1
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Gonçalves-Ribeiro J, Savchak OK, Costa-Pinto S, Gomes JI, Rivas-Santisteban R, Lillo A, Sánchez Romero J, Sebastião AM, Navarrete M, Navarro G, Franco R, Vaz SH. Adenosine receptors are the on-and-off switch of astrocytic cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) receptor effect upon synaptic plasticity in the medial prefrontal cortex. Glia 2024; 72:1096-1116. [PMID: 38482984 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is involved in cognitive functions such as working memory. Astrocytic cannabinoid type 1 receptor (CB1R) induces cytosolic calcium (Ca2+) concentration changes with an impact on neuronal function. mPFC astrocytes also express adenosine A1 and A2A receptors (A1R, A2AR), being unknown the crosstalk between CB1R and adenosine receptors in these cells. We show here that a further level of regulation of astrocyte Ca2+ signaling occurs through CB1R-A2AR or CB1R-A1R heteromers that ultimately impact mPFC synaptic plasticity. CB1R-mediated Ca2+ transients increased and decreased when A1R and A2AR were activated, respectively, unveiling adenosine receptors as modulators of astrocytic CB1R. CB1R activation leads to an enhancement of long-term potentiation (LTP) in the mPFC, under the control of A1R but not of A2AR. Notably, in IP3R2KO mice, that do not show astrocytic Ca2+ level elevations, CB1R activation decreases LTP, which is not modified by A1R or A2AR. The present work suggests that CB1R has a homeostatic role on mPFC LTP, under the control of A1R, probably due to physical crosstalk between these receptors in astrocytes that ultimately alters CB1R Ca2+ signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Gonçalves-Ribeiro
- Instituto de Farmacologia e Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Oksana K Savchak
- Instituto de Farmacologia e Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Sara Costa-Pinto
- Instituto de Farmacologia e Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Joana I Gomes
- Instituto de Farmacologia e Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Rafael Rivas-Santisteban
- Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, School of Pharmacy and Food Science, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- CiberNed, Network Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Spanish Health Institute Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alejandro Lillo
- Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, School of Pharmacy and Food Science, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- CiberNed, Network Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Spanish Health Institute Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Sánchez Romero
- Instituto Cajal, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
- PhD Program in Neuroscience, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid-Instituto Cajal, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana M Sebastião
- Instituto de Farmacologia e Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | | | - Gemma Navarro
- Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, School of Pharmacy and Food Science, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- CiberNed, Network Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Spanish Health Institute Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rafael Franco
- CiberNed, Network Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Spanish Health Institute Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, Faculty of Biology, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- School of Chemistry, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sandra H Vaz
- Instituto de Farmacologia e Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
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2
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Wu Y, Dai Y, Lefton KB, Holy TE, Papouin T. STARDUST: a pipeline for the unbiased analysis of astrocyte regional calcium dynamics. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.04.588196. [PMID: 38645020 PMCID: PMC11030233 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.04.588196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Calcium imaging has become a popular way to probe astrocyte activity, but few analysis methods holistically capture discrete calcium signals that occur across the astrocyte domain. Here, we introduce STARDUST, a pipeline for the Spatio-Temporal Analysis of Regional Dynamics & Unbiased Sorting of Transients from fluorescence recordings of astrocytes, and provide step-by-step guidelines. STARDUST yields fluorescence time-series from data-defined regions of activity and performs systematic signal detection and feature extraction, enabling the in-depth and unbiased study of astrocyte calcium signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Wu
- Washington University in St. Louis, Department of Neuroscience, St. Louis, MO 63110 USA
- Technical contact
| | - Yanchao Dai
- Washington University in St. Louis, Department of Neuroscience, St. Louis, MO 63110 USA
| | - Katheryn B. Lefton
- Washington University in St. Louis, Department of Neuroscience, St. Louis, MO 63110 USA
| | - Timothy E. Holy
- Washington University in St. Louis, Department of Neuroscience, St. Louis, MO 63110 USA
| | - Thomas Papouin
- Washington University in St. Louis, Department of Neuroscience, St. Louis, MO 63110 USA
- Lead contact
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3
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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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4
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Reis FMCV, Maesta-Pereira S, Ollivier M, Schuette PJ, Sethi E, Miranda BA, Iniguez E, Chakerian M, Vaughn E, Sehgal M, Nguyen DCT, Yuan FTH, Torossian A, Ikebara JM, Kihara AH, Silva AJ, Kao JC, Khakh BS, Adhikari A. Control of feeding by a bottom-up midbrain-subthalamic pathway. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2111. [PMID: 38454000 PMCID: PMC10920831 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46430-5] [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: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Investigative exploration and foraging leading to food consumption have vital importance, but are not well-understood. Since GABAergic inputs to the lateral and ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (l/vlPAG) control such behaviors, we dissected the role of vgat-expressing GABAergic l/vlPAG cells in exploration, foraging and hunting. Here, we show that in mice vgat l/vlPAG cells encode approach to food and consumption of both live prey and non-prey foods. The activity of these cells is necessary and sufficient for inducing food-seeking leading to subsequent consumption. Activation of vgat l/vlPAG cells produces exploratory foraging and compulsive eating without altering defensive behaviors. Moreover, l/vlPAG vgat cells are bidirectionally interconnected to several feeding, exploration and investigation nodes, including the zona incerta. Remarkably, the vgat l/vlPAG projection to the zona incerta bidirectionally controls approach towards food leading to consumption. These data indicate the PAG is not only a final downstream target of top-down exploration and foraging-related inputs, but that it also influences these behaviors through a bottom-up pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando M C V Reis
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
| | - Sandra Maesta-Pereira
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Matthias Ollivier
- Department of Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Peter J Schuette
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Ekayana Sethi
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Blake A Miranda
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Emily Iniguez
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Meghmik Chakerian
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Eric Vaughn
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Megha Sehgal
- Department of Neurobiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Darren C T Nguyen
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Faith T H Yuan
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Anita Torossian
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Juliane M Ikebara
- Centro de Matemática, Computação e Cognição, Universidade Federal do ABC, São Bernardo do Campo, SP, 09606-070, Brazil
| | - Alexandre H Kihara
- Centro de Matemática, Computação e Cognição, Universidade Federal do ABC, São Bernardo do Campo, SP, 09606-070, Brazil
| | - Alcino J Silva
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA
- Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Jonathan C Kao
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Baljit S Khakh
- Department of Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Avishek Adhikari
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
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5
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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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6
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Tao S, Hulpiau P, Wagner LE, Witschas K, Yule DI, Bultynck G, Leybaert L. IP3RPEP6, a novel peptide inhibitor of IP 3 receptor channels that does not affect connexin-43 hemichannels. Acta Physiol (Oxf) 2024; 240:e14086. [PMID: 38240350 DOI: 10.1111/apha.14086] [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: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
AIM Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors (IP3 Rs) are intracellular Ca2+ -release channels with crucial roles in cell function. Current IP3 R inhibitors suffer from off-target effects and poor selectivity towards the three distinct IP3 R subtypes. We developed a novel peptide inhibitor of IP3 Rs and determined its effect on connexin-43 (Cx43) hemichannels, which are co-activated by IP3 R stimulation. METHODS IP3RPEP6 was developed by in silico molecular docking studies and characterized by on-nucleus patch-clamp experiments of IP3 R2 channels and carbachol-induced IP3 -mediated Ca2+ responses in IP3 R1, 2 or 3 expressing cells, triple IP3 R KO cells and astrocytes. Cx43 hemichannels were studied by patch-clamp and ATP-release approaches, and by inhibition with Gap19 peptide. IP3RPEP6 interactions with IP3 Rs were verified by co-immunoprecipitation and affinity pull-down assays. RESULTS IP3RPEP6 concentration-dependently reduced the open probability of IP3 R2 channels and competitively inhibited IP3 Rs in an IC50 order of IP3 R2 (~3.9 μM) < IP3 R3 (~4.3 μM) < IP3 R1 (~9.0 μM), without affecting Cx43 hemichannels or ryanodine receptors. IP3RPEP6 co-immunoprecipitated with IP3 R2 but not with IP3 R1; interaction with IP3 R3 varied between cell types. The IC50 of IP3RPEP6 inhibition of carbachol-induced Ca2+ responses decreased with increasing cellular Cx43 expression. Moreover, Gap19-inhibition of Cx43 hemichannels significantly reduced the amplitude of the IP3 -Ca2+ responses and strongly increased the EC50 of these responses. Finally, we identified palmitoyl-8G-IP3RPEP6 as a membrane-permeable IP3RPEP6 version allowing extracellular application of the IP3 R-inhibiting peptide. CONCLUSION IP3RPEP6 inhibits IP3 R2/R3 at concentrations that have limited effects on IP3 R1. IP3 R activation triggers hemichannel opening, which strongly affects the amplitude and concentration-dependence of IP3 -triggered Ca2+ responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyu Tao
- Department of Basic and Applied Medical Sciences-Physiology Group, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Paco Hulpiau
- Department of Bio-Medical Sciences, HOWEST University of Applied Sciences (Hogeschool West-Vlaanderen), Bruges, Belgium
| | - Larry E Wagner
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Katja Witschas
- Department of Basic and Applied Medical Sciences-Physiology Group, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - David I Yule
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Geert Bultynck
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Signaling, Department of Molecular Cell Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Luc Leybaert
- Department of Basic and Applied Medical Sciences-Physiology Group, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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7
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Clare K, Park K, Pan Y, Lejuez CW, Volkow ND, Du C. Neurovascular effects of cocaine: relevance to addiction. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1357422. [PMID: 38455961 PMCID: PMC10917943 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1357422] [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: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Cocaine is a highly addictive drug, and its use is associated with adverse medical consequences such as cerebrovascular accidents that result in debilitating neurological complications. Indeed, brain imaging studies have reported severe reductions in cerebral blood flow (CBF) in cocaine misusers when compared to the brains of healthy non-drug using controls. Such CBF deficits are likely to disrupt neuro-vascular interaction and contribute to changes in brain function. This review aims to provide an overview of cocaine-induced CBF changes and its implication to brain function and to cocaine addiction, including its effects on tissue metabolism and neuronal activity. Finally, we discuss implications for future research, including targeted pharmacological interventions and neuromodulation to limit cocaine use and mitigate the negative impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Clare
- New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States
| | - Kicheon Park
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States
| | - Yingtian Pan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States
| | - Carl W. Lejuez
- Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States
| | - Nora D. Volkow
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Congwu Du
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States
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8
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Ahmadpour N, Kantroo M, Stobart MJ, Meza-Resillas J, Shabanipour S, Parra-Nuñez J, Salamovska T, Muzaleva A, O'Hara F, Erickson D, Di Gaetano B, Carrion-Falgarona S, Weber B, Lamont A, Lavine NE, Kauppinen TM, Jackson MF, Stobart JL. Cortical astrocyte N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors influence whisker barrel activity and sensory discrimination in mice. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1571. [PMID: 38383567 PMCID: PMC10882001 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45989-3] [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: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes express ionotropic receptors, including N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs). However, the contribution of NMDARs to astrocyte-neuron interactions, particularly in vivo, has not been elucidated. Here we show that a knockdown approach to selectively reduce NMDARs in mouse cortical astrocytes decreases astrocyte Ca2+ transients evoked by sensory stimulation. Astrocyte NMDAR knockdown also impairs nearby neuronal circuits by elevating spontaneous neuron activity and limiting neuronal recruitment, synchronization, and adaptation during sensory stimulation. Furthermore, this compromises the optimal processing of sensory information since the sensory acuity of the mice is reduced during a whisker-dependent tactile discrimination task. Lastly, we rescue the effects of astrocyte NMDAR knockdown on neurons and improve the tactile acuity of the animal by supplying exogenous ATP. Overall, our findings show that astrocytes can respond to nearby neuronal activity via their NMDAR, and that these receptors are an important component for purinergic signaling that regulate astrocyte-neuron interactions and cortical sensory discrimination in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Meher Kantroo
- College of Pharmacy, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Anna Muzaleva
- College of Pharmacy, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Finnegan O'Hara
- College of Pharmacy, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Dustin Erickson
- College of Pharmacy, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Bruno Di Gaetano
- College of Pharmacy, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | | | - Bruno Weber
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Alana Lamont
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- PrairieNeuro Research Center, Health Sciences Center, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Natalie E Lavine
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- PrairieNeuro Research Center, Health Sciences Center, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Tiina M Kauppinen
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- PrairieNeuro Research Center, Health Sciences Center, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Michael F Jackson
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- PrairieNeuro Research Center, Health Sciences Center, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Jillian L Stobart
- College of Pharmacy, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
- Centre on Aging, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
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9
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Li J, Miramontes TG, Czopka T, Monk KR. Synaptic input and Ca 2+ activity in zebrafish oligodendrocyte precursor cells contribute to myelin sheath formation. Nat Neurosci 2024; 27:219-231. [PMID: 38216650 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01553-8] [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: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024]
Abstract
In the nervous system, only one type of neuron-glial synapse is known to exist: that between neurons and oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs), yet their composition, assembly, downstream signaling and in vivo functions remain largely unclear. Here, we address these questions using in vivo microscopy in zebrafish spinal cord and identify postsynaptic molecules PSD-95 and gephyrin in OPCs. The puncta containing these molecules in OPCs increase during early development and decrease upon OPC differentiation. These puncta are highly dynamic and frequently assemble at 'hotspots'. Gephyrin hotspots and synapse-associated Ca2+ activity in OPCs predict where a subset of myelin sheaths forms in differentiated oligodendrocytes. Further analyses reveal that spontaneous synaptic release is integral to OPC Ca2+ activity, while evoked synaptic release contributes only in early development. Finally, disruption of the synaptic genes dlg4a/dlg4b, gphnb and nlgn3b impairs OPC differentiation and myelination. Together, we propose that neuron-OPC synapses are dynamically assembled and can predetermine myelination patterns through Ca2+ signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxing Li
- Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
| | | | - Tim Czopka
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Kelly R Monk
- Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
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10
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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: 1.0] [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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11
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Naghieh P, Delavar A, Amiri M, Peremans H. Astrocyte's self-repairing characteristics improve working memory in spiking neuronal networks. iScience 2023; 26:108241. [PMID: 38047076 PMCID: PMC10692671 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes play a significant role in the working memory (WM) mechanism, yet their contribution to spiking neuron-astrocyte networks (SNAN) is underexplored. This study proposes a non-probabilistic SNAN incorporating a self-repairing (SR) mechanism through endocannabinoid pathways to facilitate WM function. Four experiments were conducted with different damaging patterns, replicating close-to-realistic synaptic impairments. Simulation results suggest that the SR process enhances WM performance by improving the consistency of neuronal firing. Moreover, the intercellular astrocytic [Ca]2+ transmission via gap junctions improves WM and SR processes. With increasing damage, WM and SR activities initially fail for non-matched samples and then for smaller and minimally overlapping matched samples. Simulation results also indicate that the inclusion of the SR mechanism in both random and continuous forms of damage improves the resilience of the WM by approximately 20%. This study highlights the importance of astrocytes in synaptically impaired networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedram Naghieh
- Medical Technology Research Center, Institute of Health Technology, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Abolfazl Delavar
- Medical Technology Research Center, Institute of Health Technology, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Mahmood Amiri
- Medical Technology Research Center, Institute of Health Technology, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
- Department of Engineering Management, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Herbert Peremans
- Department of Engineering Management, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
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12
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Courtney CD, Sobieski C, Ramakrishnan C, Ingram RJ, Wojnowski NM, DeFazio RA, Deisseroth K, Christian-Hinman CA. Optoα1AR activation in astrocytes modulates basal hippocampal synaptic excitation and inhibition in a stimulation-specific manner. Hippocampus 2023; 33:1277-1291. [PMID: 37767862 PMCID: PMC10842237 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23580] [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: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes play active roles at synapses and can monitor, respond, and adapt to local synaptic activity. While there is abundant evidence that astrocytes modulate excitatory transmission in the hippocampus, evidence for astrocytic modulation of hippocampal synaptic inhibition remains more limited. Furthermore, to better investigate roles for astrocytes in modulating synaptic transmission, more tools that can selectively activate native G protein signaling pathways in astrocytes with both spatial and temporal precision are needed. Here, we utilized AAV8-GFAP-Optoα1AR-eYFP (Optoα1AR), a viral vector that enables activation of Gq signaling in astrocytes via light-sensitive α1-adrenergic receptors. To determine if stimulating astrocytic Optoα1AR modulates hippocampal synaptic transmission, recordings were made in CA1 pyramidal cells with surrounding astrocytes expressing Optoα1AR, channelrhodopsin (ChR2), or GFP. Both high-frequency (20 Hz, 45-ms light pulses, 5 mW, 5 min) and low-frequency (0.5 Hz, 1-s pulses at increasing 1, 5, and 10 mW intensities, 90 s per intensity) blue light stimulation were tested. 20 Hz Optoα1AR stimulation increased both inhibitory and excitatory postsynaptic current (IPSC and EPSC) frequency, and the effect on miniature IPSCs (mIPSCs) was largely reversible within 20 min. However, low-frequency stimulation of Optoα1AR did not modulate either IPSCs or EPSCs, suggesting that astrocytic Gq -dependent modulation of basal synaptic transmission in the hippocampus is stimulation-dependent. By contrast, low-frequency stimulation of astrocytic ChR2 was effective in increasing both synaptic excitation and inhibition. Together, these data demonstrate that Optoα1AR activation in astrocytes changes basal GABAergic and glutamatergic transmission, but only following high-frequency stimulation, highlighting the importance of temporal dynamics when using optical tools to manipulate astrocyte function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Connor D Courtney
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Courtney Sobieski
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Charu Ramakrishnan
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Robbie J Ingram
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Natalia M Wojnowski
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - R Anthony DeFazio
- Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Karl Deisseroth
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Catherine A Christian-Hinman
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
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13
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Stopper G, Caudal LC, Rieder P, Gobbo D, Stopper L, Felix L, Everaerts K, Bai X, Rose CR, Scheller A, Kirchhoff F. Novel algorithms for improved detection and analysis of fluorescent signal fluctuations. Pflugers Arch 2023; 475:1283-1300. [PMID: 37700120 PMCID: PMC10567899 DOI: 10.1007/s00424-023-02855-3] [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: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023]
Abstract
Fluorescent dyes and genetically encoded fluorescence indicators (GEFI) are common tools for visualizing concentration changes of specific ions and messenger molecules during intra- as well as intercellular communication. Using advanced imaging technologies, fluorescence indicators are a prerequisite for the analysis of physiological molecular signaling. Automated detection and analysis of fluorescence signals require to overcome several challenges, including correct estimation of fluorescence fluctuations at basal concentrations of messenger molecules, detection, and extraction of events themselves as well as proper segmentation of neighboring events. Moreover, event detection algorithms need to be sensitive enough to accurately capture localized and low amplitude events exhibiting a limited spatial extent. Here, we present two algorithms (PBasE and CoRoDe) for accurate baseline estimation and automated detection and segmentation of fluorescence fluctuations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gebhard Stopper
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), University of Saarland, Building 48, 66421, Homburg, Germany
| | - Laura C Caudal
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), University of Saarland, Building 48, 66421, Homburg, Germany
| | - Phillip Rieder
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), University of Saarland, Building 48, 66421, Homburg, Germany
| | - Davide Gobbo
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), University of Saarland, Building 48, 66421, Homburg, Germany
| | - Laura Stopper
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), University of Saarland, Building 48, 66421, Homburg, Germany
| | - Lisa Felix
- Institute of Neurobiology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Katharina Everaerts
- Institute of Neurobiology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Xianshu Bai
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), University of Saarland, Building 48, 66421, Homburg, Germany
| | - Christine R Rose
- Institute of Neurobiology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Anja Scheller
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), University of Saarland, Building 48, 66421, Homburg, Germany
| | - Frank Kirchhoff
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), University of Saarland, Building 48, 66421, Homburg, Germany.
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14
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Lia A, Di Spiezio A, Vitalini L, Tore M, Puja G, Losi G. Ion Channels and Ionotropic Receptors in Astrocytes: Physiological Functions and Alterations in Alzheimer's Disease and Glioblastoma. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:2038. [PMID: 37895420 PMCID: PMC10608464 DOI: 10.3390/life13102038] [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: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The human brain is composed of nearly one hundred billion neurons and an equal number of glial cells, including macroglia, i.e., astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, and microglia, the resident immune cells of the brain. In the last few decades, compelling evidence has revealed that glial cells are far more active and complex than previously thought. In particular, astrocytes, the most abundant glial cell population, not only take part in brain development, metabolism, and defense against pathogens and insults, but they also affect sensory, motor, and cognitive functions by constantly modulating synaptic activity. Not surprisingly, astrocytes are actively involved in neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) and other neurological disorders like brain tumors, in which they rapidly become reactive and mediate neuroinflammation. Reactive astrocytes acquire or lose specific functions that differently modulate disease progression and symptoms, including cognitive impairments. Astrocytes express several types of ion channels, including K+, Na+, and Ca2+ channels, transient receptor potential channels (TRP), aquaporins, mechanoreceptors, and anion channels, whose properties and functions are only partially understood, particularly in small processes that contact synapses. In addition, astrocytes express ionotropic receptors for several neurotransmitters. Here, we provide an extensive and up-to-date review of the roles of ion channels and ionotropic receptors in astrocyte physiology and pathology. As examples of two different brain pathologies, we focus on Alzheimer's disease (AD), one of the most diffuse neurodegenerative disorders, and glioblastoma (GBM), the most common brain tumor. Understanding how ion channels and ionotropic receptors in astrocytes participate in NDs and tumors is necessary for developing new therapeutic tools for these increasingly common neurological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annamaria Lia
- Department Biomedical Science, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy; (A.L.); (A.D.S.)
| | - Alessandro Di Spiezio
- Department Biomedical Science, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy; (A.L.); (A.D.S.)
- Neuroscience Institute (CNR-IN), Padova Section, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Vitalini
- Department Life Science, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy; (L.V.); (G.P.)
| | - Manuela Tore
- Institute of Nanoscience (CNR-NANO), Modena Section, 41125 Modena, Italy;
- Department Biomedical Science, Metabolic and Neuroscience, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy
| | - Giulia Puja
- Department Life Science, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy; (L.V.); (G.P.)
| | - Gabriele Losi
- Institute of Nanoscience (CNR-NANO), Modena Section, 41125 Modena, Italy;
- Department Biomedical Science, Metabolic and Neuroscience, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy
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15
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Lu TY, Hanumaihgari P, Hsu ET, Agarwal A, Kawaguchi R, Calabresi PA, Bergles DE. Norepinephrine modulates calcium dynamics in cortical oligodendrocyte precursor cells promoting proliferation during arousal in mice. Nat Neurosci 2023; 26:1739-1750. [PMID: 37697112 PMCID: PMC10630072 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01426-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
Oligodendrocytes, the myelinating cells of the central nervous system (CNS), are generated from oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) that express neurotransmitter receptors. However, the mechanisms that affect OPC activity in vivo and the physiological roles of neurotransmitter signaling in OPCs are unclear. In this study, we generated a transgenic mouse line that expresses membrane-anchored GCaMP6s in OPCs and used longitudinal two-photon microscopy to monitor OPC calcium (Ca2+) dynamics in the cerebral cortex. OPCs exhibit focal and transient Ca2+ increases within their processes that are enhanced during locomotion-induced increases in arousal. The Ca2+ transients occur independently of excitatory neuron activity, rapidly decline when OPCs differentiate and are inhibited by anesthesia, sedative agents or noradrenergic receptor antagonists. Conditional knockout of α1A adrenergic receptors in OPCs suppresses spontaneous and locomotion-induced Ca2+ increases and reduces OPC proliferation. Our results demonstrate that OPCs are directly modulated by norepinephrine in vivo to enhance Ca2+ dynamics and promote population homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsai-Yi Lu
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Priyanka Hanumaihgari
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Eric T Hsu
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Amit Agarwal
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Chica and Heinz Schaller Research Group, Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Riki Kawaguchi
- Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Peter A Calabresi
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Neurology, Division of Neuroimmunology and Neurological Infections, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Dwight E Bergles
- 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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16
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Uzcategui NL, Güçer S, Richter C, Speidel A, Zirdum E, Duszenko M, Garaschuk O, Figarella K. Live imaging of microglia during sleeping sickness reveals early and heterogeneous inflammatory responses. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1253648. [PMID: 37781403 PMCID: PMC10534015 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1253648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Invasion of the central nervous system (CNS) is the most serious consequence of Trypanosoma brucei infection, which causes sleeping sickness. Recent experimental data have revealed some more insights into the disease during the meningoencephalitic stage. However, detailed cellular processes befalling the CNS during the disease are poorly understood. Methods To further address this issue, we implanted a cranial window on the cortex of B6.129P2(Cg)-Cx3cr1tm1Litt/J mice, infected them with Trypanosoma brucei expressing RFP via intraperitoneal injection, and monitored microglial cells and parasites longitudinally over 30 days using in vivo 2-photon imaging. We correlated the observed changes with histological analyses to evaluate the recruitment of peripheral immune cells. Results and discussion We uncovered an early involvement of microglia that precedes invasion of the CNS by the parasite. We accomplished a detailed characterization of the progressive sequence of events that correlates with microglial morphological changes and microgliosis. Our findings unveiled a heterogeneous microglial response in places of initial homeostatic disruption near brain barriers and pointed out an exceptional capability of microglia to hamper parasite proliferation inside the brain. We also found early signs of inflammation in the meninges, which synchronize with the microglial response. Moreover, we observed a massive infiltration of peripheral immune cells into the parenchyma as a signature in the final disease stage. Overall, our study provides new insights into the host-pathogen immune interactions in the meningeal and parenchymal compartments of the neocortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nestor L. Uzcategui
- Department of Neurophysiology, Institute of Physiology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- Institute of Anatomy, Central University of Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela
| | - Sena Güçer
- Department of Neurophysiology, Institute of Physiology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Cris Richter
- Department of Neurophysiology, Institute of Physiology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Annika Speidel
- Department of Neurophysiology, Institute of Physiology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Elizabeta Zirdum
- Department of Neurophysiology, Institute of Physiology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Michael Duszenko
- Department of Neurophysiology, Institute of Physiology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Olga Garaschuk
- Department of Neurophysiology, Institute of Physiology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Katherine Figarella
- Department of Neurophysiology, Institute of Physiology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
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17
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Novakovic MM, Korshunov KS, Grant RA, Martin ME, Valencia HA, Budinger GRS, Radulovic J, Prakriya M. Astrocyte reactivity and inflammation-induced depression-like behaviors are regulated by Orai1 calcium channels. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5500. [PMID: 37679321 PMCID: PMC10485021 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40968-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes contribute to brain inflammation in neurological disorders but the molecular mechanisms controlling astrocyte reactivity and their relationship to neuroinflammatory endpoints are complex and poorly understood. In this study, we assessed the role of the calcium channel, Orai1, for astrocyte reactivity and inflammation-evoked depression behaviors in mice. Transcriptomics and metabolomics analysis indicated that deletion of Orai1 in astrocytes downregulates genes in inflammation and immunity, metabolism, and cell cycle pathways, and reduces cellular metabolites and ATP production. Systemic inflammation by peripheral lipopolysaccharide (LPS) increases hippocampal inflammatory markers in WT but not in astrocyte Orai1 knockout mice. Loss of Orai1 also blunts inflammation-induced astrocyte Ca2+ signaling and inhibitory neurotransmission in the hippocampus. In line with these cellular changes, Orai1 knockout mice showed amelioration of LPS-evoked depression-like behaviors including anhedonia and helplessness. These findings identify Orai1 as an important signaling hub controlling astrocyte reactivity and astrocyte-mediated brain inflammation that is commonly observed in many neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaela M Novakovic
- Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Kirill S Korshunov
- Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Rogan A Grant
- Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Megan E Martin
- Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Hiam A Valencia
- Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - G R Scott Budinger
- Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Jelena Radulovic
- Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein School of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Murali Prakriya
- Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
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18
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Ozawa K, Nagao M, Konno A, Iwai Y, Vittani M, Kusk P, Mishima T, Hirai H, Nedergaard M, Hirase H. Astrocytic GPCR-Induced Ca 2+ Signaling Is Not Causally Related to Local Cerebral Blood Flow Changes. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13590. [PMID: 37686396 PMCID: PMC10487464 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Activation of Gq-type G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) gives rise to large cytosolic Ca2+ elevations in astrocytes. Previous in vitro and in vivo studies have indicated that astrocytic Ca2+ elevations are closely associated with diameter changes in the nearby blood vessels, which astrocytes enwrap with their endfeet. However, the causal relationship between astrocytic Ca2+ elevations and blood vessel diameter changes has been questioned, as mice with diminished astrocytic Ca2+ signaling show normal sensory hyperemia. We addressed this controversy by imaging cortical vasculature while optogenetically elevating astrocyte Ca2+ in a novel transgenic mouse line, expressing Opto-Gq-type GPCR Optoα1AR (Astro-Optoα1AR) in astrocytes. Blue light illumination on the surface of the somatosensory cortex induced Ca2+ elevations in cortical astrocytes and their endfeet in mice under anesthesia. Blood vessel diameter did not change significantly with Optoα1AR-induced Ca2+ elevations in astrocytes, while it was increased by forelimb stimulation. Next, we labeled blood plasma with red fluorescence using AAV8-P3-Alb-mScarlet in Astro-Optoα1AR mice. We were able to identify arterioles that display diameter changes in superficial areas of the somatosensory cortex through the thinned skull. Photo-stimulation of astrocytes in the cortical area did not result in noticeable changes in the arteriole diameters compared with their background strain C57BL/6. Together, compelling evidence for astrocytic Gq pathway-induced vasodiameter changes was not observed. Our results support the notion that short-term (<10 s) hyperemia is not mediated by GPCR-induced astrocytic Ca2+ signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katsuya Ozawa
- Laboratory for Neuron-Glia Circuitry, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako 351-0106, Saitama, Japan; (K.O.)
| | - Masaki Nagao
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1172 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ayumu Konno
- Department of Neurophysiology and Neural Repair, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi 371-8511, Gunma, Japan
- Viral Vector Core, Gunma University, Initiative for Advanced Research, Maebashi 371-8511, Gunma, Japan
| | - Youichi Iwai
- Laboratory for Neuron-Glia Circuitry, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako 351-0106, Saitama, Japan; (K.O.)
| | - Marta Vittani
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1172 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Peter Kusk
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1172 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Tsuneko Mishima
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1172 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Hirokazu Hirai
- Department of Neurophysiology and Neural Repair, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi 371-8511, Gunma, Japan
- Viral Vector Core, Gunma University, Initiative for Advanced Research, Maebashi 371-8511, Gunma, Japan
| | - Maiken Nedergaard
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1172 Copenhagen, Denmark
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Hajime Hirase
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1172 Copenhagen, Denmark
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
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19
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González-Arias C, Sánchez-Ruiz A, Esparza J, Sánchez-Puelles C, Arancibia L, Ramírez-Franco J, Gobbo D, Kirchhoff F, Perea G. Dysfunctional serotonergic neuron-astrocyte signaling in depressive-like states. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:3856-3873. [PMID: 37773446 PMCID: PMC10730416 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02269-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes play crucial roles in brain homeostasis and are regulatory elements of neuronal and synaptic physiology. Astrocytic alterations have been found in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) patients; however, the consequences of astrocyte Ca2+ signaling in MDD are poorly understood. Here, we found that corticosterone-treated juvenile mice (Cort-mice) showed altered astrocytic Ca2+ dynamics in mPFC both in resting conditions and during social interactions, in line with altered mice behavior. Additionally, Cort-mice displayed reduced serotonin (5-HT)-mediated Ca2+ signaling in mPFC astrocytes, and aberrant 5-HT-driven synaptic plasticity in layer 2/3 mPFC neurons. Downregulation of astrocyte Ca2+ signaling in naïve animals mimicked the synaptic deficits found in Cort-mice. Remarkably, boosting astrocyte Ca2+ signaling with Gq-DREADDS restored to the control levels mood and cognitive abilities in Cort-mice. This study highlights the important role of astrocyte Ca2+ signaling for homeostatic control of brain circuits and behavior, but also reveals its potential therapeutic value for depressive-like states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Candela González-Arias
- Cajal Institute, CSIC, 28002, Madrid, Spain
- PhD Program in Neuroscience, Autonoma de Madrid University-Cajal Institute, Madrid, 28029, Spain
| | - Andrea Sánchez-Ruiz
- Cajal Institute, CSIC, 28002, Madrid, Spain
- PhD Program in Neuroscience, Autonoma de Madrid University-Cajal Institute, Madrid, 28029, Spain
| | | | | | | | - Jorge Ramírez-Franco
- Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone, Aix-Marseille Université (AMU) & CNRS, UMR7289, 13005, Marseille, France
| | - Davide Gobbo
- Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Saarland, 66421, Homburg, Germany
| | - Frank Kirchhoff
- Molecular Physiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Saarland, 66421, Homburg, Germany
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20
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Gebicke-Haerter PJ. The computational power of the human brain. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1220030. [PMID: 37608987 PMCID: PMC10441807 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1220030] [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: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
At the end of the 20th century, analog systems in computer science have been widely replaced by digital systems due to their higher computing power. Nevertheless, the question keeps being intriguing until now: is the brain analog or digital? Initially, the latter has been favored, considering it as a Turing machine that works like a digital computer. However, more recently, digital and analog processes have been combined to implant human behavior in robots, endowing them with artificial intelligence (AI). Therefore, we think it is timely to compare mathematical models with the biology of computation in the brain. To this end, digital and analog processes clearly identified in cellular and molecular interactions in the Central Nervous System are highlighted. But above that, we try to pinpoint reasons distinguishing in silico computation from salient features of biological computation. First, genuinely analog information processing has been observed in electrical synapses and through gap junctions, the latter both in neurons and astrocytes. Apparently opposed to that, neuronal action potentials (APs) or spikes represent clearly digital events, like the yes/no or 1/0 of a Turing machine. However, spikes are rarely uniform, but can vary in amplitude and widths, which has significant, differential effects on transmitter release at the presynaptic terminal, where notwithstanding the quantal (vesicular) release itself is digital. Conversely, at the dendritic site of the postsynaptic neuron, there are numerous analog events of computation. Moreover, synaptic transmission of information is not only neuronal, but heavily influenced by astrocytes tightly ensheathing the majority of synapses in brain (tripartite synapse). At least at this point, LTP and LTD modifying synaptic plasticity and believed to induce short and long-term memory processes including consolidation (equivalent to RAM and ROM in electronic devices) have to be discussed. The present knowledge of how the brain stores and retrieves memories includes a variety of options (e.g., neuronal network oscillations, engram cells, astrocytic syncytium). Also epigenetic features play crucial roles in memory formation and its consolidation, which necessarily guides to molecular events like gene transcription and translation. In conclusion, brain computation is not only digital or analog, or a combination of both, but encompasses features in parallel, and of higher orders of complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter J. Gebicke-Haerter
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
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21
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Stogsdill JA, Harwell CC, Goldman SA. Astrocytes as master modulators of neural networks: Synaptic functions and disease-associated dysfunction of astrocytes. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2023; 1525:41-60. [PMID: 37219367 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.15004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes are the most abundant glial cell type in the central nervous system and are essential to the development, plasticity, and maintenance of neural circuits. Astrocytes are heterogeneous, with their diversity rooted in developmental programs modulated by the local brain environment. Astrocytes play integral roles in regulating and coordinating neural activity extending far beyond their metabolic support of neurons and other brain cell phenotypes. Both gray and white matter astrocytes occupy critical functional niches capable of modulating brain physiology on time scales slower than synaptic activity but faster than those adaptive responses requiring a structural change or adaptive myelination. Given their many associations and functional roles, it is not surprising that astrocytic dysfunction has been causally implicated in a broad set of neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders. In this review, we focus on recent discoveries concerning the contributions of astrocytes to the function of neural networks, with a dual focus on the contribution of astrocytes to synaptic development and maturation, and on their role in supporting myelin integrity, and hence conduction and its regulation. We then address the emerging roles of astrocytic dysfunction in disease pathogenesis and on potential strategies for targeting these cells for therapeutic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Corey C Harwell
- Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Steven A Goldman
- Sana Biotechnology Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA
- University of Copenhagen Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Copenhagen, Denmark
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22
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Kelly P, Sanchez-Mico MV, Hou SS, Whiteman S, Russ A, Hudry E, Arbel-Ornath M, Greenberg SM, Bacskai BJ. Neuronally Derived Soluble Abeta Evokes Cell-Wide Astrocytic Calcium Dysregulation in Absence of Amyloid Plaques in Vivo. J Neurosci 2023; 43:4926-4940. [PMID: 37236808 PMCID: PMC10312057 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1988-22.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The key pathologic entities driving the destruction of synaptic function and integrity during the evolution of Alzheimer's disease (AD) remain elusive. Astrocytes are structurally and functionally integrated within synaptic and vascular circuitry and use calcium-based physiology to modulate basal synaptic transmission, vascular dynamics, and neurovascular coupling, which are central to AD pathogenesis. We used high-resolution multiphoton imaging to quantify all endogenous calcium signaling arising spontaneously throughout astrocytic somata, primary processes, fine processes, and capillary endfeet in the brain of awake APP/PS1 transgenic mice (11 male and 6 female mice). Endogenous calcium signaling within capillary endfeet, while surprisingly as active as astrocytic fine processes, was reduced ∼50% in the brain of awake APP/PS1 mice. Cortical astrocytes, in the presence of amyloid plaques in awake APP/PS1 mice, had a cell-wide increase in intracellular calcium associated with an increased frequency, amplitude, and duration of spontaneous calcium signaling. The cell-wide astrocytic calcium dysregulation was not directly related to distance to amyloid plaques. We could re-create the cell-wide intracellular calcium dysregulation in the absence of amyloid plaques following acute exposure to neuronally derived soluble Abeta from Tg2576 transgenic mice, in the living brain of male C57/Bl6 mice. Our findings highlight a role for astrocytic calcium pathophysiology in soluble-Abeta mediated neurodegenerative processes in AD. Additionally, therapeutic strategies aiming to protect astrocytic calcium physiology from soluble Abeta-mediated toxicity may need to pharmacologically enhance calcium signaling within the hypoactive capillary endfeet while reducing the hyperactivity of spontaneous calcium signaling throughout the rest of the astrocyte.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Astrocytic calcium signaling is functionally involved in central pathologic processes of Alzheimer's disease. We quantified endogenous calcium signaling arising spontaneously in the brain of awake APP/PS1 mice, as general anesthesia suppressed astrocytic calcium signaling. Cell-wide astrocytic calcium dysregulation was not related to distance to amyloid plaques but mediated in part by neuronally derived soluble Abeta, supporting a role for astrocytes in soluble-Abeta mediated neurodegeneration. Spontaneous calcium signaling is largely compartmentalized and capillary endfeet were as active as fine processes but hypoactive in the presence of amyloid plaques, while the rest of the astrocyte became hyperactive. The cell-wide calcium pathophysiology in astrocytes may require a combination therapeutic strategy for hypoactive endfeet and astrocytic hyperactivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Kelly
- Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129
| | - Maria V Sanchez-Mico
- Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129
| | - Steven S Hou
- Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129
| | - Sara Whiteman
- Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129
| | - Alyssa Russ
- Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129
| | - Eloise Hudry
- Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129
| | - Michal Arbel-Ornath
- Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129
| | - Steven M Greenberg
- Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129
| | - Brian J Bacskai
- Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129
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23
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Cunha-Garcia D, Monteiro-Fernandes D, Correia JS, Neves-Carvalho A, Vilaça-Ferreira AC, Guerra-Gomes S, Viana JF, Oliveira JF, Teixeira-Castro A, Maciel P, Duarte-Silva S. Genetic Ablation of Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptor Type 2 (IP 3R2) Fails to Modify Disease Progression in a Mouse Model of Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10606. [PMID: 37445783 PMCID: PMC10341520 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241310606] [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: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) is a rare neurodegenerative disease caused by an abnormal polyglutamine expansion within the ataxin-3 protein (ATXN3). This leads to neurodegeneration of specific brain and spinal cord regions, resulting in a progressive loss of motor function. Despite neuronal death, non-neuronal cells, including astrocytes, are also involved in SCA3 pathogenesis. Astrogliosis is a common pathological feature in SCA3 patients and animal models of the disease. However, the contribution of astrocytes to SCA3 is not clearly defined. Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor type 2 (IP3R2) is the predominant IP3R in mediating astrocyte somatic calcium signals, and genetically ablation of IP3R2 has been widely used to study astrocyte function. Here, we aimed to investigate the relevance of IP3R2 in the onset and progression of SCA3. For this, we tested whether IP3R2 depletion and the consecutive suppression of global astrocytic calcium signalling would lead to marked changes in the behavioral phenotype of a SCA3 mouse model, the CMVMJD135 transgenic line. This was achieved by crossing IP3R2 null mice with the CMVMJD135 mouse model and performing a longitudinal behavioral characterization of these mice using well-established motor-related function tests. Our results demonstrate that IP3R2 deletion in astrocytes does not modify SCA3 progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Cunha-Garcia
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (D.C.-G.); (D.M.-F.); (J.S.C.); (A.N.-C.); (A.C.V.-F.); (S.G.-G.); (J.F.V.); (J.F.O.); (A.T.-C.)
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga/4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Daniela Monteiro-Fernandes
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (D.C.-G.); (D.M.-F.); (J.S.C.); (A.N.-C.); (A.C.V.-F.); (S.G.-G.); (J.F.V.); (J.F.O.); (A.T.-C.)
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga/4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Joana Sofia Correia
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (D.C.-G.); (D.M.-F.); (J.S.C.); (A.N.-C.); (A.C.V.-F.); (S.G.-G.); (J.F.V.); (J.F.O.); (A.T.-C.)
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga/4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Andreia Neves-Carvalho
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (D.C.-G.); (D.M.-F.); (J.S.C.); (A.N.-C.); (A.C.V.-F.); (S.G.-G.); (J.F.V.); (J.F.O.); (A.T.-C.)
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga/4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Ana Catarina Vilaça-Ferreira
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (D.C.-G.); (D.M.-F.); (J.S.C.); (A.N.-C.); (A.C.V.-F.); (S.G.-G.); (J.F.V.); (J.F.O.); (A.T.-C.)
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga/4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Sónia Guerra-Gomes
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (D.C.-G.); (D.M.-F.); (J.S.C.); (A.N.-C.); (A.C.V.-F.); (S.G.-G.); (J.F.V.); (J.F.O.); (A.T.-C.)
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga/4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - João Filipe Viana
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (D.C.-G.); (D.M.-F.); (J.S.C.); (A.N.-C.); (A.C.V.-F.); (S.G.-G.); (J.F.V.); (J.F.O.); (A.T.-C.)
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga/4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - João Filipe Oliveira
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (D.C.-G.); (D.M.-F.); (J.S.C.); (A.N.-C.); (A.C.V.-F.); (S.G.-G.); (J.F.V.); (J.F.O.); (A.T.-C.)
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga/4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
- IPCA-EST-2Ai, Polytechnic Institute of Cávado and Ave, Applied Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Campus of IPCA, 4750-810 Barcelos, Portugal
| | - Andreia Teixeira-Castro
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (D.C.-G.); (D.M.-F.); (J.S.C.); (A.N.-C.); (A.C.V.-F.); (S.G.-G.); (J.F.V.); (J.F.O.); (A.T.-C.)
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga/4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Patrícia Maciel
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (D.C.-G.); (D.M.-F.); (J.S.C.); (A.N.-C.); (A.C.V.-F.); (S.G.-G.); (J.F.V.); (J.F.O.); (A.T.-C.)
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga/4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Sara Duarte-Silva
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (D.C.-G.); (D.M.-F.); (J.S.C.); (A.N.-C.); (A.C.V.-F.); (S.G.-G.); (J.F.V.); (J.F.O.); (A.T.-C.)
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga/4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
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24
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Sardar D, Cheng YT, Woo J, Choi DJ, Lee ZF, Kwon W, Chen HC, Lozzi B, Cervantes A, Rajendran K, Huang TW, Jain A, Arenkiel B, Maze I, Deneen B. Induction of astrocytic Slc22a3 regulates sensory processing through histone serotonylation. Science 2023; 380:eade0027. [PMID: 37319217 PMCID: PMC10874521 DOI: 10.1126/science.ade0027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Neuronal activity drives alterations in gene expression within neurons, yet how it directs transcriptional and epigenomic changes in neighboring astrocytes in functioning circuits is unknown. We found that neuronal activity induces widespread transcriptional up-regulation and down-regulation in astrocytes, highlighted by the identification of Slc22a3 as an activity-inducible astrocyte gene that encodes neuromodulator transporter Slc22a3 and regulates sensory processing in the mouse olfactory bulb. Loss of astrocytic Slc22a3 reduced serotonin levels in astrocytes, leading to alterations in histone serotonylation. Inhibition of histone serotonylation in astrocytes reduced the expression of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) biosynthetic genes and GABA release, culminating in olfactory deficits. Our study reveals that neuronal activity orchestrates transcriptional and epigenomic responses in astrocytes while illustrating new mechanisms for how astrocytes process neuromodulatory input to gate neurotransmitter release for sensory processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debosmita Sardar
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX
| | - Yi-Ting Cheng
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX
| | - Junsung Woo
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX
| | - Dong-Joo Choi
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX
| | - Zhung-Fu Lee
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX
- Program in Development, Disease Models, and Therapeutics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX
| | - Wookbong Kwon
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX
| | - Hsiao-Chi Chen
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX
- The Integrative Molecular and Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX
| | - Brittney Lozzi
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX
- Genetics and Genomics Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX
| | - Alexis Cervantes
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX
| | - Kavitha Rajendran
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX
| | - Teng-Wei Huang
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX
| | - Antrix Jain
- Mass Spectrometry Proteomics Core, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX
| | - Benjamin Arenkiel
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX
- Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston TX
| | - Ian Maze
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York NY
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York NY
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York NY 10029
| | - Benjamin Deneen
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX
- Program in Development, Disease Models, and Therapeutics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX 77030
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25
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Salinas-Birt A, Zhu X, Lim EY, Cruz Santory AJ, Ye L, Paukert M. Constraints of vigilance-dependent noradrenergic signaling to mouse cerebellar Bergmann glia. Glia 2023; 71:1451-1465. [PMID: 36790089 PMCID: PMC10082684 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
Behavioral state plays an important role in determining astroglia Ca2+ signaling. In particular, locomotion-mediated elevated vigilance has been found to trigger norepinephrine-dependent whole cell Ca2+ elevations in astroglia throughout the brain. For cerebellar Bergmann glia it has recently been found that locomotion-induced transient Ca2+ elevations depend on their α1A -adrenergic receptors. With increasing availability and implementation of locomotion as behavioral parameter it becomes important to understand the constraints of noradrenergic signaling to astroglia. Here we evaluated the effect of speed, duration and interval of locomotion on Ca2+ signals in Bergmann glia as well as cerebellar noradrenergic axon terminals. We found almost no dependence on locomotion speed, but following the initial Ca2+ transient prolonged locomotion events revealed a steady-state Ca2+ elevation. Comparison of time course and recovery of transient Bergmann glia and noradrenergic terminal Ca2+ dynamics suggested that noradrenergic terminal Ca2+ activity determines Bergmann glia Ca2+ activation and does not require noradrenergic receptor desensitization to account for attenuation during prolonged locomotion. Further, analyzing the correlation among Ca2+ dynamics within regions within the field of observation we found that coordinated activity among noradrenergic terminals accounts for fluctuations of steady-state Bergmann glia Ca2+ activity. Together, our findings will help to better understand astroglia Ca2+ dynamics during less controlled awake behavior and may guide the identification of behavioral contexts preferably dependent on astroglia Ca2+ signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelica Salinas-Birt
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
- Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Xiangyu Zhu
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
- Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Eunice Y. Lim
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
- Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Aryana J. Cruz Santory
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Liang Ye
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Martin Paukert
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
- Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
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26
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Rasmussen RN, Asiminas A, Carlsen EMM, Kjaerby C, Smith NA. Astrocytes: integrators of arousal state and sensory context. Trends Neurosci 2023; 46:418-425. [PMID: 37003933 PMCID: PMC10192111 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2023.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2023]
Abstract
The integration of external information with the internal state of the body is central to the survival of virtually every multicellular organism. However, a complete picture of the mechanisms that govern this process is lacking. In this opinion article, we synthesize evidence demonstrating that astrocytes sense the momentary arousal state - through neuromodulator release - as well as the sensory inputs - through local synaptic activity - and respond to them with changes in calcium (Ca2+) signaling. We hypothesize that astrocytes integrate sensory signals with the internal state and that this process is necessary to secure optimal behavior. Finally, we argue that dysfunctional astrocytic Ca2+ signaling could be an underlying factor in disorders characterized by disrupted sensory processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rune Nguyen Rasmussen
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Antonis Asiminas
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Celia Kjaerby
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Nathan Anthony Smith
- Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY 14642, USA.
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27
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Gau YTA, Hsu E, Cha J, Pak RW, Looger LL, Kang JU, Bergles DE. Multicore fiber optic imaging reveals that astrocyte calcium activity in the cerebral cortex is modulated by internal motivational state. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.18.541390. [PMID: 37292710 PMCID: PMC10245653 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.18.541390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes are a direct target of neuromodulators and can influence neuronal activity on broad spatial and temporal scales through their close proximity to synapses. However, our knowledge about how astrocytes are functionally recruited during different animal behaviors and their diverse effects on the CNS remains limited. To enable measurement of astrocyte activity patterns in vivo during normative behaviors, we developed a high-resolution, long working distance, multi-core fiber optic imaging platform that allows visualization of cortical astrocyte calcium transients through a cranial window in freely moving mice. Using this platform, we defined the spatiotemporal dynamics of astrocytes during diverse behaviors, ranging from circadian fluctuations to novelty exploration, showing that astrocyte activity patterns are more variable and less synchronous than apparent in head-immobilized imaging conditions. Although the activity of astrocytes in visual cortex was highly synchronized during quiescence to arousal transitions, individual astrocytes often exhibited distinct thresholds and activity patterns during explorative behaviors, in accordance with their molecular diversity, allowing temporal sequencing across the astrocyte network. Imaging astrocyte activity during self-initiated behaviors revealed that noradrenergic and cholinergic systems act synergistically to recruit astrocytes during state transitions associated with arousal and attention, which was profoundly modulated by internal state. The distinct activity patterns exhibited by astrocytes in the cerebral cortex may provide a means to vary their neuromodulatory influence in response to different behaviors 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 21205, United States
| | - Eric Hsu
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
| | - Jaepyeong Cha
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States
| | - Rebecca W. Pak
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
| | - Loren L. Looger
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States
| | - Jin U. Kang
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
| | - Dwight E. Bergles
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
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28
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Fritschi L, Lenk K. Parameter Inference for an Astrocyte Model using Machine Learning Approaches. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.16.540982. [PMID: 37292854 PMCID: PMC10245674 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.16.540982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes are the largest subset of glial cells and perform structural, metabolic, and regulatory functions. They are directly involved in the communication at neuronal synapses and the maintenance of brain homeostasis. Several disorders, such as Alzheimer's, epilepsy, and schizophrenia, have been associated with astrocyte dysfunction. Computational models on various spatial levels have been proposed to aid in the understanding and research of astrocytes. The difficulty of computational astrocyte models is to fastly and precisely infer parameters. Physics informed neural networks (PINNs) use the underlying physics to infer parameters and, if necessary, dynamics that can not be observed. We have applied PINNs to estimate parameters for a computational model of an astrocytic compartment. The addition of two techniques helped with the gradient pathologies of the PINNS, the dynamic weighting of various loss components and the addition of Transformers. To overcome the issue that the neural network only learned the time dependence but did not know about eventual changes of the input stimulation to the astrocyte model, we followed an adaptation of PINNs from control theory (PINCs). In the end, we were able to infer parameters from artificial, noisy data, with stable results for the computational astrocyte model.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kerstin Lenk
- Institute of Neural Engineering, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed, 8010 Graz, Austria
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Bonato J, Curreli S, Romanzi S, Panzeri S, Fellin T. ASTRA: a deep learning algorithm for fast semantic segmentation of large-scale astrocytic networks. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.03.539211. [PMID: 37205519 PMCID: PMC10187152 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.03.539211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Changes in the intracellular calcium concentration are a fundamental fingerprint of astrocytes, the main type of glial cell. Astrocyte calcium signals can be measured with two-photon microscopy, occur in anatomically restricted subcellular regions, and are coordinated across astrocytic networks. However, current analytical tools to identify the astrocytic subcellular regions where calcium signals occur are time-consuming and extensively rely on user-defined parameters. These limitations limit reproducibility and prevent scalability to large datasets and fields-of-view. Here, we present Astrocytic calcium Spatio-Temporal Rapid Analysis (ASTRA), a novel software combining deep learning with image feature engineering for fast and fully automated semantic segmentation of two-photon calcium imaging recordings of astrocytes. We applied ASTRA to several two-photon microscopy datasets and found that ASTRA performed rapid detection and segmentation of astrocytic cell somata and processes with performance close to that of human experts, outperformed state-of-the-art algorithms for the analysis of astrocytic and neuronal calcium data, and generalized across indicators and acquisition parameters. We also applied ASTRA to the first report of two-photon mesoscopic imaging of hundreds of astrocytes in awake mice, documenting large-scale redundant and synergistic interactions in extended astrocytic networks. ASTRA is a powerful tool enabling closed-loop and large-scale reproducible investigation of astrocytic morphology and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacopo Bonato
- Neural Coding Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia; 16163 Genova, Italy
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna; 40126 Bologna, Italy
- Department of Excellence for Neural Information Processing, Center for Molecular Neurobiology (ZMNH), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Falkenried 94, D-20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sebastiano Curreli
- Neural Coding Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia; 16163 Genova, Italy
- Optical Approaches to Brain Function Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia; 16163 Genova, Italy
| | - Sara Romanzi
- Neural Coding Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia; 16163 Genova, Italy
- Optical Approaches to Brain Function Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia; 16163 Genova, Italy
- University of Genova; 16126 Genova, Italy
| | - Stefano Panzeri
- Neural Coding Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia; 16163 Genova, Italy
- Department of Excellence for Neural Information Processing, Center for Molecular Neurobiology (ZMNH), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Falkenried 94, D-20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tommaso Fellin
- Neural Coding Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia; 16163 Genova, Italy
- Optical Approaches to Brain Function Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia; 16163 Genova, Italy
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Cheng YT, Luna-Figueroa E, Woo J, Chen HC, Lee ZF, Harmanci AS, Deneen B. Inhibitory input directs astrocyte morphogenesis through glial GABA BR. Nature 2023; 617:369-376. [PMID: 37100909 PMCID: PMC10733939 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06010-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
Communication between neurons and glia has an important role in establishing and maintaining higher-order brain function1. Astrocytes are endowed with complex morphologies, placing their peripheral processes in close proximity to neuronal synapses and directly contributing to their regulation of brain circuits2-4. Recent studies have shown that excitatory neuronal activity promotes oligodendrocyte differentiation5-7; whether inhibitory neurotransmission regulates astrocyte morphogenesis during development is unclear. Here we show that inhibitory neuron activity is necessary and sufficient for astrocyte morphogenesis. We found that input from inhibitory neurons functions through astrocytic GABAB receptor (GABABR) and that its deletion in astrocytes results in a loss of morphological complexity across a host of brain regions and disruption of circuit function. Expression of GABABR in developing astrocytes is regulated in a region-specific manner by SOX9 or NFIA and deletion of these transcription factors results in region-specific defects in astrocyte morphogenesis, which is conferred by interactions with transcription factors exhibiting region-restricted patterns of expression. Together, our studies identify input from inhibitory neurons and astrocytic GABABR as universal regulators of morphogenesis, while further revealing a combinatorial code of region-specific transcriptional dependencies for astrocyte development that is intertwined with activity-dependent processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Ting Cheng
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Estefania Luna-Figueroa
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Junsung Woo
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Hsiao-Chi Chen
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Cancer Cell Biology Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Zhung-Fu Lee
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Development, Disease, Models and Therapeutics Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Akdes Serin Harmanci
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Benjamin Deneen
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
- Cancer Cell Biology Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
- Development, Disease, Models and Therapeutics Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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31
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Ren B, Burkovetskaya M, Jung Y, Bergdolt L, Totusek S, Martinez-Cerdeno V, Stauch K, Korade Z, Dunaevsky A. Dysregulated cholesterol metabolism, aberrant excitability and altered cell cycle of astrocytes in fragile X syndrome. Glia 2023; 71:1176-1196. [PMID: 36594399 PMCID: PMC10023374 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Fragile X syndrome (FXS), the most prevalent heritable form of intellectual disability, is caused by the transcriptional silencing of the FMR1 gene. While neuronal contribution to FXS has been extensively studied in both animal and human-based models of FXS, the roles of astrocytes, a type of glial cells in the brain, are largely unknown. Here, we generated a human-based FXS model via differentiation of astrocytes from human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) and human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and characterized their development, function, and proteomic profiles. We identified shortened cell cycle, enhanced Ca2+ signaling, impaired sterol biosynthesis, and pervasive alterations in the proteome of FXS astrocytes. Our work identified astrocytic impairments that could contribute to the pathogenesis of FXS and highlight astrocytes as a novel therapeutic target for FXS treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baiyan Ren
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Maria Burkovetskaya
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Yoosun Jung
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Lara Bergdolt
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Steven Totusek
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Veronica Martinez-Cerdeno
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, MIND Institute, and Institute for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine at UC Davis School of Medicine, and Shriners Hospitals for Children of Northern California, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Kelly Stauch
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Zeljka Korade
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
- Munroe-Meyer Institute for Genetics and Rehabilitation, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, CHRI, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Anna Dunaevsky
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
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Delgado L, Navarrete M. Shining the Light on Astrocytic Ensembles. Cells 2023; 12:1253. [PMID: 37174653 PMCID: PMC10177371 DOI: 10.3390/cells12091253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
While neurons have traditionally been considered the primary players in information processing, the role of astrocytes in this mechanism has largely been overlooked due to experimental constraints. In this review, we propose that astrocytic ensembles are active working groups that contribute significantly to animal conduct and suggest that studying the maps of these ensembles in conjunction with neurons is crucial for a more comprehensive understanding of behavior. We also discuss available methods for studying astrocytes and argue that these ensembles, complementarily with neurons, code and integrate complex behaviors, potentially specializing in concrete functions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marta Navarrete
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 28002 Madrid, Spain
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Cheng YT, Woo J, Luna-Figueroa E, Maleki E, Harmanci AS, Deneen B. Social deprivation induces astrocytic TRPA1-GABA suppression of hippocampal circuits. Neuron 2023; 111:1301-1315.e5. [PMID: 36787749 PMCID: PMC10121837 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
Social experience is essential for the development and maintenance of higher-order brain function. Social deprivation results in a host of cognitive deficits, and cellular studies have largely focused on associated neuronal dysregulation; how astrocyte function is impacted by social deprivation is unknown. Here, we show that hippocampal astrocytes from juvenile mice subjected to social isolation exhibit increased Ca2+ activity and global changes in gene expression. We found that the Ca2+ channel TRPA1 is upregulated in astrocytes after social deprivation and astrocyte-specific deletion of TRPA1 reverses the physiological and cognitive deficits associated with social deprivation. Mechanistically, TRPA1 inhibition of hippocampal circuits is mediated by a parallel increase of astrocytic production and release of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA after social deprivation. Collectively, our studies reveal how astrocyte function is tuned to social experience and identifies a social-context-specific mechanism by which astrocytic TRPA1 and GABA coordinately suppress hippocampal circuit function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Ting Cheng
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Junsung Woo
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Estefania Luna-Figueroa
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ehson Maleki
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | | | - Benjamin Deneen
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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Wang F, Wang W, Gu S, Qi D, Smith NA, Peng W, Dong W, Yuan J, Zhao B, Mao Y, Cao P, Lu QR, Shapiro LA, Yi SS, Wu E, Huang JH. Distinct astrocytic modulatory roles in sensory transmission during sleep, wakefulness, and arousal states in freely moving mice. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2186. [PMID: 37069258 PMCID: PMC10110578 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37974-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite extensive research on astrocytic Ca2+ in synaptic transmission, its contribution to the modulation of sensory transmission during different brain states remains largely unknown. Here, by using two-photon microscopy and whole-cell recordings, we show two distinct astrocytic Ca2+ signals in the murine barrel cortex: a small, long-lasting Ca2+ increase during sleep and a large, widespread but short-lasting Ca2+ spike when aroused. The large Ca2+ wave in aroused mice was inositol trisphosphate (IP3)-dependent, evoked by the locus coeruleus-norepinephrine system, and enhanced sensory input, contributing to reliable sensory transmission. However, the small Ca2+ transient was IP3-independent and contributed to decreased extracellular K+, hyperpolarization of the neurons, and suppression of sensory transmission. These events respond to different pharmacological inputs and contribute to distinct sleep and arousal functions by modulating the efficacy of sensory transmission. Together, our data demonstrate an important function for astrocytes in sleep and arousal states via astrocytic Ca2+ waves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fushun Wang
- Institute of Brain and Psychological Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610060, China.
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, 14643, USA.
| | - Wei Wang
- Institute of Brain and Psychological Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610060, China
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Simeng Gu
- Institute of Brain and Psychological Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610060, China
- Department of Medical Psychology, Jiangsu University Medical School, Zhenjiang, 212013, China
| | - Dan Qi
- Department of Neurosurgery and Neuroscience Institute, Baylor Scott & White Health, Temple, TX, 76508, USA
| | - Nathan A Smith
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, 14643, USA
- George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, 20052, USA
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Research Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, 20010, USA
| | - Weiguo Peng
- Institute of Brain and Psychological Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610060, China
| | - Wei Dong
- Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology, Ministry of Education & Medical Electrophysiological Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Institute of Cardiovascular Research, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Jiajin Yuan
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, 14643, USA
| | - Binbin Zhao
- Basic Medicine College, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China
| | - Ying Mao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Peng Cao
- School of Psychology, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Qing Richard Lu
- Brain Tumor Center, Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Lee A Shapiro
- Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA.
| | - S Stephen Yi
- Livestrong Cancer Institutes and Department of Oncology, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
- Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences (ICES), The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cockrell School of Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
| | - Erxi Wu
- Department of Neurosurgery and Neuroscience Institute, Baylor Scott & White Health, Temple, TX, 76508, USA.
- Livestrong Cancer Institutes and Department of Oncology, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
- Texas A & M University Health Science Center, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.
| | - Jason H Huang
- Department of Neurosurgery and Neuroscience Institute, Baylor Scott & White Health, Temple, TX, 76508, USA.
- Texas A & M University Health Science Center, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Temple, TX, 76508, USA.
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35
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Lia A, Di Spiezio A, Speggiorin M, Zonta M. Two decades of astrocytes in neurovascular coupling. FRONTIERS IN NETWORK PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 3:1162757. [PMID: 37078069 PMCID: PMC10106690 DOI: 10.3389/fnetp.2023.1162757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
The brain is a highly energy demanding organ, which accounts in humans for the 20% of total energy consumption at resting state although comprising only 2% of the body mass. The necessary delivery of nutrients to brain parenchyma is ensured by the cerebral circulatory system, through the exchange of glucose and oxygen (O2) at the capillary level. Notably, a tight spatial and temporal correlation exists between local increases in neuronal activity and the subsequent changes in regional cerebral blood flow. The recognized concept of neurovascular coupling (NVC), also named functional hyperemia, expresses this close relationship and stands at the basis of the modern functional brain imaging techniques. Different cellular and molecular mechanisms have been proposed to mediate this tight coupling. In this context, astrocytes are ideally positioned to act as relay elements that sense neuronal activity through their perisynaptic processes and release vasodilator agents at their endfeet in contact with brain parenchymal vessels. Two decades after the astrocyte involvement in neurovascular coupling has been proposed, we here review the experimental evidence that contributed to unraveling the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying cerebral blood flow regulation. While traveling through the different controversies that moved the research in this field, we keep a peculiar focus on those exploring the role of astrocytes in neurovascular coupling and conclude with two sections related to methodological aspects in neurovascular research and to some pathological conditions resulting in altered neurovascular coupling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annamaria Lia
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council (CNR), Padua, Italy
| | - Alessandro Di Spiezio
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council (CNR), Padua, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | | | - Micaela Zonta
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council (CNR), Padua, Italy
- *Correspondence: Micaela Zonta,
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36
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Zarate SM, Huntington TE, Bagher P, Srinivasan R. Aging reduces calreticulin expression and alters spontaneous calcium signals in astrocytic endfeet of the mouse dorsolateral striatum. NPJ AGING 2023; 9:5. [PMID: 37002232 PMCID: PMC10066375 DOI: 10.1038/s41514-023-00102-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
Aging-related impairment of the blood brain barrier (BBB) and neurovascular unit (NVU) increases the risk for neurodegeneration. Among various cells that participate in BBB and NVU function, calcium signals in astrocytic endfeet are crucial for maintaining BBB and NVU integrity. To assess if aging is associated with altered calcium signals within astrocytic endfeet of the dorsolateral striatum (DLS), we expressed GCaMP6f in DLS astrocytes of young (3-4 months), middle-aged (12-15 months) and aging (20-30 months) mice. Compared to endfeet in young mice, DLS endfeet in aging mice demonstrated decreased calreticulin expression, and alterations to both spontaneous membrane-associated and mitochondrial calcium signals. While young mice required both extracellular and endoplasmic reticulum calcium sources for endfoot signals, middle-aged and aging mice showed heavy dependence on endoplasmic reticulum calcium. Thus, astrocytic endfeet show significant changes in calcium buffering and sources throughout the lifespan, which is important for understanding mechanisms by which aging impairs the BBB and NVU.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara M Zarate
- Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University School of Medicine, 8447 Riverside Pkwy, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA
| | - Taylor E Huntington
- Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University School of Medicine, 8447 Riverside Pkwy, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA
- Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience (TAMIN), Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Pooneh Bagher
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA
| | - Rahul Srinivasan
- Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University School of Medicine, 8447 Riverside Pkwy, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA.
- Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience (TAMIN), Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.
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37
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Lee SH, Mak A, Verheijen MHG. Comparative assessment of the effects of DREADDs and endogenously expressed GPCRs in hippocampal astrocytes on synaptic activity and memory. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1159756. [PMID: 37051110 PMCID: PMC10083367 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1159756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADDs) have proven themselves as one of the key in vivo techniques of modern neuroscience, allowing for unprecedented access to cellular manipulations in living animals. With respect to astrocyte research, DREADDs have become a popular method to examine the functional aspects of astrocyte activity, particularly G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR)-mediated intracellular calcium (Ca2+) and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) dynamics. With this method it has become possible to directly link the physiological aspects of astrocytic function to cognitive processes such as memory. As a result, a multitude of studies have explored the impact of DREADD activation in astrocytes on synaptic activity and memory. However, the emergence of varying results prompts us to reconsider the degree to which DREADDs expressed in astrocytes accurately mimic endogenous GPCR activity. Here we compare the major downstream signaling mechanisms, synaptic, and behavioral effects of stimulating Gq-, Gs-, and Gi-DREADDs in hippocampal astrocytes of adult mice to those of endogenously expressed GPCRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie H. Lee
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Research Master’s Programme Brain and Cognitive Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Aline Mak
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Mark H. G. Verheijen
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- *Correspondence: Mark Verheijen,
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38
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Manninen T, Aćimović J, Linne ML. Analysis of Network Models with Neuron-Astrocyte Interactions. Neuroinformatics 2023; 21:375-406. [PMID: 36959372 PMCID: PMC10085960 DOI: 10.1007/s12021-023-09622-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2023]
Abstract
Neural networks, composed of many neurons and governed by complex interactions between them, are a widely accepted formalism for modeling and exploring global dynamics and emergent properties in brain systems. In the past decades, experimental evidence of computationally relevant neuron-astrocyte interactions, as well as the astrocytic modulation of global neural dynamics, have accumulated. These findings motivated advances in computational glioscience and inspired several models integrating mechanisms of neuron-astrocyte interactions into the standard neural network formalism. These models were developed to study, for example, synchronization, information transfer, synaptic plasticity, and hyperexcitability, as well as classification tasks and hardware implementations. We here focus on network models of at least two neurons interacting bidirectionally with at least two astrocytes that include explicitly modeled astrocytic calcium dynamics. In this study, we analyze the evolution of these models and the biophysical, biochemical, cellular, and network mechanisms used to construct them. Based on our analysis, we propose how to systematically describe and categorize interaction schemes between cells in neuron-astrocyte networks. We additionally study the models in view of the existing experimental data and present future perspectives. Our analysis is an important first step towards understanding astrocytic contribution to brain functions. However, more advances are needed to collect comprehensive data about astrocyte morphology and physiology in vivo and to better integrate them in data-driven computational models. Broadening the discussion about theoretical approaches and expanding the computational tools is necessary to better understand astrocytes' roles in brain functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiina Manninen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Korkeakoulunkatu 3, FI-33720, Tampere, Finland.
| | - Jugoslava Aćimović
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Korkeakoulunkatu 3, FI-33720, Tampere, Finland
| | - Marja-Leena Linne
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Korkeakoulunkatu 3, FI-33720, Tampere, Finland.
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39
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Lia A, Sansevero G, Chiavegato A, Sbrissa M, Pendin D, Mariotti L, Pozzan T, Berardi N, Carmignoto G, Fasolato C, Zonta M. Rescue of astrocyte activity by the calcium sensor STIM1 restores long-term synaptic plasticity in female mice modelling Alzheimer's disease. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1590. [PMID: 36949142 PMCID: PMC10033875 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37240-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Calcium dynamics in astrocytes represent a fundamental signal that through gliotransmitter release regulates synaptic plasticity and behaviour. Here we present a longitudinal study in the PS2APP mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (AD) linking astrocyte Ca2+ hypoactivity to memory loss. At the onset of plaque deposition, somatosensory cortical astrocytes of AD female mice exhibit a drastic reduction of Ca2+ signaling, closely associated with decreased endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ concentration and reduced expression of the Ca2+ sensor STIM1. In parallel, astrocyte-dependent long-term synaptic plasticity declines in the somatosensory circuitry, anticipating specific tactile memory loss. Notably, we show that both astrocyte Ca2+ signaling and long-term synaptic plasticity are fully recovered by selective STIM1 overexpression in astrocytes. Our data unveil astrocyte Ca2+ hypoactivity in neocortical astrocytes as a functional hallmark of early AD stages and indicate astrocytic STIM1 as a target to rescue memory deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annamaria Lia
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council (CNR), Padua, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Gabriele Sansevero
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council (CNR), Pisa, Italy
- Department of NEUROFARBA, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Angela Chiavegato
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Miriana Sbrissa
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Diana Pendin
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council (CNR), Padua, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Letizia Mariotti
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council (CNR), Padua, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Tullio Pozzan
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council (CNR), Padua, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
- Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine, Foundation for Advanced Biomedical Research, Padua, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Berardi
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council (CNR), Pisa, Italy
- Department of NEUROFARBA, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Giorgio Carmignoto
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council (CNR), Padua, Italy.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
| | - Cristina Fasolato
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
| | - Micaela Zonta
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council (CNR), Padua, Italy.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
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40
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Cheng YT, Luna-Figueroa E, Woo J, Chen HC, Lee ZF, Harmanci AS, Deneen B. Inhibitory input directs astrocyte morphogenesis through glial GABA B R. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.14.532493. [PMID: 36993256 PMCID: PMC10054985 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.14.532493] [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: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Communication between neurons and glia plays an important role in establishing and maintaining higher order brain function. Astrocytes are endowed with complex morphologies which places their peripheral processes in close proximity to neuronal synapses and directly contributes to their regulation of brain circuits. Recent studies have shown that excitatory neuronal activity promotes oligodendrocyte differentiation; whether inhibitory neurotransmission regulates astrocyte morphogenesis during development is unknown. Here we show that inhibitory neuron activity is necessary and sufficient for astrocyte morphogenesis. We found that input from inhibitory neurons functions through astrocytic GABA B R and that its deletion in astrocytes results in a loss of morphological complexity across a host of brain regions and disruption of circuit function. Expression of GABA B R in developing astrocytes is regulated in a region-specific manner by SOX9 or NFIA and deletion of these transcription factors results in region-specific defects in astrocyte morphogenesis, which is conferred by interactions with transcription factors exhibiting region-restricted patterns of expression. Together our studies identify input from inhibitory neurons and astrocytic GABA B R as universal regulators of morphogenesis, while further revealing a combinatorial code of region-specific transcriptional dependencies for astrocyte development that is intertwined with activity-dependent processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Ting Cheng
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX 77030
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX 77030
| | - Estefania Luna-Figueroa
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX 77030
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX 77030
| | - Junsung Woo
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX 77030
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX 77030
| | - Hsiao-Chi Chen
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX 77030
- Cancer Cell Biology Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX 77030
| | - Zhung-Fu Lee
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX 77030
- Development, Disease, Models, and Therapeutics Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Akdes Serin Harmanci
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX 77030
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX 77030
| | - Benjamin Deneen
- Center for Cancer Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX 77030
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX 77030
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX 77030
- Development, Disease, Models, and Therapeutics Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
- Cancer Cell Biology Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX 77030
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX 77030
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41
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Salmon CK, Syed TA, Kacerovsky JB, Alivodej N, Schober AL, Sloan TFW, Pratte MT, Rosen MP, Green M, Chirgwin-Dasgupta A, Mehta S, Jilani A, Wang Y, Vali H, Mandato CA, Siddiqi K, Murai KK. Organizing principles of astrocytic nanoarchitecture in the mouse cerebral cortex. Curr Biol 2023; 33:957-972.e5. [PMID: 36805126 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.01.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes are increasingly understood to be important regulators of central nervous system (CNS) function in health and disease; yet, we have little quantitative understanding of their complex architecture. While broad categories of astrocytic structures are known, the discrete building blocks that compose them, along with their geometry and organizing principles, are poorly understood. Quantitative investigation of astrocytic complexity is impeded by the absence of high-resolution datasets and robust computational approaches to analyze these intricate cells. To address this, we produced four ultra-high-resolution datasets of mouse cerebral cortex using serial electron microscopy and developed astrocyte-tailored computer vision methods for accurate structural analysis. We unearthed specific anatomical building blocks, structural motifs, connectivity hubs, and hierarchical organizations of astrocytes. Furthermore, we found that astrocytes interact with discrete clusters of synapses and that astrocytic mitochondria are distributed to lie closer to larger clusters of synapses. Our findings provide a geometrically principled, quantitative understanding of astrocytic nanoarchitecture and point to an unexpected level of complexity in how astrocytes interact with CNS microanatomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher K Salmon
- Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery, Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital, 1650 Cedar Avenue, Montreal, QC H3G 1A4, Canada
| | - Tabish A Syed
- School of Computer Science and Centre for Intelligent Machines, McGill University, 3480 Rue University, Montreal, QC H3A 2A7, Canada; MILA - Québec AI Institute, 6666 Rue Saint-Urbain, Montreal, QC H2S 3H1, Canada
| | - J Benjamin Kacerovsky
- Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery, Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital, 1650 Cedar Avenue, Montreal, QC H3G 1A4, Canada
| | - Nensi Alivodej
- Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery, Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital, 1650 Cedar Avenue, Montreal, QC H3G 1A4, Canada
| | - Alexandra L Schober
- Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery, Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital, 1650 Cedar Avenue, Montreal, QC H3G 1A4, Canada
| | | | - Michael T Pratte
- Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery, Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital, 1650 Cedar Avenue, Montreal, QC H3G 1A4, Canada
| | - Michael P Rosen
- Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery, Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital, 1650 Cedar Avenue, Montreal, QC H3G 1A4, Canada
| | - Miranda Green
- Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery, Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital, 1650 Cedar Avenue, Montreal, QC H3G 1A4, Canada
| | - Adario Chirgwin-Dasgupta
- Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery, Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital, 1650 Cedar Avenue, Montreal, QC H3G 1A4, Canada
| | - Shaurya Mehta
- School of Computer Science and Centre for Intelligent Machines, McGill University, 3480 Rue University, Montreal, QC H3A 2A7, Canada
| | - Affan Jilani
- School of Computer Science and Centre for Intelligent Machines, McGill University, 3480 Rue University, Montreal, QC H3A 2A7, Canada
| | - Yanan Wang
- School of Computer Science and Centre for Intelligent Machines, McGill University, 3480 Rue University, Montreal, QC H3A 2A7, Canada
| | - Hojatollah Vali
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, McGill University, 3640 Rue University, Montreal, QC H3A 0C7, Canada
| | - Craig A Mandato
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, McGill University, 3640 Rue University, Montreal, QC H3A 0C7, Canada
| | - Kaleem Siddiqi
- School of Computer Science and Centre for Intelligent Machines, McGill University, 3480 Rue University, Montreal, QC H3A 2A7, Canada; MILA - Québec AI Institute, 6666 Rue Saint-Urbain, Montreal, QC H2S 3H1, Canada.
| | - Keith K Murai
- Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery, Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital, 1650 Cedar Avenue, Montreal, QC H3G 1A4, Canada.
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42
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Astrocytes in memory formation and maintenance. Essays Biochem 2023; 67:107-117. [PMID: 36148596 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20220091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Learning and memory are fundamental but highly complex functions of the brain. They rely on multiple mechanisms including the processing of sensory information, memory formation, maintenance of short- and long-term memory, memory retrieval and memory extinction. Recent experiments provide strong evidence that, besides neurons, astrocytes crucially contribute to these higher brain functions. However, the complex interplay of astrocytes and neurons in local neuron-glia assemblies is far from being understood. Although important basic cellular principles that govern and link neuronal and astrocytic cellular functions have been established, additional mechanisms clearly continue to emerge. In this short essay, we first review current technologies allowing the experimenter to explore the role of astrocytes in behaving animals, with focus on spatial memory. We then discuss astrocytic signaling mechanisms and their role in learning and memory. We also reveal gaps in our knowledge that currently prevent a comprehensive understanding of how astrocytes contribute to acquisition, storage and retrieval of memory by modulating neuronal signaling in local circuits.
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43
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Prabhakar P, Pielot R, Landgraf P, Wissing J, Bayrhammer A, van Ham M, Gundelfinger ED, Jänsch L, Dieterich DC, Müller A. Monitoring regional astrocyte diversity by cell type-specific proteomic labeling in vivo. Glia 2023; 71:682-703. [PMID: 36401581 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24304] [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: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes exhibit regional heterogeneity in morphology, function and molecular composition to support and modulate neuronal function and signaling in a region-specific manner. To characterize regional heterogeneity of astrocytic proteomes of different brain regions we established an inducible Aldh1l1-methionyl-tRNA-synthetaseL274G (MetRSL274G ) mouse line that allows astrocyte-specific metabolic labeling of newly synthesized proteins by azidonorleucine (ANL) in vivo and subsequent isolation of tagged proteins by click chemistry. We analyzed astrocytic proteins from four different brain regions by mass spectrometry. The induced expression of MetRSL274G is restricted to astrocytes and identified proteins show a high overlap with proteins compiled in "AstroProt," a newly established database for astrocytic proteins. Gene enrichment analysis reveals a high similarity among brain regions with subtle differences in enriched biological processes and in abundances of key astrocytic proteins for hippocampus, cortex and striatum. However, the cerebellar proteome stands out with proteins being highly associated with the calcium signaling pathway or with bipolar disorder. Subregional analysis of single astrocyte TAMRA intensities in hippocampal layers indicates distinct subregional heterogeneity of astrocytes and highlights the applicability of our toolbox to study differences of astrocytic proteomes in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyadharshini Prabhakar
- Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Rainer Pielot
- Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany.,Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences (CBBS), Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Peter Landgraf
- Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Josef Wissing
- Cellular Proteome Research Group, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Anne Bayrhammer
- Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany.,Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences (CBBS), Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Marco van Ham
- Cellular Proteome Research Group, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Eckart D Gundelfinger
- Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany.,Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences (CBBS), Magdeburg, Germany.,Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, RG Neuroplasticity, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Lothar Jänsch
- Cellular Proteome Research Group, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Daniela C Dieterich
- Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany.,Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences (CBBS), Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Anke Müller
- Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany.,Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences (CBBS), Magdeburg, Germany
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44
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Peng W, Liu X, Ma G, Wu Z, Wang Z, Fei X, Qin M, Wang L, Li Y, Zhang S, Xu M. Adenosine-independent regulation of the sleep-wake cycle by astrocyte activity. Cell Discov 2023; 9:16. [PMID: 36746933 PMCID: PMC9902472 DOI: 10.1038/s41421-022-00498-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes play a crucial role in regulating sleep-wake behavior, and adenosine signaling is generally thought to be involved. Here we show multiple lines of evidence supporting that modulation of the sleep-wake behavior by astrocyte Ca2+ activity could occur without adenosine signaling. In the basal forebrain and the brainstem, two brain regions that are known to be essential for sleep-wake regulation, chemogenetically-induced astrocyte Ca2+ elevation significantly modulated the sleep-wake cycle. Although astrocyte Ca2+ level positively correlated with the amount of extracellular adenosine, as revealed by a genetically encoded adenosine sensor, we found no detectable change in adenosine level after suppressing astrocyte Ca2+ elevation, and transgenic mice lacking one of the major extracellular ATP-adenosine conversion enzymes showed similar extracellular adenosine level and astrocyte Ca2+-induced sleep modulation. Furthermore, astrocyte Ca2+ is dependent primarily on local neuronal activity, causing brain region-specific regulation of the sleep-wake cycle. Thus, neural activity-dependent astrocyte activity could regulate the sleep-wake behavior independent of adenosine signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanling Peng
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Xiaotong Liu
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China ,grid.410726.60000 0004 1797 8419University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Guofen Ma
- grid.16821.3c0000 0004 0368 8293Center for Brain Science of Shanghai Children’s Medical Center, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China ,grid.16821.3c0000 0004 0368 8293Songjiang Institute and Songjiang Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhaofa Wu
- grid.11135.370000 0001 2256 9319State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking University School of Life Sciences, Beijing, China ,grid.11135.370000 0001 2256 9319Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Ziyue Wang
- grid.16821.3c0000 0004 0368 8293Center for Brain Science of Shanghai Children’s Medical Center, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China ,grid.16821.3c0000 0004 0368 8293Songjiang Institute and Songjiang Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiang Fei
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China ,grid.410726.60000 0004 1797 8419University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Meiling Qin
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Lizhao Wang
- grid.16821.3c0000 0004 0368 8293Center for Brain Science of Shanghai Children’s Medical Center, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China ,grid.16821.3c0000 0004 0368 8293Songjiang Institute and Songjiang Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yulong Li
- grid.11135.370000 0001 2256 9319State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking University School of Life Sciences, Beijing, China ,grid.11135.370000 0001 2256 9319Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China ,grid.11135.370000 0001 2256 9319PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China
| | - Siyu Zhang
- Center for Brain Science of Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China. .,Songjiang Institute and Songjiang Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Min Xu
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. .,Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology, Shangha, China.
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45
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Combined segmentation and classification-based approach to automated analysis of biomedical signals obtained from calcium imaging. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0281236. [PMID: 36745648 PMCID: PMC9901747 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0281236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Automated screening systems in conjunction with machine learning-based methods are becoming an essential part of the healthcare systems for assisting in disease diagnosis. Moreover, manually annotating data and hand-crafting features for training purposes are impractical and time-consuming. We propose a segmentation and classification-based approach for assembling an automated screening system for the analysis of calcium imaging. The method was developed and verified using the effects of disease IgGs (from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis patients) on calcium (Ca2+) homeostasis. From 33 imaging videos we analyzed, 21 belonged to the disease and 12 to the control experimental groups. The method consists of three main steps: projection, segmentation, and classification. The entire Ca2+ time-lapse image recordings (videos) were projected into a single image using different projection methods. Segmentation was performed by using a multi-level thresholding (MLT) step and the Regions of Interest (ROIs) that encompassed cell somas were detected. A mean value of the pixels within these boundaries was collected at each time point to obtain the Ca2+ traces (time-series). Finally, a new matrix called feature image was generated from those traces and used for assessing the classification accuracy of various classifiers (control vs. disease). The mean value of the segmentation F-score for all the data was above 0.80 throughout the tested threshold levels for all projection methods, namely maximum intensity, standard deviation, and standard deviation with linear scaling projection. Although the classification accuracy reached up to 90.14%, interestingly, we observed that achieving better scores in segmentation results did not necessarily correspond to an increase in classification performance. Our method takes the advantage of the multi-level thresholding and of a classification procedure based on the feature images, thus it does not have to rely on hand-crafted training parameters of each event. It thus provides a semi-autonomous tool for assessing segmentation parameters which allows for the best classification accuracy.
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46
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Shigetomi E, Koizumi S. The role of astrocytes in behaviors related to emotion and motivation. Neurosci Res 2023; 187:21-39. [PMID: 36181908 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2022.09.015] [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: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes are present throughout the brain and intimately interact with neurons and blood vessels. Three decades of research have shown that astrocytes reciprocally communicate with neurons and other non-neuronal cells in the brain and dynamically regulate cell function. Astrocytes express numerous receptors for neurotransmitters, neuromodulators, and cytokines and receive information from neurons, other astrocytes, and other non-neuronal cells. Among those receptors, the main focus has been G-protein coupled receptors. Activation of G-protein coupled receptors leads to dramatic changes in intracellular signaling (Ca2+ and cAMP), which is considered a form of astrocyte activity. Methodological improvements in measurement and manipulation of astrocytes have advanced our understanding of the role of astrocytes in circuits and have begun to reveal unexpected functions of astrocytes in behavior. Recent studies have suggested that astrocytic activity regulates behavior flexibility, such as coping strategies for stress exposure, and plays an important role in behaviors related to emotion and motivation. Preclinical evidence suggests that impairment of astrocytic function contributes to psychiatric diseases, especially major depression. Here, we review recent progress on the role of astrocytes in behaviors related to emotion and motivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eiji Shigetomi
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Japan; Yamanashi GLIA Center, Graduate School of Medical Science, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Japan.
| | - Schuichi Koizumi
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Japan; Yamanashi GLIA Center, Graduate School of Medical Science, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Japan.
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47
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Ozoran H, Srinivasan R. Astrocytes and Alpha-Synuclein: Friend or Foe? JOURNAL OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE 2023; 13:1289-1301. [PMID: 38007674 PMCID: PMC10741342 DOI: 10.3233/jpd-230284] [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] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/27/2023]
Abstract
Despite its devastating disease burden and alarming prevalence, the etiology of Parkinson's disease (PD) remains to be completely elucidated. PD is characterized by the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta and this correlates with the accumulation of misfolded α-synuclein. While the aggregation of α-synuclein in the form of Lewy bodies or Lewy neurites is a well-established intraneuronal hallmark of the disease process, our understanding of the glial contribution to aberrant α-synuclein proteostasis is lacking. In this regard, restoring astrocyte function during early PD could offer a promising therapeutic avenue and understanding the involvement of astrocytes in handling/mishandling of α-synuclein is of particular interest. Here, we explore the growing body of scientific literature implicating aberrant astrocytic α-synuclein proteostasis with the seemingly inexorable pathological sequelae typifying PD. We also provide a perspective on how heterogeneity in the morphological relationship between astrocytes and neurons will need to be considered in the context of PD pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hakan Ozoran
- Clinical Medical School, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Green Templeton College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Rahul Srinivasan
- Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University School of Medicine, Bryan, TX, USA
- Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience (TAMIN), College Station, TX, USA
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48
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de Lima IB, Ribeiro FM. The Implication of Glial Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors in Alzheimer's Disease. Curr Neuropharmacol 2023; 21:164-182. [PMID: 34951388 PMCID: PMC10190153 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x20666211223140303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 12/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) was first identified more than 100 years ago, yet aspects pertaining to its origin and the mechanisms underlying disease progression are not well known. To this date, there is no therapeutic approach or disease-modifying drug that could halt or at least delay disease progression. Until recently, glial cells were seen as secondary actors in brain homeostasis. Although this view was gradually refuted and the relevance of glial cells for the most diverse brain functions such as synaptic plasticity and neurotransmission was vastly proved, many aspects of its functioning, as well as its role in pathological conditions, remain poorly understood. Metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) in glial cells were shown to be involved in neuroinflammation and neurotoxicity. Besides its relevance for glial function, glutamatergic receptors are also central in the pathology of AD, and recent studies have shown that glial mGluRs play a role in the establishment and progression of AD. AD-related alterations in Ca2+ signalling, APP processing, and Aβ load, as well as AD-related neurodegeneration, are influenced by glial mGluRs. However, different types of mGluRs play different roles, depending on the cell type and brain region that is being analysed. Therefore, in this review, we focus on the current understanding of glial mGluRs and their implication in AD, providing an insight for future therapeutics and identifying existing research gaps worth investigating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izabella B.Q. de Lima
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Fabíola M. Ribeiro
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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Eraso‐Pichot A, Pouvreau S, Olivera‐Pinto A, Gomez‐Sotres P, Skupio U, Marsicano G. Endocannabinoid signaling in astrocytes. Glia 2023; 71:44-59. [PMID: 35822691 PMCID: PMC9796923 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The study of the astrocytic contribution to brain functions has been growing in popularity in the neuroscience field. In the last years, and especially since the demonstration of the involvement of astrocytes in synaptic functions, the astrocyte field has revealed multiple functions of these cells that seemed inconceivable not long ago. In parallel, cannabinoid investigation has also identified different ways by which cannabinoids are able to interact with these cells, modify their functions, alter their communication with neurons and impact behavior. In this review, we will describe the expression of different endocannabinoid system members in astrocytes. Moreover, we will relate the latest findings regarding cannabinoid modulation of some of the most relevant astroglial functions, namely calcium (Ca2+ ) dynamics, gliotransmission, metabolism, and inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abel Eraso‐Pichot
- U1215 Neurocentre MagendieInstitut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (INSERM)BordeauxFrance,University of BordeauxBordeauxFrance
| | - Sandrine Pouvreau
- U1215 Neurocentre MagendieInstitut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (INSERM)BordeauxFrance,University of BordeauxBordeauxFrance
| | - Alexandre Olivera‐Pinto
- U1215 Neurocentre MagendieInstitut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (INSERM)BordeauxFrance,University of BordeauxBordeauxFrance
| | - Paula Gomez‐Sotres
- U1215 Neurocentre MagendieInstitut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (INSERM)BordeauxFrance,University of BordeauxBordeauxFrance
| | - Urszula Skupio
- U1215 Neurocentre MagendieInstitut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (INSERM)BordeauxFrance,University of BordeauxBordeauxFrance
| | - Giovanni Marsicano
- U1215 Neurocentre MagendieInstitut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (INSERM)BordeauxFrance,University of BordeauxBordeauxFrance
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Goenaga J, Araque A, Kofuji P, Herrera Moro Chao D. Calcium signaling in astrocytes and gliotransmitter release. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2023; 15:1138577. [PMID: 36937570 PMCID: PMC10017551 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2023.1138577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Glia are as numerous in the brain as neurons and widely known to serve supportive roles such as structural scaffolding, extracellular ionic and neurotransmitter homeostasis, and metabolic support. However, over the past two decades, several lines of evidence indicate that astrocytes, which are a type of glia, play active roles in neural information processing. Astrocytes, although not electrically active, can exhibit a form of excitability by dynamic changes in intracellular calcium levels. They sense synaptic activity and release neuroactive substances, named gliotransmitters, that modulate neuronal activity and synaptic transmission in several brain areas, thus impacting animal behavior. This "dialogue" between astrocytes and neurons is embodied in the concept of the tripartite synapse that includes astrocytes as integral elements of synaptic function. Here, we review the recent work and discuss how astrocytes via calcium-mediated excitability modulate synaptic information processing at various spatial and time scales.
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