of NE axons following injury with the selective NE axon toxin N-(2-chloroethyl)-N-ethyl-2-bromobenzylamine (DSP4). Following DSP4, NE axons were massively depleted and then slowly and partially recovered their density over a period of weeks. This regrowth was dominated by new axons entering the imaged volume. There was almost no contribution from local sprouting from spared NE axons. Regrown axons did not appear to use either the paths of previously lesioned NE axons or NE axons that were spared and survived DSP4 as a guide. To measure NE release, GCaMP8s was selectively expressed in neocortical astrocytes and startle-evoked, NE receptor-mediated Ca2+ transients were measured. These Ca2+ transients were abolished soon after DSP4 lesion but returned to pre-lesion values after 3-5 weeks, roughly coincident with NE axon regrowth, suggesting that the regrown NE axons are competent to release NE in response to a physiological stimulus in the awake mouse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Cooke
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - David J Linden
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
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18
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Speggiorin M, Chiavegato A, Zonta M, Gómez-Gonzalo M. Characterization of the Astrocyte Calcium Response to Norepinephrine in the Ventral Tegmental Area. Cells 2024; 14:24. [PMID: 39791726 PMCID: PMC11720743 DOI: 10.3390/cells14010024] [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: 10/25/2024] [Revised: 12/18/2024] [Accepted: 12/28/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2025] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes from different brain regions respond with Ca2+ elevations to the catecholamine norepinephrine (NE). However, whether this noradrenergic-mediated signaling is present in astrocytes from the ventral tegmental area (VTA), a dopaminergic circuit receiving noradrenergic inputs, has not yet been investigated. To fill in this gap, we applied a pharmacological approach along with two-photon microscopy and an AAV strategy to express a genetically encoded calcium indicator in VTA astrocytes. We found that VTA astrocytes from both female and male young adult mice showed a strong Ca2+ response to NE at both soma and processes. Our results revealed that Gq-coupled α1 adrenergic receptors, which elicit the production of IP3, are the main mediators of the astrocyte response. In mice lacking the IP3 receptor type-2 (IP3R2-/- mice), we found that the astrocyte response to NE, even if reduced, is still present. We also found that in IP3R2-/- astrocytes, the residual Ca2+ elevations elicited by NE depend on the release of Ca2+ from the endoplasmic reticulum, through IP3Rs different from IP3R2. In conclusion, our results reveal VTA astrocytes as novel targets of the noradrenergic signaling, opening to new interpretations of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that mediate the NE effects in the VTA.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Astrocytes/metabolism
- Astrocytes/drug effects
- Ventral Tegmental Area/metabolism
- Ventral Tegmental Area/drug effects
- Norepinephrine/pharmacology
- Norepinephrine/metabolism
- Calcium/metabolism
- Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptors/metabolism
- Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptors/genetics
- Mice
- Male
- Female
- Calcium Signaling/drug effects
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Knockout
- Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-1/metabolism
- Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-1/genetics
- Endoplasmic Reticulum/metabolism
- Endoplasmic Reticulum/drug effects
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Speggiorin
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy; (M.S.); (A.C.)
| | - Angela Chiavegato
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy; (M.S.); (A.C.)
| | - Micaela Zonta
- Neuroscience Institute, Section of Padova, National Research Council (CNR), 35131 Padova, Italy;
- Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Marta Gómez-Gonzalo
- Neuroscience Institute, Section of Padova, National Research Council (CNR), 35131 Padova, Italy;
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19
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Gobbo D, Rieder P, Fang LP, Buttigieg E, Schablowski M, Damo E, Bosche N, Dallorto E, May P, Bai X, Kirchhoff F, Scheller A. Genetic Downregulation of GABA B Receptors from Oligodendrocyte Precursor Cells Protects Against Demyelination in the Mouse Spinal Cord. Cells 2024; 13:2014. [PMID: 39682762 PMCID: PMC11640606 DOI: 10.3390/cells13232014] [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: 10/30/2024] [Revised: 11/26/2024] [Accepted: 12/03/2024] [Indexed: 12/18/2024] Open
Abstract
GABAergic signaling and GABAB receptors play crucial roles in regulating the physiology of oligodendrocyte-lineage cells, including their proliferation, differentiation, and myelination. Therefore, they are promising targets for studying how spinal oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) respond to injuries and neurodegenerative diseases like multiple sclerosis. Taking advantage of the temporally controlled and cell-specific genetic downregulation of GABAB receptors from OPCs, our investigation addresses their specific influence on OPC behavior in the gray and white matter of the mouse spinal cord. Our results show that, while GABAB receptors do not significantly alter spinal cord myelination under physiological conditions, they distinctly regulate the OPC differentiation and Ca2+ signaling. In addition, we investigate the impact of OPC-GABAB receptors in two models of toxic demyelination, namely, the cuprizone and the lysolecithin models. The genetic downregulation of OPC-GABAB receptors protects against demyelination and oligodendrocyte loss. Additionally, we observe the enhanced resilience to cuprizone-induced pathological alterations in OPC Ca2+ signaling. Our results provide valuable insights into the potential therapeutic implications of manipulating GABAB receptors in spinal cord OPCs and deepen our understanding of the interplay between GABAergic signaling and spinal cord OPCs, providing a basis for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Gobbo
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany; (D.G.)
| | - Phillip Rieder
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany; (D.G.)
| | - Li-Pao Fang
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany; (D.G.)
| | - Emeline Buttigieg
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany; (D.G.)
- Institut des Neurosciences de la Timone (INT), Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS UMR7289, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Moritz Schablowski
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany; (D.G.)
| | - Elisa Damo
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany; (D.G.)
| | - Nathalie Bosche
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany; (D.G.)
| | - Eleonora Dallorto
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany; (D.G.)
| | - Pascal May
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany; (D.G.)
| | - Xianshu Bai
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany; (D.G.)
- Center for Gender-Specific Biology and Medicine (CGBM), Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany
| | - Frank Kirchhoff
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany; (D.G.)
- Center for Gender-Specific Biology and Medicine (CGBM), Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany
- Chengdu Center for Gender-Specific Biology and Medicine (CGBM Chengdu), Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 610075, China
- Experimental Research Center for Normal and Pathological Aging, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, Romania
| | - Anja Scheller
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany; (D.G.)
- Center for Gender-Specific Biology and Medicine (CGBM), Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany
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20
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Coutinho-Budd J, Freeman MR, Ackerman S. Glial Regulation of Circuit Wiring, Firing, and Expiring in the Drosophila Central Nervous System. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2024; 16:a041347. [PMID: 38565270 PMCID: PMC11513168 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a041347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Molecular genetic approaches in small model organisms like Drosophila have helped to elucidate fundamental principles of neuronal cell biology. Much less is understood about glial cells, although interest in using invertebrate preparations to define their in vivo functions has increased significantly in recent years. This review focuses on our current understanding of the three major neuron-associated glial cell types found in the Drosophila central nervous system (CNS)-astrocytes, cortex glia, and ensheathing glia. Together, these cells act like mammalian astrocytes and microglia; they associate closely with neurons including surrounding neuronal cell bodies and proximal neurites, regulate synapses, and engulf neuronal debris. Exciting recent work has shown critical roles for these CNS glial cells in neural circuit formation, function, plasticity, and pathology. As we gain a more firm molecular and cellular understanding of how Drosophila CNS glial cells interact with neurons, it is clear that they share significant molecular and functional attributes with mammalian glia and will serve as an excellent platform for mechanistic studies of glial function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaeda Coutinho-Budd
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Brain Immunology and Glia, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903, USA
| | - Marc R Freeman
- Vollum Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon 97239, USA
| | - Sarah Ackerman
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Brain Immunology and Glia Center, and Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
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21
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Bezerra TO, Roque AC. Dopamine facilitates the response to glutamatergic inputs in astrocyte cell models. PLoS Comput Biol 2024; 20:e1012688. [PMID: 39680609 PMCID: PMC11684655 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1012688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2024] [Revised: 12/30/2024] [Accepted: 12/02/2024] [Indexed: 12/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes respond to neurotransmitters by increasing their intracellular Ca2+ concentration (Ca2+ signals). While glutamate released by neurons trigger Ca2+ signals through IP3- and glutamate transporter-dependent mechanisms, dopamine released in distant sites activates astrocytes via dopaminergic receptors. However, little is known about the modulatory effects of dopamine on glutamate-evoked astrocytic activity. To investigate this question, we developed multi-compartment, conductance-based astrocyte models with three distinct morphologies: unipolar; bipolar; and bifurcated-terminal. Glutamate induced localized responses, while dopamine activated all compartments. In the unipolar model, global dopaminergic stimulation reduced the threshold frequency of glutamatergic stimulation required to activate Ca2+ signals. Phase-plane analysis of a simplified version of this model revealed that Ca2+ signals are influenced by compartment radius and neurotransmitter type. Morphology significantly influenced glutamate-dopamine interactions. In the bipolar model, glutamatergic stimulation in one process minimally affected the other. Conversely, in the bifurcated-terminal model, where a single process bifurcates into two secondary processes, high-frequency glutamatergic stimulation in one secondary process evoked Ca2+ signals in the other. Dopamine further facilitated this latter cross-process interaction by lowering the glutamatergic stimulation frequency needed to elicit Ca2+ signals in the adjacent secondary process. These findings suggest that dopamine enhances the initiation and propagation of glutamate-evoked Ca2+ signals, with the extent of propagation depending on astrocytic morphology and the spatial distribution of glutamatergic inputs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thiago Ohno Bezerra
- Department of Physics, School of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Antonio C. Roque
- Department of Physics, School of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
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22
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Bai Y, Zhou Z, Han B, Xiang X, Huang W, Yao H. Revisiting astrocytic calcium signaling in the brain. FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 4:1365-1374. [PMID: 39734522 PMCID: PMC11670731 DOI: 10.1016/j.fmre.2023.11.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes, characterized by complex spongiform morphology, participate in various physiological processes, and abnormal changes in their calcium (Ca2+) signaling are implicated in central nervous system disorders. However, medications targeting the control of Ca2+ have fallen short of the anticipated therapeutic outcomes in clinical applications. This underscores the fact that our comprehension of this intricate regulation of calcium ions remains considerably incomplete. In recent years, with the advancement of Ca2+ labeling, imaging, and analysis techniques, Ca2+ signals have been found to exhibit high specificity at different spatial locations within the intricate structure of astrocytes. This has ushered the study of Ca2+ signaling in astrocytes into a new phase, leading to several groundbreaking research achievements. Despite this, the comprehensive understanding of astrocytic Ca2+ signaling and their implications remains challenging area for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Bai
- Department of Pharmacology, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Zhongqiu Zhou
- Department of Pharmacology, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Bing Han
- Department of Pharmacology, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Xianyuan Xiang
- Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Wenhui Huang
- Molecular Physiology, CIPMM, University of Saarland, Homburg 66421, Germany
| | - Honghong Yao
- Department of Pharmacology, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
- Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China
- Institute of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
- Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjig Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
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23
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Zhang Y, Li D, Cai Y, Zou R, Zhang Y, Deng X, Wang Y, Tang T, Ma Y, Wu F, Xie Y. Astrocyte allocation during brain development is controlled by Tcf4-mediated fate restriction. EMBO J 2024; 43:5114-5140. [PMID: 39300210 PMCID: PMC11535398 DOI: 10.1038/s44318-024-00218-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 08/07/2024] [Accepted: 08/09/2024] [Indexed: 09/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes in the brain exhibit regional heterogeneity contributing to regional circuits involved in higher-order brain functions, yet the mechanisms controlling their distribution remain unclear. Here, we show that the precise allocation of astrocytes to specific brain regions during development is achieved through transcription factor 4 (Tcf4)-mediated fate restriction based on their embryonic origin. Loss of Tcf4 in ventral telencephalic neural progenitor cells alters the fate of oligodendrocyte precursor cells to transient intermediate astrocyte precursor cells, resulting in mislocalized astrocytes in the dorsal neocortex. These ectopic astrocytes engage with neocortical neurons and acquire features reminiscent of dorsal neocortical astrocytes. Furthermore, Tcf4 functions as a suppressor of astrocyte fate during the differentiation of oligodendrocyte precursor cells derived from the ventral telencephalon, thereby restricting the fate to the oligodendrocyte lineage in the dorsal neocortex. Together, our findings highlight a previously unappreciated role for Tcf4 in regulating astrocyte allocation, offering additional insights into the mechanisms underlying neurodevelopmental disorders linked to Tcf4 mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yandong Zhang
- Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Dan Li
- Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yuqun Cai
- Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Rui Zou
- Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yilan Zhang
- Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xin Deng
- Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yafei Wang
- Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Tianxiang Tang
- Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yuanyuan Ma
- Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Feizhen Wu
- Laboratory of Epi-Informatics, Intelligent Medicine Institute of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yunli Xie
- Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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24
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Wahis J, Akkaya C, Kirunda AM, Mak A, Zeise K, Verhaert J, Gasparyan H, Hovhannisyan S, Holt MG. The astrocyte α1A-adrenoreceptor is a key component of the neuromodulatory system in mouse visual cortex. Glia 2024; 72:1955-1973. [PMID: 39001577 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24591] [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: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 06/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 11/15/2024]
Abstract
Noradrenaline (norepinephrine) is known to modulate many physiological functions and behaviors. In this study, we tested to what extent astrocytes, a type of glial cell, participate in noradrenergic signaling in mouse primary visual cortex (V1). Astrocytes are essential partners of neurons in the central nervous system. They are central to brain homeostasis, but also dynamically regulate neuronal activity, notably by relaying and regulating neuromodulator signaling. Indeed, astrocytes express receptors for multiple neuromodulators, including noradrenaline, but the extent to which astrocytes are involved in noradrenergic signaling remains unclear. To test whether astrocytes are involved in noradrenergic neuromodulation in mice, we employed both short hairpin RNA mediated knockdown as well as pharmacological manipulation of the major noradrenaline receptor in astrocytes, the α1A-adrenoreceptor. Using acute brain slices, we found that the astrocytic α1A-adrenoreceptor subtype contributes to the generation of large intracellular Ca2+ signals in visual cortex astrocytes, which are generally thought to underlie astrocyte function. To test if reduced α1A-adrenoreceptor signaling in astrocytes affected the function of neuronal circuits in V1, we used both patch-clamp and field potential recordings. These revealed that noradrenergic signaling through the astrocyte α1A-adrenoreceptor is important to not only modulate synaptic activity but also to regulate plasticity in V1, through the potentiation of synaptic responses in circuits involved in visual information processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jérôme Wahis
- Laboratory of Glia Biology, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Cansu Akkaya
- Laboratory of Glia Biology, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Andre M Kirunda
- Laboratory of Glia Biology, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Aline Mak
- Laboratory of Glia Biology, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Karen Zeise
- Laboratory of Glia Biology, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jens Verhaert
- Laboratory of Glia Biology, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Hayk Gasparyan
- Department of Mathematics and Mechanics, Yerevan State University, Yerevan, Armenia
- Armenian Bioinformatics institute, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Sargis Hovhannisyan
- Department of Mathematics and Mechanics, Yerevan State University, Yerevan, Armenia
- Armenian Bioinformatics institute, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Matthew G Holt
- Laboratory of Glia Biology, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
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25
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Drummond GT, Natesan A, Celotto M, Shih J, Ojha P, Osako Y, Park J, Sipe GO, Jenks KR, Breton-Provencher V, Simpson PC, Panzeri S, Sur M. Cortical norepinephrine-astrocyte signaling critically mediates learned behavior. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.10.24.620009. [PMID: 39484425 PMCID: PMC11527196 DOI: 10.1101/2024.10.24.620009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2024]
Abstract
Updating behavior based on feedback from the environment is a crucial means by which organisms learn and develop optimal behavioral strategies1-3. Norepinephrine (NE) release from the locus coeruleus (LC) has been shown to mediate learned behaviors4-6 such that in a task with graded stimulus uncertainty and performance, a high level of NE released after an unexpected outcome causes improvement in subsequent behavior7. Yet, how the transient activity of LC-NE neurons, lasting tens of milliseconds, influences behavior several seconds later, is unclear. Here, we show that NE acts directly on cortical astrocytes via Adra1a adrenergic receptors to elicit sustained increases in intracellular calcium. Chemogenetic blockade of astrocytic calcium elevation prevents the improvement in behavioral performance. NE-activated calcium invokes purinergic pathways in cortical astrocytes that signal to neurons; pathway-specific astrocyte gene expression is altered in mice trained on the task, and blocking neuronal adenosine-sensitive A1 receptors also prevents post-reinforcement behavioral gain. Finally, blocking either astrocyte calcium dynamics or A1 receptors alters encoding of the task in prefrontal cortex neurons, preventing the post-reinforcement change in discriminability of rewarded and unrewarded stimuli underlying behavioral improvement. Together, these data demonstrate that astrocytes, rather than indirectly reflecting neuronal drive, play a direct, instrumental role in representing task-relevant information and signaling to neurons to mediate a fundamental component of learning in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle T. Drummond
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Arundhati Natesan
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Marco Celotto
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- Institute of Neural Information Processing, Center for Molecular Neurobiology (ZMNH), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jennifer Shih
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Prachi Ojha
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Yuma Osako
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Jiho Park
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Grayson O. Sipe
- Department of Biology, Eberly College of Science and Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Kyle R. Jenks
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Vincent Breton-Provencher
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, CERVO Brain Research Center, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, Canada
| | - Paul C. Simpson
- Department of Medicine and Research Service, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Stefano Panzeri
- Institute of Neural Information Processing, Center for Molecular Neurobiology (ZMNH), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Mriganka Sur
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
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Sanz-Gálvez R, Falardeau D, Kolta A, Inglebert Y. The role of astrocytes from synaptic to non-synaptic plasticity. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1477985. [PMID: 39493508 PMCID: PMC11527691 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1477985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2024] [Accepted: 10/02/2024] [Indexed: 11/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Information storage and transfer in the brain require a high computational power. Neuronal network display various local or global mechanisms to allow information storage and transfer in the brain. From synaptic to intrinsic plasticity, the rules of input-output function modulation have been well characterized in neurons. In the past years, astrocytes have been suggested to increase the computational power of the brain and we are only just starting to uncover their role in information processing. Astrocytes maintain a close bidirectional communication with neurons to modify neuronal network excitability, transmission, axonal conduction, and plasticity through various mechanisms including the release of gliotransmitters or local ion homeostasis. Astrocytes have been significantly studied in the context of long-term or short-term synaptic plasticity, but this is not the only mechanism involved in memory formation. Plasticity of intrinsic neuronal excitability also participates in memory storage through regulation of voltage-gated ion channels or axonal morphological changes. Yet, the contribution of astrocytes to these other forms of non-synaptic plasticity remains to be investigated. In this review, we summarized the recent advances on the role of astrocytes in different forms of plasticity and discuss new directions and ideas to be explored regarding astrocytes-neuronal communication and regulation of plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Sanz-Gálvez
- Department of Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherche sur le Cerveau et l’Apprentissage (CIRCA), Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Dominic Falardeau
- Department of Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherche sur le Cerveau et l’Apprentissage (CIRCA), Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Arlette Kolta
- Department of Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherche sur le Cerveau et l’Apprentissage (CIRCA), Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Stomatology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Yanis Inglebert
- Department of Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherche sur le Cerveau et l’Apprentissage (CIRCA), Montréal, QC, Canada
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Rangel-Gomez M, Alberini CM, Deneen B, Drummond GT, Manninen T, Sur M, Vicentic A. Neuron-Glial Interactions: Implications for Plasticity, Behavior, and Cognition. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e1231242024. [PMID: 39358030 PMCID: PMC11450529 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1231-24.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2024] [Revised: 07/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 10/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The traditional view of glial cells as mere supportive tissue has shifted, due to advances in technology and theoretical conceptualization, to include a diversity of other functions, such as regulation of complex behaviors. Astrocytes, the most abundant glial cells in the central nervous system (CNS), have been shown to modulate synaptic functions through gliotransmitter-mediated neurotransmitter reuptake, influencing neuronal signaling and behavioral functions. Contemporary studies further highlight astrocytes' involvement in complex cognitive functions. For instance, inhibiting astrocytes in the hippocampus can lead to memory deficits, suggesting their integral role in memory processes. Moreover, astrocytic calcium activity and astrocyte-neuron metabolic coupling have been linked to changes in synaptic strength and learning. Microglia, another type of glial cell, also extend beyond their supportive roles, contributing to learning and memory processes, with microglial reductions impacting these functions in a developmentally dependent manner. Oligodendrocytes, traditionally thought to have limited roles postdevelopment, are now recognized for their activity-dependent modulation of myelination and plasticity, thus influencing behavioral responses. Recent advancements in technology and computational modeling have expanded our understanding of glial functions, particularly how astrocytes influence neuronal circuits and behaviors. This review underscores the importance of glial cells in CNS functions and the need for further research to unravel the complexities of neuron-glia interactions, the impact of these interactions on brain functions, and potential implications for neurological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauricio Rangel-Gomez
- Division of Neuroscience and Basic Behavioral Sciences, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20852
| | | | - Benjamin Deneen
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Center for Cancer Neuroscience, and Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Gabrielle T Drummond
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
| | - Tiina Manninen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland 33720
| | - Mriganka Sur
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
| | - Aleksandra Vicentic
- Division of Neuroscience and Basic Behavioral Sciences, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20852
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Wang H, Huang M, Yang S, Xu J, Li J, Qin H, Liang S, Teng T, Yang C, Gong M, He Y, Li X, Wang H, Liao X, Chen X, Yang Z, Zhang K. Mapping multi-regional functional connectivity of astrocyte-neuronal networks during behaviors. NEUROPHOTONICS 2024; 11:045010. [PMID: 39554692 PMCID: PMC11566604 DOI: 10.1117/1.nph.11.4.045010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2024] [Revised: 10/21/2024] [Accepted: 10/22/2024] [Indexed: 11/19/2024]
Abstract
Significance Diverse behaviors rely on coordinated activity and multi-regional functional connectivity within astrocyte-neuronal networks. However, current techniques for simultaneously measuring astrocytic and neuronal activities across multiple brain regions during behaviors remain limited. Aim We propose a multi-fiber solution that can simultaneously record activities of astrocyte-neuronal networks across multiple regions during behaviors. Approach We employed cell-specific dual-color genetically encoded calcium indicators (GECIs) and multi-fiber photometry to simultaneously measure astrocytic and neuronal Ca2+ transients across multiple brain regions in freely behaving animals. Results Our findings demonstrate that both movements and sensory stimuli induce synchronized and highly correlated Ca2+ transients in astrocytes and neurons of freely behaving mice. In addition, we recorded astrocytic and neuronal Ca2+ transients from multiple brain regions during mouse behaviors. Our observations reveal heightened synchronization of astrocytic and neuronal Ca2+ transients across different brain regions during movements or sensory stimuli, indicating enhanced functional connectivity within brain-wide astrocyte-neuronal networks. Conclusions Multi-fiber photometry, combined with cell-specific dual-color GECIs, represents a powerful approach for investigating astrocytic and neuronal activities across different brain regions during behaviors. This technique serves as a versatile tool for analyzing the multi-regional functional connectivity map of astrocyte-neuronal networks associated with specific behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoyu Wang
- Third Military Medical University, Brain Research Center and State Key Laboratory of Trauma and Chemical Poisoning, Chongqing, China
| | - Mingzhu Huang
- Chongqing University, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing, China
| | - Shaofan Yang
- Third Military Medical University, Brain Research Center and State Key Laboratory of Trauma and Chemical Poisoning, Chongqing, China
| | - Jiameng Xu
- Tiangong University, The School of Control Science and Engineering, Tianjin, China
| | - Jin Li
- Third Military Medical University, Brain Research Center and State Key Laboratory of Trauma and Chemical Poisoning, Chongqing, China
| | - Han Qin
- Chongqing Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Guangyang Bay Laboratory, Chongqing, China
| | - Shanshan Liang
- Third Military Medical University, Brain Research Center and State Key Laboratory of Trauma and Chemical Poisoning, Chongqing, China
| | - Teng Teng
- Third Military Medical University, Brain Research Center and State Key Laboratory of Trauma and Chemical Poisoning, Chongqing, China
| | - Chuanyan Yang
- Third Military Medical University, Brain Research Center and State Key Laboratory of Trauma and Chemical Poisoning, Chongqing, China
| | - Mingyue Gong
- Third Military Medical University, Brain Research Center and State Key Laboratory of Trauma and Chemical Poisoning, Chongqing, China
| | - Yong He
- Peking university, School of Electronics, Beijing, China
| | - Xingyi Li
- Chongqing University, School of Medicine, Center for Neurointelligence, Chongqing, China
| | - Huiquan Wang
- Tiangong University, The School of Control Science and Engineering, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiang Liao
- Chongqing University, School of Medicine, Center for Neurointelligence, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaowei Chen
- Third Military Medical University, Brain Research Center and State Key Laboratory of Trauma and Chemical Poisoning, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhiqi Yang
- Gansu Provincial Central Hospital, Department of Neurology, Lanzhou, China
| | - Kuan Zhang
- Third Military Medical University, Brain Research Center and State Key Laboratory of Trauma and Chemical Poisoning, Chongqing, China
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Lodeweyckx T, de Hoon J, Van Laere K, Bautista E, Rizzo G, Bishop C, Rabiner E, Martin RS, Ford A, Vargas G. Effects on cerebral blood flow after single doses of the β 2 agonist, clenbuterol, in healthy volunteers and patients with mild cognitive impairment or Parkinson's disease. Br J Clin Pharmacol 2024; 90:2638-2651. [PMID: 38953404 DOI: 10.1111/bcp.16160] [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: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
AIMS Cerebral hypometabolism occurs years prior to a diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases and coincides with reduced cerebral perfusion and declining noradrenergic transmission from the locus coeruleus. In pre-clinical models, β-adrenoceptor (β-AR) agonists increase cerebrocortical glucose metabolism, and may have therapeutic potential for neurodegenerative diseases. This study investigated the safety and effects on regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) of the oral, brain-penetrant β2-AR agonist, clenbuterol, in healthy volunteers (HV) and patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or Parkinson's disease (PD). METHODS This study evaluated the safety and effects on cerebral activity of the oral, brain-penetrant, β2-AR agonist clenbuterol (20-160 μg) in healthy volunteers and patients with MCI or PD. Regional CBF, which is tightly coupled to glucose metabolism, was measured by arterial spin labelling MRI in 32 subjects (25 HV and 8 MCI or PD) across five cohorts. In some cohorts, low doses of nadolol (1-5 mg), a β-AR antagonist with minimal brain penetration, were administered with clenbuterol to control peripheral β2-AR responses. RESULTS Significant, dose-dependent increases in rCBF were seen in multiple brain regions, including hippocampus, amygdala and thalamus, following the administration of clenbuterol to HVs (mean changes from baseline in hippocampal rCBF of -1.7%, 7.3%, 22.9%, 28.4% 3 h after 20, 40, 80 and 160 μg clenbuterol, respectively). In patients with MCI or PD, increases in rCBF following 80 μg clenbuterol were observed both without and with 5 mg nadolol (in hippocampus, 18.6%/13.7% without/with nadolol). Clenbuterol was safe and well-tolerated in all subjects; known side effects of β2-agonists, including increased heart rate and tremor, were mild in intensity and were blocked by low-dose nadolol. CONCLUSIONS The effects of clenbuterol on rCBF were evident both in the absence and presence of low-dose nadolol, suggesting central nervous system (CNS) involvement. Concomitant inhibition of the peripheral effects of clenbuterol by nadolol confirms that meaningful β2-AR antagonism in the periphery was achieved without interrupting the central effects of clenbuterol on rCBF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Lodeweyckx
- Center for Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Catholic University Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jan de Hoon
- Center for Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Catholic University Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Koen Van Laere
- Division of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Leuven and Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | | | | | - Eugenii Rabiner
- Invicro, London, UK
- Centre for Neuroimaging Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | | | - Anthony Ford
- CuraSen Therapeutics, San Carlos, California, USA
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30
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Guttenplan KA, Maxwell I, Santos E, Borchardt LA, Manzo E, Abalde-Atristain L, Kim RD, Freeman MR. Adrenergic signaling gates astrocyte responsiveness to neurotransmitters and control of neuronal activity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.09.23.614537. [PMID: 39386551 PMCID: PMC11463463 DOI: 10.1101/2024.09.23.614537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/12/2024]
Abstract
How astrocytes regulate neuronal circuits is a fundamental, unsolved question in neurobiology. Nevertheless, few studies have explored the rules that govern when astrocytes respond to different neurotransmitters in vivo and how they affect downstream circuit modulation. Here, we report an unexpected mechanism in Drosophila by which G-protein coupled adrenergic signaling in astrocytes can control, or "gate," their ability to respond to other neurotransmitters. Further, we show that manipulating this pathway potently regulates neuronal circuit activity and animal behavior. Finally, we demonstrate that this gating mechanism is conserved in mammalian astrocytes, arguing it is an ancient feature of astrocyte circuit function. Our work establishes a new mechanism by which astrocytes dynamically respond to and modulate neuronal activity in different brain regions and in different behavioral states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin A. Guttenplan
- Vollum Institute, Oregon Health and Sciences University; Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Isa Maxwell
- Vollum Institute, Oregon Health and Sciences University; Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Erin Santos
- Vollum Institute, Oregon Health and Sciences University; Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Luke A. Borchardt
- Vollum Institute, Oregon Health and Sciences University; Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Ernesto Manzo
- Vollum Institute, Oregon Health and Sciences University; Portland, Oregon, USA
| | | | - Rachel D Kim
- Neuroscience Institute, NYU Grossman School of Medicine; New York, NY., USA
| | - Marc R. Freeman
- Vollum Institute, Oregon Health and Sciences University; Portland, Oregon, USA
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31
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Xu C, Nedergaard M, Fowell DJ, Friedl P, Ji N. Multiphoton fluorescence microscopy for in vivo imaging. Cell 2024; 187:4458-4487. [PMID: 39178829 PMCID: PMC11373887 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.07.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2024] [Revised: 07/18/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/26/2024]
Abstract
Multiphoton fluorescence microscopy (MPFM) has been a game-changer for optical imaging, particularly for studying biological tissues deep within living organisms. MPFM overcomes the strong scattering of light in heterogeneous tissue by utilizing nonlinear excitation that confines fluorescence emission mostly to the microscope focal volume. This enables high-resolution imaging deep within intact tissue and has opened new avenues for structural and functional studies. MPFM has found widespread applications and has led to numerous scientific discoveries and insights into complex biological processes. Today, MPFM is an indispensable tool in many research communities. Its versatility and effectiveness make it a go-to technique for researchers investigating biological phenomena at the cellular and subcellular levels in their native environments. In this Review, the principles, implementations, capabilities, and limitations of MPFM are presented. Three application areas of MPFM, neuroscience, cancer biology, and immunology, are reviewed in detail and serve as examples for applying MPFM to biological research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris Xu
- School of Applied and Engineering Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Maiken Nedergaard
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Nørre Alle 3B, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; University of Rochester Medical School, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Deborah J Fowell
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Peter Friedl
- Department of Medical BioSciences, Radboud University Medical Centre, Geert Grooteplein 26-28, Nijmegen HB 6500, the Netherlands
| | - Na Ji
- Department of Neuroscience, Department of Physics, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
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32
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Bame X, Hill RA. Mitochondrial network reorganization and transient expansion during oligodendrocyte generation. Nat Commun 2024; 15:6979. [PMID: 39143079 PMCID: PMC11324877 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51016-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) give rise to myelinating oligodendrocytes of the brain. This process persists throughout life and is essential for recovery from neurodegeneration. To better understand the cellular checkpoints that occur during oligodendrogenesis, we determined the mitochondrial distribution and morphometrics across the oligodendrocyte lineage in mouse and human cerebral cortex. During oligodendrocyte generation, mitochondrial content expands concurrently with a change in subcellular partitioning towards the distal processes. These changes are followed by an abrupt loss of mitochondria in the oligodendrocyte processes and myelin, coinciding with sheath compaction. This reorganization and extensive expansion and depletion take 3 days. Oligodendrocyte mitochondria are stationary over days while OPC mitochondrial motility is modulated by animal arousal state within minutes. Aged OPCs also display decreased mitochondrial size, volume fraction, and motility. Thus, mitochondrial dynamics are linked to oligodendrocyte generation, dynamically modified by their local microenvironment, and altered in the aging brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xhoela Bame
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Robert A Hill
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA.
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33
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Guo Q, Gobbo D, Zhao N, Zhang H, Awuku NO, Liu Q, Fang LP, Gampfer TM, Meyer MR, Zhao R, Bai X, Bian S, Scheller A, Kirchhoff F, Huang W. Adenosine triggers early astrocyte reactivity that provokes microglial responses and drives the pathogenesis of sepsis-associated encephalopathy in mice. Nat Commun 2024; 15:6340. [PMID: 39068155 PMCID: PMC11283516 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50466-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Molecular pathways mediating systemic inflammation entering the brain parenchyma to induce sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE) remain elusive. Here, we report that in mice during the first 6 hours of peripheral lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-evoked systemic inflammation (6 hpi), the plasma level of adenosine quickly increased and enhanced the tone of central extracellular adenosine which then provoked neuroinflammation by triggering early astrocyte reactivity. Specific ablation of astrocytic Gi protein-coupled A1 adenosine receptors (A1ARs) prevented this early reactivity and reduced the levels of inflammatory factors (e.g., CCL2, CCL5, and CXCL1) in astrocytes, thereby alleviating microglial reaction, ameliorating blood-brain barrier disruption, peripheral immune cell infiltration, neuronal dysfunction, and depression-like behaviour in the mice. Chemogenetic stimulation of Gi signaling in A1AR-deficent astrocytes at 2 and 4 hpi of LPS injection could restore neuroinflammation and depression-like behaviour, highlighting astrocytes rather than microglia as early drivers of neuroinflammation. Our results identify early astrocyte reactivity towards peripheral and central levels of adenosine as an important pathway driving SAE and highlight the potential of targeting A1ARs for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qilin Guo
- Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), University of Saarland, 66421, Homburg, Germany
- Center for Gender-specific Biology and Medicine (CGBM), University of Saarland, 66421, Homburg, Germany
| | - Davide Gobbo
- Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), University of Saarland, 66421, Homburg, Germany
| | - Na Zhao
- Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), University of Saarland, 66421, Homburg, Germany
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Saarland, 66421, Homburg, Germany
| | - Hong Zhang
- Biophysics, CIPMM, University of Saarland, 66421, Homburg, Germany
| | - Nana-Oye Awuku
- Molecular Neurophysiology, CIPMM, University of Saarland, 66421, Homburg, Germany
| | - Qing Liu
- Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), University of Saarland, 66421, Homburg, Germany
| | - Li-Pao Fang
- Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), University of Saarland, 66421, Homburg, Germany
- Center for Gender-specific Biology and Medicine (CGBM), University of Saarland, 66421, Homburg, Germany
| | - Tanja M Gampfer
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Toxicology, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Center for Molecular Signaling (PZMS), University of Saarland, 66421, Homburg, Germany
| | - Markus R Meyer
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Toxicology, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Center for Molecular Signaling (PZMS), University of Saarland, 66421, Homburg, Germany
| | - Renping Zhao
- Biophysics, CIPMM, University of Saarland, 66421, Homburg, Germany
| | - Xianshu Bai
- Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), University of Saarland, 66421, Homburg, Germany
- Center for Gender-specific Biology and Medicine (CGBM), University of Saarland, 66421, Homburg, Germany
| | - Shan Bian
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, 200092, Shanghai, China
| | - Anja Scheller
- Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), University of Saarland, 66421, Homburg, Germany
- Center for Gender-specific Biology and Medicine (CGBM), University of Saarland, 66421, Homburg, Germany
| | - Frank Kirchhoff
- Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), University of Saarland, 66421, Homburg, Germany.
- Center for Gender-specific Biology and Medicine (CGBM), University of Saarland, 66421, Homburg, Germany.
| | - Wenhui Huang
- Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), University of Saarland, 66421, Homburg, Germany.
- Center for Gender-specific Biology and Medicine (CGBM), University of Saarland, 66421, Homburg, Germany.
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Rimoli CV, Moretti C, Soldevila F, Brémont E, Ventalon C, Gigan S. Demixing fluorescence time traces transmitted by multimode fibers. Nat Commun 2024; 15:6286. [PMID: 39060262 PMCID: PMC11282286 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50306-z] [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: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Optical methods based on thin multimode fibers (MMFs) are promising tools for measuring neuronal activity in deep brain regions of freely moving mice thanks to their small diameter. However, current methods are limited: while fiber photometry provides only ensemble activity, imaging techniques using of long multimode fibers are very sensitive to bending and have not been applied to unrestrained rodents yet. Here, we demonstrate the fundamentals of a new approach using a short MMF coupled to a miniscope. In proof-of-principle in vitro experiments, we disentangled spatio-temporal fluorescence signals from multiple fluorescent sources transmitted by a thin (200 µm) and short (8 mm) MMF, using a general unconstrained non-negative matrix factorization algorithm directly on the raw video data. Furthermore, we show that low-cost open-source miniscopes have sufficient sensitivity to image the same fluorescence patterns seen in our proof-of-principle experiment, suggesting a new avenue for novel minimally invasive deep brain studies using multimode fibers in freely behaving mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caio Vaz Rimoli
- Laboratoire Kastler Brossel, ENS-Université PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Collège de France, 24 Rue Lhomond, Paris, F-75005, France
- Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), Département de biologie, École normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Claudio Moretti
- Laboratoire Kastler Brossel, ENS-Université PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Collège de France, 24 Rue Lhomond, Paris, F-75005, France
| | - Fernando Soldevila
- Laboratoire Kastler Brossel, ENS-Université PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Collège de France, 24 Rue Lhomond, Paris, F-75005, France
| | - Enora Brémont
- Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), Département de biologie, École normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Cathie Ventalon
- Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), Département de biologie, École normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005, Paris, France.
| | - Sylvain Gigan
- Laboratoire Kastler Brossel, ENS-Université PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Collège de France, 24 Rue Lhomond, Paris, F-75005, France.
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35
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Li D, Pan Q, Xiao Y, Hu K. Advances in the study of phencyclidine-induced schizophrenia-like animal models and the underlying neural mechanisms. SCHIZOPHRENIA (HEIDELBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 10:65. [PMID: 39039065 PMCID: PMC11263595 DOI: 10.1038/s41537-024-00485-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024]
Abstract
Schizophrenia (SZ) is a chronic, severe mental disorder with heterogeneous clinical manifestations and unknown etiology. Research on SZ has long been limited by the low reliability of and ambiguous pathogenesis in schizophrenia animal models. Phencyclidine (PCP), a noncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonist, rapidly induces both positive and negative symptoms of SZ as well as stable SZ-related cognitive impairment in rodents. However, the neural mechanism underlying PCP-induced SZ-like symptoms is not fully understood. Nondopaminergic pathophysiology, particularly excessive glutamate release induced by NMDAR hypofunction in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), may play a key role in the development of PCP-induced SZ-like symptoms. In this review, we summarize studies on the behavioral and metabolic effects of PCP and the cellular and circuitary targets of PCP in the PFC and hippocampus (HIP). PCP is thought to target the ventral HIP-PFC pathway more strongly than the PFC-VTA pathway and thalamocortical pathway. Systemic PCP administration might preferentially inhibit gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurons in the vHIP and in turn lead to hippocampal pyramidal cell disinhibition. Excitatory inputs from the HIP may trigger sustained, excessive and pathological PFC pyramidal neuron activation to mediate various SZ-like symptoms. In addition, astrocyte and microglial activation and oxidative stress in the cerebral cortex or hippocampus have been observed in PCP-induced models of SZ. These findings perfect the hypoglutamatergic hypothesis of schizophrenia. However, whether these effects direct the consequences of PCP administration and how about the relationships between these changes induced by PCP remain further elucidation through rigorous, causal and direct experimental evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dabing Li
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwestern Medical University, LuZhou, 646000, China.
| | - Qiangwen Pan
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwestern Medical University, LuZhou, 646000, China
| | - Yewei Xiao
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwestern Medical University, LuZhou, 646000, China
| | - Kehui Hu
- Department of rehabilitation Medicine, SuiNing Central Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, SuiNing, 629000, China.
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36
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Sriram S, Carstens K, Dewing W, Fiacco TA. Astrocyte regulation of extracellular space parameters across the sleep-wake cycle. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1401698. [PMID: 38988660 PMCID: PMC11233815 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1401698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Multiple subfields of neuroscience research are beginning to incorporate astrocytes into current frameworks of understanding overall brain physiology, neuronal circuitry, and disease etiology that underlie sleep and sleep-related disorders. Astrocytes have emerged as a dynamic regulator of neuronal activity through control of extracellular space (ECS) volume and composition, both of which can vary dramatically during different levels of sleep and arousal. Astrocytes are also an attractive target of sleep research due to their prominent role in the glymphatic system, a method by which toxic metabolites generated during wakefulness are cleared away. In this review we assess the literature surrounding glial influences on fluctuations in ECS volume and composition across the sleep-wake cycle. We also examine mechanisms of astrocyte volume regulation in glymphatic solute clearance and their role in sleep and wake states. Overall, findings highlight the importance of astrocytes in sleep and sleep research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandhya Sriram
- Interdepartmental Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Kaira Carstens
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Wayne Dewing
- Undergraduate Major in Neuroscience, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Todd A Fiacco
- Interdepartmental Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
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37
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Lefton KB, Wu Y, Yen A, Okuda T, Zhang Y, Dai Y, Walsh S, Manno R, Dougherty JD, Samineni VK, Simpson PC, Papouin T. Norepinephrine Signals Through Astrocytes To Modulate Synapses. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.21.595135. [PMID: 38826209 PMCID: PMC11142048 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.21.595135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Locus coeruleus (LC)-derived norepinephrine (NE) drives network and behavioral adaptations to environmental saliencies by reconfiguring circuit connectivity, but the underlying synapse-level mechanisms are elusive. Here, we show that NE remodeling of synaptic function is independent from its binding on neuronal receptors. Instead, astrocytic adrenergic receptors and Ca2+ dynamics fully gate the effect of NE on synapses as the astrocyte-specific deletion of adrenergic receptors and three independent astrocyte-silencing approaches all render synapses insensitive to NE. Additionally, we find that NE suppression of synaptic strength results from an ATP-derived and adenosine A1 receptor-mediated control of presynaptic efficacy. An accompanying study from Chen et al. reveals the existence of an analogous pathway in the larval zebrafish and highlights its importance to behavioral state transitions. Together, these findings fuel a new model wherein astrocytes are a core component of neuromodulatory systems and the circuit effector through which norepinephrine produces network and behavioral adaptations, challenging an 80-year-old status quo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katheryn B Lefton
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis, 63110, MO, USA
| | - Yifan Wu
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis, 63110, MO, USA
| | - Allen Yen
- Department of Genetics, Washington University in St. Louis, 63110, MO, USA
| | - Takao Okuda
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, 63110, MO, USA
| | - Yufen Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, 63110, MO, USA
| | - Yanchao Dai
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis, 63110, MO, USA
| | - Sarah Walsh
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis, 63110, MO, USA
| | - Rachel Manno
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis, 63110, MO, USA
| | - Joseph D Dougherty
- Department of Genetics, Washington University in St. Louis, 63110, MO, USA
| | - Vijay K Samineni
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, 63110, MO, USA
| | - Paul C Simpson
- Deparment of Medicine and Research Service, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California San Francisco, 94143, CA, USA
| | - Thomas Papouin
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis, 63110, MO, USA
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38
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Benarroch E. What Is the Role of Lactate in Brain Metabolism, Plasticity, and Neurodegeneration? Neurology 2024; 102:e209378. [PMID: 38574305 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000209378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
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Rupprecht P, Duss SN, Becker D, Lewis CM, Bohacek J, Helmchen F. Centripetal integration of past events in hippocampal astrocytes regulated by locus coeruleus. Nat Neurosci 2024; 27:927-939. [PMID: 38570661 PMCID: PMC11089000 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-024-01612-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
An essential feature of neurons is their ability to centrally integrate information from their dendrites. The activity of astrocytes, in contrast, has been described as mostly uncoordinated across cellular compartments without clear central integration. Here we report conditional integration of calcium signals in astrocytic distal processes at their soma. In the hippocampus of adult mice of both sexes, we found that global astrocytic activity, as recorded with population calcium imaging, reflected past neuronal and behavioral events on a timescale of seconds. Salient past events, indicated by pupil dilations, facilitated the propagation of calcium signals from distal processes to the soma. Centripetal propagation to the soma was reproduced by optogenetic activation of the locus coeruleus, a key regulator of arousal, and reduced by pharmacological inhibition of α1-adrenergic receptors. Together, our results suggest that astrocytes are computational units of the brain that slowly and conditionally integrate calcium signals upon behaviorally relevant events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Rupprecht
- Laboratory of Neural Circuit Dynamics, Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland.
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Sian N Duss
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Laboratory of Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Denise Becker
- Laboratory of Neural Circuit Dynamics, Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Christopher M Lewis
- Laboratory of Neural Circuit Dynamics, Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Johannes Bohacek
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Laboratory of Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Fritjof Helmchen
- Laboratory of Neural Circuit Dynamics, Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland.
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland.
- University Research Priority Program (URPP), Adaptive Brain Circuits in Development and Learning, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland.
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40
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Cahill MK, Collard M, Tse V, Reitman ME, Etchenique R, Kirst C, Poskanzer KE. Network-level encoding of local neurotransmitters in cortical astrocytes. Nature 2024; 629:146-153. [PMID: 38632406 PMCID: PMC11062919 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07311-5] [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: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Astrocytes, the most abundant non-neuronal cell type in the mammalian brain, are crucial circuit components that respond to and modulate neuronal activity through calcium (Ca2+) signalling1-7. Astrocyte Ca2+ activity is highly heterogeneous and occurs across multiple spatiotemporal scales-from fast, subcellular activity3,4 to slow, synchronized activity across connected astrocyte networks8-10-to influence many processes5,7,11. However, the inputs that drive astrocyte network dynamics remain unclear. Here we used ex vivo and in vivo two-photon astrocyte imaging while mimicking neuronal neurotransmitter inputs at multiple spatiotemporal scales. We find that brief, subcellular inputs of GABA and glutamate lead to widespread, long-lasting astrocyte Ca2+ responses beyond an individual stimulated cell. Further, we find that a key subset of Ca2+ activity-propagative activity-differentiates astrocyte network responses to these two main neurotransmitters, and may influence responses to future inputs. Together, our results demonstrate that local, transient neurotransmitter inputs are encoded by broad cortical astrocyte networks over a minutes-long time course, contributing to accumulating evidence that substantial astrocyte-neuron communication occurs across slow, network-level spatiotemporal scales12-14. These findings will enable future studies to investigate the link between specific astrocyte Ca2+ activity and specific functional outputs, which could build a consistent framework for astrocytic modulation of neuronal activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle K Cahill
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Max Collard
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Vincent Tse
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Michael E Reitman
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Roberto Etchenique
- Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Analítica y Química Física, INQUIMAE, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Christoph Kirst
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Kira E Poskanzer
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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41
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Gau YTA, Hsu ET, Cha RJ, Pak RW, Looger LL, Kang JU, Bergles DE. Multicore fiber optic imaging reveals that astrocyte calcium activity in the mouse cerebral cortex is modulated by internal motivational state. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3039. [PMID: 38589390 PMCID: PMC11002016 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47345-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes are a direct target of neuromodulators and can influence neuronal activity on broad spatial and temporal scales in response to a rise in cytosolic calcium. However, our knowledge about how astrocytes are recruited during different animal behaviors remains limited. To measure astrocyte activity calcium in vivo during normative behaviors, we utilize a high-resolution, long working distance multicore fiber optic imaging system that allows visualization of individual astrocyte calcium transients in the cerebral cortex of freely moving mice. We define the spatiotemporal dynamics of astrocyte calcium changes during diverse behaviors, ranging from sleep-wake cycles to the exploration of novel objects, showing that their activity is more variable and less synchronous than apparent in head-immobilized imaging conditions. In accordance with their molecular diversity, individual astrocytes often exhibit distinct thresholds and activity patterns during explorative behaviors, allowing temporal encoding across the astrocyte network. Astrocyte calcium events were induced by noradrenergic and cholinergic systems and modulated by internal state. The distinct activity patterns exhibited by astrocytes provides a means to vary their neuromodulatory influence in different behavioral contexts and internal states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yung-Tian A Gau
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Eric T Hsu
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Richard J Cha
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Rebecca W Pak
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Loren L Looger
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Jin U Kang
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Dwight E Bergles
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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42
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Evans WR, Baskar SS, Costa ARCE, Ravoori S, Arigbe A, Huda R. Functional activation of dorsal striatum astrocytes improves movement deficits in hemi-parkinsonian mice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.02.587694. [PMID: 38617230 PMCID: PMC11014576 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.02.587694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by the degeneration of dopaminergic nigrostriatal inputs, which causes striatal network dysfunction and leads to pronounced motor deficits. Recent evidence highlights astrocytes as a potential local source of striatal network modulation. However, it remains unknown how dopamine loss affects striatal astrocyte activity and whether astrocyte activity regulates behavioral deficits in PD. We addressed these questions by performing astrocyte-specific calcium recordings and manipulations using in vivo fiber photometry and chemogenetics. We find that locomotion elicits astrocyte calcium activity over a slower timescale than neurons. Unilateral dopamine depletion reduced locomotion-related astrocyte responses. Chemogenetic activation facilitated astrocyte activity, and improved asymmetrical motor deficits and open field exploratory behavior in dopamine lesioned mice. Together, our results establish a novel role for functional striatal astrocyte signaling in modulating motor function in PD and highlight non-neuronal targets for potential PD therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wesley R. Evans
- WM Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Sindhuja S. Baskar
- WM Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway NJ, 08854, USA
| | | | - Sanya Ravoori
- WM Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Abimbola Arigbe
- WM Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Rafiq Huda
- WM Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway NJ, 08854, USA
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway NJ, 08854, USA
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43
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Zimmer TS, Orr AL, Orr AG. Astrocytes in selective vulnerability to neurodegenerative disease. Trends Neurosci 2024; 47:289-302. [PMID: 38521710 PMCID: PMC11006581 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2024.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
Selective vulnerability of specific brain regions and cell populations is a hallmark of neurodegenerative disorders. Mechanisms of selective vulnerability involve neuronal heterogeneity, functional specializations, and differential sensitivities to stressors and pathogenic factors. In this review we discuss the growing body of literature suggesting that, like neurons, astrocytes are heterogeneous and specialized, respond to and integrate diverse inputs, and induce selective effects on brain function. In disease, astrocytes undergo specific, context-dependent changes that promote different pathogenic trajectories and functional outcomes. We propose that astrocytes contribute to selective vulnerability through maladaptive transitions to context-divergent phenotypes that impair specific brain regions and functions. Further studies on the multifaceted roles of astrocytes in disease may provide new therapeutic approaches to enhance resilience against neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Till S Zimmer
- Appel Alzheimer's Disease Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Adam L Orr
- Appel Alzheimer's Disease Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Anna G Orr
- Appel Alzheimer's Disease Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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44
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Gao Z, Wu L, Zhao X, Wei Z, Lu L, Yi M. Random fluctuations and synaptic plasticity enhance working memory activities in the neuron-astrocyte network. Cogn Neurodyn 2024; 18:503-518. [PMID: 38699624 PMCID: PMC11061073 DOI: 10.1007/s11571-023-10002-y] [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: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Random fluctuations are inescapable feature in biological systems, but appropriate intensity of randomness can effectively facilitate information transfer and memory encoding within the nervous system. In the study, a modified spiking neuron-astrocyte network model with excitatory-inhibitory balance and synaptic plasticity is established. This model considers external input noise, and allows investigating the effects of intrinsic random fluctuations on working memory tasks. It is found that the astrocyte network, acting as a low-pass filter, reduces the noise component of the total input currents and improves the recovered images. The memory performance is enhanced by selecting appropriate intensity of random fluctuations, while excessive intensity can inhibit signal transmission of network. As the intensity of random fluctuations gradually increases, there exists a maximum value of the working memory performance. The cued recall of the network markedly decreases excessive input noise relative to test images. Meanwhile, a greater contrast effect is observed as the external input noise increases. In addition, synaptic plasticity reduces the firing rates and firing peaks of neurons, thus stabilizing the working memory activity during the test. The outcomes of this study may provide some inspirations for comprehending the role of random fluctuations in working memory mechanisms and neural information processing within the cerebral cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuoheng Gao
- School of Mathematics and Physics, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074 China
| | - Liqing Wu
- School of Mathematics and Physics, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074 China
| | - Xin Zhao
- School of Mathematics and Physics, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074 China
| | - Zhuochao Wei
- School of Mathematics and Physics, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074 China
| | - Lulu Lu
- School of Mathematics and Physics, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074 China
| | - Ming Yi
- School of Mathematics and Physics, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074 China
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45
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Renden RB, Institoris A, Sharma K, Tran CHT. Modulatory effects of noradrenergic and serotonergic signaling pathway on neurovascular coupling. Commun Biol 2024; 7:287. [PMID: 38459113 PMCID: PMC10923894 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-05996-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Dynamic changes in astrocyte Ca2+ are recognized as contributors to functional hyperemia, a critical response to increased neuronal activity mediated by a process known as neurovascular coupling (NVC). Although the critical role of glutamatergic signaling in this process has been extensively investigated, the impact of behavioral state, and the release of behavior-associated neurotransmitters, such as norepinephrine and serotonin, on astrocyte Ca2+ dynamics and functional hyperemia have received less attention. We used two-photon imaging of the barrel cortex in awake mice to examine the role of noradrenergic and serotonergic projections in NVC. We found that both neurotransmitters facilitated sensory stimulation-induced increases in astrocyte Ca2+. Interestingly, while ablation of serotonergic neurons reduced sensory stimulation-induced functional hyperemia, ablation of noradrenergic neurons caused both attenuation and potentiation of functional hyperemia. Our study demonstrates that norepinephrine and serotonin are involved in modulating sensory stimulation-induced astrocyte Ca2+ elevations and identifies their differential effects in regulating functional hyperemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert B Renden
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV, USA
| | - Adam Institoris
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Kushal Sharma
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV, USA
| | - Cam Ha T Tran
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV, USA.
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46
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Montalant A, Kiehn O, Perrier JF. Dopamine and noradrenaline activate spinal astrocyte endfeet via D1-like receptors. Eur J Neurosci 2024; 59:1278-1295. [PMID: 38052454 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16205] [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: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes, the most abundant glial cells in the central nervous system, respond to a wide variety of neurotransmitters binding to metabotropic receptors. Here, we investigated the intracellular calcium responses of spinal cord astrocytes to dopamine and noradrenaline, two catecholamines released by specific descending pathways. In a slice preparation from the spinal cord of neonatal mice, puff application of dopamine resulted in intracellular calcium responses that remained in the endfeet. Noradrenaline induced stronger responses that also started in the endfeet but spread to neighbouring compartments. The intracellular calcium responses were unaffected by blocking neuronal activity or inhibiting various neurotransmitter receptors, suggesting a direct effect of dopamine and noradrenaline on astrocytes. The intracellular calcium responses induced by noradrenaline and dopamine were inhibited by the D1 receptor antagonist SCH 23390. We assessed the functional consequences of these astrocytic responses by examining changes in arteriole diameter. Puff application of dopamine or noradrenaline resulted in vasoconstriction of spinal arterioles. However, blocking D1 receptors or manipulating astrocytic intracellular calcium levels did not abolish the vasoconstrictions, indicating that the observed intracellular calcium responses in astrocyte endfeet were not responsible for the vascular changes. Our findings demonstrate a compartmentalized response of spinal cord astrocytes to catecholamines and expand our understanding of astrocyte-neurotransmitter interactions and their potential roles in the physiology of the central nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexia Montalant
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ole Kiehn
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jean-François Perrier
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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47
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Del Franco AP, Newman EA. Astrocyte β-Adrenergic Receptor Activity Regulates NMDA Receptor Signaling of Medial Prefrontal Cortex Pyramidal Neurons. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e0990232023. [PMID: 37989594 PMCID: PMC10860478 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0990-23.2023] [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: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Glutamate spillover from the synapse is tightly regulated by astrocytes, limiting the activation of extrasynaptically located NMDA receptors (NMDAR). The processes of astrocytes are dynamic and can modulate synaptic physiology. Though norepinephrine (NE) and β-adrenergic receptor (β-AR) activity can modify astrocyte volume, this has yet to be confirmed outside of sensory cortical areas, nor has the effect of noradrenergic signaling on glutamate spillover and neuronal NMDAR activity been explored. We monitored changes to astrocyte process volume in response to noradrenergic agonists in the medial prefrontal cortex of male and female mice. Both NE and the β-AR agonist isoproterenol (ISO) increased process volume by ∼20%, significantly higher than changes seen when astrocytes had G-protein signaling blocked by GDPβS. We measured the effect of β-AR signaling on evoked NMDAR currents. While ISO did not affect single stimulus excitatory currents of Layer 5 pyramidal neurons, ISO reduced NMDAR currents evoked by 10 stimuli at 50 Hz, which elicits glutamate spillover, by 18%. After isolating extrasynaptic NMDARs by blocking synaptic NMDARs with the activity-dependent NMDAR blocker MK-801, ISO similarly reduced extrasynaptic NMDAR currents in response to 10 stimuli by 18%. Finally, blocking β-AR signaling in the astrocyte network by loading them with GDPβS reversed the ISO effect on 10 stimuli-evoked NMDAR currents. These results demonstrate that astrocyte β-AR activity reduces extrasynaptic NMDAR recruitment, suggesting that glutamate spillover is reduced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Armani P Del Franco
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455, Minnesota
| | - Eric A Newman
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455, Minnesota
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Rivera-Villaseñor A, Higinio-Rodríguez F, López-Hidalgo M. Astrocytes in Pain Perception: A Systems Neuroscience Approach. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2024; 39:193-212. [PMID: 39190076 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-64839-7_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/28/2024]
Abstract
Astrocytes play an active role in the function of the brain integrating neuronal activity and regulating back neuronal dynamic. They have recently emerged as active contributors of brain's emergent properties such as perceptions. Here, we analyzed the role of astrocytes in pain perception from the lens of systems neuroscience, and we do this by analyzing how astrocytes encode nociceptive information within brain processing areas and how they are key regulators of the internal state that determines pain perception. Specifically, we discuss the dynamic interactions between astrocytes and neuromodulators, such as noradrenaline, highlighting their role in shaping the level of activation of the neuronal ensemble, thereby influencing the experience of pain. Also, we will discuss the possible implications of an "Astro-NeuroMatrix" in the integration of pain across sensory, affective, and cognitive dimensions of pain perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angélica Rivera-Villaseñor
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Queretaro, Qro., Mexico
- Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Queretaro, Qro., Mexico
| | - Frida Higinio-Rodríguez
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Queretaro, Qro., Mexico
- Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Queretaro, Qro., Mexico
| | - Mónica López-Hidalgo
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Queretaro, Qro., Mexico.
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Le L, Miyanishi K, Tanaka J, Majewska AK. Microglial Regulation of Sleep and Wakefulness. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2024; 37:243-260. [PMID: 39207696 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-55529-9_14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Sleep serves a multitude of roles in brain maturation and function. Although the neural networks involved in sleep regulation have been extensively characterized, it is increasingly recognized that neurons are not the sole conductor orchestrating the rhythmic cycle of sleep and wakefulness. In the central nervous system, microglia have emerged as an important player in sleep regulation. Within the last two decades, microglia have gained substantial attention for carrying out numerous nonimmune tasks that are crucial for brain development and function by co-opting similar mechanisms used in their conventional immune functions. Here, we highlight the importance of microglia in sleep regulation with recent findings reporting an arrhythmic sleep/wake cycle in the absence of microglia. Although the underlying mechanisms for such regulation are still being uncovered, it is likely that microglial contributions to the rhythmic control of the sleep/wake cycle come from their influence on synaptic strength and neuronal activity. We review the current literature to provide speculative signaling pathways and suggest key questions for future research. Advancing our knowledge of the mechanistic contribution of microglia to sleep regulation will not only further our insight into this critical biological process but also be instrumental in providing novel therapeutic strategies for sleep disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linh Le
- Department of Neuroscience, Del Monte Institute of Neuroscience, Center for Visual Science, Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Kazuya Miyanishi
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Junya Tanaka
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Ehime University, Toon, Japan.
| | - Ania K Majewska
- Department of Neuroscience, Del Monte Institute of Neuroscience, Center for Visual Science, Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA.
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Uribe-Arias A, Rozenblat R, Vinepinsky E, Marachlian E, Kulkarni A, Zada D, Privat M, Topsakalian D, Charpy S, Candat V, Nourin S, Appelbaum L, Sumbre G. Radial astrocyte synchronization modulates the visual system during behavioral-state transitions. Neuron 2023; 111:4040-4057.e6. [PMID: 37863038 PMCID: PMC10783638 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.09.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
Glial cells support the function of neurons. Recent evidence shows that astrocytes are also involved in brain computations. To explore whether and how their excitable nature affects brain computations and motor behaviors, we used two-photon Ca2+ imaging of zebrafish larvae expressing GCaMP in both neurons and radial astrocytes (RAs). We found that in the optic tectum, RAs synchronize their Ca2+ transients immediately after the end of an escape behavior. Using optogenetics, ablations, and a genetically encoded norepinephrine sensor, we observed that RA synchronous Ca2+ events are mediated by the locus coeruleus (LC)-norepinephrine circuit. RA synchronization did not induce direct excitation or inhibition of tectal neurons. Nevertheless, it modulated the direction selectivity and the long-distance functional correlations among neurons. This mechanism supports freezing behavior following a switch to an alerted state. These results show that LC-mediated neuro-glial interactions modulate the visual system during transitions between behavioral states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Uribe-Arias
- Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), Département de biologie, École normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Rotem Rozenblat
- The Faculty of Life Sciences and The Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Ehud Vinepinsky
- Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), Département de biologie, École normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Emiliano Marachlian
- Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), Département de biologie, École normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Anirudh Kulkarni
- Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), Département de biologie, École normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005 Paris, France
| | - David Zada
- The Faculty of Life Sciences and The Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Martin Privat
- Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), Département de biologie, École normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Diego Topsakalian
- Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), Département de biologie, École normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Sarah Charpy
- Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), Département de biologie, École normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Virginie Candat
- Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), Département de biologie, École normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Sarah Nourin
- Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), Département de biologie, École normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Lior Appelbaum
- The Faculty of Life Sciences and The Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Germán Sumbre
- Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), Département de biologie, École normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005 Paris, France.
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