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Yao H, Jiang SY, Jiao YY, Zhou ZY, Zhu Z, Wang C, Zhang KZ, Ma TF, Hu G, Du RH, Lu M. Astrocyte-derived CCL5-mediated CCR5 + neutrophil infiltration drives depression pathogenesis. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2025; 11:eadt6632. [PMID: 40397747 PMCID: PMC12094238 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adt6632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2025] [Indexed: 05/23/2025]
Abstract
Cross-talk between the nervous and immune systems is involved in neurological diseases. However, their potential interplay in depression has yet to be elucidated. Here, using single-cell RNA and neutrophil SMART RNA sequencing, we showed that CCR5+ neutrophils were significantly increased in patients with depression and preferentially migrated to the hippocampus in a mouse model of depression. Infiltrated neutrophils engulf neuronal spines and subsequently promote depressive symptoms in male mice. Furthermore, by genetic or pharmacologic disruption, we identified a chemotactic effect of the astrocyte-derived chemokine CCL5 on mediating the infiltration of CCR5+ neutrophils and behavioral disorders in male depressed mice. Our findings therefore highlight the critical role of neutrophils in depression pathogenesis and astrocytes in mediating the dysregulation of innate immune responses and suggest that inhibition of CCL5/CCR5-mediated neutrophil infiltration represents a potential therapeutic strategy for noninfectious brain diseases such as depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hang Yao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Department of Pharmacology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, P.R. China
| | - Si-Yuan Jiang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Department of Pharmacology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, P.R. China
| | - Ying-Ying Jiao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Department of Pharmacology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, P.R. China
| | - Zhi-Yong Zhou
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Department of Pharmacology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, P.R. China
| | - Zhu Zhu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Department of Pharmacology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, P.R. China
| | - Cong Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Department of Pharmacology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, P.R. China
| | - Ke-Zhong Zhang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, P.R. China
| | - Teng- Fei Ma
- Institute for Stem Cell and Neural Regeneration and Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular & Cerebrovascular Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, P.R. China
| | - Gang Hu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Department of Pharmacology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, P.R. China
| | - Ren-Hong Du
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Department of Pharmacology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, P.R. China
| | - Ming Lu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Department of Pharmacology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, P.R. China
- Changzhou Second People’s Hospital, Changzhou Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou 213000, P.R. China
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2
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Wu PY, Inglebert Y, McKinney RA. Synaptopodin: a key regulator of Hebbian plasticity. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1482844. [PMID: 39569068 PMCID: PMC11576213 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1482844] [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: 08/18/2024] [Accepted: 10/25/2024] [Indexed: 11/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Synaptopodin, an actin-associated protein found in a subset of dendritic spines in telencephalic neurons, has been described to influence both functional and morphological plasticity under various plasticity paradigms. Synaptopodin is necessary and sufficient for the formation of the spine apparatus, stacks of smooth endoplasmic reticulum cisternae. The spine apparatus is a calcium store that locally regulates calcium dynamics in response to different patterns of activity and is also thought to be a site for local protein synthesis. Synaptopodin is present in ~30% of telencephalic large dendritic spines in vivo and in vitro highlighting the heterogeneous microanatomy and molecular architecture of dendritic spines, an important but not well understood aspect of neuroplasticity. In recent years, it has become increasingly clear that synaptopodin is a formidable regulator of multiple mechanisms essential for learning and memory. In fact, synaptopodin appears to be the decisive factor that determines whether plasticity can occur, acting as a key regulator for synaptic changes. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of synaptopodin's role in various forms of Hebbian synaptic plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei You Wu
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Yanis Inglebert
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherche sur le Cerveau et l'Apprentissage (CIRCA), Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - R Anne McKinney
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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3
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Prikhodko O, Freund RK, Sullivan E, Kennedy MJ, Dell'Acqua ML. Amyloid-β Causes NMDA Receptor Dysfunction and Dendritic Spine Loss through mGluR1 and AKAP150-Anchored Calcineurin Signaling. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e0675242024. [PMID: 39134419 PMCID: PMC11391497 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0675-24.2024] [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: 04/10/2024] [Revised: 07/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 09/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Neuronal excitatory synapses are primarily located on small dendritic protrusions called spines. During synaptic plasticity underlying learning and memory, Ca2+ influx through postsynaptic NMDA-type glutamate receptors (NMDARs) initiates signaling pathways that coordinate changes in dendritic spine structure and synaptic function. During long-term potentiation (LTP), high levels of NMDAR Ca2+ influx promote increases in both synaptic strength and dendritic spine size through activation of Ca2+-dependent protein kinases. In contrast, during long-term depression (LTD), low levels of NMDAR Ca2+ influx promote decreased synaptic strength and spine shrinkage and elimination through activation of the Ca2+-dependent protein phosphatase calcineurin (CaN), which is anchored at synapses via the scaffold protein A-kinase anchoring protein (AKAP)150. In Alzheimer's disease (AD), the pathological agent amyloid-β (Aβ) may impair learning and memory through biasing NMDAR Ca2+ signaling pathways toward LTD and spine elimination. By employing AKAP150 knock-in mice of both sexes with a mutation that disrupts CaN anchoring to AKAP150, we revealed that local, postsynaptic AKAP-CaN-LTD signaling was required for Aβ-mediated impairment of NMDAR synaptic Ca2+ influx, inhibition of LTP, and dendritic spine loss. Additionally, we found that Aβ acutely engages AKAP-CaN signaling through activation of G-protein-coupled metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 (mGluR1) leading to dephosphorylation of NMDAR GluN2B subunits, which decreases Ca2+ influx to favor LTD over LTP, and cofilin, which promotes F-actin severing to destabilize dendritic spines. These findings reveal a novel interplay between NMDAR and mGluR1 signaling that converges on AKAP-anchored CaN to coordinate dephosphorylation of postsynaptic substrates linked to multiple aspects of Aβ-mediated synaptic dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Prikhodko
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045
| | - Ronald K Freund
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045
- Alzheimer's and Cognition Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045
| | - Emily Sullivan
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045
| | - Matthew J Kennedy
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045
- Neurotechnology Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045
| | - Mark L Dell'Acqua
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045
- Neurotechnology Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045
- Alzheimer's and Cognition Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045
- Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045
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4
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Inglebert Y, Wu PY, Tourbina-Kolomiets J, Dang CL, McKinney RA. Synaptopodin is required for long-term depression at Schaffer collateral-CA1 synapses. Mol Brain 2024; 17:17. [PMID: 38566234 PMCID: PMC10988887 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-024-01089-3] [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: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Synaptopodin (SP), an actin-associated protein found in telencephalic neurons, affects activity-dependant synaptic plasticity and dynamic changes of dendritic spines. While being required for long-term depression (LTD) mediated by metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR-LTD), little is known about its role in other forms of LTD induced by low frequency stimulation (LFS-LTD) or spike-timing dependent plasticity (STDP). Using electrophysiology in ex vivo hippocampal slices from SP-deficient mice (SPKO), we show that absence of SP is associated with a deficit of LTD at Sc-CA1 synapses induced by LFS-LTD and STDP. As LTD is known to require AMPA- receptors internalization and IP3-receptors calcium signaling, we tested by western blotting and immunochemistry if there were changes in their expression which we found to be reduced. While we were not able to induce LTD, long-term potentiation (LTP), albeit diminished in SPKO, can be recovered by using a stronger stimulation protocol. In SPKO we found no differences in NMDAR, which are the primary site of calcium signalling to induce LTP. Our study shows, for the first time, the key role of the requirement of SP to allow induction of activity-dependant LTD at Sc-CA1 synapses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanis Inglebert
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
- Current address Department of Neurosciences, Montreal University, Montreal, Canada.
| | - Pei You Wu
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | | | - Cong Loc Dang
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - R Anne McKinney
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
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5
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Wu PY, Ji L, De Sanctis C, Francesconi A, Inglebert Y, McKinney RA. Loss of synaptopodin impairs mGluR5 and protein synthesis-dependent mGluR-LTD at CA3-CA1 synapses. PNAS NEXUS 2024; 3:pgae062. [PMID: 38384385 PMCID: PMC10879843 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Metabotropic glutamate receptor-dependent long-term depression (mGluR-LTD) is an important form of synaptic plasticity that occurs in many regions of the central nervous system and is the underlying mechanism for several learning paradigms. In the hippocampus, mGluR-LTD is manifested by the weakening of synaptic transmission and elimination of dendritic spines. Interestingly, not all spines respond or undergo plasticity equally in response to mGluR-LTD. A subset of dendritic spines containing synaptopodin (SP), an actin-associated protein is critical for mGluR-LTD and protects spines from elimination through mGluR1 activity. The precise cellular function of SP is still enigmatic and it is still unclear how SP contributes to the functional aspect of mGluR-LTD despite its modulation of the structural plasticity. In this study, we show that the lack of SP impairs mGluR-LTD by negatively affecting the mGluR5-dependent activity. Such impairment of mGluR5 activity is accompanied by a significant decrease of surface mGluR5 level in SP knockout (SPKO) mice. Intriguingly, the remaining mGluR-LTD becomes a protein synthesis-independent process in the SPKO and is mediated instead by endocannabinoid signaling. These data indicate that the postsynaptic protein SP can regulate the locus of expression of mGluR-LTD and provide insight into our understanding of spine/synapse-specific plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei You Wu
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Linjia Ji
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Claudia De Sanctis
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA
| | - Anna Francesconi
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA
| | - Yanis Inglebert
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - R Anne McKinney
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 1Y6, Canada
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6
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Kruse P, Brandes G, Hemeling H, Huang Z, Wrede C, Hegermann J, Vlachos A, Lenz M. Synaptopodin Regulates Denervation-Induced Plasticity at Hippocampal Mossy Fiber Synapses. Cells 2024; 13:114. [PMID: 38247806 PMCID: PMC10814840 DOI: 10.3390/cells13020114] [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: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurological diseases can lead to the denervation of brain regions caused by demyelination, traumatic injury or cell death. The molecular and structural mechanisms underlying lesion-induced reorganization of denervated brain regions, however, are a matter of ongoing investigation. In order to address this issue, we performed an entorhinal cortex lesion (ECL) in mouse organotypic entorhino-hippocampal tissue cultures of both sexes and studied denervation-induced plasticity of mossy fiber synapses, which connect dentate granule cells (dGCs) with CA3 pyramidal cells (CA3-PCs) and play important roles in learning and memory formation. Partial denervation caused a strengthening of excitatory neurotransmission in dGCs, CA3-PCs and their direct synaptic connections, as revealed by paired recordings (dGC-to-CA3-PC). These functional changes were accompanied by ultrastructural reorganization of mossy fiber synapses, which regularly contain the plasticity-regulating protein synaptopodin and the spine apparatus organelle. We demonstrate that the spine apparatus organelle and synaptopodin are related to ribosomes in close proximity to synaptic sites and reveal a synaptopodin-related transcriptome. Notably, synaptopodin-deficient tissue preparations that lack the spine apparatus organelle failed to express lesion-induced synaptic adjustments. Hence, synaptopodin and the spine apparatus organelle play a crucial role in regulating lesion-induced synaptic plasticity at hippocampal mossy fiber synapses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pia Kruse
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Gudrun Brandes
- Institute of Neuroanatomy and Cell Biology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Hanna Hemeling
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Zhong Huang
- Institute of Neuroanatomy and Cell Biology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Christoph Wrede
- Institute of Functional and Applied Anatomy, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- Research Core Unit Electron Microscopy, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Jan Hegermann
- Institute of Functional and Applied Anatomy, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- Research Core Unit Electron Microscopy, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Andreas Vlachos
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
- Center for Basics in Neuromodulation (NeuroModulBasics), Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
- Center BrainLinks-BrainTools, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Maximilian Lenz
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
- Institute of Neuroanatomy and Cell Biology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
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7
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Huang Z. Evidence that Alzheimer's Disease Is a Disease of Competitive Synaptic Plasticity Gone Awry. J Alzheimers Dis 2024; 99:447-470. [PMID: 38669548 PMCID: PMC11119021 DOI: 10.3233/jad-240042] [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] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Mounting evidence indicates that a physiological function of amyloid-β (Aβ) is to mediate neural activity-dependent homeostatic and competitive synaptic plasticity in the brain. I have previously summarized the lines of evidence supporting this hypothesis and highlighted the similarities between Aβ and anti-microbial peptides in mediating cell/synapse competition. In cell competition, anti-microbial peptides deploy a multitude of mechanisms to ensure both self-protection and competitor elimination. Here I review recent studies showing that similar mechanisms are at play in Aβ-mediated synapse competition and perturbations in these mechanisms underpin Alzheimer's disease (AD). Specifically, I discuss evidence that Aβ and ApoE, two crucial players in AD, co-operate in the regulation of synapse competition. Glial ApoE promotes self-protection by increasing the production of trophic monomeric Aβ and inhibiting its assembly into toxic oligomers. Conversely, Aβ oligomers, once assembled, promote the elimination of competitor synapses via direct toxic activity and amplification of "eat-me" signals promoting the elimination of weak synapses. I further summarize evidence that neuronal ApoE may be part of a gene regulatory network that normally promotes competitive plasticity, explaining the selective vulnerability of ApoE expressing neurons in AD brains. Lastly, I discuss evidence that sleep may be key to Aβ-orchestrated plasticity, in which sleep is not only induced by Aβ but is also required for Aβ-mediated plasticity, underlining the link between sleep and AD. Together, these results strongly argue that AD is a disease of competitive synaptic plasticity gone awry, a novel perspective that may promote AD research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Huang
- Departments of Neuroscience and Neurology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
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8
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Wu PY, Ji L, De Sanctis C, Francesconi A, Inglebert Y, McKinney RA. Loss of synaptopodin impairs mGluR5 and protein synthesis dependent mGluR-LTD at CA3-CA1 synapses. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.02.551676. [PMID: 37577654 PMCID: PMC10418280 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.02.551676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Metabotropic glutamate receptor-dependent long-term depression (mGluR-LTD) is an important form of synaptic plasticity that occurs in many regions of the CNS and is the underlying mechanism for several learning paradigms. In the hippocampus, mGluR-LTD is manifested by the weakening of synaptic transmission and elimination of dendritic spines. Interestingly, not all spines respond or undergo plasticity equally in response to mGluR-LTD. A subset of dendritic spines containing synaptopodin (SP), an actin-associated protein, are critical for mGluR-LTD and protect spines from elimination through mGluR1 activity. The precise cellular function of SP is still enigmatic and it is still unclear how SP contributes to the functional aspect of mGluR-LTD despite of its modulation on the structural plasticity. In the present study, we show that the lack of SP impairs mGluR-LTD by negatively affecting the mGluR5-dependent activity. Such impairment of mGluR5 activity is accompanied by a significant decrease of surface mGluR5 level in SP knockout (SPKO) mice. Intriguingly, the remaining mGluR-LTD becomes a protein synthesis-independent process in the SPKO and is mediated instead by endocannabinoid signaling. These data show for the first time that the postsynaptic protein SP can regulate the locus of expression of mGluR-LTD and provide insight to our understanding of spine/synapse-specific plasticity. Significance statement Hippocampal group I metabotropic glutamate receptor dependent long-term depression (mGluR-LTD), a form of learning and memory, is misregulated in many murine models of neurodevelopmental disorders. Despite extensive studies there is a paucity of information on the molecular mechanism underlying mGluR-LTD. Previously, we reported that loss of synaptopodin, an actin-associated protein found in a subset of mature dendritic spines, impairs mGluR-LTD. In the current study, we uncover the molecular and cellular deficits involved. We find that synaptopodin is required for the mGluR5-Homer interaction and uncover synaptopodin as a molecular switch for mGluR-LTD expression, as mGluR-LTD becomes protein synthesis-independent and relies on endocannabinoid signaling in synaptopodin knock-out. This work provides insight into synaptopodin as a gatekeeper to regulate mGluR-LTD at hippocampal synapses.
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9
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Konietzny A, Wegmann S, Mikhaylova M. The endoplasmic reticulum puts a new spin on synaptic tagging. Trends Neurosci 2023; 46:32-44. [PMID: 36428191 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2022.10.012] [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: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The heterogeneity of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) makes it a versatile platform for a broad range of homeostatic processes, ranging from calcium regulation to synthesis and trafficking of proteins and lipids. It is not surprising that neurons use this organelle to fine-tune synaptic properties and thereby provide specificity to synaptic inputs. In this review, we discuss the mechanisms that enable activity-dependent ER recruitment into dendritic spines, with a focus on molecular mechanisms that mediate transport and retention of the ER in spines. The role of calcium signaling in spine ER, synaptopodin 'tagging' of active synapses, and the formation of the spine apparatus (SA) are highlighted. Finally, we discuss the role of liquid-liquid phase separation as a possible driving force in these processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Konietzny
- AG Optobiology, Institute of Biology, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Guest Group 'Neuronal Protein Transport', Center for Molecular Neurobiology, ZMNH, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Susanne Wegmann
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Berlin, Germany
| | - Marina Mikhaylova
- AG Optobiology, Institute of Biology, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Guest Group 'Neuronal Protein Transport', Center for Molecular Neurobiology, ZMNH, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
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10
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Speranza L, Filiz KD, Goebel S, Perrone-Capano C, Pulcrano S, Volpicelli F, Francesconi A. Combined DiI and Antibody Labeling Reveals Complex Dysgenesis of Hippocampal Dendritic Spines in a Mouse Model of Fragile X Syndrome. Biomedicines 2022; 10:2692. [PMID: 36359212 PMCID: PMC9687937 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10112692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Structural, functional, and molecular alterations in excitatory spines are a common hallmark of many neurodevelopmental disorders including intellectual disability and autism. Here, we describe an optimized methodology, based on combined use of DiI and immunofluorescence, for rapid and sensitive characterization of the structure and composition of spines in native brain tissue. We successfully demonstrate the applicability of this approach by examining the properties of hippocampal spines in juvenile Fmr1 KO mice, a mouse model of Fragile X Syndrome. We find that mutant mice display pervasive dysgenesis of spines evidenced by an overabundance of both abnormally elongated thin spines and cup-shaped spines, in combination with reduced density of mushroom spines. We further find that mushroom spines expressing the actin-binding protein Synaptopodin-a marker for spine apparatus-are more prevalent in mutant mice. Previous work identified spines with Synaptopodin/spine apparatus as the locus of mGluR-LTD, which is abnormally elevated in Fmr1 KO mice. Altogether, our data suggest this enhancement may be linked to the preponderance of this subset of spines in the mutant. Overall, these findings demonstrate the sensitivity and versatility of the optimized methodology by uncovering a novel facet of spine dysgenesis in Fmr1 KO mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Speranza
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA
| | - Kardelen Dalım Filiz
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Sarah Goebel
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA
| | - Carla Perrone-Capano
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Salvatore Pulcrano
- Institute of Genetics and Biophysics “A. Buzzati-Traverso”, C.N.R., 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Floriana Volpicelli
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Anna Francesconi
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA
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11
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Hsieh MY, Tuan LH, Chang HC, Wang YC, Chen CH, Shy HT, Lee LJ, Gau SSF. Altered synaptic protein expression, aberrant spine morphology, and impaired spatial memory in Dlgap2 mutant mice, a genetic model of autism spectrum disorder. Cereb Cortex 2022; 33:4779-4793. [PMID: 36169576 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac379] [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: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
A microdeletion of approximately 2.4 Mb at the 8p23 terminal region has been identified in a Taiwanese autistic boy. Among the products transcribed/translated from genes mapped in this region, the reduction of DLGAP2, a postsynaptic scaffold protein, might be involved in the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). DLGAP2 protein was detected in the hippocampus yet abolished in homozygous Dlgap2 knockout (Dlgap2 KO) mice. In this study, we characterized the hippocampal phenotypes in Dlgap2 mutant mice. Dlgap2 KO mice exhibited impaired spatial memory, indicating poor hippocampal function in the absence of DLGAP2. Aberrant expressions of postsynaptic proteins, including PSD95, SHANK3, HOMER1, GluN2A, GluR2, mGluR1, mGluR5, βCAMKII, ERK1/2, ARC, BDNF, were noticed in Dlgap2 mutant mice. Further, the spine density was increased in Dlgap2 KO mice, while the ratio of mushroom-type spines was decreased. We also observed a thinner postsynaptic density thickness in Dlgap2 KO mice at the ultrastructural level. These structural changes found in the hippocampus of Dlgap2 KO mice might be linked to impaired hippocampus-related cognitive functions such as spatial memory. Mice with Dlgap2 deficiency, showing signs of intellectual disability, a common co-occurring condition in patients with ASD, could be a promising animal model which may advance our understanding of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Yen Hsieh
- Graduate Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Li-Heng Tuan
- Graduate Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.,School of Medicine, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan.,Institute of Systems Neuroscience, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan.,Department of Medical Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Ho-Ching Chang
- Graduate Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chun Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Hsiang Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Horng-Tzer Shy
- Graduate Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Li-Jen Lee
- Graduate Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.,Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.,Neurobiology and Cognitive Science Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Susan Shur-Fen Gau
- Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.,Neurobiology and Cognitive Science Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
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