1
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Morini E, Gao D, Logan EM, Salani M, Krauson AJ, Chekuri A, Chen YT, Ragavendran A, Chakravarty P, Erdin S, Stortchevoi A, Svejstrup JQ, Talkowski ME, Slaugenhaupt SA. Developmental regulation of neuronal gene expression by Elongator complex protein 1 dosage. J Genet Genomics 2022; 49:654-665. [PMID: 34896608 PMCID: PMC9254147 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2021.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Familial dysautonomia (FD), a hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy, is caused by a mutation in the Elongator complex protein 1 (ELP1) gene that leads to a tissue-specific reduction of ELP1 protein. Our work to generate a phenotypic mouse model for FD headed to the discovery that homozygous deletion of the mouse Elp1 gene leads to embryonic lethality prior to mid-gestation. Given that FD is caused by a reduction, not loss, of ELP1, we generated two new mouse models by introducing different copy numbers of the human FD ELP1 transgene into the Elp1 knockout mouse (Elp1-/-) and observed that human ELP1 expression rescues embryonic development in a dose-dependent manner. We then conducted a comprehensive transcriptome analysis in mouse embryos to identify genes and pathways whose expression correlates with the amount of ELP1. We found that ELP1 is essential for the expression of genes responsible for nervous system development. Further, gene length analysis of the differentially expressed genes showed that the loss of Elp1 mainly impacts the expression of long genes and that by gradually restoring Elongator, their expression is progressively rescued. Finally, through evaluation of co-expression modules, we identified gene sets with unique expression patterns that depended on ELP1 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabetta Morini
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dadi Gao
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Program in Medical and Population Genetics and Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Emily M Logan
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Monica Salani
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Aram J Krauson
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Anil Chekuri
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yei-Tsung Chen
- Department of Life Sciences and Institute of Genome Sciences, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taiwan
| | - Ashok Ragavendran
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Program in Medical and Population Genetics and Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Probir Chakravarty
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Serkan Erdin
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Program in Medical and Population Genetics and Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Alexei Stortchevoi
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Program in Medical and Population Genetics and Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jesper Q Svejstrup
- Mechanisms of Transcription Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK; Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Michael E Talkowski
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Program in Medical and Population Genetics and Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Susan A Slaugenhaupt
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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2
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Faudone G, Kilu W, Ni X, Chaikuad A, Sreeramulu S, Heitel P, Schwalbe H, Knapp S, Schubert-Zsilavecz M, Heering J, Merk D. The Transcriptional Repressor Orphan Nuclear Receptor TLX Is Responsive to Xanthines. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2021; 4:1794-1807. [PMID: 34927011 PMCID: PMC8669710 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.1c00195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The orphan nuclear receptor tailless homologue (TLX) is expressed almost exclusively in neural stem cells acting as an essential factor for their survival and is hence considered as a promising drug target in neurodegeneration. However, few studies have characterized the roles of TLX due to the lack of ligands and limited functional understanding. Here, we identify xanthines including caffeine and istradefylline as TLX modulators that counteract the receptor's intrinsic repressor activity. Mutagenesis of residues lining a cavity within the TLX ligand binding domain altered the activity of these ligands, suggesting direct interactions with helix 5. Using xanthines as tool compounds, we observed a ligand-sensitive recruitment of the co-repressor silencing mediator for retinoid or thyroid-hormone receptors, TLX homodimerization, and heterodimerization with the retinoid X receptor. These protein-protein interactions evolve as factors that modulate the TLX function and suggest an unprecedented role of TLX in directly repressing other nuclear receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Faudone
- Institute
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University
Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Whitney Kilu
- Institute
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University
Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Xiaomin Ni
- Institute
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University
Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany
- Structural
Genomics Consortium, BMLS, Goethe University
Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 15, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Apirat Chaikuad
- Institute
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University
Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany
- Structural
Genomics Consortium, BMLS, Goethe University
Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 15, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Sridhar Sreeramulu
- Center
for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance (BMRZ), Institute for Organic
Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Goethe University
Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 7, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Pascal Heitel
- Institute
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University
Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Harald Schwalbe
- Center
for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance (BMRZ), Institute for Organic
Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Goethe University
Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 7, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Stefan Knapp
- Institute
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University
Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany
- Structural
Genomics Consortium, BMLS, Goethe University
Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 15, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Manfred Schubert-Zsilavecz
- Institute
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University
Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Jan Heering
- Fraunhofer
Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, D-60596 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Daniel Merk
- Institute
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University
Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany
- Department
of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität
München, Butenandtstr.
5-13, D-81377 Munich, Germany
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3
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Majidi S, Ogilvie JM, Flaveny CA. Retinal Degeneration: Short-Term Options and Long-Term Vision for Future Therapy. MISSOURI MEDICINE 2021; 118:466-472. [PMID: 34658442 PMCID: PMC8504501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The leading cause blindness is the loss of retinal ganglion cells which connect the retina to the brain. Degenerative retinal diseases include retinal dystrophy, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, which are currently incurable as the mammalian retina has no intrinsic regenerative capacity. By utilizing insight gained from retinal regeneration in simpler species we define an approach that may unlock regenerative programs in the mammalian retina that potentially facilitate the clinical restoration of retinal function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shabnam Majidi
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Judith M Ogilvie
- Department of Biology; Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Colin A Flaveny
- Department of Biology; Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
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4
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Faudone G, Bischoff-Kont I, Rachor L, Willems S, Zhubi R, Kaiser A, Chaikuad A, Knapp S, Fürst R, Heering J, Merk D. Propranolol Activates the Orphan Nuclear Receptor TLX to Counteract Proliferation and Migration of Glioblastoma Cells. J Med Chem 2021; 64:8727-8738. [PMID: 34115934 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The ligand-sensing transcription factor tailless homologue (TLX, NR2E1) is an essential regulator of neuronal stem cell homeostasis with appealing therapeutic potential in neurodegenerative diseases and central nervous system tumors. However, knowledge on TLX ligands is scarce, providing an obstacle to target validation and medicinal chemistry. To discover TLX ligands, we have profiled a drug fragment collection for TLX modulation and identified several structurally diverse agonists and inverse agonists of the nuclear receptor. Propranolol evolved as the strongest TLX agonist and promoted TLX-regulated gene expression in human glioblastoma cells. Structure-activity relationship elucidation of propranolol as a TLX ligand yielded a structurally related negative control compound. In functional cellular experiments, we observed an ability of propranolol to counteract glioblastoma cell proliferation and migration, while the negative control had no effect. Our results provide a collection of TLX modulators as initial chemical tools and set of lead compounds and support therapeutic potential of TLX modulation in glioblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Faudone
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Iris Bischoff-Kont
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Lea Rachor
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Sabine Willems
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Rezart Zhubi
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany.,Structural Genomics Consortium, BMLS, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 15, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Astrid Kaiser
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Apirat Chaikuad
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany.,Structural Genomics Consortium, BMLS, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 15, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Stefan Knapp
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany.,Structural Genomics Consortium, BMLS, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 15, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Robert Fürst
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Jan Heering
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60596 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Daniel Merk
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
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5
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Abdolmaleky HM, Gower AC, Wong CK, Cox JW, Zhang X, Thiagalingam A, Shafa R, Sivaraman V, Zhou JR, Thiagalingam S. Aberrant transcriptomes and DNA methylomes define pathways that drive pathogenesis and loss of brain laterality/asymmetry in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2019; 180:138-149. [PMID: 30468562 PMCID: PMC6386618 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2017] [Revised: 07/23/2018] [Accepted: 09/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Although the loss of brain laterality is one of the most consistent modalities in schizophrenia (SCZ) and bipolar disorder (BD), its molecular basis remains elusive. Our limited previous studies indicated that epigenetic modifications are key to the asymmetric transcriptomes of brain hemispheres. We used whole-genome expression microarrays to profile postmortem brain samples from subjects with SCZ, psychotic BD [BD[+]] or non-psychotic BD [BD(-)], or matched controls (10/group) and performed whole-genome DNA methylation (DNAM) profiling of the same samples (3-4/group) to identify pathways associated with SCZ or BD[+] and genes/sites susceptible to epigenetic regulation. qRT-PCR and quantitative DNAM analysis were employed to validate findings in larger sample sets (35/group). Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) demonstrated that BMP signaling and astrocyte and cerebral cortex development are significantly (FDR q < 0.25) coordinately upregulated in both SCZ and BD[+], and glutamate signaling and TGFβ signaling are significantly coordinately upregulated in SCZ. GSEA also indicated that collagens are downregulated in right versus left brain of controls, but not in SCZ or BD[+] patients. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis predicted that TGFB2 is an upstream regulator of these genes (p = .0012). While lateralized expression of TGFB2 in controls (p = .017) is associated with a corresponding change in DNAM (p ≤ .023), lateralized expression and DNAM of TGFB2 are absent in SCZ or BD. Loss of brain laterality in SCZ and BD corresponds to aberrant epigenetic regulation of TGFB2 and changes in TGFβ signaling, indicating potential avenues for disease prevention/treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamid Mostafavi Abdolmaleky
- Department of Medicine (Biomedical Genetics), Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA,Nutrition/Metabolism Laboratory, BIDMC, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA,Corresponding Authors: Hamid Mostafavi Abdolmaleky () and Sam Thiagalingam ()
| | - Adam Chapin Gower
- Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
| | - Chen Khuan Wong
- Department of Medicine (Biomedical Genetics), Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA,Genetics & Genomics Graduate Program, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
| | - Jiayi Wu Cox
- Department of Medicine (Biomedical Genetics), Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA,Bioinformatics Graduate Program, Boston University, Boston, MA
| | - Xiaoling Zhang
- Department of Medicine (Biomedical Genetics), Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
| | - Arunthathi Thiagalingam
- Department of Medicine (Biomedical Genetics), Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
| | | | - Vadivelu Sivaraman
- Critical Care Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Jin-Rong Zhou
- Nutrition/Metabolism Laboratory, BIDMC, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Sam Thiagalingam
- Department of Medicine (Biomedical Genetics), Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA,Genetics & Genomics Graduate Program, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA,Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA,Corresponding Authors: Hamid Mostafavi Abdolmaleky () and Sam Thiagalingam ()
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6
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Twenty-Seven Tamoxifen-Inducible iCre-Driver Mouse Strains for Eye and Brain, Including Seventeen Carrying a New Inducible-First Constitutive-Ready Allele. Genetics 2019; 211:1155-1177. [PMID: 30765420 PMCID: PMC6456315 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.119.301984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2018] [Accepted: 02/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
To understand gene function, the cre/loxP conditional system is the most powerful available for temporal and spatial control of expression in mouse. However, the research community requires more cre recombinase expressing transgenic mouse strains (cre-drivers) that restrict expression to specific cell types. To address these problems, a high-throughput method for large-scale production that produces high-quality results is necessary. Further, endogenous promoters need to be chosen that drive cell type specific expression, or we need to further focus the expression by manipulating the promoter. Here we test the suitability of using knock-ins at the docking site 5′ of Hprt for rapid development of numerous cre-driver strains focused on expression in adulthood, using an improved cre tamoxifen inducible allele (icre/ERT2), and testing a novel inducible-first, constitutive-ready allele (icre/f3/ERT2/f3). In addition, we test two types of promoters either to capture an endogenous expression pattern (MaxiPromoters), or to restrict expression further using minimal promoter element(s) designed for expression in restricted cell types (MiniPromoters). We provide new cre-driver mouse strains with applicability for brain and eye research. In addition, we demonstrate the feasibility and applicability of using the locus 5′ of Hprt for the rapid generation of substantial numbers of cre-driver strains. We also provide a new inducible-first constitutive-ready allele to further speed cre-driver generation. Finally, all these strains are available to the research community through The Jackson Laboratory.
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7
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Kozareva DA, Foley T, Moloney GM, Cryan JF, Nolan YM. TLX knockdown in the dorsal dentate gyrus of juvenile rats differentially affects adolescent and adult behaviour. Behav Brain Res 2018; 360:36-50. [PMID: 30481511 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.11.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2018] [Revised: 11/23/2018] [Accepted: 11/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The orphan nuclear receptor TLX is predominantly expressed in the central nervous system and is an important factor regulating the maintenance and self-renewal of neural stem cells from embryonic development through adulthood. In adolescence and adulthood, TLX expression is restricted to the neurogenic niches of the brain: the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus and the subventricular zone. The adolescent period is critical for maturation of the hippocampus with heightened levels of neurogenesis observed in rodents. Therefore, we investigated whether lentiviral silencing of TLX expression (TLX knockdown) in the dorsal dentate gyrus of juvenile rats incurred differential impairments in behaviour during late adolescence and adulthood. Our results showed that knockdown of TLX in the dorsal dentate gyrus led to a decrease in cell proliferation in the dorsal but not ventral dentate gyrus. At a behavioural level we observed differential effects in adolescence and adulthood across a number of parameters. A hyperactive phenotype was present in adolescent but not adult TLX knockdown rats, and an increase in immobility during adolescence and in swimming frequency during adulthood was observed in the forced swim test. There was an increased defecation frequency in the open field during adulthood but not adolescence. There were no changes in cognitive performance on hippocampus-dependent tasks or in anxiety-related behaviours. In conclusion, silencing of TLX in the dorsal dentate gyrus led to impairments in hippocampal-independent behaviours which either did not persist or were reversed during adulthood. The current data highlight the temporal importance and function of the nuclear receptor TLX during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danka A Kozareva
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Ireland
| | - Tara Foley
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Ireland
| | - Gerard M Moloney
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Ireland
| | - John F Cryan
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Ireland; APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Ireland
| | - Yvonne M Nolan
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Ireland; APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Ireland.
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8
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Saul MC, Blatti C, Yang W, Bukhari SA, Shpigler HY, Troy JM, Seward CH, Sloofman L, Chandrasekaran S, Bell AM, Stubbs L, Robinson GE, Zhao SD, Sinha S. Cross-species systems analysis of evolutionary toolkits of neurogenomic response to social challenge. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2018; 18:e12502. [PMID: 29968347 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2018] [Revised: 06/18/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Social challenges like territorial intrusions evoke behavioral responses in widely diverging species. Recent work has showed that evolutionary "toolkits"-genes and modules with lineage-specific variations but deep conservation of function-participate in the behavioral response to social challenge. Here, we develop a multispecies computational-experimental approach to characterize such a toolkit at a systems level. Brain transcriptomic responses to social challenge was probed via RNA-seq profiling in three diverged species-honey bees, mice and three-spined stickleback fish-following a common methodology, allowing fair comparisons across species. Data were collected from multiple brain regions and multiple time points after social challenge exposure, achieving anatomical and temporal resolution substantially greater than previous work. We developed statistically rigorous analyses equipped to find homologous functional groups among these species at the levels of individual genes, functional and coexpressed gene modules, and transcription factor subnetworks. We identified six orthogroups involved in response to social challenge, including groups represented by mouse genes Npas4 and Nr4a1, as well as common modulation of systems such as transcriptional regulators, ion channels, G-protein-coupled receptors and synaptic proteins. We also identified conserved coexpression modules enriched for mitochondrial fatty acid metabolism and heat shock that constitute the shared neurogenomic response. Our analysis suggests a toolkit wherein nuclear receptors, interacting with chaperones, induce transcriptional changes in mitochondrial activity, neural cytoarchitecture and synaptic transmission after social challenge. It shows systems-level mechanisms that have been repeatedly co-opted during evolution of analogous behaviors, thus advancing the genetic toolkit concept beyond individual genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael C Saul
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Charles Blatti
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois.,Department of Computer Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Wei Yang
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois.,Department of Computer Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Syed A Bukhari
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois.,Interdisciplinary Informatics Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Hagai Y Shpigler
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois.,Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Joseph M Troy
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois.,Interdisciplinary Informatics Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Christopher H Seward
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois.,Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Laura Sloofman
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois.,Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Mount Sinai Health System, New York, New York
| | | | - Alison M Bell
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois.,Interdisciplinary Informatics Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois.,Department of Animal Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois.,Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Lisa Stubbs
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois.,Interdisciplinary Informatics Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois.,Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois.,Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Gene E Robinson
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois.,Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois.,Department of Entomology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Sihai D Zhao
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois.,Department of Statistics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Saurabh Sinha
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois.,Department of Computer Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois.,Department of Entomology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
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9
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10
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O'Leary JD, O'Leary OF, Cryan JF, Nolan YM. Regulation of behaviour by the nuclear receptor TLX. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2016; 17:e12357. [PMID: 27790850 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2016] [Revised: 09/15/2016] [Accepted: 10/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The orphan nuclear receptor Tlx (Nr2e1) is a key regulator of both embryonic and adult hippocampal neurogenesis. Several different mouse models have been developed which target Tlx in vivo including spontaneous deletion models (from birth) and targeted and conditional knockouts. Although some conflicting findings have been reported, for the most part studies have demonstrated that Tlx is important in regulating processes that underlie neurogenesis, spatial learning, anxiety-like behaviour and interestingly, aggression. More recent data have demonstrated that disrupting Tlx during early life induces hyperactivity and that Tlx plays a role in emotional regulation. Moreover, there are sex- and age-related differences in some behaviours in Tlx knockout mice during adolescence and adulthood. Here, we discuss the role of Tlx in motor-, cognitive-, aggressive- and anxiety-related behaviours during adolescence and adulthood. We examine current evidence which provides insight into Tlx during neurodevelopment, and offer our thoughts on the function of Tlx in brain and behaviour. We further hypothesize that Tlx is a key target in understanding the emergence of neurobiological disorders during adolescence and early adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- J D O'Leary
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - O F O'Leary
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.,APC Microbiome Institute, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - J F Cryan
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.,APC Microbiome Institute, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Y M Nolan
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
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11
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Corso-Díaz X, de Leeuw CN, Alonso V, Melchers D, Wong BKY, Houtman R, Simpson EM. Co-activator candidate interactions for orphan nuclear receptor NR2E1. BMC Genomics 2016; 17:832. [PMID: 27782803 PMCID: PMC5080790 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-016-3173-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2016] [Accepted: 10/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background NR2E1 (Tlx) is an orphan nuclear receptor that regulates the maintenance and self-renewal of neural stem cells, and promotes tumourigenesis. Nr2e1-null mice exhibit reduced cortical and limbic structures and pronounced retinal dystrophy. NR2E1 functions mainly as a repressor of gene transcription in association with the co-repressors atrophin-1, LSD1, HDAC and BCL11A. Recent evidence suggests that NR2E1 also acts as an activator of gene transcription. However, co-activator complexes that interact with NR2E1 have not yet been identified. In order to find potential novel co-regulators for NR2E1, we used a microarray assay for real-time analysis of co-regulator–nuclear receptor interaction (MARCoNI) that contains peptides representing interaction motifs from potential co-regulatory proteins, including known co-activator nuclear receptor box sequences (LxxLL motif). Results We found that NR2E1 binds strongly to an atrophin-1 peptide (Atro box) used as positive control and to 19 other peptides that constitute candidate NR2E1 partners. Two of these proteins, p300 and androgen receptor (AR), were further validated by reciprocal pull-down assays. The specificity of NR2E1 binding to peptides in the array was evaluated using two single amino acid variants, R274G and R276Q, which disrupted the majority of the binding interactions observed with wild-type NR2E1. The decreased binding affinity of these variants to co-regulators was further validated by pull-down assays using atrophin1 as bait. Despite the high conservation of arginine 274 in vertebrates, its reduced interactions with co-regulators were not significant in vivo as determined by retinal phenotype analysis in single-copy Nr2e1-null mice carrying the variant R274G. Conclusions We showed that MARCoNI is a specific assay to test interactions of NR2E1 with candidate co-regulators. In this way, we unveiled 19 potential co-regulator partners for NR2E1, including eight co-activators. All the candidates here identified need to be further validated using in vitro and in vivo models. This assay was sensitive to point mutations in NR2E1 ligand binding domain making it useful to identify mutations and/or small molecules that alter binding of NR2E1 to protein partners. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-016-3173-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ximena Corso-Díaz
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at the Child and Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada.,Genetics Graduate Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z2, Canada
| | - Charles N de Leeuw
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at the Child and Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada.,Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Vivian Alonso
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at the Child and Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | | | - Bibiana K Y Wong
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at the Child and Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada.,Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - René Houtman
- PamGene International B.V., Den Bosch, The Netherlands
| | - Elizabeth M Simpson
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at the Child and Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada. .,Genetics Graduate Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z2, Canada. .,Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada. .,Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 2A1, Canada. .,Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 3N9, Canada.
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12
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Freudenberg F, Carreño Gutierrez H, Post AM, Reif A, Norton WHJ. Aggression in non-human vertebrates: Genetic mechanisms and molecular pathways. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2016; 171:603-40. [PMID: 26284957 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2015] [Accepted: 07/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Aggression is an adaptive behavioral trait that is important for the establishment of social hierarchies and competition for mating partners, food, and territories. While a certain level of aggression can be beneficial for the survival of an individual or species, abnormal aggression levels can be detrimental. Abnormal aggression is commonly found in human patients with psychiatric disorders. The predisposition to aggression is influenced by a combination of environmental and genetic factors and a large number of genes have been associated with aggression in both human and animal studies. In this review, we compare and contrast aggression studies in zebrafish and mouse. We present gene ontology and pathway analyses of genes linked to aggression and discuss the molecular pathways that underpin agonistic behavior in these species. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Freudenberg
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | | | - Antonia M Post
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Andreas Reif
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - William H J Norton
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
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13
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The nuclear receptor Tlx regulates motor, cognitive and anxiety-related behaviours during adolescence and adulthood. Behav Brain Res 2016; 306:36-47. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2016.03.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2015] [Revised: 03/04/2016] [Accepted: 03/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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14
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Olivares AM, Moreno-Ramos OA, Haider NB. Role of Nuclear Receptors in Central Nervous System Development and Associated Diseases. J Exp Neurosci 2016; 9:93-121. [PMID: 27168725 PMCID: PMC4859451 DOI: 10.4137/jen.s25480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2015] [Revised: 01/06/2016] [Accepted: 01/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The nuclear hormone receptor (NHR) superfamily is composed of a wide range of receptors involved in a myriad of important biological processes, including development, growth, metabolism, and maintenance. Regulation of such wide variety of functions requires a complex system of gene regulation that includes interaction with transcription factors, chromatin-modifying complex, and the proper recognition of ligands. NHRs are able to coordinate the expression of genes in numerous pathways simultaneously. This review focuses on the role of nuclear receptors in the central nervous system and, in particular, their role in regulating the proper development and function of the brain and the eye. In addition, the review highlights the impact of mutations in NHRs on a spectrum of human diseases from autism to retinal degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Maria Olivares
- Department of Ophthalmology, Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Oscar Andrés Moreno-Ramos
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Neena B Haider
- Department of Ophthalmology, Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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15
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Davis SM, Thomas AL, Nomie KJ, Huang L, Dierick HA. Tailless and Atrophin control Drosophila aggression by regulating neuropeptide signalling in the pars intercerebralis. Nat Commun 2016; 5:3177. [PMID: 24495972 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms4177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2013] [Accepted: 12/23/2013] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Aggressive behaviour is widespread throughout the animal kingdom. However, its mechanisms are poorly understood, and the degree of molecular conservation between distantly related species is unknown. Here we show that knockdown of tailless (tll) increases aggression in Drosophila, similar to the effect of its mouse orthologue Nr2e1. Tll localizes to the adult pars intercerebralis (PI), which shows similarity to the mammalian hypothalamus. Knockdown of tll in the PI is sufficient to increase aggression and is rescued by co-expressing human NR2E1. Knockdown of Atrophin, a Tll co-repressor, also increases aggression, and both proteins physically interact in the PI. tll knockdown-induced aggression is fully suppressed by blocking neuropeptide processing or release from the PI. In addition, genetically activating PI neurons increases aggression, mimicking the aggression-inducing effect of hypothalamic stimulation. Together, our results suggest that a transcriptional control module regulates neuropeptide signalling from the neurosecretory cells of the brain to control aggressive behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaun M Davis
- 1] Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA [2]
| | - Amanda L Thomas
- 1] Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA [2]
| | - Krystle J Nomie
- 1] Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA [2]
| | - Longwen Huang
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Herman A Dierick
- 1] Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA [2] Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA [3] Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA [4] Program in Developmental Biology, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
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16
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Wang T, Xiong JQ. The Orphan Nuclear Receptor TLX/NR2E1 in Neural Stem Cells and Diseases. Neurosci Bull 2016; 32:108-14. [PMID: 26769490 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-015-0004-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2015] [Accepted: 09/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The human TLX gene encodes an orphan nuclear receptor predominantly expressed in the central nervous system. Tailess and Tlx, the TLX homologues in Drosophila and mouse, play essential roles in body-pattern formation and neurogenesis during early embryogenesis and perform crucial functions in maintaining stemness and controlling the differentiation of adult neural stem cells in the central nervous system, especially the visual system. Multiple target genes and signaling pathways are regulated by TLX and its homologues in specific tissues during various developmental stages. This review aims to summarize previous studies including many recent updates from different aspects concerning TLX and its homologues in Drosophila and mouse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Wang
- Department of Intensive Care, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Jian-Qiong Xiong
- Department of Intensive Care, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China.
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17
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Thomas AL, Davis SM, Dierick HA. Of Fighting Flies, Mice, and Men: Are Some of the Molecular and Neuronal Mechanisms of Aggression Universal in the Animal Kingdom? PLoS Genet 2015; 11:e1005416. [PMID: 26312756 PMCID: PMC4551476 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Aggressive behavior is widespread in the animal kingdom, but the degree of molecular conservation between distantly related species is still unclear. Recent reports suggest that at least some of the molecular mechanisms underlying this complex behavior in flies show remarkable similarities with such mechanisms in mice and even humans. Surprisingly, some aspects of neuronal control of aggression also show remarkable similarity between these distantly related species. We will review these recent findings, address the evolutionary implications, and discuss the potential impact for our understanding of human diseases characterized by excessive aggression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda L. Thomas
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Shaun M. Davis
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Herman A. Dierick
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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18
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Kudryavtseva NN, Markel AL, Orlov YL. Aggressive behavior: Genetic and physiological mechanisms. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.1134/s2079059715040085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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19
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Corso-Díaz X, Simpson EM. Nr2e1 regulates retinal lamination and the development of Müller glia, S-cones, and glycineric amacrine cells during retinogenesis. Mol Brain 2015; 8:37. [PMID: 26092486 PMCID: PMC4475312 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-015-0126-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2015] [Accepted: 05/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Nr2e1 is a nuclear receptor crucial for neural stem cell proliferation and maintenance. In the retina, lack of Nr2e1 results in premature neurogenesis, aberrant blood vessel formation and dystrophy. However, the specific role of Nr2e1 in the development of different retinal cell types and its cell-autonomous and non-cell autonomous function(s) during eye development are poorly understood. Results Here, we studied the retinas of P7 and P21 Nr2e1frc/frc mice and Nr2e1+/+ ↔ Nr2e1frc/frc chimeras. We hypothesized that Nr2e1 differentially regulates the development of various retinal cell types, and thus the cellular composition of Nr2e1frc/frc retinas does not simply reflect an overrepresentation of cells born early and underrepresentation of cells born later as a consequence of premature neurogenesis. In agreement with our hypothesis, lack of Nr2e1 resulted in increased numbers of glycinergic amacrine cells with no apparent increase in other amacrine sub-types, normal numbers of Müller glia, the last cell-type to be generated, and increased numbers of Nr2e1frc/frc S-cones in chimeras. Furthermore, Nr2e1frc/frc Müller glia were mispositioned in the retina and misexpressed the ganglion cell-specific transcription factor Brn3a. Nr2e1frc/frc retinas also displayed lamination defects including an ectopic neuropil forming an additional inner plexiform layer. In chimeric mice, retinal thickness was rescued by 34 % of wild-type cells and Nr2e1frc/frc dystrophy-related phenotypes were no longer evident. However, the formation of an ectopic neuropil, misexpression of Brn3a in Müller glia, and abnormal cell numbers in the inner and outer nuclear layers at P7 were not rescued by wild-type cells. Conclusions Together, these results show that Nr2e1, in addition to having a role in preventing premature cell cycle exit, participates in several other developmental processes during retinogenesis including neurite organization in the inner retina and development of glycinergic amacrine cells, S-cones, and Müller glia. Nr2e1 also regulates various aspects of Müller glia differentiation cell-autonomously. However, Nr2e1 does not have a cell-autonomous role in preventing retinal dystrophy. Thus, Nr2e1 regulates processes involved in neurite development and terminal retinal cell differentiation. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13041-015-0126-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ximena Corso-Díaz
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at the Child and Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, 950 W 28 Ave, Vancouver, V5Z 4H4, BC, Canada.,Genetics Graduate Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, V6T 1Z2, BC, Canada
| | - Elizabeth M Simpson
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at the Child and Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, 950 W 28 Ave, Vancouver, V5Z 4H4, BC, Canada. .,Genetics Graduate Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, V6T 1Z2, BC, Canada. .,Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, V6T 1Z3, BC, Canada. .,Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, V6T 2A1, BC, Canada.
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20
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Ni N, Zhang D, Xie Q, Chen J, Wang Z, Deng Y, Wen X, Zhu M, Ji J, Fan X, Luo M, Gu P. Effects of let-7b and TLX on the proliferation and differentiation of retinal progenitor cells in vitro. Sci Rep 2014; 4:6671. [PMID: 25327364 PMCID: PMC4202307 DOI: 10.1038/srep06671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2014] [Accepted: 08/21/2014] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs manifest significant functions in brain neural stem cell (NSC) self-renewal and differentiation through the post-transcriptional regulation of neurogenesis genes. Let-7b is expressed in the mammalian brain and regulates NSC proliferation and differentiation by targeting the nuclear receptor TLX, which is an essential regulator of NSC self-renewal. Whether let-7b and TLX act as important regulators in retinal progenitor cell (RPC) proliferation and differentiation remains unknown. Here, our data show that let-7b and TLX play important roles in controlling RPC fate determination in vitro. Let-7b suppresses TLX expression to negatively regulate RPC proliferation and accelerate the neuronal and glial differentiation of RPCs. The overexpression of let-7b downregulates TLX levels in RPCs, leading to reduced RPC proliferation and increased neuronal and glial differentiation, whereas antisense knockdown of let-7b produces robust TLX expression,enhanced RPC proliferation and decreased differentiation. Moreover, the inhibition of endogenous TLX by small interfering RNA suppresses RPC proliferation and promotes RPC differentiation. Furthermore, overexpression of TLX rescues let-7b-induced proliferation deficiency and weakens the RPC differentiation enhancement caused by let-7b alone. These results suggest that let-7b, by forming a negative feedback loop with TLX, provides a novel model to regulate the proliferation and differentiation of retinal progenitors in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ni Ni
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Dandan Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Qing Xie
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Junzhao Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Zi Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Yuan Deng
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Xuyang Wen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Mengyu Zhu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Jing Ji
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Xianqun Fan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Min Luo
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Ping Gu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200011, China
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21
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Vogeler S, Galloway TS, Lyons BP, Bean TP. The nuclear receptor gene family in the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas, contains a novel subfamily group. BMC Genomics 2014; 15:369. [PMID: 24885009 PMCID: PMC4070562 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-15-369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [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: 09/30/2013] [Accepted: 04/30/2014] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nuclear receptors are a superfamily of transcription factors important in key biological, developmental and reproductive processes. Several of these receptors are ligand- activated and through their ability to bind endogenous and exogenous ligands, are potentially vulnerable to xenobiotics. Molluscs are key ecological species in defining aquatic and terrestrial habitats and are sensitive to xenobiotic compounds in the environment. However, the understanding of nuclear receptor presence, function and xenobiotic disruption in the phylum Mollusca is limited. RESULTS Here, forty-three nuclear receptor sequences were mined from the genome of the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas. They include members of NR0-NR5 subfamilies, notably lacking any NR6 members. Phylogenetic analyses of the oyster nuclear receptors have been conducted showing the presence of a large novel subfamily group not previously reported, which is named NR1P. Homologues to all previous identified nuclear receptors in other mollusc species have also been determined including the putative heterodimer partner retinoid X receptor, estrogen receptor and estrogen related receptor. CONCLUSION C. gigas contains a highly diverse set of nuclear receptors including a novel NR1 group, which provides important information on presence and evolution of this transcription factor superfamily in invertebrates. The Pacific oyster possesses two members of NR3, the sex steroid hormone receptor analogues, of which there are 9 in humans. This provides increasing evidence that steroid ligand specific expansion of this family is deuterostome specific. This new knowledge on divergence and emergence of nuclear receptors in C. gigas provides essential information for studying regulation of molluscan gene expression and the potential effects of xenobiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Vogeler
- />School of Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QD UK
- />Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Cefas Weymouth Laboratory, Barrack Road, Weymouth, DT4 8UB UK
| | - Tamara S Galloway
- />School of Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QD UK
| | - Brett P Lyons
- />Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Cefas Weymouth Laboratory, Barrack Road, Weymouth, DT4 8UB UK
| | - Tim P Bean
- />Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Cefas Weymouth Laboratory, Barrack Road, Weymouth, DT4 8UB UK
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22
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Juárez P, Valdovinos MG, May ME, Lloyd BP, Couppis MH, Kennedy CH. Serotonin2A/C receptors mediate the aggressive phenotype of TLX gene knockout mice. Behav Brain Res 2013; 256:354-61. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2013.07.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2012] [Revised: 07/23/2013] [Accepted: 07/25/2013] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
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23
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Abstract
Aggression mediates competition for food, mating partners, and habitats and, among social animals, establishes stable dominance hierarchies. In humans, abnormal aggression is a hallmark of neuropsychiatric disorders and can be elicited by environmental factors acting on an underlying genetic susceptibility. Identifying the genetic architecture that predisposes to aggressive behavior in people is challenging because of difficulties in quantifying the phenotype, genetic heterogeneity, and uncontrolled environmental conditions. Studies on mice have identified single-gene mutations that result in hyperaggression, contingent on genetic background. These studies can be complemented by systems genetics approaches in Drosophila melanogaster, in which mutational analyses together with genome-wide transcript analyses, artificial selection studies, and genome-wide analysis of epistasis have revealed that a large segment of the genome contributes to the manifestation of aggressive behavior with widespread epistatic interactions. Comparative genomic analyses based on the principle of evolutionary conservation are needed to enable a complete dissection of the neurogenetic underpinnings of this universal fitness trait.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert R H Anholt
- Department of Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-7617, USA.
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24
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Young FB, Franciosi S, Spreeuw A, Deng Y, Sanders S, Tam NCM, Huang K, Singaraja RR, Zhang W, Bissada N, Kay C, Hayden MR. Low levels of human HIP14 are sufficient to rescue neuropathological, behavioural, and enzymatic defects due to loss of murine HIP14 in Hip14-/- mice. PLoS One 2012; 7:e36315. [PMID: 22649491 PMCID: PMC3359340 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0036315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2012] [Accepted: 04/02/2012] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntingtin Interacting Protein 14 (HIP14) is a palmitoyl acyl transferase (PAT) that was first identified due to altered interaction with mutant huntingtin, the protein responsible for Huntington Disease (HD). HIP14 palmitoylates a specific set of neuronal substrates critical at the synapse, and downregulation of HIP14 by siRNA in vitro results in increased cell death in neurons. We previously reported that mice lacking murine Hip14 (Hip14-/-) share features of HD. In the current study, we have generated human HIP14 BAC transgenic mice and crossed them to the Hip14-/- model in order to confirm that the defects seen in Hip14-/- mice are in fact due to loss of Hip14. In addition, we sought to determine whether human HIP14 can provide functional compensation for loss of murine Hip14. We demonstrate that despite a relative low level of expression, as assessed via Western blot, BAC-derived human HIP14 compensates for deficits in neuropathology, behavior, and PAT enzyme function seen in the Hip14-/- model. Our findings yield important insights into HIP14 function in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiona B. Young
- Department of Medical Genetics and Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Child and Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Sonia Franciosi
- Department of Medical Genetics and Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Child and Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Amanda Spreeuw
- Department of Medical Genetics and Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Child and Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Yu Deng
- Department of Medical Genetics and Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Child and Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Shaun Sanders
- Department of Medical Genetics and Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Child and Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Natalie C. M. Tam
- Department of Medical Genetics and Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Child and Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Kun Huang
- Department of Medical Genetics and Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Child and Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Roshni R. Singaraja
- Department of Medical Genetics and Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Child and Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Weining Zhang
- Department of Medical Genetics and Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Child and Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Nagat Bissada
- Department of Medical Genetics and Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Child and Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Chris Kay
- Department of Medical Genetics and Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Child and Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Michael R. Hayden
- Department of Medical Genetics and Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Child and Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Forrest D, Swaroop A. Minireview: the role of nuclear receptors in photoreceptor differentiation and disease. Mol Endocrinol 2012; 26:905-15. [PMID: 22556342 DOI: 10.1210/me.2012-1010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Rod and cone photoreceptors are specialized sensory cells that mediate vision. Transcriptional controls are critical for the development and long-term survival of photoreceptors; when these controls become ineffective, retinal dysfunction or degenerative disease may result. This review discusses the role of nuclear receptors, a class of ligand-regulated transcription factors, at key stages of photoreceptor life in the mammalian retina. Nuclear receptors with known ligands, such as retinoids or thyroid hormone, together with several orphan receptors without identified physiological ligands, complement other classes of transcription factors in directing the differentiation and functional maintenance of photoreceptors. The potential of nuclear receptors to respond to ligands introduces versatility into the control of photoreceptor development and function and may suggest new opportunities for treatments of photoreceptor disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas Forrest
- Laboratory of Endocrinology and Receptor Biology, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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26
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Schmouth JF, Bonaguro RJ, Corso-Diaz X, Simpson EM. Modelling human regulatory variation in mouse: finding the function in genome-wide association studies and whole-genome sequencing. PLoS Genet 2012; 8:e1002544. [PMID: 22396661 PMCID: PMC3291530 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1002544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
An increasing body of literature from genome-wide association studies and human whole-genome sequencing highlights the identification of large numbers of candidate regulatory variants of potential therapeutic interest in numerous diseases. Our relatively poor understanding of the functions of non-coding genomic sequence, and the slow and laborious process of experimental validation of the functional significance of human regulatory variants, limits our ability to fully benefit from this information in our efforts to comprehend human disease. Humanized mouse models (HuMMs), in which human genes are introduced into the mouse, suggest an approach to this problem. In the past, HuMMs have been used successfully to study human disease variants; e.g., the complex genetic condition arising from Down syndrome, common monogenic disorders such as Huntington disease and β-thalassemia, and cancer susceptibility genes such as BRCA1. In this commentary, we highlight a novel method for high-throughput single-copy site-specific generation of HuMMs entitled High-throughput Human Genes on the X Chromosome (HuGX). This method can be applied to most human genes for which a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) construct can be derived and a mouse-null allele exists. This strategy comprises (1) the use of recombineering technology to create a human variant-harbouring BAC, (2) knock-in of this BAC into the mouse genome using Hprt docking technology, and (3) allele comparison by interspecies complementation. We demonstrate the throughput of the HuGX method by generating a series of seven different alleles for the human NR2E1 gene at Hprt. In future challenges, we consider the current limitations of experimental approaches and call for a concerted effort by the genetics community, for both human and mouse, to solve the challenge of the functional analysis of human regulatory variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-François Schmouth
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at the Child and Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- Genetics Graduate Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Russell J. Bonaguro
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at the Child and Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Ximena Corso-Diaz
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at the Child and Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- Genetics Graduate Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Elizabeth M. Simpson
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at the Child and Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- Genetics Graduate Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- * E-mail:
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27
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Retina restored and brain abnormalities ameliorated by single-copy knock-in of human NR2E1 in null mice. Mol Cell Biol 2012; 32:1296-311. [PMID: 22290436 DOI: 10.1128/mcb.06016-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Nr2e1 encodes a stem cell fate determinant of the mouse forebrain and retina. Abnormal regulation of this gene results in retinal, brain, and behavioral abnormalities in mice. However, little is known about the functionality of human NR2E1. We investigated this functionality using a novel knock-in humanized-mouse strain carrying a single-copy bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC). We also documented, for the first time, the expression pattern of the human BAC, using an NR2E1-lacZ reporter strain. Unexpectedly, cerebrum and olfactory bulb hypoplasia, hallmarks of the Nr2e1-null phenotype, were not fully corrected in animals harboring one functional copy of human NR2E1. These results correlated with an absence of NR2E1-lacZ reporter expression in the dorsal pallium of embryos and proliferative cells of adult brains. Surprisingly, retinal histology and electroretinograms demonstrated complete correction of the retina-null phenotype. These results correlated with appropriate expression of the NR2E1-lacZ reporter in developing and adult retina. We conclude that the human BAC contained all the elements allowing correction of the mouse-null phenotype in the retina, while missing key regulatory regions important for proper spatiotemporal brain expression. This is the first time a separation of regulatory mechanisms governing NR2E1 has been demonstrated. Furthermore, candidate genomic regions controlling expression in proliferating cells during neurogenesis were identified.
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Toth M, Mikics E, Tulogdi A, Aliczki M, Haller J. Post-weaning social isolation induces abnormal forms of aggression in conjunction with increased glucocorticoid and autonomic stress responses. Horm Behav 2011; 60:28-36. [PMID: 21316368 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2011.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2010] [Revised: 01/14/2011] [Accepted: 02/02/2011] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
We showed earlier that social isolation from weaning (a paradigm frequently used to model social neglect in children) induces abnormal forms of attack in rats, and assumed that these are associated with hyperarousal. To investigate this hypothesis, we deprived rats of social contacts from weaning and studied their behavior, glucocorticoid and autonomic stress responses in the resident-intruder paradigm at the age of 82 days. Social isolation resulted in abnormal attack patterns characterized by attacks on vulnerable targets, deficient social communication and increased defensive behaviors (defensive upright, flight, freezing). During aggressive encounters, socially deprived rats rapidly switched from one behavior to another, i.e. showed an increased number of behavioral transitions as compared to controls. We tentatively term this behavioral feature "behavioral fragmentation" and considered it a form of behavioral arousal. Basal levels of plasma corticosterone regularly assessed by radioimmunoassay between 27 and 78 days of age were not affected. In contrast, aggression-induced glucocorticoid responses were approximately doubled by socially isolation. Diurnal oscillations in heart rate assessed by in vivo biotelemetry were not affected by social isolation. In contrast, the aggression-induced increase in heart rate was higher in socially isolated than in socially housed rats. Thus, post-weaning social isolation induced abnormal forms of aggression that developed on the background of increased behavioral, endocrine and autonomic arousal. We suggest that this paradigm may be used to model aggression-related psychopathologies associated with hyperarousal, particularly those that are triggered by adverse rearing conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mate Toth
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
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29
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Gui H, Li ML, Tsai CC. A tale of tailless. Dev Neurosci 2010; 33:1-13. [PMID: 21124006 DOI: 10.1159/000321585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2010] [Accepted: 09/16/2010] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Drosophila Tailless(Tll) and its vertebrate homologue Tlx are conserved orphan nuclear receptors specifically expressed in the eye and the forebrain. Tll and Tlx act primarily as transcriptional repressors through their interactions with transcriptional corepressors, Atrophin family proteins, and histone-tail/chromatin-modifying factors such as lysine-specific histone demethylase 1 and histone deacetylases. The functional importance of Tll and Tlx is made apparent by the recent discovery that they are expressed in neural stem cells (NSCs) and are required for self-renewal of these cells in both Drosophila and the mouse. This review provides a snapshot of current knowledge about Tll and Tlx and their transcriptional network, which maintains NSCs in developing and adult animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongxing Gui
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, N.J., USA.
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30
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Wong BKY, Hossain SM, Trinh E, Ottmann GA, Budaghzadeh S, Zheng QY, Simpson EM. Hyperactivity, startle reactivity and cell-proliferation deficits are resistant to chronic lithium treatment in adult Nr2e1(frc/frc) mice. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2010; 9:681-94. [PMID: 20497236 DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-183x.2010.00602.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The NR2E1 region on Chromosome 6q21-22 has been repeatedly linked to bipolar disorder (BP) and NR2E1 has been associated with BP, and more specifically bipolar I disorder (BPI). In addition, patient sequencing has shown an enrichment of rare candidate-regulatory variants. Interestingly, mice carrying either spontaneous (Nr2e1(frc) ) or targeted (Tlx(-) ) deletions of Nr2e1 (here collectively known as Nr2e1-null) show similar neurological and behavioral anomalies, including hypoplasia of the cerebrum, reduced neural stem cell proliferation, extreme aggression and deficits in fear conditioning; these are the traits that have been observed in some patients with BP. Thus, NR2E1 is a positional and functional candidate for a role in BP. However, no Nr2e1-null mice have been fully evaluated for behaviors used to model BP in rodents or pharmacological responses to drugs effective in treating BP symptoms. In this study we examine Nr2e1(frc/frc) mice, homozygous for the spontaneous deletion, for abnormalities in activity, learning and information processing, and cell proliferation; these are the phenotypes that are either affected in patients with BP or commonly assessed in rodent models of BP. The effect of lithium, a drug used to treat BP, was also evaluated for its ability to attenuate Nr2e1(frc/frc) behavioral and neural stem cell-proliferation phenotypes. We show for the first time that Nr2e1-null mice exhibit extreme hyperactivity in the open field as early as postnatal day 18 and in the home cage, deficits in open-field habituation and passive avoidance, and surprisingly, an absence of acoustic startle. We observed a reduction in neural stem/progenitor cell proliferation in Nr2e1(frc/frc) mice, similar to that seen in other Nr2e1-null strains. These behavioral and cell-proliferation phenotypes were resistant to chronic-adult-lithium treatment. Thus, Nr2e1(frc/frc) mice exhibit behavioral traits used to model BP in rodents, but our results do not support Nr2e1(frc/frc) mice as pharmacological models for BP.
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Affiliation(s)
- B K Y Wong
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at the Child & Family Research Institute, and Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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31
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The Observer XT: a tool for the integration and synchronization of multimodal signals. Behav Res Methods 2009; 41:731-5. [PMID: 19587185 DOI: 10.3758/brm.41.3.731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The Observer was originally developed as a manual event recorder for the collection, management, analysis, and presentation of observational data in animals. Because of the flexibility of later versions, it became clear that The Observer was suitable for almost any study involving collection of observational data in both animals and humans. Furthermore, the most recent version of The Observer (The Observer XT) allows the integration and synchronization of multimodal signals from various sources, such as observational, video, tracking, and physiological data. This article describes how The Observer XT was used to integrate and synchronize video, observational, tracking, and physiological data from an experiment carried out in 2001 at the Wageningen Institute of Animal Sciences of Wageningen University and Research Centre. The integration and synchronization of these multimodal signals in The Observer XT allows the user to draw a more complete picture of the phenomena under study.
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32
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Kumar RA, McGhee KA, Leach S, Bonaguro R, Maclean A, Aguirre-Hernandez R, Abrahams BS, Coccaro EF, Hodgins S, Turecki G, Condon A, Muir WJ, Brooks-Wilson AR, Blackwood DH, Simpson EM. Initial association of NR2E1 with bipolar disorder and identification of candidate mutations in bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and aggression through resequencing. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2008; 147B:880-9. [PMID: 18205168 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.30696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Nuclear receptor 2E1 gene (NR2E1) resides within a 6q21-22 locus for bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Mice deleted for Nr2e1 show altered neurogenesis, cortical and limbic abnormalities, aggression, hyperexcitability, and cognitive impairment. NR2E1 is therefore a positional and functional candidate for involvement in mental illness. We performed association analyses in 394 patients with bipolar disorder, 396 with schizophrenia, and 479 controls using six common markers and haplotypes. We also performed a comprehensive mutation screen of NR2E1, resequencing its entire coding region, complete 5' and 3' untranslated regions, consensus splice-sites, and evolutionarily conserved regions in 126 humans with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or aggressive disorders. NR2E1 was associated with bipolar disorder I and II [odds ratio (OR = 0.77, P = 0.013), bipolar disorder I (OR = 0.77, P = 0.015), bipolar disorder in females (OR = 0.72, P = 0.009), and with age at onset < or = 25 years (OR = 0.67, P = 0.006)], all of which remained significant after correcting for multiple comparisons. We identified eight novel candidate mutations that were absent in 325 controls; four of these were predicted to alter known neural transcription factor binding sites. Analyses of NR2E1 mRNA in human brain revealed forebrain-specific transcription. The data presented support the hypothesis that genetic variation at NR2E1 may be associated with susceptibility to brain-behavior disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ravinesh A Kumar
- Centre for Molecular Medicine & Therapeutics and Child & Family Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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33
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Abrahams BS, Tentler D, Perederiy JV, Oldham MC, Coppola G, Geschwind DH. Genome-wide analyses of human perisylvian cerebral cortical patterning. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2007; 104:17849-54. [PMID: 17978184 PMCID: PMC2077018 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0706128104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2007] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the well established role of the frontal and posterior perisylvian cortices in many facets of human-cognitive specializations, including language, little is known about the developmental patterning of these regions in the human brain. We performed a genome-wide analysis of human cerebral patterning during midgestation, a critical epoch in cortical regionalization. A total of 345 genes were identified as differentially expressed between superior temporal gyrus (STG) and the remaining cerebral cortex. Gene ontology categories representing transcription factors were enriched in STG, whereas cell-adhesion and extracellular matrix molecules were enriched in the other cortical regions. Quantitative RT-PCR or in situ hybridization was performed to validate differential expression in a subset of 32 genes, most of which were confirmed. LIM domain-binding 1 (LDB1), which we show to be enriched in the STG, is a recently identified interactor of LIM domain only 4 (LMO4), a gene known to be involved in the asymmetric pattering of the perisylvian region in the developing human brain. Protocadherin 17 (PCDH17), a neuronal cell adhesion molecule, was highly enriched in focal regions of the human prefrontal cortex. Contactin associated protein-like 2 (CNTNAP2), in which mutations are known to cause autism, epilepsy, and language delay, showed a remarkable pattern of anterior-enriched cortical expression in human that was not observed in mouse or rat. These data highlight the importance of expression analysis of human brain and the utility of cross-species comparisons of gene expression. Genes identified here provide a foundation for understanding molecular aspects of human-cognitive specializations and the disorders that disrupt them.
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Affiliation(s)
- B. S. Abrahams
- Program in Neurogenetics and Neurobehavioral Genetics, Department of Neurology and Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1769
| | - D. Tentler
- Program in Neurogenetics and Neurobehavioral Genetics, Department of Neurology and Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1769
| | - J. V. Perederiy
- Program in Neurogenetics and Neurobehavioral Genetics, Department of Neurology and Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1769
| | - M. C. Oldham
- Program in Neurogenetics and Neurobehavioral Genetics, Department of Neurology and Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1769
| | - G. Coppola
- Program in Neurogenetics and Neurobehavioral Genetics, Department of Neurology and Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1769
| | - D. H. Geschwind
- Program in Neurogenetics and Neurobehavioral Genetics, Department of Neurology and Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1769
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34
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Belz T, Liu HK, Bock D, Takacs A, Vogt M, Wintermantel T, Brandwein C, Gass P, Greiner E, Schütz G. Inactivation of the gene for the nuclear receptor tailless in the brain preserving its function in the eye. Eur J Neurosci 2007; 26:2222-7. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2007.05841.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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35
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Li W, Sun G, Yang S, Qu Q, Nakashima K, Shi Y. Nuclear receptor TLX regulates cell cycle progression in neural stem cells of the developing brain. Mol Endocrinol 2007; 22:56-64. [PMID: 17901127 PMCID: PMC2194628 DOI: 10.1210/me.2007-0290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
TLX is an orphan nuclear receptor that is expressed exclusively in vertebrate forebrains. Although TLX is known to be expressed in embryonic brains, the mechanism by which it influences neural development remains largely unknown. We show here that TLX is expressed specifically in periventricular neural stem cells in embryonic brains. Significant thinning of neocortex was observed in embryonic d 14.5 TLX-null brains with reduced nestin labeling and decreased cell proliferation in the germinal zone. Cell cycle analysis revealed both prolonged cell cycles and increased cell cycle exit in TLX-null embryonic brains. Increased expression of a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21 and decreased expression of cyclin D1 provide a molecular basis for the deficiency of cell cycle progression in embryonic brains of TLX-null mice. Furthermore, transient knockdown of TLX by in utero electroporation led to precocious cell cycle exit and differentiation of neural stem cells followed by outward migration. Together these results indicate that TLX plays an important role in neural development by regulating cell cycle progression and exit of neural stem cells in the developing brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenwu Li
- Neuroscience Division, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, California 91010, USA
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36
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Abstract
Unchecked aggression and violence exact a significant toll on human societies. Aggression is an umbrella term for behaviours that are intended to inflict harm. These behaviours evolved as adaptations to deal with competition, but when expressed out of context, they can have destructive consequences. Uncontrolled aggression has several components, such as impaired recognition of social cues and enhanced impulsivity. Molecular approaches to the study of aggression have revealed biological signals that mediate the components of aggressive behaviour. These signals may provide targets for therapeutic intervention for individuals with extreme aggressive outbursts. This Review summarizes the complex interactions between genes, biological signals, neural circuits and the environment that influence the development and expression of aggressive behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Randy J Nelson
- Department of Psychology, Institute for Behavioural Medicine Research, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA.
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37
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Kumar RA, Leach S, Bonaguro R, Chen J, Yokom DW, Abrahams BS, Seaver L, Schwartz CE, Dobyns W, Brooks-Wilson A, Simpson EM. Mutation and evolutionary analyses identify NR2E1-candidate-regulatory mutations in humans with severe cortical malformations. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2006; 6:503-16. [PMID: 17054721 PMCID: PMC2040186 DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-183x.2006.00277.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Nuclear receptor 2E1 (NR2E1) is expressed in human fetal and adult brains; however, its role in human brain–behavior development is unknown. Previously, we have corrected the cortical hypoplasia and behavioral abnormalities in Nr2e1−/− mice using a genomic clone spanning human NR2E1, which bolsters the hypothesis that NR2E1 may similarly play a role in human cortical and behavioral development. To test the hypothesis that humans with abnormal brain–behavior development may have null or hypomorphic NR2E1 mutations, we undertook the first candidate mutation screen of NR2E1 by sequencing its entire coding region, untranslated, splice site, proximal promoter and evolutionarily conserved non-coding regions in 56 unrelated patients with cortical disorders, namely microcephaly. We then genotyped the candidate mutations in 325 unrelated control subjects and 15 relatives. We did not detect any coding region changes in NR2E1; however, we identified seven novel candidate regulatory mutations that were absent from control subjects. We used in silico tools to predict the effects of these candidate mutations on neural transcription factor binding sites (TFBS). Four candidate mutations were predicted to alter TFBS. To facilitate the present and future studies of NR2E1, we also elucidated its molecular evolution, genetic diversity, haplotype structure and linkage disequilibrium by sequencing an additional 94 unaffected humans representing Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Oceania, as well as great apes and monkeys. We detected strong purifying selection, low genetic diversity, 21 novel polymorphisms and five common haplotypes at NR2E1. We conclude that protein-coding changes in NR2E1 do not contribute to cortical and behavioral abnormalities in the patients examined here, but that regulatory mutations may play a role.
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Affiliation(s)
- R A Kumar
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics and Child & Family Research InstituteVancouver, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British ColumbiaVancouver, Canada
| | - S Leach
- Canada’s Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, British Columbia Cancer AgencyVancouver, Canada
| | - R Bonaguro
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics and Child & Family Research InstituteVancouver, Canada
| | - J Chen
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics and Child & Family Research InstituteVancouver, Canada
| | - D W Yokom
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics and Child & Family Research InstituteVancouver, Canada
| | - B S Abrahams
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics and Child & Family Research InstituteVancouver, Canada
| | - L Seaver
- Center for Molecular Studies, J.C. Self Research Institute, Greenwood Genetic CenterGreenwood, SC, USA
| | - C E Schwartz
- Center for Molecular Studies, J.C. Self Research Institute, Greenwood Genetic CenterGreenwood, SC, USA
| | - W Dobyns
- University of ChicagoChicago, IL, USA
| | - A Brooks-Wilson
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British ColumbiaVancouver, Canada
- Canada’s Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, British Columbia Cancer AgencyVancouver, Canada
| | - E M Simpson
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics and Child & Family Research InstituteVancouver, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British ColumbiaVancouver, Canada
- Corresponding author: Elizabeth M. Simpson, 3020 980 West 28 Ave, Vancouver, BC, Canada V5Z 4H4. E-mail:
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38
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Christie BR, Li AM, Redila VA, Booth H, Wong BKY, Eadie BD, Ernst C, Simpson EM. Deletion of the nuclear receptor Nr2e1 impairs synaptic plasticity and dendritic structure in the mouse dentate gyrus. Neuroscience 2005; 137:1031-7. [PMID: 16289828 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2005.08.091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2005] [Revised: 07/14/2005] [Accepted: 08/15/2005] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The spontaneous or targeted deletion of the nuclear receptor transcription factor Nr2e1 produces a mouse that shows hypoplasia of the hippocampal formation and reduced neurogenesis in adult mice. In these studies we show that hippocampal synaptic transmission appears normal in the dentate gyrus and cornu ammonis 1 subfields of adult mice that lack Nr2e1 (Nr2e1-/-), and that fEPSP shape, paired-pulse responses, and short-term plasticity are not substantially altered in either subfield. In contrast, the expression of long-term potentiation is selectively impaired in the dentate gyrus, and not in the cornu ammonis 1 subfield. Golgi analysis revealed that there was a significant reduction in both dendritic branching and dendritic length that was specific to dentate gyrus granule cells in the Nr2e1-/- mice. These results indicate that Nr2e1 deletion can significantly alter both synaptic plasticity and dendritic structure in the dentate gyrus.
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Affiliation(s)
- B R Christie
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, 2136 West Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 1Z4.
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