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Jukic A, Lei Z, Cebul ER, Pinter K, Mosqueda N, David S, Tarchini B, Kindt K. Presynaptic Nrxn3 is essential for ribbon-synapse assembly in hair cells. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.14.580267. [PMID: 38410471 PMCID: PMC10896334 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.14.580267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Hair cells of the inner ear rely on specialized ribbon synapses to transmit sensory information to the central nervous system. The molecules required to assemble these synapses are not fully understood. We show that Nrxn3, a presynaptic adhesion molecule, is critical for ribbon-synapse assembly in hair cells. In both mouse and zebrafish models, loss of Nrxn3 results in significantly fewer intact ribbon synapses. In zebrafish we demonstrate that a 60% loss of synapses in nrxn3 mutants dramatically reduces both presynaptic responses in hair cells and postsynaptic responses in afferent neurons. Despite a reduction in synapse function in this model, we find no deficits in the acoustic startle response, a behavior reliant on these synapses. Overall, this work demonstrates that Nrxn3 is a critical and conserved molecule required to assemble ribbon synapses. Understanding how ribbon synapses assemble is a key step towards generating novel therapies to treat forms of age-related and noise-induced hearing loss that occur due to loss of ribbon synapses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alma Jukic
- Section on Sensory Cell Development and Function, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Zhengchang Lei
- Section on Sensory Cell Development and Function, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Elizabeth R Cebul
- Section on Sensory Cell Development and Function, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Katherine Pinter
- Section on Sensory Cell Development and Function, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Natalie Mosqueda
- Section on Sensory Cell Development and Function, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Sandeep David
- Section on Sensory Cell Development and Function, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | | | - Katie Kindt
- Section on Sensory Cell Development and Function, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
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Verdoodt D, van Wijk E, Broekman S, Venselaar H, Aben F, Sels L, De Backer E, Gommeren H, Szewczyk K, Van Camp G, Ponsaerts P, Van Rompaey V, de Vrieze E. Rational design of a genomically humanized mouse model for dominantly inherited hearing loss, DFNA9. Hear Res 2024; 442:108947. [PMID: 38218018 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2023.108947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
DFNA9 is a dominantly inherited form of adult-onset progressive hearing impairment caused by mutations in the COCH gene. COCH encodes cochlin, a crucial extracellular matrix protein. We established a genomically humanized mouse model for the Dutch/Belgian c.151C>T founder mutation in COCH. Considering upcoming sequence-specific genetic therapies, we exchanged the genomic murine Coch exons 3-6 for the corresponding human sequence. Introducing human-specific genetic information into mouse exons can be risky. To mitigate unforeseen consequences on cochlin function resulting from the introduction of the human COCH protein-coding sequence, we converted all human-specific amino acids to mouse equivalents. We furthermore optimized the recognition of the human COCH exons by the murine splicing machinery during pre-mRNA splicing. Subsequent observations in mouse embryonic stem cells revealed correct splicing of the hybrid Coch transcript. The inner ear of the established humanized Coch mice displays correctly-spliced wild-type and mutant humanized Coch alleles. For a comprehensive study of auditory function, mice were crossbred with C57BL/6 Cdh23753A>G mice to remove the Cdh23ahl allele from the genetic background of the mice. At 9 months, all humanized Coch genotypes showed hearing thresholds comparable to wild-type C57BL/6 Cdh23753A>G mice. This indicates that both the introduction of human wildtype COCH, and correction of Cdh23ahl in the humanized Coch lines was successful. Overall, our approach proved beneficial in eliminating potential adverse events of genomic humanization of mouse genes, and provides us with a model in which sequence-specific therapies directed against the human mutant COCH alle can be investigated. With the hearing and balance defects anticipated to occur late in the second year of life, a long-term follow-up study is ongoing to fully characterize the humanized Coch mouse model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorien Verdoodt
- Department of Translational Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute (Vaxinfectio), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Erwin van Wijk
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Hearing and Genes, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, GA 6525, the Netherlands
| | - Sanne Broekman
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Hearing and Genes, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, GA 6525, the Netherlands
| | - Hanka Venselaar
- Department of Medical BioSciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, GA 6525, the Netherlands
| | - Fien Aben
- Department of Translational Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Hearing and Genes, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, GA 6525, the Netherlands
| | - Lize Sels
- Department of Translational Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Evi De Backer
- Department of Translational Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Hanne Gommeren
- Department of Translational Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Krystyna Szewczyk
- Department of Translational Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Guy Van Camp
- Center for Medical Genetics, University of Antwerp, Antwerp 2000, Belgium
| | - Peter Ponsaerts
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute (Vaxinfectio), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Vincent Van Rompaey
- Department of Translational Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Erik de Vrieze
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Hearing and Genes, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, GA 6525, the Netherlands.
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Newton S, Aguilar C, Bunton-Stasyshyn RK, Flook M, Stewart M, Marcotti W, Brown S, Bowl MR. Absence of Embigin accelerates hearing loss and causes sub-viability, brain and heart defects in C57BL/6N mice due to interaction with Cdh23ahl. iScience 2023; 26:108056. [PMID: 37854703 PMCID: PMC10579432 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Mouse studies continue to help elaborate upon the genetic landscape of mammalian disease and the underlying molecular mechanisms. Here, we have investigated an Embigintm1b allele maintained on a standard C57BL/6N background and on a co-isogenic C57BL/6N background in which the Cdh23ahl allele has been "repaired." The hypomorphic Cdh23ahl allele is present in several commonly used inbred mouse strains, predisposing them to progressive hearing loss, starting in high-frequency regions. Absence of the neural cell adhesion molecule Embigin on the standard C57BL/6N background leads to accelerated hearing loss and causes sub-viability, brain and cardiac defects. Contrastingly, Embigintm1b/tm1b mice maintained on the co-isogenic "repaired" C57BL/6N background exhibit normal hearing and viability. Thus Embigin genetically interacts with Cdh23. Importantly, our study is the first to demonstrate an effect of the common Cdh23ahl allele outside of the auditory system, which has important ramifications for genetic studies involving inbred strains carrying this allele.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sherylanne Newton
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, Medical Research Council Harwell Institute, Harwell Oxford, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
- UCL Ear Institute, University College London, 332 Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1X 8EE, UK
| | - Carlos Aguilar
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, Medical Research Council Harwell Institute, Harwell Oxford, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
- UCL Ear Institute, University College London, 332 Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1X 8EE, UK
| | | | - Marisa Flook
- UCL Ear Institute, University College London, 332 Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1X 8EE, UK
| | - Michelle Stewart
- The Mary Lyon Centre, Medical Research Council Harwell Institute, Oxford, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Walter Marcotti
- School of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
- Sheffield Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Steve Brown
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, Medical Research Council Harwell Institute, Harwell Oxford, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Michael R. Bowl
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, Medical Research Council Harwell Institute, Harwell Oxford, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
- UCL Ear Institute, University College London, 332 Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1X 8EE, UK
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Wu DD, Cheng J, Zheng YN, Liu YT, Hou SX, Liu LF, Huang L, Yuan QL. Neuroplastin 65 deficiency reduces amyloid plaque formation and cognitive deficits in an Alzheimer's disease mouse model. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1129773. [PMID: 37213217 PMCID: PMC10196121 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1129773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by increasing cognitive dysfunction, progressive cerebral amyloid beta (Aβ) deposition, and neurofibrillary tangle aggregation. However, the molecular mechanisms of AD pathologies have not been completely understood. As synaptic glycoprotein neuroplastin 65 (NP65) is related with synaptic plasticity and complex molecular events underlying learning and memory, we hypothesized that NP65 would be involved in cognitive dysfunction and Aβ plaque formation of AD. For this purpose, we examined the role of NP65 in the transgenic amyloid precursor protein (APP)/presenilin 1 (PS1) mouse model of AD. Methods Neuroplastin 65-knockout (NP65-/-) mice crossed with APP/PS1 mice to get the NP65-deficient APP/PS1 mice. In the present study, a separate cohort of NP65-deficient APP/PS1 mice were used. First, the cognitive behaviors of NP65-deficient APP/PS1 mice were assessed. Then, Aβ plaque burden and Aβ levels in NP65-deficient APP/PS1 mice were measured by immunostaining and western blot as well as ELISA. Thirdly, immunostaining and western blot were used to evaluate the glial response and neuroinflammation. Finally, protein levels of 5-hydroxytryptamin (serotonin) receptor 3A and synaptic proteins and neurons were measured. Results We found that loss of NP65 alleviated the cognitive deficits of APP/PS1 mice. In addition, Aβ plaque burden and Aβ levels were significantly reduced in NP65-deficient APP/PS1 mice compared with control animals. NP65-loss in APP/PS1 mice resulted in a decrease in glial activation and the levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-4) as well as protective matrix YM-1 and Arg-1, but had no effect on microglial phenotype. Moreover, NP65 deficiency significantly reversed the increase in 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin) receptor 3A (Htr3A) expression levels in the hippocampus of APP/PS1 mice. Discussion These findings identify a previously unrecognized role of NP65 in cognitive deficits and Aβ formation of APP/PS1 mice, and suggest that NP65 may serve as a potential therapeutic target for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan-Dan Wu
- Department of Neurology, Shanghai Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie Cheng
- Department of Neurology, Shanghai Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ya-Ni Zheng
- Department of Neurology, Shanghai Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu-Tong Liu
- Department of Radiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Shuang-Xin Hou
- Department of Neurobiology, Shanghai Pudong Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Li-Fen Liu
- Department of Neurology, Shanghai Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Liang Huang
- Department of Neurology, Shanghai Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiong-Lan Yuan
- Department of Neurology, Shanghai Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Qiong-Lan Yuan,
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