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Robinson K, Delhaye M, Craig AM. Mapping proteomic composition of excitatory postsynaptic sites in the cerebellar cortex. Front Mol Neurosci 2024; 17:1381534. [PMID: 38783902 PMCID: PMC11111907 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2024.1381534] [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: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Functions of the cerebellar cortex, from motor learning to emotion and cognition, depend on the appropriate molecular composition at diverse synapse types. Glutamate receptor distributions have been partially mapped using immunogold electron microscopy. However, information is lacking on the distribution of many other components, such as Shank2, a postsynaptic scaffolding protein whose cerebellar dysfunction is associated with autism spectrum disorders. Here, we used an adapted Magnified Analysis of the Proteome, an expansion microscopy approach, to map multiple glutamate receptors, scaffolding and signaling proteins at single synapse resolution in the cerebellar cortex. Multiple distinct synapse-selective distribution patterns were observed. For example, AMPA receptors were most concentrated at synapses on molecular layer interneurons and at climbing fiber synapses, Shank1 was most concentrated at parallel fiber synapses on Purkinje cells, and Shank2 at both climbing fiber and parallel fiber synapses on Purkinje cells but little on molecular layer interneurons. Our results are consistent with gene expression data but also reveal input-selective targeting within Purkinje cells. In specialized glomerular structures of the granule cell layer, AMPA receptors as well as most other synaptic components preferentially targeted to synapses. However, NMDA receptors and the synaptic GTPase activating protein SynGAP preferentially targeted to extrasynaptic sites. Thus, glomeruli may be considered integrative signaling units through which mossy fibers differentially activate synaptic AMPA and extrasynaptic NMDA receptor complexes. Furthermore, we observed NMDA receptors and SynGAP at adherens junctions, suggesting a role in structural plasticity of glomeruli. Altogether, these data contribute to mapping the cerebellar 'synaptome'.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ann Marie Craig
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health and Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Spaeth L, Khodakhah K. The cerebellum tells the amygdala, "Nothing diminishes anxiety faster than action". Neuron 2024; 112:1037-1039. [PMID: 38574726 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
In this issue of Neuron, Zhang et al. question the neural substrates of exercise-based alleviation of anxiety in rodents. In brief, they propose a model where physical activity provides an anxiolytic effect by recruiting specific cerebello-limbic circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludovic Spaeth
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Kamran Khodakhah
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA; Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
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Schreurs BG, O'Dell DE, Wang D. The Role of Cerebellar Intrinsic Neuronal Excitability, Synaptic Plasticity, and Perineuronal Nets in Eyeblink Conditioning. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:200. [PMID: 38534469 DOI: 10.3390/biology13030200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2024] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Evidence is strong that, in addition to fine motor control, there is an important role for the cerebellum in cognition and emotion. The deep nuclei of the mammalian cerebellum also contain the highest density of perineural nets-mesh-like structures that surround neurons-in the brain, and it appears there may be a connection between these nets and cognitive processes, particularly learning and memory. Here, we review how the cerebellum is involved in eyeblink conditioning-a particularly well-understood form of learning and memory-and focus on the role of perineuronal nets in intrinsic membrane excitability and synaptic plasticity that underlie eyeblink conditioning. We explore the development and role of perineuronal nets and the in vivo and in vitro evidence that manipulations of the perineuronal net in the deep cerebellar nuclei affect eyeblink conditioning. Together, these findings provide evidence of an important role for perineuronal net in learning and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernard G Schreurs
- Department of Neuroscience, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA
| | - Deidre E O'Dell
- Department of Biology, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Pennsylvania Western (PennWest) University, California, PA 15419, USA
| | - Desheng Wang
- Department of Neuroscience, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA
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4
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Levi UI, Bintu MM, Daniella OC, Oyenike OAF, Agbonu AO, Adedamola AM, Ndidi E, Saka SF, Gela BV, Mbagwu SI, Edem EE, Olukayode OJ, James C. Neurobehavioral deficits, histoarchitectural alterations, parvalbumin neuronal damage and glial activation in the brain of male Wistar rat exposed to Landfill leachate. J Chem Neuroanat 2024; 136:102377. [PMID: 38176474 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2023.102377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Concerns about inappropriate disposal of waste into unsanitary municipal solid waste landfills around the world have been on the increase, and this poses a public health challenge due to leachate production. The neurotoxic effect of Gwagwalada landfill leachate (GLL) was investigated in male adult Wistar rats. Rats were exposed to a 10% concentration of GLL for 21 days. The control group received tap water for the same period of the experiment. Our results showed that neurobehavior, absolute body and brain weights and brain histomorphology as well as parvalbumin interneurons were severely altered, with consequent astrogliosis and microgliosis after 21 days of administrating GLL. Specifically, there was severe loss and shrinkage of Purkinje cells, with their nucleus, and severe diffused vacuolations of the white matter tract of GLL-exposed rat brains. There was severe cell loss in the granular layer of the cerebellum resulting in a reduced thickness of the layer. Also, there was severe loss of dendritic arborization of the Purkinje cells in GLL-exposed rat brains, and damage as well as reduced populations of parvalbumin-containing fast-spiking GABAergic interneurons in various regions of the brain. In conclusion, data from the present study demonstrated the detrimental effects of Gwagwalada landfill leachate on the brain which may be implicated in neuropsychological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Usende Ifukibot Levi
- Department of Veterinary Anatomy, University of Abuja, Nigeria; Department of Neurosurgery, Pennsylvania State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA.
| | - Mofio M Bintu
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria
| | | | | | - Adikpe Oluwa Agbonu
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria
| | | | - Enefe Ndidi
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Sanni Fatimah Saka
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Beselia V Gela
- Department of Neurosurgery, Pennsylvania State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Petre Schotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Smart I Mbagwu
- Dept of Anatomy, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nigeria
| | - Edem Ekpenyong Edem
- Department of Human Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Afe Babalola University, Nigeria
| | | | - Connor James
- Department of Neurosurgery, Pennsylvania State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
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5
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Kakizawa S, Park JJ, Tonoki A. Biology of cognitive aging across species. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24 Suppl 1:15-24. [PMID: 38126240 DOI: 10.1111/ggi.14782] [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: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Aging is associated with cognitive decline, which can critically affect quality of life. Examining the biology of cognitive aging across species will lead to a better understanding of the fundamental mechanisms involved in this process, and identify potential interventions that could help to improve cognitive function in aging individuals. This minireview aimed to explore the mechanisms and processes involved in cognitive aging across a range of species, from flies to rodents, and covers topics, such as the role of reactive oxygen species and autophagy/mitophagy in cognitive aging. Overall, this literature provides a comprehensive overview of the biology of cognitive aging across species, highlighting the latest research findings and identifying potential avenues for future research. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24: 15-24.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sho Kakizawa
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Joong-Jean Park
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ayako Tonoki
- Department of Biochemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
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Bungenberg J, Hohenfeld C, Costa AS, Heine J, Schwichtenberg K, Hartung T, Franke C, Binkofski F, Schulz JB, Finke C, Reetz K. Characteristic functional connectome related to Post-COVID-19 syndrome. Sci Rep 2024; 14:4997. [PMID: 38424415 PMCID: PMC10904373 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54554-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Post-COVID-19 syndrome is a serious complication following SARS-CoV-2 infection, characterized primarily by fatigue and cognitive complaints. Although first metabolic and structural imaging alterations in Post-COVID-19 syndrome have been identified, their functional consequences remain unknown. Thus, we explored the impact of Post-COVID-19 syndrome on the functional connectome of the brain providing a deeper understanding of pathophysiological mechanisms. In a cross-sectional observational study, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data of 66 patients with Post-COVID-19 syndrome after mild infection (mean age 42.3 years, 57 female) and 57 healthy controls (mean age 42.1 years, 38 female) with a mean time of seven months after acute COVID-19 were analysed using a graph theoretical approach. Network features were quantified using measures including mean distance, nodal degree, betweenness and Katz centrality, and compared between both groups. Graph measures were correlated with clinical measures quantifying fatigue, cognitive function, affective symptoms and sleep disturbances. Alterations were mainly found in the brainstem, olfactory cortex, cingulate cortex, thalamus and cerebellum on average seven months after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Additionally, strong correlations between fatigue severity, cognitive functioning and daytime sleepiness from clinical scales and graph measures were observed. Our study confirms functional relevance of brain imaging changes in Post-COVID-19 syndrome as mediating factors for persistent symptoms and improves our pathophysiological understanding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Bungenberg
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- JARA Brain Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (INM-11), Research Centre Jülich and RWTH Aachen University, 52056, Aachen, Germany
| | - Christian Hohenfeld
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- JARA Brain Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (INM-11), Research Centre Jülich and RWTH Aachen University, 52056, Aachen, Germany
| | - Ana S Costa
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- JARA Brain Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (INM-11), Research Centre Jülich and RWTH Aachen University, 52056, Aachen, Germany
| | - Josephine Heine
- Department of Neurology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- Faculty of Philosophy, Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Katia Schwichtenberg
- Department of Neurology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- Faculty of Philosophy, Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Tim Hartung
- Department of Neurology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- Faculty of Philosophy, Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christiana Franke
- Department of Neurology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- Faculty of Philosophy, Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ferdinand Binkofski
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Division for Clinical Cognitive Sciences, Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Institute for Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-4), Research Center Jülich GmbH, 52425, Jülich, Germany
| | - Jörg B Schulz
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- JARA Brain Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (INM-11), Research Centre Jülich and RWTH Aachen University, 52056, Aachen, Germany
| | - Carsten Finke
- Department of Neurology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- Faculty of Philosophy, Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Kathrin Reetz
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
- JARA Brain Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (INM-11), Research Centre Jülich and RWTH Aachen University, 52056, Aachen, Germany.
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Ehrlich M, Ehrlich KC, Lacey M, Baribault C, Sen S, Estève PO, Pradhan S. Epigenetics of Genes Preferentially Expressed in Dissimilar Cell Populations: Myoblasts and Cerebellum. EPIGENOMES 2024; 8:4. [PMID: 38390894 PMCID: PMC10885033 DOI: 10.3390/epigenomes8010004] [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: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
While studying myoblast methylomes and transcriptomes, we found that CDH15 had a remarkable preference for expression in both myoblasts and cerebellum. To understand how widespread such a relationship was and its epigenetic and biological correlates, we systematically looked for genes with similar transcription profiles and analyzed their DNA methylation and chromatin state and accessibility profiles in many different cell populations. Twenty genes were expressed preferentially in myoblasts and cerebellum (Myob/Cbl genes). Some shared DNA hypo- or hypermethylated regions in myoblasts and cerebellum. Particularly striking was ZNF556, whose promoter is hypomethylated in expressing cells but highly methylated in the many cell populations that do not express the gene. In reporter gene assays, we demonstrated that its promoter's activity is methylation sensitive. The atypical epigenetics of ZNF556 may have originated from its promoter's hypomethylation and selective activation in sperm progenitors and oocytes. Five of the Myob/Cbl genes (KCNJ12, ST8SIA5, ZIC1, VAX2, and EN2) have much higher RNA levels in cerebellum than in myoblasts and displayed myoblast-specific hypermethylation upstream and/or downstream of their promoters that may downmodulate expression. Differential DNA methylation was associated with alternative promoter usage for Myob/Cbl genes MCF2L, DOK7, CNPY1, and ANK1. Myob/Cbl genes PAX3, LBX1, ZNF556, ZIC1, EN2, and VAX2 encode sequence-specific transcription factors, which likely help drive the myoblast and cerebellum specificity of other Myob/Cbl genes. This study extends our understanding of epigenetic/transcription associations related to differentiation and may help elucidate relationships between epigenetic signatures and muscular dystrophies or cerebellar-linked neuropathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Ehrlich
- Tulane Cancer Center, Hayward Human Genetics Center, Center for Bioinformatics and Genomics, Tulane University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Center for Bioinformatics and Genomics, Tulane University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Kenneth C Ehrlich
- Center for Bioinformatics and Genomics, Tulane University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Michelle Lacey
- Department of Mathematics, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA
| | - Carl Baribault
- Information Technology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA
| | - Sagnik Sen
- Genome Biology Division, New England Biolabs, Ipswich, MA 01938, USA
| | | | - Sriharsa Pradhan
- Genome Biology Division, New England Biolabs, Ipswich, MA 01938, USA
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