1
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Eachus H, Choi MK, Tochwin A, Kaspareit J, Ho M, Ryu S. Elevated glucocorticoid alters the developmental dynamics of hypothalamic neurogenesis in zebrafish. Commun Biol 2024; 7:416. [PMID: 38580727 PMCID: PMC10997759 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06060-5] [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: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Exposure to excess glucocorticoid (GC) during early development is implicated in adult dysfunctions. Reduced adult hippocampal neurogenesis is a well-known consequence of exposure to early life stress or elevated GC, however the effects on neurogenesis during development and effects on other brain regions are not well understood. Using an optogenetic zebrafish model, here we analyse the effects of GC exposure on neurogenesis during development in the whole brain. We identify that the hypothalamus is a highly GC-sensitive region where elevated GC causes precocious development. This is followed by failed maturation and early decline accompanied by impaired feeding, growth, and survival. In GC-exposed animals, the developmental trajectory of hypothalamic progenitor cells is strikingly altered, potentially mediated by direct regulation of transcription factors such as rx3 by GC. Our data provide cellular and molecular level insight into GC-induced alteration of the hypothalamic developmental trajectory, a process crucial for health across the life-course.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Eachus
- Living Systems Institute & Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK
- Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment & Aston Pharmacy School, Aston University, Birmingham, B4 7ET, UK
| | - Min-Kyeung Choi
- Living Systems Institute & Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Anna Tochwin
- Living Systems Institute & Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Johanna Kaspareit
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany
| | - May Ho
- Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
| | - Soojin Ryu
- Living Systems Institute & Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK.
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2
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McNaughton N, Vann SD. Construction of complex memories via parallel distributed cortical-subcortical iterative integration. Trends Neurosci 2022; 45:550-562. [PMID: 35599065 PMCID: PMC7612902 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2022.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The construction of complex engrams requires hippocampal-cortical interactions. These include both direct interactions and ones via often-overlooked subcortical loops. Here, we review the anatomical organization of a hierarchy of parallel 'Papez' loops through the hypothalamus that are homologous in mammals from rats to humans. These hypothalamic loops supplement direct hippocampal-cortical connections with iterative reprocessing paced by theta rhythmicity. We couple existing anatomy and lesion data with theory to propose that recirculation in these loops progressively enhances desired connections, while reducing interference from competing external goals and internal associations. This increases the signal-to-noise ratio in the distributed engrams (neocortical and cerebellar) necessary for complex learning and memory. The hypothalamic nodes provide key motivational input for engram enhancement during consolidation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil McNaughton
- Department of Psychology and Brain Health Research Centre, University of Otago, POB56, Dunedin, New Zealand.
| | - Seralynne D Vann
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, UK.
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3
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Eugenin von Bernhardi J, Biechl D, Miek L, Herget U, Ryu S, Wullimann MF. A versatile transcription factor: Multiple roles of orthopedia a (otpa) beyond its restricted localization in dopaminergic systems of developing and adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) brains. J Comp Neurol 2022; 530:2537-2561. [PMID: 35708548 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25351] [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: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Many transcription factors boost neural development and differentiation in specific directions and serve for identifying similar or homologous structures across species. The expression of Orthopedia (Otp) is critical for the development of certain cell groups along the vertebrate neuraxis, for example, the medial amygdala or hypothalamic neurosecretory neurons. Therefore, the primary focus of the present study is the distribution of Orthopedia a (Otpa) in the larval and adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) brain. Since Otpa is also critical for the development of zebrafish basal diencephalic dopaminergic cells, colocalization of Otpa with the catecholamine synthesizing enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) is studied. Cellular colocalization of Otpa and dopamine is only seen in magnocellular neurons of the periventricular posterior tubercular nucleus and in the posterior tuberal nucleus. Otpa-positive cells occur in many additional structures along the zebrafish neuraxis, from the secondary prosencephalon down to the hindbrain. Furthermore, Otpa expression is studied in shh-GFP and islet1-GFP transgenic zebrafish. Otpa-positive cells only express shh in dopaminergic magnocellular periventricular posterior tubercular cells, and only colocalize with islet1-GFP in the ventral zone and prerecess caudal periventricular hypothalamic zone and the perilemniscal nucleus. The scarcity of cellular colocalization of Otpa in islet1-GFP cells indicates that the Shh-islet1 neurogenetic pathway is not active in most Otpa-expressing domains. Our analysis reveals detailed correspondences between mouse and zebrafish forebrain territories including the zebrafish intermediate nucleus of the ventral telencephalon and the mouse medial amygdala. The zebrafish preoptic Otpa-positive domain represents the neuropeptidergic supraopto-paraventricular region of all tetrapods. Otpa domains in the zebrafish basal plate hypothalamus suggest that the ventral periventricular hypothalamic zone corresponds to the otp-expressing basal hypothalamic tuberal field in the mouse. Furthermore, the mouse otp domain in the mammillary hypothalamus compares partly to our Otpa-positive domain in the prerecess caudal periventricular hypothalamic zone (Hc-a).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaime Eugenin von Bernhardi
- Faculty of Biology, Division of Neurobiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, München, Bavaria, Germany.,The Solomon Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins Univeristy, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Daniela Biechl
- Faculty of Biology, Division of Neurobiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, München, Bavaria, Germany
| | - Laura Miek
- Faculty of Biology, Division of Neurobiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, München, Bavaria, Germany
| | - Ulrich Herget
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Soojin Ryu
- Living Systems Institute University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, UK.,College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, UK
| | - Mario F Wullimann
- Faculty of Biology, Division of Neurobiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, München, Bavaria, Germany.,Max-Planck-Institute of Neurobiology, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
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4
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Westphal M, Panza P, Kastenhuber E, Wehrle J, Driever W. Wnt/β-catenin signaling promotes neurogenesis in the diencephalospinal dopaminergic system of embryonic zebrafish. Sci Rep 2022; 12:1030. [PMID: 35046434 PMCID: PMC8770493 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-04833-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Wnt/β-catenin signaling contributes to patterning, proliferation, and differentiation throughout vertebrate neural development. Wnt/β-catenin signaling is important for mammalian midbrain dopaminergic neurogenesis, while little is known about its role in ventral forebrain dopaminergic development. Here, we focus on the A11-like, Otp-dependent diencephalospinal dopaminergic system in zebrafish. We show that Wnt ligands, receptors and extracellular antagonist genes are expressed in the vicinity of developing Otp-dependent dopaminergic neurons. Using transgenic Wnt/β-catenin-reporters, we found that Wnt/β-catenin signaling activity is absent from these dopaminergic neurons, but detected Wnt/β-catenin activity in cells adjacent to the caudal DC5/6 clusters of Otp-dependent dopaminergic neurons. Pharmacological manipulations of Wnt/β-catenin signaling activity, as well as heat-shock driven overexpression of Wnt agonists and antagonists, interfere with the development of DC5/6 dopaminergic neurons, such that Wnt/β-catenin activity positively correlates with their number. Wnt/β-catenin activity promoted dopaminergic development specifically at stages when DC5/6 dopaminergic progenitors are in a proliferative state. Our data suggest that Wnt/β-catenin signaling acts in a spatially and temporally restricted manner on proliferative dopaminergic progenitors in the hypothalamus to positively regulate the size of the dopaminergic neuron groups DC5 and DC6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Westphal
- Developmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Institute Biology 1, Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, Hauptstrasse 1, 79104, Freiburg, Germany.,CIBSS and BIOSS-Centres for Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestrasse 18, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Paolo Panza
- Developmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Institute Biology 1, Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, Hauptstrasse 1, 79104, Freiburg, Germany.,Department of Developmental Genetics, Max-Planck-Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Ludwigstraße 43, 61231, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Edda Kastenhuber
- Developmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Institute Biology 1, Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, Hauptstrasse 1, 79104, Freiburg, Germany.,Institute of Anatomy, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Johanna Wehrle
- Developmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Institute Biology 1, Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, Hauptstrasse 1, 79104, Freiburg, Germany.,CIBSS and BIOSS-Centres for Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestrasse 18, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Driever
- Developmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Institute Biology 1, Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, Hauptstrasse 1, 79104, Freiburg, Germany. .,CIBSS and BIOSS-Centres for Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestrasse 18, 79104, Freiburg, Germany.
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5
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An injury-induced serotonergic neuron subpopulation contributes to axon regrowth and function restoration after spinal cord injury in zebrafish. Nat Commun 2021; 12:7093. [PMID: 34876587 PMCID: PMC8651775 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27419-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Spinal cord injury (SCI) interrupts long-projecting descending spinal neurons and disrupts the spinal central pattern generator (CPG) that controls locomotion. The intrinsic mechanisms underlying re-wiring of spinal neural circuits and recovery of locomotion after SCI are unclear. Zebrafish shows axonal regeneration and functional recovery after SCI making it a robust model to study mechanisms of regeneration. Here, we use a two-cut SCI model to investigate whether recovery of locomotion can occur independently of supraspinal connections. Using this injury model, we show that injury induces the localization of a specialized group of intraspinal serotonergic neurons (ISNs), with distinctive molecular and cellular properties, at the injury site. This subpopulation of ISNs have hyperactive terminal varicosities constantly releasing serotonin activating 5-HT1B receptors, resulting in axonal regrowth of spinal interneurons. Axon regrowth of excitatory interneurons is more pronounced compared to inhibitory interneurons. Knock-out of htr1b prevents axon regrowth of spinal excitatory interneurons, negatively affecting coordination of rostral-caudal body movements and restoration of locomotor function. On the other hand, treatment with 5-HT1B receptor agonizts promotes functional recovery following SCI. In summary, our data show an intraspinal mechanism where a subpopulation of ISNs stimulates axonal regrowth resulting in improved recovery of locomotor functions following SCI in zebrafish.
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6
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Hou Y, Zhang Q, Liu H, Wu J, Shi Y, Qi Y, Shao M, Yang Z, Lu J, Wu Z, Gong L, He M. Topographical organization of mammillary neurogenesis and efferent projections in the mouse brain. Cell Rep 2021; 34:108712. [PMID: 33567285 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.108712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Revised: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The mammillary body is a hypothalamic nucleus that has important functions in memory and spatial navigation, but its developmental principles remain not well understood. Here, we identify progenitor-specific Fezf2 expression in the developing mammillary body and develop an intersectional fate-mapping approach to demonstrate that Fezf2+ mammillary progenitors generate mammillary neurons in a rostral-dorsal-lateral to caudal-ventral-medial fashion. Axonal tracing from different temporal cohorts of labeled mammillary neurons reveal their topographical organization. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering based on intrinsic properties further identify two distinct neuronal clusters independent of birthdates in the medial nuclei. In addition, we generate Fezf2 knockout mice and observe the smaller mammillary body with largely normal anatomy and mildly affected cellular electrophysiology, in contrast to more severe deficits in neuronal differentiation and projection in many other brain regions. These results indicate that Fezf2 may function differently in the mammillary body. Our results provide important insights for mammillary development and connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongjie Hou
- Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Neurology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Neurology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongzhi Liu
- Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Neurology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jinyun Wu
- Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Neurology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yun Shi
- Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Neurology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanqing Qi
- Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Neurology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mengmeng Shao
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhengang Yang
- Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Neurology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiangteng Lu
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhuhao Wu
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ling Gong
- Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Neurology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Miao He
- Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Neurology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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7
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Schredelseker T, Veit F, Dorsky RI, Driever W. Bsx Is Essential for Differentiation of Multiple Neuromodulatory Cell Populations in the Secondary Prosencephalon. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:525. [PMID: 32581684 PMCID: PMC7290237 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2019] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The hypothalamus is characterized by great neuronal diversity, with many neuropeptides and other neuromodulators being expressed within its multiple anatomical domains. The regulatory networks directing hypothalamic development have been studied in detail, but, for many neuron types, control of differentiation is still not understood. The highly conserved Brain-specific homeobox (Bsx) transcription factor has previously been described in regulating Agrp and Npy expression in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC) in mice. While Bsx is expressed in many more subregions of both tuberal and mamillary hypothalamus, the functions therein are not known. Using genetic analyses in zebrafish, we show that most bsx expression domains are dependent on Nkx2.1 and Nkx2.4 homeodomain transcription factors, while a subset depends on Otp. We show that the anatomical pattern of the ventral forebrain appears normal in bsx mutants, but that Bsx is necessary for the expression of many neuropeptide encoding genes, including agrp, penka, vip, trh, npb, and nts, in distinct hypothalamic anatomical domains. We also found Bsx to be critical for normal expression of two Crh family members, crhb and uts1, as well as crhbp, in the hypothalamus and the telencephalic septal region. Furthermore, we demonstrate a crucial role for Bsx in serotonergic, histaminergic and nitrergic neuron development in the hypothalamus. We conclude that Bsx is critical for the terminal differentiation of multiple neuromodulatory cell types in the forebrain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theresa Schredelseker
- Developmental Biology, Institute Biology 1, Faculty of Biology, Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.,BIOSS Centre for Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.,CIBSS - Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Florian Veit
- Developmental Biology, Institute Biology 1, Faculty of Biology, Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Richard I Dorsky
- Department of Neurobiology & Anatomy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Wolfgang Driever
- Developmental Biology, Institute Biology 1, Faculty of Biology, Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.,BIOSS Centre for Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.,CIBSS - Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
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8
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Schredelseker T, Driever W. Conserved Genoarchitecture of the Basal Hypothalamus in Zebrafish Embryos. Front Neuroanat 2020; 14:3. [PMID: 32116574 PMCID: PMC7016197 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2020.00003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2019] [Accepted: 01/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Analyses of genoarchitecture recently stimulated substantial revisions of anatomical models for the developing hypothalamus in mammalian and other vertebrate systems. The prosomeric model proposes the hypothalamus to be derived from the secondary prosencephalon, and to consist of alar and basal regions. The basal hypothalamus can further be subdivided into tuberal and mamillary regions, each with distinct subregions. Albeit being a widely used model system for neurodevelopmental studies, no detailed genoarchitectural maps exist for the zebrafish (Danio rerio) hypothalamus. Here, we compare expression domains of zebrafish genes, including arxa, shha, otpa, isl1, lhx5, nkx2.1, nkx2.2a, pax6, and dlx5a, the orthologs of which delimit specific subregions within the murine basal hypothalamus. We develop the highly conserved brain-specific homeobox (bsx) gene as a novel marker for genoarchitectural analysis of hypothalamic regions. Our comparison of gene expression patterns reveals that the genoarchitecture of the basal hypothalamus in zebrafish embryos 48 hours post fertilization is highly similar to mouse embryos at E13.5. We found the tuberal hypothalamus in zebrafish embryos to be relatively large and to comprise previously ill-defined regions around the posterior hypothalamic recess. The mamillary hypothalamus is smaller and concentrates to rather medial areas in proximity to the anterior end of the neural tube floor plate. Within the basal hypothalamus we identified longitudinal and transverse tuberal and mamillary subregions topologically equivalent to those previously described in other vertebrates. However, the hypothalamic diencephalic boundary region and the posterior tuberculum still provide a challenge. We applied the updated prosomeric model to the developing zebrafish hypothalamus to facilitate cross-species comparisons. Accordingly, we applied the mammalian nomenclature of hypothalamic organization to zebrafish and propose it to replace some controversial previous nomenclature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theresa Schredelseker
- Developmental Biology, Institute Biology I, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,CIBSS and BIOSS - Centres for Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Driever
- Developmental Biology, Institute Biology I, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,CIBSS and BIOSS - Centres for Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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9
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Nagpal J, Herget U, Choi MK, Ryu S. Anatomy, development, and plasticity of the neurosecretory hypothalamus in zebrafish. Cell Tissue Res 2018; 375:5-22. [PMID: 30109407 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-018-2900-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2018] [Accepted: 07/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus harbors diverse neurosecretory cells with critical physiological roles for the homeostasis. Decades of research in rodents have provided a large amount of information on the anatomy, development, and function of this important hypothalamic nucleus. However, since the hypothalamus lies deep within the brain in mammals and is difficult to access, many questions regarding development and plasticity of this nucleus still remain. In particular, how different environmental conditions, including stress exposure, shape the development of this important nucleus has been difficult to address in animals that develop in utero. To address these open questions, the transparent larval zebrafish with its rapid external development and excellent genetic toolbox offers exciting opportunities. In this review, we summarize recent information on the anatomy and development of the neurosecretory preoptic area (NPO), which represents a similar structure to the mammalian PVN in zebrafish. We will then review recent studies on the development of different cell types in the neurosecretory hypothalamus both in mouse and in fish. Lastly, we discuss stress-induced plasticity of the PVN mainly discussing the data obtained in rodents, but pointing out tools and approaches available in zebrafish for future studies. This review serves as a primer for the currently available information relevant for studying the development and plasticity of this important brain region using zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jatin Nagpal
- German Resilience Center, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Duesbergweg 6, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Ulrich Herget
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd. Mail Code 156-29, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Min K Choi
- German Resilience Center, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Duesbergweg 6, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Soojin Ryu
- German Resilience Center, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Duesbergweg 6, 55128, Mainz, Germany.
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10
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Parmeggiani G, Buldrini B, Fini S, Ferlini A, Bigoni S. A New 3p14.2 Microdeletion in a Patient with Intellectual Disability and Language Impairment: Case Report and Review of the Literature. Mol Syndromol 2018; 9:175-181. [PMID: 30140195 PMCID: PMC6103356 DOI: 10.1159/000489842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Interstitial deletions of chromosome 3p are rare, and specific genotype-phenotype correlations cannot always be assessed. We report the case of a 3p14.2 proximal microdeletion in a 60-year-old female patient with mild intellectual disability, severe speech delay, and mild dysmorphism. An array-CGH analysis detected a 500-kb deletion in the 3p14.2 region, including FEZF2, CADPS, and PTPRG. FEZF2 and CADPS are known to network within the neurodevelopmental pathways. It is possible that their rearrangements lead to the phenotypic features observed in the patient, and therefore, they can be considered candidate genes responsible for such abnormalities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Stefania Bigoni
- UOL of Medical Genetics, Department of Reproduction and Growth and Department of Medical Science, University Hospital S. Anna, Ferrara, Italy
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11
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Santos-Durán GN, Ferreiro-Galve S, Menuet A, Mazan S, Rodríguez-Moldes I, Candal E. The Shark Basal Hypothalamus: Molecular Prosomeric Subdivisions and Evolutionary Trends. Front Neuroanat 2018; 12:17. [PMID: 29593505 PMCID: PMC5861214 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2018.00017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2017] [Accepted: 02/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The hypothalamus is a key integrative center of the vertebrate brain. To better understand its ancestral morphological organization and evolution, we previously analyzed the segmental organization of alar subdivisions in the catshark Scyliorhinus canicula, a cartilaginous fish and thus a basal representative of gnathostomes (jawed vertebrates). With the same aim, we deepen here in the segmental organization of the catshark basal hypothalamus by revisiting previous data on ScOtp, ScDlx2/5, ScNkx2.1, ScShh expression and Shh immunoreactivity jointly with new data on ScLhx5, ScEmx2, ScLmx1b, ScPitx2, ScPitx3a, ScFoxa1, ScFoxa2 and ScNeurog2 expression and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) immunoreactivity. Our study reveals a complex genoarchitecture for chondrichthyan basal hypothalamus on which a total of 21 microdomains were identified. Six belong to the basal acroterminal region, the rostral-most point of the basal neural tube; seven are described in the tuberal region (Tu/RTu); four in the perimamillar region (PM/PRM) and four in the mamillar one (MM/RM). Interestingly, the same set of genes does not necessarily describe the same microdomains in mice, which in part contributes to explain how forebrain diversity is achieved. This study stresses the importance of analyzing data from basal vertebrates to better understand forebrain diversity and hypothalamic evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel N Santos-Durán
- Grupo BRAINSHARK, Departamento de Bioloxía Funcional, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Susana Ferreiro-Galve
- Grupo BRAINSHARK, Departamento de Bioloxía Funcional, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Arnaud Menuet
- UMR7355, CNRS, University of Orleans, Orleans, France
| | - Sylvie Mazan
- CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Biologie Intégrative des Organismes Marins, UMR7232, Banyuls-sur-Mer, France
| | - Isabel Rodríguez-Moldes
- Grupo BRAINSHARK, Departamento de Bioloxía Funcional, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Eva Candal
- Grupo BRAINSHARK, Departamento de Bioloxía Funcional, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
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12
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Moir L, Bochukova EG, Dumbell R, Banks G, Bains RS, Nolan PM, Scudamore C, Simon M, Watson KA, Keogh J, Henning E, Hendricks A, O'Rahilly S, Barroso I, Sullivan AE, Bersten DC, Whitelaw ML, Kirsch S, Bentley E, Farooqi IS, Cox RD. Disruption of the homeodomain transcription factor orthopedia homeobox (Otp) is associated with obesity and anxiety. Mol Metab 2017; 6:1419-1428. [PMID: 29107289 PMCID: PMC5681237 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2017.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2017] [Revised: 07/27/2017] [Accepted: 08/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Genetic studies in obese rodents and humans can provide novel insights into the mechanisms involved in energy homeostasis. Methods In this study, we genetically mapped the chromosomal region underlying the development of severe obesity in a mouse line identified as part of a dominant N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) mutagenesis screen. We characterized the metabolic and behavioral phenotype of obese mutant mice and examined changes in hypothalamic gene expression. In humans, we examined genetic data from people with severe early onset obesity. Results We identified an obese mouse heterozygous for a missense mutation (pR108W) in orthopedia homeobox (Otp), a homeodomain containing transcription factor required for the development of neuroendocrine cell lineages in the hypothalamus, a region of the brain important in the regulation of energy homeostasis. OtpR108W/+ mice exhibit increased food intake, weight gain, and anxiety when in novel environments or singly housed, phenotypes that may be partially explained by reduced hypothalamic expression of oxytocin and arginine vasopressin. R108W affects the highly conserved homeodomain, impairs DNA binding, and alters transcriptional activity in cells. We sequenced OTP in 2548 people with severe early-onset obesity and found a rare heterozygous loss of function variant in the homeodomain (Q153R) in a patient who also had features of attention deficit disorder. Conclusions OTP is involved in mammalian energy homeostasis and behavior and appears to be necessary for the development of hypothalamic neural circuits. Further studies will be needed to investigate the contribution of rare variants in OTP to human energy homeostasis. A mouse Otp mutation alters hypothalamic neuropeptide expression leading to increased food intake, obesity and anxiety. In severe early onset obesity, we found a heterozygous LOF variant in a patient with attention deficit disorder features. These studies show for the first time that mutations in the Otp/OTP gene cause obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee Moir
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit and Mary Lyon Centre, Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire, OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Elena G Bochukova
- University of Cambridge Metabolic Research Laboratories and NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, Box 289, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK; The Blizard Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 2AT, UK
| | - Rebecca Dumbell
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit and Mary Lyon Centre, Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire, OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Gareth Banks
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit and Mary Lyon Centre, Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire, OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Rasneer S Bains
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit and Mary Lyon Centre, Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire, OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Patrick M Nolan
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit and Mary Lyon Centre, Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire, OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Cheryl Scudamore
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit and Mary Lyon Centre, Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire, OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Michelle Simon
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit and Mary Lyon Centre, Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire, OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Kimberly A Watson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, Berkshire, UK
| | - Julia Keogh
- University of Cambridge Metabolic Research Laboratories and NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, Box 289, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Elana Henning
- University of Cambridge Metabolic Research Laboratories and NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, Box 289, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Audrey Hendricks
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK; Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, University of Colorado-Denver, Denver, CO 80204, USA
| | - Stephen O'Rahilly
- University of Cambridge Metabolic Research Laboratories and NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, Box 289, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | | | | | - Adrienne E Sullivan
- Department Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - David C Bersten
- Department Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Murray L Whitelaw
- University of Cambridge Metabolic Research Laboratories and NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, Box 289, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK; Department Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Susan Kirsch
- Department of Endocrinology, Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Elizabeth Bentley
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit and Mary Lyon Centre, Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire, OX11 0RD, UK
| | - I Sadaf Farooqi
- University of Cambridge Metabolic Research Laboratories and NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, Box 289, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK.
| | - Roger D Cox
- MRC Harwell Institute, Mammalian Genetics Unit and Mary Lyon Centre, Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire, OX11 0RD, UK.
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13
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Allalou A, Wu Y, Ghannad-Rezaie M, Eimon PM, Yanik MF. Automated deep-phenotyping of the vertebrate brain. eLife 2017; 6:e23379. [PMID: 28406399 PMCID: PMC5441873 DOI: 10.7554/elife.23379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2016] [Accepted: 04/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Here, we describe an automated platform suitable for large-scale deep-phenotyping of zebrafish mutant lines, which uses optical projection tomography to rapidly image brain-specific gene expression patterns in 3D at cellular resolution. Registration algorithms and correlation analysis are then used to compare 3D expression patterns, to automatically detect all statistically significant alterations in mutants, and to map them onto a brain atlas. Automated deep-phenotyping of a mutation in the master transcriptional regulator fezf2 not only detects all known phenotypes but also uncovers important novel neural deficits that were overlooked in previous studies. In the telencephalon, we show for the first time that fezf2 mutant zebrafish have significant patterning deficits, particularly in glutamatergic populations. Our findings reveal unexpected parallels between fezf2 function in zebrafish and mice, where mutations cause deficits in glutamatergic neurons of the telencephalon-derived neocortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amin Allalou
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States
- Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Yuelong Wu
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States
| | - Mostafa Ghannad-Rezaie
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States
- ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Peter M Eimon
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States
| | - Mehmet Fatih Yanik
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States
- ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
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14
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Abstract
UNLABELLED The hypothalamus plays an important role in regulating sleep, but few hypothalamic sleep-promoting signaling pathways have been identified. Here we demonstrate a role for the neuropeptide QRFP (also known as P518 and 26RFa) and its receptors in regulating sleep in zebrafish, a diurnal vertebrate. We show that QRFP is expressed in ∼10 hypothalamic neurons in zebrafish larvae, which project to the hypothalamus, hindbrain, and spinal cord, including regions that express the two zebrafish QRFP receptor paralogs. We find that the overexpression of QRFP inhibits locomotor activity during the day, whereas mutation of qrfp or its receptors results in increased locomotor activity and decreased sleep during the day. Despite the restriction of these phenotypes to the day, the circadian clock does not regulate qrfp expression, and entrained circadian rhythms are not required for QRFP-induced rest. Instead, we find that QRFP overexpression decreases locomotor activity largely in a light-specific manner. Our results suggest that QRFP signaling plays an important role in promoting sleep and may underlie some aspects of hypothalamic sleep control. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The hypothalamus is thought to play a key role in regulating sleep in vertebrate animals, but few sleep-promoting signaling pathways that function in the hypothalamus have been identified. Here we use the zebrafish, a diurnal vertebrate, to functionally and anatomically characterize the neuropeptide QRFP. We show that QRFP is exclusively expressed in a small number of neurons in the larval zebrafish hypothalamus that project widely in the brain. We also show that QRFP overexpression reduces locomotor activity, whereas animals that lack QRFP signaling are more active and sleep less. These results suggest that QRFP signaling participates in the hypothalamic regulation of sleep.
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15
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Bilella A, Alvarez-Bolado G, Celio MR. TheFoxb1-expressing neurons of the ventrolateral hypothalamic parvafox nucleus project to defensive circuits. J Comp Neurol 2016; 524:2955-81. [DOI: 10.1002/cne.24057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2015] [Revised: 03/03/2016] [Accepted: 06/09/2016] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Bilella
- Anatomy Unit and Program in Neuroscience, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Sciences, University of Fribourg; CH-1700 Fribourg Switzerland
| | - Gonzalo Alvarez-Bolado
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Heidelberg; 69120 Heidelberg Germany
| | - Marco R. Celio
- Anatomy Unit and Program in Neuroscience, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Sciences, University of Fribourg; CH-1700 Fribourg Switzerland
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16
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Abstract
The neuroendocrine hypothalamus is composed of the tuberal and anterodorsal hypothalamus, together with the median eminence/neurohypophysis. It centrally governs wide-ranging physiological processes, including homeostasis of energy balance, circadian rhythms and stress responses, as well as growth and reproductive behaviours. Homeostasis is maintained by integrating sensory inputs and effecting responses via autonomic, endocrine and behavioural outputs, over diverse time-scales and throughout the lifecourse of an individual. Here, we summarize studies that begin to reveal how different territories and cell types within the neuroendocrine hypothalamus are assembled in an integrated manner to enable function, thus supporting the organism's ability to survive and thrive. We discuss how signaling pathways and transcription factors dictate the appearance and regionalization of the hypothalamic primordium, the maintenance of progenitor cells, and their specification and differentiation into neurons. We comment on recent studies that harness such programmes for the directed differentiation of human ES/iPS cells. We summarize how developmental plasticity is maintained even into adulthood and how integration between the hypothalamus and peripheral body is established in the median eminence and neurohypophysis. Analysis of model organisms, including mouse, chick and zebrafish, provides a picture of how complex, yet elegantly coordinated, developmental programmes build glial and neuronal cells around the third ventricle of the brain. Such conserved processes enable the hypothalamus to mediate its function as a central integrating and response-control mediator for the homeostatic processes that are critical to life. Early indications suggest that deregulation of these events may underlie multifaceted pathological conditions and dysfunctional physiology in humans, such as obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Burbridge
- Bateson Centre and Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Iain Stewart
- Bateson Centre and Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Marysia Placzek
- Bateson Centre and Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
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17
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Miquelajáuregui A, Sandoval-Schaefer T, Martínez-Armenta M, Pérez-Martínez L, Cárabez A, Zhao Y, Heide M, Alvarez-Bolado G, Varela-Echavarría A. LIM homeobox protein 5 (Lhx5) is essential for mamillary body development. Front Neuroanat 2015; 9:136. [PMID: 26578897 PMCID: PMC4621302 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2015.00136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2015] [Accepted: 10/12/2015] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The mamillary body (MM) is a group of hypothalamic nuclei related to memory and spatial navigation that interconnects hippocampal, thalamic, and tegmental regions. Here we demonstrate that Lhx5, a LIM-HD domain transcription factor expressed early in the developing posterior hypothalamus, is required for the generation of the MM and its derived tracts. The MM markers Foxb1, Sim2, and Lhx1 are absent in Lhx5 knock-out mice from early embryonic stages, suggesting abnormal specification of this region. This was supported by the absence of Nkx2.1 and expansion of Shh in the prospective mamillary area. Interestingly, we also found an ectopic domain expressing Lhx2 and Lhx9 along the anterio-posterior hypothalamic axis. Our results suggest that Lhx5 controls early aspects of hypothalamic development by regulating gene expression and cellular specification in the prospective MM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amaya Miquelajáuregui
- Departamento de Neurobiología del Desarrollo y Neurofisiología, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Querétaro, Mexico
| | - Teresa Sandoval-Schaefer
- Departamento de Neurobiología del Desarrollo y Neurofisiología, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Querétaro, Mexico
| | - Miriam Martínez-Armenta
- Laboratorio de Neuroinmunobiología, Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | - Leonor Pérez-Martínez
- Laboratorio de Neuroinmunobiología, Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | - Alfonso Cárabez
- Departamento de Neurobiología del Desarrollo y Neurofisiología, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Querétaro, Mexico
| | - Yangu Zhao
- Program on Genomics of Differentiation, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Michael Heide
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Heidelberg Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Alfredo Varela-Echavarría
- Departamento de Neurobiología del Desarrollo y Neurofisiología, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Querétaro, Mexico
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18
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Heide M, Zhang Y, Zhou X, Zhao T, Miquelajáuregui A, Varela-Echavarría A, Alvarez-Bolado G. Lhx5 controls mamillary differentiation in the developing hypothalamus of the mouse. Front Neuroanat 2015; 9:113. [PMID: 26321924 PMCID: PMC4536661 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2015.00113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2015] [Accepted: 07/30/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Acquisition of specific neuronal identity by individual brain nuclei is a key step in brain development. However, how the mechanisms that confer neuronal identity are integrated with upstream regional specification networks is still mysterious. Expression of Sonic hedgehog (Shh), is required for hypothalamic specification and is later downregulated by Tbx3 to allow for the differentiation of the tubero-mamillary region. In this region, the mamillary body (MBO), is a large neuronal aggregate essential for memory formation. To clarify how MBO identity is acquired after regional specification, we investigated Lhx5, a transcription factor with restricted MBO expression. We first generated a hypomorph allele of Lhx5—in homozygotes, the MBO disappears after initial specification. Intriguingly, in these mutants, Tbx3 was downregulated and the Shh expression domain abnormally extended. Microarray analysis and chromatin immunoprecipitation indicated that Lhx5 appears to be involved in Shh downregulation through Tbx3 and activates several MBO-specific regulator and effector genes. Finally, by tracing the caudal hypothalamic cell lineage we show that, in the Lhx5 mutant, at least some MBO cells are present but lack characteristic marker expression. Our work shows how the Lhx5 locus contributes to integrate regional specification pathways with downstream acquisition of neuronal identity in the MBO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Heide
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Heidelberg Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Yuanfeng Zhang
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Heidelberg Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Xunlei Zhou
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Heidelberg Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tianyu Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Oral Disease and Biomedical Sciences, Stomatological Hospital, Chongqing Medical University Chongqing, China
| | - Amaya Miquelajáuregui
- Departamento de Neurobiología del Desarrollo y Neurofisiología, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Querétaro, Mexico
| | - Alfredo Varela-Echavarría
- Departamento de Neurobiología del Desarrollo y Neurofisiología, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Querétaro, Mexico
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19
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Ware M, Dupé V, Schubert FR. Evolutionary Conservation of the Early Axon Scaffold in the Vertebrate Brain. Dev Dyn 2015; 244:1202-14. [PMID: 26228689 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.24312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2015] [Revised: 07/20/2015] [Accepted: 07/20/2015] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The early axon scaffold is the first axonal structure to appear in the rostral brain of vertebrates, paving the way for later, more complex connections. Several early axon scaffold components are conserved between all vertebrates; most notably two main ventral longitudinal tracts, the tract of the postoptic commissure and the medial longitudinal fascicle. While the overall structure is remarkably similar, differences both in the organization and the development of the early tracts are apparent. This review will bring together extensive data from the last 25 years in different vertebrates and for the first time, the timing and anatomy of these early tracts have been directly compared. Representatives of major vertebrate clades, including cat shark, Xenopus, chick, and mouse embryos, will be compared using immunohistochemistry staining based on previous results. There is still confusion over the nomenclature and homology of these tracts which this review will aim to address. The discussion here is relevant both for understanding the evolution of the early axon scaffold and for future studies into the molecular regulation of its formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Ware
- Institute of Biomedical and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, United Kingdom.,Institut de Génétique et Développement, CNRS UMR6290, Université de Rennes1, IFR140, GFAS, Faculté de Médecine, Rennes, France
| | - Valérie Dupé
- Institut de Génétique et Développement, CNRS UMR6290, Université de Rennes1, IFR140, GFAS, Faculté de Médecine, Rennes, France
| | - Frank R Schubert
- Institute of Biomedical and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, United Kingdom
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20
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Biran J, Tahor M, Wircer E, Levkowitz G. Role of developmental factors in hypothalamic function. Front Neuroanat 2015. [PMID: 25954163 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2015.00047.] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The hypothalamus is a brain region which regulates homeostasis by mediating endocrine, autonomic and behavioral functions. It is comprised of several nuclei containing distinct neuronal populations producing neuropeptides and neurotransmitters that regulate fundamental body functions including temperature and metabolic rate, thirst and hunger, sexual behavior and reproduction, circadian rhythm, and emotional responses. The identity, number and connectivity of these neuronal populations are established during the organism's development and are of crucial importance for normal hypothalamic function. Studies have suggested that developmental abnormalities in specific hypothalamic circuits can lead to obesity, sleep disorders, anxiety, depression and autism. At the molecular level, the development of the hypothalamus is regulated by transcription factors (TF), secreted growth factors, neuropeptides and their receptors. Recent studies in zebrafish and mouse have demonstrated that some of these molecules maintain their expression in the adult brain and subsequently play a role in the physiological functions that are regulated by hypothalamic neurons. Here, we summarize the involvement of some of the key developmental factors in hypothalamic development and function by focusing on the mouse and zebrafish genetic model organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakob Biran
- Departments of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science Rehovot, Israel
| | - Maayan Tahor
- Departments of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science Rehovot, Israel
| | - Einav Wircer
- Departments of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science Rehovot, Israel
| | - Gil Levkowitz
- Departments of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science Rehovot, Israel
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21
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Biran J, Tahor M, Wircer E, Levkowitz G. Role of developmental factors in hypothalamic function. Front Neuroanat 2015; 9:47. [PMID: 25954163 PMCID: PMC4404869 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2015.00047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2015] [Accepted: 03/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The hypothalamus is a brain region which regulates homeostasis by mediating endocrine, autonomic and behavioral functions. It is comprised of several nuclei containing distinct neuronal populations producing neuropeptides and neurotransmitters that regulate fundamental body functions including temperature and metabolic rate, thirst and hunger, sexual behavior and reproduction, circadian rhythm, and emotional responses. The identity, number and connectivity of these neuronal populations are established during the organism’s development and are of crucial importance for normal hypothalamic function. Studies have suggested that developmental abnormalities in specific hypothalamic circuits can lead to obesity, sleep disorders, anxiety, depression and autism. At the molecular level, the development of the hypothalamus is regulated by transcription factors (TF), secreted growth factors, neuropeptides and their receptors. Recent studies in zebrafish and mouse have demonstrated that some of these molecules maintain their expression in the adult brain and subsequently play a role in the physiological functions that are regulated by hypothalamic neurons. Here, we summarize the involvement of some of the key developmental factors in hypothalamic development and function by focusing on the mouse and zebrafish genetic model organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakob Biran
- Departments of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science Rehovot, Israel
| | - Maayan Tahor
- Departments of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science Rehovot, Israel
| | - Einav Wircer
- Departments of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science Rehovot, Israel
| | - Gil Levkowitz
- Departments of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science Rehovot, Israel
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22
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Sokolowski K, Esumi S, Hirata T, Kamal Y, Tran T, Lam A, Oboti L, Brighthaupt SC, Zaghlula M, Martinez J, Ghimbovschi S, Knoblach S, Pierani A, Tamamaki N, Shah NM, Jones KS, Corbin JG. Specification of select hypothalamic circuits and innate behaviors by the embryonic patterning gene dbx1. Neuron 2015; 86:403-16. [PMID: 25864637 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2015.03.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2014] [Revised: 12/29/2014] [Accepted: 03/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The hypothalamus integrates information required for the production of a variety of innate behaviors such as feeding, mating, aggression, and predator avoidance. Despite an extensive knowledge of hypothalamic function, how embryonic genetic programs specify circuits that regulate these behaviors remains unknown. Here, we find that in the hypothalamus the developmentally regulated homeodomain-containing transcription factor Dbx1 is required for the generation of specific subclasses of neurons within the lateral hypothalamic area/zona incerta (LH) and the arcuate (Arc) nucleus. Consistent with this specific developmental role, Dbx1 hypothalamic-specific conditional-knockout mice display attenuated responses to predator odor and feeding stressors but do not display deficits in other innate behaviors such as mating or conspecific aggression. Thus, activity of a single developmentally regulated gene, Dbx1, is a shared requirement for the specification of hypothalamic nuclei governing a subset of innate behaviors. VIDEO ABSTRACT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie Sokolowski
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Medical Center, 111 Michigan Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20010, USA
| | - Shigeyuki Esumi
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Medical Center, 111 Michigan Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20010, USA; Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Chuo Ward, Kumamoto, Kumamoto Prefecture 860-0862, Japan
| | - Tsutomu Hirata
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Medical Center, 111 Michigan Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20010, USA
| | - Yasman Kamal
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Medical Center, 111 Michigan Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20010, USA
| | - Tuyen Tran
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Medical Center, 111 Michigan Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20010, USA
| | - Andrew Lam
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Medical Center, 111 Michigan Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20010, USA
| | - Livio Oboti
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Medical Center, 111 Michigan Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20010, USA
| | - Sherri-Chanelle Brighthaupt
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Medical Center, 111 Michigan Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20010, USA
| | - Manar Zaghlula
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Medical Center, 111 Michigan Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20010, USA
| | - Jennifer Martinez
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Medical Center, 111 Michigan Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20010, USA
| | - Svetlana Ghimbovschi
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, 111 Michigan Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20010, USA
| | - Susan Knoblach
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, 111 Michigan Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20010, USA
| | - Alessandra Pierani
- Institut Jacques Monod, Universite Paris Diderot, 15 rue Hélène Brion, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Nobuaki Tamamaki
- Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Chuo Ward, Kumamoto, Kumamoto Prefecture 860-0862, Japan
| | - Nirao M Shah
- Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, 513 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Kevin S Jones
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Medical Center, 111 Michigan Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20010, USA; Department of Biology, Howard University, 415 College Street NW, Washington, DC 20059, USA
| | - Joshua G Corbin
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Medical Center, 111 Michigan Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20010, USA.
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23
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Bedont JL, Newman EA, Blackshaw S. Patterning, specification, and differentiation in the developing hypothalamus. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2015; 4:445-68. [PMID: 25820448 DOI: 10.1002/wdev.187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2014] [Revised: 02/10/2015] [Accepted: 02/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Owing to its complex structure and highly diverse cell populations, the study of hypothalamic development has historically lagged behind that of other brain regions. However, in recent years, a greatly expanded understanding of hypothalamic gene expression during development has opened up new avenues of investigation. In this review, we synthesize existing work to present a holistic picture of hypothalamic development from early induction and patterning through nuclear specification and differentiation, with a particular emphasis on determination of cell fate. We will also touch on special topics in the field including the prosomere model, adult neurogenesis, and integration of migratory cells originating outside the hypothalamic neuroepithelium, and how these topics relate to our broader theme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph L Bedont
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Newman
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Seth Blackshaw
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,High-Throughput Biology Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Herget U, Ryu S. Coexpression analysis of nine neuropeptides in the neurosecretory preoptic area of larval zebrafish. Front Neuroanat 2015; 9:2. [PMID: 25729355 PMCID: PMC4325906 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2015.00002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2014] [Accepted: 01/07/2015] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus in mammals coordinates neuroendocrine, autonomic and behavioral responses pivotal for homeostasis and the stress response. A large amount of studies in rodents has documented that the PVN contains diverse neuronal cell types which can be identified by the expression of distinct secretory neuropeptides. Interestingly, PVN cell types often coexpress multiple neuropeptides whose relative coexpression levels are subject to environment-induced plasticity. Due to their small size and transparency, zebrafish larvae offer the possibility to comprehensively study the development and plasticity of the PVN in large groups of intact animals, yet important anatomical information about the larval zebrafish PVN-homologous region has been missing. Therefore we recently defined the location and borders of the larval neurosecretory preoptic area (NPO) as the PVN-homologous region in larval zebrafish based on transcription factor expression and cell type clustering. To identify distinct cell types present in the larval NPO, we also generated a comprehensive 3D map of 9 zebrafish homologs of typical neuropeptides found in the mammalian PVN (arginine vasopressin (AVP), corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), proenkephalin a (penka)/b (penkb), neurotensin (NTS), oxytocin (OXT), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), cholecystokinin (CCK), and somatostatin (SST)). Here we extend this chemoarchitectural map to include the degrees of coexpression of two neuropeptides in the same cell by performing systematic pairwise comparisons. Our results allowed the subclassification of NPO cell types, and differences in variability of coexpression profiles suggest potential targets of biochemical plasticity. Thus, this work provides an important basis for the analysis of the development, function, and plasticity of the primary neuroendocrine brain region in larval zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich Herget
- Developmental Genetics of the Nervous System, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research Heidelberg, Germany ; The Hartmut Hoffmann-Berling International Graduate School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Heidelberg Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Soojin Ryu
- Developmental Genetics of the Nervous System, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research Heidelberg, Germany
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Domínguez L, González A, Moreno N. Patterns of hypothalamic regionalization in amphibians and reptiles: common traits revealed by a genoarchitectonic approach. Front Neuroanat 2015; 9:3. [PMID: 25691860 PMCID: PMC4315040 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2015.00003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2014] [Accepted: 01/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Most studies in mammals and birds have demonstrated common patterns of hypothalamic development highlighted by the combination of developmental regulatory genes (genoarchitecture), supporting the notion of the hypothalamus as a component of the secondary prosencephalon, topologically rostral to the diencephalon. In our comparative analysis we have summarized the data on the expression patterns of different transcription factors and neuroactive substances, used as anatomical markers, in the developing hypothalamus of the amphibian Xenopus laevis and the juvenile turtle Pseudemys scripta. This analysis served to highlight the organization of the hypothalamus in the anamniote/amniotic transition. We have identified supraoptoparaventricular and the suprachiasmatic regions (SCs) in the alar part of the hypothalamus, and tuberal and mammillary regions in the basal hypothalamus. Shared features in the two species are: (1) The supraoptoparaventricular region (SPV) is defined by the expression of Otp and the lack of Nkx2.1/Isl1. It is subdivided into rostral, rich in Otp and Nkx2.2, and caudal, only Otp-positive, portions. (2) The suprachiasmatic area contains catecholaminergic cell groups and lacks Otp, and can be further divided into rostral (rich in Nkx2.1 and Nkx2.2) and a caudal (rich in Isl1 and devoid of Nkx2.1) portions. (3) Expression of Nkx2.1 and Isl1 define the tuberal hypothalamus and only the rostral portion expresses Otp. (4) Its caudal boundary is evident by the lack of Isl1 in the adjacent mammillary region, which expresses Nkx2.1 and Otp. Differences in the anamnio-amniote transition were noted since in the turtle, like in other amniotes, the boundary between the alar hypothalamus and the telencephalic preoptic area shows distinct Nkx2.2 and Otp expressions but not in the amphibian (anamniote), and the alar SPV is defined by the expression of Otp/Pax6, whereas in Xenopus only Otp is expressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Domínguez
- Faculty of Biology, Department of Cell Biology, University Complutense of Madrid Madrid, Spain
| | - Agustín González
- Faculty of Biology, Department of Cell Biology, University Complutense of Madrid Madrid, Spain
| | - Nerea Moreno
- Faculty of Biology, Department of Cell Biology, University Complutense of Madrid Madrid, Spain
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Cheng CN, Wingert RA. Nephron proximal tubule patterning and corpuscles of Stannius formation are regulated by the sim1a transcription factor and retinoic acid in zebrafish. Dev Biol 2014; 399:100-116. [PMID: 25542995 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2014.12.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2014] [Revised: 11/24/2014] [Accepted: 12/17/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The mechanisms that establish nephron segments are poorly understood. The zebrafish embryonic kidney, or pronephros, is a simplified yet conserved genetic model to study this renal development process because its nephrons contain segments akin to other vertebrates, including the proximal convoluted and straight tubules (PCT, PST). The zebrafish pronephros is also associated with the corpuscles of Stannius (CS), endocrine glands that regulate calcium and phosphate homeostasis, but whose ontogeny from renal progenitors is largely mysterious. Initial patterning of zebrafish renal progenitors in the intermediate mesoderm (IM) involves the formation of rostral and caudal domains, the former being reliant on retinoic acid (RA) signaling, and the latter being repressed by elevated RA levels. Here, using expression profiling to gain new insights into nephrogenesis, we discovered that the gene single minded family bHLH transcription factor 1a (sim1a) is dynamically expressed in the renal progenitors-first marking the caudal domain, then becoming restricted to the proximal segments, and finally exhibiting specific CS expression. In loss of function studies, sim1a knockdown expanded the PCT and abrogated both the PST and CS populations. Conversely, overexpression of sim1a modestly expanded the PST and CS, while it reduced the PCT. These results show that sim1a activity is necessary and partially sufficient to induce PST and CS fates, and suggest that sim1a may inhibit PCT fate and/or negotiate the PCT/PST boundary. Interestingly, the sim1a expression domain in renal progenitors is responsive to altered levels of RA, suggesting that RA regulates sim1a, directly or indirectly, during nephrogenesis. sim1a deficient embryos treated with exogenous RA formed nephrons that were predominantly composed of PCT segments, but lacked the enlarged PST observed in RA treated wild-types, indicating that RA is not sufficient to rescue the PST in the absence of sim1a expression. Alternately, when sim1a knockdowns were exposed to the RA inhibitor diethylaminobenzaldehyde (DEAB), the CS was abrogated rather than expanded as seen in DEAB treated wild-types, revealing that CS formation in the absence of sim1a cannot be rescued by RA biosynthesis abrogation. Taken together, these data reveal previously unappreciated roles for sim1a in zebrafish pronephric proximal tubule and CS patterning, and are consistent with the model that sim1a acts downstream of RA to mitigate the formation of these lineages. These findings provide new insights into the genetic pathways that direct nephron development, and may have implications for understanding renal birth defects and kidney reprogramming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina N Cheng
- Department of Biological Sciences and Center for Zebrafish Research, University of Notre Dame, 100 Galvin Life Sciences, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Rebecca A Wingert
- Department of Biological Sciences and Center for Zebrafish Research, University of Notre Dame, 100 Galvin Life Sciences, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA.
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A mutation in cnot8, component of the Ccr4-not complex regulating transcript stability, affects expression levels of developmental regulators and reveals a role of Fgf3 in development of caudal hypothalamic dopaminergic neurons. PLoS One 2014; 9:e113829. [PMID: 25478689 PMCID: PMC4257555 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0113829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2013] [Accepted: 10/31/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
While regulation of the activity of developmental control genes at the transcriptional level as well as by specific miRNA-based degradation are intensively studied, little is known whether general cellular mechanisms controlling mRNA decay may contribute to differential stability of mRNAs of developmental control genes. Here, we investigate whether a mutation in the deadenylation dependent mRNA decay pathway may reveal differential effects on developmental mechanisms, using dopaminergic differentiation in the zebrafish brain as model system. In a zebrafish genetic screen aimed at identifying genes controlling dopaminergic neuron development we isolated the m1061 mutation that selectively caused increased dopaminergic differentiation in the caudal hypothalamus, while other dopaminergic groups were not affected. Positional cloning revealed that m1061 causes a premature stop codon in the cnot8 open reading frame. Cnot8 is a component of the Ccr4-Not complex and displays deadenylase activity, which is required for removal of the poly (A) tail in bulk mRNA turnover. Analyses of expression of developmental regulators indicate that loss of Cnot8 activity results in increased mRNA in situ hybridization signal levels for a subset of developmental control genes. We show that in the area of caudal hypothalamic dopaminergic differentiation, mRNA levels for several components of the FGF signaling pathway, including Fgf3, FGF receptors, and FGF target genes, are increased. Pharmacological inhibition of FGF signaling or a mutation in the fgf3 gene can compensate the gain of caudal hypothalamic dopaminergic neurons in cnot8m1061 mutants, indicating a role for Fgf3 in control of development of this dopaminergic population. The cnot8m1061 mutant phenotype provides an in vivo system to study roles of the Cnot8 deadenylase component of the mRNA decay pathway in vertebrate development. Our data indicate that attenuation of Cnot8 activity differentially affects mRNA levels of developmental control genes.
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Ware M, Hamdi-Rozé H, Dupé V. Notch signaling and proneural genes work together to control the neural building blocks for the initial scaffold in the hypothalamus. Front Neuroanat 2014; 8:140. [PMID: 25520625 PMCID: PMC4251447 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2014.00140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2014] [Accepted: 11/10/2014] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The vertebrate embryonic prosencephalon gives rise to the hypothalamus, which plays essential roles in sensory information processing as well as control of physiological homeostasis and behavior. While patterning of the hypothalamus has received much attention, initial neurogenesis in the developing hypothalamus has mostly been neglected. The first differentiating progenitor cells of the hypothalamus will give rise to neurons that form the nucleus of the tract of the postoptic commissure (nTPOC) and the nucleus of the mammillotegmental tract (nMTT). The formation of these neuronal populations has to be highly controlled both spatially and temporally as these tracts will form part of the ventral longitudinal tract (VLT) and act as a scaffold for later, follower axons. This review will cumulate and summarize the existing data available describing initial neurogenesis in the vertebrate hypothalamus. It is well-known that the Notch signaling pathway through the inhibition of proneural genes is a key regulator of neurogenesis in the vertebrate central nervous system. It has only recently been proposed that loss of Notch signaling in the developing chick embryo causes an increase in the number of neurons in the hypothalamus, highlighting an early function of the Notch pathway during hypothalamus formation. Further analysis in the chick and mouse hypothalamus confirms the expression of Notch components and Ascl1 before the appearance of the first differentiated neurons. Many newly identified proneural target genes were also found to be expressed during neuronal differentiation in the hypothalamus. Given the critical role that hypothalamic neural circuitry plays in maintaining homeostasis, it is particularly important to establish the targets downstream of this Notch/proneural network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Ware
- Institut de Génétique et Développement de Rennes, Faculté de Médecine, CNRS UMR6290, Université de Rennes 1 Rennes, France
| | - Houda Hamdi-Rozé
- Institut de Génétique et Développement de Rennes, Faculté de Médecine, CNRS UMR6290, Université de Rennes 1 Rennes, France
| | - Valérie Dupé
- Institut de Génétique et Développement de Rennes, Faculté de Médecine, CNRS UMR6290, Université de Rennes 1 Rennes, France
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Gutierrez-Triana JA, Herget U, Lichtner P, Castillo-Ramírez LA, Ryu S. A vertebrate-conserved cis-regulatory module for targeted expression in the main hypothalamic regulatory region for the stress response. BMC DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2014; 14:41. [PMID: 25427861 PMCID: PMC4248439 DOI: 10.1186/s12861-014-0041-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2014] [Accepted: 11/11/2014] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Background The homeodomain transcription factor orthopedia (Otp) is an evolutionarily conserved regulator of neuronal fates. In vertebrates, Otp is necessary for the proper development of different regions of the brain and is required in the diencephalon to specify several hypothalamic cell types, including the cells that control the stress response. To understand how this widely expressed transcription factor accomplishes hypothalamus-specific functions, we performed a comprehensive screening of otp cis-regulatory regions in zebrafish. Results Here, we report the identification of an evolutionarily conserved vertebrate enhancer module with activity in a restricted area of the forebrain, which includes the region of the hypothalamus that controls the stress response. This region includes neurosecretory cells producing Corticotropin-releasing hormone (Crh), Oxytocin (Oxt) and Arginine vasopressin (Avp), which are key components of the stress axis. Lastly, expression of the bacterial nitroreductase gene under this specific enhancer allowed pharmacological attenuation of the stress response in zebrafish larvae. Conclusion Vertebrates share many cellular and molecular components of the stress response and our work identified a striking conservation at the cis-regulatory level of a key hypothalamic developmental gene. In addition, this enhancer provides a useful tool to manipulate and visualize stress-regulatory hypothalamic cells in vivo with the long-term goal of understanding the ontogeny of the stress axis in vertebrates. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12861-014-0041-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Arturo Gutierrez-Triana
- Developmental Genetics of the Nervous System, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Jahnstrasse 29, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany. .,Current address: Centre for Organismal Studies (COS), University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 230, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Ulrich Herget
- Developmental Genetics of the Nervous System, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Jahnstrasse 29, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany. .,The Hartmut Hoffmann-Berling International Graduate School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Patrick Lichtner
- Developmental Genetics of the Nervous System, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Jahnstrasse 29, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Luis A Castillo-Ramírez
- Developmental Genetics of the Nervous System, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Jahnstrasse 29, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany. .,The Hartmut Hoffmann-Berling International Graduate School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Soojin Ryu
- Developmental Genetics of the Nervous System, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Jahnstrasse 29, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
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Herget U, Wolf A, Wullimann MF, Ryu S. Molecular neuroanatomy and chemoarchitecture of the neurosecretory preoptic-hypothalamic area in zebrafish larvae. J Comp Neurol 2014; 522:1542-64. [PMID: 24127437 DOI: 10.1002/cne.23480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2013] [Revised: 07/31/2013] [Accepted: 09/30/2013] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The paraventricular nucleus (PVN) in mammals is the main hypothalamic nucleus controlling hormone release in the pituitary and plays pivotal roles in homeostasis. While the location of a PVN-homologous region has been described in adult fish as the neurosecretory preoptic area (NPO), this region has not been clearly defined in larval zebrafish due to the difficulty in defining cytoarchitectonic nuclear boundaries in the larval brain. Here we identify the precise location of the larval zebrafish NPO using conserved transcription factor and neuropeptide gene expressions. Our results identify the dorsal half of the preoptic-hypothalamic orthopedia a (otpa) domain as the larval NPO and the homologous region to the mammalian PVN. Further, by reconstructing the locations of cells producing zebrafish neuropeptides found in the mammalian PVN (CCK, CRH, ENK, NTS, SS, VIP, OXT, AVP), we provide the first 3D arrangement map of NPO neuropeptides in the larval zebrafish brain. Our results show striking conservation of transcription factor expression (otp, arx, dlx5a, isl1) in and around the NPO/PVN together with neuropeptide expression within it. Finally, we describe the exact anatomical location of cells producing Oxt and Avp in the adult zebrafish. Thus, our results identify the definitive borders and extent of the PVN homologous region in larval zebrafish and serve as an important basis for cross-species comparisons of PVN/NPO structure and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich Herget
- Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Developmental Genetics of the Nervous System, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany; The Hartmut Hoffmann-Berling International Graduate School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Heidelberg, Germany
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Herrero-Turrión MJ, Rodríguez-Martín I, López-Bellido R, Rodríguez RE. Whole-genome expression profile in zebrafish embryos after chronic exposure to morphine: identification of new genes associated with neuronal function and mu opioid receptor expression. BMC Genomics 2014; 15:874. [PMID: 25294025 PMCID: PMC4201762 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-15-874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2014] [Accepted: 09/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A great number of studies have investigated changes induced by morphine exposure in gene expression using several experimental models. In this study, we examined gene expression changes during chronic exposure to morphine during maturation and differentiation of zebrafish CNS. RESULTS Microarray analysis showed 254 genes whose expression was identified as different by at least 1.3 fold change following chronic morphine exposure as compared to controls. Of these, several novel genes (grb2, copb2, otpb, magi1b, grik-l, bnip4 and sox19b) have been detected for the first time in an experimental animal model treated with morphine. We have also identified a subset of genes (dao.1, wls, bnip4 and camk1γb) differentially expressed by chronic morphine exposure whose expression is related to mu opioid receptor gene expression. Altered expression of copb2, bnip4, sox19b, otpb, dao.1, grik-l and wls is indicative of modified neuronal development, CNS patterning processes, differentiation and dopaminergic neurotransmission, serotonergic signaling pathway, and glutamatergic neurotransmission. The deregulation of camk1γb signaling genes suggests an activation of axonogenesis and dendritogenesis. CONCLUSIONS Our study identified different functional classes of genes and individual candidates involved in the mechanisms underlying susceptibility to morphine actions related to CNS development. These results open new lines to study the treatment of pain and the molecular mechanisms involved in addiction. We also found a set of zebrafish-specific morphine-induced genes, which may be putative targets in human models for addiction and pain processes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Raquel E Rodríguez
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Castilla y León, University of Salamanca, Salamanca 37007, Spain.
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Abstract
SoxB1 sub-family of transcriptional regulators are expressed in progenitor (NP) cells throughout the neuroaxis and are generally downregulated during neuronal differentiation. Gain- and loss-of-function studies indicate that Sox1, Sox2 and Sox3 are key regulators of NP differentiation and that their roles in CNS development are largely redundant. Nevertheless, mutation of each SoxB1 individually results in a different array of CNS defects, raising the possibility that SoxB1 proteins have subtly different functions in NP cells. To explore the mechanism of SOXB1 functional redundancy, and to identify genes that are most sensitive to loss of the Sox3 gene, we performed genome wide expression profiling of Sox3 null NP cells. Nineteen genes with abnormal expression were identified, including the homeobox gene Dbx1. Analysis of Sox3 null embryos revealed that Dbx1 was significantly reduced in the neural tube and developing brain and that SOX3 bound directly to conserved elements associated with this gene in cultured NP cells and in vivo. These data define Dbx1 as a direct SOX3 target gene whose expression, intriguingly, is not fully rescued by other SOXB1 transcription factors, suggesting that there are inherent differences in SOXB1 protein activity.
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Fernandes AM, Beddows E, Filippi A, Driever W. Orthopedia transcription factor otpa and otpb paralogous genes function during dopaminergic and neuroendocrine cell specification in larval zebrafish. PLoS One 2013; 8:e75002. [PMID: 24073233 PMCID: PMC3779234 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0075002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2013] [Accepted: 08/08/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The homeodomain transcription factor Orthopedia (Otp) is an important regulator for specification of defined subsets of neuroendocrine cells and dopaminergic neurons in vertebrates. In zebrafish, two paralogous otp genes, otpa and otpb, are present in the genome. Neither complete loss of Otp activity nor differential contributions of Otpa and Otpb to specification of defined neuronal populations have been analyzed in detail. We characterized zebrafish embryos and early larvae mutant for null alleles of otpa, otpb, or both genes to determine their individual contributions to the specification of th expressing dopaminergic neuronal populations as well as of crh, oxt, avp, trh or sst1.1 expressing neuroendocrine cells. otpa mutant larvae show an almost complete reduction of ventral diencephalic dopaminergic neurons, as reported previously. A small reduction in the number of trh cells in the preoptic region is detectable in otpa mutants, but no significant loss of crh, oxt and avp preoptic neuroendocrine cells. otpb single mutant larvae do not display a reduction in dopaminergic neurons or neuroendocrine cells in the otp expressing regions. In contrast, in otpa and otpb double mutant larvae specific groups of dopaminergic neurons as well as of crh, oxt, avp, trh and sst1.1-expressing neuroendocrine cells are completely lost. These observations suggest that the requirement for otpa and otpb function during development of the larval diencephalon is partially redundant. During evolutionary diversification of the paralogous otp genes, otpa maintained the prominent role in ventral diencephalic dopaminergic and neuroendocrine cell specification and is capable of partially compensating otpb loss of function. In addition, we identified a role of Otp in the development of a domain of somatostatin1-expressing cells in the rostral hindbrain, a region with strong otp expression but so far uncharacterized Otp function. Otp may thus be crucial for defined neuronal cell types also in the hindbrain.
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Affiliation(s)
- António M. Fernandes
- Developmental Biology Unit, Faculty of Biology, and BIOSS Centre for Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Erin Beddows
- Developmental Biology Unit, Faculty of Biology, and BIOSS Centre for Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Alida Filippi
- Developmental Biology Unit, Faculty of Biology, and BIOSS Centre for Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Driever
- Developmental Biology Unit, Faculty of Biology, and BIOSS Centre for Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- * E-mail:
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