1
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Pratt HE, Andrews G, Shedd N, Phalke N, Li T, Pampari A, Jensen M, Wen C, Consortium P, Gandal MJ, Geschwind DH, Gerstein M, Moore J, Kundaje A, Colubri A, Weng Z. Using a comprehensive atlas and predictive models to reveal the complexity and evolution of brain-active regulatory elements. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadj4452. [PMID: 38781344 PMCID: PMC11114231 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adj4452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Most genetic variants associated with psychiatric disorders are located in noncoding regions of the genome. To investigate their functional implications, we integrate epigenetic data from the PsychENCODE Consortium and other published sources to construct a comprehensive atlas of candidate brain cis-regulatory elements. Using deep learning, we model these elements' sequence syntax and predict how binding sites for lineage-specific transcription factors contribute to cell type-specific gene regulation in various types of glia and neurons. The elements' evolutionary history suggests that new regulatory information in the brain emerges primarily via smaller sequence mutations within conserved mammalian elements rather than entirely new human- or primate-specific sequences. However, primate-specific candidate elements, particularly those active during fetal brain development and in excitatory neurons and astrocytes, are implicated in the heritability of brain-related human traits. Additionally, we introduce PsychSCREEN, a web-based platform offering interactive visualization of PsychENCODE-generated genetic and epigenetic data from diverse brain cell types in individuals with psychiatric disorders and healthy controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry E. Pratt
- Department of Genomics and Computational Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Gregory Andrews
- Department of Genomics and Computational Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Nicole Shedd
- Department of Genomics and Computational Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Nishigandha Phalke
- Department of Genomics and Computational Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Tongxin Li
- Department of Genomics and Computational Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Khoury College of Computer Science, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Anusri Pampari
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Matthew Jensen
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Cindy Wen
- Interdepartmental Program in Bioinformatics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | | | - Michael J. Gandal
- Interdepartmental Program in Bioinformatics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Lifespan Brain Institute, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Daniel H. Geschwind
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Program in Neurogenetics, Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Institute of Precision Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Mark Gerstein
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Computer Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Statistics and Data Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Jill Moore
- Department of Genomics and Computational Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Anshul Kundaje
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Andrés Colubri
- Department of Genomics and Computational Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Zhiping Weng
- Department of Genomics and Computational Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
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2
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Balint V, Peric M, Dacic S, Stanisavljevic Ninkovic D, Marjanovic J, Popovic J, Stevanovic M, Lazic A. The Role of SOX2 and SOX9 Transcription Factors in the Reactivation-Related Functional Properties of NT2/D1-Derived Astrocytes. Biomedicines 2024; 12:796. [PMID: 38672150 PMCID: PMC11048103 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12040796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes are the main homeostatic cells in the central nervous system, with the unique ability to transform from quiescent into a reactive state in response to pathological conditions by reacquiring some precursor properties. This process is known as reactive astrogliosis, a compensatory response that mediates tissue damage and recovery. Although it is well known that SOX transcription factors drive the expression of phenotype-specific genetic programs during neurodevelopment, their roles in mature astrocytes have not been studied extensively. We focused on the transcription factors SOX2 and SOX9, shown to be re-expressed in reactive astrocytes, in order to study the reactivation-related functional properties of astrocytes mediated by those proteins. We performed an initial screening of SOX2 and SOX9 expression after sensorimotor cortex ablation injury in rats and conducted gain-of-function studies in vitro using astrocytes derived from the human NT2/D1 cell line. Our results revealed the direct involvement of SOX2 in the reacquisition of proliferation in mature NT2/D1-derived astrocytes, while SOX9 overexpression increased migratory potential and glutamate uptake in these cells. Our results imply that modulation of SOX gene expression may change the functional properties of astrocytes, which holds promise for the discovery of potential therapeutic targets in the development of novel strategies for tissue regeneration and recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanda Balint
- Laboratory for Human Molecular Genetics, Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, University of Belgrade, Vojvode Stepe 444a, 11042 Belgrade, Serbia; (V.B.); (M.P.); (D.S.N.); (J.M.); (J.P.); (M.S.)
| | - Mina Peric
- Laboratory for Human Molecular Genetics, Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, University of Belgrade, Vojvode Stepe 444a, 11042 Belgrade, Serbia; (V.B.); (M.P.); (D.S.N.); (J.M.); (J.P.); (M.S.)
| | - Sanja Dacic
- Institute of Physiology and Biochemistry “Ivan Djaja”, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Studentski trg 16, 11158 Belgrade, Serbia;
| | - Danijela Stanisavljevic Ninkovic
- Laboratory for Human Molecular Genetics, Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, University of Belgrade, Vojvode Stepe 444a, 11042 Belgrade, Serbia; (V.B.); (M.P.); (D.S.N.); (J.M.); (J.P.); (M.S.)
| | - Jelena Marjanovic
- Laboratory for Human Molecular Genetics, Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, University of Belgrade, Vojvode Stepe 444a, 11042 Belgrade, Serbia; (V.B.); (M.P.); (D.S.N.); (J.M.); (J.P.); (M.S.)
| | - Jelena Popovic
- Laboratory for Human Molecular Genetics, Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, University of Belgrade, Vojvode Stepe 444a, 11042 Belgrade, Serbia; (V.B.); (M.P.); (D.S.N.); (J.M.); (J.P.); (M.S.)
| | - Milena Stevanovic
- Laboratory for Human Molecular Genetics, Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, University of Belgrade, Vojvode Stepe 444a, 11042 Belgrade, Serbia; (V.B.); (M.P.); (D.S.N.); (J.M.); (J.P.); (M.S.)
- Institute of Physiology and Biochemistry “Ivan Djaja”, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Studentski trg 16, 11158 Belgrade, Serbia;
- Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Kneza Mihaila 35, 11001 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Andrijana Lazic
- Laboratory for Human Molecular Genetics, Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, University of Belgrade, Vojvode Stepe 444a, 11042 Belgrade, Serbia; (V.B.); (M.P.); (D.S.N.); (J.M.); (J.P.); (M.S.)
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3
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Abstract
The brain is a complex organ, fundamentally changing across the day to perform basic functions like sleep, thought, and regulating whole-body physiology. This requires a complex symphony of nutrients, hormones, ions, neurotransmitters and more to be properly distributed across the brain to maintain homeostasis throughout 24 hours. These solutes are distributed both by the blood and by cerebrospinal fluid. Cerebrospinal fluid contents are distinct from the general circulation because of regulation at brain barriers including the choroid plexus, glymphatic system, and blood-brain barrier. In this review, we discuss the overlapping circadian (≈24-hour) rhythms in brain fluid biology and at the brain barriers. Our goal is for the reader to gain both a fundamental understanding of brain barriers alongside an understanding of the interactions between these fluids and the circadian timing system. Ultimately, this review will provide new insight into how alterations in these finely tuned clocks may lead to pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Velia S Vizcarra
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA
| | - Ryann M Fame
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Lauren M Hablitz
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA
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4
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Naghieh P, Delavar A, Amiri M, Peremans H. Astrocyte's self-repairing characteristics improve working memory in spiking neuronal networks. iScience 2023; 26:108241. [PMID: 38047076 PMCID: PMC10692671 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes play a significant role in the working memory (WM) mechanism, yet their contribution to spiking neuron-astrocyte networks (SNAN) is underexplored. This study proposes a non-probabilistic SNAN incorporating a self-repairing (SR) mechanism through endocannabinoid pathways to facilitate WM function. Four experiments were conducted with different damaging patterns, replicating close-to-realistic synaptic impairments. Simulation results suggest that the SR process enhances WM performance by improving the consistency of neuronal firing. Moreover, the intercellular astrocytic [Ca]2+ transmission via gap junctions improves WM and SR processes. With increasing damage, WM and SR activities initially fail for non-matched samples and then for smaller and minimally overlapping matched samples. Simulation results also indicate that the inclusion of the SR mechanism in both random and continuous forms of damage improves the resilience of the WM by approximately 20%. This study highlights the importance of astrocytes in synaptically impaired networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedram Naghieh
- Medical Technology Research Center, Institute of Health Technology, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Abolfazl Delavar
- Medical Technology Research Center, Institute of Health Technology, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Mahmood Amiri
- Medical Technology Research Center, Institute of Health Technology, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
- Department of Engineering Management, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Herbert Peremans
- Department of Engineering Management, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
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5
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Frith TJR, Briscoe J, Boezio GLM. From signalling to form: the coordination of neural tube patterning. Curr Top Dev Biol 2023; 159:168-231. [PMID: 38729676 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2023.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
The development of the vertebrate spinal cord involves the formation of the neural tube and the generation of multiple distinct cell types. The process starts during gastrulation, combining axial elongation with specification of neural cells and the formation of the neuroepithelium. Tissue movements produce the neural tube which is then exposed to signals that provide patterning information to neural progenitors. The intracellular response to these signals, via a gene regulatory network, governs the spatial and temporal differentiation of progenitors into specific cell types, facilitating the assembly of functional neuronal circuits. The interplay between the gene regulatory network, cell movement, and tissue mechanics generates the conserved neural tube pattern observed across species. In this review we offer an overview of the molecular and cellular processes governing the formation and patterning of the neural tube, highlighting how the remarkable complexity and precision of vertebrate nervous system arises. We argue that a multidisciplinary and multiscale understanding of the neural tube development, paired with the study of species-specific strategies, will be crucial to tackle the open questions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - James Briscoe
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom.
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6
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Vivi E, Seeholzer LR, Nagumanova A, Di Benedetto B. Early Age- and Sex-Dependent Regulation of Astrocyte-Mediated Glutamatergic Synapse Elimination in the Rat Prefrontal Cortex: Establishing an Organotypic Brain Slice Culture Investigating Tool. Cells 2023; 12:2761. [PMID: 38067189 PMCID: PMC10705965 DOI: 10.3390/cells12232761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Clinical and pre-clinical studies of neuropsychiatric (NP) disorders show altered astrocyte properties and synaptic networks. These are refined during early postnatal developmental (PND) stages. Thus, investigating early brain maturational trajectories is essential to understand NP disorders. However, animal experiments are highly time-/resource-consuming, thereby calling for alternative methodological approaches. The function of MEGF10 in astrocyte-mediated synapse elimination (pruning) is crucial to refine neuronal networks during development and adulthood. To investigate the impact of MEGF10 during PND in the rat prefrontal cortex (PFC) and its putative role in brain disorders, we established and validated an organotypic brain slice culture (OBSC) system. Using Western blot, we characterized the expression of MEGF10 and the synaptic markers synaptophysin and PSD95 in the cortex of developing pups. We then combined immunofluorescent-immunohistochemistry with Imaris-supported 3D analysis to compare age- and sex-dependent astrocyte-mediated pruning within the PFC in pups and OBSCs. We thereby validated this system to investigate age-dependent astrocyte-mediated changes in pruning during PND. However, further optimizations are required to use OBSCs for revealing sex-dependent differences. In conclusion, OBSCs offer a valid alternative to study physiological astrocyte-mediated synaptic remodeling during PND and might be exploited to investigate the pathomechanisms of brain disorders with aberrant synaptic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugenia Vivi
- Laboratory of Neuro-Glia Pharmacology, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany; (E.V.); (L.R.S.); (A.N.)
| | - Lea R. Seeholzer
- Laboratory of Neuro-Glia Pharmacology, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany; (E.V.); (L.R.S.); (A.N.)
| | - Anastasiia Nagumanova
- Laboratory of Neuro-Glia Pharmacology, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany; (E.V.); (L.R.S.); (A.N.)
| | - Barbara Di Benedetto
- Laboratory of Neuro-Glia Pharmacology, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany; (E.V.); (L.R.S.); (A.N.)
- Regensburg Center of Neuroscience, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
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7
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Rojas DB, Vizuete AFK, de Andrade VS, de Andrade RB, Gemelli T, Kim TDH, Gonçalves CA, Leipnitz G, Wannmacher CMD. Lipopolysaccharide impairs neurodevelopment and induces changes in astroglial reactivity, antioxidant defenses and bioenergetics in the cerebral cortex of neonatal rats. Int J Dev Neurosci 2023; 83:600-614. [PMID: 37477051 DOI: 10.1002/jdn.10288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Neonates have an immature immune system, which increases their vulnerability to infectious agents and inflammatory insults. The administration of the immunostimulatory agent lipopolysaccharide (LPS) has been shown to induce the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and cause behavior alterations in rodents at different ages. However, the effects of LPS administration during the neonatal period and its consequences during immune system maturation remain to be elucidated. We showed here that a single intraperitoneal administration of LPS in rats on postnatal day (PND) 7 caused early and variable alterations in TNF-α, S100B and GFAP levels in the cerebral cortex, CSF and serum of the animals, indicating long-term induction of neuroinflammation and astroglial reactivity. However, on PND 21, only GFAP levels were increased by LPS. Additionally, LPS induced oxidative stress and altered energy metabolism enzymes in the cerebral cortex on PND 21, and caused neurodevelopment impairment over time. These data suggest that neuroinflammation induction during the neonatal period induces glial reactivity, oxidative stress and bioenergetic disruption that may lead to neurodevelopment impairment and cognitive deficit in adult life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise Bertin Rojas
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Adriana Fernanda K Vizuete
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Laboratory of Calcium-Binding Proteins in the CNS, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Basic Health Sciences, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Vivian Strassburger de Andrade
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | | | - Tanise Gemelli
- Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos, São Leopoldo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Tomas Duk Hwa Kim
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Carlos Alberto Gonçalves
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Laboratory of Calcium-Binding Proteins in the CNS, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Basic Health Sciences, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Departmento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Guilhian Leipnitz
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Departmento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Clovis Milton Duval Wannmacher
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Departmento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
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8
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Xie Y, Reid CM, Granados AA, Garcia MT, Dale-Huang F, Hanson SM, Mancia W, Liu J, Adam M, Mosto O, Pisco AO, Alvarez-Buylla A, Harwell CC. Developmental origin and local signals cooperate to determine septal astrocyte identity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.08.561428. [PMID: 37873089 PMCID: PMC10592657 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.08.561428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Astrocyte specification during development is influenced by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors, but the precise contribution of each remains poorly understood. Here we show that septal astrocytes from Nkx2.1 and Zic4 expressing progenitor zones are allocated into non-overlapping domains of the medial (MS) and lateral septal nuclei (LS) respectively. Astrocytes in these areas exhibit distinctive molecular and morphological features tailored to the unique cellular and synaptic circuit environment of each nucleus. Using single-nucleus (sn) RNA sequencing, we trace the developmental trajectories of cells in the septum and find that neurons and astrocytes undergo region and developmental stage-specific local cell-cell interactions. We show that expression of the classic morphogens Sonic hedgehog (Shh) and Fibroblast growth factors (Fgfs) by MS and LS neurons respectively, functions to promote the molecular specification of local astrocytes in each region. Finally, using heterotopic cell transplantation, we show that both morphological and molecular specifications of septal astrocytes are highly dependent on the local microenvironment, regardless of developmental origins. Our data highlights the complex interplay between intrinsic and extrinsic factors shaping astrocyte identities and illustrates the importance of the local environment in determining astrocyte functional specialization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajun Xie
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, San Francisco, CA
| | - Christopher M. Reid
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, San Francisco, CA
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Ph.D. Program in Neuroscience, Harvard University, Boston, MA
| | | | - Miguel Turrero Garcia
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, San Francisco, CA
| | - Fiona Dale-Huang
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA
| | - Sarah M. Hanson
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, San Francisco, CA
| | - Walter Mancia
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA
| | - Jonathan Liu
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Manal Adam
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, San Francisco, CA
| | - Olivia Mosto
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | | | - Arturo Alvarez-Buylla
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA
| | - Corey C. Harwell
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, San Francisco, CA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
- Lead contact
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9
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Guebel DV. Human hippocampal astrocytes: Computational dissection of their transcriptome, sexual differences and exosomes across ageing and mild-cognitive impairment. Eur J Neurosci 2023; 58:2677-2707. [PMID: 37427765 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2022] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
The role of astrocytes in Alzheimer's disease is often disregarded. Hence, characterization of astrocytes along their early evolution toward Alzheimer would be greatly beneficial. However, due to their exquisite responsiveness, in vivo studies are difficult. So public microarray data of hippocampal homogenates from (healthy) young, (healthy) elder and elder with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) were subjected to re-analysis by a multi-step computational pipeline. Ontologies and pathway analyses were compared after determining the differential genes that, belonging to astrocytes, have splice forms. Likewise, the subset of molecules exportable to exosomes was also determined. The results showed that astrocyte's phenotypes changed significantly. While already 'activated' astrocytes were found in the younger group, major changes occurred during ageing (increased vascular remodelling and response to mechanical stimulus, diminished long-term potentiation and increased long-term depression). MCI's astrocytes showed some 'rejuvenated' features, but their sensitivity to shear stress was markedly lost. Importantly, most of the changes showed to be sex biassed. Men's astrocytes are enriched in a type 'endfeet-astrocytome', whereas women's astrocytes appear close to the 'scar-forming' type (prone to endothelial dysfunction, hypercholesterolemia, loss of glutamatergic synapses, Ca+2 dysregulation, hypoxia, oxidative stress and 'pro-coagulant' phenotype). In conclusion, the computational dissection of the networks based on the hippocampal gene isoforms provides a relevant proxy to in vivo astrocytes, also revealing the occurrence of sexual differences. Analyses of the astrocytic exosomes did not provide an acceptable approximation to the overall functioning of astrocytes in the hippocampus, probably due to the selective cellular mechanisms which charge the cargo molecules.
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10
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Zhong S, Kiyoshi CM, Du Y, Wang W, Luo Y, Wu X, Taylor AT, Ma B, Aten S, Liu X, Zhou M. Genesis of a functional astrocyte syncytium in the developing mouse hippocampus. Glia 2023; 71:1081-1098. [PMID: 36598109 PMCID: PMC10777263 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2022] [Revised: 12/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes are increasingly shown to operate as an isopotential syncytium in brain function. Protoplasmic astrocytes acquire this ability to functionally go beyond the single-cell level by evolving into a spongiform morphology, cytoplasmically connecting into a syncytium, and expressing a high density of K+ conductance. However, none of these cellular/functional features exist in neonatal newborn astrocytes, which imposes a basic question of when a functional syncytium evolves in the developing brain. Our results show that the spongiform morphology of individual astrocytes and their spatial organization all reach stationary levels by postnatal day (P) 15 in the hippocampal CA1 region. Functionally, astrocytes begin to uniformly express a mature level of passive K+ conductance by P11. We next used syncytial isopotentiality measurement to monitor the maturation of the astrocyte syncytium. In uncoupled P1 astrocytes, the substitution of endogenous K+ by a Na+ -electrode solution ([Na+ ]p ) resulted in the total elimination of the physiological membrane potential (VM ), and outward K+ conductance as predicted by the Goldman-Hodgkin-Katz (GHK) equation. As more astrocytes are coupled to each other through gap junctions during development, the [Na+ ]p -induced loss of physiological VM and the outward K+ conductance is progressively compensated by the neighboring astrocytes. By P15, a stably established syncytial isopotentiality (-73 mV), and a fully compensated outward K+ conductance appeared in all [Na+ ]p -recorded astrocytes. Thus, in view of the developmental timeframe wherein a singular syncytium is anatomically and functionally established for intra-syncytium K+ equilibration, an astrocyte syncytium becomes fully operational at P15 in the mouse hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiying Zhong
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Department of Neurology, Shanghai 10Hospital of Tongji University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072, China
| | - Conrad M. Kiyoshi
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Yixing Du
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Department of Physiology, Tongji Medical College, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Yumeng Luo
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Xiao Wu
- Department of Neurology, Wuhan First Hospital, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Anne T. Taylor
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Baofeng Ma
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Sydney Aten
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Xueyuan Liu
- Department of Neurology, Shanghai 10Hospital of Tongji University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072, China
| | - Min Zhou
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
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11
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Veilleux C, Eugenin EA. Mechanisms of Zika astrocyte infection and neuronal toxicity. NEUROIMMUNE PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 2023; 2:5-18. [PMID: 37027343 PMCID: PMC10070016 DOI: 10.1515/nipt-2022-0014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
Objectives Zika virus (ZIKV) has become an epidemic in several countries and was declared a major public health issue by the WHO. Although ZIKV infection is asymptomatic or shows mild fever-related symptoms in most people, the virus can be transmitted from a pregnant mother to the fetus, resulting in severe brain developmental abnormalities, including microcephaly. Multiple groups have identified developmental neuronal and neuronal progenitor compromise during ZIKV infection within the fetal brain, but little is known about whether ZIKV could infect human astrocytes and its effect on the developing brain. Thus, our objective was to determine astrocyte ZiKV infection in a developmental-dependent manner. Methods We analyze infection of pure cultures of astrocytes and mixed cultures of neurons and astrocytes in response to ZIKV using plaque assays, confocal, and electron microscopy to identify infectivity, ZIKV accumulation and intracellular distribution as well as apoptosis and interorganelle dysfunction. Results Here, we demonstrated that ZIKV enters, infects, replicates, and accumulates in large quantities in human fetal astrocytes in a developmental-dependent manner. Astrocyte infection and intracellular viral accumulation resulted in neuronal apoptosis, and we propose astrocytes are a ZIKV reservoir during brain development. Conclusions Our data identify astrocytes in different stages of development as major contributors to the devastating effects of ZIKV in the developing brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney Veilleux
- Public Health Research Institute (PHRI), New York, USA
- Deparment of Microbiology, Biochemistry, and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers the State University of New Jersey, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Eliseo A. Eugenin
- Public Health Research Institute (PHRI), New York, USA
- Deparment of Microbiology, Biochemistry, and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers the State University of New Jersey, Newark, NJ, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston, TX, USA
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12
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St-Pierre MK, Carrier M, González Ibáñez F, Khakpour M, Wallman MJ, Parent M, Tremblay MÈ. Astrocytes display ultrastructural alterations and heterogeneity in the hippocampus of aged APP-PS1 mice and human post-mortem brain samples. J Neuroinflammation 2023; 20:73. [PMID: 36918925 PMCID: PMC10015698 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-023-02752-7] [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: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The past decade has witnessed increasing evidence for a crucial role played by glial cells, notably astrocytes, in Alzheimer's disease (AD). To provide novel insights into the roles of astrocytes in the pathophysiology of AD, we performed a quantitative ultrastructural characterization of their intracellular contents and parenchymal interactions in an aged mouse model of AD pathology, as aging is considered the main risk factor for developing AD. We compared 20-month-old APP-PS1 and age-matched C57BL/6J male mice, among the ventral hippocampus CA1 strata lacunosum-moleculare and radiatum, two hippocampal layers severely affected by AD pathology. Astrocytes in both layers interacted more with synaptic elements and displayed more ultrastructural markers of increased phagolysosomal activity in APP-PS1 versus C57BL6/J mice. In addition, we investigated the ultrastructural heterogeneity of astrocytes, describing in the two examined layers a dark astrocytic state that we characterized in terms of distribution, interactions with AD hallmarks, and intracellular contents. This electron-dense astrocytic state, termed dark astrocytes, was observed throughout the hippocampal parenchyma, closely associated with the vasculature, and possessed several ultrastructural markers of cellular stress. A case study exploring the hippocampal head of an aged human post-mortem brain sample also revealed the presence of a similar electron-dense, dark astrocytic state. Overall, our study provides the first ultrastructural quantitative analysis of astrocytes among the hippocampus in aged AD pathology, as well as a thorough characterization of a dark astrocytic state conserved from mouse to human.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Kim St-Pierre
- Axe Neurosciences, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.,Départment de Médecine Moléculaire, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.,Division of Medical Sciences, Medical Sciences Building, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Micaël Carrier
- Axe Neurosciences, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.,Division of Medical Sciences, Medical Sciences Building, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Fernando González Ibáñez
- Axe Neurosciences, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.,Départment de Médecine Moléculaire, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.,Division of Medical Sciences, Medical Sciences Building, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Mohammadparsa Khakpour
- Division of Medical Sciences, Medical Sciences Building, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Marie-Josée Wallman
- Département de Psychiatrie et de Neurosciences, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.,CERVO Brain Research Center, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Martin Parent
- Département de Psychiatrie et de Neurosciences, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.,CERVO Brain Research Center, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Marie-Ève Tremblay
- Axe Neurosciences, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada. .,Départment de Médecine Moléculaire, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada. .,Division of Medical Sciences, Medical Sciences Building, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada. .,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada. .,Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada. .,Centre for Advanced Materials and Related Technology (CAMTEC), University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada. .,Institute on Aging and Lifelong Health, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada.
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13
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Mayo F, González-Vinceiro L, Hiraldo-González L, Calle-Castillejo C, Morales-Alvarez S, Ramírez-Lorca R, Echevarría M. Aquaporin-4 Expression Switches from White to Gray Matter Regions during Postnatal Development of the Central Nervous System. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:3048. [PMID: 36769371 PMCID: PMC9917791 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24033048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Aquaporin-4 (AQP4) is the most abundant water channel in the central nervous system and plays a fundamental role in maintaining water homeostasis there. In adult mice, AQP4 is located mainly in ependymal cells, in the endfeet of perivascular astrocytes, and in the glia limitans. Meanwhile, its expression, location, and function throughout postnatal development remain largely unknown. Here, the expression of AQP4 mRNA was studied by in situ hybridization and RT-qPCR, and the localization and amount of protein was studied by immunofluorescence and western blotting, both in the brain and spinal cord. For this, wild-type mice of the C57BL/6 line, aged 1, 3, 7, 11, 20, and 60 days, and 18 months were used. The results showed a change in both the expression and location of AQP4 in postnatal development compared to those during adult life. In the early stages of postnatal development it appears in highly myelinated areas, such as the corpus callosum or cerebellum, and as the animal grows, it disappears from these areas, passing through the cortical regions of the forebrain and concentrating around the blood vessels. These findings suggest an unprecedented possible role for AQP4 in the early cell differentiation process, during the first days of life in the newborn animal, which will lead to myelination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Mayo
- Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBiS), Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, (HUVR)/Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)/University of Seville, 41013 Seville, Spain
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Seville, 41009 Seville, Spain
| | - Lourdes González-Vinceiro
- Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBiS), Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, (HUVR)/Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)/University of Seville, 41013 Seville, Spain
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Seville, 41009 Seville, Spain
| | - Laura Hiraldo-González
- Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBiS), Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, (HUVR)/Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)/University of Seville, 41013 Seville, Spain
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Seville, 41009 Seville, Spain
| | - Claudia Calle-Castillejo
- Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBiS), Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, (HUVR)/Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)/University of Seville, 41013 Seville, Spain
| | - Sara Morales-Alvarez
- Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBiS), Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, (HUVR)/Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)/University of Seville, 41013 Seville, Spain
| | - Reposo Ramírez-Lorca
- Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBiS), Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, (HUVR)/Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)/University of Seville, 41013 Seville, Spain
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Seville, 41009 Seville, Spain
| | - Miriam Echevarría
- Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBiS), Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, (HUVR)/Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)/University of Seville, 41013 Seville, Spain
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Seville, 41009 Seville, Spain
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14
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Rawji KS, Neumann B, Franklin RJM. Glial aging and its impact on central nervous system myelin regeneration. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2023; 1519:34-45. [PMID: 36398864 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Aging is a major risk factor for several neurodegenerative diseases and is associated with cognitive decline. In addition to affecting neuronal function, the aging process significantly affects the functional phenotype of the glial cell compartment, comprising oligodendrocyte lineage cells, astrocytes, and microglia. These changes result in a more inflammatory microenvironment, resulting in a condition that is favorable for neuron and synapse loss. In addition to facilitating neurodegeneration, the aging glial cell population has negative implications for central nervous system remyelination, a regenerative process that is of particular importance to the chronic demyelinating disease multiple sclerosis. This review will discuss the changes that occur with aging in the three main glial populations and provide an overview of the studies documenting the impact these changes have on remyelination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khalil S Rawji
- Altos Labs, Cambridge Institute of Science, Cambridge, UK
| | - Björn Neumann
- Altos Labs, Cambridge Institute of Science, Cambridge, UK
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15
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Degl’Innocenti E, Dell’Anno MT. Human and mouse cortical astrocytes: a comparative view from development to morphological and functional characterization. Front Neuroanat 2023; 17:1130729. [PMID: 37139179 PMCID: PMC10150887 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2023.1130729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The vision of astroglia as a bare scaffold to neuronal circuitry has been largely overturned. Astrocytes exert a neurotrophic function, but also take active part in supporting synaptic transmission and in calibrating blood circulation. Many aspects of their functioning have been unveiled from studies conducted in murine models, however evidence is showing many differences between mouse and human astrocytes starting from their development and encompassing morphological, transcriptomic and physiological variations when they achieve complete maturation. The evolutionary race toward superior cognitive abilities unique to humans has drastically impacted neocortex structure and, together with neuronal circuitry, astrocytes have also been affected with the acquisition of species-specific properties. In this review, we summarize diversities between murine and human astroglia, with a specific focus on neocortex, in a panoramic view that starts with their developmental origin to include all structural and molecular differences that mark the uniqueness of human astrocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Degl’Innocenti
- Fondazione Pisana per la Scienza ONLUS, San Giuliano Terme, Italy
- Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Maria Teresa Dell’Anno
- Fondazione Pisana per la Scienza ONLUS, San Giuliano Terme, Italy
- *Correspondence: Maria Teresa Dell’Anno,
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16
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D'Mello V, Subramaniam M, Bhalla AP, Saavedra S, Leiba O, Levison SW. Intranasal Leukemia Inhibitory Factor Attenuates Gliosis and Axonal Injury and Improves Sensorimotor Function After a Mild Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury. Neurotrauma Rep 2023; 4:236-250. [PMID: 37095853 PMCID: PMC10122240 DOI: 10.1089/neur.2021.0075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) is a neuroprotective cytokine that is essential for appropriate glial responses, remyelination, and preservation of neuronal conductance after injury. The intranasal route for delivery of therapeutics to the central nervous system is of particular interest given that it bypasses the blood-brain barrier and peripheral clearance systems. We explored the possibility that LIF might improve neurological function when administered intranasally during the acute phase in a pediatric model of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). We tested two doses of LIF and evaluated behavioral outcomes. Here, we show that acute 40-ng intranasal LIF treatment twice a day for 3 days attenuates astrogliosis and microgliosis, protects against axonal damage, significantly improves sensorimotor function, and is well tolerated without detrimental effects on growth. Altogether, our studies provide pre-clinical evidence for the use of acute intranasal LIF treatment as a viable therapeutic for pediatric cases of mTBIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veera D'Mello
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Malini Subramaniam
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Aditya Paul Bhalla
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Sherlyn Saavedra
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Ofri Leiba
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Steven W. Levison
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey, USA
- Address correspondence to: Steven W. Levison, PhD, Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, 205 South Orange Avenue, Newark, NJ 07103, USA.
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17
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Tatomir A, Cuevas J, Badea TC, Muresanu DF, Rus V, Rus H. Role of RGC-32 in multiple sclerosis and neuroinflammation – few answers and many questions. Front Immunol 2022; 13:979414. [PMID: 36172382 PMCID: PMC9510783 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.979414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in understanding the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS) have brought into the spotlight the major role played by reactive astrocytes in this condition. Response Gene to Complement (RGC)-32 is a gene induced by complement activation, growth factors, and cytokines, notably transforming growth factor β, that is involved in the modulation of processes such as angiogenesis, fibrosis, cell migration, and cell differentiation. Studies have uncovered the crucial role that RGC-32 plays in promoting the differentiation of Th17 cells, a subtype of CD4+ T lymphocytes with an important role in MS and its murine model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. The latest data have also shown that RGC-32 is involved in regulating major transcriptomic changes in astrocytes and in favoring the synthesis and secretion of extracellular matrix components, growth factors, axonal growth molecules, and pro-astrogliogenic molecules. These results suggest that RGC-32 plays a major role in driving reactive astrocytosis and the generation of astrocytes from radial glia precursors. In this review, we summarize recent advances in understanding how RGC-32 regulates the behavior of Th17 cells and astrocytes in neuroinflammation, providing insight into its role as a potential new biomarker and therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandru Tatomir
- Department of Neurology, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Department of Neurosciences, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Jacob Cuevas
- Department of Neurology, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Tudor C. Badea
- Research and Development Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Transylvania University of Brasov, Brasov, Romania
| | - Dafin F. Muresanu
- Department of Neurosciences, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Violeta Rus
- Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Horea Rus
- Department of Neurology, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Neurology Service, Baltimore Veterans Administration Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, United States
- *Correspondence: Horea Rus,
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18
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AQP4, Astrogenesis, and Hydrocephalus: A New Neurological Perspective. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231810438. [PMID: 36142348 PMCID: PMC9498986 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 09/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Aquaporin 4 (AQP4) is a cerebral glial marker that labels ependymal cells and astrocytes’ endfeet and is the main water channel responsible for the parenchymal fluid balance. However, in brain development, AQP4 is a marker of glial stem cells and plays a crucial role in the pathophysiology of pediatric hydrocephalus. Gliogenesis characterization has been hampered by a lack of biomarkers for precursor and intermediate stages and a deeper understanding of hydrocephalus etiology is needed. This manuscript is a focused review of the current research landscape on AQP4 as a possible biomarker for gliogenesis and its influence in pediatric hydrocephalus, emphasizing reactive astrogliosis. The goal is to understand brain development under hydrocephalic and normal physiologic conditions.
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19
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Aleksandrova MA, Sukhinich KK. Astrocytes of the Brain: Retinue Plays the King. Russ J Dev Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s1062360422040026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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20
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Lattke M, Guillemot F. Understanding astrocyte differentiation: Clinical relevance, technical challenges, and new opportunities in the omics era. WIREs Mech Dis 2022; 14:e1557. [PMID: 35546493 PMCID: PMC9539907 DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.1557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes are a major type of glial cells that have essential functions in development and homeostasis of the central nervous system (CNS). Immature astrocytes in the developing CNS support neuronal maturation and possess neural-stem-cell-like properties. Mature astrocytes partially lose these functions but gain new functions essential for adult CNS homeostasis. In pathological conditions, astrocytes become "reactive", which disrupts their mature homeostatic functions and reactivates some immature astrocyte-like properties, suggesting a partial reversal of astrocyte maturation. The loss of homeostatic astrocyte functions contributes to the pathogenesis of various neurological conditions, and therefore activating maturation-promoting mechanisms may be a promising therapeutic strategy to restore homeostasis. Manipulating the mechanisms underlying astrocyte maturation might also allow to facilitate CNS regeneration by enhancing developmental functions of adult astrocytes. However, such therapeutic strategies are still some distance away because of our limited understanding of astrocyte differentiation and maturation, due to biological and technical challenges, including the high degree of similarity of astrocytes with neural stem cells and the shortcomings of astrocyte markers. Current advances in systems biology have a huge potential to overcome these challenges. Recent transcriptomic analyses have already revealed new astrocyte markers and new regulators of astrocyte differentiation. However, the epigenomic changes that presumably occur during astrocyte differentiation remain an important, largely unexplored area for future research. Emerging technologies such as CRISPR/Cas9-based functional screens will further improve our understanding of the mechanisms underlying astrocyte differentiation. This may open up new clinical approaches to restore homeostasis in neurological disorders and/or promote CNS regeneration. This article is categorized under: Neurological Diseases > Genetics/Genomics/Epigenetics Neurological Diseases > Stem Cells and Development Neurological Diseases > Molecular and Cellular Physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Lattke
- Neural Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Francois Guillemot
- Neural Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
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21
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Dickerson M, Guilhaume-Corrêa F, Strickler J, VandeVord PJ. Age-relevant in vitro models may lead to improved translational research for traumatic brain injury. CURRENT OPINION IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobme.2022.100391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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22
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Castañeyra-Ruiz L, González-Marrero I, Hernández-Abad LG, Carmona-Calero EM, Pardo MR, Baz-Davila R, Lee S, Muhonen M, Borges R, Castañeyra-Perdomo A. AQP4 labels a subpopulation of white matter-dependent glial radial cells affected by pediatric hydrocephalus, and its expression increased in glial microvesicles released to the cerebrospinal fluid in obstructive hydrocephalus. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2022; 10:41. [PMID: 35346374 PMCID: PMC8962176 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-022-01345-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Hydrocephalus is a distension of the ventricular system associated with ventricular zone disruption, reactive astrogliosis, periventricular white matter ischemia, axonal impairment, and corpus callosum alterations. The condition's etiology is typically attributed to a malfunction in classical cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) bulk flow; however, this approach does not consider the unique physiology of CSF in fetal and perinatal patients. The parenchymal fluid contributes to the glymphatic system, and plays a fundamental role in pediatric hydrocephalus, with aquaporin 4 (AQP4) as the primary facilitator of these fluid movements. Despite the importance of AQP4 in the pathophysiology of hydrocephalus, it’s expression in human fetal life is not well-studied. This manuscript systematically defines the brain expression of AQP4 in human brain development under control (n = 13) and hydrocephalic conditions (n = 3). Brains from 8 postconceptional weeks (PCW) onward and perinatal CSF from control (n = 2), obstructive (n = 6) and communicating (n = 6) hydrocephalic samples were analyzed through immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, western blot, and flow cytometry. Our results indicate that AQP4 expression is observed first in the archicortex, followed by the ganglionic eminences and then the neocortex. In the neocortex, it is initially at the perisylvian regions, and lastly at the occipital and prefrontal zones. Characteristic astrocyte end-feet labeling surrounding the vascular system was not established until 25 PCW. We also found AQP4 expression in a subpopulation of glial radial cells with processes that do not progress radially but, rather, curve following white matter tracts (corpus callosum and fornix), which were considered as glial stem cells (GSC). Under hydrocephalic conditions, GSC adjacent to characteristic ventricular zone disruption showed signs of early differentiation into astrocytes which may affect normal gliogenesis and contribute to the white matter dysgenesis. Finally, we found that AQP4 is expressed in the microvesicle fraction (p < 0.01) of CSF from patients with obstructive hydrocephalus. These findings suggest the potential use of AQP4 as a diagnostic and prognostic marker of pediatric hydrocephalus and as gliogenesis biomarker.
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23
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Liu J, Wu X, Lu Q. Molecular divergence of mammalian astrocyte progenitor cells at early gliogenesis. Development 2022; 149:274633. [PMID: 35253855 PMCID: PMC8959143 DOI: 10.1242/dev.199985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
During mammalian brain development, how different astrocytes are specified from progenitor cells is not well understood. In particular, whether astrocyte progenitor cells (APCs) start as a relatively homogenous population or whether there is early heterogeneity remains unclear. Here, we have dissected subpopulations of embryonic mouse forebrain progenitors using single-cell transcriptome analyses. Our sequencing data revealed two molecularly distinct APC subgroups at the start of gliogenesis from both dorsal and ventral forebrains. The two APC subgroups were marked, respectively, by specific expression of Sparc and Sparcl1, which are known to function in mature astrocytes with opposing activities for regulating synapse formation. Expression analyses showed that SPARC and SPARCL1 mark APC subgroups that display distinct temporal and spatial patterns, correlating with major waves of astrogliogenesis during development. Our results uncover an early molecular divergence of APCs in the mammalian brain and provide a useful transcriptome resource for the study of glial cell specification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiancheng Liu
- Department of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Xiwei Wu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Qiang Lu
- Department of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
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24
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Puebla M, Tapia PJ, Espinoza H. Key Role of Astrocytes in Postnatal Brain and Retinal Angiogenesis. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23052646. [PMID: 35269788 PMCID: PMC8910249 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23052646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Angiogenesis is a key process in various physiological and pathological conditions in the nervous system and in the retina during postnatal life. Although an increasing number of studies have addressed the role of endothelial cells in this event, the astrocytes contribution in angiogenesis has received less attention. This review is focused on the role of astrocytes as a scaffold and in the stabilization of the new blood vessels, through different molecules release, which can modulate the angiogenesis process in the brain and in the retina. Further, differences in the astrocytes phenotype are addressed in glioblastoma, one of the most devastating types of brain cancer, in order to provide potential targets involved in the cross signaling between endothelial cells, astrocytes and glioma cells, that mediate tumor progression and pathological angiogenesis. Given the relevance of astrocytes in angiogenesis in physiological and pathological conditions, future studies are required to better understand the interrelation between endothelial and astrocyte signaling pathways during this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariela Puebla
- Centro de Fisiología Celular e Integrativa, Facultad de Medicina-Clínica Alemana, Universidad del Desarrollo, Av. Plaza 680, Las Condes, Santiago 7550000, Chile;
| | - Pablo J. Tapia
- Centro de Biología Celular y Biomedicina (CEBICEM), Facultad de Medicina y Ciencia, Universidad San Sebastián, Av. Lota 2465, Providencia, Santiago 7500000, Chile;
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Agronomía, Universidad de las Américas, Av. República 71, Santiago 8320000, Chile
| | - Hilda Espinoza
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad del Alba, Av. Ejército Libertador 171, Santiago 8320000, Chile
- Correspondence:
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25
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Xie Y, Kuan AT, Wang W, Herbert ZT, Mosto O, Olukoya O, Adam M, Vu S, Kim M, Tran D, Gómez N, Charpentier C, Sorour I, Lacey TE, Tolstorukov MY, Sabatini BL, Lee WCA, Harwell CC. Astrocyte-neuron crosstalk through Hedgehog signaling mediates cortical synapse development. Cell Rep 2022; 38:110416. [PMID: 35196485 PMCID: PMC8962654 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuron-glia interactions play a critical role in the regulation of synapse formation and circuit assembly. Here we demonstrate that canonical Sonic hedgehog (Shh) pathway signaling in cortical astrocytes acts to coordinate layer-specific synaptic connectivity. We show that the Shh receptor Ptch1 is expressed by cortical astrocytes during development and that Shh signaling is necessary and sufficient to promote the expression of genes involved in regulating synaptic development and layer-enriched astrocyte molecular identity. Loss of Shh in layer V neurons reduces astrocyte complexity and coverage by astrocytic processes in tripartite synapses; conversely, cell-autonomous activation of Shh signaling in astrocytes promotes cortical excitatory synapse formation. Furthermore, Shh-dependent genes Lrig1 and Sparc distinctively contribute to astrocyte morphology and synapse formation. Together, these results suggest that Shh secreted from deep-layer cortical neurons acts to specialize the molecular and functional features of astrocytes during development to shape circuit assembly and function. Xie et al. show that Sonic hedgehog expressed by cortical layer V neurons signals to Ptch1-expressing astrocytes where it is necessary to promote the expression of layer-enriched astrocyte gene networks that control synapse formation and astrocyte morphological complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajun Xie
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Aaron T Kuan
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Wengang Wang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Zachary T Herbert
- Molecular Biology Core Facilities, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Olivia Mosto
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Olubusola Olukoya
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Manal Adam
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Steve Vu
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Minsu Kim
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Diana Tran
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Nicolás Gómez
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Claire Charpentier
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ingie Sorour
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Tiara E Lacey
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Michael Y Tolstorukov
- Department of Informatics and Analytics, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Bernardo L Sabatini
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Wei-Chung Allen Lee
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Corey C Harwell
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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26
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Ihunwo AO, Perego J, Martino G, Vicenzi E, Panina-Bordignon P. Neurogenesis and Viral Infection. Front Immunol 2022; 13:826091. [PMID: 35251006 PMCID: PMC8891128 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.826091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural stem cells (NSCs) are multipotent stem cells that reside in the fetal and adult mammalian brain, which can self-renew and differentiate into neurons and supporting cells. Intrinsic and extrinsic cues, from cells in the local niche and from distant sites, stringently orchestrates the self-renewal and differentiation competence of NSCs. Ample evidence supports the important role of NSCs in neuroplasticity, aging, disease, and repair of the nervous system. Indeed, activation of NSCs or their transplantation into injured areas of the central nervous system can lead to regeneration in animal models. Viral invasion of NSCs can negatively affect neurogenesis and synaptogenesis, with consequent cell death, impairment of cell cycle progression, early differentiation, which cause neural progenitors depletion in the cortical layer of the brain. Herein, we will review the current understanding of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection of the fetal brain and the NSCs, which are the preferential population targeted by ZIKV. Furthermore, the potential neurotropic properties of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which may cause direct neurological damage, will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amadi Ogonda Ihunwo
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Jessica Perego
- Neuroimmunology Unit, Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Vita-Salute University and IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Gianvito Martino
- Neuroimmunology Unit, Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Vita-Salute University and IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Elisa Vicenzi
- Viral Pathogenesis and Biosafety Unit, Division of Immunology, Transplantation and Infectious Disesases, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Paola Panina-Bordignon
- Neuroimmunology Unit, Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Vita-Salute University and IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
- *Correspondence: Paola Panina-Bordignon,
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27
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David-Bercholz J, Kuo CT, Deneen B. Astrocyte and Oligodendrocyte Responses From the Subventricular Zone After Injury. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 15:797553. [PMID: 35002630 PMCID: PMC8740317 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.797553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Under normal conditions, neural stem cells (NSCs or B cells) in the adult subventricular zone (SVZ) give rise to amplifying neural progenitor cells (NPCs or C cells), which can produce neuroblasts (or A cells) that migrate to the olfactory bulb and differentiate into new neurons. However, following brain injury, these cells migrate toward the injury site where they differentiate into astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. In this review, we will focus on recent findings that chronicle how astrocytes and oligodendrocytes derived from SVZ-NSCs respond to different types of injury. We will also discuss molecular regulators of SVZ-NSC proliferation and their differentiation into astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. Overall, the goal of this review is to highlight how SVZ-NSCs respond to injury and to summarize the regulatory mechanisms that oversee their glial response. These molecular and cellular processes will provide critical insights needed to develop strategies to promote brain repair following injury using SVZ-NSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer David-Bercholz
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States.,Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Chay T Kuo
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Benjamin Deneen
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States.,Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States.,Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
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28
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Zheng K, Huang H, Yang J, Qiu M. Origin, molecular specification and stemness of astrocytes. Dev Neurobiol 2022; 82:149-159. [DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kang Zheng
- Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Biology, College of Life Sciences Hangzhou Normal University Hangzhou 311121 China
| | - Hao Huang
- Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Biology, College of Life Sciences Hangzhou Normal University Hangzhou 311121 China
| | - Junlin Yang
- Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Biology, College of Life Sciences Hangzhou Normal University Hangzhou 311121 China
| | - Mengsheng Qiu
- Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Biology, College of Life Sciences Hangzhou Normal University Hangzhou 311121 China
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29
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El-Hodiri HM, Campbell WA, Kelly LE, Hawthorn EC, Schwartz M, Jalligampala A, McCall MA, Meyer K, Fischer AJ. Nuclear Factor I in neurons, glia and during the formation of Müller glia-derived progenitor cells in avian, porcine and primate retinas. J Comp Neurol 2021; 530:1213-1230. [PMID: 34729776 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The regenerative potential of Müller glia (MG) is extraordinary in fish, poor in chick and terrible in mammals. In the chick model, MG readily reprogram into proliferating Müller glia-derived progenitor cells (MGPCs), but neuronal differentiation is very limited. The factors that suppress the neurogenic potential of MGPCs in the chick are slowly being revealed. Isoforms of Nuclear Factor I (NFI) are cell-intrinsic factors that limit neurogenic potential; these factors are required for the formation of MG in the developing mouse retina (Clark et al., 2019) and deletion of these factors reprograms MG into neuron-like cells in mature mouse retina (Hoang et al., 2020). Accordingly, we sought to characterize the patterns of expression NFIs in the developing, mature and damaged chick retina. In addition, we characterized patterns of expression of NFIs in the retinas of large mammals, pigs and monkeys. Using a combination of single cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) and immunolabeling we probed for patterns of expression. In embryonic chick, levels of NFIs are very low in early E5 (embryonic day 5) retinal progenitor cells (RPCs), up-regulated in E8 RPCs, further up-regulated in differentiating MG at E12 and E15. NFIs are maintained in mature resting MG, microglia and neurons. Levels of NFIs are reduced in activated MG in retinas treated with NMDA and/or insulin+FGF2, and further down-regulated in proliferating MGPCs. However, levels of NFIs in MGPCs were significantly higher than those seen in RPCs. Immunolabeling for NFIA and NFIB closely matched patterns of expression revealed in different types of retinal neurons and glia, consistent with findings from scRNA-seq. In addition, we find expression of NFIA and NFIB through progenitors in the circumferential marginal zone at the far periphery of the retina. We find similar patterns of expression for NFIs in scRNA-seq databases for pig and monkey retinas. Patterns of expression of NFIA and NFIB were validated with immunofluorescence in pig and monkey retinas wherein these factors were predominantly detected in MG and a few types of inner retinal neurons. In summary, NFIA and NFIB are prominently expressed in developing chick retina and by mature neurons and glia in the retinas of chicks, pigs and monkeys. Although levels of NFIs are decreased in chick, in MGPCs these levels remain higher than those seen in neurogenic RPCs. We propose that the neurogenic potential of MGPCs in the chick retina is suppressed by NFIs. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heithem M El-Hodiri
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.,Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY
| | - Warren A Campbell
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
| | - Lisa E Kelly
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
| | - Evan C Hawthorn
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
| | - Maura Schwartz
- Center for Gene Therapy, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH
| | - Archana Jalligampala
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY
| | - Maureen A McCall
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY
| | - Kathrin Meyer
- Center for Gene Therapy, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH
| | - Andy J Fischer
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
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30
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Potential of Multiscale Astrocyte Imaging for Revealing Mechanisms Underlying Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms221910312. [PMID: 34638653 PMCID: PMC8508625 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes provide trophic and metabolic support to neurons and modulate circuit formation during development. In addition, astrocytes help maintain neuronal homeostasis through neurovascular coupling, blood-brain barrier maintenance, clearance of metabolites and nonfunctional proteins via the glymphatic system, extracellular potassium buffering, and regulation of synaptic activity. Thus, astrocyte dysfunction may contribute to a myriad of neurological disorders. Indeed, astrocyte dysfunction during development has been implicated in Rett disease, Alexander's disease, epilepsy, and autism, among other disorders. Numerous disease model mice have been established to investigate these diseases, but important preclinical findings on etiology and pathophysiology have not translated into clinical interventions. A multidisciplinary approach is required to elucidate the mechanism of these diseases because astrocyte dysfunction can result in altered neuronal connectivity, morphology, and activity. Recent progress in neuroimaging techniques has enabled noninvasive investigations of brain structure and function at multiple spatiotemporal scales, and these technologies are expected to facilitate the translation of preclinical findings to clinical studies and ultimately to clinical trials. Here, we review recent progress on astrocyte contributions to neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders revealed using novel imaging techniques, from microscopy scale to mesoscopic scale.
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31
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Wu J, Yu H, Huang H, Shu P, Peng X. Functions of noncoding RNAs in glial development. Dev Neurobiol 2021; 81:877-891. [PMID: 34402590 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Revised: 08/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Glia are widely distributed in the central nervous system and are closely related to cell metabolism, signal transduction, support, cell migration, and other nervous system development processes and functions. Glial development is complex and essential, including the processes of proliferation, differentiation, and migration, and requires precise regulatory networks. Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) can be deeply involved in glial development through gene regulation. Here, we review the regulatory roles of ncRNAs in glial development. We briefly describe the classification and functions of noncoding RNAs and focus on microRNAs (miRNAs) and long ncRNAs (lncRNAs), which have been reported to participate extensively during glial formation. The highlight of this summary is that miRNAs and lncRNAs can participate in and regulate the signaling pathways of glial development. The review not only describes how noncoding RNAs participate in nervous system development but also explains the processes of glial development, providing a foundation for subsequent studies on glial development and new insights into the pathogeneses of related neurological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiarui Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Medical Primate Research Center, Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Haoyang Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Medical Primate Research Center, Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Hao Huang
- Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Biology, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Pengcheng Shu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Medical Primate Research Center, Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaozhong Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Medical Primate Research Center, Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, China
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32
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da Costa CC, Martins LAM, Koth AP, Ramos JMO, Guma FTCR, de Oliveira CM, Pedra NS, Fischer G, Helena ES, Gioda CR, Sanches PRS, Junior ASV, Soares MSP, Spanevello RM, Gamaro GD, de Souza ICC. Static Magnetic Stimulation Induces Changes in the Oxidative Status and Cell Viability Parameters in a Primary Culture Model of Astrocytes. Cell Biochem Biophys 2021; 79:873-885. [PMID: 34176101 DOI: 10.1007/s12013-021-01015-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes play an important role in the central nervous system function and may contribute to brain plasticity response during static magnetic fields (SMF) brain therapy. However, most studies evaluate SMF stimulation in brain plasticity while few studies evaluate the consequences of SMF at the cellular level. Thus, we here evaluate the effects of SMF at 305 mT (medium-intensity) in a primary culture of healthy/normal cortical astrocytes obtained from neonatal (1 to 2-day-old) Wistar rats. After reaching confluence, cells were daily subjected to SMF stimulation for 5 min, 15 min, 30 min, and 40 min during 7 consecutive days. Oxidative stress parameters, cell cycle, cell viability, and mitochondrial function were analyzed. The antioxidant capacity was reduced in groups stimulated for 5 and 40 min. Although no difference was observed in the enzymatic activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase or the total thiol content, lipid peroxidation was increased in all stimulated groups. The cell cycle was changed after 40 min of SMF stimulation while 15, 30, and 40 min led cells to death by necrosis. Mitochondrial function was reduced after SMF stimulation, although imaging analysis did not reveal substantial changes in the mitochondrial network. Results mainly revealed that SMF compromised healthy astrocytes' oxidative status and viability. This finding reveals how important is to understand the SMF stimulation at the cellular level since this therapeutic approach has been largely used against neurological and psychiatric diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Crespo da Costa
- NeuroCell Laboratory, Universidade Federal de Pelotas Campus Universitário, S/N, Capão do Leão-RS, 96160-000, Brasil
| | - Léo Anderson Meira Martins
- Department of Physiology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Sarmento Leite, 500, Bairro Centro Histórico, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, 90050-170, Brasil
| | - André Peres Koth
- NeuroCell Laboratory, Universidade Federal de Pelotas Campus Universitário, S/N, Capão do Leão-RS, 96160-000, Brasil
| | - Jéssica Marques Obelar Ramos
- NeuroCell Laboratory, Universidade Federal de Pelotas Campus Universitário, S/N, Capão do Leão-RS, 96160-000, Brasil
| | - Fátima Theresinha Costa Rodrigues Guma
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2600, Bairro Santa Cecília, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, 90035-000, Brasil
| | - Cleverson Moraes de Oliveira
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2600, Bairro Santa Cecília, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, 90035-000, Brasil
| | - Nathália Stark Pedra
- Laboratory of Neurochemistry, Inflammation and Cancer, Universidade Federal de Pelotas Campus Universitário, S/N, Capão do Leão-RS, 96160-000, Brasil
| | - Geferson Fischer
- Laboratory of Virology and Immunology, Universidade Federal de Pelotas Campus Universitário, S/N, Capão do Leão-RS, 96160-000, Brasil
| | - Eduarda Santa Helena
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Rio Grande Avenida Itália, Km 8, Bairro Carreiros, Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, 96203-900, Brasil
| | - Carolina Rosa Gioda
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Rio Grande Avenida Itália, Km 8, Bairro Carreiros, Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, 96203-900, Brasil
| | - Paulo Roberto Stefani Sanches
- Laboratory of the Research and Development Service in Biomedical Engineering- Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2350- Bairro Santa Cecília, Porto Alegre-RS, 90035-903, Brasil
| | - Antonio Sergio Varela Junior
- Institute of Biological Science, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande Avenida Itália, Km 8, Bairro Carreiros, Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, 96203-900, Brasil
| | - Mayara Sandrielly Pereira Soares
- Laboratory of Neurochemistry, Inflammation and Cancer, Universidade Federal de Pelotas Campus Universitário, S/N, Capão do Leão-RS, 96160-000, Brasil
| | - Rosélia Maria Spanevello
- Laboratory of Neurochemistry, Inflammation and Cancer, Post-Graduate Program in Biochemistry and Bioprospection, Universidade Federal de Pelotas Campus Universitário, S/N, Capão do Leão-RS, 96160-000, Brasil
| | - Giovana Duzzo Gamaro
- NeuroCell Laboratory, Universidade Federal de Pelotas Campus Universitário, S/N, Capão do Leão-RS, 96160-000, Brasil
| | - Izabel Cristina Custódio de Souza
- Coordinator of NeuroCell Laboratory, Laboratory of Histology, Department of Morphology, Post-Graduate Program in Biochemistry and Bioprospection, Universidade Federal de Pelotas Avenida Duque de Caxias, 250, 96030-000, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil.
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33
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Gignac PM, O'Brien HD, Sanchez J, Vazquez-Sanroman D. Multiscale imaging of the rat brain using an integrated diceCT and histology workflow. Brain Struct Funct 2021; 226:2153-2168. [PMID: 34173869 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-021-02316-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Advancements in tissue visualization techniques have spurred significant gains in the biomedical sciences by enabling researchers to integrate their datasets across anatomical scales. Of particular import are techniques that enable the interpolation of multiple hierarchical scales in samples taken from the same individuals. In this study, we demonstrate that two-dimensional histology techniques can be employed on neural tissues following three-dimensional diffusible iodine-based contrast-enhanced computed tomography (diceCT) without causing tissue degradation. This represents the first step toward a multiscale pipeline for brain visualization. We studied brains from adolescent male Sprague-Dawley rats, comparing experimental (diceCT-stained then de-stained) to control (without diceCT) brains to examine neural tissues for immunolabeling integrity, compare somata sizes, and distinguish neurons from glial cells within the telencephalon and diencephalon. We hypothesized that if experimental and control samples do not differ significantly in morphological cell analysis, then brain tissues are robust to the chemical, temperature, and radiation environments required for these multiple, successive imaging protocols. Visualizations for experimental brains were first captured via micro-computed tomography scanning of isolated, iodine-infused specimens. Samples were then cleared of iodine, serially sectioned, and prepared again using immunofluorescent, fluorescent, and cresyl violet labeling, followed by imaging with confocal and light microscopy, respectively. Our results show that many neural targets are resilient to diceCT imaging and compatible with downstream histological staining as part of a low-cost, multiscale brain imaging pipeline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul M Gignac
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, OK, 74107, USA
| | - Haley D O'Brien
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, OK, 74107, USA
| | - Jimena Sanchez
- Centro de Investigaciones Cerebrales, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico
| | - Dolores Vazquez-Sanroman
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, OK, 74107, USA.
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34
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Borodinova AA, Balaban PM, Bezprozvanny IB, Salmina AB, Vlasova OL. Genetic Constructs for the Control of Astrocytes' Activity. Cells 2021; 10:cells10071600. [PMID: 34202359 PMCID: PMC8306323 DOI: 10.3390/cells10071600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 06/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In the current review, we aim to discuss the principles and the perspectives of using the genetic constructs based on AAV vectors to regulate astrocytes’ activity. Practical applications of optogenetic approaches utilizing different genetically encoded opsins to control astroglia activity were evaluated. The diversity of astrocytic cell-types complicates the rational design of an ideal viral vector for particular experimental goals. Therefore, efficient and sufficient targeting of astrocytes is a multiparametric process that requires a combination of specific AAV serotypes naturally predisposed to transduce astroglia with astrocyte-specific promoters in the AAV cassette. Inadequate combinations may result in off-target neuronal transduction to different degrees. Potentially, these constraints may be bypassed with the latest strategies of generating novel synthetic AAV serotypes with specified properties by rational engineering of AAV capsids or using directed evolution approach by searching within a more specific promoter or its replacement with the unique enhancer sequences characterized using modern molecular techniques (ChIP-seq, scATAC-seq, snATAC-seq) to drive the selective transgene expression in the target population of cells or desired brain regions. Realizing these strategies to restrict expression and to efficiently target astrocytic populations in specific brain regions or across the brain has great potential to enable future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia A. Borodinova
- Laboratory of Cellular Neurobiology of Learning, Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117485 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Pavel M. Balaban
- Laboratory of Cellular Neurobiology of Learning, Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117485 Moscow, Russia;
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurodegeneration, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, 195251 St. Petersburg, Russia; (I.B.B.); (A.B.S.); (O.L.V.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Ilya B. Bezprozvanny
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurodegeneration, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, 195251 St. Petersburg, Russia; (I.B.B.); (A.B.S.); (O.L.V.)
- Department of Physiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Alla B. Salmina
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurodegeneration, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, 195251 St. Petersburg, Russia; (I.B.B.); (A.B.S.); (O.L.V.)
- Research Institute of Molecular Medicine and Pathobiochemistry, V.F. Voino-Yasenetsky Krasnoyarsk State Medical University, 660022 Krasnoyarsk, Russia
- Research Center of Neurology, 125367 Moscow, Russia
| | - Olga L. Vlasova
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurodegeneration, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, 195251 St. Petersburg, Russia; (I.B.B.); (A.B.S.); (O.L.V.)
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Kostović I, Radoš M, Kostović-Srzentić M, Krsnik Ž. Fundamentals of the Development of Connectivity in the Human Fetal Brain in Late Gestation: From 24 Weeks Gestational Age to Term. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2021; 80:393-414. [PMID: 33823016 PMCID: PMC8054138 DOI: 10.1093/jnen/nlab024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
During the second half of gestation, the human cerebrum undergoes pivotal histogenetic events that underlie functional connectivity. These include the growth, guidance, selection of axonal pathways, and their first engagement in neuronal networks. Here, we characterize the spatiotemporal patterns of cerebral connectivity in extremely preterm (EPT), very preterm (VPT), preterm and term babies, focusing on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and histological data. In the EPT and VPT babies, thalamocortical axons enter into the cortical plate creating the electrical synapses. Additionally, the subplate zone gradually resolves in the preterm and term brain in conjunction with the growth of associative pathways leading to the activation of large-scale neural networks. We demonstrate that specific classes of axonal pathways within cerebral compartments are selectively vulnerable to temporally nested pathogenic factors. In particular, the radial distribution of axonal lesions, that is, radial vulnerability, is a robust predictor of clinical outcome. Furthermore, the subplate tangential nexus that we can visualize using MRI could be an additional marker as pivotal in the development of cortical connectivity. We suggest to direct future research toward the identification of sensitive markers of earlier lesions, the elucidation of genetic mechanisms underlying pathogenesis, and better long-term follow-up using structural and functional MRI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivica Kostović
- From the Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Scientific Centre of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Milan Radoš
- From the Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Scientific Centre of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Zagreb, Croatia.,Polyclinic "Neuron", Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Mirna Kostović-Srzentić
- From the Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Scientific Centre of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Zagreb, Croatia.,Department of Health Psychology, University of Applied Health Sciences, Zagreb, Croatia.,Croatian Institute for Brain Research, Center of Research Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Željka Krsnik
- From the Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Scientific Centre of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Zagreb, Croatia
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Tatomir A, Beltrand A, Nguyen V, Boodhoo D, Mekala A, Cudrici C, Badea TC, Muresanu DF, Rus V, Rus H. RGC-32 Regulates Generation of Reactive Astrocytes in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis. Front Immunol 2021; 11:608294. [PMID: 33569054 PMCID: PMC7868332 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.608294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes are increasingly recognized as critical contributors to multiple sclerosis pathogenesis. We have previously shown that lack of Response Gene to Complement 32 (RGC-32) alters astrocyte morphology in the spinal cord at the peak of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), suggesting a role for RGC-32 in astrocyte differentiation. In this study, we analyzed the expression and distribution of astrocytes and astrocyte progenitors by immunohistochemistry in spinal cords of wild-type (WT) and RGC-32-knockout (KO) mice with EAE and of normal adult mice. Our analysis showed that during acute EAE, WT astrocytes had a reactive morphology and increased GFAP expression, whereas RGC-32 KO astrocytes had a morphology similar to that of radial glia and an increased expression of progenitor markers such as vimentin and fatty acid binding protein 7 (FABP7). In control mice, GFAP expression and astrocyte density were also significantly higher in the WT group, whereas the number of vimentin and FABP7-positive radial glia was significantly higher in the RGC-32 KO group. In vitro studies on cultured neonatal astrocytes from WT and RGC-32 KO mice showed that RGC-32 regulates a complex array of molecular networks pertaining to signal transduction, growth factor expression and secretion, and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling. Among the most differentially expressed factors were insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), insulin-like growth factor binding proteins (IGFBPs), and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF); their expression was downregulated in RGC-32-depleted astrocytes. The nuclear translocation of STAT3, a transcription factor critical for astrogliogenesis and driving glial scar formation, was also impaired after RGC-32 silencing. Taken together, these data suggest that RGC-32 is an important regulator of astrocyte differentiation during EAE and that in the absence of RGC-32, astrocytes are unable to fully mature and become reactive astrocytes.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Astrocytes/metabolism
- Astrocytes/pathology
- Cell Differentiation
- Cell Movement
- Cell Proliferation
- Cells, Cultured
- Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/genetics
- Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/metabolism
- Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/pathology
- Fatty Acid-Binding Protein 7/metabolism
- Female
- Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein/metabolism
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Knockout
- Nuclear Proteins/genetics
- Nuclear Proteins/metabolism
- Phenotype
- Rats, Sprague-Dawley
- Signal Transduction
- Spinal Cord/metabolism
- Spinal Cord/pathology
- Vimentin/metabolism
- Mice
- Rats
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandru Tatomir
- Department of Neurology, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Department of Neurosciences, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Austin Beltrand
- Department of Neurology, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Vinh Nguyen
- Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Dallas Boodhoo
- Department of Neurology, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Armugam Mekala
- Department of Neurology, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Cornelia Cudrici
- Translational Vascular Medicine Branch, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Tudor C. Badea
- Retinal Circuit Development and Genetics Unit, Neurobiology Neurodegeneration & Repair Laboratory (N-NRL), National Eye Institute, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Dafin F. Muresanu
- Department of Neurosciences, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Violeta Rus
- Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Horea Rus
- Department of Neurology, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Research Service, Veterans Administration Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, MD, United States
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37
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Nozohouri S, Noorani B, Al-Ahmad A, Abbruscato TJ. Estimating Brain Permeability Using In Vitro Blood-Brain Barrier Models. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2367:47-72. [PMID: 32789777 DOI: 10.1007/7651_2020_311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a vital biological interface that regulates transfer of different molecules between blood and brain and, therefore, maintains the homeostatic environment of the CNS. In order to perform high-throughput screening of therapeutics in drug discovery, specific properties of the BBB are investigated within in vitro BBB platforms. In this chapter, we detail the process and steps for the iPSC to BMEC and astrocyte differentiation as well as TEER and permeability measurement in Transwell platform of in vitro BBB model. Also, advanced microfluidic iPSCs-derived BMECs on chip and permeability measurement within this model have been elucidated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saeideh Nozohouri
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX, USA
- Center for Blood-Brain Barrier Research, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX, USA
| | - Behnam Noorani
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX, USA
- Center for Blood-Brain Barrier Research, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX, USA
| | - Abraham Al-Ahmad
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX, USA
- Center for Blood-Brain Barrier Research, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX, USA
| | - Thomas J Abbruscato
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX, USA.
- Center for Blood-Brain Barrier Research, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX, USA.
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ANALYSIS OF THE CORPUS CALLOSUM MYELOARCHITECTONICS OF MATURE PEOPLE. WORLD OF MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.26724/2079-8334-2021-3-77-189-193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Abstract
Neural stem cells (NSCs) persist into adulthood in the subgranular zone (SGZ) of the dentate gyrus in the hippocampus and in the ventricular-subventricular zone (V-SVZ) of the lateral ventricles, where they generate new neurons and glia cells that contribute to neural plasticity. A better understanding of the developmental process that enables NSCs to persist beyond development will provide insight into factors that determine the size and properties of the adult NSC pool and thus the capacity for life-long neurogenesis in the adult mammalian brain. We review current knowledge regarding the developmental origins of adult NSCs and the developmental process by which embryonic NSCs transition into their adult form. We also discuss potential mechanisms that might regulate proper establishment of the adult NSC pool, and propose future directions of research that will be key to unraveling how NSCs transform to establish the adult NSC pool in the mammalian brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison M Bond
- Department of Neuroscience and Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Guo-Li Ming
- Department of Neuroscience and Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States; Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Hongjun Song
- Department of Neuroscience and Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States; Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States; The Epigenetics Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States.
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40
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Xia C, Yin M, Wu C, Ji Y, Zhou Y. Neuroglial activation in the auditory cortex and medial geniculate body of salicylate-induced tinnitus rats. Am J Transl Res 2020; 12:6043-6059. [PMID: 33194013 PMCID: PMC7653558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Neuroglial activation has been recognized as a pathological hallmark of a variety of neurological diseases, yet the role of neuroglia in tinnitus hasn't been well established so far. To explore the potential roles of two types of glia cells (astrocyte and microglia) in the development of tinnitus, we examined markers associated with them in the primary auditory (A1) cortex and medial geniculate body (MGB) of rats with salicylate-induced tinnitus. The results demonstrated that acute and chronic administrations of salicylate could cause reversible tinnitus-like behavior in rats. The expression level of GFAP markedly increased in the A1 cortex of rats following acute and chronic treatments of salicylate, accompanied by increased endpoint and process length of astrocyte. The expression level of GFAP and the morphology of astrocyte in the rat MGB remained almost constant following salicylate treatment. On the other hand, the expression level of Iba1 markedly increased in the rat A1 cortex and MGB following acute and chronic treatments of salicylate, together with increased endpoint and process length of microglia in the MGB. Additionally, interleukin 1β (IL-1β), a pro-inflammatory cytokine released by activated glia was significantly up-regulated in the A1 cortex and MGB of rats after salicylate treatments. These findings highlight astrocyte activation and microglia proliferation in the central auditory system of rats experiencing tinnitus, which potently implicate an indispensable glial regulation in tinnitus development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenchen Xia
- Institute of Biomembrane and Biopharmaceutics, Shanghai UniversityShanghai 200444, China
| | - Manli Yin
- Institute of Biomembrane and Biopharmaceutics, Shanghai UniversityShanghai 200444, China
| | - Cong Wu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of MedicineShanghai 200011, China
- Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of MedicineShanghai 200125, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose DiseasesShanghai 200125, China
| | - Yonghua Ji
- Institute of Biomembrane and Biopharmaceutics, Shanghai UniversityShanghai 200444, China
- Translational Institute for Cancer Pain, Xinhua Hospital Chongming BranchShanghai 202150, China
| | - You Zhou
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of MedicineShanghai 200011, China
- Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of MedicineShanghai 200125, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose DiseasesShanghai 200125, China
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41
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Maysinger D, Zhang Q, Kakkar A. Dendrimers as Modulators of Brain Cells. Molecules 2020; 25:E4489. [PMID: 33007959 PMCID: PMC7582352 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25194489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 09/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Nanostructured hyperbranched macromolecules have been extensively studied at the chemical, physical and morphological levels. The cellular structural and functional complexity of neural cells and their cross-talk have made it rather difficult to evaluate dendrimer effects in a mixed population of glial cells and neurons. Thus, we are at a relatively early stage of bench-to-bedside translation, and this is due mainly to the lack of data valuable for clinical investigations. It is only recently that techniques have become available that allow for analyses of biological processes inside the living cells, at the nanoscale, in real time. This review summarizes the essential properties of neural cells and dendrimers, and provides a cross-section of biological, pre-clinical and early clinical studies, where dendrimers were used as nanocarriers. It also highlights some examples of biological studies employing dendritic polyglycerol sulfates and their effects on glia and neurons. It is the aim of this review to encourage young scientists to advance mechanistic and technological approaches in dendrimer research so that these extremely versatile and attractive nanostructures gain even greater recognition in translational medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dusica Maysinger
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, 3655 Promenade Sir William Osler, Montreal, QC H3G 1Y6, Canada;
| | - Qiaochu Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, 3655 Promenade Sir William Osler, Montreal, QC H3G 1Y6, Canada;
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke St West, Montreal, QC H3A 0B8, Canada
| | - Ashok Kakkar
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke St West, Montreal, QC H3A 0B8, Canada
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Therapeutic Zfra4-10 or WWOX7-21 Peptide Induces Complex Formation of WWOX with Selective Protein Targets in Organs that Leads to Cancer Suppression and Spleen Cytotoxic Memory Z Cell Activation In Vivo. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12082189. [PMID: 32764489 PMCID: PMC7464583 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12082189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 07/25/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Synthetic Zfra4-10 and WWOX7-21 peptides strongly suppress cancer growth in vivo. Hypothetically, Zfra4-10 binds to the membrane Hyal-2 of spleen Z cells and activates the Hyal-2/WWOX/SMAD4 signaling for cytotoxic Z cell activation to kill cancer cells. Stimulation of membrane WWOX in the signaling complex by a WWOX epitope peptide, WWOX7-21, is likely to activate the signaling. Here, mice receiving Zfra4-10 or WWOX7-21 peptide alone exhibited an increased binding of endogenous tumor suppressor WWOX with ERK, C1qBP, NF-κB, Iba1, p21, CD133, JNK1, COX2, Oct4, and GFAP in the spleen, brain, and/or lung which led to cancer suppression. However, when in combination, Zfra4-10 and WWOX7-21 reduced the binding of WWOX with target proteins and allowed tumor growth in vivo. In addition to Zfra4-10 and WWOX7-21 peptides, stimulating the membrane Hyal-2/WWOX complex with Hyal-2 antibody and sonicated hyaluronan (HAson) induced Z cell activation for killing cancer cells in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, Zfra4-10 binds to membrane Hyal-2, induces dephosphorylation of WWOX at pY33 and pY61, and drives Z cell activation for the anticancer response. Thus, Zfra4-10 and WWOX7-21 peptides, HAson, and the Hyal-2 antibody are of therapeutic potential for cancer suppression.
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Rawji KS, Gonzalez Martinez GA, Sharma A, Franklin RJ. The Role of Astrocytes in Remyelination. Trends Neurosci 2020; 43:596-607. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2020.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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Long-Term Impact of Early-Life Stress on Hippocampal Plasticity: Spotlight on Astrocytes. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21144999. [PMID: 32679826 PMCID: PMC7404101 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21144999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Revised: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Adverse experiences during childhood are among the most prominent risk factors for developing mood and anxiety disorders later in life. Early-life stress interventions have been established as suitable models to study the neurobiological basis of childhood adversity in rodents. Different models such as maternal separation, impaired maternal care and juvenile stress during the postweaning/prepubertal life phase are utilized. Especially within the limbic system, they induce lasting alterations in neuronal circuits, neurotransmitter systems, neuronal architecture and plasticity that are further associated with emotional and cognitive information processing. Recent studies found that astrocytes, a special group of glial cells, have altered functions following early-life stress as well. As part of the tripartite synapse, astrocytes interact with neurons in multiple ways by affecting neurotransmitter uptake and metabolism, by providing gliotransmitters and by providing energy to neurons within local circuits. Thus, astrocytes comprise powerful modulators of neuronal plasticity and are well suited to mediate the long-term effects of early-life stress on neuronal circuits. In this review, we will summarize current findings on altered astrocyte function and hippocampal plasticity following early-life stress. Highlighting studies for astrocyte-related plasticity modulation as well as open questions, we will elucidate the potential of astrocytes as new targets for interventions against stress-induced neuropsychiatric disorders.
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